Happy to be here and for the opportunity to learn more about playing the guitar with all of you. Long story short, I’m 45, and first picked up the guitar around 13 or 14. I’ve never been consistent in playing/practice. Sometimes playing for 3 or 4 months at a time, then not touching the guitar for years.
I recently took my youngest son to Guitar Center for the first time and he asked to go back the next day to buy a guitar. He left with a used Yamaha Pacifica and a Mustang LT25. I pointed him and my oldest boy to Justin Guitar and thought I should go through the lessons myself so I could better support them, and to gauge where I’m at as a guitar player. Time will tell if they take to the guitar, but I hope I can be an example and help to them if they do.
The onboarding says I’m ready for Stage 2 (I can play the common open chords and barre chords cleanly), but I picked up the lessons from the beginning. I’m currently working on the 6/8 strum pattern in Stage 1 module 6 and also working through some songs. I’ve never really committed to playing any songs all the way through, other than songs I learned in church. I hope in the short term to learn the simple version of 5 or 6 songs and to be able to play them in time.
I hope this journey continues and that I will be posting here again in the future. The best to all of you as you progress.
Hey Mike welcome to the group.
I too started here to help my Son about a week or two ago, although we both had zero experience. I did a week then tried to teach him what I’d learned. Which also helps me. It’s going well so far and we’ve had some fun.
Anyway it seems like a very friendly, helpful bunch on here. There’s always someone ready to offer advice, everyone seems to have very similar journeys and has experienced the same problems whilst learning.
The site is quite frankly unbelievably good. There’s so much content and it’s so well thought out and geared towards making the user experience a fun one. Please take time to explore as much as you can. I haven’t a single negative point I can think of.
Hi MIke, welcome to the community forum. it sounds like you will have fun learning songs along with following your sons progress on the guitar. I think you got a great guitar/amp purchase as both the Yamaha Pacifica and Mustang amps have good tone and playability. I was a good idea to start back at the beginning. I did the same even though I had played guitar for years. There is a lot that you can learn from listening to as many of the song lesson tutorials on the website as you can. Have fun learning songs along with your son.
Hello Mike. Welcome to JustinGuitar and this fantastic community. Please take your time to look around and get to know the wider space. https://community.justinguitar.com/categories
We are a supportive and encouraging group of students and guitarists from across the world. Essentially, we are all here for music and to improve as players. We truly are a ‘community’. Members help and support one another and a friendly, positive attitude underpins this. We hope that all - young or old, experienced or new players - adopt and foster the pay-it-forward ethos that Justin personifies and embedded all those years ago when he started the website and forum.
Also, please make sure to read the community etiquette announcement for some important information and guidance.
Last - many, many people have been where you are now. You have picked up some guitar skills but are unsure how best to proceed. The advice is always as you have been given. Reset. Default to zero. Go back to Grade 1 lesson 1 and work up from there. Pay special attention to the technique and training and developing good habits that are an essential component of Justin’s teaching approach. You can accelerate through lessons where you can physically do things and still take value from the learning they contain.
Good luck.
Hello Mike & Welcome!!!
You’re really lucky to have an in-house guitar buddy to learn & practice with!!! How Cool is that!!! You’re going to be able to help each other, spot technique mistakes & hear things that aren’t always obvious to the person playing!
I hope you both have a ton of fun!!!
Good luck!!!
