@georgemoe Hi George and welcome. If you are restarting I’d strongly suggest starting at Grade 1 and working you way up, The has been many new lessons added since the old BC and they will all help your progress. In fact I finished the old BC and IM years ago but have been slowly making my way through the new courses, to catch up on the lessons that have been added and I am learning some new stuff along the way. Yes there will be bits you know but it will be the best way to kick start your learning.
Hi all, Steve from Northern Ireland here. Very relieved to have found this thread. Like many people I first learned to play the guitar from age 10 or so, until I was 16 or 17 - classical guitar and did my grades, but my heart was never really in it I guess. Since then I’ve played on and off but never really got terribly far and each time ended up a bit disheartened as I’d no real idea where to go with it. Finding these courses has been genuinely incredible, and I love Justin’s approach to music generally.
I’ve started right at the beginning using the app, armed with my Christmas present to myself, an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro. Barely put it down since it arrived and am investigating the website lessons too - I’ve been looking a the theory, and tinkering with the blues lessons.
After many years of thinking about how much I’d like to find time to play, these lessons have finally given me the inspiration to do it.
Out of interest, does anyone here combine the online material with occasional ‘real life’ lessons with a local tutor?
Cheers
Steve
Hello Steve and welcome to the community! I’ve thought about taking a couple of real life lessons just for the immediate feedback so I’m going to be watching the responses to your question with great interest. Great choice on your Christmas present!
I feel that we need to endure a few doldrums to advance to the inspiration. It is how everything complex that we learn is.
Keep determined and enjoy the process and you will do great!
I am a year in and have recently found I need to go back to perfect fast changes again to progress. It is not a setback, it is what I need and want to move forward.
I have felt a few times that it is too hard. The more I learn the more I realize that it is hard. But we all chose to start this journey for our reasons. If I stop, how will I play guitar?
I’m Iain and I’m just a little too-old to truthfully say I’m still in my mid-40s!
I’ve been playing on and off since around 2004, and have done various bits and pieces, but never too seriously, mostly just making some noise for me to sing along to. This also means that I learned to play guitar ‘organically’ at first, by looking for songs that I could play easily (think A, E, G, D and C). I soon ran out of them, and realised that I did need to play an F and a Bm now and then after all.
So my technique is somewhat wonky in places… Since finding JustinGuitar around a year ago I’ve spent a lot of time just working on basic strumming, and I’ve recently started trying some fingerstyle too.
There is some kind of technical foundation in my past, as I learned trumpet and cornet at school, which I still play now and then, and that gave me good musical theory knowledge at least. Being able to play more than one note at once (and sing at the same time) is great fun
I’m 52, going on 53 later this month; January marks the start of my 4th month in this adventure. Completed Grade 1 Module 5 (the C chord) just before Christmas and I’m now working that module’s practice routine. I pickup the guitar every day and really enjoy my time with it. Something clicked for me with this instrument; not that I’m good or anything (yet), but this is probably one of the few times where I’ve found myself completely absorbed. I have a couple synths and a drum machine that I’m pretty good at making noises with, but none of those draw my attention in the same way that the guitar does…I want to learn and I want to progress. I found Justin’s courses through another older guitar YouTuber talking about the various learning options out there…and I haven’t looked back.
My current focus is on getting decent strumming into the songs and smoothing out the chord transitions (e.g. jumping from Em to D quickly in Daft Punk’s Get Lucky…which I love playing).
It’s helpful that I work from home and I have a girlfriend who constantly lends me encouragement (a huge EVH fan).
Pushin 65 and 2 years on acoustic guitar this spring .
Age has not been much an issue .
Got about 40-50 songs I can play through mostly gracefully !/2 w/o looking in the book and 20 or so chords without looking at the fretboard.
I won’t lie though, you have to put the time in. An hour a day everyday probably.
Here’s what I’m working on now, a bit of a challenge.
Aime by Pure Pararrie League. Pure Prairie League - Amie - Live at the Dosey Doe on January 19, 2019 - YouTube
I’ll be 73 in about a month. Tried to learn guitar off and on for 50 years. It never lasted more than about 6 months. When I ran across Justin’s videos on YouTube in mid- 2016, I thought I’d give it one more shot. I could play House of the Rising Sun, sort of, at that time. I actually started making progress, so joined the Forum/Community in February of 2017. I’m here to tell you and I hope to encourage you that old dogs can learn and play guitar. While I’ll never be a pro, I’m having the time of my life learning, playing, recording and interacting with the great people of this community.
I can honestly say that Justin’s method works if you put in the time and really want to learn. Go for it and stick with it; you won’t be sorry you did.
Hi all, first post here, be kind . I’m 53 year old mum of four 20 somethings who all taught themselves to play all kinds of stringed instruments over the past 15 years or so. Think I was too busy being ‘mum’ to notice. I have total admiration for anyone who can play an instrument - what a fabulous skill to have. I picked up a guitar 4 months ago and had half a dozen lessons with a local teacher just to get the very basics and to make me accountable to someone, if I’d have tried to teach myself from day one I’d probably have given up. Found Justin’s site a few weeks ago and am working my way through, still very much a beginner but can play along with simple songs but finding strumming difficult. It’s all a bit daunting at the minute, so much to learn! Hoping to get the hang of the community ‘forum’ and learn from you all. x
Hi Paula and welcome to the Community. Yes its never too late start but sounds like you are already good progress, as you’ve got to start somewhere. Spent a couple of years living in Formby before work took me over to Wakefield.
Have a good look around and shout up if you ever need help.
I came up from Watford (born Stevenage) again due to work but had some lovely times there. Dog walks on the beach and in the dunes most days. Sad to leave but needs must and all that. Hey but now in Normandie for the last 10 years
I’m on the beach most days at the minute. I work as a gardener and have a couple of months off over winter so have the time to walk down there. It’s a lovely place to live, Normandie must be fab as well
Hey there Paula! Fellow ‘old mum’ here, mine too are in the twenty/early thirties. I’m a beginner too, and I know what you mean about it feeling daunting in the beginning. I’m three months in, and loving Justin’s lessons…it’s feeling like the right time in life for me, personally. I hope you’re feeling that too. Sometimes, it really is a matter of timing.
Stick around here as you make your way through the lessons, because there are so many great people here to help and offer advice and insight. Enjoy the adventure!
Hi Heather, thanks for the reply, nice to know I’m not the only ‘oldie’ . Just feels like I’ve never had the time before and playing guitar has something that has been on my radar for decades. Glad I’ve found Justin’s lessons, so much easier to follow than a couple of others I tried. I started Module 4 in Grade 1 last night and will plod on… Have a good day x
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