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”!
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.
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.
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 »
If you find you pluck the wrong strings a lot when using a pick, this is definitely the lesson for you. Go slow and ingrain this lesson to make it a habit!
I love this sound! If you enjoy the boom-chick style playing that players such as Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and Jerry Reed are synonymous with, this will be a must watch lesson. Enjoy!
This is probably the most famous of all the guitar exercises out there. Yet, most people do it in a way that can actually make their playing and their hand issues/pain worse. Ensure you watch the video above to do it correctly!
Good day. I’m on a crash course as a beginner (64 years old). I’m going thru the kindle bundles such as strumming, finger picking, chord changing.. So much to absorb but I think I’m improving.. My wish list is to be able to play my wedding song “for the first time” loggins or stewart as I want to surprise my wife on our anniversary August 23. I’m having a challenge finding tutorials on same so am hoping you could help me please. Much thanks.
Hi,thanks for the comment. It sounds great that you see you are improving already. That would be great if you can do it. Ultimate Guitar can be a good place to search for songs not here or YouTube of course. You have a few choices – learn a simple strummed version with or without singing like the one in this chord chart, play the main melody in a simple way (the easiest for most beginners but it can be hard to find people teaching just the melody) so the song is recognisable OR learn a fingerstyle version (can be tougher).… Read more »
Wow! Thank you so much, Dan, for the guidance, including the advice on small wins. I’m going thru sections of the bundles..and revisiting them for reviews. So excited to be learning so much as a beginner. Thank you🙏
My name’s Gerry (from Seattle, Washington). I’m 64, beginner but I must say on a fast track absorbing a lot of exciting lessons/techniques. My wife and I love the 70s and 80s songs. So my wife is from Vancouver Canada, and we haven’t been together since March due to the pandemic and border closures. As a surprise, I plan to perform a number of our wedding songs on our anniversary this August. Thanks to this site, I’m excited for the prospect. Thanks!
Welcome Gerry, Thanks for the introduction – it is great to have you here. I wish you all the best with your playing – keep enjoying the journey! That is very sad about not seeing your wife in so long. I wish you a wonderful reunion when you can see each other and I hope you wow her with the songs!
Hi all. I am Gordon aged 61 years old and have played guitar for several years now. I have known Dan through over projects and could not wait to join his site. Every time I read about guitar 🎸 theory, I realise that I am only scratching the surface of this rewarding instrument. Here is my article on Pareto Law which I hope you find useful.
Hi All,I am Gordon. I have played for the last 3 years. Looking at the site, so far this is going to be a very exciting exchange of ideas.I must declare that I know Dan on previous projects and book reviews.
I am 61 years old.I have very creative mind and I love to break things down to make them easier.For example I have devised an original way to learn all the notes on the fretboard based on french cooking! I will release this material soon.I hope it will help you learn all the notes.
Hey Everyone. I am from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. I’m 60, and have been trying to learn to play for about 3 years. I have not have much success, until now. I joined Dan for a one-year term to get myself going. So far, I have learned that I was not holding the guitar properly, and have begun to learn my chords, his way. I have already improved, and will continue to do so with Dan’s guidance. Excited to be here!
Hi Chris. Superb work already. Hopefully, you will continue to make good progress and put the frustrations of the past few years behind you. Onwards and upwards! Keep up the great work.
My top tip for Barre chords.This is also a great gentle finger stretch when your warming up.
Lay your first finger behind the nut when you play the A minor and Eminor chords, using fingers 2,3, and 4,without muting any chord note.If your thumb is placed on the middle of the neck, the stretch will become easier.
Once you have mastered the above.Switch between A minor and E minor at 50 bpm on the metronome, then speed up as the stretch becomes more comfortable.
I hope you enjoy these videos. They are a random selection of the ones I find entertaining and exciting. If there are any you want to share, please do so below!
You know how to inspire your students Jon. I enjoyed those videos very much especially Jon Gomm. One of my old time favourites is Meeting of the Spirits. Players John Mcloughlin, Larry Coryell, and Paco de lucia. Dont mind Pacos hair style!
That is a great video, Gem. Really hypnotic and some amazing playing. Thanks for sharing. Not sure what is the most crazy – the playing or the hairstyles!
I think that the examples of the fake pivot were really helpful. I’d been experimenting with the concept a bit in the fingerpicking course where G, C and D as well as Em get used a good bit but this really filled it out. Thanks!
Thanks, Cliff. Glad you are finding the fake pivot helpful. Chord changes are so tricky at first but this method, and being precise and controlled with it, definitely helps. Good work.
One way to learn the open strings ( strings 1-6 ) is to keep on the “ Eddie theme” I use the following nemonic. Give it a go, let me know if it helps Eddie Broke G string During Another E tuning
Cheers! It can be tricky to teach and trickier to learn but this systematic way has been the only method I have found that works for students time after time.
Always a pleasure, Gordon. For everyone reading this, remember you will crack barre chords too – just focus on technique, patience and lots of short bursts of practise!
The finger shuffle can give you surprising results.If any one wants to try this to a metronome beat.I would recommend 35 bpm, which is a slow but steady beat.
Hi everyone. I’m a 64 year old beginner and have played off and on for a few years. Signing up for Dan’s coaching has been helpful and motivating. I am working on basic chord changes to get a clean sound but am still having trouble with forming some shapes like the C and F chords, and I find even the easy “A” group songs very challenging. I have a beginner guitar— a Yamaha C40. The nut width is 2” so I’m thinking about shopping for an acoustic guitar with a narrower nut width. If it weren’t for Covid, I would’ve… Read more »
Hi J, and welcome to the EGIC. Great to have you here and that is a great bunch of bands you like. All chords are tough at first. Be patient, keep up the drills/exercises and keep in mind, once the technique gets there with chords, they are a bit like riding a bike. You just have to keep going and you will get there! Enjoy the guitar shopping when you can too – getting the ideal guitar for you makes a big difference. Thanks very much for the kind words too!
Thanks for the suggestion. What sort of thing are you thinking? Folk, blues, patterns or anything else in particular? The more detail you can give me, the better.
Good shout, It is a cool style so will add that to the list as never done a lesson on it. For blues have you checked out the beginner and fingerstyle lessons?
Hi – this is Mike Ransome living in MARCIAC, Gers in France. For those who do not know the significance of the name MARCIAC, it is home to the third largest jazz festival in the world.Until now it has been running for 40 years and been host to all the great jazz and blues players. I am probably one of the oldest members here who started learning guitar at the age of 75. Now approaching 80 and still learning. My interest is fingerpicking country, folk and blues acoustic. The fingers are small and crabby with age but I am getting… Read more »
Hi Mike, thanks for getting in touch. That is cool about the jazz festival and delighted to know you are enjoying your playing at 80. Guys like you are an inspiration to those who say they could never learn. Cool about the bike too – sounds amazing in France. I travelled round there as part of my long trip many years ago.Was great fun and food was amazing. Brilliant news about the hearing too. It is something all us musicians need to be on top of. I have found this with the students who wear hearing aids. The one plays… Read more »
You are not limited to minor keys only while writing ‘sad’ music: the order of the chords can create a sad feel even in major key. Here’s an example: C G F Am. Compare the feeling with the much ‘happier’ progression C Am F G.
I got a full score on both easy and hard level.I struggled on the G string a bit more..So now I will target this in my practice this week.Its a good exercise to complete, and more importantly review over a time period.
Well done to Gordon Lynch for winning the July 2020 Leaderboard. Your prize will be posted out to you today. On the 1st of each month the leaderboard is reset for a fresh start!
Dan, I first met you through your ground breaking “ Ninja chord changes” course. My biggest breakthrough was the in applying the correct pressure I applied on the strings.For some reason I kept pressing too hard on the fretboard.Bad habits were hard to eradicate…as I found out.Now I have the correct pressure thanks to your videos on this area.Thankyou.
My top tip here and I found this accidentally, is to play the exact chords after identifying the chords.It is certainly making me think more in musical terms.I think this exercise is great for aspiring song writers.
Really enjoyed the songs not to sing at a wedding, my kind of twisted humor.. Star Wars theme on classical guitars was interesting as well. I’ll be looking at others in the near future.
Hello everybody! My name is Lucinda and I have only been playing/ learning fingerstyle since March. So far I am enjoying it but have a lot to learn. In general, I have been trying to learn guitar about a year now and learned a few things along the way. Some seem more helpful then others. There is so much information and videos on guitar. But I need guidance, value feedback, and enjoy learning something new. I really enjoy music and have always wanted to learn acoustic guitar. So here I am. I know it will take practice but I’m ready!… Read more »
Thanks for the intro. You are right, there is so much out there. The key is to keep focused – laser beamed focus without getting distracted is soo important, as is having fun. Getting started on one of the 30 day plans here will help as will asking questions and posting videos when you need to. We are all here to help each other so good luck and keep in touch!
I agree the fake pivot changes seem to be very helpful. I have been trying to leave the fingers in place for chord changes when possible like D to G but creating a pivot has made changing from C to G and back easier. Thank you
Hi, I’m Vivian, I live in mid Ohio USA. I started playing guitar at 65 when I retired as an RN in nursing of 30 years. I’m almost 69 now. I’ve taken 85 half hour lessons at the guitar store, and I have purchased gobs of learning videos and books but still am very much a beginner. I’ve been a member here for less than a month and already feel like I’m advancing a bit. I love finger picking the best. I just got a Zager Parlor guitar that I really love. I have no desire to play for anyone… Read more »
Hi Vivian, Thanks for the intro and welcome aboard. It is great to hear from you over in Ohio. Nice to know you are finding the programme useful so far too. Keep enjoying the playing and the horse riding and hopefully, your playing will move forward at a canter. Thanks for the kind words with the accent – a Brummie accent as we call it rarely gets complimented! Haha
Hi all Byron here I have just joined i do not know a great deal about finger picking and have played about with a guitar in the past but now is a good time to get back into it and beat the barre chord blues
Great to have you here. I hope you enjoy it here and feel free to post on the various pages with any comments or questions and we will be happy to help guide you on your journey. Keep enjoying the fingerpicking and try to enjoy each moment! Dan
Hi my name is Bob and I live in Sacramento, CA. I have been playing guitar for about 7 years and last year I played with friends in a jam for the first time. It was a great experience. Regretfully, our monthly jams are on hold for now. I would like to develop my finger picking skills and build on a musical sound. Playing progressions is fun but I really would like to hear a song, learn to play it and maybe sing it. I have been working on the song Pancho & Lefty as performed by Jason Isbell. I… Read more »
Welcome aboard. It sounds like you know exactly what you want to achieve and improve upon which is great. Take a good look around here and you will find a good variety of lessons to help. The 30 day plans are a great place to start.
Of course, leave comments and ask questions as and when you need them so I and others can help you. Just had a listen to that version of Pancho & Lefty, it is great. All the best and delighted to have you here!
I was able to get 27 on both easy and hard. I could do the low E string much faster than the other strings (other than high E string). This is a great exercise. Was there any reason you chose the specific words for the hard string levels? All of the words could be applied to every string to get fast memory across all strings and I am definitely going to practice the words across all strings to get faster at remembering where they are on the fretboard.
Hi Ryan, great work. There was no reason why I chose those specific words for those strings – was random. Yes, applying all the words to all the other strings is a natural next step and something I definitely recommend. Sounds like you are doing great with 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”!
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…
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.
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 »
I hope you enjoy! This really is a lovely piece!
Very nice piece Dan.Your classical stance is paying dividends here.
Thanks, Gordon. It is a great piece and the classical position helps with pieces like this for sure!
Finally, I have relaxed on the sticky fingers exercise.I am surprised that your mental relaxation is the key to achieving this exercise.Thanks Dan.
My pleasure, Gordon. Glad to hear it is helping. It`s true, you must relax the mind before relaxing the body!
I hope you all have fun with this lesson and give it a go! Don`t be shy about using your voice and just going for it! Let me know what you think!
Thanks for the mention Dan.Its important that fret 9 ( C#) is rephrased as a “bridge” that connects between fret 8(C) – Bridge – fret 10(D).
Looks and sounds like fun, this should reconnect me a bit more firmly with my classical roots.
Cheers, Cliff. It is a really nice piece and yeah it should help you get back to your classical roots for sure. Hope you enjoy it!
If you find you pluck the wrong strings a lot when using a pick, this is definitely the lesson for you. Go slow and ingrain this lesson to make it a habit!
I love this sound! If you enjoy the boom-chick style playing that players such as Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and Jerry Reed are synonymous with, this will be a must watch lesson. Enjoy!
This is probably the most famous of all the guitar exercises out there. Yet, most people do it in a way that can actually make their playing and their hand issues/pain worse. Ensure you watch the video above to do it correctly!
This looks really good Dan. Need to dig in and start having fun with it.
Thanks, Dave. Hope you have fun with the lessons and remember you can leave a comment on any page with any questions. Happy to help. Enjoy!
Good day. I’m on a crash course as a beginner (64 years old). I’m going thru the kindle bundles such as strumming, finger picking, chord changing.. So much to absorb but I think I’m improving.. My wish list is to be able to play my wedding song “for the first time” loggins or stewart as I want to surprise my wife on our anniversary August 23. I’m having a challenge finding tutorials on same so am hoping you could help me please. Much thanks.
Hi,thanks for the comment. It sounds great that you see you are improving already. That would be great if you can do it. Ultimate Guitar can be a good place to search for songs not here or YouTube of course. You have a few choices – learn a simple strummed version with or without singing like the one in this chord chart, play the main melody in a simple way (the easiest for most beginners but it can be hard to find people teaching just the melody) so the song is recognisable OR learn a fingerstyle version (can be tougher).… Read more »
Wow! Thank you so much, Dan, for the guidance, including the advice on small wins. I’m going thru sections of the bundles..and revisiting them for reviews. So excited to be learning so much as a beginner. Thank you🙏
Hi Intchowking, thats a good challenge to play for your anniversary. You will find this site inspiring and will help you achieve your goal.
Hi Gordon, thank you for the inspiration. It’s a great learning resource indeed. Thank you.
Welcome to your members area. If there is anything you cannot find, or would like to see, leave a comment below and let me know!
Hi everyone.
My name’s Gerry (from Seattle, Washington). I’m 64, beginner but I must say on a fast track absorbing a lot of exciting lessons/techniques. My wife and I love the 70s and 80s songs. So my wife is from Vancouver Canada, and we haven’t been together since March due to the pandemic and border closures. As a surprise, I plan to perform a number of our wedding songs on our anniversary this August. Thanks to this site, I’m excited for the prospect. Thanks!
Welcome Gerry, Thanks for the introduction – it is great to have you here. I wish you all the best with your playing – keep enjoying the journey! That is very sad about not seeing your wife in so long. I wish you a wonderful reunion when you can see each other and I hope you wow her with the songs!
Hey everyone, please keep this page purely for forum suggestions. i.e. if you want to see a new page.
If you have questions, or want to introduce yourself, please use the above links (would love to see your comments!)
Hi all. I am Gordon aged 61 years old and have played guitar for several years now. I have known Dan through over projects and could not wait to join his site. Every time I read about guitar 🎸 theory, I realise that I am only scratching the surface of this rewarding instrument. Here is my article on Pareto Law which I hope you find useful.
Hi All,I am Gordon. I have played for the last 3 years. Looking at the site, so far this is going to be a very exciting exchange of ideas.I must declare that I know Dan on previous projects and book reviews.
I am 61 years old.I have very creative mind and I love to break things down to make them easier.For example I have devised an original way to learn all the notes on the fretboard based on french cooking! I will release this material soon.I hope it will help you learn all the notes.
Hi Gordon, thanks for the intro. I look forward to reading more about your ideas in the forum! Many thanks for being part of the EGIC!
Hey Everyone. I am from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. I’m 60, and have been trying to learn to play for about 3 years. I have not have much success, until now. I joined Dan for a one-year term to get myself going. So far, I have learned that I was not holding the guitar properly, and have begun to learn my chords, his way. I have already improved, and will continue to do so with Dan’s guidance. Excited to be here!
Hi Chris. Superb work already. Hopefully, you will continue to make good progress and put the frustrations of the past few years behind you. Onwards and upwards! Keep up the great work.
My top tip for Barre chords.This is also a great gentle finger stretch when your warming up.
Lay your first finger behind the nut when you play the A minor and Eminor chords, using fingers 2,3, and 4,without muting any chord note.If your thumb is placed on the middle of the neck, the stretch will become easier.
Once you have mastered the above.Switch between A minor and E minor at 50 bpm on the metronome, then speed up as the stretch becomes more comfortable.
Great freebies Dan.
great mining! Thank you Sir!
I hope you enjoy these videos. They are a random selection of the ones I find entertaining and exciting. If there are any you want to share, please do so below!
2 thumbs up! thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Gerry. 🙂
You know how to inspire your students Jon. I enjoyed those videos very much especially Jon Gomm. One of my old time favourites is Meeting of the Spirits. Players John Mcloughlin, Larry Coryell, and Paco de lucia. Don
t mind Pacos hair style!https://youtu.be/XIPLwoiL71o
That is a great video, Gem. Really hypnotic and some amazing playing. Thanks for sharing. Not sure what is the most crazy – the playing or the hairstyles!
I think that the examples of the fake pivot were really helpful. I’d been experimenting with the concept a bit in the fingerpicking course where G, C and D as well as Em get used a good bit but this really filled it out. Thanks!
Thanks, Cliff. Glad you are finding the fake pivot helpful. Chord changes are so tricky at first but this method, and being precise and controlled with it, definitely helps. Good work.
Is there a tab version of this arrangement?
Not at the moment, Cliff, but I will get this sorted as soon as possible. Been meaning to for a bit so thanks for reminding me!
The tab/notation is up now, Cliff!
One way to learn the open strings ( strings 1-6 ) is to keep on the “ Eddie theme” I use the following nemonic. Give it a go, let me know if it helps
Eddie
Broke
G string
During
Another
E tuning
Ah, yeah, a great method for learning the strings in reverse order from high E to low E – which is very useful and can save time. Thanks, Gordon.
Excellent explanation of the fretboard.I think it was a good idea just to start with the natural notes.
Cheers! It can be tricky to teach and trickier to learn but this systematic way has been the only method I have found that works for students time after time.
It took me a long time to crack the barre chords.Thanks for your patience and explanation.
Always a pleasure, Gordon. For everyone reading this, remember you will crack barre chords too – just focus on technique, patience and lots of short bursts of practise!
The finger shuffle can give you surprising results.If any one wants to try this to a metronome beat.I would recommend 35 bpm, which is a slow but steady beat.
Great advice, Gordon. Metronome work is often ignored but it is very useful. A good guide for anyone getting started with it is this “In Focus” lesson – Getting Started With Using A Click…The Simpler Way
Impress your friends with one string melodies.They are fun to play.
The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black on a single high E guitar string.
1-3-4-6-4-3-1-1-0-1-1~3-1-0
1-3-4-6-4-3-1-1-0-1-1~3-1-0
Cream – Sunshine of Your Love on a single guitar string
Play on the fourth «G» string
(in parentheses play on the third «D» string)
7-7-5-7–2–1–0–(0-3–0)
7-7-5-7–2–1–0–(0-3–0)
Chris De Burgh – The Lady In Red on a single B string
Play on the «B» string
1-3-4-6—8-8-6-4-3—3–1-3
3-4-6-8–6—3-4-6-6
Game of Thrones
Play on the «e» high string
7–0–3-5-7–0–3-5-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2
5–0–3-2-5–0–3-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
7–0–3-5-7–0–3-5-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2
5–0–3-2-5–0–3-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
So fun thanks for sharing!!!!
Hi everyone. I’m a 64 year old beginner and have played off and on for a few years. Signing up for Dan’s coaching has been helpful and motivating. I am working on basic chord changes to get a clean sound but am still having trouble with forming some shapes like the C and F chords, and I find even the easy “A” group songs very challenging. I have a beginner guitar— a Yamaha C40. The nut width is 2” so I’m thinking about shopping for an acoustic guitar with a narrower nut width. If it weren’t for Covid, I would’ve… Read more »
Hi J, and welcome to the EGIC. Great to have you here and that is a great bunch of bands you like. All chords are tough at first. Be patient, keep up the drills/exercises and keep in mind, once the technique gets there with chords, they are a bit like riding a bike. You just have to keep going and you will get there! Enjoy the guitar shopping when you can too – getting the ideal guitar for you makes a big difference. Thanks very much for the kind words too!
I would like to see more fingerstyle improvise stuff
Thanks for the suggestion. What sort of thing are you thinking? Folk, blues, patterns or anything else in particular? The more detail you can give me, the better.
I have been seeing DADGAD tuning and how it is easier to improvise in either folks or blues. I would lean more on doing blues sounding music
Good shout, It is a cool style so will add that to the list as never done a lesson on it. For blues have you checked out the beginner and fingerstyle lessons?
Hi – this is Mike Ransome living in MARCIAC, Gers in France. For those who do not know the significance of the name MARCIAC, it is home to the third largest jazz festival in the world.Until now it has been running for 40 years and been host to all the great jazz and blues players. I am probably one of the oldest members here who started learning guitar at the age of 75. Now approaching 80 and still learning. My interest is fingerpicking country, folk and blues acoustic. The fingers are small and crabby with age but I am getting… Read more »
Hi Mike, thanks for getting in touch. That is cool about the jazz festival and delighted to know you are enjoying your playing at 80. Guys like you are an inspiration to those who say they could never learn. Cool about the bike too – sounds amazing in France. I travelled round there as part of my long trip many years ago.Was great fun and food was amazing. Brilliant news about the hearing too. It is something all us musicians need to be on top of. I have found this with the students who wear hearing aids. The one plays… Read more »
Yep thats the first one for me
Good work, William! Keep it up.
You are not limited to minor keys only while writing ‘sad’ music: the order of the chords can create a sad feel even in major key. Here’s an example: C G F Am. Compare the feeling with the much ‘happier’ progression C Am F G.
Nice tip, thanks, Gordon. Great point, its not just the chords you use, but what you do with them (including the order) that counts.
I got a full score on both easy and hard level.I struggled on the G string a bit more..So now I will target this in my practice this week.Its a good exercise to complete, and more importantly review over a time period.
Ace, well done, Gordon. Definitely good to revisit this one! Nice work with devising your own too.
I have devised my own exercise based on this challenge.
Low E string FED,DEAF, BEG
D String FADE
A String BEAD
B String CAFE
G String BAGED
I will post answers soon.🎼🎼🎼
My answers are as follows
Low string E
FED F(1) E (0/12) D(10)
DEAF D(10) E (0/12) A(5) F(1)
BEG. B(7) E(0/12) G (3)
A string
BEAD B(2) E (7) A (0/12) D (5)
D string
FADE. F(3) A (7) D(0/12) E (2)
G string
BAGED B(4) A(2) G (0/12) E(2) D(7)
B string
CAFE C(1) A(10) F(6) E (5)
Please devise more “Spelling Bee” if possible.Thanks
Well done to Gordon Lynch for winning the July 2020 Leaderboard. Your prize will be posted out to you today. On the 1st of each month the leaderboard is reset for a fresh start!
Thanks Dan.
I prefer the barre chord version on this song.But I need to concentrate more on my fingerings.
Very good in depth explanation of the G Major ( E minor) scale.Thanks.
Dan, I first met you through your ground breaking “ Ninja chord changes” course. My biggest breakthrough was the in applying the correct pressure I applied on the strings.For some reason I kept pressing too hard on the fretboard.Bad habits were hard to eradicate…as I found out.Now I have the correct pressure thanks to your videos on this area.Thankyou.
My top tip here and I found this accidentally, is to play the exact chords after identifying the chords.It is certainly making me think more in musical terms.I think this exercise is great for aspiring song writers.
27 on both easy and hard levels. This is an interesting idea for improving string knowledge and is much more fun than other drills I’ve tried.
Your correct Cliff.Thats why I like this site, because it has original ideas to keep things interesting.
Really enjoyed the songs not to sing at a wedding, my kind of twisted humor.. Star Wars theme on classical guitars was interesting as well. I’ll be looking at others in the near future.
Cheers Cliff. Is good fun. If you or others have any videos you love, add them as a comment and I will update the page with them.
Just done first two.I was having problems with “fat Fingers” on C chord. Got the technique now. Position is everything. I’m on the way.
Ace, Kevin. That sounds like a great start. Very true, positioning is key. Well done and keep up the good work!
Great advice. I feel the difference already.
Hello everybody! My name is Lucinda and I have only been playing/ learning fingerstyle since March. So far I am enjoying it but have a lot to learn. In general, I have been trying to learn guitar about a year now and learned a few things along the way. Some seem more helpful then others. There is so much information and videos on guitar. But I need guidance, value feedback, and enjoy learning something new. I really enjoy music and have always wanted to learn acoustic guitar. So here I am. I know it will take practice but I’m ready!… Read more »
Hi Lucinda,
Thanks for the intro. You are right, there is so much out there. The key is to keep focused – laser beamed focus without getting distracted is soo important, as is having fun. Getting started on one of the 30 day plans here will help as will asking questions and posting videos when you need to. We are all here to help each other so good luck and keep in touch!
I agree the fake pivot changes seem to be very helpful. I have been trying to leave the fingers in place for chord changes when possible like D to G but creating a pivot has made changing from C to G and back easier. Thank you
Hi, I’m Vivian, I live in mid Ohio USA. I started playing guitar at 65 when I retired as an RN in nursing of 30 years. I’m almost 69 now. I’ve taken 85 half hour lessons at the guitar store, and I have purchased gobs of learning videos and books but still am very much a beginner. I’ve been a member here for less than a month and already feel like I’m advancing a bit. I love finger picking the best. I just got a Zager Parlor guitar that I really love. I have no desire to play for anyone… Read more »
Hi Vivian, Thanks for the intro and welcome aboard. It is great to hear from you over in Ohio. Nice to know you are finding the programme useful so far too. Keep enjoying the playing and the horse riding and hopefully, your playing will move forward at a canter. Thanks for the kind words with the accent – a Brummie accent as we call it rarely gets complimented! Haha
Hi all Byron here I have just joined i do not know a great deal about finger picking and have played about with a guitar in the past but now is a good time to get back into it and beat the barre chord blues
Hi Byron,
Great to have you here. I hope you enjoy it here and feel free to post on the various pages with any comments or questions and we will be happy to help guide you on your journey. Keep enjoying the fingerpicking and try to enjoy each moment! Dan
Hi my name is Bob and I live in Sacramento, CA. I have been playing guitar for about 7 years and last year I played with friends in a jam for the first time. It was a great experience. Regretfully, our monthly jams are on hold for now. I would like to develop my finger picking skills and build on a musical sound. Playing progressions is fun but I really would like to hear a song, learn to play it and maybe sing it. I have been working on the song Pancho & Lefty as performed by Jason Isbell. I… Read more »
Hi Bob,
Welcome aboard. It sounds like you know exactly what you want to achieve and improve upon which is great. Take a good look around here and you will find a good variety of lessons to help. The 30 day plans are a great place to start.
Of course, leave comments and ask questions as and when you need them so I and others can help you. Just had a listen to that version of Pancho & Lefty, it is great. All the best and delighted to have you here!
I was able to get 27 on both easy and hard. I could do the low E string much faster than the other strings (other than high E string). This is a great exercise. Was there any reason you chose the specific words for the hard string levels? All of the words could be applied to every string to get fast memory across all strings and I am definitely going to practice the words across all strings to get faster at remembering where they are on the fretboard.
Hi Ryan, great work. There was no reason why I chose those specific words for those strings – was random. Yes, applying all the words to all the other strings is a natural next step and something I definitely recommend. Sounds like you are doing great with it!