Over the last few days, I have got a few good emails, which I thought I would share with you.
Email #1
Enjoying your tips since I signed up and got your fingerstyle and strumming books.
Just trying out the Modern Strum pattern and loving it!
Earlier in my guitar learning curve, I struggled to master the Ultimate pattern, but since I got it, I tend to drift into that one on almost every song.
It will be awesome to throw in some variation now.
Some of the best moments are when I figure something out on my own, even a basic step.
When trying out your Modern strum chord progression, I realised it would be easier to finger the Em7 with my index, middle, and ring fingers to simplify the transition to Cadd9.
I mostly play Em with my middle and ring digits but using the pinkie on the Em7 has been frustrating.
Bingo!
For now, I have plenty to work on, but down the road, I’ll have to look at more of your offerings.
Gerry
I love to read emails like this.
Not because they are great for the ego (well, maybe a tiny bit) but mainly because…
It shows a student using initiative.
I don’t care how great a teacher someone is.
No one can teach anyone else absolutely everything.
Even if they did, sometimes it’s faster and more productive and motivating for a student to make discoveries like this themselves.
Worth keeping that in mind the next time something trips you up.
Okay, Onto Email #2…
Hi Dan,
I went ahead and purchased your book bundle. Should I just STOP using Yousician? I feel it’s helped with my dexterity but that I’m not really learning anything.
(For those of you who don’t know, Yousician is a guitar app that was popular a few years ago.)
Although it has some fun things going for it, my experience of apps like Yousician is that they…
Don’t really make a proper musician out of you.
That is the problem with stuff like this.
I would love to meet a guitarist who has learned how to play real songs, jam, how to be creative and has reached their guitar goals from an app like this. Shout out if you are out there.
By all means, using apps like this to help supplement real playing can be fun, but…
I would say use it for only 5-10% of the time, maximum.
Focus most of your time on the nuts and bolts of real guitar playing.
There you go.
I hope you found those questions and comments useful.
If so, shout out, as I am thinking of making this sort of email a little regular feature.
Likewise, if you could care less about this idea, let me know and I will stick it in a sealed titanium box, drive to the coast, hire a boat, and throw it out to sea in the deep dark mists of the Atlantic Ocean.
Let me know which sounds best to you.
Dan Thorpe
Guitar Domination
P.S. For more help with your playing, you can get my book bundle. It features a wealth of my best tips and info (but sadly, no user guide for Yousician). Check it out below…
Guitar Domination Super eBook Bundle
P.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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