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Would love some motivation
I just started this week. I do feel a little overwhelmed and already starting to questioning can I do this after my first day.
Would it be possible to hear your success stories? When did you start? How long did it take before you were able to see things coming together? How long did it take until you were able to play your first song? How do you feel now since you’ve been in the TAC community for a while?
I really appreciate your help.
Thank you,
~Brandon
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31 Replies
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@BrandonK You can find plenty of encouragement in the TAC forums under “Small Wins” where people can post their milestones and victories, both large and small. I hope that helps you to keep picking away at it, and remember that guitar is a difficult instrument to learn. There’s alot of things for your brain to get a hold of at first but you will get to the point where you have your fretting callouses built up and you know 3-4 chords and it starts to become really FUN!!!!
https://tonypolecastro.com/family-forums/forum/small-wins/
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by Carol-3M-Stillhand.
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Thanks Carol,
I am hoping to learn 3 to 4 chords by the summer to be able to play with a friend when I go to their house.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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Hey Brandon,
Congrats on starting guitar learning! It is overwhelming when you first start, as you can’t clearly see the road ahead… As Carol said, it’s not an easy instrument to master… and for that reason it’s best to start with baby steps. Might seem like it’s taking ages but if you are dedicated to your instrument and want results try to make time everyday for 10mins or more (without making your fingertips too sore of course). Repetition is the key to improving in my case and for many of us. Might sound boring to some but repetition will improve your muscle memory. I never thought i would be where i’m at now when i first started! my fingers seemed really dumb but i got through it and gained fingers independence by sticking through it thick and thin. Everyone can do it! all you need is patience, dedication and not having expectations as they kill the fun of playing (as Jumping Jeff would say! 😉 ) You should be able to play simple songs soon enough with that in mind 😉 Enjoy your guitar playing!
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Thank you so much Beatrice, how long did it take you to be able to actual play a song from where you started?
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Well, i could play some songs, albeit not very well, before i joined TAC. So with the practice of the techniques on here and commitment the skills improved a great deal… Can’t really give you a timeline but you should be able to pick up the skills reasonably quickly if that’s your goal, depending on how much you practice of course… no pain no gain kinda scenario…
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@BrandonK, Brandon, depending on what type of song you want to play, you could probably start playing a song today. Horse with no Name for example is basically an E minor with some variations. A very simple way is just form the E minor shape, and for the next chord, just drop your ring finger down to the next string. Not the way it is written, but a fun way to get started. The E minor is one of the easiest shapes to make. There are tons of easy songs with only two chords.
Consistency is your friend. Just try to be consistent. You will hit walls, and you won’t think you are progressing, or can’t get past something. Just stay consistent, and try to play everyday even if it is just a couple of minutes. You will progress. I’ve only been playing for three years, and didn’t think I would be doing fingerstyle or flat picking thinking that was way too advanced at this early stage. I was really just a strummer until joining TAC. Now I’m doing all sorts of stuff. It really keeps it fun.
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Thanks Skyman, it sounds like you had some guitar experience coming into TAC, is that correct?
Also, how long did it take you before you were comfortable following along with TAB’s to be able to play simple 2 string to 3 string songs?
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@brandonkWelcome to the TAC community and congratulations on your leap of faith and starting the 30 days to play.
It seems like just yesterday that I was right where you’re at. I had never played the guitar before. I was given a used guitar 20 years earlier with the promise to my step father that I was going to learn to play it. It took COVID for me to pick it up and start researching how to learn to play it, and I came across one of Tony’s ads and was intrigued. I thought why not and jumped in. Well, screech to a halt. I couldn’t jump in, because that guitar that I basically ignored for 20 years needed some medical attention from lack of humidity control, and it needed a good set up, and the frets sanded down. So for 2 weeks, I simply bugged the hell out of the forum asking questions until I got the guitar back from the luthier.
I started with the 30 days to play, then the next 6 chords, and then the daily lessons and some of the skills courses. I don’t think I’ll ever be a great player, but that’s okay with me. I’m having fun. I began playing songs rather quickly. Maybe within 6 months playing 2 chord songs. Some are better than others or faster than others.
I’ve been playing now for 3 1/2 years. It was only about a year ago that things started falling into place for me, and I started picking up on songs faster. I still and not a great player, but I have a large number of songs under my belt.
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That’s amazing, thank you for sharing, I really appreciate it. It sounds like you were able to play simple 2 string songs within about 6 months, is that correct? I am hoping to be about to do the same or maybe faster. I have a goal to be able to play along with a friend with simple songs this summer.
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@brandonkhave no doubt that if you have a friend to play with and you have the desire, will, and ability, you will be playing faster and better and more complicated songs than that . Playing with others whether one on one, in a group jam setting, or going to open mics is where you really begin to grow.
In some circles, I’m considered a very slow learner, and in other circles, I’m light years ahead of them. Just goes to show that each of us is on our own journey, and we get out of it what we put into it.
I was too cautious and a perfectionist at the beginning. I began supplementing TAC, nearing my second year, with private guitar lessons, and the two complemented each other so well. The guitar teacher was not threatened by TAC and did not interfere. He odpften showed interest and we worked hand in hand on the same topic as TAC to supplement the material taught here. That is when my playing really began to blossom. I laugh, because, some would say I still have a long way to go, which is true, but you have to look at how far I’ve come.
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Thank you for sharing Loraine, how long have you been with TAC and taking lessons?
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I’ve been with TAC since July of 2020 (but I didn’t have a guitar until August since it was at Luthier), & I started private lessons, I think, in December of 2021. The private lessons helped me take what I’d learned in TAC and apply the skills in songs. That’s where I had always struggled with what I learned in TAC. How do I use it or know when to use it is probably a better way for me to say it. It comes naturally to some people, but nothing about guitar has come naturally to me. Don’t get me wrong. I was playing plenty of songs by then. I wasn’t interpreting them correctly, knowing the proper time stamp, whether the notes or chords I found in the vast internet were correct, or whether I was transposing a song correctly. I wanted to learn correctly. I wanted to use a metronome, understand the different modes, supplement my knowledge of the fretboard, the CAGED system, etc. I’m still not great at any of that last part, but between taking Tony’s Fretboard Wizard, and my guitar teachers lessons, I can usually eke out the answer.
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Sorry, it sounds like your guitar being at Luthier, meant it was being repaired, is that correct?
Thank you for sharing, it appears your doing well with your ability to play since 2021, congratulations!
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Hi Brandon – I started playing in college, never took any lessons and just learned some chords and songs from friends over a few years. Then the guitar went away for 20 years and I just picked it back up again about 2 years ago. I’ve been a TAC member for about 18 months and recently paid for the lifetime membership if that says anything about how much I believe in Tony’s approach to teaching and the value I find in this site and community.
If you love to play and you find yourself feeling better after holding and playing your guitar then you should keep doing it. As Tony will often say (as you’ll hear over and over the more you come back) – we’re all on a journey and we all move at along our path at different speeds at different times. Some of the keys to success in growth are knowing your ‘why’ as an anchor – why do you want to play guitar? It’s different for everyone – for me it’s so I can play songs I like, make music for myself, process emotions and feelings, and it’s also a form of meditation for me – when I’m focused on playing guitar I’m often not thinking about other things in my life, my breathing slows down, my joy increases so I know that playing guitar has some positive physical and mental health benefits.
So for me –
#1 is figuring out the ‘why’.
Then #2 is building consistency and routine. Tony hammers this home – it’s important to play as consistently over time as you can. Even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes on some days, that can be the difference between slowly growing over time and frustrated stagnation. Some days are going to be hard and you’re going to feel like you suck (still happens) – but Tony had a talk one time about how sports coaches share that sometimes athletes just have ‘off’ days in training and how that equates to guitar practice as well. What’s important is showing up and getting in a workout. Some days you’re going to set personal records (playing through a song, or a tricky lick) and some days are just going to suck. Most days are going to be somewhere in between. But the more consistently you ‘show up’, but more of the better days there will be. Tony also talks about tips and tricks to building that consistency, like finding ‘anchor moments’ that trigger your guitar playing each, leaving your guitar out where it’s accessible and visible. You’ll hear them repeated over and over as you start to join the daily challenges.
#2 – consistency is key
#3 – find good teachers and communities like this one. There are so many guitar teachers online right now – find one that fits you and commit to it for a few months before jumping to something else. There’s a lot that will distract you, which can be good and help inspire sometimes, but can also pull you in a lot of different directions, and when you are just starting out I think it’s important to stick with one thing for a while and not jump around too much.
#3 Find a teacher and a community
#4 – Just play!
I think that’s it. Figure out your ‘why’, and if it’s strong enough to keep you wanting to play then the rest is just about finding a good teacher and community and consistency.
I hope this was helpful in some way! Rock on!
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Thanks you so much DiscostewLA, I really appreciate all the insight.
My goal to be honest is to be able to sing and play songs I love from Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi and other songs I come across. I would love to be able to just pick up my guitar, play and sing along with them.
I am hoping by the end of this year or sooner.
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Hi Brandon,
it’s great that you’ve got a goal and that you’re keen. I must say though, that playing well takes a good amount of effort and dedication and a great deal of time. So i would stress that it’s best to keep a relaxed mindset about timing your results… the higher the expectations can lead to disappointment and that’s when people give up…. so i would say, keep it fun and don’t stress about timeline… you will learn faster that way when it’s pleasurable (as opposed to a set task). Just have fun and celebrate your wins 😉
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Thank you Beatrice, I do appreciate that it can lead to frustration. Challenge for my mind is the way I think is very goal driven to achieve success in a realistic time frame. For example in 6 months I am hoping I am able to play a handful of 2 to 3 cord songs using TAB’s.
I will follow the TAC process of 30 Days to Play 10 minutes plus each and every day. I am just hoping that most members who are have been with TAC can confirm on average the TAC teaching worked for them to get them playing with friends, with a band…etc like what Tony’s marketing/presentation shared. This video made it sound like with in a year this would all be possible. Of course I understand to play with a band can take years. To play around the camp fire to a few songs potentially 6 months to a year. That is what I am hoping.
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I would caution against comparing yourself to others in how long it took them to learn to play songs. Everyone has a different path, some practice 10 mins a day, some practice 1-2 hours a day. The important thing is to be consistent and focused in your practice.
As to what I think you are asking, if you practice multiple days a week (doesn’t have to be every day but that’s ideal) you should be able to play songs with your friend by summer. Ed Sheeran says he knows 3 chords (he actually uses a lot more in most of his songs) so if you learn the basic open chords you will be able to play a lot of songs.
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Yes, I am all about what Moose is pointing out. All the queries about how long it took to play a song (yes I went down that path)…only led to my greater frustration. My goal is to recognize MY improvement when it happens and what did I do to facilitate the improvement (most of the time it is working through the boredom of repetition on challenges). I focused on the process not the destination, I am my own worst enemy with time and expectation. These are the two questions I ask with fantastic effect: am I better than I was? am I as good as I want to be? The answer is consistently yes to the first and no to the second. That is all I need for motive. I show up and do the challenges and it has been a marvelous learning experience.
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Thank you Moose and Jeff,
I do appreciate you guys are saying playing guitar takes time, as well TAC’s philosophy is to work on small consistent goals versus larger bigger goals that could lead to frustrations.
Like Jeff my struggles and mind wants to know if I commit to say 6 months to one year of daily practice I would like to know I would be able to play some basic 2 to 3 cord songs. Now to over exaggerate, say members are saying it takes on average with TAC 3 years for most members to be able to play a song a 2 cord song, I would be concerned that I might not be in the right program. Again I am not saying that is the case, I am just trying to hear from the community the successes they have been having. This way it will build my confidence myself that I could do it as well, if so many members are able to do it.
Does that make sense?
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If it helps. As of today I have 171 hours of practice time and I can play dozens of songs, and could play a lot more if I tried. It was around 80 hours that I felt pretty good playing a few songs.
I think hours practiced is a better metric than days/weeks/months, but again everyone is different and learns at different speeds. Comparison is almost always demotivating.
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That helps Moose and to hear around 80 hours of practice you were playing songs is motivating.
If I was reading that majority of people who have been with the community for 1 to 2 years are still having issues playing simple 2 cord to 3 cord songs. I would be concerned about the program. 80 hours is roughly 1 hour a day for 11 to 12 weeks. Now of course we are only doing approximately 10 min a day. By the math it would be about 1 year of following the TAC process. Which is a good goal to achieve, to play for one year straight consistently.
I do feel personally that with even 10 minutes a day a persons skills will compound and 10 minutes of practice will be different now then it will be in say 90 days.
My first goal is to complete the 30 Days to Play challenge and just stay consistent 7 days a week. I see what I can achieve through the 30 days.
Thanks Moose for the advice.
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hey Brandon,
Frankly, with daily practice yes you should be able to play basic songs within your time frame. Not just 2 chords, but more than that, all the basic chords, ie. C, D, E, G, A in major and minor… the barre chords are usually trickier to beginners (F and B) but you’ll get there with your determination and goal-motivated mind 😉
You will have to do your own digging for the songs from artists you mentioned, check Ultimate Guitar for TABS and lots of stuff on Youtube, as TAC is more geared to techniques to build up your skills and strengthen your playing.
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Thanks Beatrice,
That is great to hear. I am slowly working on this as my daily routine:
1. Warm up exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlALv77QB8M&list=PL10FTzm-zsiIZpqDZz1LIPvjwAAInvv3N
2. TAC 30 Day to Play challenge
3. Then I use the Gibson App to go through their lessons.
4. Then I will practice C, D and G positions until I get them down. Then add one at a time after that.
Thank you for the recommendation of that website for TABS. After the 30 days when get my routine down. I will start looking at songs that are specific to the cords that I hopefully know. The practice one song at a time.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by BrandonK.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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Best wishes with your goals and playing with your friend! enjoy the ride!
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Oh, I totally get what you are saying Brandon K. Guitar is a successful transactional experience for about 1 in 100,000. The rest of us have to find a way to continue through rain snow sleet and hail. Good, clear instruction, the type of instruction that makes the complicated plain, is the first ingredient. The second is determination and the third is love. Tony provides the first but if you do not have the second or third even with the instruction part nailed down you will not be happy. I learned great finger choreography in 6 mo. I was frustrated that it led me to what I saw as a dead end. What I found and put into use here at TAC was how guitar as a practice could make me the player of my desire. If you want to learn a few songs in a time frame, I am going to go out on a limb and say this may not serve your intentions best. It will help you for but in 6 mo or when time frame X comes to pass your result may not match your intention. I hoisted the deficit onto the shoulders of the teacher. I have seen others do the same. It did not help my progress. It is why the introduction of time in goals is a two edged blade. If you already play a stringed instrument disregard all I have said, your fingers hands and arms are prewired and your progress will be much faster.
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Hi Jeff,
No I am just starting as a beginner and have a ways to go. My main concern is that I have tried and failed at different hobbies like this before. I believe it comes down to my dedication and then the mentorship to help over come student opticals/bad habits that start to come up.
Like when I started Golf lessons, it took me 3 years to find the right instructor that was able to identify my swing issues and clearly know what I need to practice to fix them. I went from 120 game to low 90’s with in a season (I live in Ontario). I did what he said and practice my swing technique 30 minutes every day with a rope with 25 reps each session.
My mindset is similar to learning how to play the guitar, I really want to learn how to play and be proficient this year being able to play 2 to 3 cord songs. If I can get those cord positions down within the next 60 to 90 days and be able to transition from each easily. Then being able to strum the guitar.
Those are my goals for this year.
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When I first tried guitar I lasted 6 weeks and quit in frustration. I came back to it a year later with the attitude that I suck at guitar, I’m going to suck at guitar for a long time and this is OK. This attitude has served me well. I still get frustrated at times, but just have to step back and realize that I’m learning and these things take time.
Just like golf, I wasn’t able to make par on any hole my first month, I don’t expect to be able to play the guitar in a few months either.
There is a GREAT book that explains how the brain learns and it has helped me tremendously in my guitar journey. It’s called, “The Laws of Brainjo” and I highly recommend it.
https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Brainjo-Science-Molding-Musical/dp/139350776X/ref=asc_df_139350776X/
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Thank you Moose, that is really helpful!
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Thank you Brandon K. You have a mindset and it works for you. I will lend the knowledge of my experience as much as is helpful. Wishing you fast progress toward your goals always.
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I appreciate your help and advice Jeff
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