Here are two more interesting emails I have got this week. I hope you find the emails and my thoughts useful…
Email #1
Hi Dan,
I read your post about the lady who gave up. I understand how it narked you.
I recall sending you a message about a year ago because I felt that I was too busy to give enough time to the guitar.
Thankfully, you accepted me again and I am really enjoying your DTAA course. It is all about priorities. I just get up 30 mins earlier every morning and apply myself to the guitar.
Keep up the good work – I know your students appreciate you.
I am 74 and I think I am doing well.
Stay safe
Peter
A bit of background…
These days I don’t let anyone back in my membership who quits.
This is because those who quit and re-join are usually those not fully committed and usually just quit again. (They also waste my time with the emails, setting up accounts, cancelling, etc).
If someone quit 4-5 years ago that is fine, they can come back but anyone who quit after September last year without good reason, I decided to stop them from coming back.
Honestly, with the timewasters, and messing about, the membership was bugging me a while back.
Since implementing this no return policy, the quality, engagement, and responses from members have been awesome.
Now it is an absolute joy to work with the students and on the new lessons.
Just like it should be.
Everyone is a winner.
Peter is an exception, and I am glad he took my advice on board and is making good progress.
It is all because he has made playing more of a priority.
He knows I was not asking for hours a day, just a steady regular commitment.
Being committed to your playing (without going overboard) is something I urge everyone to do.
Not for me, not for anyone else, but for yourself.
Okay, onto Email #2…
Dan,
I seem to be stuck. On fingerstyle, I am able to practise and “perfect” individual fingerstyle patterns. Generally, I can make “relatively” seamless chord changes.
However, when I put the two together, it completely falls apart and there is a rather lengthy pause between each chord change; doesn’t sound very musical.
Any suggestions?”
David
David is a member of my DTAA, so he gets the “rapid response team” when he asks questions. (In other words, me responding quicker and in more detail than to non-members).
I asked him this…
“Do you find the pause happens because you need to look at the fretting hand to look at the chord change but….
Also, you need to look at the picking hand to make sure you are not plucking the wrong strings?”
This is very common, if so.
Try to look only at one hand at a time.
It is hard at first, but often the looking back and forth is what causes the pause.
David replied.
“Dan, that is exactly the problem. The pause comes when I have to look at my fretting hand to make sure I am placing my fingers properly. I guess it is more practice to develop muscle memory for finger placement. Thanks!!!”
Yes, the “rapid response team” strikes again without even seeing David play.
Anyway, I was pretty sure this would be the issue as I have seen it thousands of times with students.
To me, it is nothing new, but to students like David, it is a revelation.
That is why on page 8 of Fingerstyle 101 I cover the exact 3 steps that will help students who struggle with issues like this.
Find out more at the link below…
Fingerstyle 101 – a step-by-step guide to beautiful fingerpicking guitar playing
Enjoy your day!
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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