Bent Olav Olsen Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I'm 50 years old and a beginner. I have played guitar "all my life" but I was just strumming (I could sort of sing so I could be in a band even though my guitar skills was mediocre). Now I try and learn to play guitar and put lot of time, effort and very little talent into it. But I love to play and I love my guitars. I have bought "all the books" with titles like: "Total Blues Guitar", "Fretboard fluency", "Master the guitar", "Pentatonic heaven or catatonic hell". And I play. Today I have tried something different. I have tried to play Scottys solo on Blue Suede Shoes. I know it is a very simple solo, but even at something like half speed I have a hard time. But it is something "old but new and fresh", it is different and it is harder than everything I have tried before. And trying something harder, something more difficult gives me pure joy. And my 335 tells me it likes that solo. So I'll keep on playing it at half speed until I can work up some speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I have taken up guitar again just like you, except that I am 61 and am taking lessons Maybe we should start a club and get our own dedicated forum. Call it something like "Old Farts with New G Strings" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent Olav Olsen Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 I have taken up guitar again just like you, except that I am 61 and am taking lessons Maybe we should start a club and get our own dedicated forum. Call it something like "Old Farts with New G Strings" You should not write something like that when I'm drinking coffee in front of my computer :-) I'll start taking lessons next week and I'm so looking forward to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Yes.. not only pushing your limits but doing stuff that's different too... outside of your usual genre or style... I was doing some stuff a few years back when I was trying to record and get some ideas down.... Here I did a track for what was going to be a Western (cowboy) mobile phone game (but it never went ahead in the end).. But it was totally outside my usual rock/blues genre This is me trying to push myself a little when I was trying to learn a part from the Queen song Innuendo... this was after just a few hours of trying it (learnt by ear).... it goes terribly wrong :) but was fun learning it https://soundcloud.com/rabs2012/rabs-innuendo And this is me playing the Bass to a Jackson 5 song which was also lots of fun Ive been a bit lax on this stuff the last few years but really wanna get back in to it at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 similar to you BOO, though i started at around 40 a few years ago and straight into a covers band playing mainly rhythm. I agree your sentiments entirely. I've just started a 3 piece band with me on guitar and vocals doing originals I've written (garage/rock) with mates who are quite new to drums and bass too - like a bunch of teenagers - what I'd love to find is a video that helps me understand how and when to best use effects and how to set them up so I can make parts of songs more interesting (or at least different) - Overdrive and Boost I can use fine as i did that extensively in the covers band i was in, but things like Wah, Delay and maybe some Phaser are a bit of a struggle to get comfortable with to say the least - so I'm hoping to find something that helps shortcut to basic but useful information to someone in my situation. rock on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent Olav Olsen Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Thanx Rabs, that was very much outside the blues/rock genre, hope I'll be able to play and play around with music like that some day! I find that It's when I push myself outside my comfort zone that I might take some giant steps in my learning process. As long as I just "play more of the same and just take baby steps" I get bored. Just ordered a book on Surf Guitar just to have something to have fun with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 But it is something "old but new and fresh", it is different and it is harder than everything I have tried before. And trying something harder, something more difficult gives me pure joy. I'm an "older" guy too and have some history with the guitar, but I'm very limited in "pieces" I know. I'm working on Jorma Kaukonen's , from one of the Airplane's first albums. It's well beyond my ability, of course, but what's great is, I can actually play parts of it. Making those changes in beat is tough, especially that first two-finger slide up to a higher iteration of D is a killer! I don't have his picking technique; my own's similar, but simplified.... . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBGDRoFDUPY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent Olav Olsen Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Cougar , what a beautifull tune. Hadn't heard that before thanks for sharing that. Best of luck with nailing that one. I'll put that on my list even though it is seriously above my level Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I didn't realize there were so many senior members on the forum.That's really nice. I learned and recorded Paul McCartney's Blackbird this summer. It was a challenge particularly as I'm struggling with depression but did it in the end. Good to hear from senior members, keep in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I didn't realize there were so many senior members on the forum.That's really nice. I learned and recorded Paul McCartney's Blackbird this summer. It was a challenge particularly as I'm struggling with depression but did it in the end. Good to hear from senior members, keep in touch. I've been on for a few years now, I can tell ya that a great % of the guys here are in their 50s at least. (I'm 58) it's amazing how much there is to know/and do with this thing with 6 strings and I've been playing guitar since the late 60s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Just started last year with lessons, I had never played before and the progress is slow for me but I like it. I am 56. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny V Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 +1 for the old guys. I first started playing guitar in 1963. Took lessons for a year and then self taught myself. I recently started taking lessons again from a great guitar player/teacher. Best guitar playing decision I ever made. I have learned a heck of a lot by being challenged with new music weekly. It was almost like magic I am able to memorize songs quickly again. Your never too old to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent Olav Olsen Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Wow! how cool, we have an old timers league :-) Managed the solo at 75% of speed today, got so self assured that I tried "no particular please to go". I really need to build up som stamina. Those guys could pick! The solos sound so simple but its damned hard. But fun. A new challenge each week sound like a good plan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 At 69 I'm all for an old timers section. Actually I'll be 70 in 4 months (Dec)...so if it happens I will be more than happy to participate. Been playing since I was 11 learned a few things. I'm more than willing to share as I'm sure we all would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 At 69 I'm all for an old timers section. Actually I'll be 70 in 4 months (Dec)...so if it happens I will be more than happy to participate. Been playing since I was 11 learned a few things. I'm more than willing to share as I'm sure we all would. Hi KB I've got a nasty feeling I might be the oldest member here at 73 in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'm 62. Started playing when I was 12, took lessons for two years and played on and off for about 20 years. Then bought a nice acoustic and fumbled around until about 20 years ago when I bought a Studio LP and a Fender amp. That's when I got more serious. At around 50, I started taking lessons, and continued on and off (mostly on) for the next ten years. Best thing I could have done for my playing. The instructor I had was great. He had me spending equal time learning theory, technique, and songs. I still consider myself an advanced beginner, but I'm happy where I am. To learn a song before I took lessons might have taken weeks. Now, I can learn all parts of a song in a couple of days, even one I've never heard before, because I can learn it from notation. You're never too old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Wow I'm 55 and am actually feeling a bit young. Thanks guys! Cougar I thought for sure you were going to be a middle aged hot chick - ya cougar. I played from 74-91 regularly and was feeling pretty good even though I had a day job other than guitar. Now starting one band here and also where I grew up in Arkansas to play an Alzheimer's benefit gig in April (appropriately it seems). Tackling hard stuff and reaching that goal to where you say, "Wow, that was it" is what it's all about I think. It makes you such a better player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent Olav Olsen Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 You're never too old. If I were to have a tattoo ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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