Here are two more interesting emails I have got lately. I hope you find the emails and my thoughts useful…
Email #1…
“Just wanted to share a little success with you.
I’ve been working (slowly) through the (Fingerstyle) 101 book and course, just started on the Romanza pattern; but last night I went back to the beginning, as I always feel a bit of ‘revision’ is useful, and I was playing the ‘6/8 – Going Up’ pattern but using the chord progression to ‘Unchained Melody’.
As I also play keyboard, I decided to make a recording of this piece, so that I could play along with it.
Wow, I was so pleased with myself it worked, first time I’ve actually been able to play any fingerstyle to a real-world piece of music!
Thank you so much for all your help.
Best regards”
Peter (aged 78)
Well done to Peter.
Sounds like a brilliant bit of success, which really does highlight two key things:
#1 – Breakthroughs will happen if you stick with it. When learning or trying to achieve anything, a lot of people are not patient enough, but regular chipping away works. It’s like losing weight (I started to put on weight last year and have slowly chipped away at it. I was getting impatient but worked it out and lost about 0.5 pounds per week the last few months – it hasn’t been fast progress but I’m happy with that because it is progress).
#2 – Revisiting lessons is very powerful. The more you use any lessons (especially what I teach) the more powerful they become, and exponentially too. There are so many things we forget or don’t pick up on the first time, or don’t fully grasp, or are not ready for, but the 2nd, 3rd and 4th times, we are.
Worth remembering both of those. If you do, they will certainly increase the chances of success for you, just as they did for Peter…
Anyway, onto Email #2
“Hi Dan
You are without exception the best I’ve come across. I’ve got Tom Dooley under my fingers and added an extra chorus as well hope you don’t mind, Danny Boy is mastered, now moving on to Sound of Silence.
What I mean to say is, probably this is the first time I’ve actually focused on learning one song correctly.
From what I’ve learned, I have arranged the Johnny Cash version of Life Is Like a Railroad Station and am Impressed.
A big thanks”
William
A big well done, William.
Although I preach the importance of playing one song well, not everyone wants to follow this advice.
The thing is though, in many cases, each song you master takes less time than the previous one (unless it’s a much harder song of course).
Then the “Snowball Effect” can really take place.
Just like it did with William.
He started off by getting focused on one thing and doing it brilliantly well.
Then, in just a few short months, he has gone on to learn “Danny Boy” and arrange a song he loves too.
I love to hear success stories like this, and it shows the power of focus.
If you want to check out the Tom Dooley Mini-Masterclass William mentioned (taught in a Travis picking way), you can at the link below…
I should say, results like what William has achieved are not guaranteed (you have to put in the work and remain focused).
If you do though, you will be in for a world of Travis picking fun!
Enjoy your Thursday!
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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