[the-old-coach]

Thank you both Jeff and Albert for your responses!

(as two who I look up to tremendously)- your responses mean a LOT.

I’ve got many more song ideas in my head, and in my heart, and in my past. And they want out.

Thanks again…… mark

[the-old-coach]

Thank you, xiao-bai and Fletch, for your nice comments. It needs more work, but I hope to be able to make improvements to it and also record it using better equipment than my 11-year-old, beat-up, laptop. And maybe a real camera!

Thank you again!

theoldcoach- mark

[the-old-coach]

This is a great thread, because I believe we ALL have this issue.

These days, when we maybe see a performer at a one-night appearance somehere- (at a bar or something😎- wherever), most of the time they’ll have their phone or some other device to look at while they are performing. It’s quite common.

I don’t know if they are just looking at the TAB’d song on the screen- but I’m guessing so. I don’t see any problem with something like that, because they aren’t staring at the device, it seems like it’s just there to glance to for a milli-second, to remind them of some weird lyric or one-time chord change.

It doesn’t mean they can’t play and sing– because– they are playing and singing. We came to see them perform— not to see how much they could recall from memory.

Added edit— When I visit VOM’s, it looks like the performers are all pretty-much looking down at something to help them along….. and I think that’s great.

I suppose the reason we all see top entertainers go on for a couple of hours just playing from memory is that they have likely performed those songs, literally, thousands of times.

Anyway, I deal with the same issues. I can work to get a “Daily” under my fingers o the point where I’m satisfied with it…… and then move to next daily and work on it for a bit.

But then, if I go back to the first one and try play it again10-15 minutes later– it’s pretty-much gone…………. and I had just had it “down”. A bit frustrating.

Great thread that I’ll certainly be following-along.

theoldcoach

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Yeah, I remember the “old” TAC also- (it was revamped a few months after I joined, I think- but can’t remember exactly).

I remember the “old” Forum being more “open” and “lively”. But, I suppose, with that, the conversations sometimes wandered all over the place……. maybe a bit beyond or outside of just learning guitar(?)……. (this may have been its demise?)….

I am not complaining about the new TAC, but I have read that a LOT of folks feel/felt the “old” forum did somehow seem more fun.

Even though I do “check-in” to the TAC forum every day to see what’s new……. I don’t post in here as much as I used to- (perhaps to the delight of many!).

The TAC Forum— in both the old and new version….. have been a GREAT source of inspiration, information, help, and a kick-in-the-butt-when-I-needed-it.

Anyway– back to the subject at hand….. (and you know that I can go on and on……). I’d like to provide one more example: I’ve taken-in most of the Skills Courses- (and completed them with a decent understanding of each……. All great stuff indeed!

The REAL light-bulb came on…….. later………. maybe a year later/ maybe two years later- (heck– it’s still happening!!!).

My own greater-broader guitar knowledge has grown- (for which I am thankful to many- including you). Some of the stuff I thought I learned or knew back then….. I see differently now. Yes, I knew each lesson’s material– but only “individually”, so to speak. I viewed each lesson or Skills Course completely separate and different from the others.

The really coolest part is that I am NOW starting to see how each of those lessons are/were actually just pieces of a MUCH larger puzzle— they are ALL starting to fit together.

TAC has provided me the opportunity slog thru the mud for almost three years, and get to “meet” some REALLY wonderful, helpful people– who keep pulling me- (well, all of us, actually)- “up”…… to keep us going!

I wish those who have helped me- (again, well, all of us along the way– but have left)– would come back. So they could “see” what we’ve become, in many ways, because of their help.

yadda-yadda-yadda…… some(?) days, I just can’t seem to shut up

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Mike-

I’ve been waiting to respond to your original post here— to give me a chance to really think about it a bit.

My “short” response is- I love TAC also.

I didn’t have any idea at all how “deep” guitar-learning goes…. I don’t think there is an end, really. But Tony and TAC seems to put the brakes on the bottomless pit when the philosophy is “I’m gonna teach you the 10% of music theory that you will use 90% of the time”. And that’s good enough for me.

I did not know BEANS about guitar when I started– (on Jan 12, 2021- right in the middle of COVID– and there I was, home, suffering from what felt to me like a bad hangover that went on for nine days). (Side note- I’ve had “the VID” two more times since then).

Well, anyway, it’s now two years and seven months later—- wow.

So the reason I had to think about my response in here was that there are just SO many things, SO much knowledge, SO much improvement in physically, actually playing of the guitar, and SO MANY wonderful people I have “met” in here!

SO MUCH, in fact, that it is just not possible for me condense it down.

You must know by now that I am full of a lot of things- one of them being examples. So here is just one example – (there are hundreds)- of how Tony and TAC helped me.

I play “mind games” quite often, usually when I’m out for a walk, or driving a boring highway, or layin’ in bed in the early morning. Anytime my mind has a chance to just “wander”.

For example– yesterday morning, maybe around 4-5 AM, I started dissecting chords in my mind. Completing one at a time, I went thru the seven major ((“open”(?) A,B,C,D,E,F,G)- chords—- every barre, every fret, every string, and every fingered-note location…. in all five CAGED shapes and locations……. in my head– just layin’ there in the dark.

Then, this morning, I started doing the same thing with minor, minor7, major7, dominant7, and sus2 and sus4 chords. (didn’t get all the way thru– but made a good dent in it). I’ll get there…….

The big thing is that I am NOT doing this as in just “memorizing the chords and where to put my fingers”– I’m doing this by analyzing each chord, and each note (1-3-5- (7))- and then it’s location- (which string/which fret).

The point is- (and I apologize that it took me this many words to explain it)- that THIS is one of the main reasons I, also, love TAC.

Yes- I know I still have a LONG ways to go—- but I never……. EVER……… would have gotten this far without TAC. Ever. Much of the stuff I now “know”– I never even knew existed before I came onboard.

And you know what?……….. it’s still FUN!!!!!!

So “there ya’ go”. Thanks for starting this post, Mike.

mark- (theoldcoach)

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Kay-

Can you share what “version” is this, of that song?

I want to give it a try to learn it– (but I can see……. this is gonna take some time!).

mark

[the-old-coach]

Thank you for sharing this.

I love this kind of song- quiet and simple-“sounding“- (but I think it’s probably pretty complex actually).

You play the way I hope to someday.

mark

[the-old-coach]

Another great song and presentation!

Simply…….. Beautiful.

I…….. LOVED IT……..😍

mark

[the-old-coach]

Mike-F

No expert here, but I do remember reading something long ago about transitions between chords– that “stuck” in my mind.

No matter which chord you are “going to”, you always have to “land” one finger ahead of the others. Only from there will muscle memory take over and put the others where they go.

Seemed/seems to work for me, I guess. Seems like in most cases it’s, of course, it’s my index finger- (whether it’s a barre-chord or not).

Practice is the only thing that makes it “automatic”.

Do your stretches– that’ll help things just be more “free” to move around easier.

Maybe this helps?

[the-old-coach]

Ed-

I can’t remember who it was in here- (maybe Jumpin’Jeff?)- that once used the phrase “get lost in the music”. The rhythm may(?) come once you learn to STOP being mechanical, and learn to just play— and be— “within the song”. (I’m still workin’ on that myself, btw, still a long way to go).

Thanks for starting this thread!

TOC

[the-old-coach]

Ed–

That is no small win! Many/most of us can play the materials OK enough after enough goofing around/ working on it. But many times, being able to play it “easily” and “in rhythm” is a different story altogether.

My limited-knowledge tells me that if you can play something “in rhythm”— you’re beyond just the mechanical-part……… you’re actually playing the music.

This is a BIG win.

[the-old-coach]

I had a nice reply- but went to edit it…. and POOF…. gone.

Here’s my “entry” into this post. I’m pretty sure I am well-behind you (all) in the guitar-learning world, so there’s that. So, take my opinions with that in mind.

My suggestion is not from guitar, but from coaching. But maybe some of the same things apply.

Individually—

You know the chords and transitions by heart.

You know the lyrics by heart.

You know the strumming patterns by heart.

We used to pound individual skills into our players’ heads…. for months…. until they had each skill built into their brain- to the point where it was almost automatic.

After all that work learning each skill– by heart– “inside”- (like your skills)- OUR coaching-part was to then tell them to forget all about all of that come game-time—- and JUST GO PLAY. To deliberately put all of these mechanical skills out of their minds, and just “let the whole thing happen”.

I (used to) know quite a bit about that coaching-stuff, but now, (with my guitar-level on full display, I’ll ask)- do you (all) think that something like that work in guitar? Can you/we/I somehow turn our mechanical brain off, and then maybe just take off and play intuitively?

Forget about exactly what chord, and what lyric, and what kind of strum at that exact moment—- and just sort-of let yourself “get lost in the music”, and GO PLAY!

Don’t be afraid to say my thoughts here are all wet. Because I want to figure this out also! I struggle with the same issue.

[the-old-coach]

Kay-

Thanks for responding!

I have found LOTS of “video-lessons” on this song- (not surprisingly, I guess), and the one I have been tinkering with most is the video by Marty Schwartz.

It think they are all pretty similar…….(?).

I’ll keep workin’ on it, and then- if I get the nerve- I’ll record and post it!

[the-old-coach]

Right on, Moose!

[the-old-coach]

Loraine– you have made a GREAT post here!!!! (not surprising!😀)-

yer old friend

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.