I am still working on getting the fingers toughened up and working on the perfect “D” chord. I’ve fooled around with changing to the “A” chord but still pretty much just waiting for the callouses. Years ago, I tried to rush things and never got anywhere. I’ve realized by reading different discussions and just plain living long enough that the two key things are practice, practice, practice and patience, patience, patience! I’ll be back when the fingertips get tough!
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Wow! It’s been a while since I’ve written but I have made some great progress. I have tough fingertips and the strings don’t hurt! And I can play beautiful A and D chords (and E-I cheated and looked ahead to a later lesson 
). And chord changes between A and D! I was never able to do that way in the past with any chords. Sometimes they sound great and sometimes not so great. But I am having fun! I love the way Justin teaches and will check back in when I conquer that first song.Merry Christmas and a great New Year!
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One thing I love about Justin’s videos is when he says, “That’s okay.” It really helps diminish the frustration when I’m having trouble with something. And reminds me that it should be fun!
Been a while but I have been diligently practicing between bouts of whatever respiratory illnesses come through this time of year. I was reading a thread yesterday that was in the automatic email update that I get. It was about a beginner that was very frustrated and about to give up. I could relate because I watch some 70’s greats play the acoustic guitar and that’s how I want to play……NOW😄! Alas, it won’t happen this week🙄. Then I realized that I can play a beautiful D, E, and A ( except for the dull sound I get when finger 1 doesn’t quite get where it should). I am getting better at the Gunn theme and I actually changed the strings on my guitar (what a difference in sound!). Great anchor finger exercises, chord changes (3 star maybe), and even some ventures into Em,Am, and whatever that chord is that Justin shows when playing “Horse with No Name.” My mileage varies from practice to practice. I finally purchased the app a week or so ago and got up the nerve to play along with “FWIW” by Buffalo Springfield. Eighty percent speed. What a disaster😂! All those beautiful chord change practices and you would have thought that I just picked up a guitar for the first time! Luckily no one else was home!
I babble above to hopefully make all the people out there who want to stop because they are oh so bad at this guitar thing. Don’t stop please. If you really want to play the guitar, you are doing it now. If you want to play the guitar like Clapton, it will take a while or you may never get there. Just have fun and keep plugging away. I turned 65 a few months ago and have no idea how long my life journey will be or what condition I’ll be in. But I’ve always wanted to play the guitar and always stopped within a few weeks. Now I’m just having fun and trying to be realistic about my goals. My goals are very simple these days. Practice, laugh, and realize that I’m finally a playing my guitar. Hope this helps. I’m really not that good at it so just tell yourself that at least I’m doing better than Doc😁!
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