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.
I’m a beginner. i had wrist surgery a few years ago a had to fuse my left wrist. I’m trying to loosen it up and have fun at the same time.
love this Tony — and great song to pick!
Been learning for ages and don’t seem to improve
Where do I get the TAB?
This doesn’t play on my mac with chrome.
Hi Aer, A quick suggestion would be to reboot and try using a different browser, or device. Hope this helps!
Im doing it!! Slowly..but Im taking the little bites into it! Thank you
Long term beginner, totally me…singer first, picked up the guitar (bass and piano) later. My knowledge of chord shapes, theories far outweighs my skills (often skipping the fundamentals., because mm, I just wanted to create and play) and getting frustrated with instructions to “play it exactly as its written”. I like the idea of having cheats/skills to get the gist or a box of jewelry to dress up ad libs or jump in with others tastefully vs being pedantic and memorize tabs etc
Using a garage sale Lotus L100. [Acoustic] It probably needs to be set up because I’ve never been able to bar a chord and when I do the pull on the G string, it never comes off because it hits my ring finger on D. Its very difficult to play clean chords.
I have been able to learn Blackbird and can play that with McCartney at abbey road [YouTube] Of course, I cannot memorize lyrics to save my life and 9 times out of 10 I’ll screw up because Ive lost my concentration and forgot where I was. I also enjoy playing parts of dueling banjos, but have not tied it all together yet. Who knows maybe one day I’ll be touched by an angel and be musically endowed like some of these kids that have to be reincarnated Mozarts or Jimi Hendrix’s!
Enjoying the 5 day acoustic challenge. It is a 10 minute lesson that takes me at least an hour to figure out the frets, stings and picks. But, it’s there and if your patient you can get it down. Im enjoying the pulls and slides which may fool someone into thinking I have an ounce of talent. LOL!
Been playing pretty solidly since 2015 but I perform as basically a rhythm acoustic and singer. Toured many years as a sound tech and guitar tech and as a road manager for Bo Diddley, Paul Rodgers, Ronnie Wood but never really played a lot back then. Started as a drummer since 15 yrs old. Now Im looking to get into more picking, riff work and lead soloing, so thought I’d give this a try. Just recently got into more electric also with joining a CCR Tribute band. Nice first lesson.
I have been playing for 50 years. I’m a decent guitarist, but I just simply don’t play often enough. I’ve only been part of a couple bands that were just put together for an event. I played with a band at church for several years. I signed up for the 5 day challenge to get back to basics and to have a reason to play daily, at least for 5 days.
Picked up the guitar a year ago at age 50 after inheriting a couple guitars from my dad. Never played any music instruments before. Been make some progress with basics through a few online instructors.
Although you make this 1st lesson sound easy I’m have a hard time getting the hammer on to match pick notes and getting a clean tone. Also can’t get fingers clear of the string below without muting it. I need some more basic fundamentals help than what you are showing as simple. Not simple for those of us that haven’t been playing very long.
My lack of finger strength and need for lighter strings is showing up. I will keep working
I liked this lesson.
I am a life long beginner I’ve had my little Aria acoustic for fifty years.
Long term beginner is a good description. I started playing during covid but have been crazy busy with work so dropped off. But honestly it had started being a burden. I want to learn finger style since I can’t sing, and maybe I bit off too much too soon. I’m not happy with what I hear and frustrated by my lack of progress. Hoping this fresh start gets me motivated again.
I have played on and off for a few years but returned to guitar recently as a very extended beginner. I thought, I’ll never do that but I set it to 50% speed and had a go, had a go again and again and again and then suddenly it kind of clicked. I moved it to 75% speed and floundered horribly but kept on going. It’s not like anything terrible happened when I fluffed it. Then I cleared off and played a few blues shuffles as I was over thinking things. 10 mins later, back to your video at 75% and all was well so tried 100% and it all came together. I actually got up to 150% and was feeling pretty darned pleased with myself. See you tomorrow for day 2. It was really fun.
Good start- I can see how it also assures proper tuning and set up accuracy. I am a bassist and also play some drum/percussion, with some noodling on guitar over my lifetime.
Probably help if you’d explain the term ‘hammering’ right off the bat, rather than my confused a$$ having to Google it.
I am intermediate guitar player. My playing chops are better on piano, but I write songs and guitar is my go-to for playing my songs. I have gotten stuck at certain points (yes, barre chords was one of those). I find myself using the same few strumming and picking patterns and chord progressions and I would like to expand my vocabulary of what I actually play. I have a greater analytic understanding of harmonic concepts than I actually have a handle on in my playing. And admittedly I recognize that I need to follow through with repetition and drilling on techniques if I want to get better. I enjoy taking lessons but I get distracted with other projects that require focus and have trouble working everything into my schedule. I know I actually have enough time to get better, and I like the idea of working on bite-sized pieces that might help me avoid my avoidance, my talking myself out of switching gears away from one project because I am afraid I will not find my way back. I am looking forward to the 5-day challenge – I have started late because of other deadlines to meet, but as long as I can carry on at my own pace without dropping out I expect it to be productive. I have just finished Day 1 lesson and playing and I like it so far. I am hoping by the end of Day 5 to join for the whole program. I appreciate the free trial. Thank you!
I’m a retired 66 yr old, life long beginner. I know pretty much all the open chord shapes, but struggle landing cleanly and keeping time without hesitation. I know the “a minor” pentatonic 1st position and all the notes on the low E string. I know a few opening licks of rock songs, but never learned an entire song. I get easily frustrated and end up putting the guitar down for days/weeks before trying again and never really progressing.
Once I printed the tab and marked D, H & U for the notes, I was good to go. I need to play until it’s fluid. The hardest part for me is learning to use a pick because I’ve been playing finger style for many years. At this point, I think I’ll try following what you do with a pick, but also trying to do it with using my thumb for downstrokes and index finger for upstrokes.
This looks good but I can’t really tell which fingers are down on the strings from the angle shown
I always loved music and at 13 I wanted to learn guitar. Mom got me a nasty acoustic and lessons (Mel Bay guitar 1, Twinkle Twinkle, etc.) and it was hard and not fun. Quit. Then 3 or 4 years later had friends who were natural guitar players who could accompany themselves singing. THAT’S what I really wanted. So I bought myself a marginally better guitar but returned to lessons which I liked only slightly more. Still hard. Still not what I wanted. That guitar went under my bed and moved when I moved 5 or 6 times. Then 7 or 8 years later I tried lessons but this time they focused on teaching me a song I wanted to learn with teaching from excellent teachers and I got a better. Enough to sing and play at the same time songs I wanted to sing and play. Then I stopped playing when I changed relationships, moved again to a place where the neighbors could hear me and I got too shy to sing and play. Then a few years after that I moved AGAIN to a place by myself with no neighbors and I learned a bunch of songs from lyric and chord sheets and got brave using the Nashville #ng system and could listen to a song on the radio and figure out the key and therefore the chords and I played a LOT. For years. But I called myself a hack because I didn’t play many intros, outros or solos. Just blammed away on chords enough to accompany myself. Then I got married and didn’t have the house to myself anymore and avoided playing except sporadically. But I got serioysly into Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and got Tom’s ukulele song book as well as a couple TPATH guitar song books last Christmas and played a bit but was in school and got distracted from the music again.
And here I am today. Still loving both guitat and uke but not having learned the 5 elements of playing and just playing out of the song books once in a while when I’d rather play daily and grow my skills.
I am 75 and I have been learning for about 3 years and never play with a pick. I am hoping this challenge will help me get over my dislike of using a pick. I am limiting my playing abilities.
Hello Tony. Yes I am a life longer beginner. I first started playing guitar while serving in the Air Force overseas. A one year remote tour was a long long time away from my wife and children. I found this little local shop and bought a guitar. Took a few beginner lessons. Guitar was able to fill my loneliness bringing such joy and warmth to my life. After returning back home life and career took over and my playing guitar was put on the back burner. Now and then I would start playing again with the same events repeating. Then I was injured that ultimately ended my loved Air Force career and changed my whole world. Hardships, divorce and losing most of my eye sight was the nail that sealed my dreams of ever playing guitar. So I thought. I met my Shannon. We married and she has changed my world. More than I could ever image or hope for. Two years ago I found this program called Guitars for Vets. I signed up and waited over a year to get into the program. This program brought playing guitars back into my life a reality. I can say the passion is alive and well with this guitar in my hand and my wife beside me. Playing guitar is healing my life long wounds. I graduated just a few months ago and I have volunteered to help coordinate the Guitars for Vets program at my local veterans chapter. I have started training so I can help fellow veterans find the healing power of music. I am trying to move from life long beginner guitar player to one day teaching others this joy and passion. Tony, thank you for being a supporter of Guitar for Vets.
I’ve trying to play for years since high school. Never took. Was never consistent. Now that I am retired I am trying again. Hopefully things will work. FOD is appropriate for me as I have been listening to the Dead since high school. Looking forward to more.
Thanks
I feel like one of those extended beginner’s, even though I’ve been playing for 30 years. I was in a band in high school, but none since. I play electric and acoustic, but mainly acoustic now. My dad’s passing got me really motivated to get better and buying a Martin guitar certainly heped with that. I want to learn music development, how to play with others, and how to play lead on acoustic.
Bought first guitar 40 years ago and messed around with a couple lessons but never learned anything substantial. I moved to Nashville to enjoy the singer songwriter world and got inspired again watching others do what i could only dream of. I’ve no vision of being a musician but I do enjoy myself learning a little more about the instrument every time I sit down to entertain myself. At 73 and semi retired from fitness industry I find the learning part good for the BRAIN!
the TAB sheet is not “Friend of the Devil” it is Set out Runnin”
Liked this 1st exercise.
I had a stroke two months ago and thought I’d never play again. Got brave enough to pick my guitar up. It’s pretty bad but taking your challenge to help with my rehab and to be able to play again.
Started during COVID. My son gifted my husband a guitar 15 years prior and no one had touched it. I thought someone should play it or we should re home it. I picked it up and haven’t stopped since. Taught myself with online tutorials and occasional input from my son. I currently play with two local guitar circles, but feel a little stuck with my progress.
I start on Monday, today is Saturday. I have worked on this every day and am just starting to get the feel of what it is suppose to sound like. I have a lot of difficulty taking the short video and getting a mental picture. I started loosing the ability to retain 3 D direction and placement requiring many times of backing up to get one note at a time to muscle memory so I could “feel” it, not just remember it. For me it would be very helpful to present each note/action very slowly so I could find it as it was being taught, like a live instructor guiding me through each action.
Bought my first guitar when I was about 50 years old. I’m now 66. I would practice like a madman for around 2 months then not play at all for 10 months. So far not much beyond a few open chords and struggling to hit clean barr chords. Decided a few months ago to try and stick with it. That’s what appealed to me about Tony’s system was a new strategy to keep going. I liked day 1 but day 2’s lesson showed up and so did some company! Have to play catch up tomorrow.
Cannot see the tabs? They don’t appear at all.
Yeah….I can’t seem to do this in only 10 minutes. Been trying to self learn for a couple years. I’ll have to write down the strumming pattern and finger placements. More like an hour to get basic skill.
I’m so sick this week. Will I have access to these videos if I wait a few days?
Hi Denise! You should be able to refer back to your Emails to continue with the Challenge. Get better soon!
Very well explained. Thank you!
I played a lot in high school. Only played with other musicians a few times, and it was mostly improvising. Then had kids , and life just kind of got in the way. When I pick it up now, I find that I’m stuck noodling around with bits and pieces of riffs and Melody’s.
Your video won’t let me slow it down so I can try to play with you. It displays faster speeds only.
Hi Jerry, Please reach out to TAC Support. They will have some suggestions to offer for this. support@tonypolecastro.com
Tony, thanks for the great start to the 5 day challenge. I am 69 years young and started playing guitar when I was 16 on a Sears special through a community education class that was strumming old folk songs. Quit when I went to college, picked it back up when I was 30 and took 5 years of practice at a guitar shop. I got married shortly after I started and then kids came along etc. So I didn’t practice much and never really progressed. Put it down at age 35 and picked it back up again about 2 years ago. Permanent beginner! I have learned songs on the internet from Marty, Justin and others and can read tabs, but have never really gotten much better. Looking forward to learning more and trying out your “mini-TAC” this week!
Tony— just picking up guitar again after a long hiatus— looking forward to the 5 day challenge and hoping for a kick start back into making music
I’m more of a lifelong intermediate. I actually fronted a band not that horribly long ago but my vocals were#1 and my playing was…well…within my comfort zone. Mostly rhythm.
Sore fingers
Hi Tony, I’m getting back into guitar after a hiatus of about 15 years. It seems like a long time and I can’t help but think I’m rusty. Your five day challenge seems like a good way to begin again.
I’ve played piano for decades, but at age 61 I am finally learning to play the guitar. I have played church music, small-group & big-band jazz, and I love to break out my big, fat, classical piano books that I’ve accumulated over the years. I also played the balalaika many years ago. Right now, I’m feeling a lifetime of music spilling out as I find the notes and chords on the guitar. It’s amazingly fun, but I don’t really know what I’m doing yet, in a “learn this to make progress” sort of way. I’ve been having a blast just picking out some tunes and scales and chord progressions, and from what you say, this might actually a way to learn to play! I’m looking forward to all you have to show me. Thank you!
Lifelong beginner here! Started in high school in a rock band and have been dabbling ever since. Now I’m 67 . I like this first lesson, basic but challenging
To much on strumming need to find and learn finger placements
Congratulations to anyone who can finish this first challenge in 10 minutes. The video is over ten minute.
I only played for 15 minutes, but still could not match the strokes in the video.
Don’t give up. Just keep trying. You will get better and you will be happy you stuck with it
Same here..no focus on cords and finger placements
Hi Tony, I started playing in 1977 at 9 years old, plunking out Twinkle Twinkle on my mom’s old classical guitar. It was upside-down and backwards on my lap, and mom quickly got me sorted out! She taught me Logger Lover, and how to read chord charts. I’ve been playing campfires and singalongs since the age of 12. I’m finally taking song-writing classes and now I want to figure out lead guitar and improvisation. I’m 57 and ready to set aside the time to do the work. I’ve seen your ads on FB for a year or so now, and when I met you at Blue Ox this summer (I sat in on your talk with Matt and Charlie – thanks for wrangling them!), I decided to try your classes!
This simple but tricky exercise has made me realise how weak my ring finger is for fretting or hammering.