Older guitar students - can 'old dogs' learn new tricks?

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Hi Richard/Everyone - I used to be a regular on the old Forum, but haven’t posted in literally years!! Just life I guess…we’re all mega-busy and finding time isn’t so easy.

Anyhoo…I saw a link to this thread in the latest JG Newsletter so had a quick look and here we are…

My story may be slightly different in so far as I haven’t started learning at an advanced age. I’m in my 60s now and have played on and off for over 50 years. I first picked up a guitar in 1970 would you believe!

Despite the longevity, I’m still learning. I should be better than I am but I never stuck to a constructive practice regime. I would play for a while then leave it for months. At one point I actually didn’t play for around 5 years. Took it back up around 1998 but still I don’t play regularly. It’s been about 2 weeks as of today’s date, sadly. I tend to suddenly hear a song I’d like to learn and off I go until I get it down then the guitar is laid aside for a while again. Not great I know!!

Then again I have been teaching myself ukulele and mandolin so I have an excuse. I’ll try to be around a bit more mods, promise… :wink:

Peter

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Well, I’m certainly one of those old dogs. I’m 74 and playing for the first time. I started in September of 2021 and am about to finish Justin’s Grade 2 Beginner. I started playing for several reasons. First, I’ve always wanted to play and I love acoustic guitar music. Second, at my age I needed something to keep my brain active and I’ve been told that learning to play a musical instrument is great for doing that. Third, my wife has Alzheimer’s and I’m her full time care giver. While I’m at home with her most days I can take time for lessons and practice. And last but not least, my son has been playing for a few years and my son-in-law is a serious player with a great deal of experience. Playing with them has brought us closer - I like that. Some days I think I just cannot do this, others days I’m encouraged by my progress. I’m committed to continuing whether I ever achieve any level of accomplishment or not. I just love doing it. :slight_smile:

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Hey Justin and fellow oldies. Started with Justin about 3 years ago. Played drums and sang professionally some 40 years ago. Played concert violin through high school and beyond. After 30 some years without music in my life, I couldn’t take it anymore. Bought a Gretsch hollowbody electric with Bigsby, just because it was pretty and shiny and a decent price. Had never touched a guitar. I found Justin on line, and after some practice and a few donations, he had me playing music again! So I bought a Katan 50 from Justin’s advertisement, a PA and a mike, and was back to singing to my few basic chords and having a ball. Now, I have a songbook about 5 songs short of 200, all country, Elvis, some classics, 50’s, etc. I’m still learning and still having the time of my life at 74, with no stop signs in sight! Happy to know y’all, and proud of all of you! Thank you Justin, you changed my life! Pete, from Olympia, Washington.

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Papa_G, enjoyed your post. I, too, have age, arthritis, fat stumpy fingers, and aches. I’ve been stumbling around for just over 71 years. About 30 years ago I received an old Hohner acoustic as a Christmas present. I bought a couple of Mel Bay books and eventually took lessons for about 6 months. After a while I lost the urge to play. Fast forward to 2015. I discovered JustinGuitar and got the bug again. Because of the previous lessons, I thought I knew more than I actually did and I didn’t use Justin’s site as intended. Just noodled around from lesson to lesson without any real direction. When the new website was developed, I decided to start from the beginning. I’m now about halfway through Grade 4 and I’m doing better than ever. Justin is a great teacher and It’s amazing how much better you learn when you follow directions. I’ve got arthritis at the base of both thumbs and it hurt to make barre chords, especially the dreaded F chord. However, with trying to find a position of comfort, I realized that I wasn’t holding my fretting hand correctly and after I changed position slightly, the discomfort became less. I really resonated with your statement, “With persistence, patience and resolve, anything can be learned to some extent by anyone, regardless of limitations - self-imposed or otherwise.” Here’s to many more years on the guitar journey.

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Hi there, 49 years old, I played a little keyboard as a teenager but never really got into it.

Started guitar with mi daughter (17 years old) in the begining of 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

I am struggling a bit but having a lot of fun, and it is great to share the experience with my daughter (she started very slow, rarely practiced in the begining but now is much ahead of me!).

Anyway, I do not plan to go pro :wink: but I am certainly having a great time playing for my wife and with my daughter!

Best regards,

Sandro
Recife, Brazil

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Look who’s back! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

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Hi,

I am an old, female dog (bitch? :laughing:) learning new tricks. Got my first guitar at 14, taught myself a little, but then had a long, long gap until now (in my 60’s). I do have doubts - my fingers have some arthritic pain now, would they be strong enough, if I need to sing - would my voice crack and croak, etc. Encouraging to know that there are other “mature age” learners in this community. Well, wish me luck :pray:!!

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HI Peter, Yes, I can well relate to your “on and off” story :laughing:. Let’s hope we get some consistency.
Swati

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Never been that far away really. Popped in now and then and had a read through some posts. I’ll try ad be more regular and help out when I can…promise!!

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Hey Tom, I am the same but 64 yrs old. Been with Justin since he first started. I have 6 guitars now and still have trouble devoting retired time to practice. This is my year to really get on more of a schedule…seems I like spending my time in my wood shop vs bum on the seat with the guitar.

Was gonna be a rock star but got too old for that and can’t run from my for sure fans…

Keep playin and Justin is da man!!!

TR

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This topic caught my eye while reading Justin’s latest newsletter. I’ll be 59 in a few weeks. I picked up the guitar for the first time 2 years ago. Like many, I question if it’s just too late for me to learn to play this confounding instrument. I definitely wish I had picked it up a few decades ago but I’m inspired by some of the stories in this thread to keep up the good fight,

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Hi - just a wee comment on the arthritic fingers part.

Depends how bad it is obviously, but do you have a nylon strung guitar? If you’re playing acoustic style nylon strings are much easier on the fingers and it generally doesn’t take as much pressure to fret each note. Takes less strength and may be less painful.

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Thanks for the suggestion, Peter. Fortunately, my arthritic pain is only at the beginning, so mild, but I will keep that suggestion in mind for the future.

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The dog pound is growing bigger by the day, since Justin’s announcement in the newsletter. :clap:

So without replying individually to all the recent posters, listing their oh so familiar tales of woes, the aches pains, the start stops etc, oh to be young again (not) I’d just like to say :

WELCOME ONE AND ALL

Everyone here is here to help and share their experiences. We are all treading the same path, just on different stages of the journey. Friendship, support and nurture makes this place rock.

So enjoy the ride.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

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@bmaclaren You have a first year to your name. Congratulations on the milestone. Keep at it and by the time you retire you could be performing a few songs at your retirement party! :smiley: :+1:

@SDKissFan Jeff … that was the mildest rant I have seen in a while! haha :wink: If you are discussing neural pathways, psychological development and whatnot then we have a few folk who might know a little about those dark arts.

That’s what we’re all about here. For sure.

@bgtrev
Welcome Trevor

That’s some darn fine progress right there - especially with a wonky digit! :wink:

@Bsmooth Hi Bruce, welcome aboard.

When you decide that playing guitar makes you happy! :smiley: Or, as stitch already said, when you can play a song perhaps. Learn songs, learn songs, learn songs and you can’t go wrong.

@laser_171825 Hi Malcolm and welcome.

Sage wisdom right there. We are who we are, we are as old as we are, we do what we can do.

@PJMCM Welcome back to the fold Peter. Good to see you again old friend. :slight_smile:

Welcome to the community @gjlaird
Jim, I love these words of yours, so true, so affecting, so resonant.

Hello @peteh77
Pete, you are a man after my own heart.
My mantra is learn songs, learn songs, learn songs.
Look at this …

You embody that spirit.
Kudos and good vibes to you. :slight_smile:

@NolaBill Hi Bill and welcome. :slight_smile:
It takes a lot of determination and discipline to go right back to the beginning and start again. All power to you for walking the walk and doing the hard work. We have had other folk describe how such a course of action made a huge difference to them also.

@sandrobertini Hello Sandro, welcome. :slight_smile:

Everybody struggles, you really are not alone in that. Some struggle a lot so maybe you’re doing better than you realise. And HAVING FUN is the crucial part. Plus, making music with your daughter - what joy.

@sbainhud Hello Swate and a very warm welcome. From teenager to 60-something is a gap. You will read above of many others who picked up a guitar when a fresh-faced youngster then put it away for years and more. Doubts are common to so many of us. Sharing and caring won’t help us make music but it can affirm and reassure as we take those wobbly steps. :slight_smile: Good luck. Lean on the people here if you need support.

Welcome to the community @VSapor63 It’s great to have so many new folk stop by to say hello and share their story. Congratulations on reaching a two-year anniversary. Keep on being inspired and don’t look back. You have broken the back of it. Keep on keeping on and enjoy your music.

@TheMadman_tobyjenner Great words Toby. :slight_smile:

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I’m definitely in that category. In my last year of my forties and been wanting to do this for a long time. I have to admit I’m scared I will give up but hopefully with the help of people like yourself I will just love this new challenge and all it brings.
Can you teach an old dog.
We are about to find out.

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Who let the dogs out?
Woof
Woof
Woof
Woof

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Four fingered chords with a dodgy digit, hilarious performance! Gotta laugh!

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You are barking mad Mr C. I’m supposed to be the resident loony ! :rofl:

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