Words of encouragement

[Ptbcath]

I have been learning play guitar on a Taylor 110e for the past 6 months. I am writing to gain some words of encouragement. I would like to read some stories on how you “real” guitar players suffered, or were frustrated and maybe even wanted to quit. I recently upped my practice time from 30 mins per day to 60 mins per day to speed up the process. I have an instructor who is extremely patient with me considering I’m in my early 50s and don’t have the dexterity needed to readily reach frets especially with my ring finger. My instructor wants me to form the chords in the air before placing them down on the frets. Some chords came easy enough like D, E, Em, Am, but C, B7 and G7 are killers. Now for some reason even A is not working out. At times I feel like I’m going backwards. Oh, and my lack of finger coordination is evident when I try to pick the correct strings on songs like “House of the Rising Sun” without looking at my strumming hand. I don’t want to whine too much but my strumming tempo needs serious help also.  I figured if some of you would offer your early learning frustrations it would make me feel better and motivate me to keep going strong and not give up. Thanks

[cgeaves]

They say it takes an average person about 10,000 hours to master any new skill.  Usually we are not counting because we start when we are young and we are just enjoying what we are doing....and the hours add up.  When we start new skills at an older age I am of the opinion it does not come as easy as when we were younger.  The important thing is to enjoy the process and not expect to be accomplished in two months.  If it still enjoyable then practice!  Repetition brings consistency and excellence.  Remember that persistence and determination will beat out talent almost every time.  Keep on keeping on and you will get there!

[Earl]

First off, don't be too rough on yourself.  Six months is not very far into this lifetime journey of playing music.  Look for the little victories.  You said that can do the D, E and C chords.  Keep that in mind, as the others are just different shapes.  For example, G7 is just a wider version of the C chord -- extra strings between the ones you hold down.  [Note that I do the G chord using my middle (6th string), ring (fifth string) and pinky (first string).  The G7 chord substitutes the index on string one / fret one for the pinky on string one / fret three]. 

I often recommend the "grip and release" method that I first saw in a Happy Traum instructional video.  Make the chord.  Press the shape down, the release the pressure without lifting your fingers off the strings.  Do that a few times, the start lifting the entire chord off the strings by 1/8", but don' let the shape fall apart.  Grip, lift, repeat a few dozen times.  Then lift 1/4" and re-grip, then again a few times lifting 1/2", always keeping the chord shape intact.  Finally you can let the shape go entirely and your fingers will come back to the chord shape auto-magically.  You are basically building muscle memory for the "grip" or chord shape.  Two minutes of this daily will help a lot in just a few days.  I've been playing on and off since 1968 and this is how I still learn any new shape.

[timfitz63]

Take heart, "Ptbcath!"  I'm the same age as you are; I started teaching myself guitar back in college, put it aside, picked it back up again a few years later, stuck with it for a couple of years before putting it aside for almost 30 years -- and have recently (2012) picked it up again.  One of the things I found that has kept me going has been having a quality guitar.  It took me a while to convince myself to buy a professional-quality instrument like a Taylor, but I'm now convinced that it has helped keep me interested in learning how to play -- if for no other reason than to be worthy of the instrument and justify (at least to myself) the purchase.  I think it's safe to assume that dreams of rock stardom have long passed us all by; but try to find some motivating thought/goal that keeps you interested as well.

A second bit of advice I can offer is have your instructor teach you songs that you like to play; this is another way to keep you motivated to learn -- that you actually like the song and enjoy playing it.

But none of us can avoid it:  the only way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice.  Even though I generally get complimented on my playing, I still think of myself as a rank amateur.  But since picking it back up in 2012, I've been very diligent about practicing regularly, and can admit that I've improved quite noticeably.  So I'm getting better all the time.  You will too.

[azslacker]

It's really hard to notice any improvement from day to day but just think back 6 months ago. Keep at it and  6 months from now, remember today's date. Bet there will be a lot of difference, if you stay dedicated to it. My suggestion is to try and practice at different times of the day. I'm awful at night, but pretty darn good early in the morning. For the past 2 or 3 years, most of my playing happens from 4:00 a.m. to around 6:00. Lastly, don't always practice. Have fun and play mindlessly for a change. I sometimes play while watching TV, or reading the paper.

[lookinup]

I often recommend the "grip and release" method that I first saw in a Happy Traum instructional video.  Make the chord.  Press the shape down, the release the pressure without lifting your fingers off the strings.  Do that a few times, the start lifting the entire chord off the strings by 1/8", but don' let the shape fall apart.  Grip, lift, repeat a few dozen times.  Then lift 1/4" and re-grip, then again a few times lifting 1/2", always keeping the chord shape intact.  Finally you can let the shape go entirely and your fingers will come back to the chord shape auto-magically.  You are basically building muscle memory for the "grip" or chord shape.  Two minutes of this daily will help a lot in just a few days.  I've been playing on and off since 1968 and this is how I still learn any new shape.

Earl, what a great suggestion. I just tried it and it does work - holding the shape in the air. I can't come back to the chord after a few minutes and form the chord in the air again, yet, but it's a great TV time exercise when you just finger chords and don't have to strum. THANKS! I will add it to my practice time as well.

Susan

[George]

I was going to reply last night but I was so sleepy I couldn't formulate what I wanted to say.  In the mean time timfitz63 has replied and said just about everything I would have done.  I couldn't agree with him more...

....One of the things I found that has kept me going has been having a quality guitar....
....I think it's safe to assume that dreams of rock stardom have long passed us all by; but try to find some motivating thought/goal that keeps you interested as well....
....have your instructor teach you songs that you like to play; this is another way to keep you motivated to learn -- that you actually like the song and enjoy playing it....
....the only way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice....

The last two pieces of timfitz's advice are the most important.  Find something simple that you like to play, and practice it over and over (just throw it in between the practice routines recommended by your instructor). Pretty soon you'll find that it's not just simple, but that it has become easy.  Little confidence boosters like that are what you need to keep you inspired.  But don't practice too much - if you're not enjoying it or if it's just not working (we all have bad days), take a break and come back to it later.

The comments from the other guys on here also have some good stuff, so already you've got lots to think about.  The only other thing that I'd like to add is that there's no right or wrong way to play the guitar.  The purists (or possibly your instructor) might disagree, but the most important thing is to get a tune out of your guitar that you are happy with.  Correct technique will undoubtedly help you get better, but there's no reason why you can't combine technique with your own personal style to make your guitar do what you want it to.  From what I've read, you're already half way there, so just keep on plugging away, make sure you're enjoying it, and when you look back in a few months time you'll realise that you've cracked it without even noticing at the time.

Good luck and happy strumming...

[Jersey tuning]

I've been playing since 1967. There are still chord shapes that give me trouble, but.  I have also learned simpler chord substitutes -- often 2-fingered shapes that are easier to play.  Open tuning,  like open G, might also be an option for you.
One strategy I employ is to repeatedly go back and forth between two related chords.  Sine learning to easily play C is critical, try going back and forth repeatedly between the related chords Am and C again and again.  Just need to move the third finger from the 3rd string second fret to the fifth string 3rd fret.

[Edward]

Yessir, be encouraged!  Seriously, by the sound if it, you're already doing great and on the right path.  And asking for advice is, likewise, never to be abandoned; it's how we grow, despite our skill level or years playing!

In addition to the good advice you're already getting, I'd say take breaks in your practicing!  Too many folks IMHO advocate practicing till fingers bleed ...or emotional trauma   Stop.  Think and go through what you're trying to do in your mind, then give it another whirl.  I've been taught by a pro bassist that 15-minute bursts of practice interspersed with a cup of joe and thought goes further in instilling the skill than ploughing through relentlessly as if it were some triathlon for the gold.  Focus for 15 minutes; too much longer than that and our mind wanders.  Keep in mind this advice is for learning something difficult.  If it's just playing for fun or jamming with buds, then play as long as you're still smiling!

Then there's the mental aspect: don't beat yourself up; the skills will come with focus and time.  You've got the former, but the latter cannot be shortcutted.  I know ...I've tried, LOL!

Keep it up, man! And good to see you here on the board!

Edward

[Ptbcath]

Thanks for all of the encouraging words. I’ll stop worrying about gaining daily improvements but rather look back every 6 months to see the improvements. Thinking about it, when I first started playing I could not even make an up strum. So after reading all of the responses I decided that I need to be happy for what I can do and not what I can’t - yet do. Lastly I actually enjoy practicing and strangely enough I think about playing guitar all the time. This is probably why I’m writing this post. Thanks again

[CodeBlueEMT]

 I try to keep things fun. If playing guitar becomes a chore for me, it's not fun. You've accomplished a lot in 6 months. Be patient. Have fun.    

[Frettingflyer]

I say take some time to have fun, like all the other advice here. I played a bit when I was younger and my strumming was like a robot with a intermittent short circuit. I switched to finger style back then and really did better. After over 25 years not playing I got back to it but seemed to be getting nowhere with my first instructor and the guitar found the closet again for a while. Then I met Bob, who said he could teach me rhythm guitar, and I laughed, but dug in. Now I can strum pretty well(most rhythms and even single note run transitions, as well as some leads),but have again moved on to the finger style that is my goal.
When I find myself frustrated, I do like others here and practice will just become playing, whether alone or along with a recording. I have also been known to test my wife's patience levels by quietly playing the same progression over and over on the couch while we watch tv, eventually getting that to be automatic.
Keep up the good work, make at least 1/2 of that 60 minutes fun stuff(it still helps) and always finish with a fun song or lick or something that makes you feel good.
Looks like I probably gave $.04 worth, sorry about the ramble.
Enjoy

[longhorn68]

Ptbcath, I am a little older than you (65), and I can relate! I have arthritis in my left thumb and it really affects playing at times. My suggestions:
1. Have you set some goals? I found myself floundering until I set a few goals. They can be small at first like, change between Am and C. Learn a simple riff, etc.
2. Pick a song you really, really like. Break it down into small segments. Learn one segment at a time...really good. Like play it in the dark GOOD! I'm doing this now with Simple Man. I've played it so much I hear it in my sleep!
3. Do you really, really like your 110? The reason I ask that is I started with a 114ce for about 6 months. Then purchased a used 414ce and my practice has just intensified. The wider nut really fits my hands better as well.
4. Have fun. Let's face it if you aint having fun, you aint gonna progress.
As the others have said, this is a process and as much as we want it to, it will not happen over night. Keep takin baby steps and 6 months from now you will look back and say "wow look how far I've come"   

[DennisG]

A couple observations:  while a dreadnought-sized guitar (like yours) is fine for some people, it's pretty large for many others.  I'm an average-sized man, but I prefer a smaller guitar ... especially when I play sitting down, which is how I assume you play.

Secondly, I identify songs I want to play, then look on YouTube for how people are playing them, then learn from them.  Naturally, I choose songs I love but that also feature a technique or chord shape that's new to me.  Doing that means I'm always playing songs -- not just doing rote practice.  The trick is to make the guitar fun -- not a chore.  I started playing a few years ago at age 59, and now I play open mics frequently.  You can do it too.

[Earl]

I'll expand on Dennis's excellent points a bit.

I'm a big guy - NFL lineman size - and yet I prefer the GA / x14 size guitars for general comfort AND due to some shoulder injuries acquired over the years.  The dreadnoughts and jumbos are mostly gone now.  I can play them, but must use a strap, even when seated.

Most of us want to learn songs, not just "practice" - which I consider a dirty word.  For example, if you wanted to play tennis you could run a mile first and do a bunch of calisthenics and stretching for general conditioning, followed by an hour of backhand, serving, and forehand drills.  Useful but boring!  Make sure to actually play tennis (have fun) once in a while.  Ditto for the guitar - make sure to "play" at it a bit, which will become easier as you develop more skills and chords. 

Very few people have the concentration to seriously practice a new & complex skill for more than 15-20 minutes.  Concentrate on new things for a while, then back off and have some fun with it.  That means picking out 3-5 songs that you want to learn, then working on them until you can do a credible job of playing them.  For their second lesson, I always ask new students to come back with three songs that they would like to play at the campfire on Saturday night.

Remember that your fretting hand is an athlete, and needs both warm-up and conditioning.  Just as you would never run a marathon without training first, your hands will take time to build up strength, dexterity, flexibility and endurance.  Playing for an hour takes both fingertip calluses and hand strength.

Ping me at my email address:  noisebuster@hotmail.com   and I can send you an instructional booklet that was developed for an eight week community education beginning guitar class that I used to teach.  It's not a complete substitute for lessons, but will be useful on your road to intermediate player status.