Here are two more interesting emails I have got lately. I hope you find the emails and my thoughts useful…
Email #1…
“Hi Dan
I have bought into a few so-called courses in my time, mainly a stage for the guy to show off his talents and presenting a level quite out of reach.
Then, I found you, I have come on a ton, love your approach, all the little things have made me much better.
I’m so engrossed in the monthly projects my so-called playing of songs was on the back burner, then, I played Streets of London fingerstyle, my own arrangement, thanks to you.
My friend was blown away, so was I.
In every barrel of good apples , there’s always a bad one.
He who walks away is the strongest.
You’re the BEST.
Back to House of the Rising Sun.”
William
That means a lot to hear.
The previous week I got a rather mean email, which I did find a little jarring (and that’s with me being thick-skinned to this stuff).
So, getting emails like this from William means a lot.
It’s not really about me though, it’s all about you.
…And reading that from William was so cool.
I know how frustrating guitar playing can be.
Some days you might think you’ve got it cracked and then other days, it’s like “how do I even hold this thing” – that’s how I felt a lot, anyway.
…But when it does click, and the wheels are really in motion, there’s nothing better than playing a song you love and feeling the freedom and sheer joy of playing it.
…And when a friend compliments your playing, wow, that is such a cool feeling.
I want this for you, and it CAN happen, so let’s make it happen!
I’m so excited about what is coming up in the near future in terms of lessons for you all.
Anyway, thanks for the wonderful messages.
Okay, let’s not get too soppy, ha-ha.
On to Email #2
In regard to a Facebook post about buying guitars, this is what Peter said to me…
“My only ‘excuse’ for buying online is that I bought the first guitar during the first big ‘Lockdown’ when my local music shops were closed. I now mostly play my Fender ‘Parlour’ size, which is much easier for me. I’m surprised there’s not more advice given on different sizes of guitars.”
Peter
That’s totally understandable.
Although it’s ideal to try out guitars in person, this isn’t always possible.
Ideally, you will find the ideal guitar for you from day 1, but truth be told, our first guitar is a bit like our first car.
We are fond of them and love the freedom and opportunity they give us, but they are not forever.
In terms of buying, I’ve found that a lot of people recommend guitars and sizes, but until you’ve tried a guitar, it’s so difficult to know if it will suit you.
I’ve always thought it would be great to input a load of details like your height, finger length, etc. and hit enter and get the result of what is the perfect guitar for you.
Probably impossible really, what with the vast number of guitars on the market, the ever-changing models, certain models being discontinued, etc.
Maybe one day this mystical database will be created, who knows, but until then, my standard advice (which will always hold up) is to…
- Try out ten guitars in person, make a note of which of them you like, whittle that ten down to three…
- Play the three again and pick a winner.
Of course, you can go deeper than this (or not quite as deep), but this is a good place to start.
It’s not just about finding the ideal guitar; it’s about playing the thing though.
If you want help with that aspect, check this out:
Guitar Domination Super eBook Bundle
Have a great 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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