Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Guitar Goals For the New Year

Description

When learning how to improvise on guitar, it’s important to define your goals and know what to work on. Also, it’s ok if you have deficits, we all do! Learn how to identify them so that you can work with them.

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Comments

  1. JohnStrat says

    Brian
    Certainly you deserve any time out you need. Most of us are overwhelmed by your output so a chance to catch up a bit it welcome for many here I suspect. so wishing you and all at AM a very Happy New Year.
    JohnStrat

    • Leonard C says

      Happy New Year Brian + All the Active Melody Followers !!

      Appreciate the motivation & goal setting. Some of my “Wishlist Goals” on Electric guitar for 2026 would be to learn to play “Sugarfoot Rag” & “Yakety Axe”. On the Nylon String Spanish Guitar learning “Tico, Tico, No Fubar” would be a major accomplishment. On Dobro playing ” Orange Blossom Special” is possible, but it takes time. Even tho’ I have several lessons going I always need to keep reviewing various weekly lessons from Active Melody, as I have for the past 5-6 years.

      If you’re looking for anything to expand Active Melody; I can always use instructional info on Baritone Guitar, C6 Lap Steel Guitar, and Dobro. So much to learn and never enough time.

      Wishing us all a Great 2026 in Meeting Our Guitar Playing Goals !!

      Len C

  3. Michael D says

    Brian: For me, this video was better than a great tune full of new licks. It spoke to me and my scrambles with trying to decide what of my many musical limitations I need to overcome to advance my guitar playing. Your video helped me find a simple path forward and that was worth a lot to me. I tend to overcomplicate almost anything I try in my quest to understand how things work. Your advice resonated with me – just do it, even if you do not understand it and, perhaps, the knowledge will develop from that application of effort and technique. Thanks again,.

  4. Slimpicker says

    You were truly born to inspire. Your gift as a teacher gives me hope that I can get better. I really enjoy the different playing styles that you offer. I also enjoy hearing the voices of your guitar collection. I especially lust after your vintage OOO-28. Wishing you all the best in 2026.

  6. michael f says

    your a great teacher and talented musician every week putting up another gem with great explanations. I look forward to Fridays when your lessons drop. Your vast library and the way you cross reference your lessons make Active Melody a musical buffet. Plus the available learning tools and resources that you use (moving score, speed-up, slow down, watch the video again and again for fingering and timing) make hour lessons when learning meant dropping the needle again again and again on a record or slowing the record player down to learn that lick that you simply had to get learned. Thank you

  7. osozarco says

    Good points and good use of lesson time. The objectives change a little (just turned 77) but, as John Fogerty and James Taylor have both mentioned in recent years, there’s always something out there to aspire to and that’s part of the thrill of this damned instrument.

  8. Timothy M says

    Happy New Year Brian!

    And, thank you for all that you do for us. Your lessons are so jam packed with great thoughts that I can usually watch them 3 or 4 times and still not learn everything in them. 🙂

    i just recently started annotating your PDF’s with the thoughts that you share during the video, so that I can recall them later while I am playing the piece.

    I have learned so much from your materials. Enjoy your week, I am looking forward to another great year of lessons.

    • Gordon B says

      Happy New Year I grew up hearing old country and I still love it. I have been trying to play for a long time. I think my biggest problem is hearing the chord changes. I am getting very slowly better but I’m also getting older quickly. Any tips on how to get better at hearing the changes.

  9. Joel R says

    Hi Brian.
    Every week ,for may be 10 years now ,i am looking to your vidéos
    . I have learned a lot,
    Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge , technical and applications,
    Have a nice year for you and family,
    Joe

    .

  13. Georg B says

    Thank so much, Brian. What an excellent way to start the new year. It doesn’t get any better than this. For me, one of your episodes usually takes longer than a whole month to work through anyway. I’m going to put your advice into practice. I’m going to write down my goal for 2026 and I’m going to record something today so that I can compare it in 365 days.
    May the new year bless you and your family with health and happiness. I am grateful for ActiveMelody and, of course, for you.
    All the best for 2026. ✨
    Georg

  14. Richard G says

    Many thanks Brian for this summary and all you do each and every year. This is certainly the time of year for us all to pause and reset. Your inspired review and advice on setting personal goals and objectives was spot on. Happy New Year to you and your family.

    Richard

  16. Daniel H says

    Brian, I’ve been your student for several years and sometimes waste time wishing I had discovered you sooner. I say “waste” because the fact is each one of your lessons offers a new beginning! Every week offers a fresh start. I watch every one of your lessons at least once, others I watch several times over. I commit nothing less than an hour a day to playing guitar and learning songs. Active Melody constantly expands my ability to enrich the songs I write or learn and perform. I can finally listen to an accomplished guitar player and understand what they are doing (it used to be a total mystery to me). This has been invaluable for me to do the same and I couldn’t have done this without the wealth of knowledge Active Melody, more specifically you, has provided me.
    Your loyal Student, Daniel H.

  17. charjo says

    One of my goals this year is to get my fingers moving as fast as Brian’s “slow” fingers.
    Seriously, I really need to work on the application part.
    Happy New Year, Brian and thanks for everything you have done for us. Hope you had a good break.
    John

  18. JEROME L says

    Hello from France.
    Happy new year.
    Your right to have that break, spending time with your family and friends.
    Learning guitar helps me to struggle with my seif-confidence problems and my goal is that it could continue, so I can overpass myself.
    Several years ago I could not imagine that one day I were able to do what I do today (even I don’t have a great level) : thanks a lot to your great teaching.

  19. Olivier P says

    Thank you, Brian, for your kind words. We follow you every week because we need your help to improve ourselves. We’re passionate about guitar, but not virtuosos. We probably all have some weaknesses in the three essential qualities you mentioned. Thanks to your videos, we have the opportunity to improve our understanding, technique, and application. The types of pieces you offer are in styles I really enjoy. A huge thank you, and I look forward to seeing you every Saturday morning (due to the time difference) for a new lesson. All my best wishes from Switzerland.

  20. Michael Allen says

    Happy New Year Brian! It’s about time that you take a day off. You have given me something to think about. Ever since I can remember I’ve loved music and was hungry to learn to play the guitar. I’ve never thought about “why”. Maybe it’s time. Thanks for calling it to my attention

  21. Lyn C says

    Happy New Year Brian, to you and your family,,,!
    Why do I want to play guitar? Not really any particular reason, but it is a great way to socialize with like minded friends. Have met more people this way than any thing else I can think of. We are not professionals, just enjoy playing and singing, It makes our long cold winters more enjoyable with something to look forward to every week.
    I also like the idea of goal setting, and it is true, we set goals that maybe we can’t meet or lose focus on. ,.
    This week will be a welcome respite from covering a new lesson, so I can work on catching up and reviewing some of the earlier ones.
    I also appreciate the micro lessons alot. They are nice bite sized concepts that are easier to remember, rather than trying to learn a dozen things at once, so have also been reviewing many of them too.

    All the best for 2026!

    All the best for 2026! Looking forward to whatever

    All the best in 2026. Looking forward to your New Year ideas.

  23. mikepcse says

    Great message. I started playing about 60 years ago and I wanted to be a rock and roll star. That never happened. Over the years I have learned to play with the many limitations I have with my fingers. But I can always play cord with just 3 strings. I’m not fast but always enjoy playing just for the fun of it. It’s also relaxing and a way to block out the world for a little while. Even thou I can’t play everything you teach, Brian, I have learned a lot of stuff from your lessons. Thank you.

  25. Aj M says

    Brian
    I want to reiterate what everyone’s comments mentioned earlier, I too am amazed at your output week in and week out. Sometimes it gets overwhelming to try (emphasis on the word try) to get through a lesson in a week, before the next one comes out (mostly because I am not that good). But it’s that challenge you provide to push oneself to improve that is most inspiring.

    Thank you for your dedication and efforts to provide us with such wonderful information, Sincerely.

  26. Tom M says

    Happy New Years Brian! Well deserved break. Great lessons and gives me a catch up week. At 73, I’m playing in a band (old HS garage band again with some new players) and learning new stuff!

  27. Ann N says

    Thanks for the inspiration for 2026! I also feel you deserve a break because your lessons are so detailed and well recorded. I also think you are so right that we need to know what our goal is and why we are doing this. I have been playing since I was 14 and I’m now 76 and never learned how to play individual notes and knowing what I was playing. Can hear it and know when it’s right or wrong but I want to be able to look at that fretboard and know each string and each fret and what they are just like I can do on the piano. Through your instruction, I have learned things I never knew – like the CAGED system and the pentatonics – and many other things. Thanks for this lesson and I will record myself and see how I am this time next year.

  28. Mike D says

    Brian…. Happy New Year to you! Thanks for the words of encouragement . I’ve been playing guitar for 50 years, but since I’ve been taking your lessons for the past two years, I’ve learned more about music and playing guitar than in the previous 48 years. Thank you! Most mornings upon waking the first thing I think about is what song or lesson I’m gonna work on that day. You have given me the excitement back. Thank you for that. I hope you have a very healthy & prosperous New Year! Yes, we all need a break from time to time, but look forward to your next lesson next week, I hope.

    Mike

  33. Tim C says

    Brian,
    Thank you for all you do. Your lessons and teaching have given me the boost I needed to keep going.
    We really appreciate what you do for the a.m. community. Happy new year!
    Tim C

  34. Jeff C (Swiss Elk) says

    Brian, thank you for all you do!! This video calls for each of us (and yourself) to enact a ‘master reset.’

    I’ve always felt that learning guitar is like trying to drink from a fire hose.. and here you are telling me I need to drink from at least two of three fire hoses! That aside, you are correct, if you don’t know where you are going, the more you need to assess where you are and find the steps you need to go toward where you want to be. And yes, record where you are to assess later your progress in order to witness, measure and appreciate your progress.

    I have found that the more you know, the more you find out what you need to know.. and that means: STOP.. regroup, assess, refocus, prioritize, and then go on to continue to revaluate and grow.

    Thanks again Brian!

  35. Barbara J says

    Video done and based on using harmonies, 3rds & 6ths, to improvise along with hybrid picking ala EP504. Because I like to know the ‘why’s’, I’m stronger on knowledge; weaker on application and technique. I’ve decided to put application, in general, at the top of my goal list. Now I need a plan on how to accomplish this! Thanks for all you do, Brian, and especially for laying down this challenge for 2026!

  38. Chuck S says

    Brian,
    Great video. Very inspirational, and we all really need some of that to get past roadblocks and Frustrations. I personally am happy that you took a week off as I can’t possibly keep up with you anyhow. I usually pick on of your lessons that clicks with me and focus on learning that, typically for several weeks (: vice trying to learn each one. Sometimes it can take me 2 or 3 hours just to digest one of your 23 minute videos.

    Have a great and happy 2026 and thanks for all that you do.
    Chuck S

  39. Michael G says

    Thank you so much Brian. I can’t begin to tell you how much your teaching style has improved my music theory knowledge and technical application. Today, I am a much better guitar player because of you. I wish you all the best in the New Year.

  40. Scott L says

    Thanks Brian, this is my first post, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your lessons! I’m new to playing an instrument but it’s definitely a new passion and I’m glad I stumbled across your site. I can’t wait to see what 2026 has to offer. My guitar resolution is to keep learning and be able to jam along with others. Happy New Year Brian and thanks for putting together such a great site!

  41. Ralf P says

    Great stuff. And a great start to another year. I may not have written it down, and I may not always know where I’m going, but you’ve helped me with some important “light bulb moments.” My goal is to handle the rhythm guitar and sing Texas R&B with a band. Lately, I’ve been able to throw in some solos thanks to your lessons. This next year….more time on stage with others…timing and what not to play….a light touch on the electric that doesn’t push things out of tune….oh, and effective muting. Thanks for all you do. It is clear you love it.

  43. Dick S says

    Brian,
    All I can say is that your weekly lessons have made a guitar player out of me and now I play like my guitar hero……you! Started with you in 2012 with Jingle Bell Rock and in 2021 we put together a band and we are still going strong. Just turned 82 years old.
    I don’t do a lot of your lessons, but I have maybe 80 to 100 that I have as favorites that I considered very important to what I needed to know and practice. I play mostly blues and country, but recently have found an interest in diving into the jazz world. That’s a whole new ballgame.
    Anyway, thank you for all you have done for us out here in the guitar world.
    Best regards,
    Dick

  44. Jim L says

    Thanks Brian,

    This is a good reminder to think about why I do things, particularly the guitar. For me part of it is about staying connected with family. My son plays, his father-in-law and my cousin play and we all jam once a week. We all bring something different to the group which makes us better. We are far from good but enjoy playing and I am more motivated knowing that we play together every week.

    You have some great ideas here, which I will do. I enjoy the lessons and always look forward to learning more.

    Jim L

  46. Kenneth S says

    Happy New Year Brian…

    Thanks for the reflection. It’s always good to have a real focus on what one needs to accomplish. I’m going to be 75 this year and still play out 50-75 solo gigs a year. While I LOVE and learn from all the lessons, one of my goals is to continue to be improve “soloing” as a solo. Being from Chicago, one of my favorite guys is Steve Goodman. His solo accompaniment has always been inspirational to me.

    Looking forward to a great ’26 with Active Melodies.

  47. David S says

    Brian thanks for your reflection . I admire your honesty, Iam very grateful to have you as my teacher in this musical journey. My main goal which is always been was to be able to play the melody of the song Iam singing . Some people think Iam a good guitar player but actually my greatest talent is being able to mimic or sound like well known singers from Elvis to country.My guitar playing has come a long way since I have joined AM, so my main goal this year 2026 is to reach my goal as to be able to play the break in a song, with you as my teacher I know Iam going to make it . Thanks so much Brian. David E. S. from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada.

  51. Ron M says

    My handicap is when I hit 69 I lost my motivation, It’s weird, I woke up one morning and didn’t want to do anything for some reason, now I’m struggling to get it back and it seems no matter how hard I try It’s just not there, maybe I need to just walk away from it and take a break (burnout maybe) I just don’t know., I’ve never gone through anything like this.

    • Steve K says

      Hi Ron,

      Sounds familiar. I’m 83 and have been through spells like that in the past. I find it helps for me to think of them as plateaus, where I can rest for a while Maybe lose a few chops, but by no means everything. It also helps for me to look at other interests. I recently took up woodworking after a LONG hiatus, and it’s feeling pretty energizing. Music isn’t everything, but it’s sure a heck of a lot when it works. Best of luck to you.

  52. Todd B says

    Why I play guitar is interesting. I have been a vocalist fronting bands for more years than I want to count 😂 I have been on stage with some monster guitar players, and always gravitated towards them in any band I was in. Between my 9 to 5, practices, gigs: I never really felt I had the time to really dig into guitar.
    When I retired in 2018, I felt it was time. I bought an acoustic, and decided to take some one on one lessons. For some reason my teacher prefered teaching on electric, and thankfully a fan who knew I was taking up guitar, gifted me a Squire Strat. The first thing he focused on was the major scale, and a few easy chords, and changing between them. When he touched on soloing, I was so blown away learning that most solos were accomplished by playing scales. I don’t really like one on one lessons. Seems like they are over, when you’re just warming up, and then there’s the driving there and back. I love learning online because you can go at your own pace, and not feel embarrassed if you’re not picking up something fast enough. Stop the video and go over things for how ever long it takes you to feel confident that you have it.

    I love learning with you Brian. There are so many lessons, that you can never fail to find something you want to work on. I was immediately drawn to the recent lessons on mixolydian, and the cool solo that is reminiscent of Jerry.

    Looking forward to another great year of learning. I’m feeling like a real guitar player. Even my speed has improved.

    Thanks Brian,
    Todd

  53. Andy D says

    Hi Brian, thanks so much for that. Very inspiring as ever. In fact it made me go and pick up the guitar and see where I was at right now. Keep doing what you’re doing and best wishes for 2026.

  54. Rob M says

    For ‘application’, I thought you were going to include ‘find people to play with’.

    My brother, who’s way ahead of me in actually making music (in a band, in a group setting, complete songs and sets) convinced me that until I could play songs end to end and sing with at least some of them, my musical progress would be slow and incomplete. So I buckled down and learned 3 songs, learned the lyrics and painfully began to play as I sang until it got better.

    Took 6 months for the first song. Then each song got faster to learn, the separation of playing and singing got easier, my motor skills got more automatic. Then I started playing and singing easy to learn songs with my wife. That opened up another avenue of learning. Every song had something that helped me be a bit better. New chords or rhythms or patterns.

    I am still a total rookie, but those two steps made the largest improvement in my skills AND interest since I began 50 years ago. Active Melody provides the technical and musical advice that only can be absorbed over time, when I’m ready/able. For that, I am grateful.

    Sorry so long a post.

  56. Dolores "Dee" G says

    Brian…. Thank you so much for your wonderful inspiration and great lessons. You certainly deserve a good rest. I wish you a very healthly and happy 2026 and hope you continue giving us lessons. I look forward to them and they have helped me so much to keep interested in trying to improve and learn the guitar and not just memorize. Much happines to you.. Gratefully… Dee

  57. Steve K says

    Thanks for all you do, Brian. Friday afternoon is always special for me, anticipating your next lesson, then listening to it, generally in a favorite coffee shop with you piped into the hearing aids. Then I go home and listen to it again with my guitar at the ready. I’ve learned so much. I tried several other online outfits before finding you, and you are the best by far.

    I have a dream (goal?) of being able to play melodies on guitar as easily as whistling. I can get close to that with harmonica while stumming chords–mostly a matter of muscle memory linked with some theoretical underpinnings. I would certainly welcome a lesson on the subject–what you sometimes call “finger dancing”–various techniques of resting the analytic mind and allowing other processes to work their magic.

  58. Damian J says

    So this comes at a good time for me.

    I started playing back in high school. Got a song book and learned the chords. After a while I got decent enough at it. After college, life happened and I put it down for years. Some because of time, but now, thinking about it, some of it was because I was frustrated that I could do some of the things with my playing but never knew what I was doing. I am older now, and more time to spend on the guitar. I think I forgot how much I enjoyed it. With the internet, there is so much out there that I feel would have helped me as a young player. Stumbling on your site was a great thing for me. I love the fact that you talk about the “why” this or that should or could be played as well as the how.

    One of my goals for the year was to become a premium member. Checked that one off already! Thank you. Looking forward to working on the lessons. Like some of the other comments, it takes me a while to get through the lessons, but that is ok. My goal is to keep learning. Always. And of course, become better at what I do play.

  59. Bob B says

    Hi Brian (and all my fellow guitar players).

    I don’t comment much but have been a Premium member for more than 7 years now, I think.

    What I liked in this video was your story about Albert King.

    My first album was Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. That set me off on a musical journey, but I didn’t pick up a guitar until 15 years later when I was in the Peace Corps in the Philippines. I went into the first rainy season with a plywood guitar (with a Martin logo, no less) and Beatles song book. At the end of the season, I was able to play a lot of Beatles songs but I found myself playing a lot of the other hundreds of songs I knew: Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, etc etc.

    Here I am, 40 years later, still playing daily and gigging when I think I can stay up that late.

    All by way of saying Thank you. I have learned (and continue to learn) a broad swath of musical knowledge from your videos. I am a finger picker and rhythm player and usually end up lead singer. Playing music on the guitar is just one of those things I do constantly without the need for money or attention. If I were the last person on Earth, I would be playing.

    Again, thanks.

  60. Dennis F says

    The term “playing the guitar” can have two very different meanings. I spent a lot of years (decades) playing songs on the guitar
    like a parrot – pure repetition and muscle memory. I had some respectable technique, and so in one sense I could play the guitar.
    But I couldn’t play at the guitar – couldn’t use the guitar for creative play. That is, I couldn’t improvise – I had neither the knowledge
    or the application to do that. With the advent of the internet, and the resources now available there (and Brian has been a big part
    of that), I can now play the guitar in that second sense, too. Play like a child running around a playground, or sitting in a sand box
    with shovel and pail – the true sense of “play.” It is one of the most rewarding things in my life to have gotten to this point. And it
    certainly took a lot of time and effort and frustration and disappointment. I’m so thankful that I persisted. I write this in the hope
    that it might motivate others to keep pushing through when that feeling of futility starts tempting you to give up.

  62. Andrae C says

    Thanks Brian, Sage advice. Making time to think about what I can currently do/play and what I want to be able to do/play in 6/12 months will indeed make me Focus and then set Meaningful, Achievable, Time bound, Realistic goals and objectives. Otherwise time marches on, year after year… I keep saying to myself “I’ll get a round to it” but I never get that handy tool A Round To It. (Lol)
    And definitely you deserve a break. Enjoy the breather.
    Thanks Brian, All the very best for the New Year. God Bless.

  63. James P says

    Thank you Brian. Happy New Year to you and your family! This inspirational message is actually a great diversion and a stealth reminder to what I’m really doing here. A deserved refocus if you will… Cheers to all

  64. Tim Moran says

    Maybe a fourth area to think about – I have trouble focusing on one aspect – I want to learn finger style blues, but then I want to learn a lot more folk/rock songs, and I want to learn to be a decent bass player for a garage band I’m in, and I want to learn classic rock stuff on my electrics. I know if I want to be good at any one of them I need to pick one and really concentrate on that. Hard to do – I get distracted by the others.

  66. Pentti S says

    Hei Brian and happy new year 2026.
    You definitely need and are entitled to a rest. There are so many lessons by you already reserved in the vault so that a pause of week or two does not harm at all. I reckon that not many of us can follow your weekly speed and learning in that rhythm.

    Your are unique, there is no one in the web/youtube guitar teachers like you, who constantly creates original music and uses that in their lessons. I am really admi ring and appreciating that, and your humble style in general. You are teaching, not showing off.

    So all the best for you and your family.
    Pentti,
    your premium subscriber for more than 10 years

  67. Mark B says

    Having been a member for a few years now, you are bang on with your comments about starting with your interests. When I first joined a few years ago, I picked a couple lessons and worked through them, basically bar by bar. It initially took me a week or so to learn one. Now it rarely takes longer than a single practice session to learn from the tablature. I had little knowledge, some technique, and not much application. All three of those areas have grown exponentially over the years I’ve been here. In particular, the concepts I was introduced to here have driven me to vastly expand my knowledge of the fretboard. The goal I am working towards is “freedom and confidence”. I want to know the five positions in major and minor, and play with confidence, without tabs. I’ve made long strides towards that goal but I’m not there yet.

    Learning is always dependent on the committment and focus of the student. Having said that, when the student finds the right teacher, the magic happens. I’ve learned a lot from you, Brian, and will continue to do so.

  69. Graham T says

    Happy New Year and Thank You Brian!

    I discovered Active Melody last year and have really appreciated your playing and teaching style. I love the patient approach, the pacing and the way you communicate the concepts in a way that I can understand.

    *humble request for more gospel style guitar lessons*

  70. DONALD J says

    You, young man (I can say that safely since I’m 82, are (and have been for quite a few years yourself–I know because I’ve followed, enjoyed, and learned with you through most of it). Your viewpoint and practice as a performer and teacher are a bit like an ageless spring. It’s a new year (my 82nd) and right behind me is my Gibson purchased at Milwaukee’s Metropolitan Music c. 1960. Played as a naval officer in the Navy during the Vietnam “bust up.” After that, long, long story (won’t bore). My point arises from your amazing musical soul and amazing genius as a teacher. I’ll think of you and your respectful and brilliant approach to the acoustic guitar. Keep on the sunny side. And I’ll be seeing you at the coming lessons. Don Jonovic, (djonovic@familybusinessmgt.com). (I’m surprised our paths never crossed at the Fur Piece Ranch). Don Jonovic

  72. Adam K says

    Brian,
    My musician friends say “performance is the reason you play”. I enjoy playing at home and your Lessons have been challenging me to expand my abilities. I have played a few live (rock band) shows and that really pushes you to learn. That said, the stress and repetition is not my “jam”.
    I like it to running… many people enjoy going for a run but have no interest in racing. So, I have come to accept that, for me the guitar is mostly a private pleasure that sometimes includes jamming with a few friends or sitting around a camp fire.
    I’m sure I’m not alone in this …

  74. Jeff B says

    Brian: Thank you for this message & all that you do. I’ve been trying to play acoustic guitar since 1972. It is a struggle finding the time to play daily, even weekly. Your lessons have helped a good deal. Your guitars are so very cool, especially the 000-28 $ 18 Martins. This video is a very encouraging reset for me.
    Happy New Year & God Bless.

  75. Bruce G says

    Hi Brian-

    As usual, this was a great lesson and appropriate to “take a break” and reflect. Your 3 components of learning: Knowledge, Technical, and Application…really struck me.

    At least at a “relative” level…my weakest piece is “application”. I can learn to play the tab…that’s usually not a big deal…but I’m just reading off the page and not improvising and making music that I want to do! (application)

    I loved ML 123 where you taught us how to “apply” what you taught in other lessons.

    I’m hoping the feedback was strong that lesson, and you will be giving us another ML123 very soon!

    Always great—I look forward to Friday afternoons (and not just because it’s the weekend!) Happy New Year!

  76. Ted L says

    I’ve been playing over 20 years, very badly, and only the last 5 years I too have taken it more seriously..and gotten a lot better.
    This year I get to retire so intend to focus a lot more on really learning. My goal? To be come accomplished at finger style and learn Classical Gas. I’ve always considered that piece my benchmark.

  77. Ángel B says

    Thank you so much Brian!
    This channel continues to be for me an excellent opportunity to learn and share, with all of you, the passion for guitar and music.
    I wish you all the best in 2026!
    Angel

  78. David R says

    I don’t know how you can produce so much original music week after week. Your talent just blows my mind. You deserve a month off. I personally, cannot keep up with your lessons. It takes me several weeks to memorize and play one of your compositions all the way through without to many mistakes.
    David, in Michigan.

  79. Brent S says

    I have learned some theory but while Im playing it’s really hard to put it into use or focus on anything other than not making mistakes . Id like to get past that . I will write it down . And maybe smoke a bit less pot for my memory .

  81. Dieter T says

    Brian, a very worthwhile video! In your discussion, you touched on the technical/limitations part and I thought that may be a very interesting piece for you to cover further.
    There are so many variations of how people play. Mark knopfler seems to play with just3 fingers, Jeff Beck, looks to be using 2 most the time and the other on the controls and the bar and so on.
    Have a good one!

  82. Steve W says

    Brian: good assignment but difficult to quantify, but I’ll try.

    I began to love music at a very early age (back in the 1960’s) and couldn’t wait to buy my first transistor radio so I could listen whenever I wanted.

    No matter where I went, good music in the background made it so much better, personal and memorable. I think of it as, music is the wallpaper of the air.

    My goal this year is to seamlessly dance my fingers; within one chord voicing through different modes, accommodating the songs chord progression. (hopefully that makes sense)

    Happy New year, thanks for all the great lessons.

  83. Anthony I says

    i want to be better at playing with others. I started at 55 years old. Im 80 now. I got real lucky and found an instructor that started a JAM group. Two professional and 3-4 players taught us how to play with a group, which I realize was very different than playing alone. I had to learn to listen. Then i again got lucky and found a group of seniors at the senior center that Jammed with a coordinator who could play most any type of music
    The group is welcoming. We have very talented (key board, sax, drum guitar) Electric on Mondays, acoustic on Wednesday. We also have beginners. If you could give s hint everyone win awhile to those who play by themselves but want to join a group what should they do.
    What I have seen is playing too loud especially when a singer is singing or someone’s taking a solo. How to comp rather than 5 guitars all play all six string all on the same area of the neck. the difference between straight feel and swing.
    We do round robin, which means everyone gets a turn to do a song with I mirror on a big TV. Some then speed up on the parts they know and slowdown on the more difficult parts. the band gets lost.
    I know you teach mostly to play at home people and I don’t expect you to change your very successful format, but maybe a hint to people to get them to have the confidence to try it out . It’s so much fun and I got whole new group of friends. Just a suggestion.

  84. Scott L says

    Happy New Year. I’m excited for 2026. I found the site last year and I can’t believe how many lessons are available. One of my goals for 2026 is to, at least, watch every weeks lesson and continue to try and work on lessons that are above my skill level. Another goal, I’d like to be able to strum along or play with others. Even if it’s just to hear a song and be able to at least strum a rhythm or add a few licks.
    I love the call and response stuff and appreciate all the time you spend or providing interesting material.
    Thank you!

  86. Bruce A says

    Brian,
    Your lessons have helped me progress a lot over the last 2 years. I can’t keep up with you weekly, so I hope the break refreshed you. Your lessons stand out from countless others on YouTube because you speak as if each of us was a friend, offering encouraging guidance.

    Bruce
    Vancouver

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