Guitar Tricks Success Stories?

Hi folks.

At 57 years old I'm just picking up a guitar and trying to learn. I purchased one twenty years ago but it just sat in the corner and collected dust. To get the wheels turning again I just purchased a Godin Richmond Empire electric. A nice new Canadian-made guitar for an old Canadian-made guy.

As you know, there are many resources available on the internet but I suppose we are all here because we like what Guitar Tricks has to offer. I am not yet a full access member but plan to sign up shortly.

The question I have for you is: Who has gone from scratch to feeling relatively comfortable playing, say around a campfire or in front of a few friends, and how long did it take you? Did you go through Lisa's or Christopher's full beginners courses, and maybe beyond? Anyone go from Zero to hero?

I'm not looking to become the next Eddie Van Halen but I'd like to learn a few chords, strum patterns and some easy songs to be able to have fun with my friends around a camp fire. Maybe surprise them with a few opening riffs: Dream On, Sweet Child of Mine, etc.My interests lie in good old rock, ACDC, Boston, Bob Seger, Beatles, Elton John, the list goes on...

I would appreciate your views, thoughts.

Thanks

Old Cat

Since joining GT, I have played my guitar for about 600 hours ... I am half way through GF2 and am now feeling confident enough to join a woman's guitar group that we have in town and play with them. I am able to play beginners songs - Wild Horses/Zombie/RunAway Train and find that I can pick a beginner song, and work my way thru it. I am never going to be a Van Halen, but I feel like I am getting there.

I've been playing since 1981(ish) so given there was no real internet, I learned to play the old fashioned way, by myself. Why am I here at GT?

Well, first, I don't dig in as much as I'd like given my life schedule but no matter your level, there is always something to learn. Always. I skipped a lot of good knowledge in the 80s because I didn't think I needed it. Wrong. Very wrong. Very, very wrong. I was going to be 'self-taught'. I really did quite well teaching myself but as you get older and want to slip out of that narrow thing you always did, that junk you skipped seems to all the sudden, matter.

This is not a Zero-to-Hero Guitar Tricks story but something important to know: You can always learn something no matter how good you are.

When I first joined GT, I went through Fundementals 2 course. There was a lot that I did skip but took some time just looking through the majo/minor scale stuff etc. It's funny, I learned scales 'my way' back in the day so I thought it worth a look. There was no great revalation within them for me, but there's always a little bit of something you pick up. Even when you think you know it. I gained something.

This is the point to you; doing GT's F1/F2 courses will help. You may think that some of it is too simple. Or maybe not. Gain from it. It is a basis to build from. That's the point. Get a foundation. I avoided a solid playing foundation decadesvago and did alright without it but really regret the gaps it created in my knowledge. I could physically play most anything I wanted (almost...) but that command of the instrument was never totally there because I didn't have the knowledsge to back it up.

Everybody has different starting points and different goals with guitar playing and music.

Starting out from absolute scratch, I think it would be helpful to have an private instructor or at least a more experienced player to go to. Simple things like how to tune the guitar, how to hold the guitar, etc. can be made much easier in person. Yes these things are covered in the lessons here, but some things are just best explained in person.

For me, I came here in a situation silimilar to JeffS65. I had played for quite some time and was mostly self taught. I wanted to fill in some skill gaps, learn some songs, and learn to improvise. The blues course and guidance from Anders Moridsen (who also teaches the blues course) really boosted me to the next level. These skills boosted me enough to pursue joining a band and getting out there gigging. I went from barely being able to improvise my way out of a wet paper bag to improvising solos on stage on a regular basis.

The courses here along with interaction with the community and instructors in this forum really helped get me to that next level...and beyond.

Me! I feel like a GT success story. I started playing guitar when I was 38 (I'm now 45). I have progressed through an array of GT videos, but have also taken personal lessons as well. I watch youtube videos often.

At 40, I started a band in the Washington, DC area and we are still together playing 3 times per month with a song catalogue that has grown to over 150 songs (although any given show has only 55 songs).

I play everyday, for at least an hour, and sometimes I play for 20 to 30 hours per week.

I have three kids, a wife, a dog, I exercise everyday, I go to live shows in DC often. I share this because I often hear people say that they don't have time. But, when you commit to something, time finds itself.

It doesn't hurt that I have become a small guitar collector. I now own a Fender Strat HSS, a PRS SE, a Gibson 335, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Ibanez JS 2410, and my brand new Gibson LE 2018 Explorer (plus a few acoustics).

So, I'm constantly tempted to pick one of these up and crank them through my Orange TH 30 at home to practice.

In other words, man, I frickin' love to play guitar. I get frustrated often, I work through my struggles, and I wish I was better everyday.

Sometimes, I am very structured in my practice, sometimes very random. Sometimes I learn hard songs and other times I learn easy songs. Very often, I choose not to learn an entire song (unless it's for the band). I often learn small snippets of songs just because the licks are challenging.

Take Walk by Pantera. I'd never play that entire song at a live show or in front of a campfire. But, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't learn the opening riff of that song. Or, take Hold On Loosely by .38 special. Turns out, you can learn that entire song (at a basic level) in a few minutes.

Awesome! Thank you all for your great stories. There is light at the end of the tunnel afterall. I've signed up to be a full time member and look forward to moving forward. I'll let you know how it goes.

Anyone else have some personal experiences to share?

Old Cat.

Hi Old Cat,

[br]If you have a friend or even a family member who knows how to play you can start asking them to teach you. But if you have already an idea how to read the notes and the finger placing then playing on your own by watching videos online like youtube or follow the instruction given here will do. :)

[br]This may also help you out LINK

[br]wISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND GOODLUCK

Originally Posted by: oldcatnewtricks

Awesome! Thank you all for your great stories. There is light at the end of the tunnel afterall. I've signed up to be a full time member and look forward to moving forward. I'll let you know how it goes.

Good luck!

So I will start with the fact that I am not a guitar hero to anyone but myself. I took lessons as a kid and hated it. I picked it up again in the 90s by buying an Esteban guitar and lessons and hated it. Then about three years ago I joined another website and was happy with my progress but it wasn't structured well. Then GT! I have gone through the I and II lesson programs and then the Blues as well as several other lessons. I would say now that I am a fairly good intermediate player. I can play many of my 60s-80s songs, both finger picking on the acoustic and lead on the Strat. I love the song lessons on GT and also use other sites. I usually learn the lead so I can play along with a backing track. That's the best. When you get to the point where you are starting to sound a bit like the greats, (kind of), then you really have fun and your confidence builds up really fast.

I feel that my journey with GT has been good for me. I spent the time going through the lessons. When I thought I knew enough and learned enough about scales, bends, vibrato, and movable chords, (all the spices of guitar playing), the whole guitar neck opened up for me. I realized that some of the famous songs of the past, (Stairway to Heaven, Aqualung, Still Got the Blues, Wonderful Tonight, SRV stuff, etc.) is not always insurmountable. It takes a lot of patience and time but it gets done, note by note.

This is why I feel that I went from zero to hero, (in my own mind). Other than blazing leads by Van Halen and others I feel that I can do many things that I never dreamed I was capable of doing in the 2-3 years of my journey. Have fun!

The first time I picked up a guitar in my life was when I was a kid. It was lying in the basement, I decided to learn how to play it, and I liked it. I want to get to the point where I can play a lot of songs. But I still have a long way to go. When we gather with friends to go out I take my guitar, the best atmosphere is by the fire. But I was very nervous the first time, I was afraid not to make a mistake. I don't know about you, but middermusic.com was advised by my friend, who has been playing for 11 years. He's a guru who plays on some other level. I'm learning from Christopher. So far, I can play all the songs without a barre. My favorite sound is the flajolet sound.

I played fairly well, maybe above intermediate level. After coming over to GT, my playing has increased a big hunk because of guys like Christopher, Mike and others. Walking you through the different parts of the songs or theories along with sensible, understandable explanations. When you're learning songs you've loved and listened to, all your life, it's a no brainier, you stay with it and if you do, you'll get it and you will learn it! How much is that worth?? On a side note, I get a bit hung up if the newest lesson or song isn't one I want to play but when I peruse the extensive catalog, I'm like a kid in a Candy store, renewing my excitement to play a song I'd forgotten about and the fire burns again lol

I started from zero four months ago. I'm just working on all the chords Lisa gives by the end of the 5 Chord Power Pack in Fundamentals I. I slowly worked the daily session up from fifteen minutes and now it's been an hour for the past week. I have small but hard calluses and my fingers can do things I didn't dream at the beginning, so my precision in the spider legs daily exercise is surprising me. Mosly I can't believe how well I can play all the songs up to this point! There's only one that I still don't sing on and another that I still have to play at 75% speed.

And I have two friends who are starting to drop a few tips now. I guess because I have the vocabulary to ask questions.

I played around with guitar about 40 years ago while my wife and I were dating but never got too serious with it. Then life got in the way. About 2 years ago I started thinking about getting back into it and finally took the plunge on Feb 1 of last year when I purchased an Alverez from my local fret shop and joined GT. I practice about 5-6 days a week; about an hour a day on average. Last week I traded in my Alverez for a Martin as a way of rewarding myself with sticking with it this long.

I`m certainly no " guitar hero " but it`s been a great experience here at GT and learning to play. I have a repetiore of about 60 songs ; about 45 I can play pretty well and another 20 or so in various stages of progress. I`ve played in front of family and friends and once at an office party and looking to start playing in church soon. I feel pretty comfortable with strumming and chord changes and starting to explore some basic fingerpicking. My "reach" goal would be to play for a local classic rock type cover band. Hopefully with continued work and practice I`ll get there. Just enjoying the journey.

Don't short yourselves out.

As long as you're breathing, You COULD be the next Eddie van Halen!

I'm 49 and have never played an instrument.

During the pandemic I was looking for a hobby to keep me busy and always had a dream of playing guitar but never had the time. I bought an acoustic and was looking for structured lessons. Became a Guitar Tricks full access member. I liked the structure and professionalism of the lessons. No thinking, just follow the lesson plans.

I took Lisa's GF1 and GF2. Then Anders' Acoustic 1 and 2.

It took my about 8/9 months of focused, dedicated, intentional lessons/practice. 1 or 2 or 3 hours a day.

I am starting to learn songs now. My goal is to have 10 memorized for the campfire.

So far under my belt is "Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd and "The River" by Bruce Springsteen. Can play and sing (I call it singing but my wife would beg to differ) the whole songs. I am now learning Layla - Unplugged. It has strumming, barre chords (B Flat!) and single line solos. Also planning some fingerstyle songs "Dust in the Wind" Boston and "Landslide" Fleetwood Mac. All techniques I learned in the courses. I feel confident that I can learn (and have been learning) all of these songs with the techniques I learned.

Then I plan on taking more courses (scales, Rock, theory) to further enhance my vocabulary. Its on ongoing, fun, fascinating, learning, playing, musical journey.

Good luck and have fun!

Looks like maybe an old forum, but I thought I would add to it... I came here after more than 20 years of playing guitar, I hit a plateau with my telecaster and stayed that way for many years. One day I decided to purchase a Greco Les Paul, the best guitar up to that point that I had ever played, really inspired me to learn more so off I went and signed up here. I would say that GT and that Les Paul really got me through that plateau and I feel I have really become a guitarist. I now have my dream Gibson Les Paul Standard, my playing has increased to a level where I am very comfortable, improvising solos, just ripping it up! I still have miles of road in front of me but I am confident that guitar tricks will help me progress further into the future!

Same bro ! Same thing here. Can you believe the gold mine kids have now days 🤯 We had to keep picking up the needle and rewinding cassettes.  I grew up in Hollywood had friends graduate fro Git but my mother wouldn’t let me go if you were a rocker in the mid 80’s then the reasons should be clear to you 😆 Kids now days have it all at their finger tips and we old cats do to as well for less the s bucks a day!! How crazy is that? Keep on picking brother!