Very nice piece Dan.Your classical stance is paying dividends here.

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.

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.

This looks really good Dan. Need to dig in and start having fun with it.
 

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 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!

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!

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 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!

Is there a tab version of this arrangement?

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

Excellent explanation of the fretboard.I think it was a good idea just to start with the natural notes.

It took me a long time to crack the barre chords.Thanks for your patience and explanation.

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.

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

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 »

I would like to see more fingerstyle improvise stuff

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 »

Yep thats the first one for me

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.

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.🎼🎼🎼

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.

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.

Posted comments on two boards today and don’t see that recorded above. It looks like that tallys up automatically, or do I have to go somewhere else to have it register? I like the variety of videos here.

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.

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 »

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 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 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 »