[N-lightMike]

Hey @GGG ;

Some people change strings once every 3 weeks. Some people don’t change strings once every 3 years. How often do you play? Can you hear or feel a difference? If not, why bother? Find a reason for yourself and let that be your guide to how often.

Personally, I usually change strings within a year. But not always. And I play everyday, a lot. But, if you got a grand daughter to help, like @albert_d , then I’d say go for it. 😅

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you, @PopPop , for sharing your concerns at this point in your journey.

One thing I have learned from the TAC community is how important the questions are. How many times I’ve come over to a thread thinking I was going to offer some sort of advice and find out I’m the one receiving the help.

So, thank you @HowardM and @jumpinjeff for you very simple but encouraging comments.

Like Jeff and Howard, I’ve been here a while. I’ve pushed through many walls. However, there are many walls still in front of me. The wall is more an illusion that I perceive than a real thing that takes action to get through, over, or around. If I just ignore it and keep doing what I’ve been doing, it vaporizes as I walk past it.

But each time that happens, I become more aware of the importance of the basic elements of “doing what I’ve been doing”. Like simply showing up everyday, regardless of how I feel. Of making sure I have fun rather than pushing myself like a “task master”. And actively look for things I can be proud of, no matter how small.

This process leads to the “bonus round”. Now, I’m in a position to take the things I’m struggling with and put them into my practice as “intentions” and make some more progress.

So, I continually go through the cycles of “go slow”, “break through”, then “joyously express myself through my new found guitar mojo”, only to hit a wall again and start over. At that point, it is most important to look back and see how far I’ve come and realize I only need to keep “doing what I’ve been doing”.

The process is both very simple and very profound. 😉

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Well @JoeT and @dbvirago ;

I think this is a great move as we are the beneficiaries.

Since he is reorganizing his time, the TAC community is getting more commitment from Tony. There was talk about new lessons, now we are getting them. We’ve gotten a whole new lesson week every month for quite awhile now.

<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”>Then there are the </font>signature<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”> series. I remember when Tony released the first one, Mississippi John Hurt, he said he was going to do more. I was really excited about that. But they just didn’t come for the longest time because he already had a full schedule. Then with the kids coming along, it was even worse. Yet now, even with that extra stuff on his plate, he’s released several new lessons that focus on the style of a particular person. </font>

Now, just in case anyone doesn’t realize, the time commitment of making a new weekly lesson is pretty large. It would take at least 40 hours, like a full time job’s output for a week. And Acoustic Tuesday just morphed. He’s still releasing YouTube content. Every YouTube video takes way more time and effort than most people realize.

So how do I know all this? Simple. Tony expressly told us this on the show. He said he was giving MORE ATTENTION TO TAC MEMBERS, NOT LESS; HE’S NOT WIDENING OUT. The Acoustic Tuesday show WAS widening out since it wasn’t directly supporting the members of TAC in anyway. TAC is about learning guitar, not finding new acoustic artists or new gear reviews.

So he’s cutting away the fat so we get more of his attention. That’s what he said. So anyone who says “Tony is widening out to a larger audience” is implying that Tony is lying to us. But the facts support the statement that he’s giving us MORE, not less, for our money.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Way back in January Ron said this:

“What I wont miss is the sale pitch that everything leads back to TAC membership. I completely disliked the lack of respect for TAC members that expressed their opinions over the changes. That is some thing I can’t get over completely. Some of you made the transition and are very helpful to new members. I thank all of you for your comments.”

I enjoyed the rest of his post. I can’t respond to him because he is long gone from TAC. And I don’t know who else will read this post or see my comment. I thought about just letting this lie, but I can’t because I was there when allegedly “the lack of respect for TAC members that expressed their opinions over the changes” took place.

I’m sorry, but it was the other way around. I don’t care what you think about the changes, it’s not up to you to decide. You bought a service and you received a very fair return for your money. And that’s why the “complainers” were the ones showing disrespect.

Now, that should be the end of the argument. But since I was there and I know something about business, I can share more details. Tony and Levi started this “business” as a career move to support their families till retirement. Now, they needed to make changes to ensure both the amount of income and the longevity of the income. Now, that having been said, can you find fault with that?

“Yes”, you say, “they took away my forum and the annual Acoustic Life Festival. And the new website doesn’t work very well”.

Ok, so again, it wasn’t “your” forum. So because Tony had helped them so much and been so personal as opposed to being “business like” they felt a great sense of lose. Yeah, I get it. I felt the same sense of lose. But to complain about the new direction was the same as saying “You were wrong to be so successful and help us so much… oh, ok, that wasn’t wrong… wait, it’s because you were so personal and made us feel like you really cared…”.

Oh, so Tony didn’t care? Tony didn’t give you something you couldn’t find anywhere else? Tony didn’t give you an Acoustic Life that you would never have had without TAC? Tony didn’t set you on a guitar journey that could be self-sustaining for the rest of your life?

So, here’s the true story. These complainers were being so selfish that instead of seeing all Tony and Levi had given them and being willing to wish them well in this new direction, all they could see was what they were losing. That’s bad, but it’s not the worst. They actually spoke up about their unfounded complaints and poisoned the minds of others with their wrongful negativity. And they did so determinedly because I was right there trying to set their thinking straight right from the beginning.

Now who showed “lack of respect”? It was respectful to allow them to air their grievances on the part of TAC. Remember, TAC had the “power” to shut them down and stop all those bitter comments. They were actually breaking TAC’s policies, which they as mentors were supposed to defend. Shame on them.

But when the voice of reason, not just mine either, was shared with them, did they show respect and admit that TAC had given them more than they could ever have expected when the signed up? Because they had already said as much before they heard about the changes. So it wasn’t speculation to say they did see what they had received. But now they wouldn’t acknowledge that fact. And secondly, when it was mentioned TAC was their business that was supposed to take care of 2 families for the next several decades, did they acknowledge that Tony and Levi had every right to make these decisions and they had NO right to weigh in on the right or wrong of the decisions? NO!!!

I am so tempted to drop names. But I won’t. Everyone who was there knows who were the bad actors. And I don’t feel they need or deserve any other consequences than those they have already faced. What consequences? TAC was hands down the best guitar learning site on the internet… and now it has improved dramatically!!! They missed out on that.

Now that I’m in my 5th year of TAC, I can tell you I am learning more than I ever learned before. The depth of Tony’s lessons is so incredible. You have to get as good as you “think” the lessons will make you before you can start seeing and learning the things that are on a whole nother level.

I’m gonna tag @jumpinjeff , @Loraine , @Guitargeezer-Jack , @Cadgirl , @DeniseMW , @David_Leo , @GerryB56 , @Turtlefeet , and @OhWowMan

And @old_salt , why can’t you use those techniques with songs, any songs you want to use them in. The only thing stopping you is your own self limiting thoughts.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hey @stevieblues ;

I’ve been on TAC for over 4 years and my longest streak is 112. I would guess I only got to 50 or better 3 or 4 times, including my longest. I don’t know about everyone, but it’s a lot harder for me than it looks. I think a streak of 50 is definitely worth posting.

Great job, Stevie.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

hey @PopPop ;

Thank you for responding and filling us in on some specifics of your “wall”.

I, too, have taken face to face lessons. First, I love my guitar instructor, he’s just a great human being. I truly wish I had the money to take lessons from him forever just to help support him. He has been a professional musician all his life. After being on the road for a number of years, he started teaching so he could stay home with his wife and daughter. He even encouraged his wife to retire when she had some challenges. So, you simply can’t blame someone trying to talk you into taking lessons.

Here’s my problem with face to face instruction. In one 1/2 hour session, a guitar instructor can show me enough stuff to take me through the next year… literally. It takes time… a lot of time, to develop the skills, the muscle memory, the brain pathways, the stronger muscles, the greater flexibility, and whatever else I’ve left out, to play what the instructor blithely showed me in that 1/2 hour.

Did you know Tony used to teach people face to face? He recognized the shortcomings of this method and with his pal Levi, he designed and floated TAC. Yeah, TAC is the <i style=”font-weight: bold;”>solution to face to face instruction. Go figure.

You’re right where you’re supposed to be. 😉

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

@Loraine ;

I’m glad we have TAC. I’m glad I know you. 😊

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Loraine ;

I’m gonna have to +1 @the-old-coach Mark’s comment.

I know you have struggled. I know you have some real challenges that most of us don’t. I know that many of us, me for sure, would have given up if I faced the challenges you do. You are such an inspiration for us.

Thank you for your “long” post, Loraine. I don’t think it was that long; I think it was just enough to let us know what we need to do. “Just keep having fun and moving forward”.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

I couldn’t agree more… when I look at my loss, @SoCal_Ian . But when I look at my gratitude toward Tony for the Acoustic Life I lead, that word falls away. 😊😉

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

I couldn’t agree more, @Marty72 . I am happy to see Tony put dad responsibilities in first place. Go Tony! 😍

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you, Chuck. I especially like the point that the TAC forum just as it is right now is head and shoulders above any other guitar learning site’s forum. I, too, am a lifetime member and I think it was the single most important guitar related thing I ever bought. 😍

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you @Sharon_T . Well said. 🤗😊

[N-lightMike]

Yes, @jamstronghorn , it’s the day you joined which is listed in your profile. Also, you bought Fret Wiz and it’s yours even after you leave TAC.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Yikes, @stevieblues , I can totally relate to being bummed about breaking that streak. I can also more fully understand why your 50 streak is worth noting and posting.

Good for you, really. Keep it up. And keep posting your milestones. It helps you and it helps us.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you so much, @stevieblues .

I am so glad I had a lifetime membership or I wouldn’t have made it past 3 years just due to finances. Even if I had the money, if I had to sign back up in the early days of the transition, I can’t say I would have stayed. Then, at about 3 3/4 years, I thought I was pretty much done with TAC. I could do most of the lessons fairly well. I understood music theory on the level I started a Music Theory channel on YouTube. What do I need with TAC?

Well, it turns out, I am now good enough to see and learn lessons I didn’t even realize were within the lessons I had been doing from the beginning. TAC is taking me to the next level. For me, that’s the advanced/pro level.

So yeah, I’m gonna keep doing TAC and playing my guitar.

MG 😀