-
Evolution of TAC
I have been doing TAC for 18 months and i’ve really enjoyed it. But all of a sudden i’ve realized that the lessons are quite different. It’s become much easier – everything based around simple open neck chords of beginner songs. No more solid technical challenges on mondays, not a lot of difference between thu and friday lessons – just the same basic chords with a few transition notes. And many of these simpler lessons coming around much more frequently. Have I somehow accidentally switched courses to a beginners track. Would be grateful for thoughts and advice on how to get back to the really cool and more challenging stuff. Thanks.
-
11 Replies
-
@dfmarcus63 I’m not sure I agree with you wholly, but the focus of TAC has always been the foundational skills. The old TAC was missing how to tie all the skills together to play songs, except for some bluegrass songs that Tony taught in the song vault, but the song vault was discontinued with the new site. There aren’t different levels, such as beginner, intermediate, advanced. Everyone sees the same daily challenges. There are many newer lessons and weekly focuses being introduced, as you stated, but they are interchanged with the older courses, which had been around for quite a while. TAC switched their format from more bluegrass to more popular music, but they are still covering a lot of the same elements, just in a different way than previously. Tony is explaining the site better, how to begin building a healthy foundation, and is spending more time on teaching how to use the tools to improv, build a good lick library, chord transitions that aren’t simply switching between a set of chords but on doing so through actually playing the final product of the weekes efforts while having smooth chord transitions – because that was a link previously missing. I think that when TAC went from the old site to the current site, which was 2 years ago, their focus was to get back to basics with the newer player to teach the foundations of guitar, which was what TAC advertised.
The courses have always rotated back around every 8-12 months, so that is not anything new, and certain technique lessons are repeated more often during the year, because the techniques apply to what is being taught that week. Having been here 18 months, you will have experienced the lessons rotating around and being interspersed with the newer lesson formats.
If you have specific examples that you’re referring to or concerned about, please contact support and ask Victoria to either address your concerns or ask that she have Tony possibly address them at a later date. I’m sure I’m not doing it justice here.
-
Loraine, thank you for your reply. I did not know there had been a site change 2 years ago. But I see a significant change of style within the past couple of months. I definitely prefer the “older” stlye which seemed more challenging but I completely understand that Tony is catering to thousands of people, not just me. Thanks.
-
-
I’ve been doing it for almost two years. I appreciate the focus on one song a week that I can learn and play. Before the change I would do each day and get the lessons, but have nothing to go away with. The licks were good, but I would rarely remember them. The notes and chords in a scale are good music theory, but again I wouldn’t practice them or go back to them. I like each day now and the end result, which I can play for others and they know at least what I am trying to play.
-
I also have noticed that there are a few “easier” daily challenges showing up lately, but I, for one, don’t mind at all.
Certainly not saying that I’m a really experienced guitar-player, but I realize that there newer-to-guitar-than-I folks joining every day, and that is COOL!
My own thought is that I have to extract what suits me “where I’m at” in my own guitar-learning. If an “easy” daily comes along– I usually either find another for that same week or month- (maybe more challenging one)- and work on that instead…… Or, dig into any number the Skills Courses…… Or, go back and re-visit a Daily from the past that I may have “favoritized”.
Or— dig into- (or back into?)- Fretboard Wizard- (awesome stuff in there).
There are certainly enough ways to keep myself challenged, but any “easy” lessons keep less-experienced players engaged– and I personally LOVE that they are amongst us! The best guitar-players in the world were once beginners struggling-along.
This is a great thread you have started– thanks!
-
I like where @the-old-coach is going with his answer. This is the area where I live. Exploring the nature of lessons. That is the “or what?” part. I have found that even a single note or, two notes a half step apart can make for interest by using rhythmic variation. Sneaking in a triplet somewhere and giving it a place is pretty fun and cool to do. Even ear training can be done by playing exercises with/in harmony as opposed to doubling. There is no end to what can be added or taken away to increase complexity (this also works if reverse: all exercises can be simplified). People are pretty good about posting variations they find useful in the exercise’s comments too. I am going to put in my 2 cents on the final destination of my journey as well. This is tension reduction. I wish it had been my start too but live and learn. There is no end to being more relaxed attacking the strings more precisely to produce greater sonic complexity. This is the land of tone and dynamics. Infinity lives here.
-
JumpinJeff
Well, I had a nice response all thought-out, and typed out, and POOOOOF…… the pink screen of death!
So, I waited a few minutes, I had a nice response all thought-out, and typed out, and AGAIN……… yes……… AGAIN……… POOOOOOF………. pink screen of death……..
How frustrating.
Anyway- even at the time I write this (third) response– I do not know if it will make it thru….
How damn frustrating…..
yer ol’ pal–
mark- (theoldcoach)
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by the-old-coach.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by
-
Pink wall, shudder…. I will say I have found one correlation to when it bites me: when I have been on a while without logging in it will log me out without kicking me off. That is when it happens. I usually have to lose a brilliant thought never to be found again before I realize I am logged out. I connected psychically and found your message. We are same page.
-
Same damn thing……… PINK-SCREEN…….. AGAIN.
I had a ANOTHER thought-out answer and viewpoint to add- (took ~10 mins to write it).
POOF………. SHIT……..
I’m out…….. Maybe try again tomorrow
-
-
-
See– Look at that—- the one at 726PM made it thru just fine…. just 3 minutes after the latest Pink Screen of Death…. What the hell is up?
-
I give up.
-
I agree with every comment, and the thread is outstanding in its content and historical perspective. I have been here for quite a while and appreciate the changes made by Tony. When Tony closed down Acoustic Tuesday, it was to allow more time to teach guitar, which is his passion. I am grateful to Tony for his efforts to adjust and give us an excellent platform and content for learning guitar. I write all my comments on a word processor and copy them to TAC to maintain a journal and keep the original thoughts. This thread is excellent, and I applaud everyone for their time, effort, and thoughts.
Log in to reply.