Fretboard Wizard

[N-lightMike]

Hi @the-old-coach ,

There have been some monumental changes to TAC and there are many improvements. I don’t understand the Fretboard Wizard drought at all.

So, as far as I understand, the Fretboard Wizard course is available to purchase when you first sign up. So, of course, you would get the original version.

Now, another thing I understand, is that Tony wants to revise the Fretboard Wizard course. So, he doesn’t want to have a release where the whole community goes through the course at the same time until he is able to get the revision done. If all this is true, then it is understandable why the release has been stalled.

Now, here’s the BIG however… the logic you already pointed out, that the original version of the course is still available when you first sign up, so why can’t individuals buy the course. Yeah, most of them will still go through the community class thing when the new version comes out. But in the meantime, many TACers are becoming frustrated with unfulfilled promises. We were clearly told “the beginning of 2022”. Well, 2022 is now almost half way over. We are clearly past “the beginning” of the year.

So, I’m tagging @VictoriaTACTeam . I’d like to try tagging @Levi (I hope this is Levi Kujala), and @tonypolecastro643 . I’d like to say that I have fielded questions about the upcoming Fretboard Wizard course numerous times now. Victoria is well aware that I contacted her through the Support page chat. We all understand that there has been an awful lot going on in the last year with the platform change. And I sincerely appreciate the new week of lessons once a month. That alone must be a big commitment. But people are looking elsewhere for help with music theory. Every time the subject comes up, a bunch of us older members who have taken the Fretboard Wizard course jump on the bandwagon and sing it’s praises. I guess that just makes it worse as it stokes the fires of anticipation. There is an old proverb that says “expectation postponed is making the heart sick”.

My suggestion would be to make the original Fretboard Wizard course available for purchase by newer, individual members who did not buy it at the outset since they have put in their time (6 months) but have not been able to get the much anticipated course.

@jumpinjeff , you want to jump in here? @dr_dave ? @Carol-3M-Stillhand ? Am I off base here? Is @the-old-coach off base? How about the numerous other newer members who have started threads asking about the Fretboard Wizard course or the newer members who have responded to such threads? It has been said that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”, so I’m trying really hard here to squeak loudly.

MG 😀

[the-old-coach]

Mike-

Thanks as always for your informational post!

There’s zero doubt that I certainly don’t realize all the work that goes into a re-do of something like the entire TAC program– or even the FretWiz portion inside it. Cripes– I have trouble posting a video!🙃

I/we also appreciate the efforts behind the scenes that you and many others have put in helping/trying to push the TAC team along, on the new FretWiz course.

I know that whole discussion has been run up the flagpole quite a few times in here- (and I’m sorry if this post takes off in THAT direction– not what I was going for at all)- to have yet another post on when the new course was coming out….😒

I think what I was— trying— to emphasize- (please accept my apologies if I didn’t do a good enough job at it)- that it would be great if there was some way– ANY way– to get a “controlled” peek into the Fretboard Wizard. New one- nope- (it’s not ready, and I get that)—– but maybe the “old” version?

As I mentioned- all I want to do is get a little peek in there to SEE if it’s right for me.

You wouldn’t buy a new car without takin’ a test drive, or even buy a new pair of shoes without a test drive, or a quick “try on” would you? Even if you KNOW it’s good quality- you still need to feel how it “fits”…..🤔

I guess that’s maybe what I’m really askin’……

TOC- (I like that!)

[jumpinjeff]

All’s I can add here Mark is that at some point it will become more painful to not take it than to spread the cheddar and take it. It may not be today so no worries there. Your thirst for knowledge may eventually supersede you desire for capital preservation. I can only say that it answered so many questions and cleared up a very worthwhile amount of confusion. It was also the springboard into other places where found information was not understandable until I took fretwiz. It is not the only class in town. At the time I did it I found it to be the least expensive and most easily understood. Still satisfied with the results. I know that is not equivalent to kicking the tires and test driving but it passed the test for me and I never met a dollar I ever parted with eagerly. Well, there was that one time in Mexico but that is a tale for another day over coffee.

[N-lightMike]

🤣🤣 Eagerly and Mexico, now there’s some word association for ya. LOL, @jumpinjeff .

[the-old-coach]

Yeah-

That’s probably a story to best stay right where it is………🤫

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[jumpinjeff]

It is not one to be printed anyway.

[the-old-coach]

😊

[N-lightMike]

My guess is it’s not a story to tell your grandkids either. 🤣

Oh, the vagaries of youth. *sigh* 😉

MG 😀

[jumpinjeff]

Wait…what story? Jedi mind trick: This is not the story you seek….You will let us pass…..move along…you want to know about tonewood…you are strong with the force.

😅

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by  jumpinjeff.

[the-old-coach]

🤫✊

[N-lightMike]

🤣🤣

[the-old-coach]

Carol-3M-Stillhand–

Hello– It says you posted- (or, I guess “updated”)- in here, but I don’t see your post.

Seems like I see that once in a while- where it says there was a post– but there was no post.

Maybe give it another go?

Anyway– I think being able to get a small peek into FretWiz is a reasonable ask.

coach

[mikelynch]

Hi the-old-coach. I just wanted to add my two cents to your question. I opted to sign up for the fretboard wizard course when I first joined TAC a little over two years ago. In my opinion it’s a great course and well worth the money spent. I hope I don’t get thrown off of TAC for divulging any state secrets but I’ve tried to show you the layout of the course. I pasted the layout into the response window, I think the formatting will be removed when I post. If they are the main course sections are numbered and the topics covered follow. Each section and every topic has multiple video lessons with downloadable materials. Personally I had learned basic music fundamentals and how to read sheet music more than 55 years ago, a few years before I started to play guitar, and was surprised at how much I learned from the course. It’s a very comprehensive and easily understood introduction to the basic parts of musical compositions all centered around the guitar fretboard. Learning section 2, finding a song’s key by ear, was worth the price of admission for me. —————————————————————————————

1 —— Foundational Five has 6 topics

The Musical Alphabet

The Major Scale Formula

The Chord Matrix

How Chords are Made

The CAGED Navigation System

The Universal Rules

2 —— How to Find the Key by Ear has 2 topics

Troubleshooting

Minor Keys

Lesson 1 Retention Quiz

Lesson 1 Real World Challenge

3 —— How to Find Chords by Ear has 2 topics

Troubleshooting

Minor Keys

Lesson 2 Retention Quiz

Lesson 2 Real World Challenge

4 —— Transposing the Easy Way has 2 topics

Why Transpose

More Than Changing Keys

Lesson 3 Retention Quiz

Lesson 3 Real World Challenge

5 —— The Improvisation Framework has 3 topics

Playing Harmony

Different Approaches

Pentatonics

Lesson 4 Retention Quiz

Lesson 4 Real World Challenge

6 —— Final Project: Write a Song has 5 topics

Pick a Key

Pick a Chord Progression

Create a Melody

Transpose Your Song

Congratulations

[the-old-coach]

Mike-Jeff-Mike—

Thank you three all- for your insight and explanations— including the FretWiz-specific info— and also your personal-level opinions. I really LOVE reading the posts- and the answers- here in the TAC forum!

By reading the information, and also your own words, here in **this** thread- (as well as in other posts)- I’m realizing that I am clearly not very far along in the “guitar-learnin'” journey. My playing ability isn’t that great right now– but it is way ahead of my knowledge level.

The more I read and study, it seems sort of like walking up a mountain, without knowing how tall it is. The view will surely get better the higher you go, but also, you know that at some point, you’ll have to decide when the view is “good enough”.

I’m OK with well short of George Harrison.

What I DO know is that I don’t know much😜. And of course, I don’t even know how much I don’t know. (Wow- there’s a mouthful of nonsense).

So I guess the goal should be to enjoy the climb, and turn around all the time and enjoy the views from the places where I HAVE made it to. Focus on the fun, and not necessarily so much on the accomplishment(s) of reaching the top.

So I’m gonna go ahead and get the FretWiz program when it comes out, even though it sounds like it’s WELL “ahead” of me right now. I can get going, getting myself ready in the meantime. I don’t mind a good challenge– I have a tendency to run towards the fire🙄. Drives my wife crazy.

Humbled-

the old coach

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[N-lightMike]

Wow, Mark @the-old-coach ,

You got it. In fact, you explained it better than we did. I love the analogy. In fact, I would like to use that analogy to make a song, if you don’t mind. Climbing up a mountain really fits well and works on more than the first layer.

Let me know if you’re ok with my stealing your analogy.

MG 😀

[the-old-coach]

Mike– Of course! You don’t even have to ask…..

I’m full of analogies- (been told that’s not the only thing)🤔.

mark

[N-lightMike]

@the-old-coach

🤣👍🙏

[the-old-coach]

Hey all– lookin’ for some advice from the “been-there-done-that”s out there– is the “Foundations of Fretboard Navigation” course- (in the TAC “Skills Courses” section)- a good place to get primed for the Fretboard Wizard course. Any other places to look?

Not in a big hurry, not knowing when the new version will come out- but I want to be competent going in. I can work thru it slow.

Thanks-

the old coach

[Cadgirl]

@the-old-coach . I have to think the Fretboard Wizard is soon to be released. I did get an email on it but I can’t find the email now. I loved the original. It was very informative and I really think Tony tries to make it as easy to understand as he can. @mikelynch did a good job of listing the courses. As for your question about Foundations of the Fretboard being like it. I have to say no. Don’t think ‘The Musical Alphabet’ in Foundations is anything like the in-depth version in FBW.

[N-lightMike]

Again, Mark @the-old-coach , the simple answer is yes. Like Denise said, it is just a little taste. But it was created as a Fretboard Wizard primer.

MG 😀

[Levi]

Hey friends! Sorry for the late reply here. @MikeGaurnier, thank you for the tag.

I’m very happy to announce that the new Fretboard Wizard has been filmed and is awaiting the final editing phase. We’re aiming for an early Q4 release (possibly sooner).

As someone mentioned in this thread, we’ve been very busy with several platform improvements — weekly streaks, updated UI, and left side navigation — plus our commitment to release a fresh week of daily challenges every month. But Fretboard Wizard has been our most ambitious undertaking ever. We couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve created.

For as awesome as the first version has been for so many folks (now over 20k), the update is many times more awesome.

Yes, it’s been a long time coming. But Tony and I had to get this right. We already had a proven course, so it took us a lot of planning to create something that filled all of our requirements…

We wanted to take it from a course to a daily challenge so it would align with the TAC daily challenge format.

We wanted to make it more bite-sized to remove the overwhelm and increase the completion rate.

We wanted to restructure and re-sequence the information so students get bigger breakthroughs earlier in the program (and all the way through to the end). The breakthroughs layer day after day and week after week ending on a high note that empowers you to carry the momentum forward into your daily guitar routine.

We wanted to give students more breakthroughs on their first pass, but ALSO make it more repeatable. This was a huge challenge, but I think we pulled it off!

And we wanted to make it exclusively for TAC members so we could more tightly integrated it with the daily challenge. This means we were able to give students specific FretWiz learnings to try within the daily challenge to help integrate new skills.

We’ve also put tons of work into boiling it all down into a reference guide PDF so you can quickly look up the workflows for the common, every day skills like the major scale formula, Nashville number system, and chord matrix.

Anyway, once the new 30-day Fretboard Wizard program is finalized you’ll start to hear more via email and possibly Acoustic Tuesday.

Existing FretWiz alumni will get the update for free as long as they’re a TAC member.

There is truly nothing like this in the world. I know that sounds like hype, but Tony’s unique, “no bs” way of looking at this information really puts this in a league of it’s own.

This is the 10% of music theory that you’ll use with guitar nearly every day, sequenced in a way that’s digestible and presented in a way that helps you use it, not just know it.

It’s a beautiful program.

[Bill_Brown]

Hi @Levi , thank you for your response to this thread. The new version of FW sounds exciting for sure. For those of us that already own the “old version”, will we get to keep it as a separate course? Or will it be replaced with the “new version”? This guitar geek needs to know!

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Levi ;

Thank you so much. Yeah, I know, it seems like an open ended thing, that thank you. Well, it is. Just thank you for all the wonder that you have added to my guitar journey since I began TAC.

The best is always worth waiting for. I know you guys have been super busy the last year. And I know that you and Tony wouldn’t release anything less than the absolute best you could make. And I know that TAC is already the best site out there.

But you guys keep exceeding expectations. You said this new platform was going to be better. Well, this new platform really is the fulfillment of the promise given in the marketing videos. This new platform keeps us on track to set and reach goals we never even knew existed.

And now, this latest promise, is once again, more than I could have imagined. But it’s perfect and right in line with the philosophy of TAC. I have become some what of a “theory geek” and I am excited to see how you have integrated the amazing approach toward theory into our daily routine. All the knowledge in the world is worthless if we can’t make it come out through our fingers onto the fretboard.

Thank you, Levi and Tony, for your vision to help other guitar geeks. And thank you for how much that has already fueled our guitar journeys. And thank you for continuing to improve your instruction and guidance so we can continue to improve our guitar journey.

MG 😀

[HowardM]

Thanks, Levi for the excellent and exciting information about the Fretboard Wizard program and knowing that as a user of the original FW I will get access to the new and improved version. I have to honestly say I miss the conversation you used to have with Tony on AT. Thanks again.

[albert_d]

Thank you for the update.

[Kitman]

Thanks for the more detailed update @Levi ! The new evolution of FBW sounds great! Thanks to you and Ream TAC for all your support and work!