The Ultimate Guide to Challenges

21 Challenges You Can Use With Your Students Every Time They Shout Out “I’m Done”

If you’re tired of students only wanting to play something once, this course is for you.
Michael Gumley has 21 challenges you can present to your students to get them to repeat playing, all while having fun and not wanting to be outdone!

Course outline

What Are Challenges
Types of Challenges
Challenge 1: "3 Times in a Row"
Challenge 2: "10 Times in a Row"
Challenge 3: "One Minute Without Any Mistakes"
Challenge 4: "Eyes Shut"
Challenge 5: "Standing Up"
Challenge 6: "Backwards"
Challenge 7: "Power Chords"
Challenge 8: "From Memory"
Challenge 9: "To A Metronome"
Challenge 10: "With A Mate"
Challenge 11: "50 Times in a Row"
Challenge 12: "100 Times a Day"
Challenge 13: "Playing With Your Guitar Behind Your Head"
Challenge 14: "3 Minutes Without Any Mistakes"
Challenge 15: "Play at Half Speed (With a Metronome)"
Challenge 16: "Play at Double Speed (With a Metronome)"
Challenge 17: "Playing the Same Notes on a Different Position"
Challenge 18: "Create Your Own Riff, Lick, or Idea Inspired by the Current One"

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The Ultimate Guide to Challenges was created by

Michael Gumley

Founder and CEO of Melbourne Guitar Academy and Head of Guitar at TopMusic

Michael Gumley is founder at Melbourne Guitar Academy, creator of Guitar Dojo Online and Guitar Ninjas, and TopMusic’s Head of Guitar. He rocked his start at guitar playing at age 15 and was instantly hooked. Michael brings his passion for music and love of all things guitar to every lesson, and seeks to help students capture that same excitement and wonder on their own journeys.

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The Ultimate Guide to Challenges

Michael Gumley, here. One of the most frustrating things we face as music teachers is the student announcing, “I’m done.” This is usually accompanied by a straight–faced look that says, "Don’t you dare make me do it again. I didn’t really want to do it in the first place, but I did it. You’re welcome." You know the look I mean. On very rare occasions, you agree with them. They played well, so they can move on. More often, though, they’re definitely not ‘done’. They rushed through the piece or the section, and it definitely wasn’t up to their standards. You try asking them to play it again and you’re met with *that* look. You know the one. Like you’ve just asked them to take a ring to Mordor. Wouldn’t it be great if instead of insisting they’re ‘done’, your students knew exactly what to do next? And wouldn’t it be even better if they could then take themselves through a series of fun challenges to help them improve their playing? If you’re nodding ‘yes,’ great! In this course, I’m going to give you 21 challenges that you can use with your students whenever they announce, “I’m done!”

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