April Guitar Lessons Update
A small moment that changed how I think about progress.
What actually moves the needle
With Easter here, there’s something in the air that feels like a fresh start. A chance to reset, to rejoice a little, and to focus on what really matters.
At home, we’ve been leaning into that. My son helped me plant some seeds the other day, and it turned into one of those small moments that sticks with you… slowing down, getting our hands dirty, watching something take shape from the very beginning.
He also drew a picture on the patio with chalk—a flower. But what caught my attention was that he didn’t just draw the petals.
He drew the roots.
Out of everything, that’s what he chose to include. The part you don’t usually see… but the part that makes everything else possible.
That got me thinking about guitar.
This time of year, it’s easy to want something new—a new guitar, a new course, a new direction.
But lately, I’ve been going the opposite way.
Instead of buying new gear, I’ve been repairing some of my older guitars. One in particular—a thinline Telecaster I used in some of my earliest videos (the one I played the riff for Tennessee Whiskey on)—needed a lot of work. The frets were completely worn down.
So I had it restored, and I’ve been playing it again.
There’s something really satisfying about bringing something back to life… and appreciating it on a deeper level than before.
And it ties right back to what my son drew.
Progress doesn’t come from stacking more on top.
It comes from strengthening what’s underneath.
Membership Updates
This month, a few new resources were added for members, including 3 song play-throughs and 2 printable worksheets.
New Song Play-Throughs
The following songs now include full play-throughs you can practice along with:
- Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie
- I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (or CCR)
- For What It’s Worth (Rhythm & Lead) – Buffalo Springfield
New Worksheets
🎸 Join the All-Access Pass Here →
🌟 Student Spotlight: Francois Godin
Meet Francois; business owner, amateur painter, and someone who put down a guitar for 25 years and came back better than before.
Watch Francois talk about starting again, after a 25 year break →
Francois first picked up a guitar in his twenties with a friend. No instructor, they couldn’t afford it. No YouTube, no online courses, they didn’t exist yet. Instead, they learned by sitting side by side, mimicking each other. Old habits settled in, and one of them was how he held the guitar: always looking down at it from an awkward angle. It was fun but progress was slow. Eventually, life moved on. Career took off. Guitar went away.
“When I’m playing guitar, I cannot think about anything else. I’m not thinking about what I just played or what I’m going to play. I’m just right in the moment, getting instant feedback from the sound..”
— Francois Godin
Then last summer, while cleaning out his home studio, he found his old BC Rich buried in the corner. It was warped and cracked but he picked it up anyway. It was weird how a few chords came back fast. A chat later, his neighbour lent him one of his ten guitars to try. In the span of a week, he bought a new guitar, went on YouTube, found James, and signed up.
“I watched a few more of his videos and thought, this guy is so helpful, I’ve got to pay him, whatever it costs. Frankly, it’s dirt cheap for the access you get.”
The first real turning point wasn’t a chord or a song. It was learning how to hold the guitar. “I didn’t even know how to hold it properly. The ergonomics made such a massive difference in allowing me to grow from there.” Barre chords, which he had never managed before, stopped being intimidating. He worked through the full foundations course, then jammed with the friend who had first introduced him to guitar. His friend’s response: “Wow, you’re doing all those barre chords and power chords and stuff.”
What kept him going wasn’t ambition. Francois was looking for a hobby that puts him in the moment without setup time or pressure that painting brings. “When I’m playing guitar, I cannot think about anything else. I’m just right in the moment, getting instant feedback from the sound.”
Somewhere along the way, something shifted. “I was playing guitar, and now I’m slowly becoming a musician. There’s a difference where you start to be able to play music as opposed to playing the instrument. At first you’re asking how do I play the chord. Now I’m asking how do I make these chords sound right in this song.”
His advice to anyone feeling stuck is simple. Build the foundations. Don’t tackle music you’re not ready for. “Don’t try to run before you can walk. Don’t try to walk before you can crawl. Structured lessons really help with that.”
And beyond the technique, there’s something harder to teach. Coming back after 25 years, with structured lessons and a real understanding of music, Francois found his way back to a feeling he thought was gone. Make the music pour out. “That feeling I’d been trying to recapture, I can now tap into it almost instantly. That’s probably the biggest high I get out of all of this.”
Inspired by Francois’ story?
→ Explore the All-Access Pass
→ Already a member? Share your story here — you could be our next featured student.
What I’ve Been Teaching Lately
Here’s a look at the lessons that went out this month, broken down by song lessons and non-song lessons.
Song Lessons
- 3 Famous Basslines You Can Play On Guitar
- Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie
- I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (and CCR)
- For What It’s Worth (Rhythm) – Buffalo Springfield
- For What It’s Worth (Lead) – Buffalo Springfield
Non-Song Lessons
- F Barre Chord Made Easy
- Why Your Guitar Sounds Dull (and Fixing it!)
- 5 Guitar Accessories For Older Guitarists
- Cooler Progressions Using Chords You Already Know
Coming Up Next
Here’s a look at what I’ll be working on next:
- 2 Quick Exercises for a Better Strumming Sound
- If You Could Read My Mind
- What’s the Best Way to Start Fingerpicking?
- Learn Songs by Ear (5 Minutes)
- Suzanne
- Open E Tuning
That’s all for now!
– James
