The Acoustic Asylum

Ep109 – When Guitar Gods Get Nervous: Clapton’s Story

Today’s episode is all about one of Eric Clapton’s proudest moments. It all happened when he was asked to play on an album with one of the greatest musicians of all time. The thing that makes the story stand out is that it shows even the greats of guitar get nervous.
In the episode, I share Clapton’s story and what he had to say about his incredible and unique experience. But all of us have been there on a smaller scale – feeling nervous about playing in front of others. Everybody gets nervous, and everybody thinks there’s someone better out there, even the greats. The key is just to stay relaxed.
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!
 

Ep108 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #20 – Face Up to Your Michael Myers

Today we’re going to talk about a new rule of the Acoustic Asylum. There are many rules to escape the Asylum and beat The Gatekeeper. Today’s rule is face up to your Michael Myers. On the guitar, we all have our Michael Myers, things that we fear. He’s very much like the fear of failure.
So how do you overcome that? In today’s episode, I discuss the steps you can take to face your fears and overcome them. You have to face up to these things, otherwise they will get you and you won’t be able to enjoy your playing or your guitar journey.
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep107 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #19 – Enjoy The Game of Tones

Today’s episode is about a new rule of the Acoustic Asylum that’s all about embracing the Game of Tones (yes, that’s a pun on the TV show Game of Thrones). This rule is about tone. Make a game of improving your tone.
The best players out there spend a lot of time working on their technique because it helps their tone improve so much more. Tone comes from the fingers. I’m going to play you some examples of different tones in the episode and give you advice on how to improve your tone. Take a listen and enjoy!
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep106 – Double Trouble Blues

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about music, cinema, and blues. Movies were probably one of my main introductions to music. I fell in love with movie soundtracks and, as a result, with music. Inspired by movies and doubleheaders in cinema, for the March lessons in the Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy, I have a doubleheader of blues coming up.
I’ve created two blues lessons, both very different. In the episode, I also play a little preview of what will be in the lessons. The idea behind the lessons is about filling out the sound when you’re playing. It’s fun stuff that will make your playing sound great. Take a listen and find out how to get the lessons!
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep105 – How The Exorcist Reminded Me I Wasn’t the Only Struggling Guitarist

In today’s episode, I talk about the horrors of guitar playing, kind of. I was reminded by the movie The Exorcist that often people put on bravado about how scary something is, whether it’s a movie or their struggles with the guitar. People often downplay how much they practise, how hard they find it.
 
It’s important to be honest if you’re struggling and it’s hard. That honesty goes a long way. If you open up to people that you find it difficult, they’re more likely to do the same, or they can share some advice with you. It’s important to lose the bravado and stop downplaying everything. It doesn’t help anybody.
  
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep104 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #18 – Top Up Your Inspiration Jar

In the latest episode, I discuss a new rule of the asylum, which is to top up your inspiration jar. It’s an imaginary jar filled with your inspiration, dreams, and reasons why you want to play. Often when you first start out playing the guitar, this jar will be full, which makes you motivated to pick up and learn the guitar.
 
But with time, and the challenges most guitarists face when starting out playing, the jar starts getting emptier and emptier. It’s important to never let that jar empty, this will help you keep your motivation strong and your practising consistent. In the episode, I offer some tips and advice on how to keep your inspiration jar full, so take a listen, and keep at it!
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep103 – The Power of Community

Today I talk about the power of community. It’s such an important thing in the world of music. Learning an instrument like the guitar can be a lonely experience. In the episode, I suggest a number of ways you can connect with other guitar players and musicians.
 
Some of the suggestions I discuss include jamming with others, performing in front of others, and more. Community is really important, and it’s great to find people who are supportive, encouraging, and are on a similar level to you. Take a listen and get involved in the guitar community!
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep102 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #17 – Be at One With Your Guitar

Today’s episode is about a new rule of the Asylum. It covers every single thing you ever do when you play guitar. The rule is – be at one with your guitar. It’s about having the guitar connected to you, rather than battling it. The goal is to have the guitar be an extension of you.
 
If you’re battling the guitar, you might tense up and hold your breath, which shouldn’t be the case. It shouldn’t feel like you’re fighting your guitar. In the episode, I give you some tips on how to make sure you’re connected to the guitar, including posture, breathing, warm-ups, and more.
 
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!
 

Ep101 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #16 – Find Your Treasure

In today’s episode, I want to talk about a new rule of the Asylum. It’s called Find Your Treasure. There are going to be certain things that are like gold to you, things that you love to play, little riffs or styles that you enjoy. It’s key to find these early on in your playing.
 
In the podcast, I’ll show you some examples of things you might enjoy, things that could become your treasure, and I offer some advice on how to find your treasure. When you find your treasure, this will make your guitar journey more enjoyable. These are the small things you can have fun with and that you’ll want to play forever. Enjoy the episode!
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!

Ep100 – The Hundredth Episode

Today we’re celebrating a really big milestone of the Acoustic Asylum podcast – Episode 100! I started this podcast two years ago on a bit of a whim. In these one hundred episodes, I’ve covered some really cool topics. I’d like to thank everyone for listening and coming along on this journey!
 
I want to give you something to celebrate – I’m giving away a physical copy of my book 13 Ways to Escape the Acoustic Asylum. In the episode, I look back at my own journey with teaching and playing guitar, and things that we all share in common when it comes to struggles and overcoming challenges. Take a listen, and learn how you can win a copy of my book!
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can get my free “guitar secrets” video course which will help all beginners or those who are “stuck”. Get the course for free, exclusively at - https://fingerstyle101.com/secrets/
 
Like this episode? Your reviews for this podcast mean the world to me, so please let us know what you thought about the Acoustic Asylum!