I can see you are working hard to break down my resistance to sing.
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Tony need to work on the guitar first just at Grade 1 Module 4 so have a bit to go
@TheMadman_tobyjenner thanks for the link to website
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Crikey, it’s all happening in here.
At 51, I feel I might be a little too young for in here. 
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Some songs are easier to do than others. I’d suggest picking songs that you know the words to without really thinking about them.
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Only if you want to! I’m not a singer either, but I’m thinking it might happen as I get better and more comfortable as a guitar player.
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37 year old here, does that count?
I’ve attempted guitar multiple times through my life. As a 7 year old I had a few weeks of lessons on an acoustic with my aunt. It didn’t go anywhere. In high school and college I tried picking up the bass, but I was a college student busy doing college student things, and I never practiced.
Fast forward a few years and a buddy taught me some jazz scales, but again, no practice. Then, about 7 years ago I picked up rocksmith in an attempt to learn, which didn’t really help. I also grabbed a classical guitar and attempted to learn - but after 2 years, I stopped paying for lessons. I enjoyed it, but I just didn’t have a lot of time to practice. All along this time I definitely picked up some chords that I could remember, but I never really felt “musical”.
This past December I took a long vacation and decided I’d buy a super cheap strat to practice on with Rocksmith. Again, Rocksmith just didn’t help. No real linear course to follow, no way to filter songs that had chords you know, no concept of having learners learn a single position. It got frustrating. So I decided to give Justin a shot. I’ve been practicing regularly ever since. And for once I actually feel like it’s sticking and I’m making progress. The videos and practice assistant are great.
I think the big breakthrough thing for me were the songs. Using the recorded videos on the site, but especially using the beginner app. It delivered every single thing I was really hoping rocksmith would be but wasn’t.
Like, I can filter songs by chords I know (everything is built around first position), I can practice their individual strum patterns, practice the chords, and then actually play along. It’s absolutely revolutionized practicing for me, and created a self-reinforcing feedback loop. After years of lessons I actually feel musical for the first time, and it makes me want to practice more and more.
I also really wanted to commit to learning around my young daughter. Like, it’s hard to teach grit. So why not show her me working through things. I think it’s important to show her that lifelong learning is important, and that it’s ok to suck at stuff so long as you work to get better. Now she wants to pick up the guitar herself (much to the chagrin of her classically trained band teacher mom who really wants her to learn piano).
Plus, it’s the cutest dang thing to watch a 5 year old dancing around while you play, but it’s kind of a cruel joke that most “favorite easy children’s songs” use F chords!
I also picked up the Justin “Songs for Mums and Dads” book but only afterwards realized it was meant for uke. Not a huge issue since there’s no transposing needed, but again, almost everything uses F chords. I’m close to being able to play them reliably on my strat, but they’re unplayable on my mini martin acoustic. But hey, that’s why I have both!
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RE @msarro : “37 year old here, does that count?’ My first reaction was, I don’ think so. This is a special club with a high bar for membership. But then you said, “…Like, it’s hard to teach grit. So why not show her me working through things…”. Spoken like an older guitar student so Welcome to the Club, Matthew 
What if she learns to play both guitar and piano?!
Enjoy the journey.
Dave
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You’re not really an “old dog” but we do have a position open for “team mascot!” 
Silliness aside (and I don’t set silliness aside lightly), great story! What you have that so many of us old dogs share is that at some point we come to a realization that if we want to play this here guitar it is going to require an intelligent approach and a long-term commitment, not just having a gonzo buddy show us a few chords.
Having your young daughter as an inspiration and motivator is awesome. You are giving her a gift by showing her how to accomplish something that is difficult, etc. (You said it well, I’m not going to try to say it better).
So I’ll say that if you want to be part of the “old dogs” club then you’ve got my vote! You do have to occasionally mutter something about how your fingers hurt, and you have to tell at least one neighborhood kid to get off your lawn (even if you don’t have a lawn)!
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Great Forum subject. Started in high school for 2 years under once a week instruction. Instructor moved and no one else in the area no you tube back then. As a kid put it down and went to college, family, career. REGRETTED putting the guitar down from that day forward. Raised kids and now at 50 have picked it back up and so glad I did. At intermediate 4 and working on pentatonic. Justin has been a big part of getting me back going. I will not put it back down again.
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Welcome @DocJ ! Glad that you finally came back around to what moves you!
And @msarro, although you may not truly be an old dog, you will be eventually. So why not start early? Besides, there is nothing that makes you feel old quite like having a daughter…ask me how I know🤦🏼♂️
I had several reasons I wanted to pick up guitar. One reason I started when I did, though, was my daughter. She was starting to flag in her violin lessons and I thought that if I actually showed that I would learn too, and could be persistent, maybe she would be encouraged.
Oh, well. My first guitar failure…
Now I am exhibiting grit to the young lady and whatever, I am loving playing guitar and I deserve to do one thing for me, too!
Glad to have you all on with us! Keep on playing!
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Hi I’m David,62,from north Lancashire.
I’ve been enjoying reading this thread. It has wit, wisdom and……lawncare.
Tried and failed in my 30’s, picked the guitar up again at 62. Enough said. It’s the same story all over the Community. But why do we all pick it up again? Once a guitarist always a guitarist?
After 6 months of pretty much the same way as back then, I’ve opened my mind to the idea of following Justin’s lessons, learning songs, listening to those on here who know better than me and also those in the same boat, and having some fun with it along the way.
I’m on this journey now and I see no reason why this old dog can’t learn new tricks and I’ll have something to do when I get old!
While I’m doing that, could someone please put the puppies through house training.
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Why do we pick up again? Coz you’re never too old to rock and roll. Simples. 
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Tis true @TheMadman_tobyjenner
Around the age of fifty,having never shown any musical inclinations, Dad astounded us all when he bought himself a Hammond organ and Leslie speaker. He had lessons to get started and he liked to play it annoyingly loud. He played well into his retirement. He’s almost 90 now and he and Mum still get out and about, but he doesn’t play these days. Although we’ve never heard any rock and roll coming out of the Leslie, he enjoyed playing through those years.
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Rock on little brother! I wish I had committed at your age. Welcome!
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That’s a cool story, brings a smile to my face. 
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@BurnsRhythm Great story, plus they’re still getting around at almost 90
Is the Leslie still around? It would be fun to experiment playing your guitar with the Leslie connected.
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I’m 50 and picked up guitar and electric bass about a year ago as a pandemic hobby. I also began studying music theory at that time, which I had learned nothing about despite years of playing in a school band. And recently, we started taking singing lessons too.
I have been having a lot of fun but my practice routines are not good. I jump around too much because there is always something new I want to get a taste of. I feel like I have had not a year of experience, but a month of experience 12 times.
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Though you do have the advantage of having significant guitar-playing skills …
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Wonderful, David, just what the late great Jon Lord played … I guess no Deep Purple either from your Dad
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