Help staying consistent

[Moose408]

The mantra is progress over perfection. You’re not expected to be able to do what Tony does the first time through or maybe even the fifth time through. The idea is you keep getting exposed to these skills and overtime you will get better at them. If it is difficult just give it your best shot, spend 10 mins on attempting it and then move on.

As for playing consistency, that’s why he talks about just playing for 10 minutes each day. Everybody should be able to find 10 minutes in their day that’s to be able to play. It can be more, but the goal of the 10 mins is so you sit down to practice each day. Tony also talks about tying your practice to a tiny habit so that you remember to do it each day and it becomes part of your routine.

[BrandonK]

Thank you so much for the message. I guess I am worried that I am not going to make any progress because I feel like I am just not getting it.

I will stay consistent and just keep trying to do 10 minutes a day.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  BrandonK.

[TerriG]

Definitely do what Moose recommends, 10 minutes trying what Tony taught for the day. For me, I also like to play around with the guitar – listen to the strings, compare the various frets and their pitches, discovering the notes and their octaves, and just old fashioned playing without worrying about making mistakes. In addition, I like to do finger exercises (such as spider walk) to build the muscles and accuracy. This helps me to stay consistent. Good luck in finding your own routine that fits your daily life.

[BrandonK]

Thanks Terry,

I have a 10 to 15 minute routine I do every morning.

1. 5 x spider exercises up (low E to high E then back up is 1 rep)

2. Finger slide exercise that Toni showed in one of his videos

3. Transition between the Chords I am working on G, D, Em, C, Am, A, and E. I do that for about 5 minutes to 10 minutes.

4. Then I do a metronome cord transition/strumming pratice D, DU, UDU to 76 beats while transitioning through the list of chords above.

I do try Toni’s daily challenge video’s, I just find he goes so quickly and I have to keep stopping the video to try to figure out what he is doing. Then I am not able to even do the technique because it is to challenging for me at the moment. So I let the video play and mark it as complete. I feel bad doing that because I do not feel like I am accomplishing anything.

[TerriG]

Also, I don’t know if you know … but you can slow down the videos to your needs. There are speed settings within the playback videos – definitely a tool to utilize. I wish I knew about this sooner along with popping the video and overlaying it onto the TAB. Sounds to me you have a fantastic routine, now it will take time and patience. I guess you’re eating the “elephant” – one bite at a time. Also, remember to record yourself especially those benchmark weeks (even if it is just audio) and you’ll be amazed on fast you’re learning. Subtle progress but it is there. Keep up the good work!

[BrandonK]

Thanks Terri, I am aware 😉 That goes from 10 minute practice to 1 hours to 1.5 hours because I need to slow down, as well as start and stop the video to try to keep up.

[Moose408]

Are you looking at the associated TAB for the Daily Challenge? I personally can’t watch the video of Tony and figure out what to do. I instead read the TAB and then just use Tony’s example to figure out fingering and/or timing.

[BrandonK]

I can start doing that. I haven’t been doing that because it appeared to be two advanced.

[Moose408]

Learning to read TABs is an important skill and will significantly help you progress with Tony’s lessons.

[BrandonK]

I agree with you Moose 100%. Just a lot to learn all at once.

[Bud6333]

As everyone has said its important to play that 10 min a day, making it a habit makes it that much easier. You mentioned that you feel bad marking something complete when you don’t feel you have made progress…. Don’t! Its outstanding that you showed up and tried! Just keep at it. All the skills come around again. The next time you see them you will notice you get further. I find that sometimes going through the tab before I start the video helps in prepping you for what is coming. I also will pause and replay sections to catch on to what is happening. Thats fine. Your not expected to learn the whole thing each day. Perhaps just pick a section to work on this time through and next time, when it comes around again, add another section.

[BrandonK]

Thanks Bud for the advise I really appreciate. I understand what you are saying. Trying to do all that and truly stay to 10 minutes a day is not happening for me. following the video, stopping, slowing it down, rewinding it…etc is taking about 30 minutes or more depending if I watch the full video. Then as you guys are mentioning trying to play with the music and/or tabs adds more time. Over the weekend I am trying to do what you guys are recommending and it’s taking me about 1 -1/2 hours to 2 hours. Through the week I just do not have the time to put in 2 hours a day right now.

As true beginner it’s overwhelming. I understand what you are all saying about the 10 minutes practice each day. If I can’t even do one technique that Tony is teaching I feel all I am practicing is watching his videos versus practicing a skill and/or technique at this time. I do understand this is a hard instrument to learn and this is going to take time.

For example this weeks chord hammer Tony is teaching for some reason I am muting my strings when I try to hammer just one string in the C chord. I was trying the skill and did not hear Tony talk about what to do if you are muting the string.

I just currently find the training is too challenging for me as a beginner. To the point I have actually now started to do 1:1 lessons on the side with a guitar instructor which has helped focus the basic repetitive skills, in a progressive manner that I am starting to see progress. I want to be clear, in no way am I saying Tony is not a good Guitar teacher. I am sure if I was doing 1:1’s with Tony I would be having a different experience and he would customize the training for my skill level.

What I would love to see in the training video’s is Tony segment the instruction. First 2 to 4 minutes one basic skill/technique that the student needs to practice for this session. The rest of the video Tony goes into more advance skills/techniques for the rest of the students that are more advance. This way as a beginner I know what exactly to practice until I can follow along with the rest of the video as I get better.

[Loraine]

I agree with the others Brandon. You will progress, as long as you keep moving forward. Don’t worry about perfecting any skill during the lessons. They roll around again every 8-9 months typically, bit you will see others recur more often if an essential skill. Each time you’ll get better at it.

The guitar is not an easy instrument to play, but if you do the minimum each day, you will improve. Sometimes slowly, and sometimes quickly. The trick is consistency/ routine. Give it your best and move on.

[BrandonK]

Thanks Loraine

[Bud6333]

Lorane is spot on. Perhaps dont spend so much on each lesson. Find something that you want to improve on and spend some time each day…. maybe like 5 minutes. This makes your rotine 15 minutes and just stop at that point. As Lorane said it all comes around again.

I know I was a bit overwhelmed at first as well. If you just stick with that you will see gains. I have a bunch of the tabs from the lessons saved locally, the ones I felt were good for me to practice at that time. I go back to those after doing a bit with the daily. It helps.