Hi, everyone. I wanted to start us off with a comment to get the ball rolling. I would LOVE it if you could leave a short comment introducing yourself to the other members. I’m Dan Thorpe, from Birmingham, UK (not Alabama!). I love fingerpicking – Paul Simon, James Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel and about a gazillion others! My favourite thing about playing guitar is having some quiet time to play for myself (music is a great outlet for everything in life) and to jam with my 4 year old boy, Archie! I used to be terrible at guitar but after years… Read more »
Hey everyone, I would love to know what lessons you would like to learn. More on fingerpicking, Travis picking, chord changes, theory, jamming???… you name it, leave your ideas below!! This is the place to do so.
Hi Dan, I am an intermediate player, but am fascinated about finger style, and very anxious to get started. But i must admit i do struggle a bit with the dreaded Barr Chords, but am improving a bit. I am a Viet Nam vet, who suffers from PTSD, I am very private, so if you don’t hear much from me please understand. Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for getting in touch. It`s great to have you here. Barre chords are tough but do make sure you take your time and use good technique with them.
No problem at all regarding being private and I hope you are doing well regarding the PTSD. Just know that the comments section and the mini-forum is there for you when needed. All the best.
Cool, for sure, let us know some more details. What sort of slaps and slides? The crazy stuff or solid on beats 2 and 4 type thing? What sort of guitarists have inspired this? (I ask, so I know I’m on the right path). 🙂
No particular artist comes to mind but I would say on beats 2 and 4 nothing crazy (yet). Slapping all the strings I find okay, it’s the thumb slap I have trouble with on the low E A strings.
I have come across slaps in the odd piece of music, done right sounds amazing. Just something I would like to add to my repertoire.
Ah, okay cool, thanks for letting me know. The slaps on beats 2 and 4 are very cool. The grooves these can add are great. Will get something ready on this. 🙂
If you would like to submit a video, you can add it to your comment by including a video LINK (for example, a YouTube, Vimeo, or Dropbox link). (Email Dan for help if you get stuck uploading a video)
YouTube and Vimeo links are the preferred video format. Make sure that your links are set to unlisted (not private!) and then only we will see it.
Hopefully, you have all noticed the new comments section at the bottom of each page in the DTAA! I would love for you to comment, ask questions and say “hi”!
JenniferCorrigan
2 hours ago
Fantastic exercise. This is going hep me so much. Especially that modern strumming pattern! That one is going to take some practice!!
JenniferCorrigan
6 hours ago
Love your holistic approach. Just what I needed to break some bad habits!
JenniferCorrigan
6 hours ago
Brilliant as usual. Tension is an absolute issue for me. So this was super helpful. Thank you.
Jonty
10 hours ago
Great lesson. I believe in making things difficult for myself, so am trying to do it without a capo – a bit of masochism goes a long way.
That’s a great score. Well done. The brain knows what it’s doing and with training, the fingers will follow. 🙂
Jonty
13 hours ago
I’m still on the basics – trying to get my fingers to go where I want them to go. As soon as I’ve cracked that I need to get used to keeping time. There’s still a long road ahead of me!
It’s early days but it’s good you are aware of these things. Keep the movements controlled, steady, and relaxed. The fingers will be well trained. Enjoy the process too, it’s well worth the time. 🙂
CherrylmareeRudd
17 hours ago
Hello Dan, I am 75yrs old, retired nurse, mother of 3 step mum of 1 and grandmaother of 4. I love all things musical and have been fortunate in being able to give my children and grandchildren the opportunity to learn musical instruments of their choice.Guitar, keyboard , drums,bass and vocals My parents were not financial enough the give me that chance when I was growing up. Now it’s my turn. I am in remission from Breaat Cancer and have mobility issues so I decided to use my ‘sitting’ time to learn keyboard and guitar. Over the years I have… Read more »
Hi Cherryl, welcome aboard. Delighted you are here and ready to enjoy your playing more now it’s your time. It’s great you have set yourself an exciting goal for the end of the year. Keep working towards it every day and keep enjoying your playing. Let us know how you get on. 🙂
Hi I’m Lee a Londoner who now lives in Banbury Oxfordshire. I’ve muddled along with the guitar for several years now but at 84 years old I thought it would be fun to do some learning. I stood watching a Busker playing classical music at Stratford Upon Avon ( Shakespeare’s country) and thought I’d love to do that, so here I am. Let’s give it a go.
Hi Lee, welcome aboard. It is great getting inspiration from others for sure. You can do this, stick with part 1, enjoy the journey, and let us know how you get on. 🙂
KevinMoore
1 day ago
Good lesson. I enjoyed it. Felt like my fingers were adjusting surprisingly well.
Good stuff, Kevin. Glad to hear it. That’s a great start. Keep it up and let us know how you get on. 🙂
JenniferCorrigan
1 day ago
Mneumonics for chord progressions is such a great idea! I so often have to double check the chords before I play a song I haven’t done in a while. This is a great way to not have to do that!
Super stuff, pleased to hear it. That’s a great start. keep it up. 🙂
RAELENELehmann
1 day ago
Hi! I’m Raelene. I’m from Australia. I’ve been on-and-off trying to learn guitar for a few years, without much success. I’m looking forward to finally making some progress. Thanks for this course. Starting with basics is really good for me to learn a solid foundation.
Hi Raelene, welcome aboard. You’re in the right place for sure, so many struggle with the guitar at first, but I hope you find these lessons help you achieve your goals. Stick with them, they will help. Enjoy the journey and let us know how you get on. 🙂
JudyBlackburn
2 days ago
Hi, I’m Judy from Washington state. I have always wanted to play the guitar, ever since my mom played it. I started strumming around Jr. high or so (a long time ago lol). I played in a church worship group for a couple of years. Now, I play guitar for my kitties. They are very ho-hum about the whole thing. One of my cats likes to help me play. I’d like to get back to playing as easily as it was back in the day. Must be age, aches, and pains that keep me from playing like I used to.… Read more »
Hi Judy, welcome aboard. Sounds like a great time playing for your kitties. Pets are great audiences and often very honest in their own loving way. Stick with the lessons in part 1, they feature many things that most people never get taught, and that can help you get on the road to playing like you used it, and hopefully surpassing it! Keep us posted with your progress. 🙂
Gene
3 days ago
Hi, my name is Eugene I’m from Ontario, Canada. Over the years I’ve sort of messed around with guitar, never got any further than playing open chords. I retired not so far ago and decided to dedicate more time to guitar practice. I’ve watched Dan on You Tube and really liked his videos. Hopefully this Fingerstyle course is going to provide me with the structure and motivation to keep going and develop some good skills.
Hi Eugene, welcome aboard. This is an exciting time for you then. I wish you many happy hours of guitar playing during your retirement and I hope you enjoy the course. Stick with the lessons in Part 1 especially and have fun. Let us know how you get on. 🙂
JackKrantz
3 days ago
Hi Dan,
I have 2 songs to submit, but I am not exactly sure how to on any of the platforms listed, WhatsApp, Facebook, or YouTube. I’ll probably send these 1st 2 via email.
Hi Jack, whichever format is best for you. Email or WhatsApp work best usually but please send in the way that suits you. If you record them on your smartphone, WhatsApp is very simple. Just let me know if you want the number for that. 🙂
DawnWilliams
6 days ago
Hello, my name is Dawn, from West Michigan.
I’ve always wanted to learn to play guitar and finger style interests me the most. My 66th birthday is right around the corner, so if not now, when?
Your course looks lovely, and I’m excited (and intimidated) to begin.
Ho Dawn, welcome aboard. You are in the right place for sure. Yeah, for sure, now is a great time. Treat yourself to some time with the guitar and some beautiful fingerpicking for you birthday. Don’t be intimidated, just start with the lessons in Part 1. One lesson at a time. You will see results. Most of all, enjoy! 🙂
Leslie L Denning
6 days ago
I learned a lot about chord changes. I’m fairly comfortable with most open chord changes, but I haven’t used the pivot fingers before.
That’s good, Leslie. You have very good technique from the multiple videos I’ve seen, so keep that up and I hope this lesson helps even more. 🙂
JenniferCorrigan
6 days ago
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Just what I was looking for. I’m in the exact right place. Thank you! This will take a minute but will skyrocket my technique. I’m sure if it. Same struggles as others have said with stretching the fingers and a bit of pain, but I’ll get there. Wowza. Really good stuff. Thank you!
Ah, that’s so cool that you enjoyed this so much. Yeah, it works many skills this one and is fun to play. Keep relaxed, don’t let pain occur, and enjoy the process. No rush, of course. Well done so far. 🙂
Any advice about the thumb and where it should be for this? And when I get higher up the neck, part four, my pinky seems to flatten to mute the treble notes. I have an oddly short pinky. But I’m sure I’m not the only one. Any advice? This is just spectacular. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Ideally keep the thumb positioned so it’s flat against the neck. Usually positioned in between in the index and middle but the thumb should always be free to move and adjust (not pressing too hard with the thumb is important). As for the pinkie, it’s often hand position that makes a difference. As an experiment, try placing the pinkie on first, that often gets the hand in a better position for the pinkie to play the notes. Let us know if that makes sense. 🙂
AnneGiacomin
6 days ago
Anne G
Hi Dan, Thanks for putting such a great course together getting us more flexible and developing appropriate techniques for playing the guitar. I am particularly enjoying the picking and your teaching of it and emphasizing the basics and practice.
I am not there yet but feel definite improvement and will keep at it until I become more accomplished before moving on to the next part. Your 4 minute exercises are great.
Anne
Hi Anne, thanks for the kind words and pleased you have enjoyed this so far. The fact you see improvements already is fantastic. Keep that up and keep us posted with how you get on. 🙂
Well done, Ryan. Consistency is the way forward so keep it up. I’ve added you to the Honours Board for Star 2 🙂
JenniferCorrigan
7 days ago
I love the five times test! I’ll definitely use that. And Paul Simon IS my goal. Forever and always. And Ani Difranco. I love how she plays guitar. And many others but they come most immediately to mind.
JenniferCorrigan
7 days ago
Yay! 18 out of 20! But it definitely made me think and slow count frets. This is perfect. Just what I need!
Pleased to hear it. All key stuff. Revisit these lessons every now and then for key reminders. Well done with your progress. 🙂
JenniferCorrigan
7 days ago
So good! I loved closing my eyes trying to do the riff. I haven’t really done hardly anything with riffs yet so this was fantastic. My pinky does not like the workout it just got. But it will catch up over time I suppose. Thank you! I loved the part about the silences and how to work to close those gaps. I will be doing this riff constantly so thanks again!
That’s great to know. Riffs are fun for sure. A great way to get the fingers going while playing something recognisable. Glad the tips on playing with your eyes closed and smoothing out those silences helped. All key stuff. Keep it up. 🙂
JenniferCorrigan
7 days ago
Hi! I’m Jenni. I live in Lisbon but moved here from Colorado. I am coming to songwriting later in life but have about 50 songs at this point. Some feel pretty decent but I feel like a lot are sounding the same. I want to find ways to spice up the guitar side of my songs and make them more melodic and percussive. So that’s my goal here. I just started learning guitar (for the third time) about a year ago and it is finally sticking! Looking forward to learning with all of you!
Hi Jenni, and welcome aboard. You’ve had some good fun on the guitar so far which is nice to know. Looking forward to hearing how you get on and develop your skills even more. Also, feel free to share any links to any songs of yours, either here or in the Facebook group if you like. No pressure of course. Have fun and let us know how you get on. 🙂
Debbie Jo Mitchell
8 days ago
Hi again Dan!
So, my workaround, for not being able to easily achieve that fingering for the 7th bar of Mad World, was to put the capo on at the 5th fret instead of the 8th..Still drop D tuning, of course. It sounds a little different than the original, but it’s the same beautiful, haunting melody. Just a little lower.
Hi Debbie Jo. Glad to hear you found this workaround. I hadn’t got to doing my replies before you added to it, but this is the suggestion I’d have gave. Well done for finding the solution and I hope you enjoy playing this great song 🙂
RoxanneHobbs
8 days ago
Congratulations to all in the Five Song Club! JP- I really enjoyed your playing and your song choices!
Debbie Jo Mitchell
9 days ago
Hi again Dan,
I do realize that this song is in drop D tuning, so when I said low E string, I meant the low D string.
😁
Debbie Jo Mitchell
9 days ago
Hi Dan,
I’m finding it very challenging playing bar #7 of this piece, where the 5th fret (past the capo) is played on the low E string along with the 3rd fret (past the capo) on the B string. My guitar is not cut out like yours, making those notes higher up on the fret board hard to access. Do you have any advice, or is it one of those times I just have to keep working at it? I can get the B string to be clear, or the E, but not both.
Thanks,
Debbie Jo
DebDeuel
9 days ago
I’m Deb and live in upstate New York. I play backup guitar in the Appalachian old time style. I also play fiddle. Kinda. Enough to amuse myself and annoy the dogs. I’ve never attempted finger style and thought it would be a fun way to explore the guitar fret board.
Hi Deb, Welcome aboard. Sounds like you’re having fun with your playing and the fiddle too. Bet the dogs love it. Glad to hear you are ready to enjoy some fingerpicking. I’m sure you will love it. Do let us know how you get on. 🙂
dlrabon
9 days ago
Hello Dan. My name is David, 77 years old from Medford, OR. I’ve been seriously attempting to learn to play the guitar for about a year. I take private lessons, and a couple of online courses and follow several people online who have helped me a lot. I just finished day one and am looking forward to improving with this course.
Hi David, welcome aboard. Sounds like you certainly have the passion which is nice to see. Keep enjoying this course and I’d love to know how you get on throughout and by the end of the 7 days. I’m certain you will improve things in some surprising but pleasant ways. Enjoy. 🙂
Petra
10 days ago
Hello, my name is Petra. I’m 63 years, and this is the first time I’m going to try playing the guitar. I already play the trumpet, piano, accordion and the harmonica.
Hi Petra, welcome aboard. That’s a great mixture of instruments. I hope you enjoy the guitar as much. Enjoy the journey and do let us know how you get on. Cheers. 🙂
StephenWhite
10 days ago
This is a big issue for me I am aware of it but haven’t been able to resolve it yet, going to have to work hard on this as I think it’s one of the reasons I’m unable to listen and enjoy what I’m playing.
Patience is key as you are fixing old habits, but you will get there. Choose the simplest thing you know, or learn one of the very simple riffs in the Riffs section of the SSLA and play it with no looking. That will help. 🙂
Yeah, short breaks frequently will help for sure. Stand up, walk, stretch, it all helps. 🙂
StephenWhite
10 days ago
Another great lesson have been working on keeping my fingers close to the frets for a while and it’s definitely improving, have been getting tension in my neck more than anywhere else so will go through the positioning tips until I can relieve it.
Super stuff improving the finger control and it’s good you’ve spotted the neck tension. It may be that you are leaning over a little or craning your neck to see the strings. Straight back and even playing in front of a mirror and only watching the mirror will help. 🙂
StephenWhite
10 days ago
Thanks Dan been using a footstool for quite a while now this is my second one, like you’ve said spend a lot of time jiggling my foot around trying to keep comfortable, will definitely give a leg support a go. Will let you know how I get on. Steve
Good stuff. When it comes to posture, it might take some refining for a few weeks or a month or so to get really comfortable. After that, it is just minor tweaks usually. The time spent getting things set up properly now is well worth it though. 🙂
TeresaHalvorson
11 days ago
I would kind of like to have all these quotes written on one page . . . A lot of them are completely worth remembering.
That’s something we could do for sure. Just to be sure though, which quotes do you mean – the ones on the screen or quotes from studies, or anything else? Thanks 🙂
Jonty
11 days ago
Morning everyone,
My name is Jonty. I live in Milton Keynes, England, but originally come from Yorkshire.
I’ve been trying to learn the guitar for over 10 years, but am bored silly with just chords.
I hope to be able to learn a lot here and have fun at the same time. I love the sound of a well-played acoustic guitar and if I could play a bit of James Taylor, or some blues a year from now; I would be a very happy bunny (is that phrase a bit too Englush?).
Hi Jonty, a big, warm welcome to you. Glad to see you here and I’m certain you’ll love this journey. Strumming chords forever can indeed be boring, but you’ll enjoy these lessons. Looking forward to seeing your progress and if you have any questions at all, let us know. Cheers. 🙂
John
11 days ago
Hey Dan,
My buddy is wanting to learn the 5 String Banjo. Do you recommend any particular lessons?
It’s a good question. Unfortunately I can’t help with that one. If you’re in our Facebook group, asking there would be great. Let us know if you’re not though as I can ask for you. Other members will be able to help. 🙂
Hey Dan! I decided to check this out since I am stuck with trying to stretch my pinky for the 12 Bar Blues & because Amazing Grace is going to be one of my 5 songs! I totally look forward to the long-term benefits that you have mentioned in the introduction of this course!
Hi John, that’s great you’re enjoying this and that you’ve made Amazing Grace one of your five songs. Take your time with the blues, that stretch will come. Keep enjoying the benefits and the journey. 🙂
Petra
15 days ago
My hands are very small, and it’s hard to reach the A string without touching the other strings. Do you have any tips or tricks?
There are quite a few reasons that can cause this. The way you sit with the guitar is the big one (I recommend the classical position). Ideally you want to have the headstock about shoulder level so you can have your forearm vertical and under the guitar. Let me know if this helps or not. I can point you in the right direction of other lessons if you need me to. 🙂
Leslie L Denning
15 days ago
I enjoyed this. It was fun to play along. I’m much better at strumming than I am fingerpicking, but it was a challenge to keep up and do it right.
That’s great, Leslie. A challenge but a fun one for you by the sound of it. Well done and keep it up. 🙂
JoeStewart
15 days ago
I’ve often struggled getting my head around different/changing rhythms up till now but going through the In Focus course in order from the beginning I think has helped so much. Now that I’ve got to the point of practising these 3 strum patterns I’ve picked them up much quicker than I expected. Not perfect but not bad either. Thanks Dan.😊
That’s great to know, Joe. Changing rhythms and using them can be tough at first but it sounds like a really good breakthrough. Well done and keep enjoying them. 🙂
John
18 days ago
Used the Jam Buddy to learn more about Chord Progressions!!! I was referred to your Guitarists Get Theory PDF. I found exactly what I was looking for in Chapters 6 & 7!!!!
That’s super, another win for JamBuddy. That’s what it is for but pleased you found what you needed inside the Guitarists Get Theory book. That’s great to know. 🙂
DianeBourne
18 days ago
Hello Dan & fellow guitar lovers…. My name is Diane & I live in Melbourne Australia. i have been a member of DTAA for a few years & have decided to join you all on this journey. I’m an old girl & picked up my seldomly used but much loved acoustic guitar about six years ago, telling myself that I’m going to learn to play this!!! It’s a slow journey, but I love it & little by little am improving & finding great pleasure in playing. i just love the way you teach correct technique Dan. I’m looking forward to… Read more »
Hi Diane, delighted you have joined us here and I’m sure you will love it. It’s great to know that you love your playing and the aim here is to get you to love it and enjoy it even more. Thanks for the kind words and do keep us posted with how you get on here. 🙂
Brill, delighted to hear it. Really well done to you. 🙂
JohnBartlett
19 days ago
HELLO,
My name is John, I live in a small town in California called Hopland. I have been messing around with the guitar for longer than I would like to admit. I was a firefighter for 49 years, retired now and would like to put more time and effort into it. I love music and would really like to make some of my own. Hi to every one.
Hi John, welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the course and I am sure you will. Now is a great time to really enjoy the guitar and your passion will help. Enjoy the process and let us know if you have any questions. Cheers. 🙂
Curious what other students have experienced with this course?
See their comments here →
Great tips Dan super duper 😀
Cheers, Angie. Glad to hear you like the lesson. Keep coming back to it too. 🙂
Hi, everyone. I wanted to start us off with a comment to get the ball rolling. I would LOVE it if you could leave a short comment introducing yourself to the other members. I’m Dan Thorpe, from Birmingham, UK (not Alabama!). I love fingerpicking – Paul Simon, James Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel and about a gazillion others! My favourite thing about playing guitar is having some quiet time to play for myself (music is a great outlet for everything in life) and to jam with my 4 year old boy, Archie! I used to be terrible at guitar but after years… Read more »
Hey everyone, I would love to know what lessons you would like to learn. More on fingerpicking, Travis picking, chord changes, theory, jamming???… you name it, leave your ideas below!! This is the place to do so.
Hi Dan, I am an intermediate player, but am fascinated about finger style, and very anxious to get started. But i must admit i do struggle a bit with the dreaded Barr Chords, but am improving a bit. I am a Viet Nam vet, who suffers from PTSD, I am very private, so if you don’t hear much from me please understand. Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for getting in touch. It`s great to have you here. Barre chords are tough but do make sure you take your time and use good technique with them.
No problem at all regarding being private and I hope you are doing well regarding the PTSD. Just know that the comments section and the mini-forum is there for you when needed. All the best.
I would love to see some lessons on guitar slaps and slides please. That is if you possibly find time in your busy schedule.
Cool, for sure, let us know some more details. What sort of slaps and slides? The crazy stuff or solid on beats 2 and 4 type thing? What sort of guitarists have inspired this? (I ask, so I know I’m on the right path). 🙂
No particular artist comes to mind but I would say on beats 2 and 4 nothing crazy (yet). Slapping all the strings I find okay, it’s the thumb slap I have trouble with on the low E A strings.
I have come across slaps in the odd piece of music, done right sounds amazing. Just something I would like to add to my repertoire.
Ah, okay cool, thanks for letting me know. The slaps on beats 2 and 4 are very cool. The grooves these can add are great. Will get something ready on this. 🙂
If you would like to submit a video, you can add it to your comment by including a video LINK (for example, a YouTube, Vimeo, or Dropbox link). (Email Dan for help if you get stuck uploading a video)
YouTube and Vimeo links are the preferred video format. Make sure that your links are set to unlisted (not private!) and then only we will see it.
Post your video below…
Hopefully, you have all noticed the new comments section at the bottom of each page in the DTAA! I would love for you to comment, ask questions and say “hi”!
Fantastic exercise. This is going hep me so much. Especially that modern strumming pattern! That one is going to take some practice!!
Love your holistic approach. Just what I needed to break some bad habits!
Brilliant as usual. Tension is an absolute issue for me. So this was super helpful. Thank you.
Great lesson. I believe in making things difficult for myself, so am trying to do it without a capo – a bit of masochism goes a long way.
Cheers. If you can do it without a capo, without force, that is okay. I’d say, try it both ways though. 🙂
120. If only knowing the answers helped my fingers go where they should be going 🙃🙃🙃
That’s a great score. Well done. The brain knows what it’s doing and with training, the fingers will follow. 🙂
I’m still on the basics – trying to get my fingers to go where I want them to go. As soon as I’ve cracked that I need to get used to keeping time. There’s still a long road ahead of me!
It’s early days but it’s good you are aware of these things. Keep the movements controlled, steady, and relaxed. The fingers will be well trained. Enjoy the process too, it’s well worth the time. 🙂
Hello Dan, I am 75yrs old, retired nurse, mother of 3 step mum of 1 and grandmaother of 4. I love all things musical and have been fortunate in being able to give my children and grandchildren the opportunity to learn musical instruments of their choice.Guitar, keyboard , drums,bass and vocals My parents were not financial enough the give me that chance when I was growing up. Now it’s my turn. I am in remission from Breaat Cancer and have mobility issues so I decided to use my ‘sitting’ time to learn keyboard and guitar. Over the years I have… Read more »
Hi Cherryl, welcome aboard. Delighted you are here and ready to enjoy your playing more now it’s your time. It’s great you have set yourself an exciting goal for the end of the year. Keep working towards it every day and keep enjoying your playing. Let us know how you get on. 🙂
That feels so much better
Great stuff, delighted to hear it. 🙂
Hi I’m Lee a Londoner who now lives in Banbury Oxfordshire. I’ve muddled along with the guitar for several years now but at 84 years old I thought it would be fun to do some learning. I stood watching a Busker playing classical music at Stratford Upon Avon ( Shakespeare’s country) and thought I’d love to do that, so here I am. Let’s give it a go.
Hi Lee, welcome aboard. It is great getting inspiration from others for sure. You can do this, stick with part 1, enjoy the journey, and let us know how you get on. 🙂
Good lesson. I enjoyed it. Felt like my fingers were adjusting surprisingly well.
Good stuff, Kevin. Glad to hear it. That’s a great start. Keep it up and let us know how you get on. 🙂
Mneumonics for chord progressions is such a great idea! I so often have to double check the chords before I play a song I haven’t done in a while. This is a great way to not have to do that!
Glad to hear it. Yeah, they make things so much easier to remember. Use them where and when you can. Feel free to create and share your own too 🙂
Thanks for these tips – I’m getting a much clearer sound from my guitar!
Super stuff, pleased to hear it. That’s a great start. keep it up. 🙂
Hi! I’m Raelene. I’m from Australia. I’ve been on-and-off trying to learn guitar for a few years, without much success. I’m looking forward to finally making some progress. Thanks for this course. Starting with basics is really good for me to learn a solid foundation.
Hi Raelene, welcome aboard. You’re in the right place for sure, so many struggle with the guitar at first, but I hope you find these lessons help you achieve your goals. Stick with them, they will help. Enjoy the journey and let us know how you get on. 🙂
Hi, I’m Judy from Washington state. I have always wanted to play the guitar, ever since my mom played it. I started strumming around Jr. high or so (a long time ago lol). I played in a church worship group for a couple of years. Now, I play guitar for my kitties. They are very ho-hum about the whole thing. One of my cats likes to help me play. I’d like to get back to playing as easily as it was back in the day. Must be age, aches, and pains that keep me from playing like I used to.… Read more »
Hi Judy, welcome aboard. Sounds like a great time playing for your kitties. Pets are great audiences and often very honest in their own loving way. Stick with the lessons in part 1, they feature many things that most people never get taught, and that can help you get on the road to playing like you used it, and hopefully surpassing it! Keep us posted with your progress. 🙂
Hi, my name is Eugene I’m from Ontario, Canada. Over the years I’ve sort of messed around with guitar, never got any further than playing open chords. I retired not so far ago and decided to dedicate more time to guitar practice. I’ve watched Dan on You Tube and really liked his videos. Hopefully this Fingerstyle course is going to provide me with the structure and motivation to keep going and develop some good skills.
Hi Eugene, welcome aboard. This is an exciting time for you then. I wish you many happy hours of guitar playing during your retirement and I hope you enjoy the course. Stick with the lessons in Part 1 especially and have fun. Let us know how you get on. 🙂
Hi Dan,
I have 2 songs to submit, but I am not exactly sure how to on any of the platforms listed, WhatsApp, Facebook, or YouTube. I’ll probably send these 1st 2 via email.
Regards,
Jack
Hi Jack, whichever format is best for you. Email or WhatsApp work best usually but please send in the way that suits you. If you record them on your smartphone, WhatsApp is very simple. Just let me know if you want the number for that. 🙂
Hello, my name is Dawn, from West Michigan.
I’ve always wanted to learn to play guitar and finger style interests me the most. My 66th birthday is right around the corner, so if not now, when?
Your course looks lovely, and I’m excited (and intimidated) to begin.
Ho Dawn, welcome aboard. You are in the right place for sure. Yeah, for sure, now is a great time. Treat yourself to some time with the guitar and some beautiful fingerpicking for you birthday. Don’t be intimidated, just start with the lessons in Part 1. One lesson at a time. You will see results. Most of all, enjoy! 🙂
I learned a lot about chord changes. I’m fairly comfortable with most open chord changes, but I haven’t used the pivot fingers before.
That’s good, Leslie. You have very good technique from the multiple videos I’ve seen, so keep that up and I hope this lesson helps even more. 🙂
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Just what I was looking for. I’m in the exact right place. Thank you! This will take a minute but will skyrocket my technique. I’m sure if it. Same struggles as others have said with stretching the fingers and a bit of pain, but I’ll get there. Wowza. Really good stuff. Thank you!
Ah, that’s so cool that you enjoyed this so much. Yeah, it works many skills this one and is fun to play. Keep relaxed, don’t let pain occur, and enjoy the process. No rush, of course. Well done so far. 🙂
Any advice about the thumb and where it should be for this? And when I get higher up the neck, part four, my pinky seems to flatten to mute the treble notes. I have an oddly short pinky. But I’m sure I’m not the only one. Any advice? This is just spectacular. Thanks for sharing it with us!
I have a 3/4 size guitar – maybe that’s part of the challenge. Crowding the fingers up the neck?
It could be but positioning is usually the main thing. Check out the 3Ps lessons in the In Focus course, soon too. They will help for sure. 🙂
Ideally keep the thumb positioned so it’s flat against the neck. Usually positioned in between in the index and middle but the thumb should always be free to move and adjust (not pressing too hard with the thumb is important). As for the pinkie, it’s often hand position that makes a difference. As an experiment, try placing the pinkie on first, that often gets the hand in a better position for the pinkie to play the notes. Let us know if that makes sense. 🙂
Anne G
Hi Dan, Thanks for putting such a great course together getting us more flexible and developing appropriate techniques for playing the guitar. I am particularly enjoying the picking and your teaching of it and emphasizing the basics and practice.
I am not there yet but feel definite improvement and will keep at it until I become more accomplished before moving on to the next part. Your 4 minute exercises are great.
Anne
Hi Anne, thanks for the kind words and pleased you have enjoyed this so far. The fact you see improvements already is fantastic. Keep that up and keep us posted with how you get on. 🙂
Nailed it! Slow but consistent progress!
Well done, Ryan. Consistency is the way forward so keep it up. I’ve added you to the Honours Board for Star 2 🙂
I love the five times test! I’ll definitely use that. And Paul Simon IS my goal. Forever and always. And Ani Difranco. I love how she plays guitar. And many others but they come most immediately to mind.
Yay! 18 out of 20! But it definitely made me think and slow count frets. This is perfect. Just what I need!
Super stuff, great start on day 1 for you. Added you to the Honours Board for star 1. Well done. 🙂
Have enjoyed this set of lessons some great tips for making playing easier and more comfortable, will be incorporating some of these into my warm ups.
Pleased to hear it. All key stuff. Revisit these lessons every now and then for key reminders. Well done with your progress. 🙂
So good! I loved closing my eyes trying to do the riff. I haven’t really done hardly anything with riffs yet so this was fantastic. My pinky does not like the workout it just got. But it will catch up over time I suppose. Thank you! I loved the part about the silences and how to work to close those gaps. I will be doing this riff constantly so thanks again!
That’s great to know. Riffs are fun for sure. A great way to get the fingers going while playing something recognisable. Glad the tips on playing with your eyes closed and smoothing out those silences helped. All key stuff. Keep it up. 🙂
Hi! I’m Jenni. I live in Lisbon but moved here from Colorado. I am coming to songwriting later in life but have about 50 songs at this point. Some feel pretty decent but I feel like a lot are sounding the same. I want to find ways to spice up the guitar side of my songs and make them more melodic and percussive. So that’s my goal here. I just started learning guitar (for the third time) about a year ago and it is finally sticking! Looking forward to learning with all of you!
Hi Jenni, and welcome aboard. You’ve had some good fun on the guitar so far which is nice to know. Looking forward to hearing how you get on and develop your skills even more. Also, feel free to share any links to any songs of yours, either here or in the Facebook group if you like. No pressure of course. Have fun and let us know how you get on. 🙂
Hi again Dan!
So, my workaround, for not being able to easily achieve that fingering for the 7th bar of Mad World, was to put the capo on at the 5th fret instead of the 8th..Still drop D tuning, of course. It sounds a little different than the original, but it’s the same beautiful, haunting melody. Just a little lower.
DJo
Hi Debbie Jo. Glad to hear you found this workaround. I hadn’t got to doing my replies before you added to it, but this is the suggestion I’d have gave. Well done for finding the solution and I hope you enjoy playing this great song 🙂
Congratulations to all in the Five Song Club! JP- I really enjoyed your playing and your song choices!
Hi again Dan,
I do realize that this song is in drop D tuning, so when I said low E string, I meant the low D string.
😁
Hi Dan,
I’m finding it very challenging playing bar #7 of this piece, where the 5th fret (past the capo) is played on the low E string along with the 3rd fret (past the capo) on the B string. My guitar is not cut out like yours, making those notes higher up on the fret board hard to access. Do you have any advice, or is it one of those times I just have to keep working at it? I can get the B string to be clear, or the E, but not both.
Thanks,
Debbie Jo
I’m Deb and live in upstate New York. I play backup guitar in the Appalachian old time style. I also play fiddle. Kinda. Enough to amuse myself and annoy the dogs. I’ve never attempted finger style and thought it would be a fun way to explore the guitar fret board.
Hi Deb, Welcome aboard. Sounds like you’re having fun with your playing and the fiddle too. Bet the dogs love it. Glad to hear you are ready to enjoy some fingerpicking. I’m sure you will love it. Do let us know how you get on. 🙂
Hello Dan. My name is David, 77 years old from Medford, OR. I’ve been seriously attempting to learn to play the guitar for about a year. I take private lessons, and a couple of online courses and follow several people online who have helped me a lot. I just finished day one and am looking forward to improving with this course.
Hi David, welcome aboard. Sounds like you certainly have the passion which is nice to see. Keep enjoying this course and I’d love to know how you get on throughout and by the end of the 7 days. I’m certain you will improve things in some surprising but pleasant ways. Enjoy. 🙂
Hello, my name is Petra. I’m 63 years, and this is the first time I’m going to try playing the guitar. I already play the trumpet, piano, accordion and the harmonica.
Hi Petra, welcome aboard. That’s a great mixture of instruments. I hope you enjoy the guitar as much. Enjoy the journey and do let us know how you get on. Cheers. 🙂
This is a big issue for me I am aware of it but haven’t been able to resolve it yet, going to have to work hard on this as I think it’s one of the reasons I’m unable to listen and enjoy what I’m playing.
Patience is key as you are fixing old habits, but you will get there. Choose the simplest thing you know, or learn one of the very simple riffs in the Riffs section of the SSLA and play it with no looking. That will help. 🙂
Thumbs up for this lesson.
Cheers. A relaxed thumb too I hope. Haha. 🙂
Good tips, I find the longer I play is when the tension and pressure creeps back in.
Yeah, short breaks frequently will help for sure. Stand up, walk, stretch, it all helps. 🙂
Another great lesson have been working on keeping my fingers close to the frets for a while and it’s definitely improving, have been getting tension in my neck more than anywhere else so will go through the positioning tips until I can relieve it.
Super stuff improving the finger control and it’s good you’ve spotted the neck tension. It may be that you are leaning over a little or craning your neck to see the strings. Straight back and even playing in front of a mirror and only watching the mirror will help. 🙂
Thanks Dan been using a footstool for quite a while now this is my second one, like you’ve said spend a lot of time jiggling my foot around trying to keep comfortable, will definitely give a leg support a go. Will let you know how I get on. Steve
Good stuff. When it comes to posture, it might take some refining for a few weeks or a month or so to get really comfortable. After that, it is just minor tweaks usually. The time spent getting things set up properly now is well worth it though. 🙂
I would kind of like to have all these quotes written on one page . . . A lot of them are completely worth remembering.
That’s something we could do for sure. Just to be sure though, which quotes do you mean – the ones on the screen or quotes from studies, or anything else? Thanks 🙂
Morning everyone,
My name is Jonty. I live in Milton Keynes, England, but originally come from Yorkshire.
I’ve been trying to learn the guitar for over 10 years, but am bored silly with just chords.
I hope to be able to learn a lot here and have fun at the same time. I love the sound of a well-played acoustic guitar and if I could play a bit of James Taylor, or some blues a year from now; I would be a very happy bunny (is that phrase a bit too Englush?).
Hi Jonty, a big, warm welcome to you. Glad to see you here and I’m certain you’ll love this journey. Strumming chords forever can indeed be boring, but you’ll enjoy these lessons. Looking forward to seeing your progress and if you have any questions at all, let us know. Cheers. 🙂
Hey Dan,
My buddy is wanting to learn the 5 String Banjo. Do you recommend any particular lessons?
Thank you,
John Maness
It’s a good question. Unfortunately I can’t help with that one. If you’re in our Facebook group, asking there would be great. Let us know if you’re not though as I can ask for you. Other members will be able to help. 🙂
I scored 18 out of 20 on this quiz.
Congrats Leslie!!!
That’s great, well done, Leslie. 🙂
Hey Dan! I decided to check this out since I am stuck with trying to stretch my pinky for the 12 Bar Blues & because Amazing Grace is going to be one of my 5 songs! I totally look forward to the long-term benefits that you have mentioned in the introduction of this course!
Hi John, that’s great you’re enjoying this and that you’ve made Amazing Grace one of your five songs. Take your time with the blues, that stretch will come. Keep enjoying the benefits and the journey. 🙂
My hands are very small, and it’s hard to reach the A string without touching the other strings. Do you have any tips or tricks?
There are quite a few reasons that can cause this. The way you sit with the guitar is the big one (I recommend the classical position). Ideally you want to have the headstock about shoulder level so you can have your forearm vertical and under the guitar. Let me know if this helps or not. I can point you in the right direction of other lessons if you need me to. 🙂
I enjoyed this. It was fun to play along. I’m much better at strumming than I am fingerpicking, but it was a challenge to keep up and do it right.
That’s great, Leslie. A challenge but a fun one for you by the sound of it. Well done and keep it up. 🙂
I’ve often struggled getting my head around different/changing rhythms up till now but going through the In Focus course in order from the beginning I think has helped so much. Now that I’ve got to the point of practising these 3 strum patterns I’ve picked them up much quicker than I expected. Not perfect but not bad either. Thanks Dan.😊
That’s great to know, Joe. Changing rhythms and using them can be tough at first but it sounds like a really good breakthrough. Well done and keep enjoying them. 🙂
Used the Jam Buddy to learn more about Chord Progressions!!! I was referred to your Guitarists Get Theory PDF. I found exactly what I was looking for in Chapters 6 & 7!!!!
That’s super, another win for JamBuddy. That’s what it is for but pleased you found what you needed inside the Guitarists Get Theory book. That’s great to know. 🙂
Hello Dan & fellow guitar lovers…. My name is Diane & I live in Melbourne Australia. i have been a member of DTAA for a few years & have decided to join you all on this journey. I’m an old girl & picked up my seldomly used but much loved acoustic guitar about six years ago, telling myself that I’m going to learn to play this!!! It’s a slow journey, but I love it & little by little am improving & finding great pleasure in playing. i just love the way you teach correct technique Dan. I’m looking forward to… Read more »
Hi Diane, delighted you have joined us here and I’m sure you will love it. It’s great to know that you love your playing and the aim here is to get you to love it and enjoy it even more. Thanks for the kind words and do keep us posted with how you get on here. 🙂
I scored 18 out of 20 on the 3 Star Quiz!
Brill, delighted to hear it. Really well done to you. 🙂
HELLO,
My name is John, I live in a small town in California called Hopland. I have been messing around with the guitar for longer than I would like to admit. I was a firefighter for 49 years, retired now and would like to put more time and effort into it. I love music and would really like to make some of my own. Hi to every one.
Hi John, welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the course and I am sure you will. Now is a great time to really enjoy the guitar and your passion will help. Enjoy the process and let us know if you have any questions. Cheers. 🙂