Have you been successful learning from TAC?

[albert_d]

I can say ,”Yes” to all of the above. I am empathetic toward being uncomfortable and hesitate to analyze or offer advice but … (there is the but), I’ll try anyway. First, keep the fun in it. My TAC goal overall is to have fun playing guitar like a piano lounge singer plays piano. It’s not a concert hall and I know I’ll never be professionally good. But then I am not a professional and haven’t missed a meal for lack of “bread in my jar.” So back off yourself and don’t be your worst critic. Second find a practical use for your music like playing a song. My first song was 16 Tons in Em. I picked only a few strings arpeggio style but I had ONE song in my back pocket. Find a one chord or two chord song and do it for fun. Sing loud. Be dynamic (play louder and softer). Add that third chord and you now can play unlimited number of songs. (Country Music is 3 chords and the Truth). Go to Ultimate Guitar, Guitar Tabs, or YouTube and grab songs you like. Play the easy layer. As you do TAC add techniques but don’t feel like you have to master every technique. I have one exercise, Mississippi Timing, I’ve worked on for years and still don’t have it. But I do have other exercises and techniques I can do I didn’t even know they existed when I started. So this is getting long and I’ll stop. But keep it fun.

[BrandonK]

Thanks Albert,

I feel the challenge is currently I am not playing as of yet. I am struggling along trying to figure out what I am supposed to do per lesson. Which is not fun as of yet.

[JohnWP]

4+ months in and I would say my answer is “NO” to each of your questions. FYI… I play every single day for at least 10 minutes if not more. In the early days of the daily challenges I was rewinding the video like you over and over trying to figure out what Tony was doing, which fingers he was using, etc. Some days the best I could was one measure or just click complete and call it a day.

But on the other hand I now know the names of the strings, know how to read a tab, can do hammer ons, pull offs, staccato technique, slides, strumming patterns, bends, a power cord, several scales I can play from memory, alternate tunings, and I have about 13 cords I can play (but not the F cord!). And probably a few more things i didn’t mention. Btw… before I started I didn’t know what most of those words meant and certainly not how to do them! Last week I changed my guitar strings all by myself and the guitar still plays! I also have one 2 cord song I can play along with and I am working on a song that has 5 cords in it which is my 90 day goal.

There are certainly days I get frustrated (yesterday for example) and have to remind myself that I have so many small wins to celebrate and that this is a journey.

So don’t get yourself down, but focus on the small steps you are taking. They will add up.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  JohnWP.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  JohnWP.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  JohnWP.

[BrandonK]

Thanks John, it sounds like you have learned a lot since you started?

[JohnWP]

Absolutely! I bet if you thought about it you have too. I sometimes look back at some of the things I did in the first 30 days and I am amazed at how far I have come. No giant steps, just a bunch of tiny ones.

I know that the daily challenges cycle back around and I am looking forward to when I do some of them a second time.

[BrandonK]

you are right, the 30 day challenge I did learn a lot. The 1:1 lessons with a guitar instructor helped me improve on those skills.

I just found with the Daily challenge there is very little practical progress. I am learning the theory which I take to my guitar instructor to teach me how to do it.

[Skyman911]

@BrandonK after 5 months of playing I could play about 4 chords. That’s about it. Actually about 7 months in I quit TAC because I didn’t feel like I was learning and progressing as fast as I want. Almost 4 years in, I still don’t feel like I’m progressing as fast as I want. I don’t see this ever changing, and just accept it. I’ve always been pretty hard on myself.

I took private lessons for 1 1/2 years, and did learn a lot. It was then where I began to see the value in TAC and rejoined almost a year ago. There is so much to TAC. And for the value it can’t be beat. Keep it up, and try not to get discouraged.

The one piece of advice I can give is just to have fun. If your not having fun, you won’t progress. If you are getting discouraged and frustrated, you’re not having fun. This is really why we want to play in the first place I think. Unless one is just learning to impress others. I’ll tell you though, I’m learning and playing stuff I never thought I could even attempt a couple of years ago. Lots of Barre chords lately!

[BrandonK]

Thanks Skyman for sharing your story. It sounds like the 1-1/2 lessons really help get you the foundation to play. Then when you came back to TAC it sounds like you saw more value is that true?

I am trying to figure out how to have fun while struggling?

[Skyman911]

Let me expand on this a bit. I actually tried a couple of teachers. My first teacher was a perfectionist and would not let me move to the next lesson without perfecting the first lesson. About six months in, I was beyond frustrated, and at this pace, it would be 10 years or more before I could get to the point I wanted. Then I found a new teacher and he was revolutionary. He could tell within 10 minutes that I was just not having fun playing the guitar, as I was trying to perfect every note/chord and I would get pissed when I hit a note or chord wrong. He basically said “you need to learn to have fun playing crappy”. He then had me start to work on Blackbird by the Beatles. I’m like, this is way over my head, and was so intimidated. My progress took off like a rocket ship after that, and the change in mindset was significantly better. After a year with my teacher, I decided to start my own journey. We still keep in touch.

His words of advice still resonate. Don’t compare yourself to others. You will make mistakes, just have fun and be OK with it. Most likely you will be the only one who notices or cares. When frustration sets in, put your guitar down and do something else. Find songs to play that you want to play regardless of the difficulty.

[BrandonK]

Thank you Skyman for sharing you experience and journey.

I have trained in martial arts for over 15 years. Going through the repetition of basics, kata’s…etc doing the 1,000 repetitions to master the skills. It doesn’t bother me to not be perfect right from the start. I do feel disappointed that some of the TAC teachings appear to be more advanced than a beginner like myself could even attempt.

I do agree I need to push myself and stretch my limits to help me progress. It currently feels like the difference of learning how to drive versus me on the track at the Indy 500 trying to race against other professional race car drivers and trying to keep up (Tony would be the one I am trying to keep up with in this analogy)

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  BrandonK. Reason: Add more

[Skyman911]

Looks like we have more in common. I’ve trained in the MA arts for over 40 years, and still do today.

I agree with some of your comments such as being taught in person how to fret a particular chord vs being taught by a video. I cannot understate the value of personal instruction. It just isn’t practical for many. For me, TAC is just one of many tools I use to learn. It is not my main avenue for learning and practicing. The value it provides is unmatched in my opinion. I hope you can find your path.

[Beatrice]

Hey Brandon,

I don’t want to sound critical, but it’s still early days for you. Things don’t happen that quick when you learn a new skill. Try to see it like being an infant, you don’t become a professor in a particular field in the first year of studying something new… it takes years, it’s the same with guitar. There’s no use in comparing yourself with others because it depends on people’s background and skills. When you listen to professional guitarists, like Mark Knopfler for instance, he spent many, many years of playing his guitar for hours and hours everyday, even sleeping with his guitar before he became any good. Everybody has to go through the same hurdles. If this lifelong learning is not making you happy then try to find a way to accept that it’s the way it is with learning instruments. Otherwise you’ll give way to frustration and failure, which is not good

[BrandonK]

I understand Beatrice. I have taken a couple of months of 1:1 private guitar lessons now and I understand that I need to be consistent and repetitive until you can master one small skill and then build on that.

What I am finding is TAC moves so quickly with the Daily Challenges that I feel there isn’t time to implement the skill let alone master it.

[JohnWP]

Remember Tony’s comment where he said Winston Churchill said “perfection is the enemy of progress “. You can spend months learning how to play the perfect G cord. But after months all you have accomplished is the ability to play one chord perfectly. Tony’s approach is to expose you to a multitude of things over and over. Do what you can now, have fun with it, and grow as you go. It will work.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  JohnWP.

[BrandonK]

That is the Challenge John, to me it’s not fun when I am not able to keep up and not seeing progress. Even small progress would even be a win for me. I did see progress when I started doing the 30 Day Challenge and 5 Day Challenge, which was great.

Once I started into the Daily Challenge it was like going from playing as a beginner to working with professional guitar play who was only giving you quick minutes to download a technique. I need to try to keep up and I do not get it, to bad time is up. Then move on to the next technique and if you don’t get that to bad…etc.

I know I need to practice the technique to get good at it, but to not even be able to perform the basics of it to build off of is where I find it challenging.

For example say I learn the G – Chord the teach says put you fingers on these strings and these frets

G Chord

Fret 2, First Finger= A Chord,

Fret 2, Middle Finger= E Chord, Ring Finger = B Chord, Pinky finger= High E Chord

Then they show me how to do it, make sure I have the position. Then get me to strum the guitar and make sure I got it. They make me practice that with them for 10 reps to make sure I got it. Now they tell me to go practice taking my hand off the fret board and putting back on while strumming each time until I can get it 10 out of 10 times.

Versus what I feel the TAC tack training is.

I am going to teach you G Chord, E Chord, A Chord, and C Chord. In 5 second I am going to show you the chord positions, you just need to watch me to it. Ok you have it, let’s move on because I want you to play them in this order while strumming Down, Down/Up, Down/Down, Up/Up. This is how it looks like. Ok you got it. go practice exactly what I taught you.

The second teaching is how I feel TAC is right now for me. I am still a beginner and feel I need more of the first style of training until I can get the basics to be able to keep up to the second training.

[JohnWP]

Remember that Tony only asks that you give each days challenge 10 minutes. So it’s not hard to keep up if you keep that in mind. The goal isn’t to master the skill on the first go around. It’s not even about doing everything he shows you on a single day. Some days you may play just a single measure, some days a single line, or some days just a few notes with a new technique. It is not about mastering something right off, it’s about consistently showing up. Remember the daily challenges are for everyone regardless of if it’s their first day or their fifth year of playing. You aren’t expected to do everything the first time you try.

But just think if you were to play just 10 minutes every day at the end of a year you would have put in 60 hours of playing. How many people buy a guitar and never ever put in that much time in let alone do it in a year? I bet a lot.

I am sure Tony’s method isn’t for everyone and I hope you can find a way to make it more enjoyable. But if not I hope you do find some way that helps you progress and have fun doing it. Good luck!!!

[BrandonK]

Hi John,

As I mentioned, if I was supposed to just say I am successful watching the videos versus actually being able to do the skill Toni is teaching in the Daily Challenge. Then you are right.

If I am actually supposed to see progress in the skills challenge, then there is an issue.

[Loraine]

@BrandonK I understand your questioning and some frustration. I think I was shell shocked at first realizing how difficult it was to play guitar, and I was brand spanking new to guitar too. I was surrounded by some great people, however, who coached and mentored me and basically taught me to persevere and not give up. Going to local jams and open mics helped me a lot. But getting back to beginning guitar, the beginning (and I am talking the first 3 years) were very slow and challenging for me. I was progressing, however. I think I picked up a few 2-3 chord songs to learn. Just google 2 chord songs, and you’ll find all kinds of things. Try something like Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle Little star, etc. Even if it takes you a while to learn the chords, and to transition between chords, you’ll be at least adding to your skills. Try one strum per chord. Remember, TAC is teaching you foundational skills that you can then take out and apply to songs, but playing songs is pretty rudimentary in the beginning.

I say to try and keep things light and fun, but also realize it takes years of practice to develop skills necessary to play halfway decent, unless you have an inane ability and skill that most of us don’t possess.. If it’s something you really strive to do, then don’t give up before the magic happens. For me, it happened in my 3rd year of playing, where all of a sudden, I was transitioning between chords smoother and faster, was able to play most songs I picked up, and was able to sing to most songs. To get to that point, I participated in TAC’s Lessons, I attended open mics, went to jams, posted the good, the bad, and the ugly of my playing on TAC and other forums. I did begin supplementing TAC with weekly private 1/2 hour lessons. My guitar teacher said that from working through the lessons on TAC, I was more advanced than many of his students who had a lot more time playing. This alone was proof to me that TAC worked. I have well over a hundred songs that I can play. I play them better now than I ever have, and even then I don’t always play great, but I can definitely say I’m having fun. I still post the good, the bad, and the ugly.

[BrandonK]

Thank you Loraine for your response.

I will take your advice and find Happy Birthday to try to learn that.

When you mention TAC is teaching fundamentals. I feel TAC is teaching someone who has never done math before. TAC is teaching algebra right from the start in 10 minute downloads. Versus teaching addition, subtraction, then multiplication and division…etc.

I do have an instruction and there are things I can tell I heard of then he teaches me over several lesson on how to do it. For example hammer-ons. I saw it from TAC and understood the principal. My guitar instructor actually helped me learn how to apply.

[Moose408]

Part of the issue sounds like you are spending 60 minutes trying to get through the daily lessons. While that “might” work, it is just going to lead to frustration. The brain learns in brief spurts. You will learn for the first 10-20 mins but everything after that is not going to help.

My approach to the Daily Challenges is to try it for 10 mins, sometimes a little more. Some days I can only do the first line, sometimes I spend the entire 10 mins on the just the first measure. The Challenges are meant to CHALLENGE you and you aren’t expected to learn them in the first sitting, or even the 2nd or 3rd. I’ve been with TAC a little over a year now and have seen challenges come back around that I couldn’t do at all the first time, and now I can get a little further. It is rare that I can do an entire Daily Challenge unless it is very simple (Palm Muting, Double Stops, etc).

As to your original question; I just looked and at 5 months I had done 87 hours of total practice.

– I could play a couple of songs, Three Little Birds, and Mad World that had simple chords. I added 15 mins a day of practice dedicated to learning songs.
– I could read TABs but not at real time.
– I couldn’t solo per se but I felt comfortable doing the Improv day here at TAC.
– I went to my first music Jam session for beginners and was the worse one there. If I couldn’t play a particular piece I would just mute my strings and strum along. I kept at it going every week and it’s done a lot to help me improve. It is basically guitar karaoke, where as a group we follow along to songs on Ultimate Guitar.

I’m now a year in and 248 hours of practice and I still don’t feel like I’m a guitar player. But I do recognize the progress I have made and so my daily goal is to be just a little bit better than I was yesterday.

[BrandonK]

Hey Moose,

I think we talked about this before. Yeah the 60 minutes is stoping and stoping the video to see what Toni just did, where did he say he put his finger, what is he doing again with that finger. Oh there is another finger, what is doing…etc. oh there is picking or strumming what is that.

By the time I have watch his 10 minute video I have spent 60 minutes stoping and starting the video just trying to understand.

I have even started to try to do another method which is

1. Do not have my guitar and just watch the video start to finish to see if I can understand what he is teaching – 10 minutes there

2. Then get my guitar and try to do what he is teaching. – 40 to 50 minutes depending on the stoping and starting.

To be clear I am not asking to master the lesson and be able to play on stage. I am just wanting to be able to apply what TAC is teaching so that I can see progress, which is disappointing.

WOW that is great in 5 months you can play a few couple of songs and do everything you were mentioning.

Where are you know with a year in?

[Moose408]

I always have the TAB open while watching the video. I don’t think I could do anything if I had to rely on the video alone. I typically am trying the tab while listening to Tony and if I get to a tricky part then I will pay close attention to what he is saying. I’m mainly listening to him to hear the technique and tips, not where to place my fingers.

A year in and I can more confidently play the same songs I could at 5 months. LOL. I have recently devoted more practice time to learning songs, it’s a slow process.

[BrandonK]

I am going to try having the tab open while watching the video to see if that will help.

[John_Bolling_Hall]

% months is not long, was probably a year for me before I started hearing music come from the guitar I was playing. 4 years in with TAC I can say yes to all of the above. It’s important to be consistent in your practice, you are learning a new language and it takes time.

[BrandonK]

Thank you for your response John, when did you start seeing the progress between when you started and the 4 years?

[John_Bolling_Hall]

I started at 60, it was very slow in the beginning. I think it was about the 1 year mark that I felt I was finally starting to make a little music. I think many sell too hard on how quickly you can learn guitar and that is an unreasonable expectation.

[BrandonK]

I would agree I am learning now this is going to take at least a year or so to just get the basics.

[the-old-coach]

I’ve heard some people in here say that- “when you are learning something- try to stay right on the edge, or just beyond your ability”.

Also…. there is a huge difference between “learning” and “practicing”, and it’s important to know which you are doing.

Practicing is just the repetition of something you have already learned.

You can only improve on something if you have first learned it. In TAC, you are learning new things. The improvement on those things is on you– and only by repetition.

A person’s “total guitar improvement” is a balance between the two.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[BrandonK]

Thanks makes sense. I just wish the learning was not as advance so I could practice it

[the-old-coach]

I am FAR from being any kind-of expert on this, but in my opinion, IF there was one thing I think TAC could do different- (to help “new” players– especially at “the start”)- is to have different “levels” on which to start. They could start at the one that gets them going easiest, rather than just lumping every new member- (regardless of their ability)- all into one format/curriculum. A Daily Challenge that is too EASY for an advanced player is just as bad as a DIFFICULT Challenge for a beginning player. Neither one advances the player’s abilities so many think they may be just a waste of time.

My dumb advice— 1. stick with it, 2. don’t compare yourself to “where you think you should be”, 3, remember that it’s the journey, not the destination, that’s important, 4. be patient with yourself, and 5. focus on FUN.

[BrandonK]

Thanks Old Coach.

[tom-kilgourbtinternet-com]

Hey Brandon,

Firstly, I feel your pain. I have had a guitar for a few years although can’t say that I really started to learn to play until the last few weeks of joining TAC. I’ve done a few of the courses and have a real energy as I feel I am actually learning something new.

But to focus on your questions:

1 Actually able to play different songs reading from TAB music sheets

I do manage to get a few bars although get stuck with the tune in my head (or not) and then focusing too much on the note or chord. Then I stumble. I do find that I begin to remember maybe through muscle memory and repetition rather than following the tab. Although to start with, it’s a struggle and some days I do just park it.

2 Play with others

At the moment, this is a no. I dont feel I would have the confidence, understanding or ability. Although, my favorite part of the daily challenge at the moment is a Wednesday when we play along to the backing track. I tell myself that we are indirectly doing the same thing although lack the confidence

3 Play a solo? / 4 Riff and be creative

Similar to the previous one, its something I would not have the confidence to do. However, on the Wednesday schedule, its amazing how a solo can be created from simply following a scale. I find myself happily improvising and trying to be creative although would never suggest that I could so this. As I mentioned, Wednesdays are my favorite part of the week’s challenge

5 Play simple 4 chord songs

Although new to TAC, I’ve muddled along with TAB music sites and DVDs for some time. One of the songs which I stumbled across was “Wanted Dead or Alive” from Bon Jovi. Trying to learn chord transitions and picking was a struggle although found this to be slow enough to muddle my way through and build confidence, as well as being able to play some sort of recognizable song. As some of the other folks have commented, this was something which gave me a confidence boost before tackling something else.

Sorry to go on a bit but as the saying goes ” If it was easy, there would be no feeling of achievement, when you are rocking it!” 😉

[BrandonK]

Thanks Tom

[gw5me-com]

Hi Brandon,

I can’t say yes to any of your questions. I am in my 6th week of playing. I too have to start-stop-rewind all the videos. But I do tend to get most of the techniques. I try to get as close as I can before I feel the frustration. But I honestly feel that I am learning all sorts of things and making more progression than I ever did in the previous 22 years of dorking around trying to perfect a simple scale. I can see myself smiling in the mirror of my hotel room (pro pilot on the road for 15 days at a time). That 10 min thing; not so much. I am usually on the guitar for an hour. At home off rotation, I usually give about 30 min and mark the lesson complete. Bottom line, I am still having fun. Oh, and when I was at the FBO on a 3 hour layover awaiting passengers, I broke out my guitar and although I was in a small room the customer service reps came in to see what I was doing and expressed that I was making good progress and not running people out of the building.

[BrandonK]

Thanks for sharing,
That’s great to hear you are at the point you are not scaring customer service reps lol. Keep up the great work, it sounds like it is coming along.

Sounds like you have been trying to play for some time now?

[gw5me-com]

yes its been a journey that’s been off and on. I started in 2002 to learn to play with my son when we bought him his first guitar. But I was a Navy flight instructor by day, working on my masters degree at night and family distractions. The job never let up and so I was never really disciplined enough to get anywhere. That also coupled with the fact that I was stationed overseas etc. Had to sell my guitars to make child support payments and then again went overseas for work. So here I am years later, great guitars in the house and can’t play one song. But this course is getting me closer so much faster.

[BrandonK]

Thank you for sharing your journey. At least you are now coming back to it and hopefully you are having fun.

[gw5me-com]

I am absolutely having fun. Eventhough I hadn’t taken a lesson in a bit, I noticed that I was making some new cross picking sounds and my wife noticed it. Very cool

[BrandonK]

That’s pretty cool.

[BrandonK]

Taking everyones advice, I am trying to only do TAC 10 minutes a day, that is it. If I don’t pick it up then just mark it complete and just move on. It’s personally frustrating because I feel like I did not technically learn anything. I am going to trust you all that it eventually will come together.

I’m still going to do my 1:1 guitar lessons per week and the 30 minutes of practice he has me doing each day.

Thank you for all your advice.

[dbvirago]

Five months isn’t very long in a guitar journey. TAC isn’t a competition you have to win. It’s a resource. Use it. Take what you can and leave the rest. I also use another site that has weekly lessons. They are almost all way over my head, with my 4 years of playing. But I spend 10-20 minutes on them and learn what I can. No way I’d spend an hour or two banging my head against a wall. This thing is supposed to be fun.

[the-old-coach]

dbv—

You have made a GREAT post here! How true, how true. My favorite line is “Take what you can and leave the rest”.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[dbvirago]

Thanks, OC. Today was a great example. I got the boom chick easily. That was already in my wheelhouse. But I’ve only recently started working on crosspicking. So, I got through it ok at a very slow speed. Next time around, I’ll do a little better.

[Latebloomer]

Hi Brandon, I am a beginner also. I’be done 30-day and 5-day and am about a month into daily challenges. I have the exact same problems: spending a long time understanding what Tony is actually doing, rewinding, etc. I agree that it can get really demoralizing.

What has helped me is understanding that Tony’s students are on a very wide range of expertise. Many are recycling through for 2nd or 5th year. We newbies only need to work on the very first part of any challenge. It will come back around and then we will master another bit of that skill.

Also, I have found simple songs that I like, learnt the chords, played them on YouTube (over and over) and try to keep up with the chord changes. I.have gone to other YT teachers to learn strumming patterns.

I have had moments of wanting to give up. I absolutely know I would regret it!

Best of luck