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Frustrated
Hey TAC Family, I’m a little frustrated.?.? Well, I finally got my Profile set up (not much of an “I.T.” guy). I think that I jumped in “Fast and Furious”!?!? I think that I need to pull the reins in & master each step before moving on.?.?
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22 Replies
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Well @Big-Jim not sure which horse you’re riding but don’t I wouldn’t rein it in. It may know the way home better than you do. You will be frustrated, especially at first, if you try to master techniques, licks, scales, chords and chord transitions before moving on. I am about to celebrate my fifth Taciversary and I haven’t mastered anything yet. But I have had one great ride and good time playing and growing. So just give it your 10 minutes, do your best and don’t compare yourself with anyone else.
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Thanks Albert ! I’m sticking with it. Maybe slow & steady!?!?
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Hey Big Jim,
Great advice from Albert!
there recently has been an influx of frustration from new members, and if you look at some of the comments on the forum you will find some great insights and hope 😉
take it easy and have fun!
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Thanks. I really want to feel like I’m moving (to somewhere ??), but right now I don’t .?.? I just feel like this is all over the place!?!?
But thank you
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What is it exactly that frustrates you? the site or the lessons
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The lessons
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@Big-Jim Welcome the TAC community! Know that you’re not alone at the onset. As with anything new. It can be overwhelming and frustrating. As Bea asked, it would help to know exactly what is frustrating you. You started off mentioning just your profile. Is that where the problem is? Is there something we can assist you with or answer doe you?
If it’s direction in the program, I typically suggest everyone start with Tony’s guide that’s titled “Quick Start Guide” that is found in the left margin. Then, I suggest, the the Getting Started Guide found in the Skills Section. Here’s a link. https://tonypolecastro.com/skills/ This gives you a step by step guide as to how to get started with TAC. Lastly, keep asking questions in the forums, and post small wins as they happen..
tonypolecastro.com
Getting Started – Tony's Acoustic Challenge
Getting Started – Tony's Acoustic Challenge
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Thank you. I never went forward to even look into the skills course, I’ve just stuck to the map.
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Hey Big-Jim, I am sorry you’re a little frustrated. What’s going on?
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Thanks for reaching out. Just feel that I’m all over the place, heading nowhere.?.?
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I get that. What I am currently focusing on is these things:
1. Do my warm up exercises, finger drills, spiders, practice the 5 second cord drill for finger position for each cord I know.
2. Then I do my training video for the day which takes about 10 to 20 minutes.
Then I stop playing at that point and go do something else.
I know for me I have to remind myself this is a long distant race not a sprint. Celebrate that I practiced each day and I am being consistent.
I was reminded about the stages of Competency today:
1. Unconscious Incompetence – We don’t know what we don’t know
2. Conscious Incompetence – We know what we can’t do
3. Conscious Competence – We have to concentrate on what we want to do
4. Unconscious Competence – We don’t have to think about what we want to do. We can just do it.
This all comes down to putting in the reps until we can get to “Unconscious Competence” which takes time.
We are with you!
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I feel for you, Big Jim. I am also frustrated, but my frustration is coming from Barr chords. My fingers are on the thick side and short. They do not want to form the shape, but, like everything else, practice, practice. My regular chords are now improving thanks to Tony’s lessons. Strumming is coming to get you, but it is exciting progress. Just keep on picking and a grinning. Good luck.
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I am new to this and I can see where the frustration comes into play. It can be overwhelming because we want to be able to pick up the guitar and just play. If only it were that simple. I printed out the Quick Start Guide and follow that format. I also make sure I practice no less than 10 minutes a day–it’s usually longer. I love how Tony emphasizes having fun. That’s the key. Best of luck to you. Just don’t give up.
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Thank you. I get it, that it takes time, but sometimes I feel I’m stuck in mud .?.? I’ve gone back & am ,for now, taking the”slow & steady” route . Thank you
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Slow and steady is good! just like a seed planted in the mud, that will eventually germinate and come out, and grow… you will too with your dedication 😉
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Oh, I don’t quit. I think I was moving too fast before “perfecting” wherever I was .?.? Actually trying to stay in consecutive days ( Day 1, Day 2……).
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Hey there. I’m in the same boat. As a brand new (older) guitar player, there is absolutely no way that I have been able to perfect everything in that 30 day challenge daily. My 30 day challenge is now on about day 21 and I’m still trying to perfect the blues bass line. I don’t know if that’s normal for a brand new player or not. I just take it day by day, no hurry, no worries. I am by no means anywhere near what I want to be, but I’m learning. If I am supposed to be completed and have perfected all of those lessons in the 30 day challenge in 30 days, I’m in trouble! lol
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@pdb962 Welcome to TAC. I’d like to make a few suggestions regarding the 30 days to playand how to approach the program and lessons as a whole. This might also help @Big-Jim and @drstump54 . The program and lessons are not meant to me perfected. Throw perfection out the window and strive for progress instead. If you’ve given a lesson at least the minimum attempt for 10 minutes, then mark it complete. You can still work on it, but don’t let trying to perfect something interfere with your progression. Keep moving forward in your lessons. You will improve by doing so. Many of the same skills you’re are stuck on will come up again in another lesson, and you’ll be able to practice them again, and you will be surprised that you are better at it than before.
I was the slowest learner I know of when I started with TAC, having absolutely no prior skills on the guitar. There were a lot of great people on the forums that helped me out and never let me best myself up too badly. They were positive, inspiring, patient, and great teachers and role models. Back then there were more people that were semi-formal mentors. TAC didn’t carry over that role when they moved to the new platform, but many forum members stepped up and took over an informal sort of mentorship. It’s all in the asking.
Guitar is a difficult instrument, but it’s not impossible. I almost quit at about year 3, but I’m glad I stuck with it. I hit a period of rapid growth. Things simply became easier and skills were achieved quickly. It’s been a really fun ride since. The moral of the story, Don’t quit before the miracle happens. Good luck all. Feel free to reach out via messaging if need be.
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Thanks @albert_d , I do enjoy it. It is a character defect of mine; wanting instant gratification !?!?
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Yeah, I hear you. It took me a while to realize there was nothing instant in our guitar journey. If you stick with it, which I’m sure you will, you will find that at times your skills seem to just take off while other times finding gains is all but impossible… Like a roller coaster just wait till your through that valley and you’re on the peak again….
It’s something that we all hit at one time or another… even the pro’s go through it….
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Had to take a break (changed jobs) & now I am not able to come in & pick up we’re I left off ???
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TAC and is not a structured linear program. The idea is that you are exposed to lots of different techniques over and over. These lessons are repeated and come back around so you are exposed to them again and again and each time you hopefully learn a little more until you have mastered it.
There is no need to go back and pick up where you left off because the weeks do not build on each other and are stand-alone. So just jump in on a Monday and you will be right back on track.
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