October Guitar Routine
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Welcome To The Boxing Gym
Punching Bag -
Punch It
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Upper Cut
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Speed Bag
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Against The Ropes
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Wheels On The WagonDogwood Flowers
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Rock Me
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Wind And Rain
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North Country Winters
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Headin' Down South
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Brothers In BluesHome Sweet Home
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Same Old Place
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Blues Brothers
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Akroyd Shuffle
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Belushi Bass
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Full On FogertyEarthquakes And Lightnin'
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Nasty Weather
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Moonrise
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Hurricane's A Blowin'
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Bathroom On The Right
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5 Day Barre Chord ChallengeDay 1 - Limbering Up
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Day 2 - 'E' Shape Familiarity
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Day 3 - 'A' Shape Familiarity
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Day 4 - 'E' Shape Exam
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Day 5 - 'A' Shape Exam
Try this guitar challenge
STEP 1: Watch the video to learn the bite-sized piece of music
STEP 2: Click the "PLAY" tab below the video to play along with Tony until you can do it on your own.
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Responses
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Day 4 – ‘E’ Shape Exam
Responses
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Still a work in progress with a thunk sound on my high E. I need more practice!
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I figured on a trick that helps with the B string. If I bar with my index finger with the tip just covering the low E, the fleshy part of my finger is trying to hold down the B string, so it buzzes. I shifted my index finger so the middle joint covers B. No more buzz.
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this one I did better on, at times the B string buzzed
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i just can’t get this darn chord to sound clean. B and high E are muted no matter what!
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Managed this ok, but not sure how I could incorporate into a tune at any speed.
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Hand cramp! Holy Moly. G is my only muffled string. I’ll work on it and improve.
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Not my favourite week, but oh so useful!
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That B string just kicks my butt! All of my strings are ringing clear that that one! It is frustrating but I will get it.
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A lot of muting going on I will return to it and it will get better
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The b string is a real b, if you know what I mean.
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I understand that this is a barre chord exercise, but i’ll just say that i’ve never had to make an F chord that way, the “mini” F is what I learned in lessons, and I stick with it. But I’m still trying to make those barre chords clean. The damn B string is killing me.
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I’m still struggling, BUT plugging away at it….maybe in time….if I live long enough
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Can’t do it. I grade a F on the F chord, maybe a D sometimes.
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I am OK on the low E, A and D strings. Keeping my index in place to barre the first fret is difficult. I also have a problem where my pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the D string mutes the 2nd fret G string.
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The full F chord is just too hard for me to do at the moment. But by giving up on the low E string, and letting my index finger move down to bar just he B and high E, I get a pretty good workout. Feels like the full F chord is a year away …
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Wheh! What a workout!
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Barre chords are tough on the b and High E strings , and yes the F chord is the toughest for me also
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The F note is the hardest of these.
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I can see a bit of improvement after a couple of days, it was always ringing clear but the pain is less!! Now how do I motivate myself to do some barre chord practice every session ? A poster on the shed wall? A tick sheet? Hmm
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This is the week I ask myself why I decided to try to learn to play the guitar. No luck at all in getting all 6 strings to ring.
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Wow, my wrist gets tired doing this one. I guess I take comfort in knowing I’m not the only one who feels anxiety about the F barre chord! I have come a very long way with it, though, and have it sounding pretty good…most of the time.
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With my knobby knuckles, this just isn’t gonna happen. Without help on how ot overcome that issue, these just aren’t gonna happen, apparently. 245 sessions in and yes in many ways I’m doing better, but weeks like this dumpster fire make me wonder why I paid for TAC. It is extremely frustrating.
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I found this guy when i needed bar chord help during the TAC CAGED lessons. Helped me a lot.
https://youtu.be/Q4yvGaTwTTk?si=HeM_AvCclEUu4HtF-
Just tried this and I still cannot get the B and high E clear at all………..
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Dan:
I am at session 283 and am feeling the exact same way………………
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I was travelling today so didn’t have the ability to spread out practices over the day. I have trouble with the low E and sometimes the B. This will take me time; but this exercise is a good way to get better.
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This can be a hard shape to get right but with a little practice it will ring out and open up several other chords using this shape
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Barres are a bear at times, and this is one. Will and would need to practice this alot more to perform this with least wear/tear and fatigue and to produce best sound possible.
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Too easy, so I added F minor and F7. I find that the F7 is the most difficult, for me anyway.
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Started out great but in no time I realized I need more strenth in my fingers. Got sore quick today.
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whoa – it ‘s gonna be a while. Little by little. 🙂
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Much better on the E shape today. The only issue was not keeping constant pressure on both top and bottom of the index Barr finger. I definitely starting to play the chord with more clarity than i ever have. Need to work on finger strength and concentration.
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Sore index finger from death gripping the first fret to get the b string to ring clear
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The win, I did it easily, but in no time my hand was exhausted and could not continue after a few minutes.
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Practiced for about 30 minutes trying to get this E Shaped barre chord down. Just can’t find a way to maintain enough pressure to get clarity without repositioning my fingers. The B string is most troublesome. This chord shape is very uncomfortable and puts a lot strain on my wrist. The only way I can play line 2 with clarity is by positioning my fretting fingers one at time. Maybe over time I’ll build enough strength to hold this E Shape down.
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Progress = small win. Most of my notes were pretty clean until my fretting fingers got tired and sore. Timing was pretty good but need to work on clarity of some notes, particularly A and high E. Will take some work.
I’m confused though — the course says we’re playing the E but Tony keeps talking about playing the F — which is it?-
It is the F chord using the E shape in the CAGED system. If you play an E chord and then move those fingers up on fret, you get a beautiful Spanish sounding chord. You need to bar the first fret to preserve the intervals, so we do that with our index finger and rearrange the other fingers accordingly. This is an F chord because the lowest note is an F now (previously the open note was an E, hence the open E chord). If you then move this barred E shaped chord up two more frets, you get a G chord. Two more frets, and it is an A chord. If you play those chords with a Lola-like rhythm, see what that sounds like, just for fun. Tony’s Fretboard Wizard course explores CAGED, and there’s a lot of information online.
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E-shape, first fret using the E-shape is the F major chord, 2nd fret F# major, 3 rd G major and so on..all using the E shape fingering barre chord.
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Sounds good the first and second time through. Then my fingers become tired, the pressure starts to lessen and the b and low e strings are not clear. Going to keep working on this to build my strength.
-
I finally had a good playing lesson. I did good today
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I am able to do this except for the fuzzy B string. After a short while it does become painful in the thumb trying to hold the pressure needed. Small win – tried and did better than I thought I would.
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Good exercise, so!
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Still can’t get a clear B
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I’m terrible with bar chords. I’ve always left out the low E. I will preserve to do better. It’s a bear being old.
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The only way I can make this kind of work is to bar the B and high E and leave out the low E. I agree with dick1421maol-com. Lol.
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Big win fuzzy b minimal was able to do the entire exercise several times better each time ,now if I could master switching to the f chord in a chord progression, can do from a c chord but get lost from other chords
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For the longest time I avoided songs in the Key of F with the Barre F and Bb chords. I’m a huge fan of Mark Knopfler’s Guitar style and like his use of the relative minor chord of Dm so was forced to learn how to use the 4 string F and the barred Bb Chords, I have gotten use to the Dm to F or Dm to Bb to F, So I had to learn how to make the 4 string F and the 4 string Bb or Bb major 7th. After figuring those out it was much easier to to begin using Barre chords. The Dm to the 4 or 5 string G chord and barred C chord have become much easier over the years. Tony’s instruction of picking each finger position does help develop these skills.
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There’s a reason it’s called the F bar. LOL
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Nope…still sucks despite long practice and digital and wrist gymnastics. Small win…showed up (which would be fine if I didn’t have to touch the guitar)
Congratulations, !
Challenge complete
Come back tomorrow for your next challenge

Still a work in progress with a thunk sound on my high E. I need more practice!
I figured on a trick that helps with the B string. If I bar with my index finger with the tip just covering the low E, the fleshy part of my finger is trying to hold down the B string, so it buzzes. I shifted my index finger so the middle joint covers B. No more buzz.
this one I did better on, at times the B string buzzed
i just can’t get this darn chord to sound clean. B and high E are muted no matter what!
Managed this ok, but not sure how I could incorporate into a tune at any speed.
Hand cramp! Holy Moly. G is my only muffled string. I’ll work on it and improve.
Not my favourite week, but oh so useful!
That B string just kicks my butt! All of my strings are ringing clear that that one! It is frustrating but I will get it.
A lot of muting going on I will return to it and it will get better
The b string is a real b, if you know what I mean.
I understand that this is a barre chord exercise, but i’ll just say that i’ve never had to make an F chord that way, the “mini” F is what I learned in lessons, and I stick with it. But I’m still trying to make those barre chords clean. The damn B string is killing me.
I’m still struggling, BUT plugging away at it….maybe in time….if I live long enough
Can’t do it. I grade a F on the F chord, maybe a D sometimes.
I am OK on the low E, A and D strings. Keeping my index in place to barre the first fret is difficult. I also have a problem where my pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the D string mutes the 2nd fret G string.
The full F chord is just too hard for me to do at the moment. But by giving up on the low E string, and letting my index finger move down to bar just he B and high E, I get a pretty good workout. Feels like the full F chord is a year away …
Wheh! What a workout!
Barre chords are tough on the b and High E strings , and yes the F chord is the toughest for me also
The F note is the hardest of these.
I can see a bit of improvement after a couple of days, it was always ringing clear but the pain is less!! Now how do I motivate myself to do some barre chord practice every session ? A poster on the shed wall? A tick sheet? Hmm
This is the week I ask myself why I decided to try to learn to play the guitar. No luck at all in getting all 6 strings to ring.
Wow, my wrist gets tired doing this one. I guess I take comfort in knowing I’m not the only one who feels anxiety about the F barre chord! I have come a very long way with it, though, and have it sounding pretty good…most of the time.
With my knobby knuckles, this just isn’t gonna happen. Without help on how ot overcome that issue, these just aren’t gonna happen, apparently. 245 sessions in and yes in many ways I’m doing better, but weeks like this dumpster fire make me wonder why I paid for TAC. It is extremely frustrating.
I found this guy when i needed bar chord help during the TAC CAGED lessons. Helped me a lot.
https://youtu.be/Q4yvGaTwTTk?si=HeM_AvCclEUu4HtF
Just tried this and I still cannot get the B and high E clear at all………..
Dan:
I am at session 283 and am feeling the exact same way………………
I was travelling today so didn’t have the ability to spread out practices over the day. I have trouble with the low E and sometimes the B. This will take me time; but this exercise is a good way to get better.
This can be a hard shape to get right but with a little practice it will ring out and open up several other chords using this shape
Barres are a bear at times, and this is one. Will and would need to practice this alot more to perform this with least wear/tear and fatigue and to produce best sound possible.
Too easy, so I added F minor and F7. I find that the F7 is the most difficult, for me anyway.
Started out great but in no time I realized I need more strenth in my fingers. Got sore quick today.
whoa – it ‘s gonna be a while. Little by little. 🙂
Much better on the E shape today. The only issue was not keeping constant pressure on both top and bottom of the index Barr finger. I definitely starting to play the chord with more clarity than i ever have. Need to work on finger strength and concentration.
Sore index finger from death gripping the first fret to get the b string to ring clear
The win, I did it easily, but in no time my hand was exhausted and could not continue after a few minutes.
Practiced for about 30 minutes trying to get this E Shaped barre chord down. Just can’t find a way to maintain enough pressure to get clarity without repositioning my fingers. The B string is most troublesome. This chord shape is very uncomfortable and puts a lot strain on my wrist. The only way I can play line 2 with clarity is by positioning my fretting fingers one at time. Maybe over time I’ll build enough strength to hold this E Shape down.
Progress = small win. Most of my notes were pretty clean until my fretting fingers got tired and sore. Timing was pretty good but need to work on clarity of some notes, particularly A and high E. Will take some work.
I’m confused though — the course says we’re playing the E but Tony keeps talking about playing the F — which is it?
It is the F chord using the E shape in the CAGED system. If you play an E chord and then move those fingers up on fret, you get a beautiful Spanish sounding chord. You need to bar the first fret to preserve the intervals, so we do that with our index finger and rearrange the other fingers accordingly. This is an F chord because the lowest note is an F now (previously the open note was an E, hence the open E chord). If you then move this barred E shaped chord up two more frets, you get a G chord. Two more frets, and it is an A chord. If you play those chords with a Lola-like rhythm, see what that sounds like, just for fun. Tony’s Fretboard Wizard course explores CAGED, and there’s a lot of information online.
E-shape, first fret using the E-shape is the F major chord, 2nd fret F# major, 3 rd G major and so on..all using the E shape fingering barre chord.
Sounds good the first and second time through. Then my fingers become tired, the pressure starts to lessen and the b and low e strings are not clear. Going to keep working on this to build my strength.
I finally had a good playing lesson. I did good today
I am able to do this except for the fuzzy B string. After a short while it does become painful in the thumb trying to hold the pressure needed. Small win – tried and did better than I thought I would.
Good exercise, so!
Still can’t get a clear B
I’m terrible with bar chords. I’ve always left out the low E. I will preserve to do better. It’s a bear being old.
The only way I can make this kind of work is to bar the B and high E and leave out the low E. I agree with dick1421maol-com. Lol.
Big win fuzzy b minimal was able to do the entire exercise several times better each time ,now if I could master switching to the f chord in a chord progression, can do from a c chord but get lost from other chords
For the longest time I avoided songs in the Key of F with the Barre F and Bb chords. I’m a huge fan of Mark Knopfler’s Guitar style and like his use of the relative minor chord of Dm so was forced to learn how to use the 4 string F and the barred Bb Chords, I have gotten use to the Dm to F or Dm to Bb to F, So I had to learn how to make the 4 string F and the 4 string Bb or Bb major 7th. After figuring those out it was much easier to to begin using Barre chords. The Dm to the 4 or 5 string G chord and barred C chord have become much easier over the years. Tony’s instruction of picking each finger position does help develop these skills.
There’s a reason it’s called the F bar. LOL
Nope…still sucks despite long practice and digital and wrist gymnastics. Small win…showed up (which would be fine if I didn’t have to touch the guitar)