What's coming this month
December update baby
I haven’t really managed to summon my inner Master Oogway this week to enlighten me and help me spread wisdom haha. I guess I’m very much in the end-of-year rush: picking up presents, planning the Christmas Eve chaos with my family, and closing off my work so I can rest and relax a bit. Maybe I’ll get my inner old wise master back too! 😂
I just wanted to give you a little overview of what’s coming in December and what I’ve been working on behind the scenes. I might skip some newsletters, maybe the last week of December and the first week of January, we’ll see.
To be able to share thoughts and ideas, I always have to make time to first listen to what’s going on inside my head. This is one of the best times of the year for that.
New YouTube Videos
This month I will publish two videos. One of them will be on my Patreon page in a day or 2 for early addess, and I’ll record the other one later this week.
A practical video with gift ideas for guitarists. You can use it as a guide to buy something for a loved one, or send it over to your family and friends as a wishlist! 😃
A video about the idea that talent is a myth, where I break down how learning truly works from a scientific perspective.
Recording Project
I am currently preparing to record the Cogwork Dancers soundtrack from one of my favourite video games, Silksong. If everything goes well, I should be able to share the finished recording with you before the end of the year, at least on Patreon. This is the music, and it plays under a fantastic boss fight:
The two dancers (probably a couple) move in synchronized patterns; their attacks are rhythmic and graceful but deadly. They aren’t living creatures, they’re machines, but somehow they resemble the bonding, love, and connection only living beings are capable of.
This was one of the hardest moments for me as a gamer, not because of the difficulty, but because of the emotions: when one of them dies, the other one doesn’t go into a rage or get stronger or faster — like you’d expect — it just keeps dancing. It becomes slower, less rhythmic, almost grieving, but still finishes its choreography, even though its partner isn’t there anymore to complete it.
If you wanna see how the fight plays out, here you are:
It’s probably not so emotional if you haven’t played the game, the journey it takes you on makes you put everything into context.
Daily Facebook Posts
Throughout December I will continue posting daily on Facebook. My goal is to keep offering small bits of inspiration, knowledge, and motivation during a time of year when many people slow down or feel overwhelmed. I started posting regularly on this page very recently, and to my surprise, I find it a lot better for communication than Instagram for example. I think many of us choose more conciously what to follow or engage with on Facebook than on Instagram, therefore interacting with any page or post feels more intentional. This is just my two cents.
Facebook users also seem to have longer attention span, which is crucial when I share a piece of music which is longer than 8 seconds haha.
December Gift Packs
My Level 3 and Level 4 Patreon supporters will receive the December gift pack soon. I love preparing these, I always come up with new combinations of items and it’s just like wrapping gifts for Christmas to me.
If you want to receive one, be sure to sign up as a level 3 or 4 supporter on my Patreon page by the end of this week.
Practice Journal
A few days ago I received the first test copy of my practice journal. Quite a lot of things still need tweaking and better formatting for print, chaning font size, margins, paper thickness and a higher printing quality, but holding it in my hands made me incredibly happy. I cannot wait to show you the improved version soon!
I just published a little behind the scenes video of it on Patreon.
I started using and testing it in the past couple of days and so far everything feels right. I’m mostly using the tracker sheets at the end, but I use the daily planning and reflecting parts too. Here’s a peekaboo:
Upcoming Courses
I am finishing the preparation work for two new courses. The sripts are mostly finalised, still needs some tweaking.
A mini course dedicated to warming up effectively and theory.
A longer course focused on musicality and expressive playing.
If all goes according to plan, both courses will be ready to record in January.
Slowing Down and Reflecting
Alongside all this work, I want to bring this year to a gentle close soon. December is also a time for rest, recharging, family, and reflection. I hope you allow yourselves the same space if you need it.
Thank you for being here and tagging along on this journey. ❤️
Other than educational materials, I offer lots of ofther stuff as well:
My album is still available on vinyl
You can find lots of lovely music on my YouTube channel and on my Spotify
Have a look at my shop and see if you find something you like (artworks, T-shirts and more)
Thank you for reading today! Have a wonderful week! 😊
Hugs, Betti