[Mychael]

Hey Seven,

A lot of good info here in the chat. Stay with a thin or medium thickness and common material. I think TMutter had a great idea about carrying the pick with you and holding until it feels good in you hand (fingers). I had the opposite experience and learned long ago to only flat pick and learning fingerstyle was a challenge. a word to the wise here, get some inexpensive average picks, carry them with you and hold them correctly and watch Tony’s instruction on holding, picking and esp. alternate picking. It will seem awkward but it will pay off after awhile to learn it right..

You got this…

[Mychael]

Wow Brian, I know exactly how you feel, so many possibilities and not enough time or energy to accomplish them all. Loraine made some great suggestions regarding a specific plan and laying it out formally so you can see it on paper. Over the past six months I had to scale back, not quit and not only serve one master as you say, but simply look at the pursuits that carry similar themes. Maybe focus on the acoustic-Irish-sing along- and entertainment aspect as a segment that is achievable. Get some momentum going in the area and add the electric and rock aspect another time or visa-versa. I found that if I dilute my focus and energy, I become frustrated and just tend to give up. Any progress you make in one will enhance the other at a later time.

There are so many resources. Pick a few and stick with them, you will find better focus and peace of mind. I would love to connect with an Irish band in my area…you’re a lucky guy.

Michael

[Mychael]

Its a tricky lick and the Jerry version is my fav. One step at a time and this one is solid. Very nice.

[Mychael]

Love this song and a great rendition! You have inspired me to work on this one too.

Thanks for posting!

Michael

[Mychael]

That is an awesome achievement! You are an inspiration and a great supporter of the TAC family.

Thank you and keep up the amazing work.

Michael

[Mychael]

I just happened upon this yesterday on the “Acoustic Life” website. On the home page, Tony shows several different ways to finger a C major chord. Three are a build up to the full open chord but easier and effective ways to play them.

You might want to try it.

Michael F.

[Mychael]

Hey Chris99, I am surprised to hear about the lack of communication from Sweetwater also! I have purchased guitars and gear with stellar service. Like JoeT said, you should have a service rep. assigned to you. Send an email to him/her and shake the tree. You will get answers.

Good move on the setup, they do nice work.

[Mychael]

I am so glad this question was floated as I have been struggling with the number of lessons in a week. Like Ellen, I want to “master” the lesson each day before moving on and review and repeat lesson throughout the week to keep up but have been stressed out by the amount of practice it takes to improve. I have even resigned to the other specialized courses so I can proceed at my own pace. What I am hearing is to spend a short focused amount to time each day on the lesson and move on. “Mastering” is not the goal. I thought is was… well, slow.

Thanks all for the guidance and support and to Ellen for asking the question.

[Mychael]

Good question and one I had to face in the past year. I have owned several Taylors and will offer compliments to the company and have appreciated each one. I owned a nylon string and 12 string with 1 3/4″ nut width and also the GS mini and GT with 1 11’16” nut width, all the others are 1 3/4″. In short, I have sold all except the 1 3/4″ mostly for that reason, consistency. Even though it is a small size difference, it was noticeable and I didn’t care for it. The other issue with the GS is the short neck (length). The frets are also closer together and my fingers just were too cramped in the narrow and short frets. Nothing negative about the guitars but I preferred the consistent size. You have the right idea and need to sit and play the GS for awhile before making the purchase.

Although the AD17 is not a smaller guitar, I bought one as my travel instrument. I like the soft case, full sound, and light weight.

Good luck on your explore!

Michael

[Mychael]

Sounds like a good choice. Let me know how you love the Martin. Are you ordering online or buying at a local store?

[Mychael]

You are right Mark, each of your advice points are the recipe for success however, the interaction and support in this forum makes a significant difference as It provides a third person perspective and has a deeper meaning than just working on the tasks.

Your words and the input from others has already helped me realize that I need to trust in the process, maintain a positive perspective, and be patient with myself.

Thanks for being a positive influence and helping me and others in our journey.

Michael

[Mychael]

Thank you for the meaningful analogy regarding hills and plateaus. The support here in incredibly valuable and has likely prevented me from hanging it up for awhile.

As often as Tony says to keep it fun, I think I have been forgetting that this is the main purpose for playing to begin with.

Thank you for the support and kind words.

Have a safe and healthy new year!

[Mychael]

Thanks Bill. Great advice. Now that I am significantly older ( golden years?), and I am returning to playing guitar after decades away from the instrument, my expectation is not reasonable any longer. I need to slow down and focus on the process and as Fly said, “trust the process” and focus on the investment.

Thanks for the support and encouraging words.

Michael

[Mychael]

Fly, thanks for the advice. I think your idea of trust and maintaining a positive mantra is something I forget and need to remember during each practice session. Also, maybe it is time to spend more time on learning songs that are easily mastered. I think I have been taking on difficult tasks and not seeing the results as quickly.

Thank you for the input and have a safe new year!

Michael

[Mychael]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! I know I need to stay with it but this has been a long streak of frustration. I like your idea of mixing up the routine and especially need to remember to self-talk as I would to others. Sometimes we are harder on ourselves than people we care about.

Great advice and push forward.