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PODCAST

The Acoustic Asylum

If learning guitar leaves you feeling mad, frustrated, or like you want to tear your hair out, this podcast is for you. Dan Thorpe specialises in teaching beginner guitar lessons to older adults. If you want to discover Dan’s methods for the best way to learn guitar, to play easy guitar songs while having more fun, and to do so without feeling like you have a one-way ticket to the Acoustic Asylum, then listen closely and... Join us as Dan shares the best tips, tricks, and motivating stories from

music

All Episodes

8:47

Ep130 – Managing Your Time

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/10/31

If you’ve followed my lessons and podcast for a while, you’ll know about my T.E.S.T. method. Today we’re going to talk about one of the key elements of the method – Time Management. So many people struggle with it, often they don’t have a practice routine.In the episode, I give you some advice on how to tackle this common issue. You can create a “to-do” list, which will really help you organise what you need to focus on. This will help your practice be more structured and productive. Take a

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28:25

Ep129 – An Interview on Flamenco, Lifelong Learning,...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/10/24

Today, I'm bringing you a fantastic interview with Tomas Michaud. Tomas is a flamenco guitarist who has some great advice to offer on all things guitar. In the episode, we talk about Tomas’ continued journey of learning as an established and incredible tutor and guitarist.Tomas offers some excellent tips on how to avoid getting too fixated, but still stay motivated. We also chat about fun topics such as the reality of touring, the beginning of the guitar journey, going off on tangents, favourite

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6:22

Ep128 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #25 – The...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/10/17

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a rule of the asylum, which is using the magnifying glass. A lot of people learn songs by practising the whole song. However, if you’re struggling with a song, it’s a really good idea to break it down.I talk about how to break down a song, giving you several examples of how to simplify learning a song. It’s all about working on the individual parts that make up the whole of the piece. This will highlight any underlying issues, so you can fix them. Take a

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7:28

Ep127 – When Words Fail, the Guitar Speaks (How to...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/09/19

In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about David Gilmour and a very interesting quote of his. A lot of people think they might have anything in common with David Gilmour, but there's a reason it's worth learning about your guitar heroes. You don't need to be as famous as David Gilmour to express yourself on the guitar. There's so much you can do! I'll show you a couple of examples of what you can jam. It's a great way to have fun and express yourself. Take a listen and enjoy! If you enjoyed

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10:12

Ep126 – Finding the Ideal Guitar for You

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/09/12

Today, I want to talk about your guitar. It’s all about making sure the guitar you play is comfortable for you. Ideally, the best way to find the best guitar for you is to go to a physical guitar shop and try several guitars.It’s important to remember that it’s all about your fingers, your body, and what you like the feel and sound of, without thinking about brand names or what others think. Take a listen to the episode to find out the tips and advice I have for finding the best guitar for

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9:02

Ep124 – Beating the Curse of Terrible Practice

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/09/01

In today’s episode, I talk about the worst way to practise or learn a song and how to avoid this. Time is limited, and you don’t want to end up feeling like you’re wasting it, struggling to learn a song. When you’re learning a new song, you really want to break things up into smaller sections to learn. This is where the 10x Method really helps. In the episode, I talk about how to use and apply the method to streamline the process of learning a song, so you don’t forget what you are learning. Take

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28:29

Ep123 – An Interview on Arranging, Improvisation, and...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/22

Today, I'm bringing you a super fun interview with Robert Lunn. In the episode, we had a great chat on some really important topics, including why playing gig-ready, simple yet stunning arrangements of songs is so important, how to keep the passion when learning songs, and how Robert created a wonderful piece which started off as an exercise to just learn some new software!Robert is a great chap, so I hope you enjoy (and listen to the end for a funny story from Robert). Take a listen and enjoy! If

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09:01

Ep122 – Travel, Music & Practising Guitar When You’re...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/20

Today’s episode is all about my recent trip, discovering music when you travel, and taking breaks from the guitar. When you travel, music is everywhere. It’s really fun discovering different street musicians and even taking trips down memory lane when you hear your favourite songs. Travelling for me often means stepping away from the guitar, but this can also be beneficial. There are even studies that show that spreading out your practice can help you learn better. On the other hand, new

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32:09

Ep121 – An Interview on Jamming, Bluegrass, the...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/13

In today’s episode, we have a great interview with Andy Schneider. We had a chat on a whole variety of topics, such as getting ready to play live, bluegrass jamming, how to get started with the blues, and why playing with others is so powerful!Andy's a super nice chap to chat to, and I found that after this interview, I couldn't help but go have a good ol' jam of my own. I hope Andy and this interview inspire you too! There’s a lot to enjoy here, especially if you've dreamt of playing live but

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12:24

Ep120 – The Paul Simon Way of Playing

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/12

Today’s episode is a fun story about Paul Simon and his way of playing. As a guitarist, Paul Simon does his own thing, and he does it really well. His sophistication, style, and the different elements of his playing often go unrecognised thanks to his incredible songwriting skills. So in today’s episode, I discuss the different facets of Paul Simon’s skills as a guitarist, a songwriter, and a singer. One of the most beautiful things he talks about is the guitar being a source of comfort for him. I

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30:01

Ep119 – An Interview on Blues, Jamming, and Playing...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/06

In today’s episode, we continue with another special interview, this time with Brian Sherrill of Active Melody. Brian is one of the coolest guitar players and best online teachers, who’s blues playing is brilliant. In the episode, Brian and I talk about the journey, the process of guitar playing, and the really important mindset shifts that a lot of guitarists need. Brian talks about his own journey with guitar, how he became a guitar teacher, and the things he finds key to guitar playing. He

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12:47

Ep118 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #24 – Embrace...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/08/01

In today’s episode, I talk about the benefits of technology and the importance of not letting it take over. I think AI can be a great tool, but it’s never going to play the guitar for us. I chat about one of my favourite films, Terminator 2, and the interesting message we can take from it. One of the main reasons that some of these technologies and apps don’t stick is that they are trying to take over the process of learning, and nothing can do that. I talk about why this is the case, the key

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30:58

Ep117 – An Interview on the Principles of Technique...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/07/19

Today’s episode is a special one. It’s an interview with Jamie Andreas who has a unique way of talking about technique and has been a huge influence on my own teaching.In the episode, Jamie talks about how she started playing guitar, discovering classical guitar, and her own experience of teaching guitar. She discusses how she developed her teaching approach and how important it was for her to be able to teach anyone guitar. She discusses how to approach chords, the importance of keeping your

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16:12

Ep116 – Fretboard Fireworks: 6 Tips to Break Out of...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/07/16

In today’s episode, I dive into six fretboard breakthroughs that changed everything for me. If you struggle with learning the fretboard, then this will help you change that. Learning the fretboard can be fun, and it can open up so many doors in your playing. Over the years, I’ve developed six specific techniques for teaching students the fretboard. In this episode, I discuss some of these, including fretboard hopping, playing real jams, memory-building tricks, the scavenger hunt, and more. Take a

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06:51

Ep115 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #23 – Being the...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/06/20

In today’s episode, I talk about a new rule of the Asylum, which is being the King or Queen of the Jungle. This is inspired by The Lion King musical, which has a classic hero story. In terms of guitar playing, every guitarist goes through this journey.In the episode, I talk about how guitar playing can take us to a different dimension, the transformation we undergo as guitarists, and how beneficial this can be. I describe the hero’s journey for those who aren’t familiar with, how to not let doubt

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09:08

Episode 114 – 12 Notes, Limitless Options

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/06/14

In today’s episode, I talk about a really inspiring quote. On guitar, we only have twelve notes, but we have limitless options of what we can create with them. We can play about and create beautiful melodies and sad melodies.In pop music, people tend to stick to familiar and comfortable chords and patterns, but music allows you to branch out and discover something unique. In the episode, I also play some examples of the fun you can have with the same notes, how to experiment with rhythm, and how to

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08:25

Episode 113 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #22 – The...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/05/02

In today’s episode, I talk about chemistry, specifically your chemistry with music, your guitar, and your love of learning. Chemistry is key to good playing, iconic bands, relationships, and it’s all about passion.The buzz, the enjoyment, is what you want to have when you pick up the guitar. To make sure you have this, play the songs you love, the songs that mean the world to you. You have a relationship with the guitar, it’s important to keep the chemistry alive. If you enjoyed this podcast,

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11:30

Ep112 – The Arthritis Comment That Caused a Stir

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/04/25

In today’s podcast episode, I want to talk about an aggressive comment I got recently. If I didn’t have thick skin, I would have been hurt by it, but as it is, I’m not really fussed about it. The comment was about arthritis, and I know arthritis is brutal, I have had family members suffer from it.I know there is no cure for arthritis, but guitar playing, when done mindfully, can help maintain mobility and reduce stiffness and pain. When I shared this, a lot of people responded with their lived

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06:22

Ep111 – The Fun Daily Jam Every Fingerpicking...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/04/12

Today we have a short episode that is all about exercises on the guitar – what to avoid and how to see progress. Often, guitar exercises are far too complicated. Simple, technical exercises that you can do every day will help you to see a lot more progress.I talk about how you can create your own exercises that cover the basics, allowing you to work on your technique. These exercises don’t have to be boring, so I show you how to make exercises useful and enjoyable to play! Take a listen and

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10:26

Ep110 – The Rules of the Asylum: Rule #21 – Being a...

The Acoustic Asylum ·

2025/04/05

Today’s episode is all about a new rule of the Asylum – being a daydream believer. Yes, this is inspired by The Monkees’ song, and it’s all about believing in yourself. Visualising is an excellent way of improving your self-belief, so today, I talk about two forms of visualisation.One is visualising yourself as an excellent guitarist, and the other form is visualising the mechanics of playing, which helps your memory. The second form helps because visualising the movements will help you solidify

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129 results

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