Everyone online has lied to you. Lied about "methods," lied about "practice." How do you actually get better?
Not just “watch another YouTube video” better.
Not “random licks and hope” better.
But real, measurable, musical improvement—without spending 5 hours a day practicing.
That’s what we’re digging into today. If you’ve ever felt stuck, scattered, or like you’re practicing a lot but not improving much, this one’s for you.
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My Teaching Philosophy (In One Paragraph)
Before we go further, you should know: I’m a teacher first. Always have been. Even before I got into music, I was obsessed with learning things and then figuring out how to teach them. I was the kid watching the Science Channel, running to school the next day to explain black holes and absolute zero to my friends.
Later, that love of teaching led me into music education. I got my degrees, taught at universities, ran private lessons—and through it all, I kept asking the same question:
What’s the most effective way to actually help people get better at guitar?
And the answer, it turns out, isn’t what most people think.
The Three Pillars of Guitar Progress
You need three things to improve at guitar:
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A method
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Practice
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Feedback
That’s it. That’s the formula.
But here’s the part that most people don’t understand:
Method is the least important of the three.
Wait, what? Yes. I’ll explain.
The Method Myth (And Why It’s So Popular)
Method is the easiest thing to sell. And because of that, it’s become the centerpiece of most guitar education.
You’ve seen the ads: “The best new way to learn modes.” “The secret fretboard system.” “Unlock the neck!”
But here’s a thought experiment to illustrate why method isn’t the most important thing:
Imagine two twin brothers, both eight years old, both want to learn guitar.
Twin A gets a guitar, a room full of every guitar book and course ever made, a high-speed internet connection, and access to every platform—TrueFire, Pickup Music, YouTube, you name it. Then we close the door and say “See you in a year.”
Twin B gets none of that. No books. No courses. Just a guitar and a local teacher—not a famous player, just someone who’s been gigging locally for 30+ years and knows how to teach.
After a year, which twin has made more progress? Exactly. Twin B.
Because knowledge without application and feedback is just noise. Which brings us to pillar #2:
Practice (But Make It Practical)
Here’s where people really get stuck.
They think practice has to mean hours of scale drills and metronomes. And then they hear YouTubers say stuff like:
“I don’t practice anymore. I just make music.”
And while that sounds cool, it’s misleading. Because making music is practice.
Writing a melody? Practice.
Recording takes and refining solos? Practice.
Jamming over a backing track? Practice.
The problem isn’t practice—it’s how we define it.
You don’t need 5 hours a day. In fact, you don’t even need 1.
If you can practice 15 minutes a day, 5–6 days a week—with intention—you can make massive progress.
I’ve built my entire guitar program around that belief, and it works. I’ll tell you more about that in a minute.
But first—the third pillar.
Feedback: The Most Overlooked Secret
Feedback is the real game-changer. It’s also what’s missing from 99% of online guitar education.
Here’s what usually happens: You buy a course. You start going through the lessons. Then you hit a wall. Something doesn’t make sense. You have a question.
But there’s no one to ask. You poke around on forums. Maybe find a half-answer. Momentum dies. You stop.
And it’s not your fault. Without feedback, your brain loses confidence in the path. And when you lose confidence, you stop moving forward.
That’s why the kid with a teacher in the earlier thought experiment improves more than the kid with unlimited books and videos. Because the teacher can say, “Do this instead.” One little nudge. One little adjustment. And you’re back on track.
Why Traditional Weekly Lessons Are Outdated
Let me say something that might surprise you:
One-on-one weekly guitar lessons are not the most efficient way to learn for most adult players.
They work great for total beginners. But for intermediate and advanced players—or adults with full lives—they’re kind of broken.
Here’s why:
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Most adults “max out” on info after 15–20 minutes.
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The rest of the lesson is often filler, chat, or overwhelm.
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You get a bunch of info… and no time to apply it.
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Then a week goes by, you forget half of it, and it starts again.
Compare that to how you’d learn a skill in real life—like carpentry or plumbing. You’d work alongside someone. Ask a quick question, get a quick answer. Try it. Get corrected. Move forward. That model works.
And while you can’t apprentice under a touring guitarist in real life, you can replicate the flow of that system online—with the right structure.
My Guitar Program (And Why It Works)
If you want to make real progress on guitar—without wasting time or getting overwhelmed—this is for you.
Here’s how my program works:
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Step 1: We start with a private diagnostic lesson.
This isn’t a “normal” lesson. I’ll watch and listen to you play, learn about your musical goals, influences, strengths, and struggles. From there, I’ll hand-pick a specific learning path for you.
I have proven paths for improvising, blues guitar, jazz, solo guitar arranging, legato playing, modal mastery, and much more.
Whatever your goal is, I’ve likely built a step-by-step method to help you reach it in 15 minutes a day.
Step 2: You get a personalized plan.
Let’s say you want to sound like Eric Clapton. You’ll not only get my blues guitar method—you’ll also get custom transcriptions and breakdowns of Clapton’s solos. We’ll combine his voice with foundational skills so you learn his style while improving your fundamentals.
Step 3: You get 24/7 feedback.
Got a question? Send me a video or message. I reply within 24 hours, every single day—including weekends and holidays. I don’t take vacation from your progress.
Step 4: Weekly live meetups.
Join me for a live group lesson and Q&A every week. Can’t attend? No problem. You’ll still get your questions answered. You can ask daily. I’m here for you.
The result?
You stop guessing. You stop spinning your wheels. You start seeing real progress—every single week.
Oh, and it comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. If it’s not a good fit, you don’t pay.
But to keep things personal, I only accept a limited number of students at a time. That’s why there’s a quick (free) consultation before joining—to make sure we’re the right fit for each other.
To learn more and sign up for your consultation, click here:
Until next time,
Keep picking.
—And Fludd
