[Braden]

Hi Barbara great question this can be hard to do when you learn a song you develop that muscle memory and its hard to deviate from what you learn initially and get so used to playing. Like Skyman says start with very simple things, eg instead of fretting and plucking a note use a hameron and or pull off, slide or bend up to a note. When youre strumming your chords, throw in a random hammer to see how it sounds or even just lift a finger and alter the voicing of the chord. PLay around with it but keep it simple. When transitioning between chords keep your runs to only one, two or three notes (remember when you are doing this it changes the timing ie instead of struming the chord on the beat you are hitting those individual notes). Same with any licks you want to throw in, keep them short and simple. And practice slow, slower that even seems comfortable. When you go too fast at the beginning its easy to get mixed up and frustrated.

You can also always try a different strumming pattern or rythmn and tempo than what the song calls for and what you have already learned. Sure that will change the vibe of the song but remember its ok to put your own twist on any song and you might find something you like….you have to have a very open mind and kind of let yourself go to find that groove.

I also think the better you know the song the way you initially learned it, the easier this becomes. If you can play the song almost without thinking about it, that will free your mind up to add some new things. So my advice is to keep on practicing and drilling in the songs you know, but at the same time continue to get very comfortable with the other skills and techniques. Start slow, keep it simple and with lots of repetition you’ll be putting them together naturally. Be kind to and patient with yourself as you go. As they say, embrace the suck. Remember youre doing something most people only think about.

Last thing…remember how versatile the D chord is, especially on the E string with your middle and baby fingers. Get them moving good and you can add a lot of spice to any song that has a D in it, and as you know there are many.

Again I love your question…really got me thinking about this …of course this is what we are all striving for…to put it all together and make our songs sound as interesting as possible. Im in no way an expert but heres a few thoughts. Hope they might be helpful to you. Rock on sister

[Braden]

Great playing Loraine! Good job on a classic tune. Nice right hand too…nice and loose! Rock on sis

[Braden]

Hey @Philb my old man used to say getting old isnt for wimps and now i know what he meant! Good luck with the knee and quick recovery. you’ll be skippin around in no time on your new knee. Very nice playing…really smooth and light on your fingers. Two great songs and thanks for the intro to Frijid Pink too! Rock on friend and be well

[Braden]

Hey Chris if youve just started playing what youre describing is very normal so dont stress about it. Your hands and fingers are not used to moving this way and are kind of fighting against these strange movements and positions youre forcing them into. As you keep at it you will develop a new muscle memory and your hand/fingers will start to relax and the positions will come easier. Do lots of stretching and independent finger exercises to help the progress. Right now your fingers arent used to doing things individually (like fretting different strings) but with time you will develop more strength and control. With time and lots of practice. Remember learning guitar is hard and is a long game. But its well worth it if you have the drive to stick with it. You will get better! Hope this helps

• This reply was modified 5 days, 17 hours ago by  Braden.
• This reply was modified 5 days, 17 hours ago by  Braden.

[Braden]

This is a great converstion, thnks for posting @Aservire ! Cool to hear about everyone’s approach and thoughts. Making music is so personal and everyone does it their own way. But its also communal and we’re inspired and can learn so much from others.

Tons of great advice here but just to add my two cents…be careful of ‘perfect’ or ‘mastering a song’. I can play and sing an hours worth of songs from beginning to end but i wouldnt say that Ive really mastered any of them. Dont get me wrong i can play them pretty good but perfect is still a ways off.

I love Coach’s point about learning vs practicing. Even though I have learned a song, its imperative that I continue to practice it, especially if my goal is to get closer to mastering it. You can learn a song fairly quickly depending upon difficulty, but practicing it is a much longer process. A few times Ive left a song on the shelf for too long that has a specific fingerstyle and its like “damn i forget how to play this”. Can always figure it out again, but the longer I leave it the harder it is to get it back. So I spend half my time learning new songs (usually 3-5 on the go, alternating between them) and half my time practicing those Ive already got under the belt. And its always a long game…Ive got songs that I learned years ago that Im still working on to improve.

Also agree its important to learn the whole song. That doesnt mean you have to have the lead solo, or any other tricky parts, but if you can, learn it from beginning to end. Start with a version thats at your current level or just above. And then once youve learned the song you can add stuff as you practice and get better. If you only learn the beginning of a song or the main lick/riff, it gets boring after awhile and you miss out on the sense of accomplishment of learning the whole thing.

If a song has distinct parts eg intro, chorus, solo, finish, base runs, etc etc., I’ll always break it up into chunks and work exclusively on each part. Once Ive drilled each part in then I’ll put them all together. For me this is especially important when I’m at the very beginning of learning any particular tune. I do the same thing when its time to bring the singing in.

Bottom line…again depending on degree of difficulty, and how much time put in, I can learn a song pretty quickly. In other words I ‘know’ how to play it. Can I play it well? Not at all, that where the practice comes in. And like they say, practice makes perfect…or at least good enough.

And of course the most important thing is to have fun with it, pat yourself on the back regularly, keep your expectations realistic, and be patient and kind to yourself.

[Braden]

Wow what a great song, never heard it before. And you killed it Kevin! Really excellent…always love the emotion you put to both singing and playing. Keep em coming brother and thanks for continued inspiration

[Braden]

Good job Woodsy. Love them 12 bar blues. Keep on rockin brother youre doing great!

[Braden]

Hey @Mountain-gal yeah I would just jump right back in to the daily challenges. remember some are more difficult thn others so if a particular week seems too difficult dont sweat it. Dont be too hard on yourself. Learn to embrace the suck and keep your expectations realistic, esp when youre just starting. Learning to play guitar is hard and its a long road. But it can be very rewarding and everyone starts sometime. Main thing is to accept that Rome wasnt built in a day and learn to love the process.

My advice is to do the challenges every day the best you can and again some will be easier than others. Spend a good 10-20 minutes on the daily challenge, getting it as good as you can, and then hit complete…it doesnt need to be perfect, or even good. Pat yourself on the back. Then spend another 20-30 minutes practicing your chords and scales, and other techniques you have picked up so far, eg hammer ons, bends, slides. As you do this you’ll realize that you hve to continue to practice things youve already learned to reinforce that muscle memory. You have to do both…the daily challenge and a practice session to reinforce skills learned from previous challenges.

As soon as you have a few chords down, eg G C D Em, and you can transition from one to the other, I strongly recommend you find one of your favourite songs and learn to play it. Most songs can be played in a beginner friendly way so as long as you can transition between chords you can jump in. Youtube is full of good videos teaching easy beginner songs using those chords so grab one and get started. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can have one of those, “hey, that really sounds like it” moments. I think that beginner players should staet learning songs right away. It’s fun, builds motivation and you learn a ton by learning songs. Plus you add the singing which is a whole new adventure in itself. Tony doesnt really teach songs in a lot of detail but he provides the main parts. So if you really want to learn any particular song, like Old Man, do the TAC but also find a good vid on YT that also does an beginner version. Before you know it youve got a whole song under your belt.

Anyhow sister I hope this might help a bit to get you out of your rut. Main thing is be kind to yourself especially when it doesnt sound good. Sounds like you had a really good start so keep at it… with lots of repetition it gets better. Celebrate those small wins, they all add up. Remember this is a lifetime thing.. and youre doing what most only think about.

[Braden]

Lots of good advice and wisdom here. I wouldnt be able to add much more but just to summarize wht others have said….its all about your attitude, goals, expections, and degree of committment. And its all relative…if you really want to be at your version of ‘perfect’ or even good in say, six months from now, its probably impossible, there isnt enough time in a day. Two years? Yeah maybe, but youd better be playing 6 to10 hrs a day. Ten minutes sure isnt going to get you there.

So its important to be realistic about what you want and how bad you want it. Learning guitar is hard. If it was easy and fast everyone would be a rock star. Not only hard, it comes with a price…you have to work at it for a long time. And if youre truly not happy with the progress youre making, you have to work harder and/or smarter.

Like everyone has said you hopefully learn to embrace the process and love the journey. Those who dont eventually find a new hobby. But those who stick with it, with the right attitude and expectations, reap the guitar rewards. But to each their own…its a very personal endeavor. Not sure where you are brother but I wish you well and good luck. If you decide to play on thats great. Just stay off the clock, embrace the suck and celebrate those wins, big and small. They all add up.

[Braden]

Hey Gary from a fellow Canadian down the road in London. This is a great thread you started and lots of good advice. Sounds like you got a handle on a lot of things and some good skills but getting a bit bored and hitting a plateau. I think this is very normal and, like everyone says, is part of learning guitar. I also think the first thing is to ask yourself what are your goals with the guitar…start there. For me being able to play and sing covers is the main one but I also want to be as good as I can be technically, and to continue to study theory so Im really understanding what and why Im doing the things Im doing. So I do both…Im continuously learning songs while at the same time have a regular practice plan. And for me thats why TAC is so good…Tony doesnt really teach songs but will give the bones of a song while hes providing five days of skill development…great licks, strumming paterns, percussion, soloing, all of it…I think its great and Ive learned a ton here. But like I say my main thing is to be able to play and sing songs that I like from beginning to end…for me anyway thats kind of what its all about. And I also learn a lot of those same things by learning songs…just as many as I do from TAC. Ive got three lists: Campfire Ready…if someone asked me for a tune, I could do any one of these, play and sing, beginning to end (including any number of mistakes). Next list is Developing…these are songs that Im currently working on to move them on to the first list. Some stay on this list for months, others just a few weeks, depending on the degree of difficulty. Last one is Next Up…songs on the wishlist that I havent started yet. My view is that even beginning players should do this as well. Depending on the songs on your list, and using chords you already know, there is usually an easy way to play most Western popular music ie rock, folk, country, metal…jazz not so much. Tony does this all the time, he usually always provides three versions of how to do any particular skill…easy, harder, hardest. Playing songs is the same way. You start basic and work your way up. YouTube is full of good how to videos that are very beginner friendly and I think it really helps to keep you motivated. Anyhow sounds like youve already decided to add learning and playing songs while youre also doing the TAC program. That model has worked well for me. By the way I still hit plateaus every once in awhile but they dont last forever, esp if you find something to give you a little kickstart. Just remember this shit is hard. It takes committment and time, again depending what your goals are, but like others have said the rewards can be life changing. Music, in all its forms and expressions, is a beautiful thing and offers us so much. i wish you well brother and hope you get your mojo back.

[Braden]

Glad to help Chris and good for you to have a few years in i read somewhere that a high percentage of people who start guitar quit before the first year is out so pat on the back for you. it takes awhile for the hands to adapt but with lots of repetition they will… repetition is key in all of this, the more you do it the quicker you develop your guitar hands.

And you nailed it re chord changes. Most people can learn chords fairly quickly. Even on the first few lessons you can usually get G D C Em under your fingers. The real skill necessary for playing songs is not so much playing chords, its moving from one to the next ie playing a progression. You have to get to that next chord very quickly. While theres many exceptions, most songs can have anywhere from 3 – 5 chords so you have to be able to switch between these chords very quickly, almost immediately. Thats the main skill you need to focus on and develop, assuming of course your goal is to play songs. To practice this i pick just two chords and switch them back and forth while strumming a basic rythmn. You can use any strumming pattern you like but maybe keep it easy so youre not focusing too much on your right hand. Your main attention should be your left hand. Hold one chord down and strum a four beat measure and then switch and strum another measure. Go back and forth for about five minutes and then pick two other chords. rinse and repeat. Most songs are 3-5 minutes long so you have to be able to play a progression for that long. Thats why I do each pair of chords for about five minutes without stopping.

Sometimes when im playing something that, even tho i know it very well, i sort of drift off and kind of forget what chord is next. Only takes a second to remember but that throws my rythmn and timing off. Plus i may rush to the next chord and screw it up. So i always try to think ahead…anticipate what chord is coming up next. Do this on the last half of each measure and your fingers will get a good start on the upcoming change.

This two chord switch exercise will be good for your strumming and timing as well. Re keeping your right hand going while youre switching, dont worry if you strum open strings for a beat during the chord transition. In other words keep that right hand going while your switching. Hitting those open strings just for a beat or half a beat actually sounds pretty cool. As you get quicker it wont be as necessary, you’ll be able to switch on the beat. But like I say I think just a quick hit on those opens strings can add a little extra to the transition so i sometimes do it intentionally.

Main thing my friend is repetition. Whatever it is youre working on, you have to do it over and over and over again. Embrace the suck and remember Rome wasnt built in a day. And sorry for the long post…once I get going…but i hope it makes some sense and is maybe helpful. rock on bro

[Braden]

Wow Pete that was awesome Stanley is great! So cool…guys like that blow me away and almost make me want to throw my guitar in the lake…but i wont 🙂 thanks for sharing bro.

And welcome to TAC @evuljeanne . Youre in a good place. Once you learn the 1 4 5 chord progression in key of G ie G C D Em Am you can start playing hundreds of your favourite songs. Like Pete says TAC teaches the bones of songs but also skills and techniques which are invaluable to a guitarist. Youtube has a ton of good teachers who teach songs at all levels from beginner to more advanced. Personally I do both…Im a big fan of TAC and have learned a lot but I pick up just as much from learning songs. And at the end of the day youve got a song under your belt. Rock on sister and enjoy the ride!

[Braden]

Thanks a lot Spalding! I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment. Keep on rockin it and your timing will get better Im sure. thanks bro have fun!

[Braden]

Hey Coach I think youre right…in this world where we want it fast and maybe with not too much effort, the only ten minutes a day line is a good hook. However i think there is a strategy behind it as well that is not just marketing…the hope is that ten minutes turns into 30, or an hour or even more. I’m giving the grandkids lessons and use this all the time to hopefully stretch out their practicing. But youre right, what can you really accomplish in ten minutes? If youre sitting down for a planned practice session, not much. You’ll barely tune up and do some warm ups. If however, youre having a busy day which isnt going to include much, if any guitar, then picking it up and getting even a few minutes in can also be a beautiful thing. If ten is all youve got, go for it, youll be glad you did. Just dont expect to advance very quickly if thats all you do. Again its all relative..and depends on the big four…goals, expectations, attitude and committment. Hope youre doing good brother. Keep on rockin

[Braden]

Good luck and enjoy the ride! Will look forward to your first post.