[the-old-coach]

This is a great thread indeed! Very thought-provoking!

Right or wrong- (I dunno which)- I’ve always felt like…. no matter how many courses, or lessons, or Challenges, or books, or whatever that I took….. all that stuff can’t be relied-upon as if that’s the only thing I need to make me a better guitar-player. They are all really just showing me options for me to choose from.

The whole “making myself a better guitar-player” is on me. It’s about listening to the sounds I make; it’s about experimenting/ trying new things. It’s about really thinking about what I am doing– as I do it. Studying…. and practicing…. is all about getting ready for the game. And then, the game is all about playing.

Never forget the fun part of it!

[the-old-coach]

Maybe try—-

Just going to and from your mini-F….. to a C chord. The “shape” is somewhat similar.

Or to and from your mini-F to an Am chord; again somewhat similar.

Maybe try holding your fretting hand in various different angles or positions; see if anything “fits”.

There’s always an “anchor” finger in chords- (the one you land first– and the others “follow”). Maybe keep that in your mind as you’re monkeying with this mini-F.

Last one- (whew!)- Put a capo on (let’s say first fret)– and play that mini-F above that– (the strings will be much closer to your fretboard….. the mini’s shape will be MUCH easier to “muscle-memorize”).

Just some bits to chew on…….

Stay with it– these are new muscle combinations and configurations you’re doing– you will get them!

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

I was in TAC for 3 years, but, like many others (after about that long), stepped away.

And that’s too bad. The lifetime membership was like $500. After investing the $600 over three years, I asked if there was any kind-of “credit” for three-years already paid-in– towards the lifetime upgrade… (think maybe $50 per year toward the upgrade. Yeah…… Hard “no”.

Too bad, really. I want to give them more money and do the upgrade— just to have access to an already-existing product, at no or minimal cost to them. And I’m not alone.

The choice is there.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Well, here’s yet another viewpoint….. not different….. just “additional”…..

I think there’s more to it than just “playing guitar”. I see that as just the starting point.

Back in my working career as a utility power-lineman, the journeymen always told us (apprentices at the time)– “climbing a pole is good, but more importantly, you also have to know what to do when you get there….”.

Similarly, to me, being able to “play guitar” is great stuff……. but the real thing is what you do with that skill.

Do you wanna use that knowledge to write songs? Do you just wanna enjoy it as a hobby to keep to yourself? Do you wanna play campfire songs with friends and/or family? Do you wanna record or video your playing? Do you wanna perform live?…….. There’s just soooo many options.

Deciding your “end goal” is very important- (although as you grow, you may change it a few times!)

My two-cents– the old coach

[the-old-coach]

Try to keep in mind that it’s all about the trip……. not the destination. 😀

[the-old-coach]

Please—- MAKE SURE to do the warmups and stretches…. both- at the start/ and now-and-again during your practice sessions.

[the-old-coach]

LOVE this post of yours here, so much that I “favoritized” it on my laptop! I agree with your opinion of “keeping-up” on those barre chords. I don’t know what I’d do without them– they open-up so many different options!

Yeah, I agree that “transition-chords” or walk-ups/downs add so much flavor to the way a song sounds.

Although I think you are “farther-along”, maybe you & I are a bit alike in that we are maybe always experimenting with different little tweaks and sounds- (this is the part of learning guitar that I love the most!— never-ending discoveries!)

Thank you again for your post here.

[the-old-coach]

No doubt that some of the lessons are well beyond many TAC members. If you are completely new at guitar– maybe most of the lessons are.

There is only one “TAC-curriculum”. There isn’t a beginner’s…. and an intermediate…. and, say, an advanced series’ of lessons. That’s what the individual courses are for.

And that’s what makes it great; as you get “farther-along” you will gravitate toward different areas that suit you…. then pick & choose what individual courses you want.

I look at it as….. TAC has given me the map…. it’s on me to look it over and then choose a direction and destination!

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

To Loraine— (my first friend here in TAC)—-

You have made a GREAT post here, miss!

Many great points you have made. Possibly my favorite is- “I always tell people not to leave before the magic happens”. Perfectly true.

Always great to read your posts!

YOP— mark

[the-old-coach]

You now have the key…. Even if you don’t feel like you “got” some of the challenges at the time, your brain has stored them up for you! They will “come back to you” as you pass thru the same kind of stuff in your playing. (Maybe like finding money in the pocket of a coat you haven’t worn in a while– what’s better than that!)… Voila!- small wins and lightbulb moments!

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Absolutely!!!!! I know I still have a LONG way to go, but it provided the foundation— the entire “base” from which I have built up from. IMHO– what I like the most is that it doesn’t teach you how to “play a song”…….. it teaches you how to play any song.

[the-old-coach]

Pete– Great point about the lighter strings.

In my earlier post, I mentioned putting a capo on– to reduce the height of the strings. I’d like to add to that….. IF you wanted to stay in “standard tuning”, you could tune the whole guitar down two half-steps, then put the capo on the second fret.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Next step– start working thru those same chords and transitions….. but now…… with your eyes closed. This forces your brain to “see them”, and store that information.

Important hint— GO SLOW with this/ forget about speed…… Totally focus on accuracy.

[the-old-coach]

Yes– available all thru the 3 years I was a member. Just wasn’t able to make the leap. The $200/year was a stretch at the time/ the $500 was a no-go, (but it would have “only” been $300 more).

I know it sounds like I’m being a cheap-*ss whiner here, and I really don’t want to be that…. I was really just wondering if any other “former-members”- (I’d bet there are quite a number of them)- that would maybe buy-in on the lifetime membership if there was some sort-of credit or incentive to do so.

But if they’re no longer offering it, then it doesn’t matter.

I guess I’m sorry I brought this point up—- I hope I didn’t wreck (or steer the discussion) away from a good thought and point- (the original post in this thread), So, kind-of a never-mind……..

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Yeah– at the outset– there was no way I had the means or the confidence in my guitar-future to plunk down the entire $500……. They did say that they would put that year’s annual dues (seems like it was ~$200)- toward the $500 lifetime. So, I guess, had I done it during that third year, I would’ve had the first two years (~$400– already paid-in), and then the $500 for the lifetime changeover. So in my view I was gonna be a life-member—- but in it for $900.

That’s all I’m saying- (and not complaining, really). But… if… they would have offered some credit back for the $400 already paid-in, I think I would have gone for it. But now, I have three years in ($600); going “lifetime” would now be the full $500– the upgrade would now have total cost of $1,100. Can’t do that.

But I guess it’s all a moot point if they are not even offering it any longer. I might be a little worried if I was a lifetime member– if they are no longer offering it….. just sayin’.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  the-old-coach.