I can not believe I haven’t seen this post, Lucsi yu are very talented for posting this comment, cheer up and learn with us man cheers hec
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Dear all
Thank you all for your kind and inspiring words.
It truly is a beautiful feeling to see so many people come together to support a stranger like me, offering a helping hand and lifting my spirits.
I’m deeply grateful—and I’ll do my best not to let you down.
Best regards
Lucsi
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Lucsi,
Quite literally, the only way to ‘let down’ this Community would be to quit… believe me when I tell you that this Journey is filled with many joys & also some disappointments. Peaks to challenge & conquer along with valleys (some are more like ravines) to climb out of. It’s a long, winding & seemingly never-ending road… but the rewards are worth the perseverance!!! So much fun to be had!!! Lovely evenings listening to YOUR MUSIC… when what you envision in you Musical Imagination is heard by your ears as the sound flows from your guitar… it’s Magical!!!
Good luck & stay strong in yourself!
Tod
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Yet another untalented guitarist here! I’d tried to learn several times before, and concluded that although I loved music and especially guitar, my talents didn’t lie in that direction.
Let me add my vote to all the people who mentioned playing songs. I suspect that might be part of why I’m progressing and having fun with Justin’s lessons when I never did before. For me a turning point was “Wild Thing” and “Surfin USA” (they only need A, D and E, but Justin has some songs that only need A and D). I couldn’t believe I could play real songs after only a few weeks. Playing songs you like is SO much more motivating than doing practice exercises.
Hang in there, you’re almost to the fun part!
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I got a guitar a few years ago and was struggling thru Justin’s beg course like you; one day my daughter’s boyfriend came over — he had just started playing. A song came on the radio and he picked up my guitar and played along by ear. I almost quit right there.
I have no musical background and my wife used to tease me she had to lead when we danced:)
Fast forward and I’m retired but playing in a band — rhythm guitar! Some things I learned:
While it’s good to be goal oriented to a degree, playing guitar has to be about enjoying the trip, because there is no end to it. Every step you take up the ladder, reveals more steps, more things to learn. It’s a Stairway To Heaven!!
There are two guys in the band who are really accomplished guitarists – it was a revelation to learn that they get frustrated too…and that they PRACTICE CONSTANTLY. Yes, some people may have natural ability, but ask any accomplished guitarist and they will tell you that NOTHING beats the capacity to work at it.
But you have to be SMART too! It’s good to challenge yourself with new guitar skills. But when you get stuck on something, don’t spend too too long on it! You will impede your progress and get discouraged. As you go on, you’ll have things – chords, songs, solos – you’re comfortable with and things that are new and hard. When you hit something hard, work at it for awhile and then go back to something you’re good at.
I was learning. a song I had suggested for one of our monthly shows (so lots of pressure) and I just couldn’t get the intro riff to the point where it was clean at song speed. I asked our lead guitarist to play the intro and I played the chords – the song came out great. But when I came back to the intro a few days later, what do you know. the intro just clicked in.
Putting too much pressure on yourself translates to anxiety. An anxious brain just isn’t receptive to new things and leads to tension, which kills your ability to play smoothly.
Today, I played some songs I know well and they sounded like crap – I couldn’t fret the notes cleanly and I got down on myself. Like wtf! But then it dawned on me – I played tennis last night and worked out with weights this morning. My hands were tired and my coordination was off! So that’s another message - don’t underestimate how taxing guitar can be on your hands! Rest and come back to it. Hard to do I know!
Over time you learn to expect you’re going to hit things that are hard for you and that they’re going to take time and work. But also over time you’ll accumulate small victories that give you confidence. So when you get down, focus on those victories. They will come faster and easier.
When you hit new things – new chord transitions for example — SLOW DOWN!! Playing guitar is a lot about building muscle memory through repetition. If you’re going too fast and keep hitting strings wrong, you’re just building the wrong muscle memory! Do it in slow motion - literally place your fingers correctly and cleanly – and then gradually build speed.
Finally, make sure your guitar fits you and is set up properly for a beginner – that means light strings and low action, which makes fretting chords a lot easier. Now when you look at athletes, like football or rugby players, they are constantly working on capacities for strength, speed, and coordination.
Consider getting two guitars - an electric with a shorter scale (like a Les Paul) that can be set up with 9 gauge strings and low action. It super easy to fret and will build speed, coordination, and confidence… And then an acoustic maybe strung with 11’s, which is harder to play but will build strength. By switching between them you will gradually increase strength and the ability to play chords and notes cleanly. Make it a process, like following a workout program!
Sorry for the long response, but I’ve been through it too, as has everyone in this community, and I’m hoping that the messages of patience and cultivating a positive mindset will resonate (pun intended)!
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Hello Lucsi,
I can see lot of has been said here…
I would like to just say you are going through phrase like every one and remember you dont owe anything to anyone in musical way. You decided to learn to play because you wanted to have some fun and joy and thats it. 
Keep learning and strumming random strings too, dont give up.
I can remember days I did not know what chord is… and I am not talented too. 
I think talent is great, but its myth to think about it if you are not talented, you cant play good.
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Thank you for the explanation — I truly appreciate it. Learning from others’ experiences is incredibly important to me, and your message reassures me that I’m not alone. It gives me confidence and motivation to keep pushing forward and do everything I can to stay on track.
Thank you again.
Lucsi
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Hi Lucsi,
Everyone has the capacity to grow, be not discouraged by early attempts to try something that does not turn out as expected. Learning guitar is hard, there are many difficulties thrown up and it can become overwhelming.
Carry on and you will reach a point where you will at least have the knowledge to either stop or go on. I would carry on and enjoy the experience. IMHO. 
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…everyone, that is, except @Silvia80 !
Oh!….hello Silvia….didn’t see you there. 
Anyway, who are you trying to kid?
We all know you have pretty decent rhythm.
Okay, so you’ve put a lot of work into it but that’s just you developing your in-born talent for rhythm to bring it from the inside to the outside.
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Hey Lucsi,
Keep at it. Like you I’ve given up previous attempts. This is my 4th instrument / time I’m trying to learn.
Even outside of playing music, I’ve seen many talented people not get anywhere in life and many people that felt they were fairly ordinary / not talented but put in the work and blossomed later in life.
In my opinion. Not being talented but putting in the work and effort goes WAYYYYYYYYYY further than talented individuals that put in less effort. Everyone learns at different paces and the key to success is to always keep getting up and not giving up - or so I’ve been schooled many times.
Best of luck - PS. make sure you practise the guitar in a way that’s enjoyable for you!!!
You got this!
Ben
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Think you’re in the wrong chat @BurnsRhythm
@linrosam
No, it’s the right chat. It’s a late response to this….back up thread.
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Hi David 
…
you haven’t scolded me too much
No intention to kid anyone really 
I know my Rhythm is pretty decent (thank you anyway for reminding me, much appreciated 
) …only I wanted to underline that it is relatable if training feels like a bit like Rocky Balboa working out in cold freezing Russia…very luckily my Classical Guitar is always waiting for me indoor 
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Hi Lucsi,
Another 60+ kiwi here, I know how you feel, I spent my whole life unable to carry a tune in a bucket! Eventually, following the lessons and exercises (and some advice from my wife) I just upended the bucket, let the rhythm flow and used the bucket to sit on while I got on with playing my guitars. Relax, take time and just enjoy the journey, nobody reaches the final destination of perfection, even the very best admit they are still learning new things.
Cheers from the bay of Plenty
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Thank you for your kind words
I trully appreciated
Lucsi
I hope you are persevering?
I’m 68 and like you, tried many times before but always gave up. I was seduced by on-line tutors telling me that it was easy to learn guitar and quit when I didn’t do the work.
I’d practice until I got it right just one time and then go on to the next lesson and then I’d fall apart. Then I read somewhere that it’s not good enough to practice until I get it right, I have to practice until I can’t get it wrong. That takes patience, time, persistence and an acceptance that at my age I learn slowly. However, what’s the rush? I don’t have a stadium gig booked. There’s no deadline. I just enjoy making clean chord changes slowly, playing songs slowly and let the speed come on its own, which it does eventually.
I’m six months into the beginner course and just made it through stage one. I use the app and can play along karaoke style with about thirty of the simplified songs on there, usually slowed down a bit. It makes me smile a lot, so I can tell you it’s worth keeping going.
Good luck! No, forget luck. You don’t need luck, you need DETERMINATION so I’ll wish you that instead.
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Thank you for the kind response
Indeed time will do it’s thing
Thank you for taking up your time to respond
Best regards
Lucsi
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