My wife started to learn the mandolin a few months ago at the age of 62. She and I had assumed that she didn't have musical talent, but I think that it was just never cultivated. She's doing quite well.
Too old to learn
- Thread starter natenaaron
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Never a bad time to learn anything, especially the guitar! Good luck and enjoy! 
If you're going to spend the money and put in the time, stick with steel strings unless you buy a classical guitar. My old fingers were soft when I started last month, but they're toughening up. They were tingly and sore at first, but it's really not that bad. At first, I was practicing in 10 minute sessions several times a day. As the fingertips harden I keep increasing my practice time.
http://www.firstguitar.com/resources/nylon-or-steel-string-guitar/
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- #24
Guess I'm sticking with steel
I say go for it, torpedoes be damned! I myself saw just eyeballing a banjo and I'm 45.
Definitely go for it.
I'll +1 to learning musical theory. Understanding musical theory will just make everything easier.
BBS fingers would probably be a disadvantage. Slightly toughened fingers may save you a touch of pain. If you play enough, you'll develop calluses....and if you play more your calluses will turn into craters, which will callus...and crater...and so on.
Age is only a psychological barrier. If you want to do something, and are willing to exert the effort, you can usually accomplish it.
Now, being tone-deaf on the other hand, that, could be a problem. If you are completely in-capable of keeping a beat, that could also be a problem. Although maintaining timing can be trained, using a metronome. Tone-deaf...Young, Old, you're still going to have a hard time learning to play music. It's not impossible, but rather difficult indeed.
But if age is the only thing stopping you, that's just silly.
Good luck!
I'll +1 to learning musical theory. Understanding musical theory will just make everything easier.
BBS fingers would probably be a disadvantage. Slightly toughened fingers may save you a touch of pain. If you play enough, you'll develop calluses....and if you play more your calluses will turn into craters, which will callus...and crater...and so on.
Age is only a psychological barrier. If you want to do something, and are willing to exert the effort, you can usually accomplish it.
Now, being tone-deaf on the other hand, that, could be a problem. If you are completely in-capable of keeping a beat, that could also be a problem. Although maintaining timing can be trained, using a metronome. Tone-deaf...Young, Old, you're still going to have a hard time learning to play music. It's not impossible, but rather difficult indeed.
But if age is the only thing stopping you, that's just silly.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #27
Tone deaf not an issue. I got my mom's genes in that area.
No idea what your musical taste is, but if you like old stuff and want to head that route, Buddy Holly is always a good place to start. His stuff is pretty simple, but it can't be beat either! My opinion, the real King of Rock and Roll!
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- #29
The guitar I was going to buy was sold. I can't be upset, I needed to wait for payday and they needed to make some money. My question is about ebay. Anyone buy a guitar off ebay?
I have a friend who was in the NZ symphony orchestra in his younger days. Nowadays he is a crusader for "participatory music" rather than observed music. Any music you make yourself with your family and friends is superior to music you merely listen to vicariously.
Listening to him it makes a lot of sense. Music is in our very psyche. And for thousands of years we "made music" with our family, clan, tribe, village, whatever. The phenomena of "listening" to music is new to mankind. And in his mind listening is vastly inferior to performing.
To be sure some performers are vastly superior to others, even in a small village. But at a Saturday night hoedown everybody danced and sang even if the same guy in town was always the fiddle player. It was a participatory experience.
So the moral is pick up that guitar, and do it. And while you're at it dance like no one is watching.
Listening to him it makes a lot of sense. Music is in our very psyche. And for thousands of years we "made music" with our family, clan, tribe, village, whatever. The phenomena of "listening" to music is new to mankind. And in his mind listening is vastly inferior to performing.
To be sure some performers are vastly superior to others, even in a small village. But at a Saturday night hoedown everybody danced and sang even if the same guy in town was always the fiddle player. It was a participatory experience.
So the moral is pick up that guitar, and do it. And while you're at it dance like no one is watching.
I picked up my 12 string Tama after many, many ...yes, many years. Oh migawd I'll never have calluses and finger strength again! ( damn the charlie horses you can get with finger muscles) Good journey to you friend, I'm going to go back to my keyboard-workstation /sigh...
I learned to play the guitar about nine years ago. The Hal Leonard series is excellent. Learning the chord shapes of G,C, and D will take you a long way as well. I committed to at least thirty minutes every day and you will be surprised at how far you can come. Hang with it. Muscle memory and calluses make you better.
My fingers are not BBS but it will take some getting used to. I thought about nylon strings and I may get a set of each. If I wimp out I'll put on the nylon ones.
Thanks for the encouragement. They sold the guitar before I could get it so I am on the look out again.
Get a grip strengthener. It helps according to some guitar players. Amazon link.
I'm 45 and yes this is probably a midlife crisis thing, but it is something I always wanted to do. I am going to learn the guitar
I mentioned it to an acquaintance that plays and he said I was too old.That it was a proven fact.
I claim BS, but who knows. This has just grated on me for a few days.
My plan is to get a used Yamaha Fg700s 15-20 minutes of practice 5-6 days a week using Justinguitar.com.
I'm not to too old d#$^nit! Now get off my lawn!
Your friend, however good of one they may be, is wrong. Practice A LOT and if you get frustrated, that doesn't mean quit. That is a barrier that I have to get over quite regularly. Even after 25+ years playing. If you want to, you will. My good friend started at 35 years old and his progress is really impressive after 1 year. "Too old"... pfftt!
Side note: A colleague of mine's father bought his first guitar at 67 years of age. It was a Martin D-35 and he never played a chord in his life. Apparently he's developed into a pretty decent strummer. As said, if you want to, you will.
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How much was the used one going for? You can get a new one for $200. Its seriously worth it. I own one and the quality is great for the price.
Yes I bought a used guitar on ebay. It was about 10 years ago and I bought a used Les Paul Studio electric. Transaction went smoothly.
Go for it. Never too old to learn, unless you think you are.
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- #38
$135. Excellent condition.
