GerryB56
Forum Replies Created
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Very impressive! Especially for a first effort at recording it. I fear I’m going to need many more than one take before I get brave enough to post something. I’m no authority, but that doesn’t seem like an easy tune to play -way to go, Old Coach!
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Wow, Marisa, that was awesome! As others said, you seem so completely at ease with being in front of the camera, and letting yourself get totally immersed in the performance! Something for me to aim towards, I always feel so “wooden” in front of an audience. I agree that you made Janis Joplin’s spirit come through in your vocals – and that was some pretty fine strumming, too😃
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I have a similar story, MrFredSporty! For me it was 1982, working in a music store, was given a nice Fender acoustic as a Christmas bonus, then took some lessons with one of my bosses, the store’s co-owner. Couldn’t ask for a better shot at 6 string stardom😆. Alas, I didn’t stick with it, sold that guitar a few years later, and only decided to try again 4 years ago. Like you, though, this time I am stubbornly determined to hang in there. Even if I just manage to become a decent campfire guitarist, I’ll be happy enough. Like Kitman says, gotta’ live in the now and do my best to enjoy the ride
🎸🎼🎤
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Congrats on 1200! I just hit 80, not a big number yet, but I sure understand what you mean about finding joy each day (okay, so along with a wee bit of aggravation sometimes😆) in picking up my guitar and making music.
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Love this! Both the generosity of your friends knowing the “gift” would mean more to you than to some stranger, and the chance for you to add to your guitarsenal with a pretty unique item. Enjoy!
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I hear you, JoeT! Since I signed on with TAC 78 days ago (love that sessions counter feature!), I’ve wondered at times how a new beginner would fare in the program. Some of the challenges are tough – today’s was beyond me, even as an “advanced beginner”, and I bailed out quickly. Barre chords continue to be frustrating for me – but I’m stubbornly determined that I will conquer them eventually. I find there are some weeks where I struggle with some or all of the daily challenges – but I know my finger dexterity has improved noticeably along the way, for one thing. Bottom line, though, is that I will give a strong endorsement for Tony’s system – it’s easily the best training program I’ve found in 3+ years of “dabbling” with internet learning. Like Bill Brown, I also paid for many in-person lessons along the way, but find I’m getting far better value from TAC. I would encourage you to try a few of the skills courses, at your own pace. I am 100% convinced that TAC is making me a better guitarist, one day at a time. And as some of the others have said, you made a good move in coming here to the forums for advice and encouragement. That’s another great bonus with TAC family!
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800 – that’s awesome! I like the idea of being addicted to guitar! Some days I’m not “feeling it” so much, but I still pick up my guitar and at least strum parts of a few tunes. And checking in to the TAC forums is also a must. I’ve followed a few other online teachers and enjoyed it, but Tony is the one who got me to finally make it a required daily habit.
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Interesting discussion! After thinking about both sides of this one, I have to agree with those who essentially say to go where your heart wants you to go. Though I do try to tackle each day’s challenge, I don’t spend much time on the ones that frustrate me or hold little interest for me right now. There will be time later to work on those – but the primary goal here is to have fun and play every day, right? I want to learn fingerstyle eventually, but for now flat picking and strumming seem to come easier for me (not easy, just easier than fingerpicking). I realize that Tony’s system is designed to build our knowledge of music theory and help us put together the various “building blocks” of guitar playing. But sometimes I just want to learn songs, and how to insert little embellishments to make them sound more interesting. I understand that learning scales and acquiring fretboard knowledge are essential to becoming an accomplished player one day (in the far future, it feels like, alas!) But sometimes I feel like I’m running madly off in all directions. Guess we all have to decide what works for us. I’m just glad to have found this TAC community, and the motivation to keep on strumming every day!
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Wow, 500! Congrats Old Coach on a great milestone – and I fully agree with Kitman, there should be a tee shirt for that – and maybe for 100, even, so I can get one sooner😆 Please don’t “go back under your rock” – like you, I find tremendous encouragement and inspiration from the forum posts. I’ve been ruminating recently on nailing down my guitar goals more precisely, and it’s great to have some concrete examples like yours to motivate me.
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Way to go! I just made my way through that one, too. Need to keep working at it as I feel confident it will help improve my string picking and sense of rhythm. But I know I’d get hopelessly lost before the 3rd bar if I tried to play it at a jam session now😆 Anybody got some suggestions for follow-up tunes to learn?
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One of the many things I love about this TAC community is how so many of you are eager to help and determined not to judge! Some awesome advice offered, as I expected. My guitar journey so far has been almost 4 years, but starting as a beginner at the age of 61. I tried to learn once before, about 40 years ago, but didn’t get far back then. On balance I am quite pleased with my progress, but as you all know and have experienced, inevitably those funks come along now and then. This one was triggered by doing the daily challenges and wondering: “How I am ever going to understand enough to put everything together properly so I can play solos, improvise and do much more than just strum chords?” But I have also begun to accept that in the end what matters is enjoying the stuff I can do, and most days I manage to do that. I don’t especially care if I ever go very deep into the music theory aspects, and I have no ambitions to be the lead guitarist in a band or anything like that. Strumming chords and singing is lots of fun, too! So thanks, everyone, for offering the encouragement and injecting your own perspectives.
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Kudos to you, Kitman! You are an inspiration, for sure. Though I am beginning to grasp the concepts of song composition, it still feels like a mystical process to me. Anybody could in theory write a song, but to put together lyrics and melody the way you have, that’s a special talent! And certainly your theme of “letting it ride”, as I understand it, is something to live by. Thanks and I look forward to more of the same down the road😃
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Really love your take on the guitar learning journey😀 One of my biggest handicaps to overcome is that old urge to make comparisons – to other players, or even just to my image of where I want to be myself. All that really matters is enjoying the process, and being better than I was a week, month or year ago! Though I keep telling myself that I have no ambitions to be a “guitar hero”, part of me definitely cherishes the fantasy of being up on stage and cheered by thousands. Never going to happen in this lifetime – and that is quite okay. I have improved my ability to be “in the moment” these last few years, so need to keep focused on that and avoid the “wannabe” trap😆
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Thanks, Kitman! I do believe this will develop into a fun process once I conquer the initial tendency to cringe and criticize myself. I need to stumble my way through a few sessions to get past that awkwardness. I can’t blame it on performance anxiety alone since I’ve been singing karaoke for years, but adding the guitar to the equation is intimidating right now.
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Thanks for your encouragement, Cadgirl! I’ve been wanting to record myself for awhile but kept finding excuses not to do it. Performing for the camera is daunting, even if nobody else sees it yet. But it should prove to be an awesome learning tool, if I an make it a regular habit.