In this episode, Paul Andrews recaps week two of the "Learn to Play Five Minutes a Day in May" challenge. If you're participating, congratulations—you're halfway through! Not involved yet? No worries, you can join anytime at bgachallenge.com and start from day one.

This week focuses on chords—a fundamental skill for every beginner guitarist. Paul introduces a range of strategies and techniques designed to make chord learning smoother and more effective.

Key Points Discussed

The Three S’s to Good Chord Playing:

• Shape: Learning the correct chord shape and building muscle memory.
• Sound: Picking each string, adjusting finger placement for a clean sound.
• Speed: Practicing smooth and efficient chord transitions.

Chord Breakdown and Transition Techniques:

• E Minor, A Minor, C, and G chords: Paul walks through efficient ways to form these essential chords and their finger placements.
• Pivot Fingers: How keeping certain fingers in place between chord changes can speed up transitions (especially between E minor, A minor, and C).
• Folded Corners Technique: Placing fingers in different combinations and orders to build habit and speed, especially useful for tricky chords like C and G.
• Air Forming: Begin shaping the next chord in the air before your fingers reach the strings, plus keeping fingers close to the fretboard for faster chord changes.

Practice Application:

• Song Example: "Save Your Tears" by The Weeknd is used to practice chord transitions using all techniques discussed.
• Learning Chord Order: Paul outlines an effective sequence for learning chords (starting with the basic eight open chords), advising against tackling more advanced chords like barre chords too soon.

• Podcast Episode 47: For a more in-depth look at the recommended order to learn chords, check out episode 47 at bgapodcast.com/47.

Ready to build a daily practice routine? Sign up for the 5 Minutes a Day in May challenge at bgachallenge.com and get started with day one right away.

Closing Thought:

Keep practicing, be patient with your progress, and remember—slow, consistent repetition is the key to mastering chords!

Catch you next week for another episode!

Episode Overview:

In this special episode, Paul Andrews recaps the first week of the “Five Minutes a Day Guitar Challenge,” which is designed to help beginner guitarists practice daily and build strong foundational skills. Whether you’re keeping up with the challenge or just tuning in, this episode is packed with techniques and exercises to improve your picking and overall guitar playing.

Key Topics Covered:

Introduction to the Challenge:

• Paul shares the inspiration behind the Five Minutes a Day Challenge, encouraging everyone to build consistent daily practice habits—even just five minutes a day can make a huge difference!

Week 1 Theme – Picking Fundamentals:

• Essential Picking Techniques: How to properly hold the pick, avoid tension, and brace your picking hand.
• The 5 Essential Picking Exercises: These cover alternate, outside, inside, double down, and double up picking patterns—core skills for nearly every riff or song you’ll encounter.
• Isolation Practice: Focusing on one hand at a time for faster and more effective learning.

Fretting Technique:

• Paul explains the “three F’s” for proper fretting—flat thumb, fingertip, and fret placement—to get clean, buzz-free notes.

Applying Techniques with Iconic Riffs:

Practice what you’ve learned with riffs such as:

• “Under Pressure” by Queen
• “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes
• “Peter Gunn Theme” (including different versions and fingerings)

Spider Exercise (1-2-3-4 Exercise):

• This classic exercise builds finger strength, synchronization, and hand independence.

Progress and Recap Structure:

• Each week of the challenge wraps up with a recap to consolidate your learning before moving on to topics like chords and rhythm in the following weeks.

Community Updates

Academy Show:

• A new monthly recap episode is out, featuring member shout-outs, milestone celebrations (“guitarversaries”), and highlights of active community members.

Live Office Hours:

• Paul is hosting a live Zoom Q&A for challenge participants on May 18th—bring your guitar questions and get them answered in real-time!

Beginner Guitar Academy Community:

• Connect with guitarists from around the world, share your progress, and get direct support from Paul.

Resources & Links:

Join the Challenge Anytime:

• Sign up for the “Five Minutes a Day” challenge and start from day one at bgachallenge.com

Video Version:

• Want to see the exercises and riffs played? Watch the accompanying video for this episode at bgapodcast.com/233 or search YouTube and socials.

Become a Member:

• For structured learning, personal feedback, and community access, join Beginner Guitar Academy with a 2-week trial for just $1.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! Keep practicing, and stay tuned for next week’s episode.

In this inspiring episode, Paul Andrews sits down with Malte, the very first student to complete all five levels of the Beginner Guitar Academy program.

Malte shares his unique guitar journey, the ups and downs of learning through structured levels, and how the academy helped him close gaps in his musical foundation, even after decades of prior experience!

Highlights:

- Meet Malte: Discover Malte’s musical background, including his love for Metallica and Nirvana, and how early lessons lacked the structure he later found crucial for solid progress.

- The Power of Structure: Malte discusses the importance of a clear, step-by-step method (with a dash of gamification!) for staying motivated and achieving real results.

- Closing the Gaps: Hear how ear training, music theory (hello, Circle of Fifths!), and learning about keys transformed Malte’s understanding of the guitar — skills he never gained from years of traditional lessons.

- Facing Challenges: Malte opens up about his struggles with note reading and ear training, and how tackling these head-on became some of his most rewarding accomplishments.

- Day-to-Day Practice: Get insights into Malte’s practice routine as a busy professional and family man—how just 30 minutes a day, plus mini “guitar grabs,” kept his skills sharp and progress moving.

- Words of Wisdom: Malte shares top advice for beginners, emphasizing the value of mastering foundational skills, staying patient through tough beginnings, and embracing structured learning to accelerate progress.

- What’s Next: Find out about Malte’s future guitar goals—from mastering Metallica’s downstroke technique to speed picking—and how the Beginner Guitar Academy laid the groundwork for advanced growth.

Episode Links:

- 5 Minutes a Day Challenge

- Beginner Guitar Academy

Mentioned in This Episode:

- Metallica, Nirvana

- The importance of the CAGED system (and requests for a Level 6!)

- Ear training tools and resources

- Motivating practice equipment (like the Boss Waza Air headphones)

Listener Challenge:

If you’re working your way through the BGA course, what’s the biggest gap you want to fill in your guitar knowledge? Tag us on social or write in – we’d love to hear your story!

Connect With Us:

- Instagram

- Facebook

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow guitar enthusiasts who need a boost of inspiration!

Thanks for tuning in, and a special thanks to Malte for sharing his journey!

Stay tuned for more student stories and expert tips on the next Beginner Guitar Academy Podcast.