Too late to learn guitar?
Discussion
Hi Guys
Just wondered whether I've left it too late to start to learn the guitar?
Long story short, when I was 16 I got given an acoustic guitar as a present for passing my GCSEs. I gave up after a few weeks, having had the attention span of a 5 year old back then.
Fast forward 14 years and I've recently had the urge to start learning properly. I still have the guitar as it had sentimental value so that's a plus, no outlay on equipment up front!
But have I left it too late? Are skills like this massively harder to pick up as an adult?
I'd like to learn for free to begin with, but wouldn't mind signing up to something that charged if I took well to it and it was worth it over the free resources out there.
I don't have any delusions of grandeur - just want to be able to learn to play some songs I like! I quite like the acoustic genre, things like Ed Sheeran, Damien Rice etc so would be cool to be able to get to a point where I can just pick up a tab and learn it without taking months and sounding like a strangled cat, which is I believe how it went down all those years ago
Thanks in advance!
Just wondered whether I've left it too late to start to learn the guitar?
Long story short, when I was 16 I got given an acoustic guitar as a present for passing my GCSEs. I gave up after a few weeks, having had the attention span of a 5 year old back then.
Fast forward 14 years and I've recently had the urge to start learning properly. I still have the guitar as it had sentimental value so that's a plus, no outlay on equipment up front!
But have I left it too late? Are skills like this massively harder to pick up as an adult?
I'd like to learn for free to begin with, but wouldn't mind signing up to something that charged if I took well to it and it was worth it over the free resources out there.
I don't have any delusions of grandeur - just want to be able to learn to play some songs I like! I quite like the acoustic genre, things like Ed Sheeran, Damien Rice etc so would be cool to be able to get to a point where I can just pick up a tab and learn it without taking months and sounding like a strangled cat, which is I believe how it went down all those years ago
Thanks in advance!
One of my guitar pupils is 75 - he just started as his grandkids got him a guitar for his birthday (aww) and he is making great progress!
Reason being he plays alot, 5 mins a day is better than an hour 1 day a week for example.
As mentioned Youtube is amazing for free lessons - justinguitar is a great place to start.
Rock on
Reason being he plays alot, 5 mins a day is better than an hour 1 day a week for example.
As mentioned Youtube is amazing for free lessons - justinguitar is a great place to start.
Rock on
Christ.
I'm 39 and had never played a single instrument before 18 months ago. Fast forward to now and I can jam along with quite a few of my favourite songs and love every minute of it.
As above, Justin Guitar is an excellent resource when you're starting out but the main point is perseverance. The first few weeks/months are by far the hardest as nothing seems to sound right and everything feels odd. It's just like learning to drive, at first there's just too much going on but in no time you'll be doing stuff without even thinking about it.
Have you got a budget in mind for the guitar and are you sure you want to go down the acoustic route?
I'm 39 and had never played a single instrument before 18 months ago. Fast forward to now and I can jam along with quite a few of my favourite songs and love every minute of it.
As above, Justin Guitar is an excellent resource when you're starting out but the main point is perseverance. The first few weeks/months are by far the hardest as nothing seems to sound right and everything feels odd. It's just like learning to drive, at first there's just too much going on but in no time you'll be doing stuff without even thinking about it.
Have you got a budget in mind for the guitar and are you sure you want to go down the acoustic route?
As SWoll says, just do it!
He gave me some sound advice (I am a beginner at 51 years old)
JustinGuitar seems to be the way forward for beginners like us.
I like acoustics but being semi detached with thin walls, an electric ticked all the boxes.
Enjoy
Even if you sound crap like me, that one chord or sequence you nail when playing along to music makes it kind of addictive.
It's like Golf, you hit one decent shot in a round and that inspires you to come back for more as you know you can do it
He gave me some sound advice (I am a beginner at 51 years old)
JustinGuitar seems to be the way forward for beginners like us.
I like acoustics but being semi detached with thin walls, an electric ticked all the boxes.
Enjoy
Even if you sound crap like me, that one chord or sequence you nail when playing along to music makes it kind of addictive.
It's like Golf, you hit one decent shot in a round and that inspires you to come back for more as you know you can do it
+1 for Justin Guitar, and also Marty Schwartz on YouTube.
Having picked up the guitar for the first time at 35 I'd say go for it BUT regular practise is the key.
I lead a fairly busy life and find that I let other things get in the way, so I might go a week between picking it up. I begin to forget what I've learned, two steps forward, one back.
I did have lessons with a professional tutor for a couple of years. Great bloke, but the fella who had the hour lesson slot after me is a PH'er with a collection of classic cars, so he would always turn up in a new one each week. It got to the point where the three of us would just stand around talking about cars, and not do much playing, but still be paying for lessons! Farcical, but we couldn't help ourselves.
I hoped the discipline of a lesson to prepare for would force me to do my homework but it didn't. Tutor was fine about that - he was getting paid whatever - but it meant progress was slow. Once he relocated I knocked it on the head and sadly haven't played for a while.
Memo to self: get going again!
Having picked up the guitar for the first time at 35 I'd say go for it BUT regular practise is the key.
I lead a fairly busy life and find that I let other things get in the way, so I might go a week between picking it up. I begin to forget what I've learned, two steps forward, one back.
I did have lessons with a professional tutor for a couple of years. Great bloke, but the fella who had the hour lesson slot after me is a PH'er with a collection of classic cars, so he would always turn up in a new one each week. It got to the point where the three of us would just stand around talking about cars, and not do much playing, but still be paying for lessons! Farcical, but we couldn't help ourselves.
I hoped the discipline of a lesson to prepare for would force me to do my homework but it didn't. Tutor was fine about that - he was getting paid whatever - but it meant progress was slow. Once he relocated I knocked it on the head and sadly haven't played for a while.
Memo to self: get going again!
Like previous posters I picked up a guitar for the first time last year at the age of 34. I've been learning using justinguitar, andyguitar and Martyschwarz too, with a couple of lessons from a local tutor for some practical stuff around pull offs and hammer-ons etc.
You're definitely not too old!
You're definitely not too old!
30? Forget it. Make sure your affairs are in order and consider speaking to your family to pick a nice care home for you.
The only way you're going to know if you're any good is by learning to play. I started around the age of 33, classical and electric. Did enjoy it but realised I preferred the piano so re-learnt to play that.
The only way you're going to know if you're any good is by learning to play. I started around the age of 33, classical and electric. Did enjoy it but realised I preferred the piano so re-learnt to play that.
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