just started to learn guitar

[viper1]

Hi all

i am new to this i have not long started to learn to play the guitar i am 52 my tutor started when he was 8 years old will my age affect my abilitly to play well? i know that a lot of guitaists have started at a young age there is one thing that sort of worries me is that i have big hands and chunky fingers any veiws of advice would be great guys thanks

[goshawk]

Well, you'll never be a child prodigy...

Seriously, I "started" guitar at about the same age (I took a few lessons when I was in my 20s and rarely touched the guitar again until a few years ago). Do I see myself becoming a great guitarist? No, but I put that down more to a complete lack of talent than to age. Am I having fun learning and playing? Yes, and I think that's all that should really matter.

[Scrybe]

I wish I had big hands...it'd make the 5 fret stretch sooooo much easier.....

Whatever hands you have, you'll find they have advantages and disadvantages. Don't sweat it.

Will age affect ability to play well? t might help - you (hopefully, I know age isn't always the key determinant here, lol) won't be arrogant enough to ignore good advice because you think you're reinventing the wheel. If you can stay motivated, and your teacher and you keep yourself on a good course of development (e.g. if you 'master' something with a few days before your next lesson, try to dig deeper with it....is there anything else you can learn from it, etc), you'll progress as fast as anyone else who does similarly.

Hope you stick with it.

[kaige]

On one end of the scale are Robert Johnson's and Paganini's hands. On the other end you'll
find Danny Gatton's. They did a a pretty fair job.
Everyone else's hands fit in between.
Work hard and never forget to have fun.

[Hugh]

That is the key(no pun intended) to it, just enjoy what you are doing and just see how far you get. Listen to good quality music and dont try to overdo the learning process. Lots of traps to fall into as I'm sure your teacher will tell you. Lots of folks learn musical instruments in their later years.
They tell me it delays the onset of Altzeimers But the way I act somedays I'm not so sure
Just dont try to play jazz right away, I've been trying all my life and still lousy at it
Bye the way, I have hands like shovels and it has done nothing but help me in my life of playing. No problems stretching out to these bar chords and runs that hold back other players.
Hugh.

[Uli]

Good Morning!
As long as there are no serious physical obstacles (like a stroke or arthritis) age shouldn't be a problem. I re-started playing the guitar at the age of 42, which was very much like learning it from scratch, and found out that it was quite the other way round: It IS something you can handle and continue maybe because of your age. You might have another type of energy, but it provides you with a deeper understanding, another type of concentration and motivation and, as the others have said, less arrogance and blindness, which truly is an asset.
Personally I think that learning Jazz guitar at "our" age (If I might say so) is a good thing to do. Jazz is not connected to any particular age. It is "all about freedom", as somebody put it.
After all, you won't fall into the trap like Jagger and co., jumping around the stage, pretending you're still young and making yourself ridiculous.

Re. Hands - Think of Django's!

[viper1]

Hi guys, thank you all very much for your input and all of your advice i shall keep it up and i do practise most nights for a few hours or more

all your advice has given me a big boost thank you