The Acoustic Asylum

Today’s episode is about a powerful little thing that will help you learn faster and enjoy your playing more. The magic number 7 is very simple, it’s about memory. A lot of people struggle to learn seven things at once and remember them. To beat the barrier of this magic no. 7, you want to break things up.
 
When it comes to guitar playing, people often just try to learn a song and remember it in one go. If they then try to play it again later, they’ll struggle to remember anything. If you’re learning a big piece of music, break it up. In the episode, I go into detail on how and why you should do this, and how this can help you to improve your playing overall.
 
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/
 
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In today’s episode, I want to share some things I’ve noticed over the years about the difference between adults and kids learning to play the guitar and why sometimes it is harder learning the guitar as an adult. A big thing I’ve noticed is that kids are often more patient than adults. They don’t mind playing the same piece again and again, whereas as adults, we often rush into wanting to learn as many songs as possible.
 
Another thing I’ve noticed is kids don’t beat themselves for making mistakes. Whereas as adults, we sometimes focus on perfection. It’s a useful mindset to have – embarassing mistakes, and not being too negative about it. I share some more details on why learning guitar as an adult might be harder, and what you can do to make it easier for yourself.
 
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/
 
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In today’s episode, I share another rule of the Acoustic Asylum. The rule is all about growing the bamboo. Bamboo is a plant that takes a long time to grow underground before you can see it flourishing above ground, and guitar playing is very similar to this. A lot of the time in the early days, it is about getting the solid foundations of guitar playing, so you can reap the benefits later on.
 
I discuss the importance of “Core Fundamental Technique” and how laying these good foundations of technique can help you in the future. One of the examples I go into is chord changes. Learning basic chord changes and perfecting them allows you to experience exponential growth in the number of songs you can play. Finally, I discuss the natural ebb and flow of playing guitar and the importance of holding onto your belief in the 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/
 
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Happy New Year! Today’s episode is all about how to get the most out of your guitar playing in 2025. I offer some advice on how you can improve your guitar playing by being consistent. It’s about staying persistent and seeing incremental improvements.
 
It can be tough to stick with it and do the hard work. You might ask yourself, is it worth it? Of course it’s worth it, being able to play an instrument is up there with the best achievements people have. So, it’s important to remember the 1% rule of making things even a little bit better. If you do that, you will succeed!
 
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/
 
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Today’s episode is all about the joy of Christmas and that warm and fuzzy feeling of the holidays. In the episode, I talk about guitar Christmas gifts, motivation for 2025, and the struggle we all might face in finding motivation to practise.
 
If you struggle, it’s important to remember that it’s temporary. It’s important to think of it as a test that you can overcome. I talk about the Krampus and the Gatekeeper’s attempts to hold you back. It’s important to just enjoy and embrace the good feelings of the holidays that can help you stay motivated.
 
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/
 
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In today’s episode, I talk about the last few weeks of this year and how to get the most out of them when it comes to your guitar playing. The main thing is to pick a manageable goal, one that isn’t too demanding and that you can actually manage in the time there is. It’s important to pick something that is a challenge, but one that you can achieve.
 
In the episode, I offer advice on how to break things down into smaller parts when setting a goal. I give some examples of a goal you could pick and how to break it down so it’s realistic and still a bit challenging. If you end the year strong, it will give you great momentum going into the new year.
 
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!
 

The other day I sent out an email on the A to Z of Strumming, with a series of tips for improving your strumming. In today’s episode, I cover some of those tips, going into depth looking at them. Some of these include the way you attack the strings when strumming, chords, improvisation, listening to music, patterns, and more.
 
When it comes to mastering chord changes, pick just one set of chords and practise changing back and forth between them back and forth. I talk about how to liven up your strumming, by covering some core skills which will allow you to improvise more. I’ll also play some exciting strumming patterns you can learn. 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/
 
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It may seem early, but today we’re talking about Christmas and brushing up on your Christmas songs. Every year you can enjoy learning Christmas songs and take the opportunity to refresh the songs you’ve already learnt and improve them so that they get better.
 
A fun way to learn several Christmas songs at once is through a medley, so in the episode, I also share a fun Christmas medley with you that I’ve created. You can learn this medley as part of my Christmas Crackers course. Now is the perfect time to get started on learning one or even a medley of Christmas songs.
 
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/
 
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Today we’re talking about when negativity smacks you around the head and how to overcome it. I discuss a student’s experience of wanting to quit, and how, frequently, we’re being too hard on ourselves.
 
The important thing is perseverence. You just have to keep going and try not to be too hard on yourself. Sometimes sharing some tips you have learnt with beginners can help you feel great about how far you’ve come. I share some advice on how to not get stuck in the negative mindset.
 
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!
 

In today’s podcast, I’m talking about the peaks and troughs of learning guitar. Often life gets in the way, but it’s normal and natural to have moments when your progress accelerates and when it slows down a little bit. It’s important to enjoy the journey.
 
One thing that I discuss that is very useful is the “growth mindset”. It’s all about believing in your ability to develop through hard work and dedication. I talk about the importance of using this form of thinking for 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!