I’ve been using Justin’s beginner course since about July. I am new to guitar, but did play violin, flute, and baritone (horn) as a kid. I’m now in my 40s and very much enjoying the guitar.
I have existing issues with hypermobility in my hands, which can cause me all kinds of trouble if I try to play a whole song. (Carpal tunnel in this case and after it’s fixed it should be ok.) That’s really frustrating for me and I’ve had to relax a little with the practice time.
Right now I’m in module 12, the intro to blues one. Most of what i practice just now is changes from open to barre chords and vice versa; major and minor scales, pentatonic scales, triad arpeggios across the fretboard, scales played in 3rds… you get the idea. It’s a good thing I’ve always liked playing scales! I’ve also been working on ear training and figuring out single note melodies (usually the vocals).
At any rate, I’m happy to be here! Hoping to get this wrist issue fixed and then go back to being able to get 2ish hours in most days!
Hello Jennifer & welcome!!!
This is a pretty friendly place with lots of nice helpful people who are glad to help out!
Hope all goes well with your carpal tunnel issue…
Good luck!!!
Welcome Jennifer, it sounds like you’ve been making terrific progress with the course regardless of your challenges. Hope you can get that sorted out but most of all I hope you continue to have fun with guitar!
Hi Jennifer, Welcome sounds like you have a raft of music knowledge and experience sound like you putting it to good use.
Hopefully you challenge will get resolved good luck for the future.
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Hi Jennifer,
Welcome here and I wish you a lot of fun and with 2 hours a day your process will progress nicely (think about the position of your wrist to prevent injuries and such a big setback)
Hello Jennifer, and a warm welcome to the community .
I also started my guitar journey in my (late) 40s and love it .
One point you mentioned made me wonder a bit. Did you start to learn playing in July or have you already played the guitar before but not with Justin? I’m just asking because if the first is the case (you started playing from scratch in July), that would mean you spent only 12 or so weeks to get to module 12. That’s extremely fast . Have you had time to learn any songs and to consolidate the new techniques yet?
I know, that for the first few modules, Justin suggests to spend about a week or two weeks at each module. But this changes the further you get.
Don’t get me wrong - if you feel you’re making great progress, have all chords and techniques under your fingers, and you’re building a nice song repertoire, everything is totally fine . But maybe you feel a bit rushed and therefore continue too fast. This journey is not supposed to be a race, isn’t it .
I wish you lots of fun with your six-string-friend and hope that the Problem with the carpal tunnel will be fixed soon .
Thanks all for the kind welcome! I have definitely been careful to do exercises (from occupational therapy) before and after playing and I try to be aware of my posture and wrist position. It gets difficult sometimes (reaching my pinky to the low E? ack!).
I think having played other instruments before, especially a string instrument, has been helpful; I already learned rhythm long enough ago that it’s pretty ingrained, and a lot of other concepts transfer, just not the technical skills necessarily! I have several songs (mostly Justin’s versions) that I enjoy playing. Of course they’re almost all strumming chords but that’s fine for now. I do think, though, that I have now hit the point where I slow down because it’s material that’s totally new to me.
As you mentioned yourself, you’ll probably benefit a lot from your experience playing other instruments before picking up the guitar. So that’s a nice foundation to build on.
Wish you lots of fun on the guitar journey, enjoy the ride.
Hello Jennifer, I’m also from Pittsburgh! I also played violin before I learned guitar. Knowing a string instrument before definitely gives you an advantage good for you for practicing scales! I am not so good with that, haha.
I hope you can get your carpal tunnel fixed and get back to practicing!
HI Jennifer, welcome to the community. When you get the carpal tunnel problem resolved and finish grade 2, you can go back and view all the grade 1 and 2 song lesson videos. Justin sometimes teaches new strums and riffs in the song lesson videos that complement the course lessons. Until then you can split your practice between morning and evening practice to reduce wrist and hand fatigue. It sounds like you have made a lot of progress. Have fun as you learn to play guitar.
Hi Jennifer, welcome. Good you’ve added the guitar to the list of instruments you can play. Each person is different in how they learn and your previous experience can be facilitating some things. As you, when my previous knowledge didn’t help me with some of the content I just slowed down to fully take advantage of the opportunity to learn something new for me. Different from you, if can only allocate 2.5 hours of practice per week in average. If after solving your wrist issue you can do 2 hours a day would very good for your learning. Have fun.
(think about the position of your wrist to prevent injuries and such a big setback)
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. Have you had time to learn any songs and to consolidate the new techniques yet?
. But maybe you feel a bit rushed and therefore continue too fast. This journey is not supposed to be a race, isn’t it 
.