For Adult Guitarists Who Suspect The Problem Isn't Practice...

Contrarian Guitar Tutor Reveals The Surprisingly Simple Secrets That Show Ordinary Guitarists How To Remember More, Forget Less And Fall In Love With Playing, So Practice Becomes...

"Almost Addictive"

"Most guitar courses teach you WHAT to practise. Rarely does anyone teach you HOW to learn."


...says this guitar tutor with 12,000+ students, 2 million YouTube views, and thousands of positive testimonials since 2012.

"I can't promise to make you play like Tommy Emmanuel, James Taylor, or Eric Clapton overnight. But if you're willing to think about practice differently, I can show you how to retain more of what you learn and get far more enjoyment from the instrument.

Dan Thorpe

Helping guitarists make better progress without spending endless hours practising

Dear Guitarist,

There are thousands of courses teaching songs, scales, chords, theory, and technique.


How many teach you how to learn, remember, and actually use what you practise?


The truth is, learning a song and remembering a song are two completely different skills.


If you'd like to practise effectively, keep your brain sharp, and get more from every minute you spend with the guitar...


Then my latest video course can help.

The course is called...

"The Brainy Guitarist"

And I can assure you:


It's not filled with the usual generic "just keep at it" type practice advice repeated in countless guitar books, YouTube videos, and online courses.

Instead, it contains ideas from psychology, neuroscience, world memory champions, Nobel Prize winners, and, perhaps most importantly, over a decade of real-world guitar teaching.

Whether your goal is...


To play beautiful fingerstyle, jam lead guitar, strum with more passion, or better understand what the research says about music, memory, Alzheimer's, and dementia...

I believe the principles inside this course can help.

Let me show you one of the most fascinating ideas inside the course:

The Untapped Power That Most Guitarists Never Even Scratch The Surface Of

Have you ever heard the remarkable story of U.S. soldier Major James Nesmeth, who was held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam?


He spent 7 years imprisoned in a prison...


It was a cage that was approximately four feet high and just five feet long. During almost the entire time he was imprisoned, he saw no one, talked to no one, and had no physical activity.


To keep himself sane, he spent his long and arduous days mentally playing round after round of golf inside his cell...

 
…And then, despite not touching a golf club in 7 years, he returned home and cut 20 shots from his game.


What does this have to do with the guitar?


Quite a lot because it's...

One of the most overlooked learning tools available to guitarists today

...And this is a technique high-level performers use. It helps you retain more of what you learn, and weirdly, can even make your playing more musical. 


Yet most guitarists never use it.


...Even though it can save years of unnecessary frustration and make learning dramatically easier.


In fact, I believe this idea alone can transform the way many guitarists learn.

And it's just one of many fascinating "power strategies" you'll discover inside The Brainy Guitarist.


That’s just for starters. 


Here’s what else you’ll learn:

  • The simple "routine" I developed to help me learn around a dozen new songs from memory each month for student lessons while I was a sleep-deprived new father. Best of all, you'll see how I did this without forcing, cramming, or using complicated memory techniques. (Part 3)
  • The "One-String Flow" exercise that helps you relax, jam freely, and create beautiful music while building confidence at the same time. (This is why the most productive practice sessions often feel less like work and more like play). (Part 4)
  • How renowned Professor Richard Wiseman developed the "Double Think" technique (inspired by George Orwell's book 1984) to ensure you stay motivated, not just today but months from now. (Part 2)
  • The process I use to learn songs so they stay with me for years... demonstrated through a beautiful, finger-friendly arrangement of "Amazing Grace". (Part 3)
  • The Doc Watson secret that may completely change the way you think about learning guitar... and it reveals a crucial mistake guitarists make when they practise. (Part 4)
  • Why children often learn faster than adults, and the counterintuitive reason learning more things outside the guitar can actually accelerate progress on it. (Part 1)
  • The "Wall of Knowledge" exercise that helps organise years of scattered guitar information into a system your brain can actually use and remember. (Part 6)
  • Plus, 3 common mistakes that quietly slow guitar progress... including why TAB sites can become a crutch, why perfectionism sabotages progress, and a lesson from the best-selling book, "Atomic Habits", that can mean the difference between merely learning guitar and becoming a "real" musician.
  • ...And the bizarre memory experiment Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted on himself in the 1800s that explains why songs can feel perfect tonight and mysteriously vanish by the weekend... plus the simple fix that helps more of your practice actually stick. (Part 1)

Let's zoom in on this for a second:


Hermann Ebbinghaus became obsessed with why it's so easy to learn something...Yet so difficult to remember?


And that's a question most guitarists still struggle with today.


He decided to conduct a series of memory experiments on himself.


Day after day, he memorised meaningless lists of information, carefully measuring how much he could recall after hours, days, and weeks had passed.

What He Discovered About The Way People Remember Shocked Him

He found that information didn't disappear gradually.

...Much of it vanished far faster than anyone expected.

More importantly:


He uncovered a surprisingly simple solution that helps explain why some guitarists seem to remember songs for months while others constantly find themselves relearning the same material again and again.


I show you exactly how to apply this to your playing so you can remember and learn with joy while beating this "forgetting curve" for good, in all that you practise.


There's more inside, such as:

  • What the research says about music, memory, brain health, and dementia... and why many adults see guitar as one of the most rewarding lifelong hobbies they can pursue. (Part 1)
  • The remarkable "practise without practising" technique I accidentally discovered on long bus journeys that science has shown activates many of the same brain pathways as physical practice... without touching a guitar. It even works while sitting in traffic, lying in bed or waiting at the dentist. (Part 4)
  • How practising in the dark, closing your eyes, or even wearing a sleep mask can accelerate fretboard awareness and expose weaknesses most players never notice. (Part 4)
  • The simple "SVT" method that shows you how to take your half-finished songs from forgetful short-term memory into a permanent part of your playing in 3 simple steps, even when feeling under pressure. (Part 3)
  • How neuroscientist Dr Daniel Levitin uncovered the powerful connection between music, memory, and emotion and why tapping into this can make what you learn stick. (Part 5)
  • What cinema, classic storytelling, and even the Bible have in common... and why the same principle that helps stories survive for centuries can make things like chord progressions dramatically easier to remember. (Part 5)
  • The unusual motivation lesson psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik discovered while people-watching in a busy Viennese café that can make you far more likely to pick up your guitar tomorrow... even when motivation is low. (Part 7)
  • The spaced-repetition secret that dramatically reduces the chances of forgetting while having the hidden benefit of keeping your fingers feeling fresh. (Part 1)
  • How a retired school teacher student of mine on thyroid medication struggled to remember things she'd learnt that same day... and the breakthrough that flipped the script on that. (Part 5)
  • The "Highlighter Effect" borrowed from my son Archie's nursery when he was a toddler, that almost automatically inspires daily practice... even during weeks when it feels like nothing is improving. (Part 7)
  • The "Toolkit" of simple upgrades that can help improve focus, retention, and learning speed... including one inexpensive supplement used by Olympic athletes to support mental sharpness and performance.
  • The hidden psychology of rapid learning... including what an 8-time World Memory Champion does to remember thousands of digits, the famous "Magic Number Seven" principle, and what the Harvard study on so-called "woo woo" visualisation can teach you about learning faster and with less frustration.
  • A beautiful way to transform ordinary strumming chord progressions into rich two-string dyads that unlock the fretboard, deepen your musical awareness, and make even simple songs sound more expressive. (Part 5)

Let's take a closer look at this.

...Because this course isn't just about memory, motivation, learning, and brain health...


None of that matters if it doesn't eventually show up in your playing.


Take this simple two-string "dyad" concept.


Guitarists are often taught to strum ordinary open chords.


"Finally, someone is taking away the mystery! Thanks so much for always connecting things."

Deborah Davis

Student

Yet with a small adjustment, those same progressions can be transformed into...


Beautiful two-string pieces of music.


These blend melody, harmony, and bass movement into something far more expressive than ordinary chords, and are...

Designed To Bring Your Playing To Life

This exact technique is used by artists such as Paul McCartney and Ed Sheeran...


And the underlying idea can be traced back hundreds of years to composers like J.S. Bach.

The result?


This can make your playing sound dramatically more melodic in an instant.


And it's just one of many practical musical shortcuts, discoveries, and "lightbulb moments" waiting inside the course, such as these:

  • The dynamics trick that can instantly fill your playing with more passion, purpose and expression... using a simple technique most guitarists rarely think about. (Part 5)
  • The "Blues Belt" — a deceptively simple four-note pattern that loops like a little belt on pairs of strings, allowing you to roam the fretboard with freedom... Even if you've never felt comfortable past the 3rd fret. (Part 7)
  • A special fingerstyle song that doubles as a beautiful showpiece you can pull out at birthdays, family gatherings and special occasions and which can strengthen your fretboard knowledge. (Part 3)
  • The deceptively simple "One-Chord Challenge" that can help break through resistance and get a practice session started in under 30 seconds... especially on the days you'd rather leave the guitar in its case. (Part 7)
  • The overlooked "Bridge Trick" that creates a powerful link between your ears, brain, and fingers... helping songs sound more musical and stay with you long after the practice session ends. (Part 6)
  • The practical Nobel Prize-winning learning principle Richard Feynman uses to test if you truly understand what you learn... and how this one thing can instantly reveal the gaps in your guitar knowledge. (Part 6)
  • A B. B. King-inspired blues jam you can do with me. It's designed to fuel your rhythm and lead playing with passion, and in my opinion, is far more inspiring than learning scales and never using them. (Part 7)
  • The simple "Plan Your Route" trick that prevents your fingers from getting into a tangle so your songs (especially those played fingerstyle) flow smoothly. (Part 6)
  • ...And the "immersion" secret my student used to make rapid progress, learn 10+ songs in just a year or so, and even perform on stage with his brother... (Part 7)

David started guitar a little later in life than he would have liked. 


He had no musical background, and he was always busy with work.

One of the reasons he wanted to learn was simple:


He wanted something enjoyable that would keep his mind active, challenged, and engaged for years to come.

How He Went From Complete Beginner To Performing On Stage

At first, David followed the standard advice:


"Practise more, repeat things over and over"... and basically, keep grinding away.

Most things either didn't stick or required far more effort than they should.

So together we experimented with different ways of learning, remembering, and practising.


Some worked, some didn't (but he welcomed the experiments).

David Tatman - Watch him share his playing and his experiences of learning

The Breakthrough Came From Learning Differently, Not Practising More "Stuff"

What surprised both of us was his progress didn't rely on a rigid practice schedule.

Instead, it was a simple shift that helped more of what he practised actually stay with him for the next session.

The result wasn't overnight success.


It was steady, enjoyable progress that compounded month after month.


Many people mistake this skill for natural talent.

It isn't.

It's something that can be learned, developed, and used by almost any guitarist. In Part 7, I'll show you exactly what it was and how you can use it too.

To ensure you use it, you also get...

The "Make It Stick" Follow-Up Series

You'll also receive my optional "Make It Stick" follow-up emails over the following two weeks.

These short reminders, insights, and practical challenges are designed to help keep the most important ideas from The Brainy Guitarist fresh in your mind long after you've finished the course.

...And When You Order Today, You'll Get These Special Bonuses

Bonus #1

No Chord Fingerstyle Mini Masterclass

($97 Value)

Learning is important, but actually applying what you discover is where progress happens.

That's why I'm including my popular No Chord Fingerstyle Mini Masterclass. Inside, you'll learn three beautiful and instantly recognisable arrangements:

  • Amazing Grace
  • Streets of Laredo
  • America The Beautiful

No awkward chord shapes. No overwhelming techniques.

Just beautiful music that sounds great and helps build confidence. You get the TAB & notation, and step-by-step HD video lessons.


A fun, rewarding way to put the Brainy Guitarist principles into practice right away.

Bonus #2

How To Remember More In Less Time

A Deep Dive Into Memory & Retention For Guitarists

If there's one thing that frustrates almost every guitarist, it's this:

You learn something today... Only to find yourself relearning it next week.

That's why I'm including my popular How To Remember More In Less Time training. This 3-part series goes deeper into the memory and retention side of learning guitar.

Inside you'll discover:

  • The "Theatre of the Mind" trick that builds musical confidence and can increase recall
  • How to stack notes like a "daisy chain" to ingrain them in your long-term memory 
  • Why teaching your kids, grandkids, or spouse can dramatically improve your own memory
  • The surprisingly common two-hand mistake that can slow retention
  • The Sherlock Holmes time-saving method
  • The famous Mind Palace technique (yes, the Hannibal Lecter one!)
  • Plus a variety of "sneaky" ways to make songs, techniques, and musical ideas stick with less effort

This is what just a few students said about this when I first released it:

"I really loved these lessons, a lot of great ideas and techniques to help memory and learning! I especially like the theater of the mind one – very powerful!"

Logan Hager

"I studied memory and accelerated learning when studying psychology. It is amazing what a difference it can make following the advice given."

Nicholas Castle

"Omg! these memory videos are priceless! they answer all those questions my brain asks while I’m practising. why should I learn this? how should I learn it?"

Dennis Sullivan

The goal isn't to turn you into a memory champion. It's much simpler:

To help you remember what you learn for months and years instead of days and weeks... and learn how to work with your brain rather than constantly fighting against it.

Bonus #3

The Brainy Guitarist

Workbook System

A smarter way to retain what you learn

A guided implementation system designed to help you finish the course, apply the ideas, and build your own personalised learning roadmap.

  • A simple completion checklist helping you finish the course rather than merely consume it
  • Printable notes to capture your biggest insights and "lightbulb moments"
  • Guided reflection questions helping you apply the ideas
  • Build your own personalised guitar-learning playbook

And That's Not All

Bonus Application Lesson

A practical musical lesson where you'll apply the Brainy Guitarist principles in a real musical context

"The Missing Link: Musical Bass Runs"

In this exclusive lesson, taken from the Six String Life Academy...


I'll show you how simple bass runs can transform ordinary chord progressions into flowing pieces of music that sound more complete, more musical, and far more enjoyable to play.

In the lesson, we cover:

  • How to connect chords smoothly using simple bass movement
  • Why this idea instantly makes many songs sound more professional
  • A practical way to apply your musical knowledge in real music
  • A technique you'll want to use for years in countless songs

The reason I've added this bonus?


...Because learning a totally fresh piece and applying the ideas from The Brainy Guitarist to it will bring the lessons to life and make them stick.

No Overwhelm, Just Real Advice From Lesson #1

The Brainy Guitarist is intentionally short at around 90 minutes (that's before the bonuses).

You can watch the course in a few sittings, start applying the ideas immediately, then revisit it again, and again as your playing develops.

In fact, many students will get just as much value from the second viewing as the first.

The course features practical lessons and real pieces you'll enjoy.


This is learning the guitar effectively, made as fun as I can make it.


If you have any questions at ANY point, rest assured, help is on hand.


Simply leave a comment on the lesson page and... get answers from me and others inside.


Built To Be Finished, Not Forgotten

The Brainy Guitarist is built around 7 concise modules covering memory, motivation, learning, musicality, and practice.


Inside you get:

  • 7 focused video modules
  • Supporting lesson notes
  • TAB & notation where relevant
  • Progress tracking as you complete each lesson
  • The ability to leave comments and ask questions
  • Lifetime access for future refreshers and breakthroughs

Here's what just a few students have said about my teaching methods...

"I just can’t believe the outstanding difference in your style of teaching. It’s working great for me so far and I’m really liking it so much more already."

Nicholas Leighton

Student

"Enjoying this so much, and for me, this “unlocking the frets “ is what I’ve always been looking for. Finally, someone is taking away the mystery! Thanks so much for always connecting things."

Deborah Davis

Student

"I just started learning guitar (for the third time) about a year ago and it is finally sticking! Looking forward to learning with all of you!" -

Jennifer Corrigan

Student


Great teaching, Dan! You explain everything so that it’s clearly understood. I am a person who needs to understand the whys, and you explain so beautifully.

Diane Bourne

Student

Now, About The Refund Policy…

I don’t offer instant, no-questions-asked refunds — and here’s why:

If you actually go through a good portion of the course and decide it’s not for you, just show me you gave it a real try, and I’ll happily refund you.

That’s fair, right?

If that doesn’t work for you, that’s okay. This course is only meant for students who are ready to put in the time and make real progress.


You don't risk a penny. Try it for 90 days, and if it doesn't click, I'll refund you.


...And rest assured, you’ll never be asked to memorise endless charts or decode jazz theory.

You get lifetime access to HD video, downloadable content, full TAB & notation, exclusive bonuses, and lessons you can use at your own pace.

Before You Join, Read This First

This course is not built around shortcuts, hacks or magic tricks.

Some of the ideas inside are surprisingly simple. Some may surprise you. Many take only minutes to understand.

...But like any powerful idea, they only work when you actually use them.


If you don't have the patience to use it, or you only care about learning more songs, riffs, scales, theory, chords, etc., this won't be for you.


There are already countless courses out there teaching all that... but I've not come across one like this for guitarists.


If you're the type of guitarist who enjoys discovering better ways to learn, likes understanding how things work, and is willing to occasionally challenge long-held assumptions about practice... this is for you.


Imagine where your playing could be six months from now if:

  • More songs actually stuck
  • Practice felt enjoyable rather than frustrating
  • You spent less time relearning old material
  • You understood why certain approaches work, and others don't
  • The guitar became a source of enjoyment rather than guilt for not practising
  • That's the real purpose of The Brainy Guitarist.

 Everything You Get Inside The Brainy Guitarist

  • The Complete Brainy Guitarist Course — 7 concise modules covering memory, motivation, learning, musicality, and practice.
  • Practical Lessons — Enjoy the process of smarter learning with fun musical pieces.
  • TAB & Notation — Supporting musical examples where relevant.
  • Progress Tracking — Mark lessons complete and track your journey.
  • Comment Support — Ask questions and get help whenever you need it.
  • Exclusive Bonuses — printable workbook, the No Chord Fingerstyle songs course, & a special Academy lesson.
  • Lifetime Access — Revisit the lessons whenever you need a refresher or fresh perspective.
  • 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee

$247

Dan Thorpe


P.S. Most guitarists spend years collecting more songs, more exercises, and more information.

Very few spend time improving the way they learn.

Yet that one skill affects everything else.

The Brainy Guitarist won't overwhelm you with endless material.

Instead, it can help you get more value from every song, lesson, and practice session from this point forward.

Perhaps best of all, you'll be exercising one of the most important tools you'll ever own: your brain. If that sounds useful, this course will help.

¹ Balbag MA, Pedersen NL, Gatz M. Playing a musical instrument as a protective factor against dementia and cognitive impairment: a population-based twin study. International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2014.

² Verghese J, Lipton RB, Katz MJ, et al. Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine. 2003.

³ Hanna-Pladdy B, MacKay A. The relation between instrumental musical activity and cognitive aging. Neuropsychology. 2011.