[Roy-Phils]

Hiya, I’m back after a long layoff because of treatment and recuperation for a nasty genetic condition that affects the hands (mostly older (66 yo) men of Northern European descent). I’m very fortunate that my fretting hand is almost back to perfect, but the non-index fingers of my picking hand have much reduced mobility and are bent about 15 degrees inwards.

Anyway finger-style and barre chords are a no-no, certainly for now, because I can’t risk a medical relapse. So I’m doing TAC, pick only, on electric until I build up finger strength, AND (as a beginner) I’m using ‘cheat’ chords that are extremely easy to play, all the majors and minors up the neck, NO barre chords, 1 E-shape, using the pinky on either the B or high E. Certainly enough to get one playing tunes and sounding musical.

I HIGHLY recommend you search YT for Ricky Comiskey, a Yorkshireman (English), who has an amazing knack for really simplifying the guitar for beginners – I guarantee that his enthusiasm will give you a massive boost. Best wishes.

[Roy-Phils]

Many thanks Lorraine – I hadn’t considered that because I’m kinda used to how my open notes and chords should sound. However I did check just now using my electric keyboard by ear – it has a LCD stave display that shows every key-stroke, and the standard-tuning notes tie in exactly. Also my tuner, a clip-on D’Addario, shows 440 at first switch-on. It’s quite nifty and shows half notes as well as whole notes. Nearest (commercial) Luthier is in Manila, about 900 miles north of me! I don’t know of any amateur luthiers in this area so I guess I’ll need to do some searching online; household DIY is keeping me away from the guitar right now, I’m struggling to do 10 minutes a day. Hopefully all will be good on the house front next week. Thanks again.

[Roy-Phils]

I should add that they are 0.012-0.053 strings – It’s all I have in the house as I’ve only bought lights for ages now.

[Roy-Phils]

Sorry, I meant the SAME way, not opposite. Loosen the G string and move your E in the same direction……..slowly. If I rush tuning my highest 2 strings, that’s when I get a breakage.

[Roy-Phils]

Hi, what sort of tuner are you using? Mine is a cheap one bought online and it gives an alphabetical readout, AND sharps. So if I’m tuning the highest string from E (very slowly slowly does it) I’ll hit D# first, then D ……if I go the WRONG way I’ll hit F, and string break territory. A tip is to loosen your G (standard tuning – it’s a much stronger string, forgiving) and note either mentally, or on paper, which way loosens the string on that side of the neck. Leave it for now and go to your high E and move the opposite way. I’m a leftie so the high 3 strings tighten if i move the top of the tuner AWAY from me, and if I move the top of the tuner towards me they loosen – I guess it is opposite for a rightie. Hope that helps.

[Roy-Phils]

He mea iki!

[Roy-Phils]

HI, I think these links are the right ones……

1. https://tonypolecastro.com/exercise/convenience-store/

2. https://tonypolecastro.com/exercise/starting-from-zero/

3. https://tonypolecastro.com/exercise/ticket-to-anywhere/

4. https://tonypolecastro.com/exercise/speedy-vehicle/

5. https://tonypolecastro.com/exercise/fly-away/

tonypolecastro.com

Convenience Store – Tony's Acoustic Challenge

Convenience Store – Tony's Acoustic Challenge

[Roy-Phils]

I
have short-ish fingers, so I’ve tended to do the same. However, since
working on barre chords I’ve found that my thumb position makes a
helluva difference on finger span. With my thumb in line with the first
finger I can’t reach the 4th fret (low E-string), but if I shift my
thumb up the neck (towards the bridge) between the ring and middle
fingers all 4 frets are do-able. It certainly sorted my ‘big’ F barre
chord. Obviously I don’t know how bent your pinkie is, but I hope this
can help.

As
an aside Michael, I have the same issue with the pinkie on my left
(picking) hand, it bends maybe 15 degrees inwards. It turned out (in
2017) that I had early onset Dupuytren’s
Contracture; luckily I found a clinic in Hamburg, Germany that was a
pioneer in non-surgical treatment using X-rays. They managed to stop the
condition in its tracks, sadly not reverse it though.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by  Roy-Phils.

[Roy-Phils]

Drat! I could have made this one as 6pm MST was 8am (on the 8th) here, I
clean forgot it was on. The 11am meetings occur at 1am the following
morning here, way too late/early for me! C’est la vie.

[Roy-Phils]

I am with you totally! I picked up the same ‘vibe’ myself; we are at pretty much the same point in the ‘course’. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that (it appears) that this course won’t deliver conventional guitar training by way of playing actual songs in toto.

I’ve hedged my bets by using a well-known online teacher who offers free lessons – he makes a living from merchandising and his own mobile app platform (which isn’t cheap). However his free material is a perfect supplement to TAC, tons of songs and superb lessons.

I had not anticipated going this route, but needs must is my own position.

Feel free to DM me if you want info.

[Roy-Phils]

I’ve got the full F working ok, but not fast enough yet; so I’ve been experimenting with the mini versions. The way I cracked the FULL-F was to extend my first finger a good half inch over the fretboard, way past the 6th string, mainly because my finger is very fleshy until the first joint.

I experimented with Tony’s mini-F and same problem, too fleshy near the finger tip. So here’s what is now working for me, consistently: put down the middle and ring fingers, as arched as possible, and make sure they ring cleanly.

Now place down the index finger on it’s side, as comfortably you can bear, but EXTENDED across to the D-string. This isn’t a problem as you are already fingering the D and G further up the fretboard. Focus on getting all 4 high strings ringing cleanly before you strum.

You will increase the finger arch by easing the base of your thumb as close as possible to the fret body.

Hope this helps.

[Roy-Phils]

Hiya, I too have faced this dilemma. I can now do the full F-barred but not at speed/smoothly. For me the breakthrough came after I extended my first finger a good half inch above the fret, but I’m still way too slow at the moment to use it in beginner type songs. So for now I use the Fmaj7 because it is close enough…….but you can get it sounding more like a (hollowed-out) full F if you leave out the high E – ie finger the B string at fret 1, G at 2 and D at 3 (ie Fmaj7), and mute the high E with your first finger – you play all 4 strings.

[Roy-Phils]

Hi Rob, I know EXACTLY what you mean. I’m the same age as you, on my 3rd 5-day challenge, and am noticing the lack of doing music making – an analogy would be my apprenticeship when I left school; we were shown various tools in the workshop, micrometers, hand tools and power tools such as lathes, and maybe once a week or two we’d be given an assignment to actually make something useful, usually a tool or ornamental piece (I’ve still got them!).

The learning curve was steep but steady, and immensely satisfying. Right now I can’t say the same about TAC, so you’re not alone. I’m now supplementing this course with free online instruction via another reputable site; I’m actually playing songs. Very badly I’ll admit, but it is why I came back to the guitar after a long lay-off.

Feel free to private-message me if you’d like info.

[Roy-Phils]

I purchased a 4-DVD set of theory lessons, by a well-known guitar player/teacher, at a crazy low price several years ago via his web site. I am getting back into theory and have started reviewing his videos and accompanying PDFs. I watched the sample video that Tony recently posted and I read through the course specs and it is very similar to the course I already have. This course is no longer available for DVD purchase and one needs to subscribe to the web site, at a cost of $300…. The material has been sexed up, but the meat of it is the same as I already have.

Tony is currently offering his course (If I read right) at a one-off payment of $150; IMO this is a bargain considering that you have the TAC team hovering in the background, as well as the wonderfully supportive people on here. I have asked several technique/theory Qs and have had my answer in very short order.

There are free resources online where you can get the info but you need to know what you don’t know, and it is time consuming ferreting it out. I think it’s far better to have a structured course at your finger tips, such as FW.

I’m afraid I can’t address your Qs on technique, regarding your fingers.

[Roy-Phils]

Hello Carol, thanks for your answer. I sort of understand; I think I need to get into intervals a bit deeper to make sense of it. I’m ok with the concept of major and minor 3rds and the 1 3 5 chords Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented. Yes I’m loving it! I’ve got a mathematics background and I’m finding music theory to be beautifully precise, everything connects. Thanks again.