Middle Aged Crazy.

[April Rose]

I guess you're right Robbin, it's practice, practice practice. especially at my age. I had a bit of a breakthrough this week, and got back to C a couple of times. Now all I have to do is keep doing it that way instead of the other way.

Easier said than done )

And, Yes, the foliage in New England is just coming into its own right now. Lovely.

[April Rose]

So, if anybody's interested, I'm about 8 months in and still at it. I know about 12 chords now. I can even do the dreaded F chord, which, the first time I tried it, I had to take my other hand, and put the fingers one by one where they were supposed to be. Now I can go right into it three times out of four. Switching from chord to chord is still a work in progress. I have the c,g and e chords down pretty good. everything else is a crap shoot. C to G7 to C seems to be the most common, so thats what I can do best.

My guitar teacher pushed me to get a metronome. I slow up on the hard parts, and speed up on the easy parts, without realizing I'm doing it. I have just started practicing with it, and it's driving me mad. I concentrate on the beat and immediately lose my place . I find my place and my fingers turn to mush. AAAARGH!! this is multi tasking! Why would an old fart take up something that involves multi tasking?!

I think my obituary will read; "She didn't do much in life, but she learned how to play the guitar". Or...she died trying....

[Carol Elizabeth]

Don't worry too much about not being able to keep time (speeding up and slowing down) it is part of the learning process.

As for steel strings or nylon strings - it depends upon the guitar. If the guitar was built to use nylon strings, used them. The construction of the guitar may not have the extra bracing necessary to handle the higher tension of steel strings. However, steel strings to generate louder and brighter tones than nylon strings, although many beginners prefer nylon strings simply because they hurt your fingers less.

When you practice playing chords, (notice I said when you practice not if you practice) practice in groups of 3 (E, A, B7; A, D, E7; D, G, A7; G, C, D7; C, F, G7; etc.) Most songs have three principal chords depending upon the key it is written. Playing songs and being able to sing along with the songs is the most fun part of playing guitar.

And don't give up: I have been playing for nearly 40 years and if I had to sing for my supper --- I would starve to death, but I would die having fun!

[April Rose]

Thanks for the suggestion, Carol. I haven't got B or B7 yet, but I have the other ones. My teacher seems to be on the same page as you. She has me working on the chords of simple sixteen bar songs, going back and forth between making the changes in tempo, and making the chords ring true.

As for the strings, I have taken the advice of people who have seen the guitar, and stuck with nylon strings. The kind I have are nylon wrapped in aluminum or brass on the 3 bottom strings. It's a really old guitar,so why mess with it.

Singing while playing will have to wait. Waaayy too much multitasking right now.

[Carol Elizabeth]

one more simple thought----

You will catch on a lot faster if you have another guitar player playing with you! I am self taught, but had played with many other guitar players and picked up tips and techniques that I then passed on to others.

What I miss most as I've grown old is the simple fact most of my friends who play guitar have either passed away or moved away. Lately, I have been helping out at a high school volunteering as an assistant guitar teacher after school.

So if you can, find some one to play guitar with - you will improve much more quickly.