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Does learning the guitar get much harder when you hit your 30s?


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I took the plunge last year but am really struggling to make progress. I'm trying barre chords but still cant move up and down the neck without deadening some strings (and you can totally forget about about changing chords whilst doing it) Am I destined for a future of two note powerchords! Is Blitzkrieg Bop the best I'm ever going to attain? And, being in my late 30s, am I just too old to start such an epic ordeal?:confused:

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no, you just have to practice more. eventually it will "click" and you'll be able to move the chords around without even thinking about it. how much do you practice just chording? try to focus on mostly just that if that's your short term goal. once you've got that down pretty well, move on to something else.

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I'm trying this Johnny Thunders style E barre chord exercise at the moment. I probably practice it most days but never really set up anything regular. The problem at the moment is getting all of the strings to ring when I move up and down the neck.

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how are you holding the guitar? keep your thumb pressed against the back of the neck (in case you're grabbing it like a club).

 

i don't know the exercise you mention, but if you mean open E at the first position, just focus on that until you can really get it to ring. micro focus even, taking it down to placing one finger at a time cleanly. then when you've got it pretty good, slide it up to G, or A (easier than F/F# etc., which are slightly harder to hold until you've got it). btw, for E try using the last three fingers (no index finger) so once you get it, you don't have to change finger positions to slide it up.

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btw, for E try using the last three fingers (no index finger) so once you get it, you don't have to change finger positions to slide it.

 

 

Hey, that's a great idea, thanks.

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no, 30 isnt' too old. I'm 40. I've been playing for nearly two decades, but I can honestly say my playing has improved more in the past 8 months than the previous twenty years. Keep at it. Sometimes it seems like it's going nowhere but if you had recordings on a monthly basis to listen too you'd hear the progress. I spent more than a decade doing nothing more than occasionally strumming an old acoustic. I dearly wish I had that time over again becuase if I'd focused more on improving over those years I'd be a monster player by now...

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Certain people stop learning new things as they get older and loose much of the ability to do so. If you keep your brain active with new learnings you will be able to pick up on new skills easily no matter what age. A musician I know started playing bass at 43 with no prior musical experence. He gigs with a swing band now.

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Yeah, I'm 47, I just got the bug, and I'm struggling a bit, mostly with ever-stiffening fingers and a busier life. But I feel the change a-comin'! I've been practicing every day now for 6 months, and things that were impossible then are starting to get easier. I'm trying to stay focused, and stay positive. I keep hearing "practice, patience, technique" and I'm working hard on all three. The technique part in the hardest. Sometimes it's so easy to let that thumb get lazy, or fret with the pad of the finger instead of the tip. But the more I concentrate on doing it correctly, the more correctly I do it, if that makes any sense.

 

I know I need to spend MORE time learning the fretboard, but right now I'm just trying to be less of a total spaz.

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It's never too late to start, man. Barre chords are hardly ever easy for beginning players, young or old. Keep at it with the barres, but remember to every once in a while go back to open/power chord jamming or whatever you enjoy doing, because having fun is what this is all about in the end.

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I'm 52, spent an hour at my lesson today, and then played for two hours. I'm working too darn hard to let a little frustration slow me down. Now the hand cramps from the barre chords I'm learning, well...............................I wish I was 35.

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It's never too late to start!! So don't lose faith!

 

With the barre chords,the thing is to be selective with your barring. Theres no need to squeeze the life out of every string. Using the E-style barre chord, you only need the bar to fret the 1st, 2nd, and 6th string. Strings 3-5 are handled by the other fingers. Barring all the strings and straightening out the the finger will lead to lots of fatigue.

 

Also, if you are having some trouble with some strings ringing, check you bar placement closely. Make sure none of the strings are stuck in a crack of the finger. Hope this helps!

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it has been for me, but probably more of a passion / motivation thing than the physiology of ageing.

 

I'm 35 and at this point I really have to force myself to practice most of the time... I probably play 5 hours / week. I really haven't developed any significantly new technique or skills for a few years.

 

When I was 25 I'd practice 3 hours a day on a regular basis.. worked on keyboards and other instruments, was always looking to improve my rig.. etc.

 

Maybe I'll get back into it. I find that motivation comes in waves for me.

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Posted

 

it has been for me, but probably more of a passion / motivation thing than the physiology of ageing.


I'm 35 and at this point I really have to force myself to practice most of the time... I probably play 5 hours / week. I really haven't developed any significantly new technique or skills for a few years.


When I was 25 I'd practice 3 hours a day on a regular basis.. worked on keyboards and other instruments, was always looking to improve my rig.. etc.


Maybe I'll get back into it. I find that motivation comes in waves for me.

 

 

 

This post almost mirros my siuation. I started guitar fresh when I was 37. I'm now 43 and I dont practice nearly as much as I should due to the "motivation comes in waves" mentioned above. I enjoy it, but I know I'll never be great at it.

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I'm the same as Z_Zoquis having spent about 2 decades strumming an acoustic without direction or lessons. In my later 40's now and a better guitarist than I have ever been though still not very good. The biggest obstacle for you as you are older is time. No way you can spend 6-8 hrs a day practicing like the kids do. I'm happy if I get more than an hour a day and I try to be religious about it. Of course some of that "practice" is just noodling around and sometimes it might even be counterproductive since my brain is fried from a long day at work :-)

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Although I didn't begin late in life, I can say that the fun of learning and exploring has only continued to motivate the process even more as I grow older (I'm 51)..

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One thing I have done is start taking lessons at age 38. It forces me to practice, which is great. I have made more progress in the last 3 months than I have in ten years. (I also humble myself by having a 21 year old tell me what to practice) Good luck.

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I think the thing that is hard being an adult vs being a kid/teenager is shortage of time.

Like, now these days it is hard for me to find the time for practicing.

When I think back of my teenage days, man, I had plenty of time then. I wish I had practiced more back then :rolleyes:

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No way you can spend 6-8 hrs a day practicing like the kids do.

 

I never had that much time even when I was a kid, except on Sunday...

 

Don't US kids ever have to study or do homework? ;) When I was in high school we had 6 hours of classes + 4 hours of study @home... and I was NOT a hard-working student.

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Posted

I took the plunge last year but am really struggling to make progress. I'm trying barre chords but still cant move up and down the neck without deadening some strings (and you can totally forget about about changing chords whilst doing it) Am I destined for a future of two note powerchords! Is Blitzkrieg Bop the best I'm ever going to attain? And, being in my late 30s, am I just too old to start such an epic ordeal?
:confused:

 

Everyone finds the barre chords hard when starting out, you need to build up hand strength and get a feel for how hard you need to press. Also I don't know what guitar you have or what it is like, but it is perfectly possible you are having problems because the action is too high or because the frets aren't level (which will cause buzzing on some frets and not others).

 

As an adult with a job and (I'd guess) a family time is your only disadvantage... so make the most of what time you have. I'd recommend getting some lessons so you will practice all the right things and waste less time trying to figure stuff out for yourself/find what you're after on the internet.

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Posted

 

As an adult with a job and (I'd guess) a family time is your only disadvantage... so make the most of what time you have. I'd recommend getting some lessons so you will practice all the right things and waste less time trying to figure stuff out for yourself/find what you're after on the internet.

 

 

Seconded! In case you don't know already, sit down and question yourself about what you would like to do with the guitar and music in your life, what do you see yourself doing in a few years (2, 3, or 5... not 10+).

 

Ask yourself if what you're looking for is playing someone else's songs, improvising, or writing music (or any combination of these). This can help you marking out some studies you don't really need.

 

As an example, if you just want to be an interpreter, stick with your favourite music and forget about exploring styles and genres you'll never play. That is useful mostly if you write your own music (since it broadens your horizon) or if you are a professional and need to play anything to pay your bills.

Also, as an interpreter you need very little theory. You just need decent basic technique, rhythmic sense, and good touch/feeling/groove.

 

If you want to play jazz or something else that requires improvisation, technique becomes secondary compared to theory and good ear. You need less time spent in exercises and more time spent jamming.

 

And also ask yourself if you reasonably plan to just play casually (at home, with friends), or look forward to gig with a band, in which case you need to gather some experience with equipment and practical issues too.

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