Here’s a wonderful little email I got yesterday from John.
Hi Dan,
“Yesterday was a rainy, gloomy day. I really didn’t have any ambition, and my arthritic shoulder was bothering me. I decided to not pick up the guitar. Then…with a glass of red wine in hand, I read your email. A fellow the same age as me, performs and finishes a Wolf Run. Good for him.
Milestones… I have several but haven’t really thought about where I will be in a few years. Progress…I have made and will continue to make improvements. I now have a couple of songs I can play without looking at the music (most of the time lol). And, continuing to play well songs I have on the tablet in front of me.
While reading and taking this in, I without really thinking about it, managed to take my favorite guitar in hand and begin playing. Now with goals and objectives in mind, I had never been able to properly finger pick “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, through the Am7 Bm7 Am7 lick. Slowly but surely, after many repetitions, the notes finally rang out true.
A very satisfying and rewarding evening and a positive end to somewhat dreary day. Thank you.”
John
John was replying to the email I sent on Monday featuring my three random thoughts.
These three thoughts were on achieving specific milestones on the guitar, how progress can sneak up on you…
…And the gruelling, but fun, ‘Wolf Run’ I did, where Keith, who is 74, also did it with us…
I want to thank John for emailing in and there’s a lot to unpack there.
Mainly, how the guitar can change the course of your day in a very positive way.
It sounds like John finished off that gloomy day with a big smile on his face.
…But his email also highlights how things you never knew you could quite ‘nail’ can become doable with a little focus.
…And how even those pesky little barre chords such as Am7, Bm7, etc. are possible for anyone to play (with the right practice).
I always say the difference between playing the guitar to a good standard is in the technique….
This includes the ‘3Ps’ of guitar playing (Posture, Positioning, Pressure)…
…but it all starts in the mind.
It doesn’t take a huge shift to flip it all around.
Sometimes small shifts go a long way.
…And gloomy days can be much more joyful because of this instrument.
So, keep your chin up, keep enjoying the guitar, and hopefully, John inspires you too.
I’ll certainly be remembering this email if I ever feel like not practising anything (not just on the guitar but in life too).
Speaking of small shifts, this week my barre chords course is on sale.
I love barre chords and they are one of the keys to unlocking the guitar and being a musician, but they do take some practice.
Yet, it’s all about proper practice.
The truth is, with barre chords, you don’t need to practise them for hours a day.
In fact, ‘small doses’ can be more effective.
It’s all about knowing what to do, what not to do, and having a clear plan of how to nail them.
If you want to check out the course, which is on sale for a short time, you can below…
The Ultimate Guide to Barre Chords
Remember, those who never give up the guitar, ultimately succeed…
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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