Learning guitar as an adult

[jimcjimc]

I haven't read the book, but here is an interesting book review in the NY Times about a neuro-scientist learning how to play guitar as an adult:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/books ... l?_r=1&hpw

And here is the web site for the book: Guitar Zero by Gary Marcus

http://garymarcus.com/books/guitarzero.html

[lueders]

Thanx, Jim! This looks quite interesting! I think I might have to pick that up.

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[MarkM]

Very interesting article. I guess you would call me more of a riff guy that a rule guy by what I just read. As long as the memory banks continue to have room I should be alright for now.


MarkM

[lueders]

jim

Thanks for the info. I'm off to buy the book tomorrow.

Learning is very difficult for me and any help will be most welcome. I could not find a place to hear him. Did I miss it?

TCS

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[suziko]

Well, not to go to negative........but.....I'm glad I didn't buy the book. I checked it out from the library.

Sometimes one has preconceived expectations and I guess I did; I expected him to say, "I had trouble doing X and this is how I learned to do it."

Nope...........

I found about three interesting things in the book, but once you've read THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC, it was just review.

Not to try to butter anyone up, now.....but........the advice I've gotten from members on this forum has proven far more valuable.

TCS

[tom18]

Jim,
Interesting indeed. Gary Marcus was also interviewed On Friday February 3rd by John Schaefer on WNYC in New York. I happened to catch the broadcast and though it sounded interesting enough to look for the book. You can listen to that broadcast here:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/

Tom

[neverfoundthetime]

Just a couple of remarks....

Musical instruments are really challenging, and don’t come easily for anyone, but once you’ve seen someone great, it’s easy to get discouraged.

There are two main and opposing reactions to expect when you see a display of excellence... awe, wonder and inspiration or discouragement as you think to yourself, I'll never be able to do that! Your initial reaction is just that, your initial reaction. Then you can have a think about it and decide whether you're going to be discouraged or not since you really wanted to learn the thing anyway, you may as well find out what its actually like. And if you have the desire to do something, then simply filter out all discouraging thoughts and say to hell with it, I want to do this so I will! Being an adult, you will find making that kind of decision much easier than a child will.

Maybe, as an adult, learning does not come quite as easy as for a child due to brain development processes (and lack of use!), but its completely irrelevant. You're an adult now and there's no going back... any way you always wanted to learn to play that damned geetar. There's only one satisfying way ahead and anyone who has taken the Journey has probably never regretted it.

I won't be reading the book.

[cosmicmechanic]

Breaking news ! Just to get us "adults" even more motivated to learn ...