Kinda got my hand slapped today

[Stickmaker]

That’s too bad, since you were helping others with non competitive sites.

[Kristin1]

Actually I can understand the TAC Team. As far as I know, TAC is a private owned profit orientated business. And I guess no business owner likes it, when someone suggests / mentions other competing businesses on “their premises”.

I found it very generous, that TAC tolerated occasional posts mentioning other forums and teachers. But it was getting more in the last weeks, even linked videos were posted.

To me it seems to be fair compromise, to talk about the competion almost exclusivly using personal messages.

[David_Leo]

The reaction is not surprising since the format change has resulted in an exodus of many long-time, active members. It is understandable, I suppose, but unfortunate.

[albert_d]

“Bad girl, bad girl. What you gonna do when they come for you?”

Hope your feelings aren’t too hurt. I always appreciate your positive input.

[Loraine]

No hurt feelings – probably won’t completely stop me (short term memory loss) 😉

[Moonhare]

I don’t think I’ve linked in to anyone else’s guitar course but are we allowed to link to useful free access guitar tutorials on YouTube? I have certainly done that in the past. It is a tricky one isn’t it? I know you have been incredibly active supporting fellow TAC members and that is such an important part of being here. Just hoping you don’t feel stifled by it and thanks for what you do.

[Loraine]

It is a tricky one @Moonhare . I say keep posting unless you hear directly from TAC that it’s not permitted. I probably wouldn’t have been called out on it, but I was receiving an error and took a screenshot to show Support. That is when they made the comment to me that it was against the Rules of Behavior. They probably wouldn’t have found out otherwise, unless they were policing every comment on the forums, which would be too onerous.

[Cadgirl]

BUSTED!!

[Marty73]

Loraine… I have a new nick name for you “The Lone Mentor” 😊🧙‍♂️😎

[Loraine]

🤣😂 Unfortunate, huh?

[Cadgirl]

ha ha ha , good name. @Loraine you’ll have to black out the lens on your glasses when you are posting.

[Cadgirl]

@Loraine , I’m so sorry that you have been placed on probation. I know I have done the same thing many times. Since this is basically a ‘building skills’ site. I wouldn’t have thought mentioning a site that could give access to whole songs would be a problem. We’ll have to get you an icon for ‘added knowledge base’. Thanks for all the help you have given to us so far. I’m sure you know we all look foreword for your knowledge and insight.

[N-lightMike]

This policy must have changed, @Loraine . We used to be able to tell others about Marty Schwartz (not the name of his YouTube channels) because he gave free videos showing how to play a popular song. That is in no way in competition with Tony. In fact, I don’t personally think Tony has any real competition. No one teaches the way he does that I am aware of. There are other sites out there that charge more money but stick to the worn out method of teaching skills or songs. I think Tony’s method is far and away the most effective way to teach guitar.

Anyway, I was scolded at least twice in the past and I know “it’s no big deal” but it still rankles. We love you, Loraine, and all your support and encouragement.

MG 😀

[Marty73]

I’ve never been in trouble on TAC. I just watch and learn but it has changed… and not for the better…

I don’t think it’s Tony that is making all the TAC changes. Tony is NOT to Tec. savvy guy. Tony’s just the teacher. It’s Levi. He is the Head Tec. guy.

Now you all know why I don’t post much on the forum anymore other than me playing. TAC has become to “commercialized” and we have lost a lot of long time players. I’m still here because I am a “Lifer”. It doesn’t feel like “Home” anymore. Sad…. 😰😖😰😎

[Loraine]

😪😠 I’ll definitely regret writing this, but I’m in that kind of mood today. I agree it doesn’t feel like home anymore, and we’ve lost so many of what I would call old timers – so much knowledge and skill are gone from TAC. The forums are so antiseptic now, and there isn’t an easy way to see and read them and the comments are sincere mostly, but the chat is difficult to navigate (having to scroll all the way to the end, not knowing which comments have already been seen, and banter is gone, which made the forums so successful and fun to read all the comments, and there were so many more topics to post in, and beginners or new TACers introduced themselves and we immediately welcomed them. <div>
<div>Anyway @Marty69 see what happens when I’m set loose too? I just really really miss the old TAC, and we’ve given this one a chance, but it is so bland, not very fun, and there is little comradry and little sense of accomplishment, joy, and just pretty blah.</div><div>
</div><div>Okay, I’m done. It felt good to get that out of my system. Now back to finding the good and positive, which is easier to deal with.</div></div>

[N-lightMike]

😥 😮 … 🤔 😊😉

Well, let me translate that @Loraine . I totally agree with your feelings. And I can’t argue with anything you said. But I’m gonna jump to your last comment, “looking for the positive”.

The original idea of TAC was to teach people how to play guitar, not create the most wonderful guitar community on the web. So, there’s the sad… and the happy!

TAC is now better, much better, than it was before. That’s because it was intended to teach us guitar skills; teach us how to practice so that we see continual improvement; teach us how to be consistent. The old TAC did that as well as any site on the web, and better than most. The new TAC does that better than any other guitar instruction site or event or school or individual instructor… in my honest opinion.

Now, the part about the community. The old TAC had a lot of help from the community to impart the attitudes and ideas necessary to Tony’s method. So the community made it better. But the new TAC helps us understand the correct attitudes and ideas on it’s own with very little help from the community. And it’s true, this community is more like the interaction between the students in a real, live classroom as they file out after class, chit chatting with each other. And some of them may meet up later, but most do not.

Ah, but the community the old TAC helped to create was too strong to just die off simply because Tony and Levi came up with a better business model and a better instructional site. Now we have the same old, wonderful community over at JMG. And that is better for everyone. That is better for the business because it gets rid of any conflict. And that’s better for the community because we have greater freedom than we had even on the old TAC.

I love the new TAC. And I love the new community, JMG. Win, win, win. There’s a lot of victories going on here.

MG 😀

[Marty73]

That’s all nice Mike but tell me… Why did TAC drop the VOM schedules? 😖🧙‍♂️😎

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Marty69 , I’m surprised by this question. There was nothing like the old TAC on the entire world wide web. Now, you just gotta ask yourself: “why?”

The answer is simple. Because it isn’t a good business model. In fact, it’s dangerous. It could open you up to liability big time. But, Tony and Levi were young and wanted to do something “cool” and “nice”, even “personal”. Well, they were very successful, perhaps more successful than they originally intended. Or maybe not. But as both they and the business grew and matured, they needed to conform to conventional business practices. Those practices have been forged in the fire of courtroom law suits. We live in a litigious society where people want “justice”, which is really a lame cover for “revenge”; and they want something for nothing because that’s what selfishness is all about.

If you read some of the vehement complaining and blaming by a number of mentors in the Mentor Zone of the old forum prior to the change, you would see just how selfish and shortsighted “normal” people can be nowadays. You could also understand why Tony and Levi needed to break the ties that associated their business with the unregulated forum, and worse, potentially far worse, the VOMs.

The truth is that Tony and Levi, TAC the business, TAC members, and all those who enjoyed the forum and all those who enjoy the VOMs are better off this way. We have more freedom without the concern of being in conflict with the interests of TAC. And TAC is better because it can be more focused on it’s “mission statement”, and that is to help people grow as guitarists (guitar geeks).

Now, we have a forum like the old TAC without any worries about conflict of interest. And it runs on the same, simple “rules”: be polite! And we have this new TAC which is more focused on teaching us guitar skills.

By the way, you missed the question: “why did they break off the “Song Vault”. I won’t answer that question here, but it is similar: focus. And I’m not speculating. Tony and Levi explained all of this to us more than once. No, they never used the word liability or anything related. But that’s why they are successful, because they are tactful to the point of skirting issues. That’s why I have so few friends, because I dive headlong into issues.

MG 😀

[Duane58]

Thank you @Loraine for all your support and for the heads up. There are a lot of differing perspectives, we can learn from each and gain a win. Keep the faith Lorine.🙂

[Maydog]

I think TAC is really good for beginners to low-intermediates to build dexterity and understand more about how a guitar “works”. I’ve been here 3 years and the first two years were VERY helpful in helping me learn to play better. I’m choosing to not renew for a 4th year, as I think I can find better instruction for my current skill level elsewhere (and I have). This is just my personal experience and opinion; it may not be the same for others. I would probably have stuck around for many more years if TAC hadn’t adopted a “business only” philosophy. That is their right and I respect it. But the old forum was such a huge morale boost and a respite from the ugliness on the rest of the www. I probably would have stayed around if that was still available.

Thanks to everyone who helped make my guitar journey fun and enjoyable. I have nothing but respect for Tony and the TAC team and I’m glad this site is available for the thousands who will benefit from it.

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Maydog ;

I totally respect your decision and I agree with everything you said. I’m sorry you have to go, but as you say, at this point you aren’t giving up that much. I guess that’s what’s sad.

Anyway, I hope you have joined the new forum of TAC members over at JustMusicGeeks.com. There are many people there that you know from TAC. It’s free, though you have to apply for membership. Hope to see you there.

MG 😀

[Loraine]

@MikeGaurnier You just did what I got my hand slapped for Mike. You’re not supposed to refer members to other sites in the forums per the conducts of business code of TAC.

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Loraine , we were specifically told by Levi through Vic that we could tell TAC members about our VOMs and even post our VOM performances. We were also told we could tell people here on TAC where the blogs were that had the information to attend a VOM. Now, that information is on a website. We may no longer be able to tell anyone about Justin’s site or Marty’s site where they can learn songs, even though those sites do not compete with TAC, but we are allowed to share with others where they can get the information to attend a VOM. That hasn’t changed, or at least, they never updated those of us running the VOMs if it has.

MG 😀

[Loraine]

It’s been brought to my attention by JMG that we should not be actively promoting them any longer on TAC.

[Cadgirl]

@Loraine , really? You can’t even mention another forum for us to meet at. One that has VOMs?

[Loraine]

@cadgirl JMG requested that they not be promoted anymore on TAC, for several reasons, and they at a manageable and comfortable level of participation. I haven’t heard fro AAP, but they’re not in direct competition with TAC (don’t promote classes, special guests or guitar teachers).

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Loraine.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Loraine.

[Real-Vic-G]

Loraine’s information is current and up to date. Thank you @Loraine

[N-lightMike]

I will respect this new information @Real-Vic-G .

MG 😀

[Cadgirl]

@MikeGaurnier , then bad boy Mike throws in Marty and Justin (2 great sites). It’s getting worse and worse.

[Loraine]

🤣 😂🤣😂

[N-lightMike]

Ya like that @Cadgirl ? I can’t help myself sometimes. Ok, all the time. 🤣

But hey, you know who I heard about both Marty and Justin from? None other than Tony himself. He mentioned them as 2 great sites to learn popular songs, if that’s what you want. But Tony teaches guitar skills by using them in a fun way. When others teach skills, they are focused on one skill that you are somehow supposed to miraculously learn in 3 weeks or 2 months or however long their course is. “At the end of this course, you will be able to solo like Eric Clapton, or B.B. King, or fill in the blank.”

Anyway, I’ve said it many times. None of us signed up for a forum. We signed up to learn guitar. I think Tony does that better than anyone. My opinion. The community we found on the forum was a killer bonus. And we still have it, though it is true it isn’t the same. Nonetheless, it’s a bonus. Not the raison d’etre. In my estimation the guitar training has improved. And he was already the best. I love that.

MG 😀

[Timbothirroul]

I was thinking about this last night.. There could be another aspect to that response: One of the reasons I joined TAC was because I was overwhelmed by the plethora of online guitar instruction sites. To the point of petrification.

There could be a positive to being in a place away from that for a while. I am not saying that that is the reason, perhaps it is a business issue.

Anywho…

[N-lightMike]

That’s a good point, @Timbothirroul . That makes this a safe haven from the storm of competitive commercialism. 😁

[punder]

@Loraine I’m paid up here and will continue to use the site for awhile, but… something important went away from the place. The old free-wheeling forum was a serious motivator. This new straightjacket of a forum isn’t.

Of course not everyone feels this way, good for them. And you know, an online guitar instruction site isn’t the hill I care to die on 🙂 but, yeah, just not feeling the fellowship, or the motivation, that used to exist here. And I’ve certainly tried to plug back in since starting to play again. I get your frustration.

[Dirk_R]

I do TAC so I can learn guitar well enough to feel I can play in front of others. That has been my goal since the beginning. And I am achieving that goal. I love the TAC community and I love playing in front of others both on line and in person. And I appreciate people like you Loraine that take the time to interject positive input as I travel along on my guitar journey. Thank you. Have a great weekend everyone!

[Loraine]

You’re so kind @Dirk_R , and you’ve come so far in such a short amount of time. I’m in awe of you!

[Ukulelebug]

Lorraine you have done well, please continue. Censorship is bad in any form

[Loraine]

Thanks for the vote of confidence @Ukulelebug 😊

[johnny67]

Loraine, Sorry you got the hand slapped. it all seems pretty silly to me🤯 I use a lot of different sites for different things, TAC being for a practice routine, initially the attraction was the family and sharing of information. for instance I use ultimate guitar for getting songs (oops) any way as my son says “you be you” I do appreciate the input from you and others as well. Happy guitaring everyone!

[Loraine]

Appreciate the reply @johnny67 , and I’m sure I’ll have many slips and mention other sites by complete mistake – on occasion 😎