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.
Hi Tony,
I’ve been playing for some years now and have many basics under control, but I’m looking to achieve the next level. I have carpal tunnel in my left hand which makes many finger positions difficult and sometimes I can’t really feel as much in my finger tips as I need to.
I struggled with the hand position for the hammer on, especially on the lower strings. And then I had to remove my third finger to get the open string to play cleanly. The picking part was easy for me. The chord fingering was tricky with the hammer on.
really enjoyed first session Tony – I have only ever been able to play a few basic chords but this session was out of my comfort zone but got to 2x speed without many bum notes 🙂 look forward to tomorrows session – a day 1 win for me !
Hey Tony. I’m really excited to be learning guitar after 40 years of wanting to, but thinking I couldn’t. I got my guitar last week lol. Rank beginner at guitar, but I’ve played chord melody style mountain dulcimer for a decade. What I’ve learned there seems to be transferring over pretty well to guitar.
I guessed I learned today’s challenge yesterday when I saw it on your page. Struggling a little with muted strings, but overall I’m pleased and I find the exercise very enjoyable. Thank you so much!
I’ve been playing on and off most of my life. More so with my current guitar for the last 25 years. I mostly play fingerstyle. I keep going over the same songs, but nothing gets to performance level.
Hi Tony, I played rhythm guitar in a garage band and in my high school stage band 45+ years ago. I can strum, read music, know basic theory, and play around a campfire (with a chord sheet) but never have been able to improvise or play by ear. I tried learning classical guitar a few years ago, but keep getting stuck and taking long breaks so I have to start over. I want to fall in love with my guitar again. I collect guitars that gather dust and it’s such a waste. BTW, my husband is a serious Dead fan (not quite a Dead Head), so Friend of the Devil sold me on this challenge..
I have been playing the guitar since I was a kid, and I play with the music team at my church, but I just strum the chords. I don’t know how to read music or finger pick, so I’m hoping to learn.
I have never been a picker, only a strummer, so this is challenging. Also, I am picking it up after many years away, so still building up calluses. I can only play for 10-15 min and am still working on finger detarity
Didn’t seem to post first time, so this may repeat…
Been dabbling on and off for decades. This lesson really helped. I feel as though I’d be better off starting from the beginning to unlearn bad habits.
One thing: I see a lot of tutorials teaching the picking direction opposite from what is intuitive. Like the up pick on the second string where I’d naturally want to keep moving my hand downward and then as I come back up to the upper string my hand is already moving upward so I’d do an up pick. I’m inclined to say that whatever rhythm my mind can wrap around – as long as the finished product sounds right – should work best for me. But since everyone stresses picking motion as instructed as being important, I need to ask why?
I know some songs like Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast require all down picks to sound right, and that is phenomenally way beyond my skill level, but I believe that its true. In other cases there are songs I CAN play just fine by following my own picking pattern. I want to learn the right way, but nobody has explained why certain ways are “right”.
Hi, Tony. I am brand new, never took a lesson and never held a guitar. I met a guy and bought his for this challenge. I’m 71, ugh. I didn’t know what frets, or hammer meant so I googled them. I slowed it down to just get the rhythm and watch your hands on the frets, then when you were picking. Not there yet. I’m not sure where my hand is supposed to be. Also, I don’t know the notes.
Hi Tony, thank you for this challenge. I started playing guitar about 6 months ago when a colleague gave me one. I play fiddle and bass guitar so did have some idea. But I like guitar so I can accompany myself. I am really eager to learn new techniques and play better to make things more interesting and have more fun.
Never picked up a guitar before. Getting the timing down is a challenge. Also keeping my fingers on only one string is hard.
Can’t get past picking the e then the a. E is ok a is mute my figures get in the way
I’m a regular player(10+years) but just doing rhythm and vocals so I’m stuck there. I’m ready to move forward and learn new techniques.
Brand new to guitar. My biggest challenge was holding the neck properly where my fingers aren’t sitting on the lower strings
Great start to the challenge! Breaking it down into small steps makes practicing the technique so much easier. Looking forward to Day 2!
I didn’t get to lesson 1 until today and found I have a very hard time separating my ring finger from my middle finger. The ring finger just barely reaches over the fret. What can i do to improve that?
Brand new never touched a guitar before
Played a small amount in high school. Remember nothing. I definitely feel like a total beginner. My fingers hurt lol, but its a cool first lesson.
I’m new and actually starting with day one on day two – one day behind.
I forgot to mention I am completely new to this guitar playing.
Thanks for the instruction it took quite a while a few times rewinding and playing to get the point. But time now for day two
Thanks for the tips, took a few minutes and some rewinding to get it locked in as to where and what to play… Very nicely presented, let’s get going on the guitar… here comes day two and the rest of the week… I like your style… 🙂
Older player who has been stagnant. I’m not progressing and not bad. I can play along at jeans on most songs…. But would like to improve my skills to where I am able to jump in. Self taught intermediate level
Starting as an intermediate guitar player, playing for 10 years, 66 years old. Like bluegrass and started playing mandolin aswell last year. Good first lesson.
Cheers
Kelly
I am not new to playing guitar, I am self taught and have sung in coffee houses, pubs, churches and around the campfire. I play adequately, but have never got above the first fretboards except for a few bar chords. I know all the chords in the key of C, A, D, G, and E plus their minors. I can pick and strum. But I haven’t played for years. I am 79 and could not follow your basic instructions today. When you tried to explain the buttons I was lost. I got my guitar tuned to yours, which was a tone higher, but still couldn’t out what your fingers were playing. I tried 2x today and couldn’t get it.
Hi, I recently completed the No Theory course. It helped alot with the basics. I am checking out your course intro to see how I can expand.
20 Minutes to differetiate the up- and downstrokes. Helped me to make notes of them on the TAB-printout. I now practiced about 30 minitues on the 0.5 speed play an still cannot keep up with the speed. Makes me feel I am way to slow. Especially if the session tomorrow build on the knowledge and speed of today. Although I like the excercise. But I guess I have to double or tripple the time (days) for excercises.
Sarasota,Florida
Have been playing acoustic and electric guitar for multiple year, most without any true direction. Took one on one instruction, but it never felt like I was gaining any true progress. Spent a lot of time online learning songs and most chords for those songs. It was enjoyable, but I had to alway have written tabs for most songs. I really enjoy music and playing guitar, but my progress has not gone where I would like. I watch the ad by Tony and it sparked my interest in trying something new. I am so looking forward to see if this program are for me.
I have a background in piano but have always wanted to play guitar. At 57 I started private guitar lessons and, five years in, I’m not playing with the ease I’d hoped to have. I’ve been mainly focused on learning chords and transitions and strumming patterns, but my interpretation feels mechanical. I’m looking forward to learning those core skills that my private lessons have neglected and, hopefully, becoming a more well-rounded player.
Never even tried guitar until now. 70 and live alone and decided I want to learn
Starting to actually commit after decades of start and stop with the bulk of the time staring at a guitar on a stand wondering how to get the music out of it. Started the jumpstart last week and it was as promised. I’m feeling pretty good about this. Thanks
Hi Tony. 6 year player, seriously injured my thumb on fretting, left hand. Haven’t played in over a year, or taken a lesson, recovery was slow, looking to jumpstart back into it, play at open mic events, etc. I am more proficient at finger picking than flat picking… so your first lesson is moving me out of that comfort zone. Thank you!
I didn’t expect a motivational and emotional repair work when I joined. Like Bob Ross of guitar.
I had taught myself to fingerpick a song by Jewel (yes i’m that old) and pretty much never did anything again.
Now my daughter loves Can’t Steal My Joy by Josiah Queen and I want to learn it so she can sing along because it would make her so happy.
Ottawa, Ontario Canada <3
I once tried to teach myself guitar at 23. Even married a guitarist at 29… he had ZERO patience to teach. We created 5 new humans (hahaha!) Now at 65 I'm back at it: …omg. :0 this is starting off SO easy to follow WOW even sounds good! …I'm so surprised! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I played guitar as a teenager, just strumming and finger picking. Recently started playing again with a friend who is into folk. My technique is limited, never used a plectrum, hardly ever used hammering. I want to improve and broaden my playing. I can read tab and sheet music on piano and accordion but struggle with it on guitar.
I am starting back after years away – at 68.
I’m brand spanking new, abd I’m 71…out of shape and i just wanna learn…tha k u
Ican play about 15 songs pretty well.Iwant to be able to be able to embellish them with some licks in between chords. where can ifind the tab for lesson1
Tried day 1. Found it difficult as a complete beginner.
I started playing as a kid (in the ’70s) folk acoustic, youth group stuff. I’ve picked up and dabbled with different guitars over the years but it never caught fire and I felt a bit frustrated with it, mostly because I didn’t keep up with it. I’m now motivated to try and learn, at a decent and realistic pace, get out of my decades old rut, and just play and sound good at a campfire.
My ring finger is defective. I can’t bend it properly to avoid muting strings during upstroke.
You talk about hammer…what is it?
I’m coming from background of learning scales, fingering exercises, fret and string locations, strumming patterns, playing timing exercises cause I read music (piano). But, I got frustrated with my fret fingers never getting comfortable hitting the strings correctly and sometimes not able to stretch my hand far enough. I haves played simple little songs changing chords but at a very slow pace. I became disinterested and decided to step aside from learning guitar because it was a chore for me and not enjoyable. I haves played simple a Yamaha acoustic and have no issues with it. I’m 80 yrs old but willing to give a go one more time.
All new to me. Retired and want to give guitar a shot. This type of instruction seems to fit my style of learning. I could fret well however looking forward to developing a better understanding of the way the areas in the neck relate to each other.
coming back from starting years ago. My fingers hurt after this. lol
I reached a very basic level then just stuck, learn stuff by rote but would love to have a better understanding to be more fluent and maybe even capable of jamming
I started today with zero experience. I had no idea about string lettering or different cord locations. But my win is the picking was clear and consistent
Every challenging game teaches you something new about recognizing clues, spotting patterns, and thinking more strategically.
I needed this reminder today—I always get frustrated when a new technique feels clumsy at first. After sticking with a few short practice sessions, I’ve noticed that the next skill usually comes much easier.
Hello Tony,I just found day one. I used to play as a teenager, then stopped. I’m 64 now. My fingers seem to have gotten fatter. I really want this to work. I’m like starting from scratch. Thanks.