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Hi all. I played Trombone in High School. My fondest memories of high school revolve around music. I always wanted to play guitar but never took time to do anything about it. When I turned 40 (in 2002) I decided it was time to take lessons, so I borrowed a low-end guitar from a friend and signed up with a local instructor. I told him I really like the sound of finger picking and strumming was too boring. It started out decent, but the cheapo guitar was a struggle. So I looked around and got a decent deal on a Martin SPD16-T (mahogany and spruce) which was light years ahead of the loaner.
With that, I started making progress with finger picking but was having issues getting the left-hand to do what it's supposed to. I knew I needed to just focus on moving from chord to chord, but with each lesson the instructor gave me increasingly difficult music to play and I quickly became overwhelmed and frustrated. So I stopped the lessons to just practice basics on my own time. Barre chords were impossible and I felt like I was going nowhere. So the guitar went in the closet and collected dust. My two daughters got into music and sports so those activities consumed pretty much all my time.
This fall daughter #1 went to college (and still in band) while daughter #2 is a H.S. senior (playing sax in band and viola in orchestra), working, and driving herself around. So all of a sudden I have free time I wasn't accustomed to. So I sent the Martin to a local luthier to check setup and he lowered the action. Wow, now I can sorta play barre chords. I started working with some of the old tabs, but I have difficulty with what fingers go where so I was starting to get frustrated and thinking I need lessons again. But I really need to go at my own pace. Then daughter #2 shows me lessons on Youtube. OMG!! :woohoo: That opened up a whole new world for me! How great it is to have someone showing me what to do and I can pause/replay as much as I need. At age 50 I have a renewed motivation to learn this.
The strumming pattern for "Horse With No Name" (from Youtube) is great for a simple chord switching lesson and taught me strumming doesn't have to be boring. I'm going through Neil's Beginners Blueprint and am at part 23 "A Little Bach" trying to get the hang of that. The intro to Dueling Banjos (Youtube) is another simple exercise for strumming and picking. The first part of Dust in the Wind (Youtube) is another I'm using to practice chord switching as well as a little fingerpicking. I still (slowly) work on tabs for Vincent and Tears In Heaven I got from the instructor, but they are still a bit beyond my skill level.

So, at this point, I have plenty to work on (about 2 hours a night). I really like how video lessons work. The biggest challenge is getting my left-hand fingers to go where they're supposed to without having to look at them. The coordination of moving fingers of both hands simultaneously isn't smooth, but I'm sure that will come along in time.

Oh, about the SPD16-T - when I strum it has very long sustain which make strumming sound jumbled together and it's LOUD. Fingerpicking sounds beautiful, though I need to either grow nails or try fingerpicks. I wonder if I can use different strings or something to mellow it out. ?? The dreadnaught size is cumbersome but I got a strap as Neil suggested which helps so far. If I get decent at playing I may look at an OM size for comparison.

John S.

Hey John,

That's a GREAT intro mate, I think you take the cake for the most detailed and useful intro I have seen. I think your story echoes so many individuals here, you have dabbled with guitar on and off for several years, and now with more time you can really get into it. The great thing about TG is that you will be encouraged the whole way, and there are enough good players here for you to get the help you desire to improve.

In terms of your strumming issues with loudness, I suspect that time spent on smoothing out your strum will yield a better result that changing strings. I guess a lighter gauge might help a bit, but learning a lighter touch (and I have no idea what your strumming is like it might be great) will be time well spent. A lighter pick might be the ticket. Have you tried that?

Welcome aboard mate, hope you start to see quick progress toward your goal.

Hey John,

A big welcome from Seattle.

There's plenty of us old guys on the site who didn't start playing until we were well into our 50s and beyond. The good thing is it's no harder when you're older than when you were younger, and in a way I think it's even easier because we don't have as many social distractions as kids do.

Many of us have tried other guitar sites, but came here because the depth of what's available is just staggering and Neil's style of teaching just can't be equaled. Enjoy the site.

- Dennis

Welcome from the Netherlands(yes they are here too),,great intro(got me overwhelmed),, Next year my age is sixty and I picked up guitar 8 years a go or so and got also some private lessons but when I got home from that it was all gone (grey cells) and stopped with that also I could'nt spend no more money on private lessons..

Then of course I was on my own and search on YT and YT and YT and I am glad I did 'cos that brought me to this site which is such a great yourney,,I (we) improve every second so to say,,Neil Hogan has teachers blood and I think there's no other like him..its all so real and realy the trued..

If You stay here and you are no stranger to the forum you will discover a lot of supporting members that will help you a round this site and with your music(as much has possible..

Cheers......................my camper stays here...


Willem

Welcome John, from Scotland. I'm sure your playing is just going to get better and better here.

The lessons have everything you need to improve you ability and you have plenty of people here who will chip in and help you out if you get stuck with anything.

Enjoy your guitar journey!



Tom N.

Hi John, welcome from Indiana.

I am glad you got away from the cheapo guitars and got you a top of the line. Martin isn't to be beat, in my opinion.

As to watching the fingers, in finger-picking, I think I heard Neil tell someone the other day to stop looking at the right hand, but rather, to watch the left hand (the chord fingers, if you're right handed). So, I don't think it's a bad thing to watch the left hand. I, on the other hand, seem to have more problems with getting my right hand fingers to work properly, so I try and watch them. So, I don't know, whatever works for you, I think, is correct.

The coordination of using both hands at the same time, as you say, is indeed challenging. I know, because I'm a recent enthusiast of finger-picking. I've played for 40 years, and I'm just this year learning to finger-pick. On top of that, the finger-picking is causing me to learn new chords. I don't think we ever stop learning.

So anyway, welcome to the group, and if, at any time, you feel the need to break out the camera and record yourself for uploading here, I, and we, do so encourage you. No matter how good or bad you are, believe me, you will learn a lot if you allow us to see where you currently are.

Good luck, and welcome again.

Terry

Hi John,

Welcome from Massachusetts. This is a wonderful place to get the most from your guitar journey.

There's so many great folks here not to mention the best teacher

Have fun

Bob

Welcome fellow Cheesehead !

I'm sure you will learn tons from this site not only from Neil but also the members here.

What area of the great state of Wisconsin are you from, there are a few members around here ?

Mark

Welcome from a snowed-in Switzerland John... hope you have a ball here and join the buskin threads when you can.
Chris

Hi John, so you're already playing daily, pretty much? Along with visiting TG, that's the way to get there !

Pierre
Montreal, Canada