[the-old-coach]

During my practice session today, I went over into YouTube videos, looking for some actual examples of the point I was trying to explain in the original post in this thread.

Wow…. there are SOOOOO many “How-to-play this song” videos in there!!!- thousands. I couldn’t even begin to pick one out!

It’s amazing to me that even though the videos for any given song can all be different- (and they all sound great)——- It’s the same song! It might be in a different key– (and/or maybe MANY things changed that I mentioned above).

So, I use that to remember that even though I might play a song a bit differently than someone else…… that’s OK. Maybe I like “my version” of it better! And if I change my mind and change it her & there– (experimenting/noodling)…… that’s OK too!………

There isn’t a “you have to play it ONLY this way” requirement🤔.

This is one of the GREAT things about the TAC method. Here- we’re NOT learning how to play one song…. (even though the TAC-way may take longer and is harder)….. we’re learning more broad-based, to be able to play ANY song.

Any way we want to play it……… simply…….. because we KNOW how that song’s music-structure WORKS- (vs just “memorizing” it).

Any thoughts?

Sorry yet again about being so long-winded- (and I promised myself I’d work on that😕).

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Kinga-

Wow, this is a big subject- LOTS of ways to think about this, and LOTS of threads on this subject– search around here in the Forum– you just may find exactly what you’re looking for in someone else’s thread…….

My own thought is to go back to the start. Re-read your own Profile and GOALS that you posted the day you signed up for TAC. Get all that straight in your head– ****exactly**** what you want to accomplish in the LONG run.

I bet you probably started in TAC with those clear ambitions and goals in your head.

1. Go back and find them. Like a giant “reset button”.

2. Don’t compare yourself with anyone else– including YOURSELF and “where you THINK you should be by now”.

3. Give yourself a break on this– learning guitar is difficult….. Forget about big-guitar-things happening overnight. Enjoy that fact. The best parts of the old movie “Vacation”– BY FAR– where the adventures while DRIVING TO WallyWorld…….. not when they GOT THERE. Enjoy the trip!

4. Always– ALWAYS– have fun with this.

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Like Albert said…….. “it only keeps getting better”!!!

Tru-dat

[the-old-coach]

Sorry to all about my enthusiasm and all my “blah-blah-blah”………. “I did this/ I did that”.

I was in kind-of a hurry today when I posted about all my latest “fantastic accomplishments😏”, and when I got the chance to go back and RE-read it– I realized I was probably a bit “over the top” sounding.

I’ll be the first to tell ya’ I still have a LONG way to go. But I am havin’ fun with all of it, and have a pretty-good handle on where I want to end-up guitar-wise. There’s an end to how much I want to LEARN out there somewhere, but I don’t see an end to how well I want to be able to PLAY what I’ve learned. Does that even make sense????

Anyway– Think I was just excited and enthusiastic about discovering something new😃- (and every new lightbulb moment is pretty cool)- because learning to play guitar seems to go so S….L….O….W…. most of the time.

Heck, maybe someone else can get something out of my BS— (believe me, if –I– can learn to play guitar— anybody can).

Anyway, I’ll work toward fixin’ all the enthusiasm, excitement, and blah-blah-blah….

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Hey, y’all—

Well, today I did “the whole process” again. This time it was the song “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not- (by Thompson Square). Chose this song because we got to see them perform this in one of the Broadway bars in downtown Nashville ~10 years ago…. from about ten feet away! (Zach Brown was in the crowd about ten feet behind us- drinkin’ beer- I got pics and videos!).

Anyway- did “the whole thing” using this song….. Told Alexa to play the song, figured out the key, major recipe for the notes, built the matrix/got the chords, listened for the chord changes, gave each chord in the progression it’s “Nashville Number”, and played away.

Interesting part- the song was actually in Key of A flat- (which in itself is unusual(?)- BUT- (checking my work)- the Ultimate-Guitar TAB showed playing it with a capo on the first fret…. and then just playing “regular” open chords- (G-C-D /// 1-4-5).

So…. I had to think about that for awhile- because I wanted to– and was– actually playing those 1-4-5 chords in the key of A flat- (no capo)- using all E-shaped barre chords- (A flat, D flat, and E-flat— at 4th, 9th, and 11th frets).

So I just played the song thru about ten times using only/all barre chords, glancing ONLY at my own chord matrix columns……….

Hard to put into words– but a DAMN fun “lightbulb moment” today.

THANKS to TAC— and all who I’ve learned from here in the TAC Forum!😀😀😀

You all were right— when “it” starts to happen— all the lights come on!!!!

theoldcoach

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

[the-old-coach]

WOW– that is cool.

I’m right there with ya on the playing ability- (I think…… well, actually…… hope)

But……. I have yet to play in my first VOM.

The middle part of your post scared the beegeebers outta me— but the last part made me feel a bit better………. but I don’t think I have the coconuts for that yet.

But…….. reading your post was a GREAT inspiration indeed!

Thank you- I think playing in front of someone else besides my wifey- (the poor thing)…😕- would be a HUGE thing. I’ll get there……..

Thanks again for sharing.

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Thank you for C-G and K-man for the responses!

I know the way I explained it sounded kind-of corny, but it was truly eye-opening to me.

So, C-G, you’re right- I can now just be listening to a song….. but NOW I “hear” it DIFFERENTLY, and that’s kinda cool.

I HEAR the chord changes, whether major or minor- (happy or sad)- in real time/ full speed in songs I listen to. And can work-up a chord matrix fairly quickly- just in my mind- and go from there– it’s all kind-of “clicking”…….

Almost……. (not quite there yet)- able to identify notes/ keys/ chords just by ear- without guitar in hand. Almost……..

Cooler– (with no sound playing)- when I “hear” songs in my head, I can somehow “compare” the keys/ notes/chords, from memory of what those keys/ notes/ chords/ actually sound like. Again– confusing and hard to explain w/o sounding corny. Not perfect yet- but coming along.

It’s funny how TAC can teach a LOT about playing the guitar- without even necessarily having a guitar in my hands– it’s more than doing the physical-exercises and lessons— it’s about training my BRAIN.

Anyway– there’s a glimpse into my guitar journey if you care. The brain-stuff?– it’s a curse, really😜…….

[the-old-coach]

Chuck–

I get these weird contorted-fingers hand cramps in my fretting hand now & again as well.

For me, it seems like they just go away after just a minute or so of shaking and stretching my hands and fingers out……. but………. when I put my fingers back on the fretboard and happen to find that EXACT same weird position, they cramp right back up again. For me, it’s kind-of a “trigger” thing– I’m fine until I find “that ONE” position.

I don’t know if you could look at it like any other muscle-cramp— (charley horse, etc). My good-old cure for leg cramps was– believe it or not– drinking about a half cup of pickle juice……. I don’t know why or how– but it seemed to work….. and quick!

I’ve heard another “old wives’ tale”- (can I say that these days?)- that bananas work also.

Anyway– that’s my crazy advice for charley-horses, but I have my doubts it’d be the same for hand cramps.

There ya go… I’m full of advice– (and something else?)…….

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Stevie

Congratulations!

I’m at about 50 sessions more than you, and think you & I are about the same place in our “guitar-journey”(s).

I feel the same way about TAC as you…….. I started TAC about 25 months ago. It took me from being a “lost”, tab-addicted, overall-low-knowledge hack who thought he was “doing good”……… to being a focused- (and humbled– TAC brought me “down a few pegs”), MUCH more broad-based, “guitar-thinking” person, goal oriented player…… and student.

I’ll be the first person to say I still have a long way to go- (and that’s GOOD, because “the ride” has been a blast!)- but I absolutely agree with you—-

“It HAS been a life-changing experience”.

Congrats!……. Now……. keep goin’!!!!

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

g-vick–

Welcome! This is a great group here. First off- you made a GREAT choice to “come on in” to the Forum! Poke around in here a bit and you’ll see that there are LOTS of caring, encouraging, and helpful folks in here, that’s for sure. NO question is too big, small, or strange. (the only bad question is the one that doesn’t get asked)….. Be a “regular” in here– you’ll see it’s VERY beneficial in your guitar journey— over & above the TAC course itself.

My two cents- For sure, do the “30-day Challenge”. From there you have different options as to which ORDER you want do them. There’s LOTS of suggestions in here. Only you know “where you are” in your guitar journey– and “where you want to go”….

If you didn’t already— go back and GET the Fretboard Wizard Course!!!!!!!!!!

So jump in and remember a few old proverbs that came from others in here– “Always remember to have FUN”, “Give yourself credit for your small wins”, “Love the sound you make”, and (my fave)- “Expectation is where fun goes to die”.

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Timbo–

My take is– Each of us has a different STARTING point.

Reading thru others’ profiles is the proof in the pudding.

Sure, there are differences- we’re all different and lead different lives- but (generally speaking of course)- we all have the SAME goal.

I have lots of silly old sayings- here’s one that may apply: You’re standing on the North Pole, looking out toward the horizon– and take off walking…….. NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION you head off to, you are ALWAYS headed South.

As with guitar- no matter what path we take- (we’re all different)- we’re headed towards our goal.

Oh, yeah— don’t worry about the barre chords. That’s small potatoes. When that happens to me, I have a different approach than many I think. I just do more of the TAC’s ***warm-up stretches***, but then start back with the HARDER barres first, and then the easier ones after that. This “order” makes most of the barres a piece of cake. THEN go back after the toughies.

my two cents worth’

theoldcoach

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

[the-old-coach]

Again……..Nailed it…….

[the-old-coach]

Nailed it…….

[the-old-coach]

Well played, albert_d……… Well played………

And I agree😎

[the-old-coach]

You are fearless…………. and I am envious………..

I’ll get there– and your original post– and these responses in here– will help!

theoldcoach