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Hey Gary from a fellow Canadian down the road in London. This is a great thread you started and lots of good advice. Sounds like you got a handle on a lot of things and some good skills but getting a bit bored and hitting a plateau. I think this is very normal and, like everyone says, is part of learning guitar. I also think the first thing is to ask yourself what are your goals with the guitar…start there. For me being able to play and sing covers is the main one but I also want to be as good as I can be technically, and to continue to study theory so Im really understanding what and why Im doing the things Im doing. So I do both…Im continuously learning songs while at the same time have a regular practice plan. And for me thats why TAC is so good…Tony doesnt really teach songs but will give the bones of a song while hes providing five days of skill development…great licks, strumming paterns, percussion, soloing, all of it…I think its great and Ive learned a ton here. But like I say my main thing is to be able to play and sing songs that I like from beginning to end…for me anyway thats kind of what its all about. And I also learn a lot of those same things by learning songs…just as many as I do from TAC. Ive got three lists: Campfire Ready…if someone asked me for a tune, I could do any one of these, play and sing, beginning to end (including any number of mistakes). Next list is Developing…these are songs that Im currently working on to move them on to the first list. Some stay on this list for months, others just a few weeks, depending on the degree of difficulty. Last one is Next Up…songs on the wishlist that I havent started yet. My view is that even beginning players should do this as well. Depending on the songs on your list, and using chords you already know, there is usually an easy way to play most Western popular music ie rock, folk, country, metal…jazz not so much. Tony does this all the time, he usually always provides three versions of how to do any particular skill…easy, harder, hardest. Playing songs is the same way. You start basic and work your way up. YouTube is full of good how to videos that are very beginner friendly and I think it really helps to keep you motivated. Anyhow sounds like youve already decided to add learning and playing songs while youre also doing the TAC program. That model has worked well for me. By the way I still hit plateaus every once in awhile but they dont last forever, esp if you find something to give you a little kickstart. Just remember this shit is hard. It takes committment and time, again depending what your goals are, but like others have said the rewards can be life changing. Music, in all its forms and expressions, is a beautiful thing and offers us so much. i wish you well brother and hope you get your mojo back.
