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Tony’s Acoustic Challenge – The New Way to Learn Guitar Family Forums Community Support Never played guitar before and could use some help please.

  • Never played guitar before and could use some help please.

    Posted by Jolene on May 8, 2021 at 1:39 am

    Hi Everyone. I’m brand new here and I’ve signed up for the year as I’m determined to do this. I cannot play guitar at all, nothing. I have been gifted one and as I’ve always wanted to play I’ve decided to commit. Day 1 challenge is that finger warming exercise which will probably take me a couple of weeks to get the hang of. I feel totally useless.

    Is there any other lessons on here that would help a total beginner please. I have bought a tuner so that’s a start. simple things like holding the guitar right and where to press on your fingers etc would be useful.

    Thanks

    Michelle-PSL replied 3 years, 9 months ago 9 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • Fly

    Member
    May 8, 2021 at 2:06 am

    Hi Jolene and welcome, if you go to the skills section there’s a course 30 days to play. That’s a really good starting point that will teach you the basics it says 30 days but take as long as you need to take it in and move and an enjoyable pace. Good luck

    • Jolene

      Member
      May 8, 2021 at 10:50 am

      Thank you so much. I didn’t;t realise there was a basics programme, I was thinking how much one is needed! So relieved I can start with something more achievable.

  • Loraine

    Member
    May 8, 2021 at 3:23 am

    Welcome to TAC @Jolene . I had absolutely no experience either when I started. I called strings, “keys” – lol. Anyway, I would definitely focus on the 30 days to play challenge to begin with (under the skills section). You can take as much or as little time as you like going through it. The program is meant to teach you practice skills too, so the 10 minutes a day should be the minimum goal that you shoot for. But you can play as long as you like. Shorter practice times tend to yield the best results overall. I would just focus on the 30 days to play before delving into the other areas, but nothin is off limits. This is your program. The 90 day action plan is highly recommended. That’s where you set goals for just the first 90 days. Then repeat each 90.

    Good luck and have lots of fun!!

    • Jolene

      Member
      May 8, 2021 at 10:52 am

      Thank you so much for reply. I’m heading to the skills page now. Phew! I thought I’s be on that first lesson for weeks!

  • Bill_Brown

    Member
    May 8, 2021 at 7:46 am

    Hi @Jolene , I completely agree with @Loraine , Just focus on the “30 Days to Play” and don’t do the “Daily Challenges” until you feel ready. Make sure that you do something every day with the “30 Days” course👍 Take as long as you need with each lesson – as many times as you need – don’t worry at all about how many days you’re spending with a particular lesson, or the course itself (IMHO).🤩 Once you’ve completed the course, then you can start doing the “Daily Challenges”

    Yes, you’re fingertips will get sore, but it will go away – don’t stop practicing – do something with the guitar every day – Have fun🙂

    • Jolene

      Member
      May 8, 2021 at 10:53 am

      Thank you for taking the time to reply. Every day I promise. I’m going to do this for sure.

  • AttyTJ

    Member
    May 8, 2021 at 8:41 am

    @Jolene , first Welcome to TAC. We are here to help, just ask.

    So, the Warmup is designed to be worked on for 10 minutes or so, and then, on to something else (unless it really grabs you and won’t let you go, and then, by all means beat it to submission). And if you can, come back to it every day, and then there will be a new Warm up next Monday (tomorrow as I write this). Getting it perfected is not the goal, get it started, and progress will come.

    I would also suggest the 30 day challenge. Why, well, each day of lessons (regardless of how long or short a time it takes you) is a skill that will evolve as you work it. Each of those skills, like the Daily Challenges will grow your overall skill and confidence.

    You are already ahead of where I was when I started. You don’t have to unlearn the bad habits of 50 years of not really learning this, so slow, steady, work at it, and you will find you are not useless. After all you have a guitar and a plan. From that you will shortly become what we call a “Guitar Player.”

    • Jolene

      Member
      May 8, 2021 at 10:55 am

      Thank you. I don’t have bad habits, I can’t even hold the guitar comfortably yet. I was really hoping there would a real beginner section. Can’t wait to het to know people.

      • jumpinjeff

        Member
        May 8, 2021 at 11:53 am

        Hi @Jolene welcome. I will be the dissenting voice and encourage you to explore the daily lessons. I will try to encourage you to feel new rather than useless. New is good we can work with that and in time you won’t be new. They will seem extremely challenging at first but over time they will reveal their absolute brilliant utility. Don’t worry about speed or if you could play the whole exercise rather take the time (10 minutes required for completion, it is time in the saddle, not how you ride) to explore the sound of your guitar and how you interact with it. Take some time holding your guitar get comfortable with it on your leg, in your arms. For the exercise take a portion of it slow it down to the place where your mind is comfortable and work on the fingers. For me this has a times been as slow as 30 beats per minute. That is one down stroke for every 2 seconds. Or a downstroke 1 second and an upstroke on the next second. Focus on the first measure of the exercise. Most of the time this will be the first eight notes you hear. If that is too much do the first four and just take some time on that. Always work to eliminate tension in your mind and then your arms and hands and fingers. Press hard enough to make a clean sound but not overly hard, just hard enough. This is how progress is made. This is how guitar players are made. Some folks are born players but I was a learner and a slow learner but this is the path of my progress. I like the suggestion of finding a song you want to learn and the other suggestion was the 30 days to play challenge should yield some satisfying results. Check back in the forums and let us know when you have a good moment and also if you find the road blocked. Every one of us has been right where you are. We walk together now. I wish you fast easy progress.

  • Sharon_T

    Member
    May 8, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    Like many others here, I started a brand new never played anything ever in my life beginner too. I started with the daily lessons and the 30 days combined. The 30 Days gave me my foundations to work upon but the daily lessons allowed me to see that I was making some progress. One thing I will stress – regardless of how you learn, be patient and give yourself grace. It can feel very hard some days. You will get frustrated. Just remember – you aren’t in competition with anyone. This is your journey – not a race to some end point. Lean on the community when you need to. And have fun. This is something you want to do – not have to do. SO enjoy yourself.

  • rob8584

    Member
    May 9, 2021 at 6:39 am

    I’m new as well, Jolene you asked the questions I was ready to ask. This thread helped, thank you for asking. I am working on the 12 bar blues now and it is getting easier, but previously I thought it was so foreign I felt like I was playing left handed for a right handed. Best wishes for advanced talent and honed skills.

    Rob

  • Michelle-PSL

    Member
    May 9, 2021 at 9:43 am

    Lots of great responses @Jolene , so I won’t say anything other than Welcome! And remember that learning guitar is a journey. Sometimes the road is uphill, sometimes it slopes down, and sometimes it’s parallel with the horizon. Remember to enjoy it!

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