TIPS FOR TODAY
Progress comes from momentum, not mastery.
If today’s challenge feels awkward or slow, that’s exactly how it’s supposed to feel. This isn’t a “nail it in one day” test — it’s your first pass at a new motion. Your hands will keep improving every time you come across a similar skill.
Even 10 focused minutes is enough to count today as a win. Our goal is NOT to perfect it. It’s to get exposure to a new skill.
Just get the motion under your fingers a few times at your own pace, and trust that next time you try a skill like this, it will feel a little smoother.
YOUR SAMPLE WEEK OF TONY'S ACOUSTIC CHALLENGE
5-Day "Stop Dabbling, Start Playing Guitar" Challenge
- MON: Technique
- TUE: Lick
- WED: Improv
- THU: Rhythm
- FRI: Transitions
FREE WHEN YOU JOIN TODAY
30 DAY JUMPSTART
All new members start with our 30-day jumpstart to learn the basics. It comes free with your membership when you join today.
3-Steps to Stop Dabbling and Start Playing
Try the Free 5-Day Challenge
Get a feel for the TAC method and see what 10 minutes a day can do.
Join TAC and Build Your Foundation
Start the 30-Day Jumpstart Challenge (included when you join) to lock in the basics and build a daily habit.
Keep Going with Daily Challenges
After the 30-Day Jumpstart, keep improving—one fun, daily guitar session at a time.
Oof. I want so badly to make one pleasant sound. I’m BRAND new, having inhereted my stepdad’s guitar after his recent passing. I touched it twice when I was 5yo.
I don’t know how to hold it, I can’t keep my fat fingers out of the way of the strings. I had to play it at .06 a million times just to get the picking and finger movement in my brain, let alone actually try to do it. Are you sure it’s possible to do this from new? Challenge accepted and I’ll be back tomorrow, but my wrists will be cramped. lol
I haven’t played in years, and I am self twilight with some bad habits. I only know the basic chords.
When I scrolled down I didn’t find the box where I could slow or speed up, or see tabs.
Hey Tony. New player here. 50 years old and picked up the guitar two months ago after a shoulder injury kept me out of the gym. I was able to hit all the notes reasonably well. I had not considered picking on the upstroke before. I used it after the lesson on some scales and it was a light bulb moment!
I almost got it . 30 year beginner. Played first position strum songs before that. 64 I’ve never done a hammer on
Hi Tony – I am a soon to be 65 year old Christian Worship leader vocalist that was previously a classic rock lead vocalist in the 80’s with choppy bar chord rhythm skills that has a “love” for guitar (1 acoustic and 4 electric on the wall). I have been self taught and dabbling since by leveraging downloaded charts, background tracks, and numerous youtube videos. However, I do not have a solid foundation of the full fretboard, harmonies, melodies, rhythm patterns, theory or technique. Your first lesson and course is intriguing, and I am happy to share that I have nailed the first Day One : Technique. Looking forward to seeing what’s next!
Brand new, 58 years old. Having a hard time just getting my fingers in the right spot, and I’m not certain my tuning is matching yours, which is a struggle.
I grew up listening to my dad fingerpick songs by James Taylor, America, and John Denver. When I was around 12, I started playing around on an old classical guitar my dad had lying around. I could mimic songs he had played and then I started playing tabs from artists I loved, like the Indigo Girls, Nancy Griffith, and Patti Griffin. Coming from classical piano lessons to just trying to figure out the guitar on my own felt freeing, but I never grew to understand music theory or rudiments very well. I just wanted to play well fast (ah, the impatience of youth) Today was a nice start at what I hope will encourage me to continue playing daily after a couple years dry spell. Thank you!
Brand new at picking enjoyed the challenge very much
I just turned 70 and I’ve been strumming off and on for years, but I’ve been stuck on the first 3 or 4 frets for the most part. Even so, I found the first lesson a bit awkward, so I will need to work on the finger positions. I plan to move forward with the 5-day lessons and then decide if I will continue on.
Super excited for a successful, easy, fun day of playing guitar! I put in my ten minutes and a little more. Then, later in the day, I wanted to pick up my guitar and play some more, so went for another 10!!
I’m an old guy coming back to guitar after about, um.. 40 years. I was convinced I just wasn’t cut out to be a musician, though I love music obsessively. A couple of years ago I took up banjo thinking it would be easier and I enjoy finger picking but again, I got frustrated over a lack of progress. Now I’m trying guitar again, I like your concept; don’t try to be perfect, just play.
Seemed totally beyond me to start with but I slowed the video down and feel like got somewhere. I recommend a tune up before starting!
Like Willie I’m finding the video etc really clunky.
Web site really slow to respond on my ipad. I will try my laptop tomorrow.
I’ve been strumming songs for 50 years.
Recently started having lessons as I just want to be better. Doing my best to learn fingerstyle.
This felt like WAY too much to learn in one day; I’m gonna need at least a week to learn just this. I have to work two jobs today, so will have little time to actually practice this, and knowing that tomorrow is going to build on what I’m SUPPOSED to be learning today feels overwhelming. I think I’d rather move at a MUCH slower pace, where I have at least a week to learn each little nugget, and time to practice and digest it all. Learning something this complex every single day is too much for my overloaded brain to take in.
Some trouble and time taken up getting my guitar somewhat tuned with yours. My old tuner wouldn’t work, even with new batteries. Have always had problems with finger strength and could not get but a muffle out of the hammer. Is it fair to pick instead? I always blame the guitar strings or type of guitar and have never been able to efficiently press down the strings. Love the teaching method. I tried many in my youth. I’m now 72 with arthritic fingers, but I feel your method may finally work for me, especially since I now have time to dedicate to the skill and realize it’s the daily persistence that slowly leads to results.
Clunky not clingy. I’m 74 and have been dabbling for 8 months – I had hoped to gain structure from this programme
I’m one of the old guys, who played for years, never got where I wanted to, despite dedicated and intense practice and finally gave up. I started in 1972 as a college sophomore, quit some time in the 80s. I went by the old saying about the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So I didn’t beat myself up or feel like a failure. I knew I’d given it all I could and then some. I felt I had to face the fact that I simply didn’t have ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ may be, talent, musicality…).
Then during the COVID lockdowns decided to give it another shot and ordered a cheap acoustic online and started up. Surprisingly, a lot of the muscle memory was still there and I could finger the chords and run the pentatonic scales, and some of the runs and leads I had learned. I could even play from memory some fingerpicking pieces I knew (My Creole Belle by John Hurt, one of my all time favorites to play) which amazed me and kept me motivated. I even found some of the old books online I’d learned from, now out of print, so I could refresh those songs I used to know. And I’m just having fun with no expectations of perfection.
All good so far…but as before I had trouble going past that. I realized that my interests were too varied and my focus too scattered to make real progress to a deeper understanding of how to make music with the instrument. Not just rote memorization, which I never could quite nail despite 1000s of repetitions. I had to laugh in your long video when you showed the montage of all the books you’d bought. I have a giant stack of them, many uncracked. Bluegrass, country-traditional folk flat picking, acoustic, electric and slide blues, fingerpicking, etc. etc. Another love is lap slide guitar, I originally wanted to be a pedal steel player, so I have books on Hawaiian, Blues, and country. So you see the problem. I lacked focus and direction. I needed to learn how to learn. And that’s why your description of your approach and your in depth study of the psychology of learning, really resonated with me. I’m really excited to get a plan in place and follow it.
54 dabbled for years off and on finally gave up because I figured i just don’t have the natural ability needed to be good at it. Haven’t touched my guitar for years.
Been playing for many years, just want to get better. I want to learn more guitar theory and technique so I can grow and not just play at a basic level. Appreciate the tools/advice you provide to make the learning experience easier (controlling speeds of practice videos, tab options) I’m looking forward to tomorrow, thanks for sharing Tony.
Been trying to play guitar for years (electric) using YouTube, rocksmith and books and always get stuck in the same place then give up. I decided to go and get an acoustic and came across you, thanks Facebook. I have found 2 other online tuitions that offer some free lessons so I’m going to try them all to see what works best for me before committing. Today’s lesson was nice and easy to follow I just need to get used to have a massive guitar under my arms and I’m sure I will do fine lol
I’ve tried guitar on and off for 50 years! This is my last attempt, so I hope it goes well! 🙂
Really enjoyed this start. Felt good on the lower strings but found it really tough when I got down to the A and E strings.
New from the start, not shore were my fingers should be
I haven’t played in years. I learned what I used to know by ear and by watching my uncles play. I eventually learned to play a few chords and some rhythm, and then I started playing bass guitar with my uncles, because they needed a bass in their band. Y’all getting me excited to start playing guitar again!
I haven’t touched my guitar in quite sometime. I’ve been attempting to learn guitar since I was 10. It’s been an on again off again “challenge.”
The day one challenge was pretty straight forward, yet easy enough to
grasp.
My one issue was the “tabs.”
When I clicked on the icon it asked to Download or Cancel. I downloaded, of course, and when I opened the pdf it was sheet music with guitar chords above the measures. What I know as “tabs”, are lines, for the strings and marks for which strings to press. Am I missing something here? Was the sheet music supposed to be posted as “tabs?”
Brand new to guitar. Lesson is moving too fast. Programs keeps freezing up
I am a new player do not no anything about guitar day 1 a bit overwhelming but I am here
Brand new. 59 years old and blagged a guitar a day late! Very overwhelmed with needing to be ambidextrous, small win… I’m here and trying!
Starting from 0
Bought a guitar yesterday. Got home and opened Facebook. There you were, first thing I saw. Signed up for the 30 day challenge and did my first today. At the beginning of the video I was pretty intimidated. Looks like a lot. Fifteen minutes in I was keeping up. In another fifteen I got it locked in and memorized. Tony, your teaching and methods are spectacular. Thank you!
I really like your approach and am happy to have gotten the first day down after a few tries. At age 54, I have been playing a few years now through other online services such as Guitar Tricks and Justin Guitar with some progress and stagnation at other times as I give up technique and lessons to learn songs through other youtube providers, of which I do like a few. However, I like your approach of learning a movement which can then be transferred to playing styles and look forward to giving this a good try. My best.
I’m 70 years old. Brand spankin new at guitar. I play the piano. I would like to learn to play the guitar. The fingering was confusing to me. Was trying to figure out what string was what and which finger went where. I kept plugging along.
I got a guitar for Christmas for my 12th birthday and taught myself some bluegrass picking and tablature but never had anyone to teach me anything else so I got bored and stopped. Now I’m 57 and want to start again. I don’t know how to read music and that’s always been intimidating to me. I’m a little concerned that my fingers can’t reach all the positions!
Been playing for years, but love learning things that get me out of the same old thing!
I may as well be a new beginner. I took a few lessons when I was a teenager but parents couldn’t afford to continue so I just dropped out. So now I am 62 year old and still have the want to. I went on l online to understand how to tune using a tuner. That went pretty well. But I still do not understand when being told the strings are turned to ABCDE but actually starting with te bottom thin string it is actually tuned to E and from there it is B,G,D,A, and E again. So this is confusing to me. I like being able to slow down you teaching but it still moving WAY to fast for me to do it in 10 minutes and be ready for the next class tomorrow. The other issue is getting my short fingers in place without making the next string sound dead. So I probably need to be spoon fed alot of technique on just how to position my fingers, how to understand tuning, and understanding tuning.
Reminds me of my guitar teacher from 5 years ago. Real skills to play real music. Love that the tab/notes are included.
I’ve been trying to play forever I just can’t seem to put it all together. I have a disadvantage being my index finger is permanently at a 90 degree bend making it difficult to change cords smoothly.
Been playing off and on for years. ‘Collecting tunes’ and playing them ok, but never playing them well, which I put down to a lack of technique (and patience). Hoping I can re-build the foundations here so I can finally progress….!
I’m someone who is “stuck”. Been dabbling for years, never really improving. Enjoyed this first day 1 challenge.
I’m just getting back into playing after some time away from it. Enjoyed the free day 1 technique challenge.
Brand new. Nearly 70yrs old but want to learn. Tuned guitar with an app. Fingers are not hardened yet. Hope I can still access this tomorrow before I start day 2.
I started playing guitar about 4 years ago but my approach was very disjointed and without structure. And I need structure to learn new things properly. Jokingly, I had visions of playing like my own guitar heroes in a short timescale but underestimated (severely) how much time and effort would be required! I had a guitar tutor for a short time but rarely received feedback on my progress. Unfortunately I broke my wrist in Sept 23 which required extensive Physio.for over 12 months. I am only just getting back into learning guitar. Oh yes, I live in the UK and in my early 70’s
I just finished lesson 1. It went okay. I really had to watch the video of both the plucking and the fret fingers many times, so thanks for putting both of those together at the same time. I also really like the 1/2 and 3/4 speeds. I ended up having three 15 minute sessions today to get to a point that I could either go 3/4 speed with no errors or full speed with a few errors. Either way, I am pleased with my progress. My background is that retired at 61 years old, I have played off and on for over 50 years. I played some rock scales at 14-15 years old, and only strummed about 15 chords to YouTube songs and Ultimate Guitar chords since then. I am pretty pumped about this new strategy to learn more. Looking forward to tomorrow.
I’ve tried a few times to learn guitar and like many given up, part of my problem is being self conscious to what others may think with my bum notes and poor technique. I always had great intentions but never came to fruition, being 50+ now and of a sounder mind (as in I don’t really worry too much about what others think) I think its my time to learn correctly. Fingers crossed the system works and I take sound knowledge and technique from these early lessons. Thanks for giving everyone your time to teach what is a very difficult instrument to learn and play 🙂
I’m 73. I picked the guitar back up about 15 years ago. I play just about every day. I can play a ton of different chords in various positions on the fretboard; and I play most barre chords with ease. I know alot of songs. The things missing are a system of learning and mastering techniques to refine my playing to a higher level; and also, I want to learn to solo in a way that is musical and doesn’t sound like a scale. And also to at least do some basic fingerpicking.
Been playing off and on for 40+ years, never with formal structure, so very hit or miss and leave and come back every few months. I play both electric and acoustic, blues/rock mostly. Getting something out of this first video even to just slow it down and focus on my alternate picking across all strings with consistency at tempo. Consistent and fluid is my goal as my struggle has always been to be able to play the same thing, in time, correctly and consistently all the way through.
Hi Tony,
Whew… this should be interesting. I am a Senior (89 yrs} and retired many years ago. When I retired I tried to learn to play the guitar. Something to entertain myself and learn a new skill. I went to a music store, signed up for some lessons and purchased a nice acoustic guitar. It’s a La Petrie, made in Canada. The instructor gave me a Mel Bay book to study and so started my guitar journey. Problem was, I wanted to learn to play a few songs and the instructor insisted I learn Classical stuff first. By the time my series of lessons finished, I could read sheet notes and Tab and knew most open position chords. I had also lost interest and did not renew the lessons. Most recently I decided to try again and have been watching guitar stuff on YouTube. That’s how I discovered you. I decided to try your challenge to see if this time, I really can learn to play my guitar.
New guitar player, tuned it and played first strings but then guitar sure didn’t sound good, must be my fingers hitting other strings. Will keep trying though see what I can learn.
day 1 sounded similar, not a good or smooth following