[Maydog]

Amazing @Dan D#. I loved all of it but the double stops were especially tasty.

[Maydog]

Wow, @Marisa , that was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening. You need to work up a couple dozen songs and start playing publicly. Your playing and singing are definitely good enough, and you have a nice presence as well.

p.s. Is that Yamaha an A1M? I have a black A1M and it looks a whole lot like yours.

[Maydog]

I tried Martins (12-53 phosphor bronze) for the first time about 4-5 months ago and I love them. I have them on my Yamaha dread and my Gibson parlor. Before that I was using D’Addario phosphor bronze, which are pretty good and the price is great for 3-packs.

[Maydog]

I would recommend to any beginner to learn the chromatic scale inside and out. The sooner the better. All you have to remember are 12 notes: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#. Also realize that A# and Bb are the same note, as are C# and Db, D# and Eb, F# and Gb, G# and Ab.To me, it’s easier to see and learn it on a piano keyboard, then apply that knowledge to the guitar fretboard. Spend an hour or less studying it, writing it out, etc. and you’ll remember it the rest of your life. It’s hard to read if you don’t know the alphabet. In music, the chromatic scale is the alphabet. YouTube is your friend here. Search for “musical alphabet” or “chromatic scale”.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by  Maydog.

[Maydog]

That’s really good @Michelle-PSL . I may have already said this in a prior post, but I would love to hear you reflect back on what you learned and any other thoughts you have regarding the 100 day journey once you have finished.

[Maydog]

I do spend a lot of time playing guitar, but when my wife wants me to spend some time with her, I do it. I would hate it if I made her feel like my guitar playing was more important than spending time with her. I’m lucky in that it doesn’t have to be either-or. I can play guitar and I can spend time with my wife. I’m also lucky that after 16 years, I really love my wife’s company. There are occasions where I want to be playing guitar and my wife wants to do something different with me. Friday nights for example. She likes to watch a movie with me, and I would like to be participating in the Friday night VOM. But I watch a movie with her and never mention the VOM. I never made a vow to love, honor, and cherish my guitars, but I did make that vow to my wife. I do cherish my guitars, but she’s number one!😃 Anyway, my advice is to first make sure hubby knows he is number one, then work in your guitar time when you can.

[Maydog]

Hello @Pappy_Tim , as long as you devote 10 minutes of earnest effort to the lesson, you can mark it complete. The goal is not mastery, the goal is simply to spend a minimum of 10 minutes of focused practice on the daily challenge. Of course, you can spend longer than 10 minutes (and you probably will), but just put yourself in the mindset of small goals and small wins. My mindset is that I suck less than I did before LOL.

[Maydog]

👍🏽

[Maydog]

@Jumpin’Jeff, you’re always a pleasure to have involved in TAC discussions. Keep on truckin!

[Maydog]

Hi @Claudia C , In addition to the 5 weekly TAC lessons, work on a song like @Michelle-PSL said. I also recommend what I call “skull practice.” That’s a football term for studying plays, watching films, etc. It’s not physical practice but mental practice. Here are some of the things you will want to study, learn and commit to memory (My opinion is to learn them in this order as well): Chromatic scale, Major scale pattern, and minor scale pattern. These 3 things alone will be a fantastic start to your musical knowledge. For me, it was easier to learn all 3 on a piano keyboard, then learn how it applies to the guitar fretboard. Here are some benefits of learning those 3 things: 1. You will be able to identify ANY note on the fretboard easily and fairly quickly, 2. You will learn to play scales all over the neck, 3. Where to place the capo becomes easy peasy.

I promise if you learn those 3 things inside and out, then you won’t need to ask me or anyone else what to study next. You will know what you need/want to study next. It only takes hours to learn each one, not days.

[Maydog]

It’s always a pleasure to hear you jamming @Dan D#

[Maydog]

Thanks for all of your encouraging words @Michelle-PSL , @Kim-Fitz , @Bill_Brown , @riccsnet , @ErikBog .

[Maydog]

@Loraine, that was quite an undertaking with all those chord changes. You and Cujo did great! 😆

[Maydog]

Not really, I just like the sound of the Martins. They seem warmer and fuller than the D’Addarios.

[Maydog]

Maybe I could entice him to pretend that he likes my guitar playing! 🍗🥓🥩