Loraine
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@Stilltrying Great to have you here with the TAC community! I will start by apologizing because this will be a lengthy post trying to answer your questions maybe intelligently and maybe not so intelligently feel free to ask for clarification of something doesn’t make sense or maybe someone else can explain it and better manner than I can but this is my thoughts and experience and hopefully I will answer some of your questions
TAC is a learning platform for foundational skills for playing guitar. These are all skills that you will use as you move forward in your Journey to learn the guitar you may not see how you can put it all together at this point but as you move into learning songs and listening to songs that you want to play you will hear where the skills come in and you’ll want to know these foundational skills, so that you can to some degree replicate a cover if that’s what you’re goal is to play, or maybe someday aspire writing your own songs, or you want to understand why some cords are paired together and sound good and others don’t sound so good together or different strumming patterns or different fingerpicking patterns knowing scales that you can incorporate into licks and other runs within a song, to know why or when to use accentuated strums, and you want to accentuate things, to understand and incorporate things like arpeggios , staccato, and many other things.
Have you taken five day challenge that explains the purposes of each day’s routine? If not that’s where I suggest you start. https://tonypolecastro.com/courses/5-day-guitar-routine-challenge/
Specifically,
Monday – Technique s
Tuesday – guitar licks
Wednesday- improvisation … BUT, in the lessons you’ll notice that Tony is teaching you a scale of some sort every week so the purpose is to learn scales just as you would as if you were playing piano or another instrument scales are essential, because they form a progression of notes and octaves. It is basically how Music is formed by moving from one note to another note to another note in (the notes may be within chords) but it is Notes that pair up and sound good moving up in active you know up in octave. Improv simply takes those same notes from a scale and puts them to a backing track that’s all it’s doing and it actually teaches you to be able to Play in different keys, find notes that sound good together, and that is what music is. You will notice when you start playing songs that you hear the same type of increases and decreases in octaves within the same key to make it sound kosher together. I hope that makes sense
Moving on
Thursday focuses on rhythm guitar which is typically a type of strumming support type playing and not the lead guitar. Rhythm guitar to me means that you learn cadence, timing using a metronome, different time signatures, forms of strumming based on the time signature, whether 1/2 notes, whole notes, quarter notes, etc. Accentuations on strums, and so much more.
Fridays are chord transitions several years ago TAC approached cord transitions in a very linear manner on a tab sheet, basically playing chords back and forth between possibly 4 chords in a very repetitive manner with a few different patterns between the chords. Currently, Tony does them in the overall focus from that week. If the focus is on learning a song or an aspect of a song throughout the week each day will focus on the daily goal of learning a specific skill with Fridays being a culmination of the chords and transitioning between those cords that go to that particular song or whatever is being worked on that week.
So the purpose TAC is to teach the foundational skills so that you can go out and learn songs and understand and know the different things that go into a song and why, and it will actually help you understand and learn songs faster but you also need to study a small amount of theory to round out your understanding, at least in my understanding.
So as @Moose408 mentioned guitar is not an easy instrument to learn, but it’s not impossible. It takes patience, practice, and by that I mean repetitive practice meaning you’re practicing every day learning new skills, songs, or working on a new skill you want to become proficient in. Learning aspects of a song that shows you how it incorporates different techniques, how to play the guitar licks found in a song, the scale that song incorporates to have flow, cohesiveness, or even discord within a song through the use of a diminished chords that add dissonance. As you learn songs, they will incorporate all these aspects of skills that you’ve learned, and you’ll be able to recognize them. You’ll be able to play the song because you’ll understand the rhythm of it and why the chords are where they are and the cadence and the tune and you just everything of a song you’ll understand the song is written the lyrics the timing throughout the song why some cord sound sound better than others which many times is just from playing those scales that are taught on Wednesdays. If you decide to board wizard or any other theory type course you will learn about the different scales and major and minor chords and the typical progression of a song how to be trained because you’ll be able to identify keys of a song which it’s very important to understand keys of a song
I would like to apologize because my intention is not the sound as if I’m lecturing or anything along those lines I’m basically trying to answer the questions that you put fourth in your post I do feel like probably been too repetitive in my answer and for that no I just apologize tendency to be word ha ha
I can guarantee that it gets easier as you move forward. The go to fucking go to bed what the fuck is your problem beginning is very difficult because it’s a new skill that you’re trying to learn it be like learning a foreign language that you’re not familiar with it would take a lot of practice a lot of repetition in order not to lose it you would have to continue to use it. fingerpicking or flatpicking so it’s more.
I was frustrated and almost quit playing guitar, probably the end of my second year. I think I was still confused as how everything fit together I was having a difficult time picking up learning songs transitioning between chords Learning how to strum inability to fingerpicks because I have tremors in my hand challenges due to a pain and muscle disorder that makes it difficult to play. I was overwhelmed with Covid, being a sole caregiver to my mother who had Left Body Dementia. It seemed to be stacking up against me and, oh stressed depressed overwhelmed and a bit angry. I was going to meet some people in Florida get together and several songs were sent out ahead of time that we were going to be playing during our time together and I was determined to learn the songs. Now I did supplement TAC with personal lessons in my 2nd year. He gave me a few pointers, but for the most part I was left on my own to practice them. All of a sudden things just started to fall into place I mean my strumming clicked I was able to transition between chords better my vocal still weren’t great that I’m still working at it’s having so much fun playing guitar because all of a sudden I could pick up songs much easier than I had ever picked up a song and I haven’t stopped since I love the guitar I love playing I love learning new songs I love performing at open mics and I go to jams and get together with friends sometimes it’s my happy place and what I’ve learned is that if you want to have fun it Hass to come from within you it’s not an external thing that Tony gives you or people within the form give you it’s taking the tools that are given to you and learning how to have fun with it experiment with it goof around with it no add some of your own flavor to it that type of thing at the beginning I just had such a joy over learning even the simplest thing like the 30 days to play I had never played the guitar before so it was brand new and was ecstatic about what I was learning I wasn’t good but I was determined and I had to find my own phone and learn how to laugh at myself I had to I decided I was gonna put out to the forums the good the bad the ugly and I posted videos of my journey and it wasn’t a lot of times but that’s OK because I learned from it and I got better from it so that’s still fine I love meeting new people that that’s part of my fun you know I’m six I’ll be 63 and two weeks so I was an older adult too I’ve only been playing four years and I have hundreds of songs that I can probably play now do I may not play them well, but I can play them.
Again I’m really not trying to lecture I’m just my whole point is don’t give up before the miracle happens that’s what happened with me I almost gave up and I almost missed out on the miracle which to me is my happy place absolute fun playing at times frustration but there is always something I can laugh about and I continually learn and I think to me learning is fun so it just depends on what your goals are and I suggest that you take Tony up on his quarterly chickens and write down and 90 day goal what you’re going to accomplish within 90 days what steps you’re gonna take and then in 90 days to a check in to see where you are on those goals and that’s all I can really suggest at this point feel free to message me with questions if you want I don’t have all the answers but I’m willing to talk to anyone I can only give my experience strength and hope so you know it has to come from within you I hope you are offended by my post I have to laugh because I’m never short
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UPDATE 10.19.24. A day after the surgery, the surgeon wanted me to see a hand therapist. He wanted the cast removed ASAP due to swelling. I had to wait a day to go in because of a commitment so I went in yesterday and they took the cast off and said I was better off not having a cast on because of how swollen my fingers and hands were. They fitted me with a hard wrist brace with straps that I can undo and clean the incision sites and then redress it and put the wrist guard back on. There’s not much chance of the wrist moving because I have a plate on the top of it that holds the entire wrist straight while the break and dislocations fuse to the plate and screws under the wrist. It seems a little surreal to have a cast off a day or two after emergency major surgery or major surgeries because it was three surgeries done at the same time. I was told I had PTSD carpal tunnel syndrome from the fall and because of how tight the ER put the cast on my arm causing severe pain swelling purple blue fingers that turned like and numb. because of how tight the ER put the cast on my hand and my arm and fingers basically turned like numb and cold to the touch from lack a circulation. That was for five days after the accident that it was in that cast. II got nauseous when they took the cast off and I saw the extent of the incisions and stitches and staples and and a couple of huge ones that were much bigger than the regular staples and my daughter called him something I don’t know what they call them. Behometh comes to mind.. The pain is pretty extensive, and I’m on a synthetic medication, because I have allergy to the other option. Pain is worse at night and I have to keep it elevated while I sleep and that’s difficult because of course you switch positions
I am trying to do every single thing suggested, because I want to get back to playing guitar. I find myself reaching for it several times a day and realize it’s not possible yet and I say yet because I know I’m gonna get back to it.
My guitar teacher told me just sit at home relax have the guitar on my lap and do different patterns with my right hand I have essential tremors in my hand so finger style has always been difficult for me, but he said now is a great time just to do the patterns over and over and over and eventually he thinks my fingers will be trained to do the patterns and my fingers and hands won’t jerk or shake. I’m again hopeful for that. I always thought I was relegated to be just a rhythm guitarist but I’ve always wanted to learn finger style too so we’ll see!
Nothing much more to report fingers are still numb and won’t straighten all the way or bend/curve all the way to a fretting position but he says that it it’s too early to know exactly what’s gonna happen with the fingers in the hand especially because they had to move a couple of nerves that causes a lot of numbness many times and it can take weeks for a traumatize nerve to rebound back so I’m hopeful for that too. I will say that before surgery, my hand was stuck in a claw position. Good boy Long time since you’ve done that impress yeah no can I put thisI can now straighten the fingers probably 70-80% of the way. That simply amazes me.
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Hey Charlie,it never ceases to amaze me how far you’ve come on improvs. They sound so well rounded, smooth, and much better than any choppy mess I put together.
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Very nicely played Marty. Your playing is so smooth, and I like your accents.
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Great performance. I do Luke Combs version, but they’re all great.
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I do have a fantastic support group through the TAC members! I relied on this group back when Covid started and I was the sole caregiver for my mother who had Lewy body dementia and the community was so supportive and saved my life literally because I was so depressed being locked in the house with no family or support working full-time and being a full-time caregiver it was a very lonely experience and I’ve made some great friends through the forums and the open mics that I’ve gone to him jam clubs meeting up with people outside of TAC to Play guitar with and it has been so much fun so and reaching and rewarding and I will always be grateful to Tony and the original members of tack many that are still here but many that are moved on because they lifted me up and carried me the first several years, and I am still very good friends with many from the original group that I met. They taught me how to play guitar which was always a dream of mine and it’s my happy place and I do plan on getting back there again so I’m always grateful to so many but you hold a special place in my heart because you have always been a good friend and very supportive. I am very appreciative of that.
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Jeff that’s Flippin good news to hear about your nerves coming back I know how difficult it is when the nerves been disturbed. It’s scary to think that A nearly 100 pound Roddy no you won’t regain sensation or it will always be numb or you’ll always have issues whether it be in my wrist and hands playing guitar or nerve damaging my foot and leg from a tibial plateau break and the second botched surgery, and I have pain and numbness and deadness and sensitivity just to the bare minimalist Touch on my shins and calves to also affecting my balance and gait on my left leg, and a hot shooting pain up my leg all the way through my thigh. But you always have to look at the bright side because that surgeon was initially going to amputate my leg but he saved it so yes I have those other issues but would I have been happier with an amputated leg? It’s just such a difficult thing to know the answer to. I think the same will be true about the left wrist hand and fingers. Another rambling line message sorry about that
I did get nervous tonight, because I sent my daughter photos of my hand and fingers to show her the odd colors in my hand/fingers. I’ve never seen such an odd Green Gray Black purple and brown. She’s a registered nurse in San Francisco. I was simply commenting on the colors not that there was concern on my end, but her response was one of alarm and she suggested I go directly to the emergency room she felt it might be a serious issue with my arteries because of the Black almost dead looking skin against a fairy pale finger compared to the other two fingers and thumb. I spent nearly 3 hours in a panic trying to find out if it was actually necessary to go to the emergency room which is fairly difficult to do on a Saturday night I found out emergency room allow you to talk to doctors to discuss medical issues over the phone I don’t know why that baffled me but it did I went upstairs to the wound I thought maybe the discoloration is just from the surgery from you know he used markers on the Palma my hand so maybe the markers just got smudged on the fingers and yeah I’m thinking goofy stuff like this and but they’re markers they didn’t come out I tried cleaning them I did leave messages at the doctor the surgeons office as well as the physical therapy Center and I’m choosing the route of going to a urgent care in the morning instead of the emergency room tonight because my insurance charges me $250 or $300 if I’m not admitted and her response was go directly to the ER I think that’s something really dangerous having to do with the veins with arteries I spent probably three hours in a panic or near panic because of her saying that trying to get a hold of a doctor or the hospital without having to actually go into it I wanted to necessary saved a hell of a lot of time if I just gone in to the ER but I get nervous cause I have a dog and I live alone so I don’t have family in the area and it’s you know I worry about the dog if something happens to me who’s gonna take care of 100 pound Rottie? At least an urgent care will only charge me $50 and if I do have to go to The Er from there oh, I don’t think I’m charged the $250 or $300 ER visit. I’m charged the I’m not independently wealthy.
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Thanks so much Bill I always appreciate your support and words of wisdom over the years we’ve known each other. I accept your well wishes and prayers.
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Thank you TerriG! I can see we’re very like minded in our beliefs of healing properties. I use essential oils with specific carrier oils all the time topically and ingested. These became essential to me because of my pain disorder. I rely on several combinations of oils and different Carrier oils to help with pain. I my sister-in-law went 5he other route and is a certified ,herbologist. She is up from NC, and she came laden with several tinctures and oils to help with circulation and reducing inflammation. I still prefer the essential oils because I feel they are stronger and work faster and they don’t taste nearly as nasty as a tincture, but I’ll take whatever I can get at this point. I will eventually go to my acupuncturist too.
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Both are great ideas! I just ordered a rubber bridge guitar, which I love the muted sound of. To me it would make a great slide guitar, but it’s not a square neck lol box, but it would be kind of cool to practice on it. I had thought about that before. I’ll definitely keep the square neck back in mind though, but I have to laugh because at some point I have to stop buying guitars ha ha.
As for Eucalyptus, I absolutely love the smell of that oil. I could probably use a base oil and rub some eucalyptus, even on areas of my skin, but I do diffuse essential oils all the time I’m a true believer of their healing qualities.
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Hey, OP, You make me sound like wonder woman ha ha. I will get through this. I’ve been through much worse than life so this actually is more of a piece of cake. I’m just really nervous about the outcome. Read my response to @langerking regarding my experience with the surgeon and how I feel really good about his skills and abilities, but also him as a human. It will be a long road. They’re actually starting me on PT tomorrow which I find amazing so soon after a surgery he actually wrote on my cast. Move your fingers with two !! I like the reminder as much as it hurts to do that it’s very painful right now and they weren’t able to give me any narcotics cause I’m allergic to morphine so my insurance and pharmacy won’t allow me to have any narcotics which I think is a shame and a scam For someone who’s been through a major surgery that involved three different procedures they put me on a synthetic medication, but it really doesn’t hit the pain I figure a few more days and the pain will subside enough to wear. It’s not keeping me up at night and then it’ll just be a lot of hard work and PT but I’m used to that so no biggie.
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Thanks, Marty. I think I actually did that when I had tendinitis and tennis elbow back in my second year and I couldn’t play for several months so I started out with open D and playing iris.
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I really appreciate it and kind words and sentiment I definitely feel supported and encouraged by the forum<div>
</div><div> I just had the surgery yesterday so I’m in a lot of pain still but I feel somewhat good about the surgeon he’s a little odd or eccentric I should say but that’s with the 11 years of schooling gotta be somewhat good I would hope. I told him how important guitar was to me and that that was my goal was to get back to playing guitar and not having major problems and he said he spent the night before really contemplating that and thinking through the surgery and meditating on it and when we got in the hall going into the operating room he had his eyes closed and I said oh please don’t tell me you’re tired, and his response was no I was meditating about the procedure. That really made me feel good that he took the patient seriously and didn’t just think of me as just another forearm or hand. I liked that he mentally prepared himself before the procedure. </div><div>
</div><div> I saw him preop, and I said I was nervous. He said so was he! I was shocked he said that. He pulled a char up next to me, and told me a story from when he started practice in Seattle Washington. His partner was one of his instructors from the university. He asked him when does the nervousness go awa? His teacher, who had been in practice for 35 years at the time, says I’ll let you know when it happens. So to me that made him much more human then a lot of surgeons who put themselves up on a pedestal. I like that about him.</div> -
Thanks so much Jeff.
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Thank you for your nive message Chuck. I don’t think it will be as speedy as 6 weeks. Thell be doing a 2nd surgery in 6 weeks. But the surgeon is aware of how important it is that I be able to get back to playing as soon as possible and without major issues.