Members Gary Palmer Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 Began fooling around with guitars aged 6 back in '69. Had my first one bought for me aged 8 and have been playing non-stop ever since. Played for the first time in public aged 9 in '72 and that was - I suppose - when my playing was becoming fairly reasonable.After 38yrs or so of playing I'm still learning something new every day and hope to keep it that way. It's still fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TSMusic Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 Got my first guitar Christmas of 1969 if I 'member correctly. I was 16 at the time. Still working on the good part... Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richierobins Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I was given my late great-uncle's twelve-stringed mandolin when I was seven and I bought my first guitar when I was thirteen. Now I'm fifty-four I'm a bit better at playing both. I'm still learning though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Glenn F Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 Started at 14, could play 'decently' (which I define as 'well enough to impress the girls') at around 18. These days, there are times when my hands feel like lead, and my axons aren't firing properly. Then there are times when I fly over the fretboard, and the only thing I find comparable to that is good sex. Cheers, Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I started when I was about 15-16, ~'75. My two older brothers played and I wanted to learn. So I borrowed one of my brother's guitar (a Yamaha) and some books and started learning the chords to songs I already knew. Down by the River, by Neil Young, was my first song I could play all the way through. As far as "decent", which is relative, I guess by about 6 mos I had a small collection of songs I could play fairly well and was gobbling up whatever I could get my hands on. Now, I'm going to be 50 in a couple of months and I'm certainly better than when I was 18, but I'm still no virtuoso. I just like to entertain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Selsaral Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I started when I was about 16 (19 years ago) but I went many years in there without playing much at all. It's only in the last five years that I've really been putting in the effort. I am a decent amateur right now....wish I was a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarVlog Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I started 18 months ago. I don't know how to judge my ability. Maybe I'll join the next VOM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sixgunner455 Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 17. I performed the three songs I knew in a play 2 months later -- that play was the reason I started the guitar. I was already a musician and singer. I get better all the time, but I'm nothing special. I just like to play and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TN.Frank Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 Got my first guitar when I was 4 or 5, can't really remember because I did a lot of drugs back then. Picked up my first electric when I was 14 and that's when I really started to pick up on riffs and chords and really learned to play. It's all be pretty easy since then, at least as far as chords and stuff go. I still learn stuff everyday when I hear a piece of music and figure out how then did what they did. I don't think you ever stop learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KATMAN Posted March 4, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I was given my late great-uncle's twelve-stringed mandolin when I was seven and I bought my first guitar when I was thirteen. Now I'm fifty-four I'm a bit better at playing both. I'm still learning though. I've never seen a twleve string mandolin! I'm 51,and I'm still learning. I define "decent" when people can reconize what you're playing.I have a younger brother who took guitar theory lessons and can smoke me under ther the table.But,I'm still in the learning process like I say.I'm just now getting into bluegrass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members darkwaters Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 Got my first guitar back in '70 when I was 14. Didn't really do much with it. Got more serious about it in my late 20s. Started playing in public in my early 30s. Got even more serious about it in my 40s.I'd say I was "decent" at 33. Now I'm really decent. My definition of decent is: able to hear a recording of yourself and be pleasantly surprised (not nauseated). I wouldn't go by other peoples opinions, particulary drunk girls at 2:00am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I was 6 when I started and started playing for others in about a year. Teacher used to ask me to bring my git to school and play during the music hour. Played my first pro performance at the age of 11. As to being "decent," yeah, I guess I am. Is my current playing level acceptable to me? Nope, and never will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KATMAN Posted March 4, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 As to being "decent," yeah, I guess I am. Is my current playing level acceptable to me? Nope, and never will be. Spoken like a true guitarist. We are our own worse critic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crashclc Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 My grandfather gave me his old accoustic (made in the early 1920's) when I was maybe 12. I learned the basic open chords. Played a few songs. Then like an idiot teenager I wanted to be louder so I restrung with steel strings and the neck on the old girl cracked. I gave it back to Pa to fix and never saw it again. I played only sporadically for the next thirty years or so. Then I decided to try to understand music theory. That led to buying new guitars and then more new guitars, amps, effects... now I'm 51, have been playing for close to 40 years and only in the last five years or so do I feel like I understand what I'm doing. I'm ok. I don't really suck at it but it is only a hobby, I have a real day job. I couldn't make a living at it even though I would probably love to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richierobins Posted March 4, 2009 Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I've never seen a twleve string mandolin!...I still have it, it's the one at the right-hand end of the keyboard:- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KATMAN Posted March 4, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2009 I still have it, it's the one at the right-hand end of the keyboard:- Nice little collection! How hard is it to play comparing to a eight string? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richierobins Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Nice little collection! How hard is it to play comparing to a eight string? The twelve is easier than the eight. As a youngster I assumed that all mandolins had twelve strings, just like mine, despite always having to buy two packs of strings and keeping half for next time. I never caught on. The first time I saw an eight stringer in the window of a music shop I had to point it out to Dad as "like a mandolin, but without all the strings". I wasn't convinced that it was playable until I got one years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Keir Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 I can't remember exactly - about 5 or 6, I think - maybe 7... It was my brother's guitar that intrigued me. Not his playing, mind you. I was curious, I think, about what sonic sense I could make plucking the strings with the guitar across my knee, Richie Havens-style. Maybe it's not for me to opine how long it took me to "play decent", but it was years later (although I was still a kid) when I was sent for classical lessons. My father's gone now, but I would have liked to have asked him whether it was the recognition of a spark of talent that led him to pay for lessons on my behalf, or whether he was looking for a fix-it to cure some godawful noise short of breaking his other son's guitar over my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pascal Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 What's "decent"?I think you're decent if, when playing in front of people, you play your part well. A three-chord strummer is a perfectly decent guitar player... as long as he does not try to play something he can't. Same with a a highly skilled player: he'll stop being decent as soon as he leaves his confidence zone.I've know pro players who could only play a few chords. It doesn't take long, IMHO, to become a decent strummer. And after that, there is a whole lifetime for improvement, and the number of things to work is infinite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halmot Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 I started at 42, two years ago. If I ever actually learn to play, I'll make sure everyone knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattSkibaIsGOD Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 I started at 15 wangin' on power chords and noodling scales for hours. I didn't know any whole songs until I started on acoustic 2.5 years ago. It's been a learning experience from the first minute and I hope it continues to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitar_goob Posted March 11, 2009 Members Share Posted March 11, 2009 I started playing 12 years ago (97) because my friend ascribed to the age old adage "Guy+guitar=girl":lol: and took me along for the ride. Surprisingly enough, I found out my life's passion (this side of heaven). There's just something about picking up a git and making it sing. Whatever reality throws at me, when I strum a chord on my guitar - it's like a sigh of relief. As for descent - that's a pretty subjective term, but I'd dare to say that I'm good enough to play in a room without too much complaint. :lol:Now when I started was another story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jandrew Posted March 11, 2009 Members Share Posted March 11, 2009 I was given a Kay classical when I was 8 and started lessons, but then wemoved and I didn't really take it up again till grade 7 when it was taughtin our school (classical technique mainly). Through my teens I found NeilYoung, Dylan, Cat Stevens, etc and became a half-descent player before Iwas 20. Now I'm 45 and I'm still a half-descent player. cheers,andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted March 11, 2009 Members Share Posted March 11, 2009 I started at age 10 and I began playing complete songs within a few minutes. I fell right into it, but my family was filled with professional musicians and songwriters. I already played ukulele, harmonica, and other instruments, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greenbean Posted March 11, 2009 Members Share Posted March 11, 2009 I started when I was 20 and am 21 now (been playing about 10 months). I am really proud of my progress but I have SO MUCH more to learn. Always having more to learn is a big part of why I love playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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