New member

[Airborne]

My name is Bill and I'm new to the forum and Taylor guitars. I'm 68 years old and my bucket list really has only one item, and that is to be able to strum/play a decent song while at the campsite. Years ago, I learned 7 or 8 basic open chords but have not developed any strum sequences. Its been many years since I've touched a guitar, but now I have purchased a Mini GS Mahogany and have started reacclimating myself with the basic open chords. I love the guitar and it hurts my finger tips to type this thread from practising!! Hope to learn from this forum and maybe get some good advice on how to proceed. Thank you.

[Soof]

Well Bill, let me be the first to welcome you.  I'm fairly new to the site as well having just purchased a Taylor 110e.

And, like you, picked up the guitar after a hiatus of some 25 yrs. It sure is fun getting back into the groove with the exception of, as you mentioned, burning fingertips !

KNowing a few chords is a good start.  Think of how many great songs we all know with just 3 or 4 chords.

What I've been doing is both strumming and picking which gives my playing a little more depth and interest.

I've been practicing some of Gordn Lightfoot tunes such as, If You Could Read My Mind, Carefree Highway and Rainy Day People.  Sometimes I surprise myself when I hit all the right notes and chords !!!

Well, keep at it and make sure you have fun at it.

Russ

[mgap]

Welcome to the forum Airborne.  It is good you decided to tackle that bucket list.  I love my GS Mini, yours will treat you right I am sure.
Sore fingertips, boy oh boy do I remember them, fondly.

[cotten]

Another warm welcome Airborne Bill! Playing guitar is an ongoing process, no matter how poorly or well we play. It's also good music therapy. Sore fingers go a long way toward preventing sore heads!

cotten

[Coyoteone]

Welcome from Alabama, great to have you.

[NavyChap]

Airborne, welcome to the world of Taylor and the forum!  I'll be 72 in August and just approached guitars about 2 years ago!  Jim

[Knight]

I have loaned my daughter my Martin Camp Guitar indefinitly, and I've been thinking about aa GS Mini. I carry my 320 constantly on public transit and really worry about banging it up.
Welcome to the forum, 101st screaming eagle or 82nd?

[TaylorGirl]

Welcome Bill. Hope you enjoy your time here.

[SoCalSurf]

Welcome, Bill! You're going to love this forum. Feel free to ask or share anything-- there are some very knowledgeable and helpful folks on here.

[cotten]

SoCalSurf's exactly right, and when we don't know the answer to some question, we're really good at improvising authentic sounding answers on the spot!    Did you know that with today's technology, one can simply clear away a small spot of a live tonewood tree's bark, place the tunable diaphragm of a certain new stethoscope on the bare wood and hear which trees are going to sound best once the tree is cut, carefully sawn, and dried for at least 8 years at 40-46% humidity? Neither did I, but it sounds like, well, maybe...

cotten 

[RichardP]

Another Welcome!  I'm a few years older and have been playing at guitar a lot of years...not well...but it makes me happy.  I'm sure you will enjoy it and those fingers will both toughen up and get more agile as time goes by. 

[donlyn]

Hello Airborne Bill,

Beware going down the guitar rabbit hole. The bad news is you'll never reach the end. The good news is you'll never reach the end. Oops, too late.

So once you get your campfire song under your belt, you'll want another. And another. And some new chords. And some new licks. And another guitar. Rinse and repeat.
What a wonderful life.

About the hurt fingers, there's the old joke about the guy who asks a New Yorker, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?"
So the New Yorker answers, "Practice, practice, practice."

Eventually the hurt fingers won't hurt so much.

So welcome to the forum. I'm a tad older than you, but not by much.

Don