TAC Family Forums

Share your wins, get unstuck, or see how others use the TAC Method to create a fulfilling guitar life!

  • Learning with TAC

    Posted by Sharon_T on March 29, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    I have been with TAC for about 4 1/2 years now. Started as a raw beginner and for the first while, I really wasn’t sure how to best use all the tools available to me and make progress.

    In November of 2019, I finally decided on a few things that work well for my journey and maybe some of these will help you.

    1) Keep a journal. Every day I write in my journal the date, which guitar I am playing and what the TAC lesson is. I make note of how I felt playing, what came easy and what came hard. I do use other sites for additional instruction at times and include notes on them as well. Even I don’t play, I make the entry in my journal and explain why I didn’t play. This helps me to identify patterns in why I may miss a few days and makes sure it is never more than just a couple of days.

    2) print the PDF and put helpful notes on how to play the piece.

    3) set a timer. You would be surprised at how quickly 10 minutes can go by when your aren’t focused on playing for 10 minutes

    Finally, a little icing on the cake.

    TAKE THE FRETBOARD WIZARD course.. the knowledge you will get from that will carry over 1000x to all of the lessons here. Especially the scales and improv sessions.

    punder replied 3 years, 10 months ago 5 Members · 10 Replies
  • 10 Replies
  • Alfred

    Member
    March 29, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    Thanks for your insights. I signed up for the fretboard wizard, as I understand it starts up next month, though I can see I can get started whenever… Just want to be in sync.
    I use a timer when working with my son, for me it would just aggravate me if it went off because I spend a half hour at least, but it does wonders for him! So I can agree with that gem of advice.

    • Sharon_T

      Member
      March 29, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Thank you. I have a little (undiagnosed but I know) ADD .. it is hard for me to focus on a singular task for any length of time. So finding a way to do this and actually work the lesson was something I had to learn. Once I got used to the routine, I found that it was easier to have day where I am really dialed in and I can play for extended periods.

      • Alfred

        Member
        March 29, 2021 at 7:23 pm

        I have been diagnosed with adult ADD (the lack of the H in there is helpful).
        I can tap into the super power of hyper focus that comes with it, but I have to be really interested in what I am doing, and that leads to overdoing it sometimes. Advice I got in another thread made me rethink the timer thing to bring me back to my senses when I do this to myself (shoulder and elbow are tired today because of it)

        When something is boring I think about everything else and can’t sit still so, I have that going on too.

      • Sharon_T

        Member
        March 31, 2021 at 3:26 pm

        Yes, me too… all of that is true for me. I am my own worst enemy

  • N-lightMike

    Member
    March 31, 2021 at 9:54 am

    Yeah, @MommaTAC, @Alfred and @Marty69, I relate to the ADD thing, except my (self) diagnosis has progressed to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

    I haven’t tried the whole timer thing. Maybe I should.

    Anyway, thanks for posting Sharon. 😍

    MG 😀

    • Alfred

      Member
      March 31, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      🤣🤣

    • Sharon_T

      Member
      March 31, 2021 at 3:26 pm

      🤗

  • LMG_73

    Member
    April 3, 2021 at 10:14 am

    Your journal tip feels right to me. Gonna still that from you.

    • Sharon_T

      Member
      April 5, 2021 at 8:48 pm

      I may have stolen it from Tony so feel free to steal away.. LOL

    • punder

      Member
      April 5, 2021 at 9:40 pm

      Even if you never look at any particular entry again… a daily journal is still a good idea, because it gives you structure and helps establish habit. Take it from the ADD Kid 🤪

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