N-lightMike
Forum Replies Created
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The “connect” is still here @Dirk_R . All the VOMs were started by TAC members for TAC members. Many of the people who attend or host the VOMs are still TAC members. Without TAC, not one of these VOMs or groups or alternate sites (AAP, JMG) would exist. TAC is literally the root, or foundation, of the VOMs. We can still talk about the VOMs. We can still post our VOM performances. We can even share the information about the VOMs. We just can’t have a dedicated forum or page for VOM information. And that’s for our benefit. We have grown beyond TAC and include people who are no longer TAC members, and even people who have never been a TAC member.
So, go ahead and tell current TAC members about how much fun you’ve had attending the VOMs. How much you’ve learned and grown. Let every TAC member who will take the time to read your post how excited you are. Then tell them how to be an audience member or even a participant in the next VOM. All they have to do is go to justmusicgeeks.com, sign up (it’s free and open to anyone), and get the info about the day, time and link, then show up and have fun.
P.S. I include the information about signing up to justmusicgeeks.com as often as I can in my comments here on the TAC forum. TAC and JMG support each other and work hand in hand. HOWEVER, they are not responsible or liable for each other in any way. And that’s a good thing.
MG 😀
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I don’t know off the top of my head, but that definitely sounds like Acoustic Tuesday. You can do a search on the Acoustic Life web site and maybe find it. I would love to watch (or re-watch) this. I’ll check back. If I find it, I’ll let you know.
MG 😀
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Hey @Sheryl14 ;
I have never tried to print the tabs since moving to this new platform. I just went to this past Friday’s lesson and opened the tab and hit print to see what it would do in the “print preview”. It cut off the whole right side of the tab. I tried to scale it down, but it wasn’t getting there very quickly, so my printer software allows me to do a custom “fit to printable area”. When I did that I got a much smaller scale,
I also have an option for “custom”, where I can scale the file down by one percentage point at a time. The “fit to printable area” looked like it was about 62% of the original, “default” resolution. My guess is the resolution that worked on the other platform doesn’t work here, or the resolution has been changed by the platform migration. Whatever, it looks like you’ll have to scale the tab down to print it correctly. At least, that’s what I saw on my system.
I hope this helps.
MG 😀
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I totally agree, @Dom_T , this is very relaxing and yet you captured the sense of longing at the same time. Great job.
MG 😀
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Yeah, I, too, wanted to congratulate you @Greebosolo on changing your strings for the first time. I have now changed strings more times than I could possibly count over a number of years, but I still remember the early days of changing my own strings in stead of taking it to the guitar shop. It took a surprisingly long time before I was really comfortable. Good for you for starting the process. Each time, from now on, will seem easier and you will approach each string change with the assurance that you can do it because you have done it. 😎
MG 😀
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Hello @CaptainFuture , @Loraine has given you some great advice. I would add that good strumming also includes how you hold the pick and the angle at which it strikes the strings. But Tony covers all the basics that you need to get a good start in the Strumming Jumpstart Course.
MG 😀
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About the only thing I agree with in the comments you’ve gotten so far, @OC. is that it is personal preference. The 4 finger chord doesn’t sound fuller, it doesn’t sound better, it’s not easier in any situation. It simply sounds different. If you are trying to play a song where the original guitarists used the 4 finger G, you won’t get the “right” sound any other way. The Eagles, for instance, used that form of the G major chord a lot. And they used other chord forms that are easier to move to from the 4 finger chord. For instance, the G9. Start with the 4 finger G and move the index and middle down (toward the floor) 2 strings. Try making that chord from the 3 finger G.
The 3 finger G using the middle, ring and pinky is “the best” for being able to make a G7 or a Gmaj7 and going to the C chord or the version of the C chord where you move the index and middle down (toward the floor) one string but leave the pinky and ring where they are.
Obviously, you are going to have to learn several different ways to make a G chord to be a fully rounded guitar player.
MG 😀
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Wow, what a great video, performance and example of the automatic thumb. Thanks for posting @Guy_H .
This is a real inspiration for me because the hardest thing she’s doing is the alternating thumb. I’ve been working on that. The pattern on the treble strings is mostly here middle finger, especially when she’s singing. And since she’s in open tuning, the fretting patterns are greatly simplified. And yet, she’s making this song sound so beautiful and varied and complicated. Like I said, this is a real inspiration for me to just keep working on that alternating thumb. No, I may never play like Tommy, but I might, one day, do something like this. (Maybe!)
I guess what has excited me about this is that I actually understand what she’s doing and I can see a clear path for me to get there. Wow, thank you so much TAC and Tony and all the TAC members and VOM attenders who have helped me to this point.
MG 😀
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Thank you so much @stevieblues . You are spot on in telling me to remember to have fun. Boy, do I struggle with trying to “master” guitar instead of having fun making beautiful noise with my guitar.
As far as inspiring, I notice that you are one of the few very regular people here on the new forum. That’s how we inspire each other, is by participating in the forum and taking the time to read and respond to the comments and threads of others. I love to inspire and to be inspired, and I thank you for what you are doing to be a part of that.
I’d love to see you at one of the VOMs Steve. Come on over to justmusicgeeks.com and check out the forum. You will find the schedules and the links to all the VOMs. Also, you will find an awful lot of interesting and inspiring conversations about music and guitars.
MG 😀
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Progress comes slowly, @LisaH , but it also comes steadily. You will improve.
Now, one thing that might help is to do finger independence exercises. Lay your hand on a flat surface palm down with you fingers splayed. Then try lifting the index finger only. Then the middle, then the ring, and finally the pinky. You will find this surprisingly difficult and it will cause your hand to literally ache in a very short period of time. Therefore, don’t do much at first. Be careful and make sure you use the stretching exercises that Tony teaches in the Stretching Course and you will be able to do this everyday at least once. You will be surprised how quickly this will build finger independence and strength which will contribute to your being able to make chords.
I hope this helps Lisa.
MG 😀
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I really appreciated hearing you play the new guitar, @Dirk_R . I am so glad you like it and how it sounds. It’s much more difficult finding guitars that we really like than one might think. Martin makes a great product, but that doesn’t mean you will enjoy every guitar they make. You have to get the right one. One thing about the Dread Jr, though, is they have tried to make a guitar that is as close as possible to universal so that it will work for pretty much any beginner. But it is a quality guitar, so you could play it and enjoy it for years. Again, congratulations.
MG 😀
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My goodness, @jumpinjeff , I have been stretching for years and have learned the hard way how careful one must be and that slow and mild stretching is better than aggressive stretching. But you have covered this so clearly and precisely that it even helps me understand better how to recognize how to make sure I get the maximum benefit.
@MTJack I was going to add that you needed to be careful when stretching and that you could even stretch during your guitar playing, but then I read jumpinjeff’s comment. You have gotten wonderful advice. From my own experience with stretching, all I can say is you can stretch before you play, during your play, and after your play. As long as you are as careful as jumpinjeff spelled out, you can stretch several times a day as well. You may be surprised how much benefit you will get if you stretch repeatedly throughout the day as long, again, as long as you are not being too aggressive, which is easy to do when you stretching multiple times a day.
MG 😀
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You said: “Not being very advanced yet, I wonder if I will notice much of a difference, or have a preference”.
I agree @ironpat . I have bought and sold a number of guitars since joining TAC 2 1/2 years ago. And I don’t have much money. The Alvarez parlor (AP66) I was talking about lists for $399 and I bought an open box for $300 from zzounds. I currently have 10 guitars, a ukulele and a guitarlele (tenor ukulele body with shortened guitar neck). I have sold 6 guitars, 5 of them on Reverb. When I joined TAC I had one guitar. So I bought 15 guitars and sold 6 of them. That’s why I have some insight into your question and some resonance with your desire to get it right from the beginning.
The more experience you have playing guitar, the more you will notice the differences in guitars and the more you will know what direction you want to go in. However, I believe that there is a certain amount of trial and error you’re going to have to go through. Sitting in a guitar shop playing a guitar isn’t going to tell you much until you already know what kind of guitar you want. It took me playing a guitar for weeks or even months before I had a definite opinion about it’s strengths and weaknesses and how much I did or didn’t like the guitar.
Because you own one guitar and it’s a dreadnaught, my suggestion is to buy at least one lesser expensive guitar to take you farther down your guitar path. Ibanez makes very good guitars at an unbelievable price and they copy a lot of more expensive, popular guitars. Ditto for Alvarez and some others.
I hope this is helpful.
MG 😀