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  • How do you implement the lessons?

    Posted by PaulL on July 2, 2021 at 9:15 am

    Hi all,

    So i’ve been lurking for a month now and working through the lessons and courses and so far so good. Only missed one week (Banjo week) but I’m guessing it’ll come around again so no harm done.

    I’m not really sure how to phrase my question, but the best i can think of is how do you implement the lessons in to your playing? As in, learning scales and small riffs is good to build up speed, precision and dexterity but is this what you then take away to learn the songs you want to play? (Like i say i’m not sure i’m really phrasing that how i mean it!).

    For example, i’m not a blues guy but into my rock and after years of not really getting anywhere (an acoustic version of February Stars by the Foo Fighters is the only song i can outright remember start to finish… with a quick prompt in the middle!), I would just like to be able to play along with songs i love. And even though this is an acoustic course the skills should be transferable.

    So after repeating lessons over several weeks do you find that the skills are helping to perfect the songs you want to play over just playing those songs by themselves over and over?

    I think part of my problem is the whole skipping between songs for the last 20 years and not focusing on finishing one (except the above). I can play the intro to Sweet Child…, badly play the intro to Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman etc, etc, but have never got far with many songs and at 43 I don’t know if i’ll every get the speed and skill to attack any of those classic solos.

    So as part of my playing schedule i’m thinking i should pick just one or maybe 2 songs to focus on to be able to monitor any progression i might be able to eke out. And as an acoustic course (and a killer song!) i’m thinking of using the intro to a song by Alter Bridge (awesome band) called Cry of Achilles. While its a rock song the intro is performed on a Nylon and is a great hybrid picking workout. I bought the book and DVD set (as Tony mentioned in the sales vid, we all have those books just gathering dust!! 🙁 ) so theres no excuse really.

    Some of you may get a kick out of it too and the band were kind enough to put the tutorial with Myles Kennedy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NF2kcEfMBI

    Anyway, i think i’ve confused my own question and point and so thanks if you make it this far and understand my rambling (sorry, bad habit)! But yes, how do you implement the lessons?

    Thanks and have a musical weekend everyone. 🙂

    PaulL replied 3 years, 7 months ago 2 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Loraine

    Member
    July 2, 2021 at 10:14 am

    @PaulL I didn’t mind the rambling at all. The lessons teach foundational skills and practice habits, and the skills increase your overall knowledge and capabilities so that you can play songs. TAC doesn’t teach actual songs, so you take your skills outside of TAC and apply them. You’ve got the right idea to find a song or two to learn. The intro to the City of Achilles song is above my skill level. Make sure you focus on your skill level when you choose songs. Some other options are to attend some of the virtual open mics (VOMs) that are held weekly and see what some other players are working on, Also, there is the Fretboard Wizard course that opens up twice a year (extra cost but well worth it). That teaches some theory and is a great tool for tackling the fretboard. Good luck in your journey!

    • PaulL

      Member
      July 4, 2021 at 2:56 am

      Hi @Loraine thank you for your reply. 😊 Yes you’re right, I just need to stick to my practice songs before going all over the place with lots of others so that I can actually see (or rather hear!) the improvement.

      As for Cry if Achilles, I can play the parts of the intro individually, albeit a bit rough, but putting them together and at the correct speed is the challenge. Hopefully I’ll get it good enough to film and upload here as a Small Win.

      I’d like to sit in on some of the VOM but being in the UK I need to fit it in with things here. I’d be too nervous to play but it would be fun to hear others.

      Thanks again for your reply, happy TACing. 🤘😎🎸

      • Loraine

        Member
        July 4, 2021 at 10:23 am

        Hi @PaulL The Scones VOM every other week is a UK VOM. They’re an extremely friendly and welcoming group. Would love to see you there sometime.

      • PaulL

        Member
        July 4, 2021 at 2:59 pm

        Ok thank you, I’ll have a look. 😊

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