Frustration over Friday’s lessons

[Glade]

The biggest help for me understanding the sharps and flats in a key came from studying the circle of fifths, and the scales on a piano keyboard diagram.

If you visualize a scale as spaces between notes instead of the notes themselves, it makes a ton of sense.

There is a Ted-X video: Duncan R Lorien, the “Language of Music” that explains it very well. Watching that video and re-visiting scales was a big milestone for me.

Hope it helps. -Glade

[Cadgirl]

Thanks @Glade , I was mostly thinking of the new members that are listening to Tony talking about the musical alphabet and scales, blah, blah and then scratch their heads and ask themselves, What? Thanks for the recommendation and i’ll look them up. I know a little about Music Theory. And it’s a big help when I’m trying to put music together.

[Cadgirl]

@Glade , wanted to thank you again for the Ted video. Getting ready for a trip and it will give me something to occupy my time (i’m not driving).

[Bill_Brown]

I don’t know if @HowardM will reply @Cadgirl , I’ve never seen a post from him in the Forums in my 1.5+ years at TAC. I don’t know if FW is being offered to newbies at sign-up only or if they’ve stopped that as well. I’ve gone through FW 3 times now, and each time I pick up on some new tidbit that was glanced over in previous times – so I think it’s well worth while to go through different segments often. As for FW not currently being offered, it’s a shame, but there is the Foundations Of Fretboard Navigation course, which I always considered a prerequisite to FW. Anyways, I’m excited about the coming of FW II👍

[Cadgirl]

@Bill_Brown , you are correct. The only post I saw was when HowardM posted his routine when he first started up. and not a post after that. I signed up for FBW when I joined. I wonder if its offered now? I’ll have to ask one of the newbies. I really liked the course. I swear, I was having one hell of a time trying to figure out how Tony came up with his chords using the natural occurring major scale formula. I figured out my mistake while answering your post….. I have to really thank you for the post. Silly isn’t it, sometimes you just have to slow down and the answer hits you square in the face 🙂

[albert_d]

Tony said in the Quarterly Workshop 7/6/22 that FBW 2.0 has now completed shooting and is in editing. FYI.

I love FBW too. Completed lots of loose connections for me.

[HowardM]

Great information albert_d, I was unaware and that is great news.

[GerryB56]

I joined TAC about 2 months ago and don’t remember being offered the option of FW. But my memory isn’t always that reliable😆 Anyway, from what I’ve read in the posts here, it sounds like a valuable learning tool, so when the new version is out I’ll have to consider jumping in. I do know just enough music theory to make some sense of things on the fretboard, but possibly I’m in the “know just enough to be dangerous” category.

[Bill_Brown]

If you haven’t done so already @GerryB56 , you should check out “Foundations Of Fretboard Navigation” in the Skills section!

[GerryB56]

I have done the first couple of lessons in the Foundations course, need to get back to that. So much to learn it’s easy to get pulled off in all directions!

[Cadgirl]

@GerryB56 , You will learn alot from FBW and it’s got some harder parts. Always feel free to ask the forum questions if you get stuck. I had to and they pulled me up when I was ready to quit. Just keep it in mind.

[GerryB56]

I have no doubt some of it will be utterly confounding, but I have seen how eager to help many of you more veteran TAC members have been. What a great community!

[HowardM]

CADGIRL, sorry I usually don’t get the opportunity to post in the forum. Bill was correct and I should start and will going forward. I had captured the entire course and reviewed it often, as my musical experience was a trumpet prior to guitar. Bill mentioned FWII and I hope he is correct, as he usually is, and I would jump at the chance to revisit. I found FW to be the best source of knowledge and hope it is restarted.

[Cadgirl]

Welcome @HowardM , I printed up the lessons for this week and was reviewing them. I wanted to piece them together as a song. I’m really not getting anywhere. But, I did figure out a few things that I was missing as in Musical Theory. So it hasn’t been a total lost. I ordered a book that @the-old-coach recommended for guitar. Hope to see more posts from you.

[HowardM]

Good luck, if Tony does come out with FBW II, I will sign up as the FBW was the best investment I made. I spend the first 10 minutes on Friday going through the scale and laying out the chords, what a blast. Have a great day.

[Cadgirl]

@HowarM , My understanding is if you purchased the first FBW you’ll automatically have access to the update. The update is supposed to come out later this year.

[HowardM]

That would be great. That lesson set the course for my musical journey. I enjoyed it and thanks for the information.

[Kitman]

Hey @Cadgirl what is the book TOC recommended? I am not seeing it in this thread. Thanks! 🙂

[Cadgirl]

@Kitman, glad you asked. It’s being delivered today and is 3 stops away 🙂

Name of the book is “No Bull. Music Theory for Guitarists” by James Shipway.

[Kitman]

Thank you!

[Kitman]

Will you let us know what you think of the book @Cadgirl ?

[Cadgirl]

@Kitman , yes, of course. I only looked it over a little bit this afternoon. Looks like it has good illustrations of what he is talking about. Small quiz at the end of the chapter. This is 1 of 3 books. Depending what I think of this one, i’ll get the other 2.

[Carol-3M-Stillhand]

@Cadgirl thanks for the book recommendation!! I just looked it up at my local library and they carry that title so I placed it on my reading list!! Now I just have to finish the 4 books I already have checked out so I can get to this one!!! Thanks again 🙂

[Cadgirl]

@Carol-3M-Stillhand , It breaks everything up into small bits. I’m usually ok when I don’t study a lot at one sitting 🙂

[HowardM]

I would be very interested in your opinion of the book. I can’t wait to hear how you like it.

[albert_d]

I used these three books during my extended vacation this summer and they have been helpful. I’m on #3 now.

[Cadgirl]

@albert_d , glad to hear this. I’m at the 1/2 way point of book1. I like the way it’s written. Usually these books are written as if it’s a foreign language. Seems like the author is trying to make it as understandable as he can. Also @Kitman , the books aren’t thick. Book 1 only has 100 pages.

[Kitman]

Thanks for the update @Cadgirl !

[Cadgirl]

@Kitman , you are welcome

[David H]

My goal is to not quit and just keep going, I am 70 and just started playing in May 0f 2019.

I get over whelmed with all the stuff. If I print it out and can pick through it at real slow pace.

I usually cut the practice spend in half. The only way I could conquer this stuff everyday would be play each of them for a week everyday for an hour, but I can’t, so I try to get through each one and not quit and just let it go when I get though it. After 2.5 years I can play a lot of barre cords, all the caged chords, just not very well of fast but I am moving forward. That’s all I can do. I figure by the time I am 113 years old, I will be a pretty good guitar player. Sometimes you just got to be content with the facts of life and just don’t quit, dth

[Cadgirl]

You don’t have to be a rock star. You just have to have a little fun with it. Sit on the couch and play a couple jingles. It takes time and a lot of frustration. But, it sounds like you are getting it down.

[Kitman]

Your routine is working for you @[email protected] – keep it going in your own way! There is no right or wrong as long as you have fun and feel fulfilled through your progress. Play on! 🤘🎶😃

[HowardM]

I always hear about everyone printing out the material, there is a function to create a pdf and save it to a folder of your choice and this will save paper and give you a reference. The age of 70 is a good thing. Any day on this side of the dirt is wonderful. Good luck with your journey