Am I Too Old

Hi Lisa.
Just signed up only two days ago, so i am real newbie, i am 57 and wanted to play all my life now i finally have the time to give it my best shot. been loving the course so far and you are great teacher, at moment i am stuck on spider legs thinking i will never get this, don't worry never gonna give up but just to make me feel better did anyone else find this very difficult especially left hand stretching fingers to 6th string and how long does this take to master it. thanks

Hi Dave,
Welcome to the guitar, and to GuitarTricks!

It is TOTALLY NORMAL to have trouble with the warm-up exercise! It is meant to be something you work towards over time. For now, just do what you can, and don't worry about the notes or strings you can't get to yet.

Just be sure to continue to challenge yourself to do just a little more each day, rather than settling on one level. For every person, it comes together at a different pace.

All that matters is that you use the exercise to get your fingers limbered up at the beginning of each practice session, and then move on to working on other things.

Have fun! All best wishes, Lisa

I am 51, graduated with a BM degree in voice. I play piano and also played cello throughout college. I teach kindergarten and play the piano almost daily for students yet have always wanted to learn guitar. Duh, a guitar is so much more mobile! Books and DVd's have been too hard to follow. However, I think Lisa is a great teacher! She makes strumming look soooooo easy!

The quality of instruction is fantastic as compared to the painless price each month. Private lessons cost a fortune! I am still in my first month. The only pain I have had is getting callouses on my fingers.

As a teacher, I consider myself a life long learner. Keep practicing. I feel a sense of accomplishment by now playing a few songs I can sing along with. Learning an instrument at any age is a great ego boost to overall life enjoyment, but you also gain something as a bonus---musical freedom! Have fun!

Hey!
I'm 56, soon to be 57, and I'm enjoying my journey with my guitar! I may be striving for mediocrity right now, soon I'll be striving to be okay, and then for being pretty good, etc! I have 2 beautiful Acoustic Electric guitars (Seagull) and I have an Epiphone G-400 Worn guitar on lay away.

When I finally breathe my last breath my kids can have them! Or, I have noticed my first grandson (who was born 8 days ago, has long musician fingers! He may get the guitars by default!

But that's a long way off! Now, if I can just learn to palm mute! And also win my battle with my nemesis the B minor!

Have fun, practice practice, have more fun, practice!

Hey, I thought the same thing...I'm too old. I'm a 58 year old rockin' female. So let's all do this! I am having fun blasting my husband with the amp! Have a good time and put in some effort...it will all pay off.

Happy Trails!
Shannon

One day a week, I teach one-on-one lessons in my home studio. All of my students at this point are 'of a certain age', and we engage in this conversation a lot. But it seems to me that as soon as they begin to experience the excitement of making music, age just drops away! They are (and I am, and you are) the same exact person at the essence as when we were children.

Children are used to not knowing how to do something, learning it step by step, having it be awkward at times and easy at other times. It's just part of their daily reality.

As adults, we've often forgotten our connection to that spirit of being a 'newbie', and soon finding ourselves in newbie territory brings up all kinds of self-consciousness and unease. And then, to try to make sense of that uncomfortable feeling, we try to name it, judge it. I am too old. This is silly. What was I thinking?

Let yourself soak back into being surrounded by wonder, possibilities, fun, joy, progress, newness. You are the same you who learned to walk, learned to write with a pencil, learned to read, learned to drive...and now, you're learning to play the guitar! Isn't that cool??

Lisa,

That reply deservers a WOW Great Answer.

Originally Posted by: haghj500Lisa,

That reply deservers a WOW Great Answer.

Agreed!! That puts it all in perspective.

I'll be 60 next month. Whatever you do, don't judge yourself by the skills and talents of others. I've never had the ability to play the fast parts that people who have that knack can. I can enjoy rhythm guitar with an embellishment here or there and am not in it for competition. I started playing bass guitar in 1977 and seem to do much better with that, but guitar has always been a challenge to play with speed. So, I play within myself. If it were easy for everyone there wouldn't be any stars at it.

I started at 59, although had been playing the Ukulele for a few years, mostly tenor and baritone. I bought a Taylor Dreadnaught last May, 2014, and folloed it up with a local CraigsList Fender Electric Jaguar and have never looked back. Just keep playing and it will come to you...not as fast as some kid, but we 50+ guys have secrets they'll never learn(!).

Follow these lessons, however, they are very good. I was picking up too many self taught shortcuts and cheats and tricks and decided I should go back to basics before I get in too deep (chording barre chords with my left thumb, for instance, a short cut version for A string Barre chords, and things like that).

In my opinion---each minute that you are playing (or learning), is a minute that you do not age!

I have always wanted to play! My father and both brothers were great at guitar, grew up listening to my dad play wonderful bluegrass nightly but, I never felt I could learn, just picked up my sons acoustic guitar and found this site, joined this weekend and am taking Lisa's fundamental class, wonderful! Have been practicing the spider fingers today and feel like I am getting better! 52 and am motivated to get this, so far I feel I have made more progress than I thought so, for me that is all I can do, keep going up! Will get better, it is never too late!

Originally Posted by: LisaMcCOne day a week, I teach one-on-one lessons in my home studio. All of my students at this point are 'of a certain age', and we engage in this conversation a lot. But it seems to me that as soon as they begin to experience the excitement of making music, age just drops away! They are (and I am, and you are) the same exact person at the essence as when we were children.

Children are used to not knowing how to do something, learning it step by step, having it be awkward at times and easy at other times. It's just part of their daily reality.

As adults, we've often forgotten our connection to that spirit of being a 'newbie', and soon finding ourselves in newbie territory brings up all kinds of self-consciousness and unease. And then, to try to make sense of that uncomfortable feeling, we try to name it, judge it. I am too old. This is silly.
What was I thinking?

Let yourself soak back into being surrounded by wonder, possibilities, fun, joy, progress, newness. You are the same you who learned to walk, learned to write with a pencil, learned to read, learned to drive...and now, you're learning to play the guitar! Isn't that cool??

Great perspective!!

I never thought I was too old to learn guitar. I just recently caught the "bug" of wanting to play after coming back in contact with several friends from high school that have been playing for 30+ years. They are phenomenal from my perspective.
I don't want to say I don't want to be great because of course I do!! I would be happy to be able to sit down and play competently.
I love this web site. I am following Lisa's 'Guitar fundamentals' and I am really enjoying it. I tell my friends that ask about the site that it starts out kind of slow, but I love it that I am playing simple melodies.
I am currently up to the 3 string melody 'Early Bird Gala.' I'm finding that from repeating these drills I'm playing and getting the feel of it without looking at the frets or the strings. I'm really having a ball.
I went from knowing absolutely nothing about the guitar to where I am playing simple music. I absolutely love it. Thank you!

Originally Posted by: TerranautI'll be 60 next month. Whatever you do, don't judge yourself by the skills and talents of others. I've never had the ability to play the fast parts that people who have that knack can. I can enjoy rhythm guitar with an embellishment here or there and am not in it for competition. I started playing bass guitar in 1977 and seem to do much better with that, but guitar has always been a challenge to play with speed. So, I play within myself. If it were easy for everyone there wouldn't be any stars at it.

Amen. Great advice.

I'm presently 57 years old,and after watching the Lead Zeppelin Celebration Concert????? Jimmy Page is every bit early 70's?And my gosh,Robert Plant has a Alter Boy Type Voice?As a XXXXXHIPPIE from the "FREE YEARS"if you think a single negative thought,then you are too old!But you know your not!!!Just the fact you voice your time as a valuable assets.Rodney Dangerfield was over 65 years of age before Johnny Carson descovered him??You obviously love a style of music,and it being your passion,this is a cool place to be as for as an education apposed to a lesson,and if you don't miss a month straight,you get a free $80,too $85 dollars for a accomplished guitarist to give you lessons?This is an open high way to as successful as you want!In a very short 15 months I have progressed to a level that amazes me,and my family.As to the validity of my word,I purchased a 2004 Gibson Les Paul "Black Beauty,Gold everything!!Why do I mention the New Les Paul?I gave $2195.00 plus $128.00 for Hard Shell Case with all reading materials.I began with a $12.00 Ibenez Guitar with a Pig Nose Amp,the kind you carry around.But for finalization,Began wearing your SIX GUN,STRAT,TELE,LesPaul,SG,and the legenday Lucille.God Loved B.B..King,if not how could he contributed so much without ever hearing about no kind a mess?B.B.King was,and will always be in that top five true too the bone,"DELTA BLUES" will conclude,But to clonclude on the term "Carry your 6 gun with you"?Any where you go,bath room,eating,even too bed!You have to get good when it becomes a vital part of your life,and this allows you know these little simple Lessons were developed by greqat minds.So when you began too complete harder,and harder lessons,if you donot accomplish this Class by the two best instructers,GT gives you,than you will never be a professional in your field!But you have to be washed clean by the DELTA BLUES!!!After this ride with the Blues,you can accomplish anything.52,your still a spring chicken as far as our Rock Stars goes?I like the stuff Anders shoots your way,and the very security needed for every one?"Chris Slegel"these are just my two selections,not the only I study under.

I turned 53 in Sept and bought a Fender FA-100 on Amazon this spring, delivered March 8. All that music theory from high school was still up there in my brain, God knows how.
I don't believe that anyone with true drive is too old to do anything.

I couldn't deal with playing songs that were actually 'electric' songs for long. GC had a 30% of sale and I bought a Squier Affinity Strat w/amp kit.

But now I learn songs on the acoustic first, then are are easier to play on the Strat.

All is well. Good times. Now if I could quit my job and play guitar all day....

I'm 53 and just started learning about two months ago. Was something I always wanted to learn and just never had the time until now. I'm trying to get in an hour or two everyday and hoping Guitartricks will help me advance my learning quicker than on my own.

Geez, most of you guys are babies. I'm 61 and started playing last year. I have learned so much and I'm having a ball. I love learning new stuff and I love hearing the new stuff come out of me. It's great. The only thing that a younger person may have over me is that I tend to forget some details of what I have learned at times. So I go back and pick it up again. I do think a structured lesson plan is essential. Know some basic theory before you just play songs. The best thing I did was go through the lessons here and on Jamplay and learned how the neck is arranged on the guitar and how chords can be done in various voicings. You don't just pick things like that up by falling on them. Rock on! Or, in my case, Blues on!!

Hey Fellow Oldtimers -
I was lucky enough to start playing bass in the heyday of Rock'N Roll -- I joined a band in 1965 & added guitar playing a few years later( & piano recently). I'm also lucky to own a large array of equipment. 25 years of concrete work & crashing everything that can be crashed has me scheduling my 25th surgery. I recently had to have my left ulnar nerve fixed to be able to keep playing(100% success). I'm still trying to play faster w/finger picking & w/a thumb pick for speed. I NEVER question my abilities @ my age(62) or I figure it's time to quit. The music has kept me sane(mostly) & I'll never quit.
Thanks -- JB

Damn, I can´t understand why this damn stupid thread is going for 23 long boring pages. No one is too old to learn, and many use this as a way of "ooh I am such a poor useless thing I am too old and I can´t learn", as to find someone else who tells them the same and then "now I can feel comfortable in the I am too old argument".

Not easy, requires practice and dedication. And please stop whining about "poor me I am too old". Get of your ass and learn, and stop initiating stupid threads such as this one. Damn.