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Wanting something Different!
Hey TACers! Yesterday I hit 900 Lessons and my streak is not far behind. I joined TAC 2 1/2 years ago and been able to get myself in a mindset that everyday i need to “touch” my guitar. Am I “where i want to be?”. No, but, that is on me!
There are certain weeks in TAC I look forward to and I think that is what motivates me to continue. Since I am on my 3rd time through the yearly program, I look at the month ahead to find a week or two to look forward to. I am the typical story, wanting to play the guitar from an early age, but life got in the way and I never stuck to it until Tony and TAC. Now at 65 years old, I am looking for something different to add to my journey. In someway I feeling I am cheating on TAC, but I don’t intend to quit TAC or even stop the Challenges. My Streak is also a motivator.
I am trying another program in addition to TAC and I have seen some improvement in my playing. Also, some tips. One being, even though I sit in my chair and play, use a strap on the guitar. It offers stability that I haven’t felt before. I also felt a strap was for standing only. It also keeps the headstock up and feels more comfortable.
I also was having issues with finding the right pick. I took her recommendation and so far it seems to work. I think over the last 2 1/2 years I have developed some bad habits, but because I don’t have someone watching me or critiquing me those bad habits continue.
So I am going to continue with both for now. It is giving me more playing time which is beneficial and I hope it gets me over this hump.
Anyone else experience anything similar?
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4 Replies
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I hit 80 yrs old in August and have improved my picking a lot since I joined in April 25′.
I was always curious about finger and hybrid picking and now do almost all of the lessons using hybrid picking. Didn’t really become involved in the hybrid style until starting TAC but it has become my favorite method of almost all of my playing.
Don’t know if that is a fault that I’ve picked but it isn’t how the instructions of the lessons are explained. it does float my boat on down the stream though.
I also do stretch the lessons into other guitar keys and fret board locations not suggested in our daily lessons. Also a lot of slides, hammer on’s, pull offs not in our daily instructions. Don’t think of it as a “bad habit” though. I try to keep the same lessons interesting by discovering new ways to play and add to them.
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I am with you Bayvu2! TAC is my training center….my guitar gymnasium if you will. I come here to learn, to recuperate, stretch, get stronger. It is why I blew through 3000 sessions a while ago and did not notice. After the gym, I go out and hit the world outside the gym……This is one of the fantastic benefits of TAC that I have not yet found in other programs. TAC makes players. TAC does not train performers. Once you learn “how” to play guitar you can sit and play with anyone anytime anywhere. TAC does not teach you how to play songs, it rather uses songs to teach the student how to play guitar. A perfect example of this is coming up, we have Hotel California on tap in the next week or two. This is a song form……By decoding this song “form” you actually unlock the knowledge of how to play about 3000 more songs. TAC has freed me from having to “know” a song to play and sing it….99% of songs are all the same in varying but oddly not too many varying ways. If you learn how the guitar works learning songs becomes unnecessary. Hit the gym and go out and play until it all sounds the same. : ) If you haven’t heard me say it before, this acquired skill is dreamlike, as in,… I almost can’t believe it happened, to Me! If feel like I am staring at a winning lotto ticket. How about that for a small win! The winning combination: …well guided consistent effort over time.
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Well said J.J.
If you want to learn songs, 1st, learn how to play. then songs will fall into your lap. It always amuses me when members, seemed shocked that this is not a “rote” form of song learning and say “When are we going to learn a song”?
Just our fellow students who want to eat a piece of delicious pie but don’t think about learning how to cook. DUH…
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Bayvu, what you are experiencing is perfectly normal and expected. TAC teaches foundational skills that you need to take into the world and apply in order to make music. I think most of us get to a point where we’re looking at other programs of ways of taking those skills to and learning even more. Good on you for recognizing the need.
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