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Suggestion: Real world References for Lesson Materials
I’m currently in “pie” week which is about mute technique and syncopation, and I’m reading numerous comments under the lessons that TAC members don’t understand the point of this and are giving up and “moving on.” While moving on instead of getting bogged down in the technique is fine, I’m frustrated when people don’t understand WHY they are learning something and that’s the reason they give up!
So I’m offering a suggestion for Tony to list in the weeks lesson materials a few examples of the weeks techniques found in songs that students can reference, so that way members can see how these techniques are used in actual music and may better understand why they are important to learn. Tony does this on occasion in the videos (the delta blues artists and BB King’s vibrato come to mind) but ideally every week would have references to the weeks skills being used in real world examples.
I would hate that syncopation for example is no longer taught because enough students “didnt like it,” when I believe its a matter of understanding how the technique fits into the larger guitar playing picture.
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5 Replies
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Hi @J.T. , I thought I remembered on monday your suggestion was on display. Rather than Tony listing his songs he upped the interactivity asking for everyone to list the songs for which they were reminded, by the exercise.
There were some very difficult challenges in the lesson structure. Syncopation was one of those things that was so difficult at first I thought I would never get it. I did keep plugging away because it was a big hook in my mind. Fast forward a coupl’a years…I got it. It is one of those things that once I got it I wondered why it took me so long. : ) ….Syncopation was not the only challenge I found like this. It is what keeps me in TAC. There is always another level deeper I can go or I know I am on level one and there are 20ish levels below that 18 of which I cant comprehend until I get there….but it all sounds cool. I spent a good year frustrated most of the time and that is when I learned expectation is where fun goes to die. I kept expecting an unrealistic return on my effort instead of measuring actual progress or I was always expecting to be better than I was (also the result of not measuring actual progress. That is when I almost quit. Buncha people in the forums jumped in and helped me redirect and here we are!
Dislike and challenge. Two words to explain the same thing. Pick the word that leads to progress. It is hard so I dislike it, I can’t do it so I dislike it, I can’t do it like Tony so I dislike it….all those things went through my mind at one point but to get where I am 10years later my dislike became fun through challenge. Same lessons, same time, different results. I agree with you I would hate for challenging lessons to go away. It is why I am here!!!!!
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Lol, you are right! I completely forgot that monday’s lesson comment was indeed to post songs that use syncopation, lol. And to be honest I did scan the comments, but nothing really jumped out at me and to have to scroll through so many to find suggestions was a slog. I still think it would be helpful if Tony provided some “official references” up front to at least get started. I mean he had to have something in mind for the lesson, right?
I also want to congratulate you on your guitar journey and for sharing your experience! Your point of tracking progress is very valid and a real great reminder!! I think this is part of the reason why TAC is working so far is that its forcing me to record myself with the benchmarks and listen to how I sound, as embarrassing as it is, as I’m SO FAR away from where I want to be! But knowing that I am making progress is vital to keep the practice routine going. To be honest much of TAC falls under my fingers pretty quickly (at a basic level) so like you, I too am looking for the really challenging lessons, and its lessons like the “Golden Brown Perfection” lick that dont fall naturally under my fingers that make me come back and keep practicing! I would hate to see them disappear because of lack of understanding the greater concept, and one way to bridge that is with examples of the techniques being used in the real world so you can hear how it works in the context of a song.
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This reply was modified 8 months ago by J.T..
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This reply was modified 8 months ago by
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I like this discussion. The techniques we have picked up and are truly new to us have come from discomfort. A friend of mine often says “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first.” Your point is about a nudge to practical application via familiar songs. We can all be more diligent in encouraging others by posting examples as they occur to us. And, by the way, Golden Brown Perfection is a continuing challenge for me too.
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Where the biggest struggle is in the guitar challenge (the part you keep flubbing over and over, just can’t seem to get it under your fingers = dislike for most players), there lies the biggest opportunity for growth. And it happens without you needing to perfect the challenge. Just give it a solid try and do the parts that you can.
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So my comment above is kind of off topic so here’s my follow up. Tony often asks for input from students to reply with examples where the technique or skill being taught is used. It would be nice if those replies would actually be read by someone and feedback given.
@J.T.
I support the idea that you suggested. That would be the next best thing to actually having an interactive site with communication between the instructor and the student. Tony could remain absent from TAC and would only have to record a dozen or so new videos with the content mentioned above.
I would also suggest that J.T. change his username because it can’t be referenced. The system cuts off after the first dot and doesn’t see the rest of the username. It references @J. which is a different user who is no longer active.
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