[the-old-coach]

Lisa-

Wow. Kinda looks the world has been “piling-on” you.

Glad you got thru them both- and are playin’ again!

I’m willing to bet you still have it all stored away in your brain- that you’ll only have tender fingertips for a couple days- and that you’ll be right back where you left off!

But……. now…….. you will be RARIN’ to go!

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

I- (we all)- hope you’ll re-up.

With always a helpful and encouraging word- I consider you as being in a “pillars of the community” group here in our TAC Forum. In that group, you are in fine company indeed!

MJ

[the-old-coach]

saskia-

Mike’s suggestion of Ultimate Guitar is a good one.

If it matters- (and if they have the kind of music that you mentioned)- another good “tab” site is E-chords- (echords.com).

[the-old-coach]

Terry- I also have trouble “joining on to” the moving backing track. Maybe I’m just doing it wrong, but my problem seems to be STARTING. I can play the scale just fine, but it doesn’t sound to me like every part of the scale goes with every part of the track, so just starting “anywhere” doesn’t sound as good as when you are “in sync” with the track.(?) Sometimes I’ll wait till the very first part of the scale “matches” with the “restart” of the track.

Heck – I dunno- but I have quite a time with those, too!

I maybe think it would be easier if the backing track had the same kind-of “strum four times on deadened strings- like the “Play” videos always do. Then maybe at least we’d know when to start- right from the top.

Maybe I just have it all messed-up- (actually a fairly good chance of that).

This is a great thread– thanks for asking the question!

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Nice win!

My metronome and I have barely been on speaking terms since I got it ~9 months ago. It doesn’t see much sun, living in the drawer.

Seems when I was using it- it was ALL I COULD FOCUS ON- just seemed too distracting to me. Like my brain couldn’t be two places at once.

So– Question– when you are playing away, do you CONCENTRATE on the metronome, or is it turned way down- (volume-wise and “brain-wise” both), and have it kind-of “in the background”- with the music you’re playing being your brain’s MAIN focus?

Sorry about these dumb questions, but I want to bring it into my learning– as you all have done with way more success than I– and maybe it would help me if I could learn “where it was at in your brain”….. right when you are playing.

I have read all thru this thread- twice now. The thing’s always “had my number”, and I want to dust it off and learn how to use it!

(Note- sorry about all the “CAPS”, but when I try to underline or italicize something- it gets all wiggy with weird symbols, etc- anyone else notice this?).

Anyway– great win!— and thanks for any help you all can pass along….

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Mike- Great win– and insightful story.

It’s all in the details for me- (that explains my long-winded-ness😜). Your explanation of how you “ramped-up” the speed is something I’m gonna try. My brain seems to be sharper towards the start of a session, than toward the end, so I may get my hands warmed up only on that lesson for maybe only 5-10 minutes- and then “hit the gas” and see what happens- all early on in the session.

Anyway- thanks for sharin’– great win, great story, got me all fired up!

Mark

[the-old-coach]

TerryB-

Old Man is a really fun song to play! This will help—- check out “martymusic old man”.

Type it in just like that- and hit “enter”. You may just love it.

MJ

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

[the-old-coach]

Punder-

Great news, man!

I tore mine up about 20 years ago- what an ordeal. My wife is goin’ thru it now- injured it the last month or so.

Glad that you’re playin’ again—- and good to “hear” from you.👍

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

👍

[the-old-coach]

Terry, Doc, Loraine-

You know…. now that I think about it….. I don’t think I EVER got the real “jist” of the backing track and playing along with it. As I said, I could do the scale easily backwards and forwards- but only just off the tab info. But playing along?— Fuggedaboudit.

Guilty- I remember trying it with the backing track probably close to a year ago- (right after I started TAC)- and got frustrated with it I guess- and never gave it a serious look after that. Shoulda stayed with it…..

I think I was lookin’ at it all wrong- that I had to play the scale complete, start-to-finish, from the VERY BEGINNING. And what I thought was the beginning— was “gone” by the time heard it!- So I was always starting “late”. That’s where the “strum deadened strings 4 times like the “Play” videos” came from.

I’m gonna use your techniques and ideas from here on- just noodlin’ around WITHIN that backing track- throwin’ in whatever comes to my mind.

Hey– it only took me a year- cuz I are a fass lurner 😜

Thanks again-

Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Mike, Carol, and JumpinJeff-

Don’t ya just love “exploring” issues and questions like these? Really digging in?

Maybe this kind of issue only happens to me- (but I wouldn’t think so)…..

Recognizing the problem- (going downhill after a few times thru)- is only one third of it. Asking for help about it is the second big thing. Understanding and absorbing the advice, and putting it into practice, is the third.

Discussions like this are GREAT for learning! Logical, well thought out, advice–(which only comes from experience….)– is the KEY– we are all going to hit bumps in the road, right?

Imagine trying to learn guitar all by yourself- with NO help at all…. none….

Wait– I did that for ~30 years🙃………….. and learned nothing.

Can’t thank you guys enough… for the new perspective(s).

Mark J

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

[the-old-coach]

Jeff-

Thank you for this GREAT post. This has been buggin’ me for a while now, and this helps a lot. The way you composed and worded it reminded me of listening to a hypnotist! Awesome.

MJ

[the-old-coach]

Jeff- I gotta figure this tension thing out. Is that what’s goin’ on when– the very first few times thru a lick or scale- (Daily lesson)- I seem to nail it………

Then I don’t know what the hell happens, but sometimes it just goes downhill.

Is this what you mean when you say- don’t THINK about it…….. just play?

Many times it takes me the 10+ minutes to get back anywhere near the first couple times thru, (but I figure maybe that might be because of constant repetition?)

Is this the “tension” you all are talking about?

[the-old-coach]

Thanks for your reply!

I have an OK I guess metro. Sounds like it has many of the same features as your I-phone setup. I loved your last paragraph especially- and read it about 3 times.

Mine “beeps” too.

I wonder if it would be less confusing to have a “click” kind of sound- or even a “drum” sound- (lighter- not bass-y)- something more natural in a “music-y” way—- and just sound better.

Like Albert says- “a drummer”.

The “beeps” just don’t sound right.

I think I’ll look around and see if there is a metro out there that has various sounds.

Thanks again- Mark J

[the-old-coach]

Thanks future-Jimmy😀