[N-lightMike]

Hello @kdmathis and @Butterfly ;

I just wanted to make it clear that there are no “levels” here. The only level that matters is when you are so advanced that the lessons are boring. Then, they won’t be helpful to you.

Tony’s method is unique. There are other people who are starting to imitate his approach. He didn’t come up with this approach on his own, he simply was the first to adapt it to guitar instruction.

So what is that? At it’s basic, it is about having direction, intentional practice. That’s what TAC provides. Then, commit to a short amount of time on a regular basis. That’s what we provide. From there, it’s all about attitude.

Most important, we must have fun as if we were a kid who paid no attention to how well they did or didn’t do at imitating the instruction, but simply did their best. Then, we take notice of what we do well and congratulate ourselves for that… every single time. Purposely find something to give yourself props for. Finally, we notice what we didn’t do so well on and use that to give guidance to future playing/practicing by focusing on improving those things.

Then there is the specific arrangement of the playing session. First, we warm up. Then we practice some exercise. Then we play around and have fun. Done. However long it is doesn’t matter, as long as we do it consistently 3 times per week, or 5 times per week or whatever, and a minimum of 10 minutes, though it can be an hour if that works for you.

That’s why the daily lessons work for people who are at different levels. Each person will learn what ever they are capable of learning at that time from that lesson. That’s why there’s no beginning or end to Tony’s lessons. Just jump in and go round and round until they are boring. Then go make your fortune, or teach others, or play for family and friends, wherever you guitar journey takes you.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask additional questions. Also, I will tag @jumpinjeff and @dr_dave . Maybe they can add more to what has been said.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @Barry2021 ;

It was not that long ago that I contacted Support and asked about the Fretboard Wizard Course. Victoria told me that it would be offered in the “first months of 2022” though a date had not been set and that they would announce it in the Acoustic Tuesday Newsletter and post a banner on this site.

You might join justmusicgeeks.com which is free and is an independent forum of TAC members so we can share information with each other freely. Right now one of the members has organized an informal course where they are helping each other to better understand the fretboard.

Hopefully, the FW course will be available soon. It is the best introductory fretboard course I’ve ever run into. When you have fully digested that course, you are able to follow the many course that are available out there if you choose to dig deeper. However, many people find that FW gives them all they will ever need.

I hope this helps.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

This is a common pricing structure in the marketplace. And I agree it is worth every penny. Compared to what you “get back” for what you “put in” with other courses and sites out there, this one is a great deal.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

It seems you have received some good advice, @dth . I would start by analyzing my own parameters: “Acoustic Guitar of Lifetime”.

I’d say, by definition, that means a well known and well trusted guitar. It doesn’t have to be a Martin or Taylor, but it does have to be something with a high resell value, because that would indicate it is respected and desired.

BTW, it doesn’t have to cost over a $1000 to be a high value guitar.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Yes, @JJM there is a method that works day in and day out. HAVE FUN! Just pretend you are a kid. Don’t ever try to master anything. Every time you approach your guitar or the lessons, think of it as going to the playground. The lessons are the “playground” rules. You have to know them… sorta. You have to follow them… sorta.

MG 😀

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by  N-lightMike.

[N-lightMike]

So here’s my take on your question @5noteblues ;

As you are going through the FW course, you will have a bunch of “ah-ha” moments when doing the daily challenges. The FW course is simply a way to look at music, it’s not the music itself. So it’s good to stay engaged with music at the same time.

That having been said, I agree with @Loraine and @Bill_Brown that you can, and probably should, go through FW more than once. So the bottom line is, put some time and effort into these lessons, whether the FW course, the next 6 chords course, or the daily lessons, but don’t get too serious, and never try to master them. The one overriding rule is: Have Fun!

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Here’s my take on this @ShawnS

I’ve read quite a few different ways to approach music theory, and guitar applied music theory.

I gotta admit, that I think it makes sense to apply music theory to the guitar for those who are going to play guitar. Why teach me music theory on the piano when I play guitar?

So, this approach is how this person, finally, came to understand music theory… specifically on the guitar. It took him a long time. Every person who shares their approach has the same objective, to save me time by showing me how to see the big picture that they see. I believe that each of the different perspectives I looked at might have helped me to some small degree. However, what every one of these teachers overlooked, was that I can’t see through their eyes. The only way for me to see the big picture as clearly as they do is to put the time in exploring the guitar, playing, practicing, dreaming about chord shapes, going into a meditative state and “hearing” intervals on the guitar, or however each of us does it. Eventually, the whole fretboard will gel into one, interconnected pattern.

And when we finally get there, we’ll have our own way of describing the big picture because we are a unique individual.

So many people share “what they wished they knew when they were starting out”. Here’s mine: stop wasting time thinking about music and guitar, and spend more time messing around with the guitar. Hands on, ears focused, heart open, brain turned off.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @docteny ;

For me, I still haven’t been able to incorporate licks into my playing after 2 1/2 years, but that’s simply because that’s not my focus. Someday it will happen because I have gained the skills from TAC and I become fluent enough with my fingers to simply do it. So, for me, I just do the lessons knowing that the connection between them and my songs is they continue to improve my general guitar skills. But I know others have made it part of their focused practice to include these licks into their playing.

As far as the VOMs go, simply go to justmusicgeeks.com as @Loraine has said and sign up; it’s free. There you will find the information regarding the VOMs. You will get the times and the links to join. In brief, the happen Sunday afternoon, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon every other week, Friday evening and Saturday evening. There are also early morning sessions Monday though Friday. All the information is at justmusicgeeks.com.

I hope this helps.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hey @Bill_Brown and @Salty ;

This is exactly the opposite of what I understand. You will always pay extra money for the Martin name. Every brand out there except Gibson, will give you higher quality materials for the same price as a Martin.

And there is no inferiority to “layered” wood, in fact, just the opposite. Plywood, in this case, it is high tech plywood called high pressure laminate, is superior to solid wood as it does not warp under stressful conditions caused by temperature and humidity. And good luck hearing a difference when the top is solid wood and the HPL is the back and sides. The reason pretty much all the under $500 guitar manufacturers have gone to solid tops is because the HPL doesn’t resonate as well. But the back and sides don’t resonate. They simply provide a sound box to amplify the sound.

These are, of course, my opinions. And none of these things ultimately make any difference when buying a guitar, though it will limit your choices if you are prejudiced against HPLs or less well known companies.

Tony has laid out the steps to picking out a guitar. What it looks like matters, as does how it sounds and how it plays. And the biggest factor, which is simply the all important practical reason, is price. That’s it. Not the other things being discussed here.

I’ve seen it over and over again where someone bought a guitar based on the reputation of the company and was sorely disappointed because it wasn’t a good fit for them. There are guitars that cost tens of thousands of dollars that I wouldn’t own if you gave it to me (other than to sell it). Just sayin’.

MG 😀

P.S. I only want to be helpful. If what I’ve said isn’t helpful, just ignore me. 🙄

[N-lightMike]

👍

[N-lightMike]

👍😊

[N-lightMike]

Hey Mark @mkjohnsons

Thanks for the reply.

It’s interesting, I have heard that saying of course, but I hadn’t put this guitar specific thing together with that saying. “Paralysis by analysis”. I should have known that’s what I’d do with guitar since I am prone to that dark hole. I find it fascinating how many ways we can fool ourselves. 🙄

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you @Guitargeezer-Jack for repeating and emphasizing the simple steps Tony lays out for us. They are so simple it’s real easy to think “oh, yeah, I get that”, and then miss them sometimes. But they are so important to really get into our regular thinking so we can reap the benefits they bring.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Thank you so much, @ted_h . As I said to @ShawnS above, some of the credit must go to him for asking the question. I did write down what I said so I can remember it myself and maybe make a song out of it. 😁

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

You are very welcome. It is a joy to help. Lot’s of times I see things more clearly because I’m trying to explain something to someone else. So thank you very much for your post.

MG 😀