Rank Beginner at 55, looking for a song approach

I started on March 15 so I'm in my 8th day of guitar training and first day here.

I got obsessed when shopping for effects pedals for my son over Christmas because I can get obsessed with any kind of gear. I studied about 50 pedals, bought 12, and returned 7. I improvised with effects and started to enjoy playing a lot, although I understood how to do absolutely nothing except pluck a string put my finger on a fret and operate the volume nob.

I love this, but felt really held back by not knowing how to play guitar, ha ha!

So I want to learn so that I can continue my experimental music. I'm really hooked this time. I've practiced 1-2 hours every day for the last eight days, limited only by fear that my fingers will give out on my and I won't be able to practice tomorrow.

I've liked Justin these past days but feel a "learn songs" heavy approach would be best for me rather than the calisthenics he encourages. I'll probably continue a bit with Justin too.

I'm hoping Guitar Tricks will get me playing songs quickly as a big part of my practice. At this point it seems I'm a very long way from almost all the tutorials.

I'm very open to suggestions about how to incorporate a learn-songs approach more heavily in my training while I will also continue the more well-rounded approach here at guitar tricks. I have the time, desire, and will-power to do both!

Hello, I can identify with your love of gear. I also started at 55 back in January.

I would say my approach is a bit of a mixed bag. I started with True Fire, taking the free beginners course and buying 2 subsequent lesson plans. I am still working through these and really feel the structure of those courses very beneficial.

Then I took some one on one lessons with a local guitar teacher. This was more to get some help with specific issues I may be having and I see if he can help. I see him only when I feel I need the extra help.

Then I signed up with Ultimate Guitar to get song tabs. I've used this to learn a few songs but there are some songs I still needed extra help with and found some excellent videos on YouTube. My goal when learning a song is to be able to play along with the actual song.

Lastly I joined Guitar Tricks. The reason was the quality I saw in the song lesson videos. Right now I am learning "Baby please don't go", a blues classic.

Like you I practice regularly. 1 hour in the morning before going to work. I keep a journal and use it to plan the next days practice session. This practice session is a combination of working on specific technical drills and song learning. In addition to this I pick up a guitar through the day and work on little things that I am struggling with, such as chord transition. One last thing I will mention is that I find a metronome very helpful for me.

Well!! That's a lot, lol. Best of luck to you!

Thanks William!

I'm going to look into your suggestions. I actually find the play alongs in the beginner level here to be very good considering the technical limitations but I still feel like I need songs I love to really keep going. I'm in the difficult position now of being such a beginner that learning any song is quite a problem though.

I'm going to look into your suggestions and what you've tried, so thanks!

Funny that we are in almost the same place in this. I'm going to try and catch up to you!

I find the instruction here is excellent and I'm really amazed at how well thought out the intro lessons are. I'm a teacher of other things (not music of course) and I'm pretty awed at how well done the lessons are regardless of any interest in guitar.

I've actually found a song here to work on for now-- the opening to Roundabout by Yes. Even though the song has four or five red guitars of difficulty, I think the intro is learnable in slow motion for a beginner and the composition is super inspiring. It's also in free time so that's easier.

Good luck on your journey!

I too am 54 and just got my very first acoustic last week. I have a lot of free time on my hands. My kids are grown and out of the house and I have a job that keeps me in hotels more than I am home. My passion is to learn electric guitar but that's not very condusive to hotel room playing. LOL. I still love acoustic as well and I can travel with it and play it anywhere. I can't wait to start learning. BTW. Big 80's hairband fanatic. Just watched Crue biopic this weekend and loved it. Peace.

When I went to the guitar store last week and bought my first electric guitar at age 51, I thought, now if that's not a sign of mid-life crisis, I don't know what is! I am staying away from Corvette dealerships and motorcycle shops for now.

Anyway, glad to see that I'm not alone here. My wife nicknamed my guitar "Ms LuCy" for mid-life crisis and because I'm a big Blues/R&B/Country fan and I bought a hollow body Sheraton II so that I could play like BB King with his guitar - Lucille (and Chet Atkins).

Good luck old dudes!

Welcome to all of you! I've been playing for about a year, after a hiatus of over 30 years.

Like William, I have found using a combination of Justin and Guitar Tricks works for me. I started with Justin, then found Guitar Tricks-which has become my main source of lessons. In addition to their songs, I have an app on my phone and ipad from Four Chords which lets me play along with songs-including slowing the pace down as I learn. I did pay for full access on Four Chords and Guitar Tricks.

Because I wanted to learn how to read music, I also use the Gibson book and Fret workout to learn the notes on each fret.

As far as gear-I am a gear head anyway. Went a little crazy when I first started when I was trying to find which guitar was comfortable for me (I am a short woman with small hands. Some guitars are just too cumbersome for me), and a few amps (including the Boss JS-10, which has backing/jam tracks that I can learn how to improvise. It has become part of my practice routine).

Overall, I try to keep a structure to my practice routine. I do not always follow it and I continue to modify it as I learn new skills. I would say the only consistents are 1, 3, and 4. I go to 2 (GT) every other day-I practice the prior lesson on my GT days off.

1. spider legs to stretch my fingers;

2. GT lesson (now on Beginner Blues)

3. scales up the entire strings (I say the notes as I play it. It is slow going at first, but it is teaching me the notes because that is one of my personal goals).

4. Chord work-switching between certain chords. At this point, i am working on those I have difficulty with (F chord to C, or G. Or any chord, for that matter)

5. Practice a song I like OR use the Jam Tracks on the Boss JS-10.

Like William, I keep a practice journal, it is not fancy, just notes about what I need to work on, what I want to learn.

I keep it fun and I even speed drill myself on the spider legs just to mix it up a bit.

Again, Welcome to our community! We are just part of a group pf 50s somethings that discovered our inner blues/rock maven or king!

Thanks everyone! it’s good to know there are so many of us!

After a few more days here I found the balance for me. I’n Glad in my fist few days of crazy enthusiasm I put every thing into chord changes and general basics. I rocketed through the first part of the intro course here at guitar tricks them stalled. It was only learning actual songs that saved me.

i attempted the five red guitar level lesson here on roundabout and I was able to learn the intro. This was a game changer for me. My first experience of making music. Now i’m Hooked!

pribably I’ll have to go back to more basic training. I know that’s what made the song attainable for me.

It for now I’m concentrating on learning. Songs. I’ve almost got Wish You Were Here

all I can think of is guitar all the time!

Day 15 now And I can play parts of three songs and that gives me something to work on for hours on end!

Posting to our 50+ Board to keep it near the top! Maybe GT can start a 50+ Newbie Board?

It is nice to know that you are all out there; it is definitely helping to keep me motivated to know that I'm not alone on this mid-life journey.

A week into Fundamentals 2 and I feel like my head is going to explode (as well as my wrist and hands). Up to the Amazing L (it is amazing). There is so much to practice (even just chord changes from Fundamentals 1), but there is so much to learn too and I feel like I'm just begginning to scratch the surface.

Question for the Admin - if where I really want to "get to" is playing leads, will I be better off (in the long run), slowing down a little now and really perfecting rhythm and chords before moving too much further ahead, OR is it okay to keep pressing forward and working on improving on past lessons on chords, rhythm, scales and power chords?

Typically, I will watch one or two GT lessons, then I go back with my guitar and play along. I try not to go more than a lesson or two ahead (lesson, not tutorial) until I can play along with Lisa on a lesson at regular speed without any errors.

A comment (preferably from Lisa M ?) on pace of lessons would be greatly appreciated!

Originally Posted by: Planteater

Thanks everyone! it’s good to know there are so many of us!

After a few more days here I found the balance for me. I’n Glad in my fist few days of crazy enthusiasm I put every thing into chord changes and general basics. I rocketed through the first part of the intro course here at guitar tricks them stalled. It was only learning actual songs that saved me.

i attempted the five red guitar level lesson here on roundabout and I was able to learn the intro. This was a game changer for me. My first experience of making music. Now i’m Hooked!

pribably I’ll have to go back to more basic training. I know that’s what made the song attainable for me.

It for now I’m concentrating on learning. Songs. I’ve almost got Wish You Were Here

all I can think of is guitar all the time!

Day 15 now And I can play parts of three songs and that gives me something to work on for hours on end!

It's been decades since I was a beginner but I do recall that being able to play music was very rewarding. I mean, that's why you play, ya know.

My wife is starting to learn the mandolin. She's never really learned a stringed instrument (though she has a beautiful voice). The lessons she's opted to use have started her similar to Guitar Tricks and as part of the last, a small melodic song (Elvis - Fools Rush In). I could hear the joy when she could pick out a recognizable melody. That was just the first day!

I cautioned her that she should not get frustrated because she's not playing perfectly. It's natural to want to hear a perfect version.

I told her my story of playing my first song (Rush-Fly by Night). It's really the first thing I'd ever learned on guitar. It came naturally, for the most part but I also told her that to get it down to where it was 'satisfactory' for me, it took over a month to really get it down. Even today, the decending part of the rhythm, the lowest note (A#) is a little janky for me. You might not noticed that it isn't perfect, but I do...that's after playing the song off and on for the last 35+ years!

The point is; have fun! Perfection is a goal in the distance. Work towards it but don't be a victim of it and do as you're doing; enjoy. Don't lose that.

It is great that you are clear on what you MOST want to learn to do (play lead). It is possible to play some pretty good lead guitar if you spend time mastering the pentatonic scale, and understand some basics of music theory - such as, 'what chords are likely to appear in a song that is in the key of C?' (or whatver key).

So that would be the super-short-cut path to what it is you most wish to be able to play. That said, the more SOLID your overall foundation is on the instrument (in other words, yes, going through all the lessons and doing your best to master the techniques), the more delicious and delightlful your lead playing will ultimatley be.

It really is your call - some folks want to fast-track themselves to being able to do something they love (like play lead) at a good functional level, while others want to spend more time builiding a broad and solid foundation of overall skills and understanding of the instrument first.

You have all the resources here at your fingertips - you are free to chart a path that feels like the best fit for you. And you can always re-group and try a different approach if you don't feel you are moving in the direction of your goals in a way that pleases you.

Most of all - have fun with it! -Lisa

Originally Posted by: sgautier8th

Posting to our 50+ Board to keep it near the top! Maybe GT can start a 50+ Newbie Board?

It is nice to know that you are all out there; it is definitely helping to keep me motivated to know that I'm not alone on this mid-life journey.

A week into Fundamentals 2 and I feel like my head is going to explode (as well as my wrist and hands). Up to the Amazing L (it is amazing). There is so much to practice (even just chord changes from Fundamentals 1), but there is so much to learn too and I feel like I'm just begginning to scratch the surface.

Question for the Admin - if where I really want to "get to" is playing leads, will I be better off (in the long run), slowing down a little now and really perfecting rhythm and chords before moving too much further ahead, OR is it okay to keep pressing forward and working on improving on past lessons on chords, rhythm, scales and power chords?

Typically, I will watch one or two GT lessons, then I go back with my guitar and play along. I try not to go more than a lesson or two ahead (lesson, not tutorial) until I can play along with Lisa on a lesson at regular speed without any errors.

A comment (preferably from Lisa M ?) on pace of lessons would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Lisa!

Just this moment, I finished your Guitar Fundamentals 2! (I completed #1 last year.) Thank you.

I did every single lesson from beginning to end. Everyone starting out should do your Beginner lessons. Your care for the student is obvious and your ability to communicate what to do unparalleled. Guitar Tricks is lucky to have you.

I'm another in the 50+ group -- bought a Les Paul at age 50 for my wife's Birthday. LOL! (I got her a gift too.)

My main passion is Blues lead. Well, I should say Blues Rock. My top influences are Joe Bonamassa, Frank Marino, Gary Clark Jr, BB King, Jimmy Page, Alex Lifeson, and SRV.

Upon reading your reply about the "super-short-cut path" versus mastering the fundamentals, I realized my approach has definitely been the latter. I had been playing for a couple years before starting your course -- and always with the "long-term skills" approach. Not unhappy with it, but ... I want to learn more whole songs now and start playing with others.

Based on that, here are my questions:

My plan is to do the Guitar Tricks Blues Fundamentals courses next. Would you recommend that for me, or would you recommend something else first?

Can you recommend any Blues (or Blues Rock) songs that would be an easy place to start?

Any other thoughts you may have are also welcome!

Thank you so much for taking the time.

I started back in 2016 as a 62 year old never having any kind of musical training. I started because of a double knee replacement surgery and I wanted something to keep my mind and hands occupied through the 9 month rehab. I highly recommend Lisa McCormick's begginers 1 and 2 courses. You can still learn songs but will get a great foundation for your journey. Remeber knowlege is power...welcome and practice, practice, practice.