TIPS FOR TODAY
You might be thinking, “There’s no way I can learn this in 10 minutes.”
Good — because you’re not supposed to.
The goal isn’t to perfect the challenge in ten minutes. It’s to introduce your fingers and your brain to something new so they’ll be a little smoother the next time you sit down with a similar skill.
Motor-learning research shows that short, imperfect reps create more progress than long, grinding sessions. Ten minutes keeps your brain sharp, your hands relaxed, and the habit alive.
And here’s the quiet superpower of the 10-minute rule: it gets you started. Most people end up playing longer because once you’re in motion, the fun takes over.
So today, just touch the new idea a few times. Let that be enough.
Ten minutes builds momentum — and momentum builds players.
YOUR SAMPLE WEEK OF TONY'S ACOUSTIC CHALLENGE
5-Day "Stop Dabbling, Start Playing Guitar" Challenge
- TUE: LICK
- WED: Improv
- THU: Rhythm
- FRI: Transitions
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3-Steps to Stop Dabbling and Start Playing
Try the Free 5-Day Challenge
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Playing with the family Yamaha FG-200. It was my Father-in-Law’s and when he passed went to my Step-son who has loaned it to me. I like it.
I have several, but the only acoustic I have is the one I’m using. Guild D4-NT HR – believe its 95-96 model year
For anyone getting frustrated out there, it’s okay. When I started for the first time almost 30 years ago (where does the time go), I thought my fingers were too small to do chords and jumped ship. I played bass for a while but kept returning to the guitar. There are certain things I can’t do with my relatively smaller hands, BUT there are ways I adjust.
I tend to want to run a marathon before I can crawl and get disappointed when I can’t do something. A support system is amazing in times like these, so please don’t get discouraged. Adjust the video’s speed and remember, the goal isn’t to be perfect. Breaking it down slowly is also a great tool.
I don’t know you, but I’m rooting for you!
I’m playing a Fender Squier Standard Series Stratocaster HHS.
Yamaha FG830
Yesterday went well but my ADD brain noped out around the 6 and a half minute mark. Might try it again when I have more time to pause the video every few notes.
I’m playing a Takamine EG5403S. I also play very sparingly a Squire Stratocaster. My attempts at electric haven’t been too successful which makes me focus mostly on the acoustic.
I’m playing a 10 year old Gibson that I bought 2nd hand. This exercise is quite a challenge for me. After watching the 12 minute video, It took me more than half an hour to capture the details of all the steps from day 2. It consisted of 4 measures times 8 counts ( 1&2&…4&) per measure x 4 details per step (finger, string, fret, action) which makes a total of 128 details to follow. It seems more than a little unrealistic to advertise this as a “10 minute” acoustic challenge when that would allow about 4.7 seconds to grasp each detail or, more charitably, less than 19 seconds per count. That’s my frustration showing, I did have a small win, when I went back and played yesterday’s challenge a little more smoothly today than yesterday.
Tony I Play both a Carbon Acoustic (CA) and a Larrivee.
I have two guitars. The first is a Stadium Stratocaster (Fender knock off). The second is my Alvarez Ac65Hce.
I have a Zager zad50ce and an Ibanez.
yamaha fg-400a
Well, I learned tab and played thru it even tho I didn’t understand at first. And I’m slow.
Lost. I need to go back to Monday.
Larrivee D-03
I’m playing a 1974 Yamaha FG160. I also have a 1952 Silvertone electric acoustic all original that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for this challenge. I’m 71 YO and just started self-teaching myself about 2 years ago. I really like this lick.
Yamaha FG730S and Fender Telecaster
Yahama F325D
Currently playing a Taylor 114CE Acoustic/Electric and an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Back…
Playing a Washburn WCG-25SCE or a Seagull S6 Original Slim GT A/E
I’ve got an entry-level Fender acoustic that I’m using for this challenge. I’d love to get an Ovation but I’m a lefty so it’s the long game for me. I also have a pretty sweet MIM Fender Strat.
I’m playing a Taylor 110ce
I’m playing a Taylor mini
My guitar is a Martin Shenandoah that I bought secondhand in 1993. I’m having trouble following the finger work on the play even at .5 and the tab music doesn’t read like the music I was trained to read, compared to what you are playing. Tab music wasn’t an option when I was taking lessons. Very challenging today and taking more than 10 mins to get the hang of.
I am trying to play on a Cordoba C3M. I have to say I’m really struggling following. So far I feel I need to go back even farther to learn terminology and hand movements.
I’m a beginner so .5 on a lot makes you sound drunk so that’s cool. I’m on a HV semi-hollow electric 335. Found on market place but I like it.
I play a Martin D35 circa 2001 that I bought 20 years ago, Had to bring to a Martin Luthier because the neck was separating from the body. Guy did an awesome job but it cost enough that I should have known better when he had me meet him in a parking lot. I did tour the Martin factory and that was amazing.That said Im hoping to get the hang of it once and for all..
Felt like I made progress today at 0.5 speed.. Giving myself leeway seeing its been a few years sicne I picked her up…
I am able to follow but it takes about an hour to get everything and play the lick at a snails pace, not the mentioned 10min.
My guitar is a freshman made by a man in kilmarnock scotland where I grew up.
Today, I’m playing my Martin LXK2 (little Martin). I had been playing my Córdoba C-7 most of the time, but I want to get used to the narrower neck of the Martin.
Playing a Martin M-36. Ironically you mentioned your first guitar was an Epiphone Texan. My first guitar was also an Epiphone Texan, only my dad got it new for me in 1967 and they were made by Gibson then in their Kalamazoo factory. I have been a campfire guitar player most of my life. I’ve never taken any formal lessons and I am enjoying how you are teaching. I lost my dad at 90 two years ago, but I still have that Epiphone Texan!
I am enjoying this challenge. As a youngster back in the 1960’s, I played rhythm guitar with my dad (he played pedal steel). I have never ventured beyond rhythm so this course hopefully is a step toward some flatpicking on my martin d21. After the learning session, I like the play along with the different speeds. I start out with the slower speeds to get muscle memory and timing started then move on the next speed. I play by ear for fun and this course is a definite challenge. Venturing onward…
Cordoba C7-CE (nylon acoustical) mostly, sometimes an Ovation Celebrity Plus Super Shallow.
Second lesson…much worse than first lesson…he talks, he talks, he talks, and then he plays a riff that is impossible to mimic…
Hi Tony, from Quebec city, Canada! I am playing an Epiphone Dove Pro. My first own guitar. I waited 50 years to buy it, thinking I had not enough talent. Doesn’t bother me anymore, just playing for fun!
Got a Sigma DR -28, sounds ok to me.
Electric Fender strat -2021
This is a Rogue guitar that was gifted to me by a past employee because he knew wanted to learn the guitar, it has sat in the corner of my office for about 4-5 years. Lol
Hi, I’m playing a 1979 Alvarez dreadnought Japanese clone. Ya we’ve been together a while.
Currently playing an Ibanez AT100. Value buy laminate guitar I bought about 25 years ago that turned out to sound pretty good once I had it set up by a pro. Now it holds the tuning for much longer and is so much easier to play. I bought it thinking I’ll keep it while I’m at a $200 guitar level of skill and effort. Once I progress and commit more time I’ll buy a nifty Martin or something. Still haven’t reached the level where I think I’m capable of making good use of an expensive guitar but at least now I know more about what those spendy guitars offer. Also recently puchased a low budget Frettone Resonator guitar with the same idea in mind. The Frettone looks pretty swell but is kind of hard on the fingers.
Norman B20 I bought in the 1990s. I have some signatures on it (Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady and Roy Bookbinder). The sigs are starting to fade a bit so I’m going to put it into semi-retirement. For a replacement I bought a Martin 000-28 online last night and it should be here in a few days. Super pumped.
Seagull Walnut Isyst, bought this guitar a decade ago, looking forward to staying with it.
Eastman pch
Taylor 614-CE, really love it. Got it for myself on my 30th bday. I am 54 now.
My first main guitar which I still love is a Seagull.
I’m playing a cheap Johnson guitar that my brother got off Amazon. Yeah, all kinds of jokes about that. I did have a luthier friend set it up for easier playing. He was impressed that it had a straight neck, anyway. 😉
i play a Yamaha Compass series
Firefly Pegasus hollow body electric. Unplugged.
I have an Alvarez AD410 Nat, and some kind of Epiphone, and a few junk garage sale guitar shaped objects.
My first acoustic was a Yamaha FG800J and it sounded great but the string spacing was too narrow for me and it went back. Then I picked up a Chinese Temu Martin D45 – plays really nice and is beautiful to look at.
I am going between two guitars we have had for a long time—a Yamaha FG-410 and an Epiphone C-5/NS that we bought years ago for our daughter.
I purchased a yamaha c4011 in December and i had went back and forth on whether my beat up hands could even play a chord. For the most part i have been able to learn basic chords and the yamaha seems fairly easy to play chords. Original strings frayed and replaced with Elixir 12-53 which are a little harder on fingers but sound sounds good. would like a visual of the actual notes being played which seems easier to me.