Week 1 Check-In
Self-Assessment Is Part of the Practice
In musical learning, the ability to accurately assess your own current state is a skill in itself. Today is not a test with passing and failing — it is a calibration. You measure where you are with honest precision, identify the weakest area, and plan how to strengthen it before Sprint 1 ends. The goal is not to be perfect at week one; the goal is to know exactly where you stand so that your next seven days are targeted rather than diffuse.
See the Zoom HierarchyYesterday:This week you learned the DADGAD string layout, mapped degrees 1, 4, and 5 on every string, understood the harmonic skeleton, and explored the open chord's suspended quality.
Warmup
5 min- 1.Tune to DADGAD without looking at the tuner first — try to tune by ear from memory of yesterday's pitch. Then verify and correct.
- 2.Strum the open chord 4 times. Identify the three note-names in the chord (D, G, A) aloud.
- 3.Stretch each finger individually: hold each fingertip against your palm for 5 seconds.
- 4.Take 3 slow breaths. Today is for measurement, not achievement.
Week 1 Calibration Exercises
Main Practice
- 1.
Random string — D check: have someone call string numbers 1–6 in random order, or use dice/random number. For each string, find a D note within 3 seconds. Do all 6 strings. Record: how many did you find within 3 seconds? Score out of 6.
- 2.
Random string — A check: same process for A. Find A on each of the 6 strings within 5 seconds. Score out of 6.
- 3.
Random string — G check: same process for G. Find G on each of the 6 strings within 5 seconds. Score out of 6.
- 4.
1→4→5→1 with click: set a metronome to 60bpm. On string 4, play D (open, 2 beats) → G (fret 5, 2 beats) → A (fret 7, 2 beats) → D (open, 2 beats). Repeat 4 cycles without stopping. Note: did you stay locked to the click? Y/N.
- 5.
Open chord knowledge: strum the open chord and answer aloud: What chord quality is it? What notes does it contain? What note would you add to make it D major? What note would you add to make it a D add9?
- 6.
Fluency sense: play freely for 3 minutes — any notes, any strings, any rhythm. As you play, try to name notes aloud. Notice when you have to stop and think versus when a name comes automatically. This is your current fluency boundary.
Integration
5 min- 1.Write your three scores (D: __, A: __, G: __) and your click observation in your practice log. Circle the lowest score — that is your focus for the rest of Sprint 1.
- 2.Set a specific intention: 'This week I will drill [weakest anchor] for 5 extra minutes each day.' Write it down.
Exit Check
Mark each yes in your practice log — these are not tracked here.