One year anniversary upgrade

[ChuckS]

@rando – I did the same thing when my 1 year tour ended. Congrats!

[Rando]

Thanks, Chuck.

I appreciate it.

Randy

[Rando]

I guess I didn’t really do what I was supposed to do, my journey…….

First off, it’s my TACiversary, not anniversary. I don’t follow directions well.

I started from scratch last October with a brand new guitar and no direction. I started looking around online for instruction and after reading/listening to a lot of hot air, I came across Tony’s video. He seemed genuine enough and it sounded like offered a lot of different types of instruction, so here I am. The fact that he wears hockey sweaters didn’t hurt. I knew he had good taste if he follows hockey. 😉

I didn’t think I would be interested in finger picking, but I like it. I’m not good at it………yet, but I like it.

I never thought I would get some of the basic chords without forever muting other strings, but I’m not doing too bad. Still not perfect but getting much better.

I watched a couple of the Daily Challenges and didn’t think I’d ever be able to learn anything like that! I was wrong. Most of my Favorites are from Daily Challenges. There are so many that I don’t remember most of them, but there is one that I always finger pick when looking at a new guitar.

Looking at a new guitar is another thing. I wish Tony would give me some kind of a “refund” towards all of the guitars I’ve purchased or built in the last year. Tony, my good sir, you’ve created a monster. I now have more guitars than a long time friend of mine owns and he’s been playing for 45+ years. 😬

Anyway, I got distracted from TAC for a couple of months, took some in person lessons to help me with a few issues and questions I was having. However, the cost of that was not something that I wanted to keep up for very long. Yikes!

So, I’m back. Went through Foundations of Fretboard Navigation again. Now I’m going through Fretboard Wizard again. I went through part of it earlier but got away from it. I wanted to learn how to play, but now I realize how important the theory part of this game really is and how much it can help. So, I started the Wizard from the beginning and taking my time to absorb it as best as I can. This fretboard business is actually starting to make some sense.

I know I’ve learned more than I think I have over this past year, but I want to learn a lot more this year. I know I can do it.

Something I did learn recently that makes me very happy because I always liked the song, and bought the CD because of it. I learned the finger picking (that I wasn’t interested in learning) of the song Silent Lucidity.

OK. Enough rambling. Thanks again to all of you that have encouraged me and have helped me stick it out.

Year two. And so it begins.

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Rando ,

I’m replying to your reply rather than your original post because you shared so much more info. I love it. Especially the part about the guitars. By the way, you didn’t give us a number. How big is your guitarsenal and what does it contain? You don’t have to be embarrassed with us. Many of us, myself included, have done the same. 😉

I, too, am a lifetime member. You’ll find that many of the people who stay long term and are involved in the forum are lifetime members. That’s why we stay; we don’t face the annual renewal. So welcome to the “frugal guitar group”. Though we may not be all that frugal when it comes to our guitarsenal. 😂

And I also used a face to face instructor for a while, and though I think that’s awfully beneficial, it’s also awfully expensive. But that’s what makes TAC seem like such a deal. And TAC is so unlike other online instruction sites as you pointed out. I loved your description: “hot air”. That’s so true. But Tony really teaches us guitar, the foundational skills that allow us to take our guitar journey in any direction we want.

Thank you for sharing so much about your first year’s experience. I love hearing about the guitar journey of others. I gives me renewed motivation and joy in my own journey.

As far as your progress, you got it exactly correct. It is slow, but it is sure. With TAC, you don’t have to find the next thing to work on. Or follow some “course”. You simply challenge yourself with the daily lessons and the magic happens.

Thanks again, Randy.

MG 😀

[Rando]

I honestly don’t know the exact number at this point, Mike.

I know it’s over 20 now. I recently contacted my insurance people to ask about a rider on my homeowners policy. I need to make them a list with serial numbers and cost/value. After I get the list made, I’ll give you an updated number.

Tony did my guitarsenal a several months back, but I think that was only 3 or 4 guitars. I’ll have to take some new pics and write up a description. When Tony does it, I hope he has some water with him cuz his mouth is gonna get awful dry talking about them. 😄

Have a great weekend.

Randy

[N-lightMike]

Yeah, but Tony has never revealed just how many he has. And it’s probably like yours, over 20. I never had that many. I got up to about 14 I think, and started slimming down because I couldn’t play them all. I only have 9 now (one is more decoration than “real” guitar, though it does play), plus a guitarlele and an electric bass.

Anyway, I’ll be interested in hearing about your guitarsenal. I always like checking out other people’s guitarsenals.

MG 😀

[Rando]

OK, Mike. Here it is.

The total is 24 plus 2 that I built from bodies, necks, pickups, etc I purchased separately, AND I have 2 kits that will eventually get stained, sprayed, buffed, & built for a total of 28.

Hmm. I wonder if I have enough, yet. 😆

[Kitman]

Congrats @Rando on your TACiversary and your guitar journey. It sounds like you are learning and having fun! Thanks for sharing your story!

[albert_d]

Welcome to the Lifetime sojourners. Each TACaversary I reflect on my progress and am reminded what a joy it is to express myself in music. A true blessing indeed. And I am better and more easily able to do so as the techniques, licks, scales, rhythm, and chords and theory become muscle and mind memory. One does not get bored by the repetition of lessons but rather reinforced. I recommend a Lifetime membership to all Guitar Geeks. It is a great investment in life enjoyment.

[Rando]

Thanks, Kitman & albert,

I have enjoyed it and look forward to learning more. Sometimes I feel like I should know more by now, but I guess I’m still just a kid at heart ie. I want it now! 🙂

[Bill_Brown]

Happy 1st TACiversary @Rando 🎂🍾🥂 I wish you many more (and you will, by doing the lifetime thing)👏👏👍 Enjoy the journey and have a finger pickin good time🎸🤘

[Marty73]

Happy 1st TACiversary @Rando 😊🧙‍♂️😎

[JoeT]

How much does a life membership cost?

[Rando]

$599. I didn’t think it was bad considering 3 years of annual would cost you that.

The thing that threw me is, to sign up for it, you have to sign up like you don’t have an account. Fill out the information (you can use your current sign on, password, etc) then click Lifetime instead of Annual. If you paid for Fretboard Wizard when you originally signed up, you don’t have to pay for it again. Just skip past it when signing up for Lifetime.

I kept signing in and looking for a renewal or upgrade link. There isn’t one.

Hope this helps. If you have issues, email customer support. They were very helpful and got back to me quickly.

[N-lightMike]

I don’t think they want to “advertise” the lifetime. There are people who sign up for annual with automatic renewal and then they just don’t pay attention as the years go by. I know someone who has gotten busy with his career and doesn’t really use TAC anymore, but has paid for 5 or 6 years. But he’s not done. He loves TAC and will come back to it when he has time. It’s way cheaper than a face to face as you discovered @Rando .

MG 😀

[JoeT]

Thanks Rando

[Rando]

Thanks Bill & Marty.

I appreciate the congrats and well wishes.

Off on another year’s journey.