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Finally! After years I am pleased to announce that I have completed Learn and Master Guitar! My signature doesn't reflect this yet and I will change it. I took a lesson with Steve in Nashville last August on session 17. And then I completed it shortly after that when I got back home. I then finished the remaining 18-20 over the next months bringing us to now. What a great few years it has been. I looked at many different avenues to learn guitar not long after Santa brought me my starter guitar kit. I looked at some online sources like Justin Guitar and Guitar Tricks. I, of course, considered one on one lessons with a local instructor. And I took a couple lessons with a local guy. But when I distilled it down I decided L&MG was the route for me. And what a great decision it was. Certainly, an enjoyable part of the journey has been the friends I have made on the original forum and here after Steve moved us here. Enjoyable and helpful. Anytime I was confused or frustrated I knew I could come here and find answers or just encouragement. It's because of this forum that I met @Dan Brown on the Keeping the Blues Alive cruise. He and his lovely wife, Diane, have become friends with my wife and me and an important part of our lives. See you next March, Dan! I mentioned the lesson with Steve in Nashville. Some of you may remember I also flew to Chicago to take a lesson with Steve not long after my starting L&MG. Not only did I get the hugely helpful lesson but I got to then spend some casual time with Steve including lunch and a trip to the Chicago Music Exchange. Numerous zoom lessons with Steve have unquestionably been significant in my learning. Most importantly, I have come to consider Steve a friend. To be completely truthful, and you can also see this in my sig, I haven't finished session 10. So I suppose you can make an argument I haven't really finished L&MG. I really struggled with it and consulted with Steve. He suggested that I move on and that is what I did. I really should go back and complete it. "What's next?" you logically might ask. Since somewhere in the second half of L&M, session 12 or 13 or so, as so many of us have, I've supplemented my studies with some outside learning materials. And I have lots!🤣 Certainly, whatever I study is going to be blues based. I think the very near future is going to be dedicated to just learning some songs I've wanted to learn. I'm thinking "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream is next. Thank you every one! It's been nothing but a joy to be a part of @Steve Krenz's Guitar Family these years.

@Matt_B Hi, Matt, it happens. Life will always be there. Be kind to yourself and keep your expectations modest. Over the years the discussion board has accumulated (and Doug collated) a mountain of good advice that you can refer to as you need. But here in the beginning, I suggest you identify a small window of time in each day, 10 to 30 minutes, that will be free of distractions, in which you can focus on music. An appointment with yourself, every day, same time. No excuses. Steve explains here. If possible, it should have something of each of these four elements: (1) warm up, (2) skills, (3) songs, and (4) exploration. At first, it will mostly 1 and 2 and a bit of 4. Your finger tips might get sore, especially on a steel string acoustic. Don't practice with pain; your finger tips will gradually toughen and your endurance will grow. Have your guitar professionally set up, even if it is new, to ensure its maximum playability and proper intonation. The best advice on music practice I've found has been distilled into a delightful little volume by guitar instructor Tom Heany, "First, Learn to Practice". This and related books appear in my Reading List. Lesson 1: Enjoy your practice!