[the-old-coach]

Ping-

Sounds like you’ve made the first step in figuring out these “chord-things”, by identifying which string buzzes on which chords. What you have written is very detailed– and that’s good. Your brain KNOWS what the problems are- and will work to correct them.

My suggestion(s)- I have two- (and they are based on my limited ability and experience- and this is nothing new or earth-shaking….)—

1. Slow down and GET THESE BASIC CHORDS RIGHT. To the point of being automatic. No matter what the combination. No peeking at either hand. Close-your-eyes automatic. There’s NO magic bullet, and no shortcut– it takes time, effort and repetition. But— you WILL begin to see improvement, and you will deeply enjoy that sense of accomplishment. It’s only you- you have done it- and you will own it.

Enjoy the trip. It’s not about the destination- it’s about the ride.

2. So much of learning guitar is like going up a ladder- getting “this” step right makes the NEXT step easier. Many times the lessons build upon each other- (a “crawl/walk/run” thing). This is NOT to say in any way- do NOT go to “the next lesson until you have — “mastered”— a lesson, because I think TAC is also designed to give you a “well-rounded” program that provides a good foundation in an “all-around” sense. So even if you haven’t maybe gotten a lesson “perfected”- keep movin’ on…… but DON’T hesitate to look in the rear-view mirror once in a while- (favoritize or print out a lesson that was tough) and go back to it from time to time– it’ll get easier. You learn way- WAY- more from 6, 10-minute sessions than 1, 60-minute grinder.

You know if you need to do more on a lesson or not. Be humble enough with yourself to get it right.

All that said- Welcome to TAC!!!!

Hope some of this made sense to you.

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Well- that was a mess– Oops.

[the-old-coach]

Wow- that is great stuff there– a BIG win!

I’m not there yet- but working on it….

A buddy of mine who has played in various local bands in our area for ~30 years recently said to me- “The hardest thing about the first time you play and sing in front of people ISN’T the actual playing & singing– (you’re ready for that!)– it’s the realization within you that you are willing to make a complete fool out of yourself…….. and……..you are OK with that……. Once you have accepted that- it’s easy from then on”.

As I said- I’m not there yet. Actually, a lo-o-o-ong ways off. So I admire what you are doing- (and I don’t think I’m alone🙂).

Thanks for starting this post- others are following in your footsteps.

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Hello all- and thanks for your responses!

Upon re-reading and re-thinking my original post- maybe “slipping backwards” wasn’t the best title for it.

It was meant to be a reference to falling back into old habits- in my case, it was just playing away on a tabbed music song- (and thinking I was doing great!)- when what I really want to do — instead– was learn to play that song **without** any “help”.

It truly was kind-of a “rut” for me— for years. Saying to myself that I was really learning to play songs… but….. not really.

Like the kid in the high school band who could play away for hours off the sheet music in front of him- (yes, I remember all those Christmas and Spring concerts watching my kids & g-kids!). Anyway- was he learning the notes?– yes. Was he learning the SONG?– maybe— sort-of. Could he play that song **without** the sheet music in front of him?– Not on a bet.

One of the reasons I joined TAC was to get out of the dependence and false-sense of improvement that playing only TABs put me in.

I know discussions generally along this line have popped up now & then in here.

My particular question was about the TAB-bed music and how that should NOT be an easy “go-to” for me to fall back onto- in my quest to figure out the best way for me to learn how to memorize and make songs available to play straight from my head– all on my own— (no chords, no lyrics, no nothin’)- out of the blue.

I figured that there is NO better place on the surface of the planet to get help figurin’ this out, than right here, within TAC.

Maybe someone else is dealing with this same thing?

Well- once again- it appears that rambling-on is my thing.

Thanks again for any more help & advice….

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Timo67-

I gotta agree with Carol.

Your story- and persistence- is pretty incredible.

Here in TAC, there are a LOT of us who have or have had self-consciousness issues of playing anywhere near others. Your story is a fantastic inspiration to all of us who’ve ever felt that.

And as Carol said— your dad is probably smilin’.

The nuts & bolts of your playing will come easily to you… Your story is BIG WIN material! Thanks for sharing that.

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

😃👍

[the-old-coach]

Hello Crarod-

They are “Falcor Flies Again”, “Merlin’s Mutant Brother”, and “KC1 in C mixed”.

To Nicole- another way to “save” the lessons is simply print them out, and keep them in a 3-ring binder of some sort. You can then still practice the TAB without your computer.

No matter how you “save” those lessons– be mindful of the ones at the VERY END of the month- make sure you do whatever with them BEFORE the Sunday/midnight before that first Monday of the new month.

Mark J

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Nope- haven’t seen that one yet.😯

As I said, just wrote the post, and hit the post button, then- (to make sure it was posted OK)- I read thru it again, and discovered a spelling error. So I hit the “edit” button, made the correction, then hit “post”……..

POOF gone

It’s happened before to me if I recall correctly, but it’s been months ago.

That’ll teach me to fix spelling errors🤨.

Thanks- Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Cadgirl-

I responded to your post- but then had to edit my own response. When I hit post to re-enter my response…. it went POOF! and disappeared.

I’ll try again later.

Thanks- Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Punder-

It’s all gonna come rushin’ back to you.

In the meantime, I hope your shortened sessions still give you enough time to get lost in the music- even for just a few minutes- and take your mind off all that. Cool little vacation(s) so to speak🙂.

Carry on. Be well. Your guitar journey is waiting patiently.

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Terry- (more!) great tips!

Always appreciative— thanks.

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

That Guy, Mike, Terry–

Great post- thanks for that insight!

Hadn’t really given it much thought, but I spent most of today’s session FOCUSING on a really “light touch”- exactly what you and Mike were saying.

When just playing along on a tabbed song, I always just strummed kind-of on autopilot as far as volume goes. If the song was big and loud/ or soft and easy– that’s the way I tried to play it…. “along with the song” I was hearing.

But today I went at each song a second time- but a little different. The tabs were still visible, I read thru the song– but I turned the sound OFF. And with the song’s sound only in my head– (in a now-quiet setting)- I really FOCUSED on “light touch” playing.

I could hear that song in my head exactly as if it was playing out loud– but my light-touch strumming sounded PERFECT- (at least to my ears😜)- to the music in my head. The guitar sounds were cleaner, crisper, clearer somehow. I actually think I was in “the zone” for a bit there!

To me, this is just another example of how much a person can learn simply by paying attention to the advice of those ahead of them- (that’d be you all!).

Great question, great thread…….. Thanks—-

Mark J

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Great video, Mike- Thanks- MJ

[the-old-coach]

👍