Hello from South Wales

Hello all, just a quick note to introduce myself. My names Steve and I've decided to get back to learning guitar which I gave up 40+ years ago.

I got a guitar for my 10th birthday. With it came a study book - Bert Weedon's 'Play in a day' and ten lessons with a local tutor. It didn't work out very well - after a day I still couldn't play and the local tutor insisted on teaching me how to play "Yankee Doodle" rather than Beatles songs - I got bored (as ten year olds do) and swapped my guitar for a tent with a kid from school.

40 odd years on and looking for something to while away the winter nights (rather than sit in front of the TV) a friend suggested taking up the guitar - the idea clicked and I bought myself an Epiphone Wildkat and a small Laney 15watt modelling amp.

I'm amazed that I can still remember a few chords after all this time. I've found lots of 'lessons' on youtube to help me practice but I find them a bit hit and miss and not at all structured, then I came across GuitarTricks. I hummed and haa'd for a while but the lure of the $99 was too good to miss - so here I am.

I hope to become proficient at playing Jazz and Blues tunes - I maybe flogging a dead horse (my fingers are not as nimble as they use to be) but I'll give it a go :)
- any tips appreciated.

Hi logindetails
welcome to guitar trick..
You've come to the right place.
Don't worry about the "dead horse".. If you set up a desent practice schedule.
you'll work out the stiffness. the first hurdle is getting over the finger tip pain.. Take it easy for the first few weeks.
There is plenty of help here from the instructor and the other students in the forum..
You may want to check out the finger exercises to work on the dexterity and stretching.. The search tools are handy as sometimes forum messages get lost and you can find what you need in tutorial or forum search.
for example, "stretching" place in sight search brought uo this

http://www.guitartricks.com/search.php?input=stretching&search.x=14&search.y=10

the forum seach is less productive and you may need to try rephrase your request.
Good Luck and enjoy the ride

Hello, South Wales!

Welcome - so glad you have joined us.

Here is a series of lessons that might help limber up the fingers for you:

"Spider" Legs Warm-up Exercises

Keep us posted - and have fun!

All best wishes, Lisa

Thanks for the welcome compart1 & Lisa and thanks for the links - good to have something to get these stiff old fingers moving :)

Hi logindetails

It's funny how one song choice can deter a kid's interest. I think you'll find a good bunch of blues tunes to keep you interested this time around. And you're definitely in the right place to get what you need to play again.

Good to have you here!