Here are two more interesting emails I have got lately.
I hope you find the emails and my thoughts useful…
Email #1
“Hi! I’m Dean from Tacoma, WA, USA. I started playing ukulele in my mid-sixties a little over three years ago. I enjoy playing ukulele with friends but want to move on to playing guitar. I love the bigger, more ringing sound I get from the guitar.
I do take lessons locally but wanted to get another perspective as I get started. I’ve loved having music in my life again these past few years.
I hadn’t played any instrument since high school band and I am having a blast. I’m looking forward to enjoying my guitar!”
Dean
I can feel the excitement coming through the words in this email from Dean.
I know he’s having fun, and it’s easier to be positive when the good times are rolling, but positivity does go a long way.
A lot of people try to play the guitar with their fingers.
“Well, duh, you might think, how else would you play it?”
Ha, very true, but it all starts in the mind.
Being kind to yourself when practising, taming the negative thoughts, sowing the seeds of positivity, and building good mental habits.
These things all count on the long and never-ending journey of being a guitarist.
Dean’s email was a nice simple reminder of the importance of positivity that I thought I’d share here.
Email #2
“Just a bit about myself.
I will be 75 in October and have been noodling guitar since I was 14.
VERY OFF AND ON. For the past year have been seriously establishing fellowship with God and the trinity. For some reason have been moved to finally get serious about the guitar.
Bought your Fingerstyle 101 book and have very recently purchased your 7-day course plus bonuses as well as your book bundle.
I really like your bite size teaching approach. I find many teachers have a tendency to overwhelm the student.
I own the following… A Yamaha FGX700SC and a Zager ZAD80 also an electric urban.
I have a question.
The Zager is a very light setup whereas the Yamaha is much stiffer.
Should I practice the fret hand light touch technique on the Yamaha until proficient?
The Zager has very little string action resistance. In closing Dan consider me a challenge and my thanks in advance.”
Dennis
Washington, DC
Delighted to hear Dennis is back and playing and having fun.
That’s an interesting question he finished with.
You might have wondered about something similar in the past.
If you have two guitars, one is likely a little (or a lot) easier to play than the other.
So, which should you practise on?
You have two options:
#1 – Start with the challenge of the tougher guitar and risk the possibility of getting used to using too much pressure and straining unnecessarily. Both of which can lead to bad habits down the road.
#2 – Start with the easier guitar and find it more enjoyable to play with good technique and use a light touch while keeping your fingers, hands, and overall body relaxed.
Personally, I would go with option #2 every day.
You will enjoy playing more and develop better habits on an easier guitar.
Sure, it’s okay to pick up the harder guitar for a few minutes per day and practise techniques such as the light touch there, but I’d spend most of your time playing the easier guitar.
It’s much better to do it this way round than playing a tougher guitar, getting into bad habits, and having to undo them later on.
Someone once said these wise words to me…
“You don’t get any bonus points for learning on a guitar that is harder to play.”
So true.
Anyway, I hope you found that useful.
If you want some specific lessons which can help you improve your playing at a faster rate and get you to your goals quicker, you might want to try this.
Guitar Domination Super eBook Bundle
It’s on sale for a few days and will help you to learn some simple songs, improve your technique, and fix the “7 stumbling blocks” most beginners struggle with.
Have a great day of practice!
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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