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.
You lost me by talking way too much about what you will be doing instead of doing it. I got bored right away.
Ok, I’m new and literally started today instead of Monday. I am behind the curve. I seem to be out of tune when i get to the G string doing the 4th fret to 5th fret, the note is not the same note. But, I re-watched the learn video and realized I missed that little change. Now everything is working just fine. My fingers hurt and I had to stop. See you tomorrow. I’m enjoying this process and can’t wait for the next step.
I have started learning guitar several times over the last few years. Unfortunately I lose interest because of my lack of progress. So I stop for months or years and then start over. And get stuck again. Hopefully TAC will get me much further along this time. I am 68 so I feel I don’t have many ‘start over’ moments left!
I’ve felt stuck for so many years. I’ve been learning to play since late 1998, and I’ll pick it up, make some progress, and then hit the same wall every time. I really wish I could figure out how to push past that feeling of being stuck.
Played guitar for a brief period when I was around 13 or so, and always hoped to someday pick it up again and finally “get good” at it. After 50 years of air guitar, I’m finally trying again with an actual guitar at 62. I thought I’d be an outlier starting up again so late, but I’m amazed to find so many older “beginners” in the same boat. The separate “Learn” and “Play” videos have been a huge help today, thanks!
Started playing bass guitar in my late sixties. Mostley fretless playing in big band, blugrass and country music bands. Now at 77, I want to play songs on this six string just for my own enjoyment. Kind of a sit on the porch and play thing.
On the day one session you explained how to see the exercise on a “tab” as well as you on the video. When I click on that box the screen splits with the video in one screen and the other is blank. Sure would like to experience seeing the “tab”. Love it so far!
Hi Tony, I am 67 years old. I haven’t played guitar in 40 years. I had barely picked it up then. Life changes caused me to give it up. 3 marriages, 4 children and 6 grandchildren later. Here I am. I have watched many YouTube videos and struggled with the process. Your lessons are concise and positive. I like the plan and the information. I enjoyed lesson #1.
So I had a couple challenges
1. hitting the hammer on on the low E string. It’s a bit of a stretch for me and getting the sweet spot is going to take some practice.
2. Remembering the hammer on is an off beat and not strumed (either up or down).
3. Hitting the right string on the up strum on beats 2 and 4. If I’m not paying attention I find myself up strumming the same string I just played.
Great lesson it offers a lot of challenges without being overwhelming.
Btw Im as old as everyone else posting 73
46 years old. I’ve been using another guitar app for 5 weeks. I saw Tony’s video and thought I would give it a try. I picked up a guitar when I was in my 20s and tried going through a book, but didn’t stick with it. I still don’t get the up and down strokes, but can get the notes sounding right. Sticking with this, though, in addition to the other app.
I’m 61 and am having trouble with the “hammer” and getting a sound with the ring finger.
Been dabbling for a few years, can play worship songs when I can strum. No experience with picking.
Look forward to the process
I am brand new, and have absolutely no idea what this was today. I had no wins. Maybe this is geared toward those that are not brand new.
I was frustrated, but did actually get a win! Thanks for the video. I will keep trying!
Tony,
I am 72 year old second year beginner. I’ve had to lay off for two months following shoulder surgery. Today’s lesson presented a challenge with hammer on technique as I have not done that before. Found it difficult to hit the string hard enough to produce full sound.
Thanks.
I have dabbled at guitar for 60 years.
I even started your course but money became an issue. I’m back
How do I back up and start the course completely from scratch?
I took guitar last year for about 5 months. Then we moved away. I put the guitar down for a year. I barely remember anything. I am hungry to learn. At 60 I am learning slower but I am learning and that is the important thing!
I am 45 and have “dabbled” and attempted to learn before, but never stuck with it out of frustration and available time. Today was a great lesson! I slowed down the video and got the technique down and practiced until I got a cleaner sound and found some small wins. Like others, my fingers want to hit the strings below, but some adjustments helped. Excited for tomorrow. Thanks!
I am stuck in a rut. Need to learn how to hammer on etc.
Hi Tony.
Stevie from Scotland here. I have played before but never used a plectrum. I always play just using my thump. I am finding it very strange
trying to play with a plectrum. Also i play tabs all the time i do not play chords but i guess if i like your style of teaching that is going to change. A bit about myself. I am 67 this month. I did play before in my early teens but the person that was teaching me gave me songs like Danny boy. I found the songs boring so i did not practice. I decided to start playing again but only tabs [back in the day we called tabs
SO FA.] I am a member of the app Ultimate Guitar but i just use this app for the tab music plus you get backing tracks as well. This will give you a bit of my guitar history. When i think about guitar lessons it was over 50 years ago a life time. Hope this gives you some insight.
Cheers Stevie.
Iam 68 years old Iam pretty well a beginner I am retired I wanted to learn guitar all my life. Nice start with this first lesson.
I am 74, brand new student just wishing to learn how to play, from Canada
Almost 62 and have never picked up a guitar! I now have the time to practice daily!
brand new… beginning not easy to pick up on picking and fret placement. tabs helped later but found this difficult and frustrating
Iam 68 years old and Iam a little slow but I will practice over the day hopefully I get it figured out I guess we all have to start somewhere. I’ve always wanted to learn to play guitar.
I have played since the age of 16. I am 67! Pretty much limited myself to chords and pentatonic scales and never really worked on licks. Already, I am loving this approach looking forward to tomorrow.
I am 70 year old beginner with small hands and short stubby fingers. I’m using a half size acoustic but still muting strings. I’ve been adjusting my fret hand but also having wrist issues, what can I do for help
Brand new to guitar.
Hi
I thought that I would start this today, but I am finding that my fingers interfere with the strings below on the fretboard. I am really struggling with this as I have in the past. Can you suggest anything please?
Thanks
Ray
Missing my middle finger on my fret hand so will need to do things a little different as my pinky doesnt hammer on very well
I’m pretty much new
Beginner. Barely made it through today without bursting into tears. Not looking forward to tomorrow.
My wife bought me a guitar, pretty nice one for a complete beginner, for Christmas. I’ve been working through some cords and few short videos almost daily since then.
New to Guitar. I am 67. Found my daughters first guitar in the closet. Always wanted to play the guitar, now is the time to start.
New to the guitar at 68. 🙂
I can’t seem to put my finger on one string without it contacting the string below it. Any suggestions?
What can I do to help spread my middle and ring fingers? slow beginner here
Brand new beginner who suffered 2 ruptured discs at the bottom of my cervical spine resulting in my neck collapsing causing major left sided nerve problems in 2022 – the day after getting my first guitar.
I am now 64 yr old, medically retired & disabled, with left handed dexterity and strength issues following a failed operation to fuse my vertebrae in 2024. Having spent just over a year working on and exercising a hand I was told I would never be able to use properly I can now just about manage to fret a few notes and simple chords although my dexterity is still poor & my little finger is very uncontrollable.
I’m excited to be here to start my guitar journey as well as to continue forcing/exercising my hand… plus have fun finally getting to use my, now 7, guitars instead of just buying another one & have them gathering dust in my room.
Yes, I have suffered/suffer from Gear Acquisition Syndrome but there comes a time to actually start learning and that time starts now.
56 yr old beginner. Beginning for like the 7th time in my life.
Hi: Returning to the 6 string after maybe 30 years playing bass. Strange how you can add a really great bottom to a song without actually knowing a lot about the song, I’ll be 75 this year, and my goal is to play beautiful solo guitar. Such as (Unlike The Stars – Vin Downes). Will I succeed in 20 years? The important thing is to just get better – consistently . Your program has got me really excited. Use to flat pick blue grass – Doc Watson- but starting right from the beginning and learning how to approach getting it right Fabulous. and Thankyou Hey – checked a map – you live in some beautiful country.
wow! How do you get your pinkie up there?
I’m 67 years old, recently retired with time on my hands now and getting bored. I’ve decided to dust off my ole guitar (that’s been collecting dust for almost 40 years) and try to learn how to finally learn how to play it. So, I am basically a beginner…
I’ve never really been able to get beyond scale progressions. I haven’t touched a guitar in over 4 years but have always wanted to be able to play a song around a fire in the evening with friends. I’m 68 and my fingers are sore. I just picked up my guitar and tuned it before watching/playing the video. I’m hoping/planning on this being the time I actually learn how to play a song.
My win for the day today is I was able to get a bit of the rhythm (I had to look up how to spell that word).
I’ve been stuck on dabbling or noodling for a few years. I can play several chords and licks, but I cannot change quickly or smoothly enough to stay in rhythm and play and songs all the way through. My hope is to get unstuck and to play songs.
Got a guitar as a gift from my son a few years ago and took lessons for about a year. My teacher quit doing lessons and I just sort of let things fade over several years. I retired a few months ago and want to pick up guitar again to get good enough to play full songs with my son.
Advanced beginner but in stuck mode
I’M coming from years away and hand surgery.
Thanks Tony! Looks like this will be fun and challenging. I’m an intermediate “campfire” guitar player. I don’t use a pick at all so this challenge will improve my pick technique along with everything else.
71 years old retired & new to the guitar
837th time starting over, as a retiree. Trying to use dormant but actual dexterity gained over the years to overcome recently developed bit of carpal tunnel syndrome in left hand. Interesting first day of listening to how notes sound, from a couple of fingers that don’t have their former feel on the frets…
I’m a beginner
I’m completely new to guitar. I wish I knew what the strings were labeled, such as A string, B string, etc. I wish I had a simple chart before beginning so I have a roadmap. Also, it’s a bit hard to see which finger is pressing the strings. I would love to have a chord chart. I could not see the tab at the bottom right of the screen,
only the speed icon. I’m not sure this will work for me, but will stay with it this week. Thanks so much.