Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Sam
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Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Ok, between now and dead, as Dr. Laura Schlesinger says, what do I want to accomplish? Well, went to Costa Rica and ziplined. White water rafted various rivers. Will go skydiving. Will get up to Canada and stalk elk or some big game, not to shoot, but to just see nature. Saw Grand Canyon and Vegas and will get up to Yosemite to see Yogi Bear and BooBoo. So, what else? Guitar. Play a set at a club. Well, first second Friday in August, I went and got a used amp, a stand, and a new Squier Bullet Telecaster in foam green. Trying to shoot for 15 to 30 minutes a night. Been watching you tube videos to teach myself strumming and chords.

Fast Forward. Still practicing guitar. 26 days into it. Learned 7 chords. C major is hard. So is G. And sometimes my fingers deaden strings. Oh and a D2 as they call it, or D plus 6 over 9. Learned that to play Horse with No Name. Simple but yet hard for me. Singing while playing, not as easy as it looks. Sorta slows me down. But if it was not challenging I probably would lose interest. No sense in singing to it yet, lol. Beale Street is so far away. I am having fun. Gotta make my fingers longer. And my pinky locks up at times.
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Kyle76
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Good for you, Sam! I took up guitar six years ago at about the same age as you. I thought it would be easier than it is, but it’s a journey, not a destination. One thing to keep in mind: the learning process is not linear. You’ll reach many plateaus and seem stuck for awhile, then you’ll break through and be on to the next level. If you’re into learning songs, one thing that really helped me is a phone app that will slow down a song without changing the pitch and also allow you to loop a passage over and over to help you get the notes and timing right. Make sure your Tele is set up well. A guitar with a good setup is so much easier to play. Good luck! Playing an instrument is hugely rewarding!
Jim
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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Downloaded guitar tuba app. And got a tuner to plug inline. Cousin said get a snark tuner. So learned eight cords. The progression is hard but hey, getting it is fun. Still deaden keys. Learning two chord songs like Horse With No Name. It is fun. Can't sing and play at the same time
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Your fingering will improve with practice. Soon you’ll do with ease things that now seem very difficult. Playing AND singing is like a whole ‘nother skill, but you’ll find your brain begins to associate lyrics and chord progressions so that singing can actually help you play better. The real fun comes when you begin to play with and for other people. Snarks are great inexpensive tuners. I’ve got one for every guitar (oh, yeah, get ready for a new acquisition syndrome). Keep us updated on your progress.
Jim
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Jim and Sam, I admire you fellows. The ones that we see on stage make it look so natural, but I know that's not the case. In the past few years I have come to admire the guys who play bass. My favorite is Dusty Hill. The more I listen, the more I realize his bass is probably what I like most about that little group he plays in.
Gary

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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Bass is not glamorous, but the bottom end is like the glue holding everything together. Having played drums for decades, I can say that a solid rhythm section (bass and drums) is essential to a tight band.
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Sam wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 4:36 pm Can't sing and play at the same time
Don’t be so hard on yourself, Sam. I’ve come across many people who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. :mrgreen:

Back on topic: I applaud you for your perseverance; keep it up. I’m 71 and have never been able to learn to play a musical,instrument. In my youth I tried violin and flute, but never got it no matter how hard I tried or was pushed by my parents. Interestingly though, all three of my children play an instrument tolerably well. My son is very good on the guitar, both,acoustic and electric; my eldest daughter acquits herself well on the piano; my youngest daughter mastered the bass clarinet, a strange instrument by my reckoning. For the longest time I’ve had a longing to try the tenor saxophone, but haven’t summed up the courage to give it a try. My secret desire is to play the bagpipes, but SWMBO would not be impressed or at all understanding, her being a Sasenach. My father, a good Scot, secretly played the bagpipes much to my mother’s chagrin; she too is a Sasenach. He also played the accordion at home, but I think that was to get under my mother’s skin more than anything else; however, I have no interest in the accordion.
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

Post by brothers »

Sam, I'm curious about the lessons. How's that working out? I'd think it's the best way to go, as opposed to videos or reading in books, etc.
Gary

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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Jim: Yes, I think the fingering will come as will my fingers hitting the right string and pressing hard enough to not make a buzz. Sometimes, I use my pinkie and it wants to lock up, but heck, it was never really used to this kind of work, lol.

Lessons: I have watched a guy names Marty Scwartz and another named Nate Savage on you tube. I guess it is to learn the chords. Both have videos on ten songs to play using two chords and then one for three chords. It is just a matter of grabbing the guitar and sitting down with it and replicating what they teach for 15 to 20 minutes. Maybe next month (today marks one month that I have had the guitar) I will get a live lesson.

Thinking of getting an acoustic guitar for the office to learn on that as well. Beats having to drag the electric to the office and back. Besides, I read where it is a bit harder on the hands so that would be good to build up dexterity and hand strength and stretching. I tend to overlook things so I am reading up on what a "best" or "best value" beginner acoustic guitar is. May just run down to a pawn shop or the local used guitar store.
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Sam, the pinkie is an unruly child and the most difficult digit to train. Repetition is key. I love Marty and have learned a lot from him. Justin Sandercoe at justinguitar.com also has some great lessons and has updated his website and many of his older, non-HD lessons. Regarding the office, I keep a Strat and a small amp by my desk for occasional practice. Volume on an electric is much easier to control in the work environment. You can even play unplugged or through headphones. Seagull and Yamaha have good value in the acoustic area. They are definitely more difficult to play due to the heavier strings.
Jim
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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Yes I've seen Justin mention different fingerings and so did Nate, especially with the G chord. I've also seen Marty change it up from time to time period that's where practice will make perfect. Also had a guy tell me today to take off the strap and worry about holding the guitar better and so by not having the strap round my neck I was better able to hit the G chord today
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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Been liking the Justin series. Think I am going to stick with that, so many lessons
I will, probably in 2 or 3 weeks, try to get a one-on-one guitar lesson. Someone I can see once a week or every other week to keep me accountable, correct bad habits

Today, taking this lesson: Stage 1: One Minute Changes. Switching between A,D and E as many times as I can in one minute. Will use his fingering of the A chord instead of what Marty at Guitarjamz taught me.

I have seen some Yamakas on Facebook marketplace and well, the reviews on some of them show some entry levels that aren't all that great. One of Justin's tutorials says don't buy a super cheap, not good sounding acoustic, or else I may sour on what it produces. I may to to a local guitar shop to pick up a few and see what they have. May be better to spend $100 there than $70 on Facebook

I wonder if I need a tuner that connects onto the guitar, like a Snark tuner, I am told. I have on that plugs in. Maybe for the Acoustic? Metronome or wait on that?

For some reason, the opening riff of Midnight Rider might be fun to play for friends to show that I am having fun. Saw guitarmadeez video. Now, my electric guitar, when he says to hammer the a string, third fret, it does not ring like the acoustic. Gonna look at various videos, but if I can practice it, this weekend I will try it before family. So pumped
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Well, ended up at a local Guitar Center. Tried out a Seagull S6 Dreadnaught acoustic. They had one that was used at $279.00. Really liked that sound the best, but maybe it was because I read up that it is all wood and made in Canada. Tried an Ibanez

Then went to local guitar shop and tried a used Washburn at $219, a used Yamaha FX800sc, listed at $259.00, let it go at $179.00, and a $299 Austin. Austin was the next best, but I got this

http://www.ibanez.com/products/ag_detai ... color=CL01

Love the look, smaller sized, loud and good base and clear mid and high notes. He threw in a free cord and cheap gig bag, and that would have been another $30 at Guitar Center. Friend says I could use some Elixir nanoweb 10 guage lightweight strings, and he is replacing them tonight, and I will keep the 12 gauge it had, but I was fine with those.

He wanted me to get this

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/AV4 ... ged-Top.gc.

I could get it for $349.00, $150 off list price, but I could not see that it was worth almost twice the one I got. I am not there yet on distinquishing tone. And then the extras would have been another $30. There was a $299 Fender but I would have gotten the used Seagull for $279 or spend $50 more and gotten the Ibanez Vintage.

Soundwise, the Seagull and then this Ibanez I got were the richest to me. They had me singing and my friend says get the ones that sings to you.
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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Today, I am transitioning. Been watching guitarjamz and also Justinguitar and now there is MarkTheguitarguy on Yahoo. I am seeing that there are various ways to hold the pick, strum, even make chords. So, I have learned 8 chords and can go between A and D pretty smoothly. Deadening of some strings happen but I just move on. Mike says practice technique five to ten minutes, and then just tackle a song I like for 15 and then finish with 10 minutes playing one I already know (which is zero at this point).

At some point it seems I may need to download a metronome app and then sometimes I read that I need to tap my foot, which could be like using the metronome. I also feel that scales will be important and bar chords. but I want to tackle 3 or 4 easy songs that I can actually play, beginning to end, and maybe even sing to, and be able to whip the guitar out for company at the house. Then, this other stuff may follow. That seem like a reasonable plan? And at some point, probably take a guitar lesson.

First song, Free Falling by Tom Petty
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Sam wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:24 am First song, Free Falling by Tom Petty
Sam, your friends and family will be in for a real treat! Good luck!
Gary

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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Today is a great day - Guitar Center sent me $40 to spend as I see fit in the next week. So I am going to get some Elixir strings for my acoustic guitar, a string cutting tool and a winder, and then with the $9 or so left, I will get a backup set of strings for the electric guitar. That sound okay or would someone suggest something else?

Edit: Got some Ernie Ball 9 guage superslinkies for the electric, elixer nanoweb 10s for the acoustic, a string cutter (needlenose pliers it looks like) and a dunlop winder to keep in the acoustic gig bag and a cheaper winder for the electric guitar gig bag (and I can always bring the cutter the next day to snip off the end, but at least I can change strings on the electic, which now is at the office and the acoustic, since it is louder, at home)
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Get a capo, if you don’t already have one. If you’re going to sing, you’re going to want to change the key from time to time. I like Kaysers.
Jim
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Sam
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Kyle76 wrote: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:47 pm Get a capo, if you don’t already have one. If you’re going to sing, you’re going to want to change the key from time to time. I like Kaysers.
friend gave me one. I am using it on the 3rd fret now in learning to play free falling
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

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Getting ready for the Apollo, Sam??? 8)
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Re: Wild hair, taking up guitar lessons at age 58

Post by brothers »

Sam, speaking of acoustics, are you familiar with Amos Lee? He's got a few songs that reminded me of your objective, singing a cool song while accompanying yourself on the acoustic.
Gary

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