[petelanger]

Sounds great! Well done, @albert_d

I don’t think you need to worry much about playing in time. If it’s a little off, it still seems to be working!
I’m like you, possibly even more cavalier about timing. Many times I don’t even start the PLAY video, just play through challenges from the TAB. I have the intention but often run out of opportunity.

[petelanger]

Very impressive! Everything is there: presence, timing, rhythm, chord changes, voice with good pitch (even appears to know all the words, I didn’t notice you reading).

[petelanger]

Thanks for posting @LittleGene.and.Casey

I like your setup!

The “Show off Your Routine” forum is very prominently placed on the Forums mainpage, yet 99% of members never post there. You are in the exceptional crowd!

Welcome to TAC, it’s an excellent program that gives you the motivation to play and the WHAT to play. Both are so key to your guitar journey! Have fun!

[petelanger]

When I started playing I imagined it would take 6-12 months to “master” chord changes. About 6 months in I realized this was going to be a multi-year pursuit. I’m 2 years into my guitar journey (about 15 months of it in the TAC program) and my transitions are much quicker than they were, but there’s still a good ways to go. I think I’m past the midway point, it’s hard to know because clearly it’s an unknown curve and not a line. There’s the 10,000 hour rule on mastering any skill, which also purports that 1000 hours gets you 7/10ths the way there (Competent (Proficient, not expert))

If that holds for basic chord changes then I’m 2 years into the 5.47 year journey (based on 30 minutes daily). Whatever the case may be, most importantly I’m enjoying my journey, I see growth all the time and I’m just glad to be here!

[petelanger]

Sorry, I didn’t want to over explain, but if what I posted is still not clear. Follow this procedure:

Alphabet A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F # – G – G# then start over A – A# – B…..

let’s say your index finger is holding down the the B string on fret 1:

Open B string is a B then the next note in the alphabet above is a C, so fret 1 represents a C note.

If you are holding down the E string on the 3rd fret then following the sequence:

Open- 1 – 2 – 3
– E – F – F # – G

so it’s a G

[petelanger]

I’m not sure how Tony teaches this because I am not a FW subscriber. But there are a number of Fretboard Formulas that deliver the notes up and down the neck

The first formula will allow you to determine any note on the fretboard simply by counting (using the musical alphabet: A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F # – G – G#) from the open string to the note you are fretting.

There are more formulas but you only need this one to determine the notes. The others are shortcuts to finding notes more quickly once you have memorized a few locations.

[petelanger]

Holy crap, when I read the intro before looking at your video I was expecting the worst. That was over the top GREAT! Keep it up @albert_d ! Very nicely done!

[petelanger]

@Barbara nobody has helped you yet? I am sorry, I went on Amazon and quickly found a plethora of fingerpicks so I wondered what the problem might be. I didn’t want to post the amazon link but I’ll DM it to you if you like.

[petelanger]

I apologize for being harsh, but I have to say something about your tone coming onto the TAC site with your very first post. It’s very demanding and whiney. Many members are going to be off-put by that approach. I was. I saw this post earlier in the day and closed it thinking: “I’m not going to answer that”. Four hours later I have succumb to my desire to help any and everyone, so here is my response to you.

Everything you need to become a better guitar player is here. I know because this is where I and many others have come and remained for many years.

There are lot’s of ideas on how to hold a guitar, Here are a couple of shorts:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-HLPEg2x1qY

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JdTRyHPWtU4

Regarding the lesson on strings, you will have to be more specific and then I will try to answer that.

The basics are in the skills tab: https://tonypolecastro.com/skills/

You have already found the address for asking questions since you posted this one. For membership questions email support@tonypolecastro.com

Getting started is here: https://tonypolecastro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TAC_User_Guide-v5.pdf

[petelanger]

It’s good to see you playing again, albeit through pain and the disappointment of your slow recovery process! Your determination is an inspiration to us all, thanks for doing what you do @Loraine !

[petelanger]

I suggest trying to not overthink things. Keep it simple. This program works if you just show up and play the challenge to the best of your ability. That’s actually what makes it so great, you do what’s been set before you without having to plan out a “practice schedule”. Most programs will require you to do this, but Tony has it set up so you touch on the 5 essential skills every week.

You may not be doing the daily challenges yet if you are in 30 Days to play still, but give it some time and it will make more sense. Best of luck and enjoy your journey! Oh and don’t worry if you feel you are missing things, it will get covered as you move on, even if you miss a week, there is not need to play catch up because the skills you might have missed will come around again in short order.

[petelanger]

And the video that @Pinski posted contains the explanation for that 1st Formula:

The natural musical alphabet consists of whole steps and half Steps

A w B h C w D w E h F w G (B&C, E&F are critical pairs, only 1/2 step apart)

In those intervals with the ‘w’ you find your “accidentals” or sharps/flats resulting in the 12 notes of the musical alphabet or chromatic scale.

A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F # – G – G#
I put dashes in there so that they remained spaced after posting)
Note that A# is also Bb C# is also Db, etc.

What naturally flows from all this is the second Fretboard Formula:

“The octave of each note is 12 frets higher on the same string,

A appears again, after the G# the next fret is an A, one octave higher than the open string.

[petelanger]

Great info, thanks @jorgemac !

[petelanger]

@MattTX_24 I searched for that intro video, but couldn’t find it. I did go through all my emails from when I signed up and while there was no link to this video, they clearly gave a lot of guidance on how to use and navigate this site. Perhaps those who are confused about TAC might check through their emails.

[petelanger]

Stewart Macdonald makes high quality stuff but they’re not afraid to ask 3 – 5 times what everyone else charges. So far I own 1 fret end file from StewMac and nothing else.