The Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy
November 2024
10-Second Tips
For this month’s middle of the month lesson we have some more “10-second tips” (based off the emails I send out each week). Inside we are talking about my #1 rule for learning, barre chords (along with a little jam), workout routines, and the power of “partial chords”! Lots of good stuff here. I hope you enjoy it!
You can see two powerful daily workout routines (the 3- and 7-minute routines) on the Daily plans page here. Do leave a comment below and let us know which tips you enjoyed the most, what you’d like more tips on, and how you are getting on with your playing. We all love to read your comments!
Partial Chords are very helpful. I basically taught myself using partial chords – very like the no chord fingerstyle songs. I only ever used the stings I needed and used whichever finger was convenient in the song. It meant I didn’t learn chords but could play some nice songs anyway.
Yeah, I love them, pleased you do too. Yeah, it’s a more practical way to play for sure – especially when playing melodies in an elegant fingerstyle manner. 🙂
Correction: there is an “n” in the name of these strings. Curt Mangen. Darn word substitution! I mention these strings here as it might help someone else. Electric guitar strings come in very light gauges and I didn’t know acoustic strings could be this light.
I have used 10 gauge Elixirs.
Hoping this very light gauge strings will be my ticket to barre chords.
Hi Dan. Barre chords have always been my biggest struggle. Very difficult with small and now weak arthritic hands. I have your barre chords course. I actually found 9 gauge acoustic strings by Curt Magen. I’m going to try to get someone to help me put them on. The tone on these nine gauge may not be great but no one is going to give me an award for playing with 12’s or even 11’s. I’m just going to do what works for me. My concentration is still poor but I can play the four chords as barre chords as… Read more »
Hi Roxanne, good stuff. Don’t worry about the lesser tone on lighter strings. I don’t really buy into that when people talk about it. My reasoning is this – if lighter strings help you play noticeably better, you’ll more than make up the 5% or so difference in tone, and likely play with far more enjoyment, which in turn helps you play with more passion, and therefore better tone. Well done making the progress you mention! 🙂