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That was freaking awesome!!! I really felt like I could find my way around those notes, and finally understanding (a little better) how to play up the neck! Now if only I could get my “up” picking to work as well as my “down”. That’s my biggest stumbling block so far.
it’s interesting enough, but the most challenging part was matching the scale and the backing track. And at the end of the day that satisfying feeling that you finally succeed. I love that!
Wooooohoooo!, I´m a guitar player! Playing solo for the first time and I am really enjoying it. It sounds really nice… :-)))
Hmmm the small win, I think is just throwing it all together, something tangible, and a step toward, and not being afraid to play along with someone, of course there is much more to go with that like matching the keys and the right notes…
When I realized I was improvising. I felt like a guitar player.
Today was much easier than previous days.
I think I am doing okay. I definitely got the message and did the scales with the backing verbatim. Then realized you good mix it up and it sound cool. Definitely a break through for me.
Old banjo picker here. Figured it was time I learned the guitar. So many strings. My left fingertips are pretty sore. I discovered that I can finger pick this a lot easier than a flat pick, so I think that’s how I’m going to play. I don’t know if that’s a small win, or laziness. I’m enjoying your method and I’m going to see it through.
I struggled with the lick from day 2. Today I worked on it for an hour, before stopping to watch the day 3 video. While I was watching I successfully picked the Day 2 piece… it just came together! This is slow going for me, but I can see some wins!
I got completely lost time and time again when playing with the backing track. I could do the scales, but the backing track just went on and on multiple times before restarting with the four beats. It should be helpful if you restarted with the beats each time we completed the scale. Also some sort of moving line in the tab to let us know where we are would be helpful. This is the first time I have become frustrated.
That was good. Really enjoyed playing with the backing track.
One thing seems up in the air, though. If the learn videos are over 10 minutes long and that doesn’t account for some time on your own to play thru and really get it, how can it be TAC in just 10 minutes a day? I’m not trying to be a spoiler here, but it kind of sets one up for frustration to expect to play only 10 minutes a day for each video lesson.
Big win
Wow, this is awesome! Thankx Tony!
I’ve been playing for 4 months and have over 100 hours of just scale time I know 9 scales. No joke this video unlocked scales in a way I hadn’t understood before. Honestly so surprised how easy you made it.
took a little bit to get it down but it was fun to use it for my scale licks to the backing track…win
I finally see how the horizontal pentatonic maps to vertical pentatonic CAGED system. light bulb moment!
I’m finally actually begining to play a pentatonic scale.
My small win is that I have learned 3 skills in 3 days!
I made up my own “solo” against the backing track because it was too fast for me to do the scales and I didn’t want to slow it down. I sort of played messily at times. Bluegrass jazz. I am able to play the scales without the backing track.
I would find it helpful if the scales had indications of downstroke, upstroke – I get mixed up sometimes. And I would think that down/up would be key to technique.
My “win” for today was feeling rewarded for previous learning. As a sax player, I was familiar with the pentatonic scales (major and minor) and when I first picked up a guitar several years ago, it was one of the first things I learned. So today was little bit easier for me than the first two days and it made me realize that all the steps I have taken and will take in the future will give me the foundation I need to play better.
Wow Tony!
I am finally not intimidated by soloing. That scale really simplifies the process. I have begun to enjoy playing over the backing track. Big win today.
To echo Melissa’s comment from August 13th: “I can get the scale down without a problem but to add it to the backing track doesn’t make sense”
The scale was super simple and good to have learned, but I feel like I took almost nothing away from this lesson. Keeping time with another guitar seems counter-intuitive. I really need a drum beat, click track, or something else to help me find “down on the 1”.
I’m also (still) frustrated that the video player controls aren’t consistent between the different lesson segments. Why can’t they all have the full-featured controls? For example; Space bar = pause. Left arrow = back N seconds. Right arrow = forward N seconds. F = full screen. Escape = back to embedded mode. We’re 35+ years into computer multimedia and these keyboard shortcuts have been the norm since nearly the beginning. Re-training your focus from the course material to touch the mouse / touchpad / screen is the least efficient way to interface with a computer.
Small win… getting more accurate with the pick
Win: small…able to play vertical scale ascending and descending…slower on D string solo scale…need practice
My small win is that I wrote a little tune last night based on what I learned here!
Two days ago I was struggling to understand tabs, and it already makes sense today.
I’m wondering if there’s any “rule” that tells me when a note should be struck with a down stroke or an up stroke.
Looking forward to tomorrow
This is really fun and if I take my time I can do it! My only reservation would be following this program and having time to work on fingerstyle songs I like to learn and play.
Yes, great lesson but it’s taking me more than a day to learn. I can’t say I know day 2 yet and it’s now day 7. I agree with Linda that it’s definitely not as motivating to learn a song you don’t particularly like. But I can see that there is the basic learning in the weekly challenge that will help us to learn how to actually play and learn any song we want. Not to just find the tab on Chordify and learn blindly.
Had a look on your site, and I get the process but would like to know more about what music we would be learning. I am more motivated if I know or like the song.
Mini Win- Got comfortable with the tab reading! Made it through the scale! Patting myself on the back I got sleepy. Hope to memorize scale tomorrow.
Really fun!! It’s still a bit of a struggle but I’m feeling hooked, which is great. Had a little success with the improvisation idea off of the scale exercise and it is awesome! Never thought I would say that. Thanks,
For an interesting exercise, try doing the horizontal scale with just your index finger. Then just your middle finger. Then just your ring finger. Then just your pinky. It’s more challenging than it sounds and it can help you fix problems You might be having with a specific finger or 2. 😎
I played my first scale but also improvised and created something I liked the sound of. I’ve not had someone connect the scales and techniques like this. I still want to figure out the lick you did yesterday on the G chord. Combining strumming and the picking is a goal of mine.
I really enjoyed this lesson – thank you, Tony
Wow that moving down the neck is beautiful made me sound like a real guitar player. Even got my pick out ( usually play with fingers ). Ive played through the scale a few times going to practice a few times to get it cemented in my playing. Real positive today/
I played the G major scale to the backing….loved it can hardly wait for tomorrow
Always had a guitar hanging on the wall and never committed to any structured learning – the TAC 5 day course has been a game changer. Simply playing the scales over the backing track was a real ‘little win’ and probably the most enjoyment I’ve had in years of ‘playing’ the guitar.
Day 5 will not open
Hi Michael, Please reach out to TAC Support for help with this. They will be able to assist you. Email: support@tonypolecastro.com
breakthrough today! realizing that by playing the notes of a scale, you just cant go wrong! I improvised along to the backup track for 45 mins until my fingers were too sore to play any more! Not sure I’ll be able to play day 4 now!
Break though came yesterday when I realized I could play the lic at speed. Today I appreciate knowing the proper key and a few ways to play it. Look forward to the next challenge each day. Thank you
Fun stuff. Hit a lot of ugly notes soloing, but hit some beautiful ones too. Good enough to come back tomorrow!
I’ve avoided solos and lead guitar licks bc I’ve always felt I had to play them as fast as there do. Learning to practice slowly is what Im enjoying. Guitars for Vets helped me understand the very basics of music theory, but I’ve reverted back to just playing what sounds good to me. Learning notes and scales to me is like homework. Playing for fun w/o having to know all the notes/theory, and taking my time as I practice are the golden nuggets from today’s lesson.
really want to try this, sadly I have split my finger tip. I was new to hammering on and kept working on trying to speed up. Will I still be able to access the videos next week when my finger is healed? I hope so. Thank you.
I had resigned myself to just being a chord/bad rhythm player and couldn’t keep a beat….but guess what? I feel it coming around. Sorry I am behind a day but my fingers hurt so bad that couldn’t play for a day
I found myself starting with the scale then joining in with the backing track and throwing in some lead lines.
It’s more joined up than anything I’ve done with scales before.
I’ve always struggled to make my solos sound in time. This is really noticeable when playing quarter notes. The horizontal scale really helped with this. Thank you
FUN!
This is working. I am amazed. I’ve been trying on and off (mostly off out of frustration) for 55 years and have not come far. I’m mean I learned the basic chords and how to barre them and understood scales but never had anyone walk me through step-by-step line this and teach me real applicable skills. If I’m playing Friend if the Devil by the end of next week that’s worth the price of admission (the time and effort involved)!
One thing I can say is a quick takeaway already was that little lick with the pull off on 2nd fret D string then pluck the G string then do a hammer on D string open to the 2nd fret quick pul-off on it again then end on the open G string. And then incorporating this into the G chord as you strum it. THIS is the kind of stuff that I wish the last three guitar teachers that I have paid would’ve just spent a little time to show me instead of like “well what do you wanna learn?” The answer was always “HOW TO PLAY GUITAR!” ☺️
Really enjoyed today’s session. Actually felt as my ‘solo’ fitted the backing track. Tony’s way of teaching seems to work well with the way my brain works
very fun playing to the backing track!
I Made it to day 3…..
small wins right LOL