Here are two more interesting emails I have received lately. I want you to read the bad and the good from these as I find the two emails fascinating.
Email #1
A little background. This was from a member of the DTAA. A while back she told me she was thinking of quitting as she suffered from a little pain when playing. I told her no problem and tried to help. Then she said she wanted to stay and after lots of back-and-forth emails giving her advice, out of the blue she sends this…
I gave it a couple of months, and I’d like to request cancelling my subscription. I am just not making the investment I need to make in order to get better. I am also not willing to go see doctors or a specialist. I think I am going to just sort some things out on my own. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from you. I did pick up a lot of little tips that I hope to one day put into practice.
Take care and keep up this great training.
Karina
Some things to digest there.
Now, if someone wants to quit, no problem, but if someone wants to leach my time with back-and-forth emails, only to ignore my advice, that is when I get narked.
To me, reading between the lines, she was not really looking to succeed but looking for a reason to quit.
An excuse to say, “I tried it, but the guitar is not for me”.
The whole “one day I hope to put it to use,” is a big giveaway as is the “I’m not willing…etc.”
I don’t want the perfect student who is so dedicated they make Lisa Simpson look like a class clown, and I know we all have ups and downs BUT…
A little positivity, and a little optimism when things don’t go so well goes a long way.
Honestly, this is NOT the sort of student who should join, and I was glad she quit, and like other members who decide to quit in similar circumstances, she is barred from coming back.
It might sound harsh, but this frees up my time for all the other members, who are great.
Just like this one…
Email #2…
Thank you for putting together such learnable material for an 81-year-old.
There are two things I have learned (in the Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy) so far, after years of questions.
I now understand and use tablature, also I understand fingerpicking. I know how to read notes, but the tab is so much easier.
What I like about the course in fingerpicking, is when I find I get boughed down trying to get it perfect, I’ll turn to the next lesson to find it does repeat in a progressive form, making the course move along unlike other courses, where I’ve gotten discouraged and stopped.
I’m learning my whereabouts on the fretboard, now I understand how it works and where the notes are up the board.
It is very interesting, I learned a bit of piano years back, so that has helped with the theory, now it is about finding all those notes and playing them in a song.
You are providing so much material and in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. I pick out what interests me, for now, to keep progressing in my endeavour.
Norma
That is more like it. I could feel the optimism oozing through the screen when I read this.
There is no moaning whatsoever, just a super positive attitude, even though Norma told me Christmas was the first without her husband.
Honestly, this sort of student who uses the membership and who has a wonderfully positive attitude towards playing is just great.
She is willing to put in the work, use the membership, and apply what she has learnt.
Norma gets in touch with little emails, asks me questions when needed, but does all this without any hand-holding, and does it while having fun.
That is what we should all strive for with our playing.
I hope you enjoyed those emails, and maybe Norma has even inspired you.
If you want to check out the DTAA, you can do so below, but please ensure you are more Norma and less Karina if you want to join…
If so, even just a few of the starter lessons can make a positive difference to your playing.
Find out more about it below…
The Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy
Dan Thorpe
Guitar Domination
P.S. This post was originally taken from Dan Thorpe’s private email list. To get blog posts like this sent to you which are full of great tips to make fingerpicking, strumming, and learning guitar more enjoyable (especially if you are over 40) join Dan’s list. It’s 100% free, HERE.
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