[Loraine]

To finish my thoughts, you have been such an inspiration to me Terry, and I have loved watching your journey. I have no doubt that you’ll make it through this and come out stronger and more creative and more talented in the end

[Loraine]

Welcome to the TAC community!

What you outline is a common issue. Most can’t reach their pinky out. There are stretches you can do, but you’ve received great advice. Lift your hand up to reach the fret with your pinky, or consider a short scale guitar that makes it easier on those that might have a similar issue, arthritis, smaller stature, etc. Be kind to yourself, don’t fret too much (play on words there), do the best you can, without hurting yourself, and remember that as you continue to play, your finger span will become more agile and you’ll be able to stretch further in a year than now, and so on. Make sure you are warming and loosening up before trying any stretches that are difficult.

[Loraine]

I’m sorry this happened Terry, because I know how important playing guitar is to you. Take it from someone who’s been dragged through the mud several times with injuries that put me on the sidelines to playing I can feel for ya. I’ll say this though. You’re allowed to have a pity party, because that’s just human nature.

I thought back to when you started. There’s no doubt in my mind, you’re a talented person that has many outlets. You’re a songwriter. You’re a guitarist. You were a performer. You’re a storyteller. You’re an entertainer on so many levels. You’ve put together singles and full sets and publish them you might even have CDs at this point. I don’t know, but I do know that you have the electronic versions on Spotify and other places you pick up on things so quickly and find so much jubilation (i’ve always wanted to use that word in a sentence ha ha) and have so much exuberance. It comes through every cell of you’re being. So what can you do?

You can do the fretboard wizard, which I think is a great outlet, if you haven’t done it in a while. You can do the harmonica, which I think is another great artistic outlet. You could continue your songwriting. If you don’t have keyboards go purchase an inexpensive keyboard at I used hand store. I purchased one for $20 at Goodwill. The guitar follows the same notes, chords, scales as piano. It would be very easy to learn the notes, scales and chords on a keyboard that you would typically use on the guitar, and you can put together some compositions.

Keep your chin up buddy guys reach out to me and direct message if you start getting down because trust me I’ve been there a lot of people have helped lift me up during the last several years so I’m there for you too. You got this!

[Loraine]

I took fretboard wizard right after starting the guitar. I had never picked up a guitar in my life. I’m going to sound like I’m a walking contradiction here. I was overwhelmed in some areas, but I enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I didn’t know how to apply it necessarily at the beginning, but what was kind of cool was over the next year all of a sudden things just started clicking in my head and things began to make sense. I call those, aha moments, or moments of clarity. It will happen with anything you go to learn. If you’re not familiar with something, learning something new may not make a lot of sense initially, but you will understand it as you move forward.

I don’t see an issue with taking it early, necessarily, because of my experience with it and I think if you’re like me, you will have the knowledge in the back of your head and then all of a sudden you’ll run across something or have a lesson for like the fifth time and then all of a sudden, you’re like oh my gosh, I get it. So that’s my two cents.

Oh, you own it for life so if you purchase it now and go through it, it’s OK. You can go through it again and again and again each time you can pick up something new from it even if you leave TAC, you own the program, you can come back here anytime and simply click on it, even if you’re not a paying member

[Loraine]

HinTMarlow, Even if you prefer to play without a pick, I suggest using one for any flatpicking or rhythm lessons, because TAC is teaching fingerpicking, flatpicking, and rhythm with the pick. It makes you a more rounded player, and you’ll find many songs can’t always be finger picked or strummed to sound similar to the original. @TMutter is someone who had never used a pick be&ore TAC. Maybe he’ll chime in. I know it took him a while to master and feel comfortable with a pick, but its possible.

[Loraine]

Marty, Marty, Marty …. Where have you been? Or maybe I should ask, where have I been. Haha. Its so good to see and hear you. I needed this song. Thank you!! Your guitar sounds awesome.

[Loraine]

*****BAD QUALITY***** SEE THE CORRECTED VIDEO *****

[Loraine]

This was great Braden!! Your playing was very smooth. Only you m ow where any errors were. I thought it was very well timed, fluid, and your vocals were perfect for this — probably would sound good with any John Prine song.

[Loraine]

I really enjoyed this Kevin. It fit your vocals perfectly.

[Loraine]

@philb @Skyman911 @albert_d @Braden @petelanger Thank you all for always putting up with my long posts. I truly appreciate the support, words of encouragement, and your own personal journeys with something similar. I’m not sure I tried playing with the best choice o song – haha. I am working on Lay Lady Lay by Dylan, and there is a barre chord in it. It still hurts too much to press down to barre, but it sounds pretty good with what noise I do make. Lol

Onward and upward. Keep on plunking.

[Loraine]

Hey George It’s sounds like a great routine that you have going on there. I should actually warm up more than I do since I’ve had my wrist and hand bones broken last year. I do much more now than I ever did. In the past, because I have chronic pain and Arthritis in that hand so it’s vital for them to be warm, literally. Sometimes I run them under hot water. I massage and put on some type of Cream like a EMU oil or some type of pain reliever. I flex them. Sometimes I use flex balls which are stress balls and squeeze them and hold it in my hand and move my wrist up-and-down and a little bit sideways. I also have Chinese balls that you hold in your hand and you move them around to get your hands more flexible and improves the dexterity of the fingersup and down and sideways. This is most beneficial, because there’s some weight to them. They’re just like the flex ball, but they are weighted. I do a scales here and there. I can’t say I do them often. I should do them much more often. My warm up is more playing some simple songs with just open chords. Then, I’ll get into some of the more challenging songs.

[Loraine]

Great wins, indeed. Relish these aha and I get it moments. I love when all of a sudden things start to click and show us that it is achievable. Things should take off quickly now, at least they did more me (in a sense), and you’ll be amazed at how things that seemed impossible or difficult come more easily now.

[Loraine]

Guy, this was awesome! So intricate and beautiful, and it looks like you did it by rote. Im so envious of people that can fingerpick. I love the mix of fingerpicking and strumming.

[Loraine]

Hey Ian. Thanks so much for popping in on me every once in a while. This really is a great song,

I really miss hangin with you and a few others. I’ve thought of popping in, but just not ready yet. I’ve been jumping on Scones every couple weeks. Absolutely love Brian.

Shoot me a message sometime and let me know how you’re doing and what’s new.

[Loraine]

Haha, tenacious or stupid.