[the-old-coach]

BV2–

Remember there are many ways to proceed on your journey– with no guitar in your lap at all.

Ideas:

Maybe organize- (or re-organize) all of your guitar-stuff; your guitars themselves, your books, your notebooks, your equipment- (metronome(s), tuners, capos, picks, extra sets of strings, cleaners, any cords/mics/interfaces/whatever….. every guitar student/player has stuff. Re-org it.

Maybe do some thinking about your overall “plan” is with your learning. I mean really give it some thought. I think we all gravitate to what suits us…… dig into that.

Maybe do some learning about things that will really help you in the future… (is this a good time to mention Fretboard Wizard- if you haven’t done that?)… Anyway– “dig in” a little– learn all about the Circle of Fifths; the basic chord shapes— knowing they are all moveable— (again- if you haven’t already). Learn how to build a chord matrix- (so you know HOW chords are built- (rather than just memorizing them. Learn about Keys, and Modes, and transposing. Give some thought to scribbling-down some notes with maybe some of your own song-ideas.

(Overall rabbit-hole alert!!!)— Don’t get too nutzo on this stuff all at once– just get your feet wet on some of it if you like. “Ya don’t know what ya don’t know”. It’s fun just to explore!!!

I guess what I’m saying is that there are lots of ways to “practice” to learn, to continue your journey— while you recover; I’ve been thru the whole rotator-cuff process; anybody who has…. “knows”…..

[the-old-coach]

Mitch–

If you feel you’re not going to really have a lesson “down”- (with the next lesson bearing down you)- is to do just as Pete says…. give it a decent go, and then just move on.

BUT— if you’re only gonna give it a short few minutes…. the work you do do on the lesson needs to be very deliberate, accurate, and attentive….. and SLOW.

Your brain will pick it up and store it quite well— if you learn it slowly and accurately.

[the-old-coach]

Maybe many people focus too much on memorizing where each note is located all throughout the fretboard— as their way of learning. To me— much better to just learn the method…. the formula….

Like others have said, the 12 notes are: A-A#-B-C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#. Period. It is as simple as that.

Whatever string you are trying to figure-out the notes on– just “start” from the open string. (Example- D string…… the fourth fret up the (D) string is F#). (Example 2- G string……. the second fret up the (G) string is A).

You don’t need to memorize every single note everywhere on the fretboard!– you just need to know how to find them….. the method….. the formula.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Jeff nailed it……. slow down, then work back up.

Two other things you may try:

Concentrate on “landing” the initial finger first— then having the others “follow”. (I know this all happens in the blink of an eye, but there’s an “anchor finger-location” for every chord). In the case of a “C” chord, my anchor of course is the B string/2nd fret. It lands there “first”… the others will follow.

Close your eyes as you practice— this makes your brain “see” the chords; you will memorize them faster.

[the-old-coach]

JILLC–

My two cents:

1. Forget the “full F” entirely for now– focus on the mini

2. DO YOUR STRETCHING EXERCISES– both before– and occasionally during– your practice session(s)

3. Work on “going TO” the mini (from another chord) instead of just going to it from nowhere- (try the C to mini-F).

4. The first fret is hard to fret (especially barre) at first because it is right next to the nut. Put a capo on 1 and try the mini-F, now one fret higher. Or, you can just always practice that same shape as the full-F, just higher up the neck– and slowly “work it down”…. (just to get the “full-F shape” into your brain).

It will all come with time– main thing is…… be cool/ no worries.

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

[the-old-coach]

Along with the TAC program—- this TAC Forum is also really a great resource.

[the-old-coach]

Rob–

The lessons come in “monthly blocks”. At the first day of the month– last-month’s lessons are gone. So, bein’s as it’s still March– you still have access to all of March’s daily challenges. If you want to go back and “get them”- you can still “save” them somehow– (and then you could feasibly “double-up” during the month of April— if you wanted).

I’m old-school. Sort-of a luddite-type. I actually printed-off every single Daily Challenge for over a year- (until I started seeing them come back around)- and put them in a giant 3-ring binder. It’s pretty cool– I can go back and play ANY challenge I want– at any time. It’s also kind of fun just to open the book so some totally random lesson, and go thru it again.

I have read people saying that all the Challenges are on a strict yearly schedule– repeating exactly as the year prior. That’s “mostly” true…. but not absolutely true. I think they add new challenges in from time to time– so that moves things around a bit.

Anyway– just carry-on and have fun with it.

In the words of maybe the most quoted person here in TAC– (the quote-guru- and my old friend- @jumpinjeff )— “Expectation is where fun goes to die”.

Forget the destination; focus instead on the journey.

[the-old-coach]

Wow, Pete! Yours is quite a story also. A story of love and dedication.

And real priorities.

But I bet it makes your guitar journey that much better. Maybe your “built-in dedication” is also a driving-force in learning and playing guitar. And maybe also– your “escape” to your own little world of enjoyment-sounds from your guitar.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

That’s one thing about TAC— it sometimes seems like it’s “bang-bang-bang-bang”— and maybe easy to feel like you’re “falling behind”.

But actually…….. you’re not.

I think it’s the “10-minutes-a-day” philosophy that makes it so. But I think the main thing is that the 10 minutes must be very focused. It’s commonly thought that our brain “likes” learning things in short chunks- (i.e.- 6, 10-minute chunks is better than 1, 60-minute session). The TAC method is certainly well thought-out and time-tested.

But again– my own thought is that your short, 10-minute sessions need to be well-planned and very accurate in nature (vs emphasizing “speed”).

Of course you can go longer, but don’t let your own expectations upon yourself make you think you are ever “behind”……. again….. you’re not.

[the-old-coach]

Easy-peasy to find Circle of Fifths diagrams online. I just drew one out (with ONLY the major and minor (inner) circle. Taped it to my desk top so that it is ALWAYS directly visible when I’m playing. Easy to see what goes with what, and where they are in the chord family. Good stuff.

[the-old-coach]

Jorge–

Downright awesome advice there, my friend. A person’s own expectations is sometimes like a mirage– the goal keeps moving even as you make progress toward it.

You have stated a great perspective….. to lighten up! In fact, I’m going to write it onto paper and tape it to the top of the desk in my practice space so I can see it every practice. (It’s going right next to my hand-drawn Circle of Fifths diagram).

[the-old-coach]

GMH–

Indeed, there are a few “tricks” to easily find note-locations (relative to each other).

(example– you don’t need to memorize exactly where every, say, G note is— as you suggest— you just need to know the formula(s) to get from to the other). There are plenty of little tips and hints- (they are all good– and they ALL work!).

I didn’t want to “go there” in my post– because I would have phrased things badly and maybe made them more confusing.

I still have waaay more to learn, but the key (on this subject) was just to spend some serious time messing-around with this on my own. We’re all gonna learn this a little differently from others.

Your explanation is good.

(my “landmark” is at the fifth fret— where the notes are A-D-G-C-E-A—- (I remember it as “All- Dogs- Go- Crap- Everywhere- Always)

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

JC– Tons of info on capos out there (youtube or amazon vids, etc). Also lots of places to get one- or two!- (amazon, any guitar/music store). Most are ~$5-10- (some are higher, though).

Once you find out more about what they are and what they do– you’ll see they are a pretty useful tool…….

One “main purpose” I guess, is that you can change the Key of a song to fit your voice range. (that’s kind of a simplistic explanation there– but that’s pretty clear in general).

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

MrKimm— Yup— thanks….. I’m as sharp as a marble some days!

[the-old-coach]

And it seems so simple just looking at it! Uh-huh.