[ChuckS]

If you are just starting out, my recommendation would be to just flat out forget about Bar Chords for now. Get the basics down and keep working on finger flexibility and strength, etc. If you start out trying to do bar chords, you will just drive yourself to drinkand end up throwing the guitar in the trash.

Maybe revisit bar chords in 9 months or a year.

And, 71 is not too old (I am 73, well at least for a few more weeks ) and just got back into it about 4.5 years ago after a 33 year layoff. I started volunteer teaching at Guitar for Vets this year and my very first student was 79.

Hang in there young man and it will come with time.

[ChuckS]

I like the way Angela Petrilli teaches it (in the original key of A – sounds better, especially the cool walk down part), so you have a C#m vice a Bm – a tad easier to play.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwrxwtWQ0RY&t=1355s

[ChuckS]

Lorraine, Hang in there and keep up the positive Attitude. Life throws us a bunch of curve balls along the way for sure that you just have no control over – BUT you can control how you react = “ATTITUDE” and you seem to have the totally right Attitude. Good news is that you will recover, it will just take time. Focus on what you can do like you have been. I am sure you will get frustrated along the way, but just keep on keeping on and you will come out the other end just fine.

[ChuckS]

Lorraine, so sorry to hear about your injury. I broke my right collar bone in Jan 2023 and that put me out of commission for about 6 weeks, but I kept up with the daily lessons, and other things, so I can relate to how bummed and frustrated you are.

BUT

You have the totally right attitude by focusing on the things you can do vice what you can’t – keep going with that. Good news is you will recover over time.

[ChuckS]

Hey Lorraine, You go girl!! I really admire the fact that despite some physical challenges, you just show up every day and keep at it and you don’t let that get in the way of your guitar playing at all. Awesome! Keep on Trucking

[ChuckS]

@langerking, we have all been there. Back in the early days of my TAC ride, when I missed a few days, I would try to play catch up and double up on exercises until I caught up, but quickly found out that is a loser’s game. So, I just started letting some fall on the floor and rebooting the next week with the new series.

I would recommend just picking up whatever exercise you want to focus on for that week and working on it and just let the rest fall off the table. They will come back around at some point down the road, usually in about a year or so. TAC is not really sequential in that you have to do every exercise every week in order to reach a certain level – it is more focused on showing up every day and trying something new outside of your comfort range to develop the underlying skills and knowledge that will then enalble you to play songs, or whatever.

Hope this helps.

[ChuckS]

Wow, real nice job nailing this one.

[ChuckS]

Nice job there @Elloranj. This is one of my favorites to mess around with. Of course, there are a number of variations and even old Neil plays it differently every time he does it. It is just a great tune and you did a nice job covering it.

It is just a great tune and you did a nice job covering it. Nice that you can sing as wellGri a skill I sorely lack. Unfortunately, some of the lyrics really hit home with me now, as my wife passed away in Feb. Thank God for the guitar!!

[ChuckS]

Challenges repeat for sure, but not really that often. I keep an Excel log of each one, including dates. Typically (yes, there are exceptions) they repeat in the 10 – 12 month range and sometimes not at all, so not really as often as you might perceive.

[ChuckS]

Following the great format courtesy of Moose408 and assuming the singing will just flat out never be up to par, I have the following:

Performance ready

• With a Little Help from My Friends (key of D)
• Old Man
• Parachute

In Process but close

• Lyin’ Eyes (the Intro however is a work in progress and not even close)
• Fire and Rain (Chord vice finger picking)
• Norwegian Wood
• Dirty Work

Getting there Slowly

• The Last Time (finger picking arrangement)
• Roundabout Intro – will worry about the rest of the song later
• Blackbird (finger picking)

Next Up, but a Total Reach

Going to California

[ChuckS]

Amazing. Thanks

[ChuckS]

Great tune – real nice job there – got me going to the point where I pulled out my guitar and starter

[ChuckS]

Sounds like you might have it tuned too low (i.e. down an Octave).

[ChuckS]

I have found Facebook Marketplace to be pretty good for both buying and selling guitars. More of a local target space though, but that is fine with me.

[ChuckS]

Hey there @langerking, that is one heck of a finger exercise lay down. Going to add this to my routine for sure.

Thanks for posting