Long Time Failure

I am giving it another try... I first took lessons at like 12-13 years old. I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar. I enjoy music and singing and always wanted to be able to play a guitar while singing (Not performing just personal enjoyment). I have purchased several programs along the way but never achieved success. Now in my early 40's I am giving it another try. ugh. Hoping for the best and going to try and be more diligent than ever before at routinely practicing. It still seems like an unobtainable mountain but here I go...

Hi BJCL

Welcome!

You've come to the right place. All the tuition tools and structure are provided here enabling [u]you[/u] to achieve your objective [u]if you really want to[/u].

If I might, three things which might make THE difference this time, and I sincerely hope they will.

1. Find the [u]enjoyment in the entire learning journey[/u], because like in life, in guitar it'll never stop. This in my view is the quintessential factor in sticking at it through thick and thin. If you can genuinely find joy in the doing rather than just anticipation of the prizes at the end which might seem slow in coming, not meet progress expectation when they do or seem underwhelming if comparing with artists in the media who have been at this for decades.

2. Being 100% honest with yourself, [u]assess why you gave up previously, identify what needs to be changed, and alter the behaviour so as not to repeat the mistake[/u].

3. Having identified and commited to modifying that, now make an 'inscribed in stone', pay yourself first non-renegotiable [u]commitment to yourself[/u]. Medium term is preferred, as that is a perceivably realistic period which holds less excuse to quit than how long is a piece of string "forever". Just something like "I am going to commit fully to learning guitar for two years" and mean it with sincere resolve. You can even append it with "and if at the end of that period it's not for me", and decide not to continue after that time, then you've identified that learning guitar isn't really something you wanted to do in the first place even if you were in love with the idea of it and thought it was. All of that adds subliminally to the unacceptability of reneging on the commitment within that time frame. Different prior experience, but commitment worked for me. I'm still here steadily plodding along three years on. o.O

Truly first rate guitar tuition here, with instructor and peer support in the forums, but ultimately, [u]only you[/u] can contribute the most important ingredient of all, [u]putting in the time and work.[/u] Deep down, in your 40s you already know that. It's not going to be easy, but that's what makes it so much fun and so rewarding. And 40's is a more advantageous age to restart at than 50 or 60 or even 70!

Oh, and although you already have a guitar, make sure you have a comfortable one which suits [u]your[/u] physique optimally. A guitar is just a tool, and you want a tool which facilitates the job rather than obstructs it.

[br]All the best with your journey.

Originally Posted by: BJCL

It still seems like an unobtainable mountain but here I go...

It's really not BJCL. I am older than you but similar in start and stops between 17 and 55 years of age. Then in Jan '19 I decided I was going to practice 1 hour per day every day. I have not missed a day since. I practice early morning before starting my work day.

There is no magic or mystery to this, just work. Methodical - repeptitive work. Start at Fundamentals https://www.guitartricks.com/beginner.php

Take your time. Don't quit, even when you want to because you can't make a chord. Work every day. It will come together.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by: BJCL

I am giving it another try... I first took lessons at like 12-13 years old. I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar. I enjoy music and singing and always wanted to be able to play a guitar while singing (Not performing just personal enjoyment). I have purchased several programs along the way but never achieved success. Now in my early 40's I am giving it another try. ugh. Hoping for the best and going to try and be more diligent than ever before at routinely practicing. It still seems like an unobtainable mountain but here I go...

It's only the mountain that you make it.

So many guitar players start out saying they want to play like (fill in the blank rock star) and fail because they never seem to get there. I realize you said your goal is a bit more modest but at the root, you're still holding yourself to a level of progress that already seems unatainable. You'd already started by thinking that it seems unattainable.

It's not. Adjust your goals to where you're at now. Don't aim for the whole mountain, just the next hill in front of you.

This is a very important lesson in guitar playing progress; while the ultimate goal is off in the distance, you're better served looking at short term successes. Sure, I'm not saying anything revolutionary but I can tell you that with 38 years playing, most guitar players forget this, become frustrated and then quit.

In the hope of being able to play that song or something they pine to play, new guitarists becomes frustrated because they can't. Not realizing that eventually they'll be able play something but but ignoring that they've got a few more steps in front of them to get there.

Before you can play a song, you have to learn fundementals and learn some chords and then get used to changing from one chord to another and so on. Focus on those short term fundementals as they are the building blocks that get you to where you will eventually want to be.

Good thing is, Guitar Tricks Fundementals courses do do exactly that so follow along and you'll get there. Just be patient and celebrate the small victories as those victories add up to something.

The right mindset in starting out will do an enormous amount of good to make that mountain not so scary.

Hey BJCL,

I know you might be making a joke, but don't think of yourself as a "Long-Time Failure." :)

It takes time to learn, and the learning is never-ending. Even the best are always learning and progressing.

You say you "never achieved success" -- but that's such a tricky word. What is success? How do you define that? The best part about playing guitar is enjoying it! So if you continue to enjoy playing guitar every day you've already succeeded. That's how you'll want to stick with it. Find a way to feel good about it, and you'll keep going and improve over time.

Also: learning to sing and play guitar at the same time can be done (as many people have done it!). It's just one step after the other.

Have a look at this video. Camille Van Niekerk teaches the step-by-step process of how to Sing and Strum at the same time. It's just a matter of working through it slowly. It's all there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM0JeGgTXwQ

Stay with it! I just got done with my nightly practice session and it's those tiny (almost imperceivable) bits of progress every day that add up.

-Carl.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!