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

Hi everyone, Rob checking in at 63.
I will have been playing for 2 years at the end of Sept. My journey so far has been learning a mixture of finger style and rhythm guitar on acoustic. The survey about my experience level put me at grade 4 so I will say entry intermediate level player. I have learned many songs from Justin in the past 6 months or so while I have been contemplating joining the community, and I like the fact that all his songs are graded. Lately i have been playing songs that are mostly if not all bar cords and a lot of triads for practice. My goal is also to become a better singer rather than hummer when i play songs :smiley:

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Hi @george3337 and @rbartlett

Welcome here and I wish you both a very nice time here and a lot of fun learning and playing guitar :sunglasses:
Greetings, Rogier

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Welcome to the kennel, Rob. It’s a great place.

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I read through 2 1/2 years of replies here thinking I surely must have left a comment or two. Nope! (or maybe I just couldn’t find any) Anyway, my name is Greg and I’ll be 71 in a couple of weeks. I’ve played guitar on and off for over 50 years. I retired at 67 and started up with Justin Guitar a few months later. Since then, I’ve learned a lot. I’m living proof that old dogs can learn new tricks!

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Oh dear, Greg @GDPiper169, that’s disappointing! Please accept a belated welcome from me. I’m always a bit envious of folks who have been playing for a long time, thinking of all the fun I’ve missed out on! Glad to hear you’ve learned from Justin even with your background. Also glad you’re still here. I’d love to hear some of your most exciting learnings!

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Thank you. And I’m glad I’m still here too! :rofl:

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Hey, I guess I am the lifetime beginner. First got an acoustic when I was at Primary school and I was in a little pop group that played tunes written by the smartest kid who ran the band and influenced us all. I gave up but two of them went on to have careers as professional guitarists.

I have tried over the years several times and put hundreds of hours in but never really got to any level of competence.

Roll on many years and a mate was over from Australia and gave me a quick lesson on my acoustic and inspired me to try again.
This time I am determined not to be sidetracked and actually learn a few songs to a reasonable competence.

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Hi Greg @GDPiper169 ,
Long time no see … welcome back and here in the old dogs place :smiley:

Was your age based on when you started reading all this or after?

otherwise it must be your birthday by now :roll_eyes::smile:

Have fun :sunglasses:
Greetings, Rogier

Hi Steve @Steve_t1

Welcome here and This really is the best place online to make your guitar dreams come true… just start again like you did , follow the program and you will be playing the song within a few days or weeks :sunglasses: :smiley:

Have fun :sunglasses:

Greetings,Rogier

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Hi Steve @Steve_t1, you’re in good company here! I hope you find Justin’s lesson structure a satisfying way to return to your learning. Keep us posted on your journey!

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Thanks. I’ve been absent from the forum for awhile because my wife and I were house hunting and then eventually moved. The next move will require 6 men and a long box! :rofl:

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Somewhat over due in my catch up.
Hello and welcome to new old dogs … @akkana @Huderstub @Asat11 @george3337 @Ro2 @rbartlett @GDPiper169 @Steve_t1
:slight_smile:

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Thank you.

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Thanks @Richard_close2u I am working my way through the courses, finding my place to really get down to it. I have been speed viewing the beginners courses, though watching them to make sure I am missing anything, I’m now on the intermediate grade 4 course where I will settle for awhile as I think this is where I need to start studying.

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yeah me to im coming up to 65 next birthday and I am about the same how time moves on man :smile:

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It is crazy to me that I am the “old guy” now at 50, when my mind thinks im still 12. Anyway, I have started Justin’s course and i am taking it extremly slow for now. With the kids at the age where they don’t need Dad as often I find i havve time to take up a hobby, hopefully someday I will be able to play a song or two.

Brian

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Welcome Brian. Im about 19 months in and can play several songs, not lead, mind you, but well enough to sing along. Im lucky to get 30 minutes practice per day in. Youll do great.

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Hi Brian,
Welcome here and I wish you a lot of fun :sunglasses:

I have adjusted your text a bit :blush: because I guarantee you that it will be faster than you currently expect and will also play a little more than 2 songs if you slowly but surely (or very quickly and for many hours than of course quicker ) follow the program with your "old " brain cells :smiley:

Greetings ,Rogier (also 50 … for a couple of weeks)

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Hi all
I just found this thread and guess I’m an old dog too :slight_smile: 57 and have been playing now for 10 years, the first 2 years non serious, no lessons, no amp even and no real direction, I just enjoyed plonking around and then a break of a few years while we moved and renovated, but the last couple of years now I have my own practice space and have acuminated some nice guitars and a couple of decent amplifiers I’m feeling the flow coming, I’ve tried many instructional courses but they all seemed to assume I already had some in built knowledge and skipped along leaving me thinking I wouldn’t get anywhere until just before BLIM came along I found a scale training system with Marco Tafelli which is hardly any talking just exercise’s in 10 minute chunks I would recommend alongside or after BLIM , anyhow I digress, BLIM seems to have hit the spot for me, section 1 took me back to the beginning, I didn’t skip any but learnt my timing was off and not usually playing in the mix this stood out so I do look foreword to completing the course, I practice most evenings so at the 6 month mark I’m quite sure I’m going to be in a much better place :slight_smile:

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Yeah, welcome Brian and Rebecca. Glyn, Sparky as in electrician if so I am a sparky too and retired so doing the same as you guys cheers Hec

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Hi all I’m Scott 57 so I qualify as old dog in my mind . My guitar journey started in the late 70s with lessons but I never progressed very far and quit after a few weeks. Haven’t touched my old guitar in 40 years but I just finished the level 1 beginner course.

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