[N-lightMike]

@richs52yahoo-com ;

Simple. This has nothing to do with chord changes and everything to do with “playing by feel”. Get into the rhythm, a rhythm that you’re doing automatically so nothing you do with your fretting hand stops it.

Use one chord and just start grooving, be-bopping, whatever you want to call it. Then, turn on a metronome and get your groove to line up with the steady beat. When you can watch TV and keep a steady rhythm, whatever rhythm, then you can change chords.

One of the most important points Tony teaches is to break things down so you are only trying to learn or improve on one thing at a time.

You may be at the stage of just using the simplest rhythm of down, down, down, down. If so, do that with a metronome. Find videos that give you exercises that make using a metronome fun. In a week, you’ll be changing chords and keeping rhythm without even thinking about it.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

@MMMURRAY ;

I don’t see the single most important piece of advice when buying a guitar. Unless you want to buy and sell multiple guitars from someone like Guitar Center who allows you 45 days to play it and then return it for a full refund, buying online only works if you know what you want.

Go where you can pick up guitars and play them. Admittedly, you can only buy what you are able to find and physically pick up. But there are a lot of guitar companies and they all make guitars worth owning and playing. So there is no reason to get sucked into the marketing hype of a company like Zager who doesn’t seem to sell in brick and mortar stores.

In pretty much any guitar store, you will find enough variety to find out what you like. Now, you might not find the guitar you love in the first store. It could take some real effort. But, if you don’t find a guitar that you fall in love with when you physically pick it up, you simply won’t know what you are missing.

My advice is: “Don’t waste your money until you find a guitar you fall in love with. You don’t fall in love with the looks or the marketing hype or even the reviews as everyone is different. Fall in love with the sound and feel as you play it.”

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Yeah, Neil @nlsbjaol-com ;

In time, you will gain more control and finger independence. In the meantime, try this exercise.

Put your palms down on a flat surface with the fingers splayed. Then lift one finger at a time in any order. Do one hand at a time or both hands, it doesn’t matter. Eventually, as this becomes easier, do 2 fingers at a time, the alternate ones, index and ring, middle and pinky.

Do this exercise briefly every day for a few weeks and you will notice a remarkable difference in your finger strength and independence.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @MissQueue ;

Chrome is the best browser, for TAC or anywhere else for that matter. Lots of people don’t want to hear that. But what works has nothing to do with what we want or how we feel. Chrome works best because Google’s server farms are by far the largest all over the world. Everyone’s signals go through them. It’s also why Google search will always be the best. And because it is so ubiquitous, Chrome is used when sites are being developed.

Firefox is a great browser, but it gets the least support from site developers. “Just the facts, ma’am”. 🤣

I hope this helps.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @Screaming_fingers_jackson ;

You need to look at the Shubb. It’s adjustable, inexpensive, easy on, and pretty much the standard. Can’t be beaten, though everyone keeps trying to outdo them. And that makes the other capos more expensive.

But I have found any capo works. Just retune after putting on the capo. And make sure you give each string an upward tug to make sure the string is pinched down evenly. Many times, that alone makes my string go from sharp to the correct note. Also, the position within the fret space is important. But you’ll only know what works if you use your tuner with the capo on. Don’t expect the strings to be tuned correctly after you have put on a capo. That’s too great an expectation.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @KayMesser ;

First, I think you have all the advice you need. I especially like what @Kitman said, slow waaaaay down as you move from one chord to the other. Really pay attention to your finger, hand, wrist and elbow positions as the change. And then @jumpinjeff ‘s advice to pay attention to tension is really important and will get you the rest of the way there.

So, all I can really add is the encouragement. It sounds to me like you are doing great. You are going slow, using a metronome, and practicing. It takes time. That’s pretty much the answer that we wish we didn’t have to hear.

That’s why Tony tries to give us musical and fun exercises. That way, as we are learning, we can play something that sounds good none the less. His blues progressions in the 30 Days to Play course are great to play over and over. You could even try coming up with some words to sing along with your playing. That would be fun and engaging.

So I guess what I really wanted to add is: Have Fun. That’s the number one rule and only real rule. Always enjoy your own sound and you won’t even notice the time slipping by during which you are improving.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hey @SteveDyer ;

@Carol-3M-Stillhand ‘s answer seems like a good explanation. But if you still have questions, please post another question. Also, you might try to find a video on YouTube explaining Tab. Once you see it you’ll get it. It just part of the “everything is new” situation with beginning to learn guitar.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hello @DHeaton ;

Hopefully, the Capo Comprehension course that @Kitman suggested will answer your question. If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask again.

The simple answer to your original question, is the capo changes the key. It’s like moving the nut up the neck. If you play an E major chord, the 6th string is your lowest E note and is called you “root” note. So as you move that capo up the neck, that note changes. But the relative position of the notes stays the same, so you are still playing a major chord.

The note on the 6th string and 5th fret is an A. So if you put the capo on the 5th fret, your open 6th string will be an A note. If you play an E chord, or more accurately, an E “shaped” chord, you will be playing an A major chord.

This is called a moveable chord. This is possible because the relationship between the strings remains the same. When you move from the 6th string to the 5th string, you are moving up in pitch the same amount as if you move up on one string 5 frets. So the 5th fret on the 6th string is an A, and matches the open 5th string.

I hope this helps.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

👍😊

[N-lightMike]

Hey @kd61698gmail-com and @DiscostewLA ;

Eventually, you will realize that “missing” a lesson or even a few weeks of lessons just isn’t a problem due to how Tony’s method works.

It isn’t important that you ever master a lesson or remember a lesson or incorporate a lesson into a song, whether a cover or an original. What’s important is if you simply do the exercises for a few minutes each day, it will improve your guitar skills across the board without hardly trying or even noticing. That’s why small wins are so important. You have to actively look to realize that you are in fact growing slowly but steadily with the TAC program. It’s not a specific skill that you’re trying to learn. You just get better at playing guitar the way you want to play and you will find your own sound.

If there are lessons that teach a specific skill that you want to improve upon and pursue in your guitar journey, then by all means favorite that lesson and revisit it. Otherwise, just do the dailies when ever you are available and forget the rest.

And yes, the lessons come back around. But that’s not important as no individual lesson is really important per se. But I’ve already said that, so what’s important? Have fun. Get better. That’s it.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Hey @DiscostewLA ;

You said: “I would also STRONGLY suggest checking out a Taylor GS Mini (again – check out a guitar store and play as many different models that you can). I just got one and I absolutely love it. I think it would be a great guitar for anyone, and especially folks with smaller hands and frames.”

I just want to give a +1 to that statement. I don’t even own a GS Mini, but I have played them. They are one of the few guitars I would say “it would be a great guitar for anyone”. But I believe that’s true for the GS Mini.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

Very pretty guitar, @SarahBluebird . I love the matching strap. Cool.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

👍😊

[N-lightMike]

I love the exercise, @Carol-3M-Stillhand , that’s one I hadn’t heard of before. I’m going to use it even though I know a lot of chords. It sounds like it could even be a good warm up for a particular song. I’m gonna give it a try anyway. Thanks for sharing.

MG 😀

[N-lightMike]

👍😊