I’m Phil and I’m 74 years old! It may seem strange that I have started my guitar journey so late in life - I had a couple of guitars in my late teens but never really played them. Looking back, I have no idea why I didn’t! Anyway, two years ago I started writing music with LogicPro and I decided I’d try guitar again. I bought a guitar and started following an online course, which went fine. Good teacher and a bit of progress (from scratch - I knew next to nothing!)
However, my son lives in New Zealand and after going over there for a couple of months my progress stalled. After a few weeks in which I didn’t go much further I came across Justin’s site and it was just what I needed - particularly the structured practice sessions.
I have now reached a stage where I can play chords to a good number of songs and I really enjoy the fun of playing along. I have arthritis in my hands, which makes barre chords pretty much impossible, so I tend to find easier versions of the chords. I am currently on Lesson 17 of Grade 3 and finding it pretty challenging but still fun!
Playing guitar has made a huge difference to my life. My lovely wife, Julia, started developing dementia about four years ago and coming down to my studio gives me a chance to pursue something to keep me and my mind active and give us both a little space. I now have an acoustic guitar, an electric acoustic. and an electric guitar, not to mention a couple of keyboards. Coming to guitar so late in life is fantastic, although I certainly regret not starting many years ago!
Great to be part of this community and would love to hear from anyone else on here.
Hi Phil, welcome to the community forum. It’s never too late to start guitar. I’m 68 and in Grade 3 now. I hope playing guitar continues to give you personal satisfaction, mental challenges and fun.
Hello Phil & welcome!!!
So sorry to hear about your wife, my mother-in-law developed Alzheimer’s in her late 60s… it’s so hard on the family to “lose” someone so gradually. I hope that guitar brings a measure of solace to your heart… my wife & I ride motorcycles & time cruising out in the open air really helped us both mentally. I initially started playing guitar as stress relief - I am an Air Traffic Controller & just sitting on a break, strumming the few chords I knew & letting my mind rest was so soothing to my psyche.
Good luck with learning & with the trials of “life”!
Thank you. Playing the guitar is certainly a stress reliever! My mother also had Alzheimer’s - she suffered for almost 30 years. I’ve always worried that I would be afflicted, but it never crossed my mind that my wife would be the one. Sounds like you know how to continue enjoying life!
Welcome Phil, it’s nice to hear you are getting some enjoyment from your music. This really is a great place to be. I’ve been here only a week myself and it’s amazing how much content Justin and his team have made available for us. I know what you mean about getting some time and space, we all need a little time to forget about “real life” if only for a few moments a day. I hope you continue in your journey and let us know how you’re getting on.
Hi Phil ,
Welcome here and I wish you a lot of fun
I can’t imagine how bad it must be to lose your wife so slowly, but I hope one thing will helping very soon, learn some songs from the past and then those who she know from In the past, with the stimulus that it provides, I have experienced so many times things with people where normal communication was no longer even possible, that seems like a good goal to start building a set list for now, especially now that (as I read it) it is still in the early stages and maybe can tell what she listening to when she was very young … Even if she now says that she no longer likes certain music from her youth, that can be nice very well at a later stage… actually I assume that you know this by now because you are there now knowing this for 4 years, but not all doctors communicate equally well for various reasons, even in a specially equipped institution where I worked for many years in my youth (I think this was less known at the time), but also in the last 10 years when my best friend living in that very large institution, I was surprised that there is still too little attention for music and dementia ( he was the only one in that home with Parkinson’s and his wonderful mind remained almost intact until the end )… often driven by a lack of money, by the way
I hope I don’t overwhelm you with this far too long story at your welcome,
Hi Phil and welcome to the forum. If I had a pound for the number of times I’ve read that over the last 10 years I’d be a wealthy man ! Never too late to rock n roll.
Welcome to the community, Phil! Sorry to hear about your wife’s dementia, I wish you a lot of mental strenghth to deal with that. Playing guitar will certainly be a stress reliever, it’s never to late to start! I hope you can get out some positive energy, which is very important for those caring for others. We often only see the suffering of the affected person and forget the pain of those around them. Good on you to take those little escapes! Good advice from Rogier @roger_holland . So many persons still recognize music or poetry.
All the best for you and your wife!
Welcome, Phil. I’m sorry about your wife, my mom and her sister both had dementia. I’m hoping learning guitar will help me avoid it or at least keep it at bay for as long as possible. Good luck on your journey and in life.
