N-lightMike
Forum Replies Created
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I can’t tell you how many times I thought the tabs were off, @Geordie and then realized I was wrong when I looked closer.
It turns out that the tabs are never wrong. It turns out that Tony occasionally plays, and sometimes even teaches, something that is different than he put down on the tab. Tony frequently says he is playing differently than he put on the tab. You will never go wrong following the tabs. Yes, I have used the tabs every single lesson for almost 3 years. However, you will also never go wrong playing and/or practicing what Tony actually shows or plays in the videos. Finally, you will never go wrong by playing something different than is on the tab or than what Tony teaches or what Tony plays. It’s music! If it sounds good, it is good. That’s all that matters.
MG 😀
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This policy must have changed, @Loraine . We used to be able to tell others about Marty Schwartz (not the name of his YouTube channels) because he gave free videos showing how to play a popular song. That is in no way in competition with Tony. In fact, I don’t personally think Tony has any real competition. No one teaches the way he does that I am aware of. There are other sites out there that charge more money but stick to the worn out method of teaching skills or songs. I think Tony’s method is far and away the most effective way to teach guitar.
Anyway, I was scolded at least twice in the past and I know “it’s no big deal” but it still rankles. We love you, Loraine, and all your support and encouragement.
MG 😀
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Hello @speckpgh ,
Several people have said “Yes”, you can use that substitute C chord. But I will reinforce that.
First, let’s identify that chord. There is no such thing as an “add 7”, because 7th chords are a chord staple, not an extension. There are major 7ths and dominant 7ths. They are created by adding a fourth note to your triad chord. If that 4th note is one half step from the chord’s root, it’s a major 7 chord. If the 4th note is 2 half steps, or a whole tone, from the chord’s root, it’s a dominant 7, sometimes called a flatted 7th.
Now, one of the common teaching methods is to show beginners simplified chord shapes so they can realistically play a simple song. As their fingers gain more dexterity and independence, those more difficult shapes start to get easier to learn. There is no “danger” in doing this. In fact, just the opposite. Since it will increase your fun it will also increase your improvement. And, it will increase that time it takes to learn chord shapes. You will learn the C maj7 faster than the standard C shape, and you will later learn the standard C shape faster as your fingers will have had the chance to gain dexterity and independence.
So have fun and start playing songs.
MG 😀
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I am really happy for you @Guitargeezer-Jack because that realization is huge. It makes the difference between having fun and progress and continuing in a guitar rut.
Tony has explained his method in various videos and on the AT show. So many people either don’t watch the “basic” information or they don’t understand it. I was one who had difficulty understanding. Of course, my brain told me I understood, but I didn’t really get it until @jumpinjeff and @dr_dave beat it into my head that trying to “master” anything, a lesson or a technique or the guitar in general, was actually counter productive.
The idea is to “try” to do a lesson. If you can do it, it’s too simple. You must be challenged if you are to learn. It doesn’t really matter how over your head it seems. If you just keep at it, you will notice improvement. And since Tony’s lessons cover the range of guitar skills, you will improve all across the guitar skill board.
Congratulations. This was a really huge deal for me. I was able to have more fun and therefore started making advancement quite a bit faster… because I wasn’t trying and I didn’t care… go figure.
MG 😀
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I agree with everything this review says Terry @TMutter . In fact, if I knew how to analyze and critique music I would have said the same things. This article actually helped me to understand more clearly why I loved your songs so much. I am not surprised at all that he gave you a 4 out of 5. That’s a high rating. Bravo. I also agree with his ending. I look forward to what you come up with next. To me, it seems like you are a “natural”, whatever that means.
MG 😀
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Gosh, I love this community and TAC.
First, thank you to @Skyman for asking the question and starting this thread.
Second, thank you to @crarod @jumpinjeff @Moonhare @Guitargeezer-Jack @Cadgirl and @Kristin1 for you contributions to this awesome thread.
I had to laugh, crarod, when you said your garage band was more about drinking beer. Rock on… well, or drink on… whatever works. 😂
I always get something out of your comments jumpin’ jeff. Thanks for leading the way.
I appreciate hearing your progress and learning about your approach Moonhare. I look forward to seeing you at another VOM. You bring so much to share with us from your music background.
I am honored to be a part of your guitar journey Jack and see your progress. We all learn from each other regardless of being ahead or behind because we all proceed through this musical adventure in our own way.
I definitely want to watch this video, Cadgirl. I am finally at the point where I can start incorporating this stuff. And thanks for your encouraging words.
And finally, I wanted to thank you, Kristin, for this great advice. I think I will go through that class again. It amazes me how I can get more out of Tony’s basic videos when I go back through them.
MG 😀
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This is a constant theme here on the TAC forum @Skyman .
First, let me say that you have a really great routine at present. Very complete and well rounded.
Second, your progress is probably much faster than you realize. I started when I was 44 but only learned the basics from a book. I played on and mostly off over 20 years and then joined TAC at 63. It turns out, even people who start at a young age take way longer than you would think. But when you start in your 60s, you’re doing well if you can see progress over a 2 or 3 month period. Which is exactly what TAC gives us and what you will get as long as you stick to this routine.
Third, you’re gonna burn out. You’ll get bored of what you are doing. As you get better at those chord transitions, they won’t be challenging and therefore exciting anymore. But there will still be a lot to learn. That’s where TAC comes in. Those daily lessons will be a challenge for at least 3 years, but probably more like 5 or 6 years. They cover the whole range of guitar skills and they change constantly. Everyone here has experienced the magic of simply doing a minimum of 10 minutes or more every day on the daily lessons and seeing progress in their guitar skills. There is no starting point or ending point. The lessons will come around again in 10 months or so. When they do, you will notice that you are playing a certain lesson better even though you forgot all about it after the one day you did it several months ago.
For now, you are doing wonderfully. Keep it up and seek help from the community every time you have another question or some win you want to share with us. We love to hear about your victories.
MG 😀
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Congrats, @Daniel_Morin , I wasn’t around to see where you started, but I’ve seen most of your journey since you joined TAC. You have become an amazing rhythm guitarist and instrumental song writer. You have been a huge example for me to learn from and I love to hear you play in the VOMs. And I love this little frolic you take here on your guitar.
MG 😀
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So if I’m “Mentor Mike”, what do we call you @jumpinjeff , the “Musical Mentor”? I think I like that, the Musical Mentor. What do you think @Guitargeezer-Jack ?
MG 😀
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😥 😮 … 🤔 😊😉
Well, let me translate that @Loraine . I totally agree with your feelings. And I can’t argue with anything you said. But I’m gonna jump to your last comment, “looking for the positive”.
The original idea of TAC was to teach people how to play guitar, not create the most wonderful guitar community on the web. So, there’s the sad… and the happy!
TAC is now better, much better, than it was before. That’s because it was intended to teach us guitar skills; teach us how to practice so that we see continual improvement; teach us how to be consistent. The old TAC did that as well as any site on the web, and better than most. The new TAC does that better than any other guitar instruction site or event or school or individual instructor… in my honest opinion.
Now, the part about the community. The old TAC had a lot of help from the community to impart the attitudes and ideas necessary to Tony’s method. So the community made it better. But the new TAC helps us understand the correct attitudes and ideas on it’s own with very little help from the community. And it’s true, this community is more like the interaction between the students in a real, live classroom as they file out after class, chit chatting with each other. And some of them may meet up later, but most do not.
Ah, but the community the old TAC helped to create was too strong to just die off simply because Tony and Levi came up with a better business model and a better instructional site. Now we have the same old, wonderful community over at JMG. And that is better for everyone. That is better for the business because it gets rid of any conflict. And that’s better for the community because we have greater freedom than we had even on the old TAC.
I love the new TAC. And I love the new community, JMG. Win, win, win. There’s a lot of victories going on here.
MG 😀
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😅👍
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“If you’re taller than 5’2″ you should use a full size guitar?” Wow, there are some serious idiots out there giving advice.
There are children who play full size guitars better than I’ll ever play any guitar. Oh, and by the way, exactly what is a full size guitar?
I have a full size parlor guitar, meant for adults. It has a 24″ scale length. I have another parlor guitar that has a 24 3/4″ scale length. The most common scale length among “full size” guitars is 25 1/2″. I have several of them. I used to have a 23 1/2″ scale length guitar. That was too small for me.
Then there is body size. A parlor guitar can have a full 25 1/2″ scale length yet have a smaller body. I don’t like guitars with large bodies. That means I have no dreadnoughts and no jumbos. You bet they are louder. Which is exactly one of the things I don’t like about them. If I want loud, I’ll plug in to an amplifier. I want a pleasant level of sound.
So you see, what guitar “fits” you is a very personal thing. That generalized advice was about as helpful as purposely misleading you. The Yamaha FG700 is a dreadnought. In my experience, they are the most difficult guitar to play. They are too big for me and I’m almost 6′. So much for that advice.
Like so many have already said, go try out multiple guitars. Many stores and online outlets give you 45 days to play a guitar then you can return it for a full refund. But you really need to get to a store where you can get several different style acoustic guitars in your hands to start getting an idea of what feels good to you.
MG 😀
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That’s just amazing to me that you were able to “pick up” on a new style so quickly and use it effectively. I recognized a long time ago that basic skills can be used to great effectiveness. So right from the beginning of learning guitar, some people are able to make great music. As they grow and learn more skills or hone the basic skills, it just adds to their variety, their music changes and matures, but I’m not sure it really gets any better as it was great from the beginning. You seem to be one of those people. I love having you here in this community with us so that we can witness and learn from your path and growth.
MG 😀
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You are so right when you say we learn together @Terry B. I love the part where you start looking for answers when something is tough, in stead of just continuing with it.
And that part about you buzzing and looking forward to tomorrow’s lesson, regardless of what it is or even if you like it. See, that’s why and when we improve. That’s what Tony and every instructor out there is trying to get us to: that excitement to pick up our guitar and play. Because each and every one of them knows that anyone who gets into that space will have fun and will improve.
You have arrived. 😍😎
(The trick now is to remember what “arrived”, or “being there”, really means.)
MG 😀
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