Originally Posted by: BrokenJerawhat im looking for advice on is where do i start? .

You should put your guitar in it's case and put it some where you can't see it. Then after studying theory for 2-3 years, find your guitar and start learning the fretboard. Just kidding! That is where we should have all started, but nobody ever does.

I'm not a professional musician, but like you, have been playing guitar since I was 13 and I'm looking at retirement now.

If I were you, I would find a good instructor that will teach you theory while playing the guitar. There are a lot of instructors out there that are really good guitarists, but there are only a few good teachers. If you have a good instructor, he will know what you can do and will always challenge you. You will never have nothing to do.

Start with playing chords. Work on progessions from one chord to another. Purposely work on barred chords and those using your pinky. Start slowly and when you can play the chords correctly, then add a new chord.

Meanwhile, learn to play the scales and learn the fretboard. Learn where each note is and how to change key without thinking about. Learn one mode perfectly before continuing to the next.

Don't neglect exercise. Do the exercises correctly. This will loosen up your fingers and allow you to continue to play long into your retirement. Pick exercises that force you to use your pinky and stretch your finger span.

Find someone to play with. Not necessarily a band, but at least 2 people. One that is better than you and one that is worse than you. You will be surprised how much you will learn by helping others.

I would not take online lessons. It's OK to learn a lick, but one on one, face to face instruction will always be best.

Practice every day without acception. Even if for only 15 mins. If you are like me, you sit down planning to practice an hour and next thing you know, it's been 3.

Start slow and increase the tempo only if you are doing everything correctly.

Keep a schedule. Try to pick a time to practice every day. Log what you want to cover during your session (exercises, scales, training your ear, chords, picking out melodies, etc.) and try to cover it all. Log what you did do and record the beginning and the end of each session. You can always fine time to practice. I go to bed between 9 and 10pm Sunday thru Thrusday and get up every morining at 3:45am. The problem is not fining time to practice. The problem is fining the time to practice after you did all the things you wanted to do instead of practice.

The guitar grimorie exercise book is an excellent book, but awful dry. I can't believe it's not challenging for you. There are at least three volume of that series if you need more to work on.

I'm sure others will say I am out of my gorde and some will have additional ideas, but you just wanted a start.