The Acoustic Asylum

Ep61 – The Perfect Blend of Creativity Versus Structure When Playing Guitar

If you ever want to jam, but don’t know how to begin, today’s episode will help.
 
We’re talking about the sliding scale of creativity versus structure and how to get the right blend.
 
The truth is, when jamming on the guitar, we need to have both of the above. On the one hand, if you are only trying to be creative without any structure, it can be hard to make music that sounds good. On the other hand, if you just have structure, it can be hard to jam and explore new things.
 
So, listen to today’s episode for more on how to get the ideal blend between both being creative and having structure within your jams. I’ll take you through an example of how to do this and some tips on getting the most out of your playing – especially when you want to jam!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at - https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep60 – A Brutal Truth About Learning Guitar (And the Two Types of Guitarists)

During my many years of teaching, I’ve taught two specific types of guitarists.
 
One type is the student who is full of positivity, resilience, and open-minded thinking. The other is the type who is struggling and looking for a way out.
 
It’s a hard truth and some people don’t like to hear it, but that’s what I’ve found. So, today, I want to explain why this is the case, why it’s probably not your fault if you’re the latter type, and why “natural talent” very rarely has anything to do with it.
 
Most of all though, I want to share with you a few tips to help you become the type of guitarist who finds solutions, enjoys the journey, and loves playing the guitar so much… you literally never want to stop. These tips are especially useful if you’re an adult learning guitar. I hope you enjoy this episode and thanks for listening!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at - https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep59 – How to Have Endless Fun Jamming This Beautiful Guitar Chord

Today, I want to give you some simple tips on jamming one chord on the guitar. Yes, just one chord.
 
Many students want to be able to jam and create beautiful music on the fly… but the problem is they do not know where to begin. This often leads to them getting frustrated, giving up on jamming, and then missing out on all the benefits that being creative has!
 
For some tips on this, listen to this quick episode today for how to jam, fingerpick, strum, and Travis pick, why you should pick one single chord to begin with, and exactly what to do for some jamming fun.
 
This works great on both electric and acoustic guitar, and it will help you play sus chords, Major 7th chords, dominant chords, and more… but the key point is, this will give you more fun when learning guitar as an adult!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at –https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep58 – A Proven Guitar-Playing Motivator from George Orwell’s 1984!

Motivation is one of the biggest factors that will decide if you stick with the guitar or quit.
 
Therefore, you must do what it takes to keep your motivation up at all costs… but of course, you don’t want to get too excited because when the inevitable pitfalls get in the way it can be like a sugar crash and your motivation may plummet…
 
Today’s episode is all about a proven study on increasing motivation from the University of Pennsylvania… and it’s all about the power of Double Think! Follow the simple tip inside today’s episode and you can’t fail to be a more motivated guitarist!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes the Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at –https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
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!
 

Ep57 – A Super Simple Way to Be More Creative on Your Acoustic Guitar Today

I love being creative on the guitar.
 
Many guitar students out there also want to be creative, but often have no idea where to begin. Well, in this little episode, I share with you a very simple tip on creativity.
It involves one chord, one strumming pattern, and one simple concept. With just a little bit of practice, anyone can do it… And the great thing is, according to various studios, being creative is proven to help reduce your brain age.
 
Inside, you’ll hear me talk about a super interesting study from the BBC on identical twins and how the study proved that being creative can help reduce your brain age.
…Plus, I play a very cool ‘50s chord progression based around the chords of C Am Fmaj7 and G and show you how to bring them to life!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at – https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
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!

Ep56 – Guitar Lessons from the Biggest Boxing Match of All Time!

In this episode, we’re talking boxing and how elite-level sports and learning guitar have more in common than you might think.
I use the fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk to explain some key concepts for learning guitar as an adult. Some of the highlights include how it’s crucial to think outside the box, why most people teach guitar the way they were taught, and the big problem with that.
 
It’s a short episode, but it’s like a Rocky montage – short, sweet, and right to the point.
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes the Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at – https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep55 – Two Tried and Tested Ways to Freshen Up Your Guitar Playing (Plus an Unusual Tip)

It’s May, and it’s spring.
 
Yeah, I know, it has been spring for a while… but if you want to make more guitar-playing progress at this time of the year, this episode will help.
In today’s episode of the Acoustic Asylum, I’m giving you two tried and tested ways to have a “spring clean”. One involves something in the physical world and the other in your mental space – but both are effective for getting clarity and making progress.
 
Plus, you get to find out about my lack of DIY skills, hear me jamming a little acoustic piece, and discover the reason why strumming just a few simple chords on your guitar can help you to recharge at the end of a busy day.
…Not only that, I’m also sharing with you a weird bonus tip that can breathe more life into your practice space!
 
Don’t forget you can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at –https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
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!

Ep54 – Sneaky Ways to Make Progress on the Guitar in Less Time

Do you practise with absolute focus? Or do you practise guitar in a “wishy-washy” way?
 
Well, today, I’m sharing some interesting little insights into how to practise your guitar in a more optimal way…
 
This includes exactly what I did back when I was learning guitar and I only had 10 minutes per day… How I would “practise” on the bus (even though I didn’t have my guitar with me)…
 
...And one thing you can put in your practice room that will make you a more creative musician and guitarist today.
 
Enjoy!
 
You can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at - https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep53 – Why You Should Read the Autobiographies of Your Guitar Heroes

Let’s talk about autobiographies.
 
In today’s podcast, I’m sharing some little gems of inspiration I have read from a variety of guitarists in their autobiographies. You’ll hear stories from Neil Young, Eric Clapton, and bizarrely, even Andrew Ridgeley (from Wham!).
 
I find that when guitarists and musicians talk in interviews about their experiences on the guitar, they rarely go into much detail… BUT when it’s in their autobiographies, we hear so much more. It’s super interesting to read about their struggles, successes, and highs and lows.
Not only are these interesting for us guitarists, but these stories can be massively inspiring too!
 
You can now get my two exclusive and free eBooks today... Includes The Guitar Doctor (which will help you fix 35 terrible habits) and The Super Mini Songbook (teaching you stunning songs in unique ways). Get them both for free at - https://fingerstyle101.com/free/
 
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!

Ep52 – A Simple Way to Get Rock-Solid Clarity on Your Guitar Journey!

Distractions are everywhere – especially in the guitar world!
Today’s episode is dedicated to avoiding all these crazy distractions when improving our guitar playing!
There’s one really big tip I want to share today.
…And it’s been working like a charm for my students – especially for Ryan, who is a super busy father, coach of the kids’ soccer team, and is very busy with his career.
Listen to Ryan’s experience and how he is now on the path to achieving his guitar goals simply because we have been doing one simple and specific thing each week.
Use the simple tips in the podcast and you too will get some clarity in your playing!
 
You can get more tips, advice, and a powerful new free eBook on the 13 Ways to Escape the Acoustic Asylum from me, Dan Thorpe, by joining the email list here – https://acousticasylum.com/
 
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!