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.
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”!
Thoroughly enjoyed this lesson. Just need to iron out the creases which I will do this coming week. For a longer term plan I will memorise this piece as an easy one to memorise. Main problem I do have is with the C7 B7 but I will get it. As for the alternative lick I have been actually practicing this same hammer on pull off for a couple of months now in isolation with little success. I also practice this same 5653 on the B string even harder. I find it hard to maintain the consistency of volume. However I… Read more »
Thanks, Sean. Delighted to hear it. Yeah, definitely a great one to remember. Apply the ’10x Method’ to it and over the coming weeks you’ll make great progress playing it and remembering it. You can work on the C7 and B7 in isolation and you can even leave them out for a while when you play the full piece. Yeah, in terms of the hammer-on and pull-offs those videos will really help, so do give them a go when you’re ready. Enjoy playing this with the Spark amp too! 🙂
Thanks, Dan! I so appreciate how you respond to the requests for material from your students. An informal survey among students last month turns into a new specially tailored lesson this month! It makes me realize even more how special a site DTAA really is. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have found you and DTAA. My wife hadn’t heard me play for a while and when she watched some short videos I had made, she remarked “you’ve come a long way”. I told her “that’s down to Dan”. 😊
My pleasure, Larry. I have tonnes of ideas to teach so getting feedback and suggestions is great. I do love this community and the input from members makes it even more special. The comments section I added a few years ago definitely has been one of my favourite additions. Just to hear comments like this absolutely makes my day. Well done to you for making the progress. Super pleased. 🙂
Great new little piece here! Had a quick run though just now. Will take a bit of time to get really smooth and fluid but these seem to be getting faster for me to get the gist of, which I guess is a good sign…. Definitely a fun one to have as a go-to easier piece and maybe to embellish on down the line.
Cheers, Jeffrey. That’s a great sign indeed. I hope you keep enjoying it and for sure, as you keep developing you might want to embellish this and have even more fun with it. Enjoy. 🙂
Dan…….It just occurred to me that chord changes can only be practiced with both hands. Isn’t it better to try and get it down to the fretting hand only via one of those techniques you advocate that can be done without strumming? EG….THE FIST?
Yeah, for muscle memory, isolating one hand at a time for sure is the best way to go. Then, you can incorporate both hands when you transition the chord changes into your playing. 🙂
Thanks, Logan. Glad you are enjoying it. It sure is lots of fun to play and yeah, those simple bass notes fill out the sound nicely. Keep having fun with it 🙂
in other worde, my fellow students, ANY LICK OR RIFF requires musicality befre you work on speed. Listen to Dan play and you will hear notes ring out and the next note is pluked BEFORE that ring out stops. A VERY CRUCIAL TECHNIQUE TO GET MUSICALITY AND HAND CORDINATION WORKING TOGETHER. He sneaks another lesson in here about LISTENING.
Well done to the September 2023 Leaderboard winners. They were Gold – Dennis Sullivan, Silver – Teresa Fox, and Bronze – Nicholas Castle! The random ‘lucky dip’ winner is Larry Fleeman, and the best comment winner was Sean Richards who left an excellent comment HERE. I will be in touch with your prizes! Well done 🙂
Hello, I am David from Oak Harbor, Washington on the beutiful Whidbey Island north of Seattle. I have been playing off and on for over 10 years but still feel like an amateur. I hope to learn a lot from this course and look forward to playing with you all.
Hi David, welcome aboard. A great place to live I bet. Pleased you are here and I hope you enjoy the lessons. Stick with them, they will help you get to the next level for sure… and any questions along the way, do let us know 🙂
Kind of. Every Major scale has a relative minor scale. I’m not sure if this is what you mean… Where the Major scale played in a certain position and the minor scale played 3 frets lower are technically the same scale – one Major and one minor. E.g. C Major (which starts on fret 8) and A minor (which starts on fret 5) use the same notes for both scales. Is that what you mean? 🙂
I left this for awhile, (being the squirrel that I am) and tried some other bluesy things. As I revisit your lessons, I realize I am too tense and need to focus on my breathing. I appreciate how you remind us about the simple (yet not so simple) things we need to pay attention to whilst playing. While I was practicing the last lick and the pull offs, that is when I think I stopped breathing. 🙂 Thank you again for the reminders.
It’s a good realization, it’s so common about the holding of the breath. I hope you didn’t change colour! I joke as it’s happended to us all. Keep enjoying the lessons and reminders and glad they are helping. 🙂
Dan……You have me puzzled ! When you play G major using your 3 and 4 fingers, I find it difficult to get both close to the fret wire without struggling to keep the pinkie from wanderingg near the 4th fret. I notice that your 3rd finger gets quite a bit deeper into the 3rd fret. This would solve the pinkie issue BUT will it affect my MPR? I guess my question is when you say to get each finger as close as possible to the fretwire, is this an exception to the rule?
Yeah, if you have two fingers on the same fret (e.g. fret 3) and on strings next to each other, getting close to the fret wire is hard to do. You can squeeze your fingertips together a little bit to help but yeah, generally, this is an exception to the rule. I hope that makes sense. 🙂
Well I think I finally managed to play a strummed song in a way that the song was recognizable. It wasn’t good, but it was so much better than what I could do when I started two months ago (which was nothing as far as strumming and chord changes go) that I am very pleased. I have a long way to go but I have taken a baby step!
While watching this I had a light bulb moment.
When I’m really getting into the music and my playing sounds good, I start to sway with the music. This wouldn’t happen if all tensed up. My bad days the really bad days nothing rings true on the strings with all the buzzing, hitting wrong strings etc.
Since joining DTAA a few days ago I have really had a wake up call. Thank You
So cool, thanks, I love the fact you’re getting your body into the groove. This is a sure sign you are getting there. It’s next to impossible to sway with the music if things aren’t clicking so well done, and long may that continue. 🙂
I have got to admit that my ability to practice without pain has multiplied in time many times over. I can sit for hours just practicing without the discomfort. This is all thanks to your very skilful way of teaching. If more beginners got this knowledge right from day one, I’m sure less people would give up so quickly. That first time picking up a guitar was excruciating in pain, the length’s I went to in order to speed up them calluses. I used rubbing alcohol on my finger tips, medical grade superglue (actually worked well) and a guitar glove… Read more »
Hi Sean, thank you very much for the kind words. It means a lot but the best thing is how well you are doing now. Super pleased to hear it. No more pain, just lots of fun for you, and even though there will be little hurdles here and there, you can now look forward and be confident in your long term progress. Well done for making the adjustments and I look forward to hearing more about your progress. Brilliant work. 🙂
Dan, I’m going back through the videos and this course again methodically. I benefited from the course when I first received it, but I didn’t get everything out of it that was possible. I went from hating barre chords to being able to incorporate several into songs. But I know there is more to gain from doing this course justice. Will take my time this time through.
Good stuff, Larry. That sort of focus will stand you in good stead. Going through this course a few times over the next year or so will really help. Be patient and keep enjoying the progress, you’re doing well with it. 🙂
This would be very practical at the start of all warm ups. We forget how much is going on while playing. Sensory overload is an understatement with fretting, plucking /strumming, counting, foot tapping reading music or tabs and possibly singing. I whish this information was in front of me at the start of my guitar journey. If my mind is on something else, I might as well give up on practice in that moment. This reminds me of the illustration on FB several weeks back that Dan put up. The rollercoaster of ups and downs while learning. The days I… Read more »
Absolutely, great point you make there. Sensory overload is definitely possible as there is so much going on when playing guitar! Yeah, I wish I knew this back then too, but I’m glad we know it now and it is proving helpful. Yeah, keep the curve going upwards in a steady line and keep enjoying each moment – remember my #1 rule too – that is “try to improve one tiny thing each day and do something some fun on the guitar”. You’re doing well. 🙂
Dan, another excellent and very important lessons on the three Ps! A practice technique I was shown, and which ties in with this, is called the ‘heavy arm’. Basically, as you fret each note you allow the weight of the fretting arm to fall through each finger. This means that you’re not using finger and thumb pressure to fret the notes but instead you allow the weight of the arm to do the work for you. The helps to prevent over squeezing each fretted note and avoids tension build up in the fingers, hand, arm and shoulders. As a check… Read more »
Thanks, Antony. Yeah, the heavy arm is a great one – I teach that with barre chords especially as it is very powerful. Was it Jamie Andreas who taught you that by the way? Glad to hear this is useful and keep up the great practice. 🙂
Absolutely brilliant lesson, I will need to watch this a few times.
Your average YouTube lesson shows finger positioning, while your explanations and demonstrations take it so much further.
I am now aware about keeping my shoulders down and to refrain from keeping elbows in.
My left shoulder blade has been painful at times, I could be speculating but this might be the cause.
Glad to hear it, thanks. These are the details that make a huge difference to everything you play, so I’m glad it was helpful. I hope it helps with the shoulder and keep making those adjustments. 🙂
Good lesson though I do have one question.
I’m one of those people with a large tummy. This has always been a problem whilst playing the guitar.
I have lost a lot of weight through diet etc the ability to play a guitar has pushed me harder to loose this excessive weight.
Is it the case of putting up with incorrect positioning or is there anything I can do to help.
I do have a foot rest, purchased one shortly after getting first guitar. Thought they looked cool.
I used to have a large tummy myself. It was never easy, but sitting on a chair a little higher up with good posture so I could lean forward a little helped. I found when I was lower down my belly would get in the way more. You can even try standing too but when sitting, definitely try classical position and a strap should help too. Good stuff losing the weight too 🙂
Some handy tips mentioned here. Now I’m torn between using a notebook or putting a spreadsheet together. My largest goal is to memorise one song. I would love to walk into a guitar shop (I can hear my wife now lol) just to find that perfect connection. However I would be so embarrassed whipping out printed A4 guitar tablature or my phone just to play. I have tried learning from memory 1 bar at a time, 10 minutes later I couldn’t tell you the first note. I know this is holding me back as cannot read the music quick enough… Read more »
Either will work. Keeping it simple and using the method which is best for you is the way to go. Ha, I know what you mean, pulling out the TAB! 🙂 If 1 bar is a struggle, try breaking that bar up into smaller chunks. Most people struggle to remember anywhere from five and above things so definitely break that bar up, remember that (writing it down helps memory too), and then build up. You will get there. 🙂
Nice selection of workouts all in one place. I have really pushed myself with similar workouts over the last two months which has really helped. Though these were print outs, PDF files, post it notes and a whiteboard which meant everything all over the place.
Now everything in one place thank you.
These exercises are great to build on so you are always able to push yourself that bit harder.
Glad to hear it. Having a solid workout is so useful. I like to keep them short but full of key things to practice. This allows you to focus on them fully, then go have fun with other stuff too. Pleased you’re enjoying them so far and keep up the great practice. 🙂
Hello, Laurie in Massachusetts here. I’m ready to pick up my guitar again. I really enjoy your podcast and videos. I need encouragement to keep going even though it’s hard for me. I’m not sure enough about reincarnation to wait and hope to be born with more musicality next time around. 😉
Hi Laurie, welcome aboard. Ah, thanks, means a lot to hear. You can definitely do this. Start with small little victories each day, like what is mentioned in the course, and try to play something fun every day on the guitar. Do let us know how you get on and enjoy! 🙂
Hi all My name is Sean, I live in the city of York which is in North Yorkshire UK. I am 53 years old and have played guitar for around three years. I joined the DTAA as I do not believe my progression has been quick enough, despite the hours I practice. I practice every day, usually for at least an hour without any planning, then I can pick my guitar up several times a day killing time. Like many people on here I suffer with arthritis which is in my wrists and neck. I blame the cold damp weather… Read more »
Welcome Sean. I love how dedicated you are to practicing. That is great. The ‘In Focus’ course especially will really help you take the time you spend and use it wisely – massively helping with the things you mention. I hope you enjoy it, and we’re delighted you are here. Excited to hear about your progress. 🙂
I’m enjoying the course. I’ve picked up a lot of bad habits over the years and sold my guitar about five years ago — never was any good and thought I was getting too old anyway — so now much of my muscle memory has disappeared. At 80 I purchased a new guitar and immediately signed on to the website. I find replaying the various beginning sections extremely helpful even if I struggle with chord changes. It is baby steps so far, but I’m determined to practice a little bit each day and get better. This time I want to… Read more »
Super pleased to hear it, Carl. It’s great you are back and enjoying it! Yes, repetition is key with the guitar. Not enough people use repetition (it’s natural to want to move on to the next thing), but repeating the same lessons is crucial. That’s where a huge amount of progress is made. Keep up the wonderful practice. 🙂
Superb advice. I tried a footstool but found the pressure it created in my left hip and lower back soon got uncomfortable. So, I bought a Dynarette leg support (same thing that Dan demonstrates) twelve months ago and it’s been excellent. I’ve not touched the footstool since.
Glad to hear it. It really does make a huge difference getting comfortable and although foot stools are great, they can cause issues. Keep up the good practice. 🙂
Hi everyone. I joined yesterday and looking forward to working thru learning to play the guitar and having a blast. My name is John H. …I reside in Saugatuck Michigan , a small town on Lake Michigan. I am 70 years old and starting guitar for the third time …I’m hoping “ it’s the charm” this time around. Past efforts usually faded due to family & work schedules along with waning interest. Too many scales & exercises with no fun music ever coming along. I love the sound of solo acoustic guitar and dream of learning to play a couple… Read more »
Hi John, welcome aboard. Delighted you’re here and I hope you’re enjoying it so far. Scales and exercises can sure be boring if that’s all you do. I mean, they do help for sure, but having fun is absolutely crucial. I hope you find the songs and lessons a blast, and please do let us know how you get on. It sounds like you have a great set up and we’re looking forward to hearing about your progress. 🙂
Hi, I live in Shrewsbury which is not too far from Dan’s home town. I’ve been practicing acoustic guitar on and off for about three years. I’ve tried a couple of well known online training courses but found them quite boring. They lacked the strong structure and approach to correct technique and playing that Dan covers. For me, learning correct technique and correct practice is very important. I particularly like the approach that Dan has applied to his training by combining the technical aspects of classical guitar with contemporary fingerstyle playing. My main focus and goal for joining DTAA is… Read more »
Hi Antony, oh wow, you’re not too far from me at all. Glad you are on it with good technique – it is the backbone of everything on the guitar. Two very cool guitarists you mention there. Keep working on the basics, keep having fun, and you’ll get there. With the right focus, you can achieve so much on the guitar. A really big welcome to you and hope you enjoy it here. 🙂
Dan, any advice for building up a pinkie pull off? I can get the first four notes of lick 6 most of the time, but the pinkie is weak on the pull off note. (Actually all four notes are weaker than I’d like them to be.)
Isolate it. Try a pinkie pull-off on its own. Do 10x perfect reps, and then increase the difficulty level slightly. You could start off with the pinkie at fret 8, index fret 5, and go from there. Do that and then build up to using it in the lick. I hope that helps. 🙂
I’m making progress with Lick 6! And I went back to the Toccata and Fugue in the Acoustic Asylum material, and guess what – the opening notes were much easier this time around! I was able to do them with pull offs and hammer ons! I had gotten discouraged on that before. Still needs a lot of work, but I will work on it, and can see some light in the tunnel!
This has been a lot of fun – I am not quite all the way through yet but am wondering if the 12 Bar Blues for Beginners course offers a lot more? Thinking this is fun enough to maybe go further.
Super pleased to hear it. It offers similar content in a different way. Many of the ideas are similar. I would keep enjoying this and perfecting this, and the new DTAA lessons out soon will help you take your blues playing further. (Have you checked out these old but fun lessons on blues in the Supercharger section?) 🙂
Dan….from the cup I find that I can stay closer to the strings and return better if I pluck with the fleshy distal joint of the fingers. Does this sound right? If I use the nails, I pluck in a motion that takes the finger more away from the string.
Plucking with the fleshy part is definitely okay. Many classical players were taught to not use their nails at first – this was so they would develop good technique and tone with the flesh rather than relying on the nails. You are doing the right thing. Good stuff, Dennis 🙂
Thanks Dan,Break though lesson.Been practicing daily for six years and after getting the licks down then applying them to a backing track I feel like a real guitar player. Feels like all the time is paying off. Thank again
Yeah, it is a good step up that. Definitely be patient here. Keep going back and forth between the two and focusing on those very small adjustments. You’ll get there 🙂
I am just looking at this after your blues licks lesson. I find that I am a bit confused. Shuffle feel OK I Iv V chord progression OK , but what is going on inside the Chords? So – assuming open strings the I chord would be E, the IV chord would be A and the V Chord would be B. We are strumming for the I chord open low E and B on the A string – an E power chord followed by E and C #. What is that ? and how is it related to the I… Read more »
Hi Martin, yeah in the shuffle it is the Major 6th note that is added to each chord to give it its flavour. As for why it is that exact note, I’ve never been able to find out why. My best guess is that note just had that signature sound which became the backbone for blues. In terms of the theory you are right on the money. Do let me know if I didn’t quite get your question though. Cheers. 🙂
Yeah, that’s true. A lot of the theory seemed to come after the development of the actual music. Theory is still incredibly useful but to me theory is like a language being created to describe a piece of art to a person unable to see it. I hope that makes sense.
OMG ! THESE MEMORY VIDEOS ARE PRICELESS ! They answer all those questions my brain ask as I am practicing. WHY SHOULD I LEARN THIS? HOW SHOULD I LEARN IT? We all know we should slow down and chunk pieces but now we know WHY. BRILLIANT !
I stopped selling the course a while back as it looks a bit dated (with the intention to refilm and re-release it) but DTAA members can have it in your account at no cost if you like. Just let me know. 🙂
Dan……Do you plan to have a mini course on economy picking?….. It .gets a bit confusing at times..EG….going back down the scale, since the 4 string only has 2 notes, we will be able to move UP to the 5 string f ollowing an UP ……What if there were 3 notes on the 4 string?…..We would have to change UP to string 5 on a DOWN. OR AM I OVERCOMPLICATING THIS?
Hi Dennis, no but I can create one in the future. The key thing with economy picking is to remember the rule – when plucking the same string more than once, alternate… And when changing strings, pluck the new string in the direction you are travelling. It is not a perfect technique as there are sometimes slightly awkward picking movements but it’s far better than any other picking technique I’ve come across. I hope that helps? 🙂
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.
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”!
Thoroughly enjoyed this lesson. Just need to iron out the creases which I will do this coming week. For a longer term plan I will memorise this piece as an easy one to memorise. Main problem I do have is with the C7 B7 but I will get it. As for the alternative lick I have been actually practicing this same hammer on pull off for a couple of months now in isolation with little success. I also practice this same 5653 on the B string even harder. I find it hard to maintain the consistency of volume. However I… Read more »
Thanks, Sean. Delighted to hear it. Yeah, definitely a great one to remember. Apply the ’10x Method’ to it and over the coming weeks you’ll make great progress playing it and remembering it. You can work on the C7 and B7 in isolation and you can even leave them out for a while when you play the full piece. Yeah, in terms of the hammer-on and pull-offs those videos will really help, so do give them a go when you’re ready. Enjoy playing this with the Spark amp too! 🙂
Thanks, Dan! I so appreciate how you respond to the requests for material from your students. An informal survey among students last month turns into a new specially tailored lesson this month! It makes me realize even more how special a site DTAA really is. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have found you and DTAA. My wife hadn’t heard me play for a while and when she watched some short videos I had made, she remarked “you’ve come a long way”. I told her “that’s down to Dan”. 😊
My pleasure, Larry. I have tonnes of ideas to teach so getting feedback and suggestions is great. I do love this community and the input from members makes it even more special. The comments section I added a few years ago definitely has been one of my favourite additions. Just to hear comments like this absolutely makes my day. Well done to you for making the progress. Super pleased. 🙂
Great new little piece here! Had a quick run though just now. Will take a bit of time to get really smooth and fluid but these seem to be getting faster for me to get the gist of, which I guess is a good sign…. Definitely a fun one to have as a go-to easier piece and maybe to embellish on down the line.
Cheers, Jeffrey. That’s a great sign indeed. I hope you keep enjoying it and for sure, as you keep developing you might want to embellish this and have even more fun with it. Enjoy. 🙂
Dan…….It just occurred to me that chord changes can only be practiced with both hands. Isn’t it better to try and get it down to the fretting hand only via one of those techniques you advocate that can be done without strumming? EG….THE FIST?
Yeah, for muscle memory, isolating one hand at a time for sure is the best way to go. Then, you can incorporate both hands when you transition the chord changes into your playing. 🙂
Awesome piece Dan – looks like it will surely be a fun tune to learn!! I especially love how the base notes sound… Cheers…
Thanks, Logan. Glad you are enjoying it. It sure is lots of fun to play and yeah, those simple bass notes fill out the sound nicely. Keep having fun with it 🙂
in other worde, my fellow students, ANY LICK OR RIFF requires musicality befre you work on speed. Listen to Dan play and you will hear notes ring out and the next note is pluked BEFORE that ring out stops. A VERY CRUCIAL TECHNIQUE TO GET MUSICALITY AND HAND CORDINATION WORKING TOGETHER. He sneaks another lesson in here about LISTENING.
Well done to the September 2023 Leaderboard winners. They were Gold – Dennis Sullivan, Silver – Teresa Fox, and Bronze – Nicholas Castle! The random ‘lucky dip’ winner is Larry Fleeman, and the best comment winner was Sean Richards who left an excellent comment HERE. I will be in touch with your prizes! Well done 🙂
Hello, I am David from Oak Harbor, Washington on the beutiful Whidbey Island north of Seattle. I have been playing off and on for over 10 years but still feel like an amateur. I hope to learn a lot from this course and look forward to playing with you all.
Cheers.
Hi David, welcome aboard. A great place to live I bet. Pleased you are here and I hope you enjoy the lessons. Stick with them, they will help you get to the next level for sure… and any questions along the way, do let us know 🙂
Thank you Dan!!
Hi Dan
Been enjoying the blues licks lessons! Please create more lessons using the licks and others to play along with backing tracks.
Hi Stephen, thanks, glad to hear it. Will do for sure. In fact, there is a new lesson coming tomorrow on the blues 🙂
Dan……Is it true that if you play a major scale, then start another scale 3 frets higher , the new scale is a minor scale?
Kind of. Every Major scale has a relative minor scale. I’m not sure if this is what you mean… Where the Major scale played in a certain position and the minor scale played 3 frets lower are technically the same scale – one Major and one minor. E.g. C Major (which starts on fret 8) and A minor (which starts on fret 5) use the same notes for both scales. Is that what you mean? 🙂
Do you post tabs for the songs?
For the fingerpicking songs, yes, but not the strumming ones 🙂
I left this for awhile, (being the squirrel that I am) and tried some other bluesy things. As I revisit your lessons, I realize I am too tense and need to focus on my breathing. I appreciate how you remind us about the simple (yet not so simple) things we need to pay attention to whilst playing. While I was practicing the last lick and the pull offs, that is when I think I stopped breathing. 🙂 Thank you again for the reminders.
It’s a good realization, it’s so common about the holding of the breath. I hope you didn’t change colour! I joke as it’s happended to us all. Keep enjoying the lessons and reminders and glad they are helping. 🙂
Dan……You have me puzzled ! When you play G major using your 3 and 4 fingers, I find it difficult to get both close to the fret wire without struggling to keep the pinkie from wanderingg near the 4th fret. I notice that your 3rd finger gets quite a bit deeper into the 3rd fret. This would solve the pinkie issue BUT will it affect my MPR? I guess my question is when you say to get each finger as close as possible to the fretwire, is this an exception to the rule?
Yeah, if you have two fingers on the same fret (e.g. fret 3) and on strings next to each other, getting close to the fret wire is hard to do. You can squeeze your fingertips together a little bit to help but yeah, generally, this is an exception to the rule. I hope that makes sense. 🙂
Well I think I finally managed to play a strummed song in a way that the song was recognizable. It wasn’t good, but it was so much better than what I could do when I started two months ago (which was nothing as far as strumming and chord changes go) that I am very pleased. I have a long way to go but I have taken a baby step!
That is superb. Well done, what a lot of progress in just two months. Hats off to you and keep the amazing practice going. 🙂
While watching this I had a light bulb moment.
When I’m really getting into the music and my playing sounds good, I start to sway with the music. This wouldn’t happen if all tensed up. My bad days the really bad days nothing rings true on the strings with all the buzzing, hitting wrong strings etc.
Since joining DTAA a few days ago I have really had a wake up call. Thank You
So cool, thanks, I love the fact you’re getting your body into the groove. This is a sure sign you are getting there. It’s next to impossible to sway with the music if things aren’t clicking so well done, and long may that continue. 🙂
I have got to admit that my ability to practice without pain has multiplied in time many times over. I can sit for hours just practicing without the discomfort. This is all thanks to your very skilful way of teaching. If more beginners got this knowledge right from day one, I’m sure less people would give up so quickly. That first time picking up a guitar was excruciating in pain, the length’s I went to in order to speed up them calluses. I used rubbing alcohol on my finger tips, medical grade superglue (actually worked well) and a guitar glove… Read more »
Hi Sean, thank you very much for the kind words. It means a lot but the best thing is how well you are doing now. Super pleased to hear it. No more pain, just lots of fun for you, and even though there will be little hurdles here and there, you can now look forward and be confident in your long term progress. Well done for making the adjustments and I look forward to hearing more about your progress. Brilliant work. 🙂
Dan, I’m going back through the videos and this course again methodically. I benefited from the course when I first received it, but I didn’t get everything out of it that was possible. I went from hating barre chords to being able to incorporate several into songs. But I know there is more to gain from doing this course justice. Will take my time this time through.
Good stuff, Larry. That sort of focus will stand you in good stead. Going through this course a few times over the next year or so will really help. Be patient and keep enjoying the progress, you’re doing well with it. 🙂
This would be very practical at the start of all warm ups. We forget how much is going on while playing. Sensory overload is an understatement with fretting, plucking /strumming, counting, foot tapping reading music or tabs and possibly singing. I whish this information was in front of me at the start of my guitar journey. If my mind is on something else, I might as well give up on practice in that moment. This reminds me of the illustration on FB several weeks back that Dan put up. The rollercoaster of ups and downs while learning. The days I… Read more »
Absolutely, great point you make there. Sensory overload is definitely possible as there is so much going on when playing guitar! Yeah, I wish I knew this back then too, but I’m glad we know it now and it is proving helpful. Yeah, keep the curve going upwards in a steady line and keep enjoying each moment – remember my #1 rule too – that is “try to improve one tiny thing each day and do something some fun on the guitar”. You’re doing well. 🙂
Dan…….When using the A minor,F, C,G, why am I reminded of SULTANS OF SWING?
Oooh, great song, yeah, different chord progression but some of the same chords in it. What a great song that is by the way. 🙂
Dan, another excellent and very important lessons on the three Ps! A practice technique I was shown, and which ties in with this, is called the ‘heavy arm’. Basically, as you fret each note you allow the weight of the fretting arm to fall through each finger. This means that you’re not using finger and thumb pressure to fret the notes but instead you allow the weight of the arm to do the work for you. The helps to prevent over squeezing each fretted note and avoids tension build up in the fingers, hand, arm and shoulders. As a check… Read more »
Thanks, Antony. Yeah, the heavy arm is a great one – I teach that with barre chords especially as it is very powerful. Was it Jamie Andreas who taught you that by the way? Glad to hear this is useful and keep up the great practice. 🙂
Absolutely brilliant lesson, I will need to watch this a few times.
Your average YouTube lesson shows finger positioning, while your explanations and demonstrations take it so much further.
I am now aware about keeping my shoulders down and to refrain from keeping elbows in.
My left shoulder blade has been painful at times, I could be speculating but this might be the cause.
Glad to hear it, thanks. These are the details that make a huge difference to everything you play, so I’m glad it was helpful. I hope it helps with the shoulder and keep making those adjustments. 🙂
Good lesson though I do have one question.
I’m one of those people with a large tummy. This has always been a problem whilst playing the guitar.
I have lost a lot of weight through diet etc the ability to play a guitar has pushed me harder to loose this excessive weight.
Is it the case of putting up with incorrect positioning or is there anything I can do to help.
I do have a foot rest, purchased one shortly after getting first guitar. Thought they looked cool.
I used to have a large tummy myself. It was never easy, but sitting on a chair a little higher up with good posture so I could lean forward a little helped. I found when I was lower down my belly would get in the way more. You can even try standing too but when sitting, definitely try classical position and a strap should help too. Good stuff losing the weight too 🙂
Some handy tips mentioned here. Now I’m torn between using a notebook or putting a spreadsheet together. My largest goal is to memorise one song. I would love to walk into a guitar shop (I can hear my wife now lol) just to find that perfect connection. However I would be so embarrassed whipping out printed A4 guitar tablature or my phone just to play. I have tried learning from memory 1 bar at a time, 10 minutes later I couldn’t tell you the first note. I know this is holding me back as cannot read the music quick enough… Read more »
Either will work. Keeping it simple and using the method which is best for you is the way to go. Ha, I know what you mean, pulling out the TAB! 🙂 If 1 bar is a struggle, try breaking that bar up into smaller chunks. Most people struggle to remember anywhere from five and above things so definitely break that bar up, remember that (writing it down helps memory too), and then build up. You will get there. 🙂
Nice selection of workouts all in one place. I have really pushed myself with similar workouts over the last two months which has really helped. Though these were print outs, PDF files, post it notes and a whiteboard which meant everything all over the place.
Now everything in one place thank you.
These exercises are great to build on so you are always able to push yourself that bit harder.
Glad to hear it. Having a solid workout is so useful. I like to keep them short but full of key things to practice. This allows you to focus on them fully, then go have fun with other stuff too. Pleased you’re enjoying them so far and keep up the great practice. 🙂
I will incorporate one of these every week into my practice. Those challenges that I struggle with will get incorporated even more.
Glad to hear it, the challenges are fun and definitely worth doing throughout the week. Enjoy and I hope you see some great results with them. 🙂
24.09.23 5 times. Lets see how many in a months time.
Good stuff, and well done! 🙂
Hello, Laurie in Massachusetts here. I’m ready to pick up my guitar again. I really enjoy your podcast and videos. I need encouragement to keep going even though it’s hard for me. I’m not sure enough about reincarnation to wait and hope to be born with more musicality next time around. 😉
Hi Laurie, welcome aboard. Ah, thanks, means a lot to hear. You can definitely do this. Start with small little victories each day, like what is mentioned in the course, and try to play something fun every day on the guitar. Do let us know how you get on and enjoy! 🙂
Hi all My name is Sean, I live in the city of York which is in North Yorkshire UK. I am 53 years old and have played guitar for around three years. I joined the DTAA as I do not believe my progression has been quick enough, despite the hours I practice. I practice every day, usually for at least an hour without any planning, then I can pick my guitar up several times a day killing time. Like many people on here I suffer with arthritis which is in my wrists and neck. I blame the cold damp weather… Read more »
Welcome Sean. I love how dedicated you are to practicing. That is great. The ‘In Focus’ course especially will really help you take the time you spend and use it wisely – massively helping with the things you mention. I hope you enjoy it, and we’re delighted you are here. Excited to hear about your progress. 🙂
I’m enjoying the course. I’ve picked up a lot of bad habits over the years and sold my guitar about five years ago — never was any good and thought I was getting too old anyway — so now much of my muscle memory has disappeared. At 80 I purchased a new guitar and immediately signed on to the website. I find replaying the various beginning sections extremely helpful even if I struggle with chord changes. It is baby steps so far, but I’m determined to practice a little bit each day and get better. This time I want to… Read more »
Super pleased to hear it, Carl. It’s great you are back and enjoying it! Yes, repetition is key with the guitar. Not enough people use repetition (it’s natural to want to move on to the next thing), but repeating the same lessons is crucial. That’s where a huge amount of progress is made. Keep up the wonderful practice. 🙂
Great lesson with some awesome reminders. Looking to applying them as I move along
Pleased to hear it, John. That’s a great start and we look forward to hearing more about your progress. 🙂
Superb advice. I tried a footstool but found the pressure it created in my left hip and lower back soon got uncomfortable. So, I bought a Dynarette leg support (same thing that Dan demonstrates) twelve months ago and it’s been excellent. I’ve not touched the footstool since.
Glad to hear it. It really does make a huge difference getting comfortable and although foot stools are great, they can cause issues. Keep up the good practice. 🙂
Hi everyone. I joined yesterday and looking forward to working thru learning to play the guitar and having a blast. My name is John H. …I reside in Saugatuck Michigan , a small town on Lake Michigan. I am 70 years old and starting guitar for the third time …I’m hoping “ it’s the charm” this time around. Past efforts usually faded due to family & work schedules along with waning interest. Too many scales & exercises with no fun music ever coming along. I love the sound of solo acoustic guitar and dream of learning to play a couple… Read more »
Hi John, welcome aboard. Delighted you’re here and I hope you’re enjoying it so far. Scales and exercises can sure be boring if that’s all you do. I mean, they do help for sure, but having fun is absolutely crucial. I hope you find the songs and lessons a blast, and please do let us know how you get on. It sounds like you have a great set up and we’re looking forward to hearing about your progress. 🙂
Hi, I live in Shrewsbury which is not too far from Dan’s home town. I’ve been practicing acoustic guitar on and off for about three years. I’ve tried a couple of well known online training courses but found them quite boring. They lacked the strong structure and approach to correct technique and playing that Dan covers. For me, learning correct technique and correct practice is very important. I particularly like the approach that Dan has applied to his training by combining the technical aspects of classical guitar with contemporary fingerstyle playing. My main focus and goal for joining DTAA is… Read more »
Hi Antony, oh wow, you’re not too far from me at all. Glad you are on it with good technique – it is the backbone of everything on the guitar. Two very cool guitarists you mention there. Keep working on the basics, keep having fun, and you’ll get there. With the right focus, you can achieve so much on the guitar. A really big welcome to you and hope you enjoy it here. 🙂
Dan……..You are a genius
Lol, thanks, Dennis 🙂
Dan, any advice for building up a pinkie pull off? I can get the first four notes of lick 6 most of the time, but the pinkie is weak on the pull off note. (Actually all four notes are weaker than I’d like them to be.)
Isolate it. Try a pinkie pull-off on its own. Do 10x perfect reps, and then increase the difficulty level slightly. You could start off with the pinkie at fret 8, index fret 5, and go from there. Do that and then build up to using it in the lick. I hope that helps. 🙂
Thanks, Dan. That gives me something specific to do to improve it.
My pleasure, Larry. Stick with the method, the pinkie will start to play more ball soon. 🙂
I’m making progress with Lick 6! And I went back to the Toccata and Fugue in the Acoustic Asylum material, and guess what – the opening notes were much easier this time around! I was able to do them with pull offs and hammer ons! I had gotten discouraged on that before. Still needs a lot of work, but I will work on it, and can see some light in the tunnel!
Awesome, super pleased to hear this. Well done, Larry! Keep up the top practice, you’re an inspiration. 🙂
Whoops meant to say no sharps or flats in between notes b,c and e,f. Thus eggs fried, bacon crispy.
I like that – I always use Big Cats, Eat Fish 🙂
Also, something I learned from another teacher-eggs fried, bacon crispy- no sharps or flats in between these notes.
Important to know the fretboard notes, especially on the low e and then a string as you say this is where the root notes of chords are.
For sure, those are the main ones to begin with. Very useful for barre chords, power chords, scales, and more 🙂
This has been a lot of fun – I am not quite all the way through yet but am wondering if the 12 Bar Blues for Beginners course offers a lot more? Thinking this is fun enough to maybe go further.
Super pleased to hear it. It offers similar content in a different way. Many of the ideas are similar. I would keep enjoying this and perfecting this, and the new DTAA lessons out soon will help you take your blues playing further. (Have you checked out these old but fun lessons on blues in the Supercharger section?) 🙂
Nope! A whole new bunch of things to play with! Thanks!
Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Dan….from the cup I find that I can stay closer to the strings and return better if I pluck with the fleshy distal joint of the fingers. Does this sound right? If I use the nails, I pluck in a motion that takes the finger more away from the string.
Plucking with the fleshy part is definitely okay. Many classical players were taught to not use their nails at first – this was so they would develop good technique and tone with the flesh rather than relying on the nails. You are doing the right thing. Good stuff, Dennis 🙂
Thanks Dan,Break though lesson.Been practicing daily for six years and after getting the licks down then applying them to a backing track I feel like a real guitar player. Feels like all the time is paying off. Thank again
Brilliant, this makes me happy to read. Well done, this is a great day for you and I’m super pleased for you. Well done. 🙂
Big difference between the 3-string barre and 4-string barre exercises. Patience, Larry.
Yeah, it is a good step up that. Definitely be patient here. Keep going back and forth between the two and focusing on those very small adjustments. You’ll get there 🙂
I am just looking at this after your blues licks lesson. I find that I am a bit confused. Shuffle feel OK I Iv V chord progression OK , but what is going on inside the Chords? So – assuming open strings the I chord would be E, the IV chord would be A and the V Chord would be B. We are strumming for the I chord open low E and B on the A string – an E power chord followed by E and C #. What is that ? and how is it related to the I… Read more »
Hi Martin, yeah in the shuffle it is the Major 6th note that is added to each chord to give it its flavour. As for why it is that exact note, I’ve never been able to find out why. My best guess is that note just had that signature sound which became the backbone for blues. In terms of the theory you are right on the money. Do let me know if I didn’t quite get your question though. Cheers. 🙂
Thanks Dan. I guess music is all about the feel not the theory.
Yeah, that’s true. A lot of the theory seemed to come after the development of the actual music. Theory is still incredibly useful but to me theory is like a language being created to describe a piece of art to a person unable to see it. I hope that makes sense.
OMG ! THESE MEMORY VIDEOS ARE PRICELESS ! They answer all those questions my brain ask as I am practicing. WHY SHOULD I LEARN THIS? HOW SHOULD I LEARN IT? We all know we should slow down and chunk pieces but now we know WHY. BRILLIANT !
Glad to hear it, Dennis. Great work and keep it up. 🙂
Dan……When playing a single string melody, are pull offs usable , Limited, of course to ones reach?
For sure, pull-offs and hammer-ons are great when playing melodies along one string, and they work really well for faster notes or sections 🙂
There’s still more tension than I need (but getting so much better). I can do the 3-string barre exercise to the A string now! It’s tough, but clear.
That’s great, Larry. Super pleased to hear it. Well done and keep up the excellent practice. 🙂
Progress is apparent. This is a good exercise!
Excellent, pleased to hear it. 🙂
Is the Strumming with Soul course still available? I didn’t see it under the courses on the Resources page.
I stopped selling the course a while back as it looks a bit dated (with the intention to refilm and re-release it) but DTAA members can have it in your account at no cost if you like. Just let me know. 🙂
When I click on the 3 simple fingerpicking patterns link, it tells me no such page is found.
Thanks for the heads up. Just updated this. 🙂
Thank you!
🙂
Dan……Do you plan to have a mini course on economy picking?….. It .gets a bit confusing at times..EG….going back down the scale, since the 4 string only has 2 notes, we will be able to move UP to the 5 string f ollowing an UP ……What if there were 3 notes on the 4 string?…..We would have to change UP to string 5 on a DOWN. OR AM I OVERCOMPLICATING THIS?
Hi Dennis, no but I can create one in the future. The key thing with economy picking is to remember the rule – when plucking the same string more than once, alternate… And when changing strings, pluck the new string in the direction you are travelling. It is not a perfect technique as there are sometimes slightly awkward picking movements but it’s far better than any other picking technique I’ve come across. I hope that helps? 🙂