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I’m not being very successful here. While I have made a bit of progress, I’m really struggling holding the chords with the correct fingers which don’t seem to spread far enough when across three frets. I need to stop and reset for each cord, and I can’t seem to memorize the finger placement and the strings without writing them out (G – A2, E3, B3, E3 …etc..). This takes time to reset so I have no transition. On day two I spent an hour or more on just the first 2 measures. I gallantly moved into day 3, but got more lost. Should I spend days learning the 4 measures and THEN move on? I just do see how I could keep pace without lots more basic string memory first? What am I missing? I’ll go back over this first lesson for a couple of weeks and then decide if I can move on. But I think I’m gonna need to mix in some basic string and note memorization first.
When I’ve tried to play guitar before this is the killer, this is where it ends. The tips of my fingers are so sore and blistered after three straight days of ‘playing’ it makes doing chords very difficult. I’ll keep at it because I want this but I’m not looking forward to tomorow.
Sometimes life gets in the way and I had to skip a day. Then I just went over the next lesson very slowley. I also had to play my bass for 90 minutes during band practice. I switched over to my electric stratocaster to give my fingertips a break.
Strumming with a pick and coordinating where my left hand fingers should be is my challenge at the moment.. It’s like rubbing your stomach while patting your head.
Easy for me as I have played chords for too many years. I have, however, neglected much of then other lessons. I found this lesson still quite helpful for sharpening my chords.
I think a lack of structured learning has held me back in the past. Really enjoying these challenges but couldn’t find the time every day so am running behind. This worries me in terms of potentially subscribing going forward.
Still have some sore fingers, but I enjoyed today’s lesson. It’s nice to play chords and I thought that overall it went OK. I will have to practice my strumming technique and improve more since it’s pretty crude yet… BUT today was good and it was fun!
Hi Tony,
So far, I’m liking what I’m seeing, and I feel like I’m moving in the right direction. Day 2 was somewhat challenging but, I’m going to spend this weekend going back thru all 5 lessons. The one thing I could not figure out as on Day One, it wasn’t clear to me when there was a Down Stroke and when there was an Up Stroke. I understood the Hammer Stroke, then a down-up Stroke. Down on the quarter note, but then an up and down on the last 2 the 8th notes. Is that right?
Timing is my biggest problem
Even if I know these 4 chords I struggled a lot playing this rhythm today, but had some fun anyway.
Maybe someone can answer this for me.
Just starting I’ve struggled some every day to get it right. We are on day 4 and I know I haven’t gotten comfortable with days 1 2 and 3.
This will probably continue today and tomorrow unless something magic happens.
My question then is…
Do I start over on Monday doing the same lessons next week?
Or does it move on to something else and I live with what I have accomplished?
Boredom and overwhelm for me. I have found most courses and programs good to a point, but there comes a time when they feel very dry, so I get bored. The overwhelm stems from waaay too much information being thrown at me and also because I end up jumping around from program to program.
I actually found today the easiest thus far because I already know the chords but it was still fun and I enjoyed the play along. I suppose just doing something familiar made it feel like a W.
One thing I figured out on days 1-3 was that when I was struggling getting the sequence down (trying to watch the “mirror image” so to speak of you and copy you) I kept messing up over and over, I would take a 5 minute break, come back to it and I’d be able to play it flawlessly. Not sure what magic happens when I do that but it works for me. Looking forward to day 5. Thanks Tony
Loving this course , I got so excited when I did my solo and the chord . I exclaimed loudly I did it, since I signed up I can’t access lesson 5 I would like to finish this one before I go on please
definitely difficult to get my fingers in the right fret, but I DID it.
That’s my win for today… First cords I ever play.
Future goal: be able to transition cord to cord
I’m 76 and my main problem is memorizing songs. I end up playing what I learned in the 60’s and 70’s.
Consistency and making time to practice. Also, hitting road blocks and not understanding how to get around them or simply learn more or advancing.
Although my fingers are sore I got through the challenge. I suck at strumming especially on the up strum BUT it’s All good! I am going to practice this Rythym challenge because I like the simplicity of it and I just want it to sound better.
Lack of progression due to playing same thing over and over. Then would stop, start, start and always get back to where i was. Never learning full songs just bits and pieces. So all in all, lack of time spent with not much to show wears you down. I also knew these chords although your pinky positon made it hard to see if it was being used or floating so had to go to tab to see that they were the chords I am use to. But first of day that I got the lesson down. These 4 days have got me going again as I have made some new progress.
Consistency with a touch of despair over getting stuck and not feeling like I progress fast enough!
the chord progression is easy, its still going good. Thanks for the challenge its fun.
Already have joined. Today’s lesson was more enjoyable since I’ve been playing guitar and knew the chords already. This was the first day of any satisfying enjoyment. I’m beginning to get a little better at working the computer along with the lesson which helps reduce the frustration level. It’s challenging understanding the tablature. For the scales a diagram might help me more, especially since I don’t read music.
I used to play extensively when I was younger; career, auto-immune issues and arthritis have affected by ability to play like I did previously. This is giving me a chance to step back and redevelop practice routines, and play music with hands that aren’t quite as cooperative and strong as they once were. Thank you, Tony!
Hi Tony! You were talking about information overload out there – now I have a bit of information overload right here. I was in the 30 day jump start – then along came 5 day challenge. I am at day 4 and you are promoting the 30 day challenge. And then there is30 day jumpstart free if I join TAC today. But I also have the Quick start guide … and a lot of mails. But I have paid for a year (I think)
I also used to be with you some time ago, but I think , that’s still there and pops up. I am spending more time figuring out where i am than playing the guitar. But i like it… once i get playing. Thanks
I have tried 3 or 4 different training programs and have learned a little from each one, but I am excited to play guitar instead of just dabbling, I will sign up after tomorrows lesson, Thanks
Tony, the last 4 days have been eye opening to say the least. I have to quit dabbling!! See y’all tomorrow. Thanks
While chord changes and strumming are no problem. Progressing to that next level ( fluency) has been hampered by periods of not playing, or just playing songs i already know.
Tony,
I went through a 7- level program for a year and made great progress as a 70 year old beginner. I learned many chords, strumming paterns and songs so I bought into this programs next level so I could keep going forward but it is not structured like the 7-level program was, you are on your own and so I have been struggling for a year to move forward. Even with this background I struggled for some resason with the first 2 days of your program. The next 2 days I was able to do very well. I look forward to what tomorrow’s challange brings and from there deciding on whether to go on and if so whether to go into the 30-day beginner challenge or jump into the regular challanges.
Thanks!
Good!
I, too, have difficulty transitioning from G to C. I guess I have to keep practicing, but the muscle memory is not as quick as I would like it to be. This, by the way, is not a new issue. I did not do your 5-day challenge in 5 days. I typically spent a couple days on each. I know you said we’re not working on perfection, but I want to feel a minimal level of competence before I move on. So, my concern is FOMO. In your program, if I spend two days on Monday’s lesson, do I get access to Tuesday’s lesson, or does it just go away? By the way, I really love your teaching style, demeanor, encouragement and am enjoying this immensely.
This week has been inspiring and disappointing
The teaching and the video play is great which is inspiring
The disappointment is how slow I seem to be catching on
Before the next days lesson I find I have to go back to the previous days challenge and go through it several times before I move on
Frustrating to say the least
I read a comment below from a member and his hesitation with signing up is his fear of not being able to keep up and then falling behind
I’d say that is my biggest concern falling behind because I’m brand new to playing and maybe a slow learner as well
I have no problem playing every day and it’s never 10mins it’s more like an hr
My comment is there I invested a good amount of money for my guitar so I’m not going to waste it
Plus I really really want too learn
I was playing classical guitar, in a quartet, in a celtic band and even in a guitar orchestra. But sadly that all ended after I moved away from my band, and then Covid came and I had no musical contacts at all. It has been very difficult for me to play or practice without the motivation of enjoying it with others. I’m hoping your course inspires me to learn to play in a new way that will allow me to perhaps play around the campfire and get my friends singing along.
My challenge is chord changes. I know the chords and can play them independently but when I change chords mainly G to C, my finders move slow and bleed onto other strings and it sounds horrible and throws me off. I also don’t come by rhythm naturally and have to work at it, which is another issue. Practice and repetition.
my problem is consistency especially when things get tough, like learning the f chord and barre chords.
Is this course strictly for acoustic guitars?
I am slow at reading tab and slow at changing chords, even the ones I know. I fear I may be left behind if there’s a daily challenge which I don’t quite get. My main problem in the past is that I’ve hit a plateau then leave the guitar alone for months.
Yah, something I could finally do. Well for the most part. I know the chords so it allowed me to work on strumming. Which is a major problem for me currently. Trying to lean a new song has been difficult to say the least. In fact not knowing what to do with my strumming hand causes me to get frustrated and stop. Then playing what I already know to feel better about being able to play at all. However, even that becomes short lived as I get frustrated even worse in my limitation. The simple explanation and demo of the strumming pattern was extremely helpful to me. Thx for the continued encouragement and inspiration!
I have mentioned this before in an earlier question you posted. I have had lack of consistency in lessons to date. Now to be fair I didn’t give it a period of time to bake, and that is on me. I’m hoping that this time and these lessons will be different. My fingers are crossed.
Is there a mistake on the tab sheet? Seems like there should be a 2 where the x is for the G chord
I am starting from zero. I do see some progress but barely managed a third of each days challenge…and slow at that. I need to do this today challenge for at least a month before I will be ready to go on.
I know nothing. Everything is new. I am just learning the names of the stings. This is a challenge for sure but I am excited to be doing this.
I took 4 lessons in 1973. To many guitar players on the block. One Ear Player who could play almost any rock song of the day. One Schooled a the MacPhail School of Music Mpls. so I took up Bass when I was 15. Played in many bands being self taught and always managing to play with people 4 to 5 levels above my technical level and skills. Had to quite playing in the Bars or die in 1994. Ready to learn why and what works when playing music. Not just what I played on intuition. Now I am retired looking forward to being a musician.
For me, it’s the integration of these parts that makes the difference. I feel like the lessons I’ve done in the past have been all chords and strumming patterns, but the simple breaking out of a bass note before the strum is different, and the integration of riffs and soloing is what I’ve missed in the past. Putting these all together in context is so much more meaningful, and musical. And the whole idea of building on that in a stepwise way makes so much sense to me. Thank you!!
The only thing I knew before today’s lesson was the D, E, and A chords. But knowing some chords made this lesson go faster for me. I was able to get the a minor and g chords without an issue and play clean. The c chord was my struggle as it really stretched my fingers. I finally did get a clean slower version all the way thru. A good win, the best of this week.
I think the reason why I have not followed through in the past is I would work on only one thing, and not get it right and then lose interest. Today, I picked up this rhythm easily. Looking forward to the transition tomorrow.
I think reasons for my lack of progress has been so much information about playing that I have not been able to narrow it down and follow a clear path. Without that clear path it has been easy to not find the time either.
I recognized that not all has been lost! Win: screwing up the D chord (what use to be an easy chord) and releasing frustration, knowing my fingers, hands, and brain are in the process of learning (and re-learning) a skill and being strengthened!
I was interested to see that a lot of people find today’s lesson the hardest. As someone who has started and stopped playing guitar for decades, I can attest that chord shapes are in large art muscle memory. After you play for just a little while, your fingers will hit the right strings/frets almost without thought. Not that I’m an expert…far from it. But I have found this to be true.
I tend to stagnate when I don’t have new material, and I feel like I am playing the same things constantly…. need a fresh approach and new tools in my tool box!