The Old Folks' Beginners Thread

Hi Alex, as you have discovered, the metronome is our friend! I use it daily in my practice-as part of my warm up on "spider legs" and when learning a song. I can assure you that you will get there. I've been playing for over 2 years now and hit periods of wanting to rush my progress. When I get frustrated with my "lack of progress," I will change up my practice routine and work on some other skill and then return to where I am stuck. An example: I really struggled with the F chord. to the point where I was overthinking it and, as a result, getting in my own way. I took a break and learned other chords that came easier to me. I went back to the F chord after the break and finally got it.

HI guys, thought I would put a catch up post to encourage youngsters of the ages of 50/60/70. Last year I joined GT at the age of 77 years and along with my new Fender Squire 60s Classic Vibe Strat started to learn to play guitar. The first few months had me wondering if this was going to work but I am the sort that hates to be beat. I put in many hours of regular practice and was encouraged by my grandson who has a batcherlor of music degree. Whenever I felt I was not making progress, he would listen and tell me that it was normal to feel that way as you do not notice your own progress but you will eventualy feel that you have suddenly made a break through. After 9 months with GT I decided to go to a private teacher. I was given a song to learn and found that I practised that week in and week out until it was not perfect but acceptable to the teacher, and then start on another one. This became a chore. I was also traveling an hour each week to lessons. Covid 19 and the cost of the lessons helped me decide to give that away. I am now back with GT at the age of 78 and loving it. Other than normal practice I have taken the trouble to learn all the patterns of the pentatonic minor scales and it is enjoyable to improvise with a backing track, great when I need a break from normal practice. I hope this encourages anybody that feels they are at an age that is too late to start learning.I am now tackling the Shadows Music ( Hank Marvin ) ie The Young Ones, Apache & Sleepwalk. All good fun but I have also taken a liking to Blues music with the beautiful tones. Keep at it folks it keeps you young at heart. I might start a band later on with older musicians called the "Urinaters" taking a break after each song, ( only joking ) Good Luck. John GC

73 here. Probably too old, but who knows. Been enrolled here for about a year, but haven't progressed due to my own lack of committment and short, fat fingers. Am hoping to commit more time to practising, as that is likely the key. Couple minutes a day isn't cutting it. Problem is I can sit and play a nice clean chord once or twice, then it is gone and I'm killiing strings. Can't get it back, so I put the guitar up for the day. Frustrating. Maybe I should givwe up guitar and take up playing the radio.

Originally Posted by: JohnGC

HI guys, thought I would put a catch up post to encourage youngsters of the ages of 50/60/70. Last year I joined GT at the age of 77 years and along with my new Fender Squire 60s Classic Vibe Strat started to learn to play guitar. The first few months had me wondering if this was going to work but I am the sort that hates to be beat. I put in many hours of regular practice and was encouraged by my grandson who has a batcherlor of music degree. Whenever I felt I was not making progress, he would listen and tell me that it was normal to feel that way as you do not notice your own progress but you will eventualy feel that you have suddenly made a break through. After 9 months with GT I decided to go to a private teacher. I was given a song to learn and found that I practised that week in and week out until it was not perfect but acceptable to the teacher, and then start on another one. This became a chore. I was also traveling an hour each week to lessons. Covid 19 and the cost of the lessons helped me decide to give that away. I am now back with GT at the age of 78 and loving it. Other than normal practice I have taken the trouble to learn all the patterns of the pentatonic minor scales and it is enjoyable to improvise with a backing track, great when I need a break from normal practice. I hope this encourages anybody that feels they are at an age that is too late to start learning.I am now tackling the Shadows Music ( Hank Marvin ) ie The Young Ones, Apache & Sleepwalk. All good fun but I have also taken a liking to Blues music with the beautiful tones. Keep at it folks it keeps you young at heart. I might start a band later on with older musicians called the "Urinaters" taking a break after each song, ( only joking )

Moe

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Love reading this thread ! I`m a few years away from retirement myself. My goal is to keep practicing until I`m ( hopefully ) good enough to join a classic rock type band when I do retire. I draw inspiration from all of you.

Keep on playin..........

I started playing guitar when i was 53 years old, that was 5 yrs ago,(Lefty) never played any insturment before, well I played trombone in 5th. and 6th. grade, which I never cared that much about playing it. In all honesty it took me a good couple of years before I could play D C G chords in a song and play it all the way through with a backing track, now after being on GT for about a yr. My playing has come along way, working on power chord, barre chords really kick my butt, do too my job as a welder, which is alot of repetive motion, so I just do what I can do and have fun. I am trying out the Rock course now, working on stage chords. I found out what worked for me the best was take the chords you are working on and find a song you like that has those chords and work on it a few barres at a time, instead of filling my head up with stuff I'm not using and learn as I go, I can always go back when I get stuck. Have fun!!!

Hi, Guys-

My name is Clay and I'll be 84 on the 20th. Just trying to learn to play on a classical guitar I built 50 years ago (See description and photos in the Introduction Forum). I've had a hard time trying to finger complete chords, so I bought a Yamaha FG800 folk guitar and restrung it with nylon, and that helped a bit. I'm doing stretching and strengthening exercises, mostly for my left hand, and am just now beginning to make the necessary stretches. It's all fun, but a slow process...and time is not on my side!

Welcome Clay,

Your an inspiration to us all. Good Luck and more importantly have fun in your studies.

Moe

Hello everyone,

My name is Jim and I am 65. Joined GT about about 2 weeks ago. Currently working on Fundamentals 1 and enjoying it so far. Also starting to work on the song Simple Man (made easy).

I have some previous guitar experience when I was about 13. Picked up an acoustic guitar (I think for about $10) and took part in 20 group lesson offered through the Board of Education. As you can imagine only learned a few basic chords. Continued to play on and off for the next 10 years, with no training, and then stopped, probably about the time when I started working full-time.

Move forward about 40 years and now I am retired and have the time to pursue this again. So I decided to pick up an electric guitar, always a dream of mine to play some day and do the famous riffs I have listened to. Found GT and love how it is structured to bring you slowly into guitar playing. Also found that the fingers are not as fexible as they were 40 years ago ;-)

Anyways, just wanted to say that I enjoy the stories in this thread as it let's me know that I am not the only "older" person doing this.

Hi I've been practicing in beginner corse for 2or3 weeks but having trouble hitting the right strings. Is there a trick, hand position, or something I could be doing wrong?

Originally Posted by: robroske

Hi I've been practicing in beginner corse for 2or3 weeks but having trouble hitting the right strings. Is there a trick, hand position, or something I could be doing wrong?

No trick just continued practice and taking it slow. Best to be accurate and slow then fast and inaccurate. I find that practicing the "spider" walk up the strings slowly each day helpful. I continue to start out my practice time this way and speed up the pace as far as my warm-up.

Similar to when I was learning the basic chords. I would just go slow and make sure I was hitting the correct string and making it clear on each string. It is not thrilling, but the payoff has been incredible. I've been playing over 2 years now and I still approach new skills in this manner.

Lastly, I always end my practice by playing something fun/positive. Example: when I mastered the E chord, I would end practice strumming it in different rhythms. As I learned to change chords smoothly, I would end my practice switching between the chords. It felt good to end practice on a skill I was decent at. I still do this as well. It is a psychological trick but effective in learning.

Just want to play around the campfire..

Hi from Arizona. I'm 67 and only started attempting to play the guitar a month and a half ago. Tried several online guitar services, but they didn't offer a course for absolute beginners. So I signed up with Guitar Tricks on 9/11. I really like the foundation lessons.

My issue is with arthritis in my wrist and fingers sometimes my fingers get stuck. I do stretching exercises before each practice. Some chord changes are working well, others not so much. It seems that my brain knows what to do, but my fingers think otherwise. LOL. With each day things are looking better, even if I only play some each melody songs. Made it all the way through 'Ode to Joy' the other day and thought I have a heart attack. LOL

Just wanted to say hi.

Hey guys,

I'm 50 and started about two weeks ago. I signed up for GT yesterday after doing the free trials of a few others and I prefer the structure and pace of GT. I bought an acoustic for $50 at a local (Ramona, CA) music store figuring that if I stick with it I will upgrade down the line.

I always wanted to play and it drives me crazy when we get together with my wife's family (she has three brothers who play quite well) and they break out their guitars and I start noticing my beers disappearing faster because I am frustrated that I cannot play.......

As it appears most on here do, I have an array of musical interests (90s - Nirvana, STP, PJ, Metallica, etc.) and lately mostly listen to the Tyler Childers/Colter Wall genre - That is the music I really want to play.........

Glad someone started this - it will be fun to 'watch' everyone progress........

Old folks beginner club.i love it! Myself I've been playing guitar for about a year and a half. I turned 64 in June when I started with guitar tricks. I play keyboards and was self teaching until u7ntil june. I am plateauing in some areas but made more progress in others. Fortunately I don't have arthritis..yet lol.. I wish that I had gone toguitar tricks earlier. I had to relearn some things. I play both acoustic and electric. Being retired gives me the opportunity and spend time learning something that I always wanted to learn

So glad I found this thread. I was so frustrated last night I almost pulled a Pete Townshend and smashed my guitar!

I am 57 and a complete beginner. Its been about three weeks and I have been practicing at least an hour every day. I find that I can play the melodies fine until I try to play with "the band". I get completely lost on both hands. I bought a metronome and have been practicing at slower speeds which seems to be helping. I split my practice time to half melodies and half chords.

Helpful to see others have the same issues. No one ever said it would be easy, we just have to hang in there.

Hi, theschch & welcome.Lots of beginners here and I feel your frustrations I have had lots of ups and downs. Keep at it and it will start to come and then you will feel great and then the week after you practice something new and you feel like your starting all over again. All perfectly normal but as you said it is not easy but what a great challenge and good fun. Sounds like you are doing well after only three weeks. Keep at it and good luck.

JohnGC

52 here and have been noodling around with guitars since 88. I still cannot play one entire song and have never been able to learn lead. Since days I can play decent rhythm and other days it feels like my hands have a mind of their own. Kind of starting anew here and seeing where I have gone wrong. Tired of still playing things I learned with my buddies in the barracks three decades ago, lol.

Originally Posted by: jetaylor

52 here and have been noodling around with guitars since 88. I still cannot play one entire song and have never been able to learn lead. Since days I can play decent rhythm and other days it feels like my hands have a mind of their own. Kind of starting anew here and seeing where I have gone wrong. Tired of still playing things I learned with my buddies in the barracks three decades ago, lol.

Hi there ! Your situation is quite common. You`re at the right place. ( No they`re not paying me to say that ; just speaking from my own experience.) My usual answer would be to start at GF1, then to GF2 and then on to whatever interests you. You`ll probably zip through a lot of GF1 but at least you can be confident that you haven`t missed anything. Hope that helps.

Is it possible my fingers are too short or too fat to do the chord changes as she suggests? Three nights trying to go from A minor to C with only moving my ring finger and I hit it cleanly 0% of the time.

Hi 58 from mass. Have fiddled with guitars for years never tried to learn to play. Have been working on beginner corse four 3 or 4 weeks. I've been doing ok but the bits and pieces of songs , one string one fret , is no fun. I've continued with the corse but have also copied tab of a song I like and have been practicing that. Will this just slow the whole process down? Should I just stick to the lesson plan? Thanks