old guy wanting to play...

Originally Posted by: 3donkeyBruce,

it s amazing that you did all this in 2 years. I have question, what do you do when you re learning a new song, do you stick with it till you re able to play perfectly? or you rather practice different things at the same time?

Thanks, and I'll take the compliment, particularly since you haven't even heard me play!

For all of the songs, I've first learned a very basic version. Our band has generally stuck with "Three Chords and the Truth", according to our fearless leader. Since I'm playing rhythm mostly, some of the songs are pretty dead easy 3-chord progressions that I started playing only in the open position.

Then as I learned barre chords I started to throw them in there for variety. I also took the song lessons on here and some on YouTube to see how other people played the songs. These would often be above my level, but I'd take pieces of this one and pieces of that and add a bit to the song as my skills got better. And as mentioned in my last post, I'd have to "dumb down" some parts till I could gradually pick up speed or complexity in some areas.

Using that method, I keep working on all 50 or so songs that I play with some regularity, trying to get each one a little better all the time. I have to keep cycling back through all of them to keep the muscle or brain memory in shape. It's pretty easy for me to forget a song if I leave it unattended for too long.

That's the method, if you can call it that, which works for me. I don't worry about perfection, but I keep working toward "better". One of the many cool things about learning guitar is that you can make some useful music at a very basic level, but then there are endless ways to keep improving. Pretty soon you'll find yourself playing things you didn't think possible a few months ago, and then you can just stretch out further for the next goal.

Bruce

Thanks

I think I m doing kinda of the same thing, I m not working on 50 songs at time yet but, I did learn a few and even if I still didnt get perfection in them I can see that by keeping trying I m able to perform them better and better, making even little details I didnt notice before. So the best thing would be keep working on them but in the meantime move on and learn new things.

Originally Posted by: Bruce JBuncha babies! I didn't touch a guitar till I was 53. I'm now 55 and play in a band and we're having our third gig tonight. Quit whining like a bunch of "old" 40-something school girls and get in the game , boys!

(the following is offered all in fun)
of course you are assuming that "40-something school girls" would be
whinners!!!!!!!!! last I checked (and I'm a 40-something school girl....okay I teach... but I am 40-something) if your a 40-something girl and in school, your probably working pretty hard in life! :)
Seriously though,
I like hearing you did this at 53 cuz I didn't start playing till a couple years ago (still in the 40-something range) and my goal is to just be competent for a band by the time the kids go to college (about 4 years) and, in fun, to be able to say I'm fully trained by guitar-tricks.com. I love guitar tricks cuz of its convienience (spelling?) and I can work at any pace possible.

Hey 3Donk, I certainly didn't start with 50 either. I started with one (of course!), probably House of the Rising Sun, but it has that darn F chord in there which isn't great for beginners. Then I'd just start building up, adding a few new ones and being sure to cycle back on the older ones. Being in the band provides some great initiative to keep adding because I've got four band mates who all want to add their favorites into the set list.

...and, uh, "Florida backwards" or something like that, I sure don't mean to be picking on the ladies! I love seeing women rock. Go for it and let's hear about your progress. I agree that Guitar Tricks is a great site for learning, particularly when I do most of mine between about 10pm and midnight. I don't think many instructors would like to keep that schedule.

Originally Posted by: Bruce JHey 3Donk, I certainly didn't start with 50 either. I started with one (of course!), probably House of the Rising Sun, but it has that darn F chord in there which isn't great for beginners. Then I'd just start building up, adding a few new ones and being sure to cycle back on the older ones. Being in the band provides some great initiative to keep adding because I've got four band mates who all want to add their favorites into the set list.

...and, uh, "Florida backwards" or something like that, I sure don't mean to be picking on the ladies! I love seeing women rock. Go for it and let's hear about your progress. I agree that Guitar Tricks is a great site for learning, particularly when I do most of mine between about 10pm and midnight. I don't think many instructors would like to keep that schedule.

good job... I thought I had a user name that no one would know where it came from!!!! how did you do that?

Originally Posted by: adir olfgood job... I thought I had a user name that no one would know where it came from!!!! how did you do that?

We old guys are not just good at guitar!

I wil be 62 in November and I just purchased my first guitar. I'm anxious to see if I can learn to play or not. The guitar is still in the carrying case. It will come out tomorrow for my first lesson.

Well, going to give it another go. It appears GT has revamped the fundamentals and the Rock-Part-1 sections, so, at least it's not exactly the same material again. Going to really try to put much more practice into it this time and see if I can actually get any competency.

But, at even older now, 48-1/2 it's probably going to be even tougher.

I just want to learn to be a decent player for my own satisfaction, I have no delusions of ever performing.