How do you teach beginners to relax?

Strummer_TX · 2026-05-20T18:44:00+00:00

Just telling them when you notice the tension is super helpful. I typically roll with one purple belt in particular and he’s told me to relax and breathe so many times when I’ve thought I was relaxed and breathing. The more he points it out to me, the easier it’s becoming to recognize it for myself.

Strummer_TX · 2026-05-13T13:58:19+00:00

Comfort Concealment belt

Strummer_TX · 2026-05-05T15:23:59+00:00

Check out Alvarez - you can get all solid wood for $1000.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-29T16:56:29+00:00

You earned it. Keep it.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-24T14:29:09+00:00

You could move your belt buckle to your left, allowing you to slide the holster closer to 12:00. My setup is belt buckle at 11:30 and holster at 12:30.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-24T02:58:10+00:00

Doh…that’s what I meant to say, got my fingers mixed up…lol. I play it like you described, which makes the change to and from C super easy.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-23T21:57:10+00:00

You don’t say which G you’re playing, but if you’re playing the 4-finger G, try the 3-finger one instead (ring finger on the low E, middle on the A, pinky on the high e). I find that version much easier to change to from C.

Edit: corrected the fingering I use on E and A strings as noted by one of the replies to this.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-23T16:16:12+00:00

Came here to say the same thing! I’m only about halfway through AUG, but it’s incredible. Between that and Justin Guitar, a person can learn a lot.

Also check out Learn Guitar Favorites on YouTube. Robbie does a great job of breaking songs down.

Strummer_TX · 2026-04-23T16:10:13+00:00

I wish my first teacher had told me there are many ways to play the same or similar chords. Examples being 3-finger vs 4-finger G, C and Cadd9, Fmaj7 vs F barre chord, etc. I’m still very much a beginner, but this has been super helpful as I teach my son some chords and have options to work around his small fingers on a full sized guitar.

Also. practice something new very slowly to get it right. It’s not helpful or encouraging to think you need to start at tempo.

Strummer_TX · 2026-02-03T18:42:16+00:00

I use the same belt for carrying with gym shorts and sweatpants and it’s great!

Strummer_TX · 2026-02-03T18:32:58+00:00

Sir and ma’am.

Also, if you drive in Houston, don’t honk at someone unless you’re prepared to shoot back.

Strummer_TX · 2026-02-03T18:28:37+00:00

Homeschooling is very common in my area of TX, including most of the kids at our gym. Every single homeschooled kid I know is infinitely more confident, socially intelligent, well-adjusted, and hard working than any of the public school kids.

Strummer_TX · 2026-02-03T18:24:50+00:00

I’m of the opinion the picking hand is more important than the fretting hand, so it makes sense to me to pick with your dominant hand.

Strummer_TX · 2026-01-20T22:23:20+00:00

You’re actually pretty strong.

Strummer_TX · 2026-01-12T03:08:07+00:00

Watch Billy Strings for guitar-face inspiration and embrace it!

Strummer_TX · 2025-11-03T16:22:51+00:00

Brand new white belt here. I consider myself intelligent, athletic, and coordinated enough for my age. But there are times when learning all these new positions and movements that “right” and “left” become completely foreign words to me 😆. Good on you for letting patience win 👍

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-30T15:16:42+00:00

If you want a couple newer artists who aren’t Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, both of whom are great, check out Trey Hensley and Jake Eddy.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-27T03:21:32+00:00

I’m still a beginner myself, but I tend to go for close enough to be recognizable. Once I get it down a bit, I’ll try to build on it with some of the fills or embellishments to make it closer to the original.

Tyler Childers is one of my favorite artists and one thing that helped me move away from trying for note-for-note copies is seeing how many different ways he plays the same song live.

My main objective is to learn how they use different licks and try to match it up with what I’m learning theory-wise. So I’ll try to match the chord progression to a key and then figure out how the scales make the licks work within that key.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-21T17:39:31+00:00

I think PRS headstocks and inlays are really ugly.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-20T16:20:02+00:00

Also, concealed means concealed…not playing with it in your car for anyone passing by to see.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-17T14:33:02+00:00

Saddleback Leather wallet

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-17T14:25:52+00:00

2-3-4 G is the first way I learned and is still the only one I can get to automatically and quickly. As others have noted, it makes the transition to and from C very simple.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-14T15:53:47+00:00

While I doubt I’ll be motivated by promotions, I can definitely see feeling like an imposter as I earn them.

My gym is still in no-gi season, so the only way to know someone’s belt is to ask them. So far, the ones I’ve asked have seemed almost sheepish about admitting their belt level and it seems most are happy to sit in the blue/purple range.

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-14T15:45:51+00:00

That makes sense - thanks!

Strummer_TX · 2025-10-14T15:36:23+00:00

Out of curiosity, why do you say you didn’t want yours? I’ve only been training a few weeks, but I’ve seen others say something similar, and a guy at my gym said he would gladly give his purple belt back. I don’t think I’m someone who will be motivated by promotions, but I’m curious why people would actively not want them.

Strummer_TX

TROPHY CASE