Is it possible to play like a pro even if you take up the instrument up late in life?

**Jesus H. Christ** · 04-21-2009, 10:02 PM

I'm 17... And while this question seems like a very dumb one, I was wondering about it because every great musician that I've noticed got their start at least before they were 11 or something. My goal is to be at least semi professional, but I've felt like I would never even be good as them no matter how much I try... Is it really true that if you start late you can't be good?

Stringbean · 04-21-2009, 10:38 PM

if you have to ask...

**wizard3739** · 04-21-2009, 11:46 PM

I don't believe it to be true. As I recall, Tal Farlow didn't start playing guitar until he was over 20 years old. Need I say more?

wiz

**Banksia** · 04-22-2009, 01:09 AM

What is a "professional" guitarist? In my experience, they tend to have qualities other than fretboard gymnastics which are way more important. These are some of the important skills of the professional: punctuality, reliability, having reliable transport to get you and your gear to the gig, practising your material thoroughly before you get onstage, being able to work with other band members, being able to play across more than one genre, having equipment which is appropriate for the task at hand, being prepared to travel and work nights, being able to take direction from musical directors.

You may notice that most of this has nothing to do with playing the guitar. This is all on top of being an adequate player. Why are AC/DC so huge? Because night after night, year in year out, all around the world, in all kinds of weather and venues, they get up on stage and deliver what the fans want to hear. Neither of them is a virtuoso guitarist, but they are extremely successful professional musicians.

**Jake Hanlon** · 04-22-2009, 07:53 AM

It's never too late. As mentioned, Tal Farlow didn't start until he was 21ish. While I am not tal farlow I didn't get serious about music until I was 20 as well. 10 years later and I am a Jazz guitar professor at relatively large school (for canada) and have an album release coming up in the next 2 months.

Music doesn't care how old anyone is. Most people don't make that decision until they are your age and even then it's only half a decision when they decide if they are willing to put the effort in that it requires.

Obviously an early start holds certain advantages. But really, Jazz is a music that requires a lot of maturity and intellectualism that is pretty difficult to find in a 9 year old. Most of these young prodigious children only started with lessons and were not professionally serious.

I started piano lessons at 6... didn't do shit with it
I took trombone lessons from 10 till 17... hated trombone.
I got my 1st guitar at 12. Played nirvana and metallica tunes for 5 years. Then started playing Blues and stuff. 18 went to University for music, flunked out because I didn't know how to practice. Took 2 years off to work and discover music again, came back at 20 and now I teach at the school I got my Undergrad degree at.

You can start at any age. Music doesn't care. Go for it, be as good as you want to be, and the only thing stopping you is yourself.

**Little Jay** · 04-22-2009, 09:07 AM

Hey man, even Wes Montgomery didn't pick up the guitar before age 19!

So I think it is complete bullsh** that you can only be good if you start playing guitar at a very early age.....

**pierre richard** · 04-22-2009, 12:59 PM

didn't Paul Neuman say "It's just a number"...

don't pass something up because of your age...I have been cycling (bicycle) for 25 years now....almost daily...I don't go as fast as I used to but still go as far..trips of 25 - 50 miles is not uncommon...

and today their is much more information (an understatement)...then when I grew up and wanted to learn more...good old Mel Bay...and this site..

play on man.........pierre

**derek** · 04-22-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Banksia

What is a "professional" guitarist? In my experience, they tend to have qualities other than fretboard gymnastics which are way more important. These are some of the important skills of the professional: punctuality, reliability, having reliable transport to get you and your gear to the gig, practising your material thoroughly before you get onstage, being able to work with other band members, being able to play across more than one genre, having equipment which is appropriate for the task at hand, being prepared to travel and work nights, being able to take direction from musical directors.

You may notice that most of this has nothing to do with playing the guitar. This is all on top of being an adequate player. Why are AC/DC so huge? Because night after night, year in year out, all around the world, in all kinds of weather and venues, they get up on stage and deliver what the fans want to hear. Neither of them is a virtuoso guitarist, but they are extremely successful professional musicians.

Here here. Excellent post, and one that needs to be repeated often. For my $ you can keep all the irresponsible idiots who off themselves early (Jimi and Charlie Parker included) or give musos a bad name by being completely undependable. I will take the consumate profession who will show up on time, give you his or her best, and be genuinely interested in being a team player.

It is easy to idolize those who are gone and had great talent, but what a pain in the ass they must have been to play with. I am sure there are exceptions, as always, but my idea of a good time does not include waiting for a band member who is always late, always high, or always dragging some personal drama to the gig.

Being a pro in any setting starts with knowing your craft, but that is only the beginning.

**hubert54** · 04-22-2009, 02:18 PM

and a lot of passion

**Fritzjazz** · 04-22-2009, 02:25 PM

When I was a kid my great uncle was of retirement age (62 or older). He was a sheet metal worker, never picked up an instrument. When he retired he bought one of those "Chord Organs" with the push-button chords-really an accordian built into a piece of furniture.

I remember around the holidays he would play Carols to sing along to. Great fun.

Then he bought (just a few years later) one of those organs with all the rhythm stuff built in. I think it even had a Mariacchi and an Oom pah pah band built in. He mastered it and a couple years later he bought a "real" 3 console electronic organ with stops and pedals (bass) and was reading multiple staff stuff.

When he passed away in his early seveties he was a well loved Church organist.

It is never too late to be as good as you want to be.

Fritzjazz

**ES350** · 04-22-2009, 06:35 PM

I was reading an interview with Robert Lowell where he discussed the American propensity to take it all way too seriously; to do anything at all, one must be a zealot and sacrifice daily life for 'art'. Play music, have fun, have a family, have a picnic, have a life; don't worry about being a 'pro'; it's not that great a life, believe me.

**hot ford coupe** · 04-22-2009, 08:01 PM

To be a good guitarist, it's not your age that matters. It's how you approach the guitar and how you approach what you need to do to get where you want to go.

**pickguard** · 04-22-2009, 10:41 PM

Its real simple! Any one can play , Not every one can play well!
Shoot for the stars ,You may not became one , But you might end up there amongst them!

METOPERARETIRED · 04-23-2009, 12:56 AM

Hey Howie,
Herb Baker here and I'm 70+ if you remember.. Just got my Yamaha AEX1500 ordered with flat wound strings and I am (with my knowledge and 5+ decades playingPerscussion .. Practice, practice got me to play over 400 Concerts in Carnegie Hall and that's not inclusing tens of thousands with The Met. Orchestra at Lincoln Center and the great concert halls of the world, so let's tell this young man who asked can you learn to play at the old age of 17 question.. YES you can !!
He should vamp over and over ~~~ Yes I can ad nauseum..

Send me a letter as I'd like to rap with you.. Later

METOPERARETIRED · 04-23-2009, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by derek

Here here. Excellent post, and one that needs to be repeated often. For my $ you can keep all the irresponsible idiots who off themselves early (Jimi and Charlie Parker included) or give musos a bad name by being completely undependable. I will take the consumate profession who will show up on time, give you his or her best, and be genuinely interested in being a team player.

It is easy to idolize those who are gone and had great talent, but what a pain in the ass they must have been to play with. I am sure there are exceptions, as always, but my idea of a good time does not include waiting for a band member who is always late, always high, or always dragging some personal drama to the gig.

Being a pro in any setting starts with knowing your craft, but that is only the beginning.

__________________________________________________ _________

Herb Baker here and what seperates the Men from the Boys as a Pro Musician is that like the mail,when yoo ha e asteady gig or even many different bookings you must get there, be at your best and play like it's the most important performance in life.. I'll tell you that The Metropolitan Opera from 1964 when I joined the Orchestra had only closed 2 times.. When Presient Kennedy was assasinated and years before when a great Opera singer died (Leonard Warren) during a performance of Verdi's Opera ~" La Forza Del Destino "
The force of destiny..

There was a very major snow storm years ago and driving was impossible, so I called the Met. and asked ~" Will there be a performance tonight? "

The answer was ~ "The Met. never cancels".. The members of the 104 piece Orchestra for the most part showed up. I drove 33 miles to the Gig as I did everyday and believe it or not, most of the Opera Patrons were in the Audience... That's what a consumate Pro Music Maker must do to honor The Art of Music..

METOPERARETIRED · 04-23-2009, 01:13 AM

Herb Baker here and what seperates the Men from the Boys as a Pro Musician is that like the mail,when you have a steady gig or even many different bookings you must get there, be at your best and play like it's the most important performance of your life..
I'll tell you that The Metropolitan Opera from 1964 when I joined the Orchestra had only closed 2 times.. When Presient Kennedy was assasinated and years before when a great Opera singer died (Leonard Warren) during a performance of Verdi's Opera ~" La Forza Del Destino " aka 'The Power of Destiny'..

There was a very major snow storm years ago and driving was impossible, so I called the Met. and asked ~" Will there be a performance tonight? "

The answer was ~ "The Met. never cancels".. The members of the 104 piece Orchestra for the most part showed up. I drove 33 miles to the Gig as I did everyday and believe it or not, most of the Opera Patrons were in the Audience... That's what a consumate Pro Music Maker must do to honor The Art of Music..

There will guys you do not get along with, as that's what happens especially to we
'artists', so you got to concentrate on doing what you do at a very high level..
You are only as good as your last performance is not only true but it should become your attitude.. For now I will say Merde, and make every tomorrow your Masterpiece !

METOPERARETIRED · 04-23-2009, 01:21 AM

Hey I'm 70 years of age and just started to teach myself Jazz Guitar..
You can check me out after I post this..
Herb

**franco6719** · 04-23-2009, 05:10 AM

Grandma Moses started painting at the age of 90, was it? Maybe a little higher. 17 too OLD? HEHE!! Just do it if you love doing it.

**604bourne123** · 04-23-2009, 07:50 AM

it takes the village to make the idiot

**mdaudet** · 04-23-2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jesus H. Christ

My goal is to be at least semi professional...

Your goal should be "PROFESSIONAL". Being professional is an attitude, no matter if you came from a music school, recieved lessons for years, etc. Being professional means being reliable in all sense.

People, in general, tends to confuse the term professional with musical skills. Musical knowledge is a tool, technique is another tool. You use tools to reach certain goals, but just that would not take you to the stars; your attitude will.

Keep going, music and jazz are "never ending" horizons. You never stop learning about it, you never stop appreciate them.

cheers.

**musicalbodger** · 04-24-2009, 12:59 PM

You can start at any age. Music doesn't care. Go for it, be as good as you want to be, and the only thing stopping you is yourself.

Jake, no more that need be said, you've captured it all in those 3 short sentences.

**whiskywheels** · 05-04-2009, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Jesus H. Christ

I'm 17... And while this question seems like a very dumb one, I was wondering about it because every great musician that I've noticed got their start at least before they were 11 or something. My goal is to be at least semi professional, but I've felt like I would never even be good as them no matter how much I try... Is it really true that if you start late you can't be good?

Whilst many great musicians started very young, it's not a requirement. In fact, I envy people starting later..........like 37 never mind 17.........; I started at 12, by 15 people were impressed with my playing, at 17 I had a brief career as a pro. Then I got into life, other career, family etc. I'm 55 now, and after years of abstinence I have, in the words of the late great Ian Carr, come "Out of the Long Dark". In some ways I'm playing better now, but on the whole I wish I could play as well as I did when I'd only been playing for 5 or so years!

Maybe in another 5 or so years time.......

METOPERARETIRED · 05-04-2009, 02:09 PM

Glory Be to Jesus ~ It is never too late to study anything..
On the contrary. " Learn and as you age, you will understand "..
If you have to ask this question than you must have a problem with confidence.
Remember this from an aging Pro, " Practice and learn technique very well, and that will allow you to select your personal interpretation ! "
Every day that you do not accept this fact ' I can and will do it ', is a day waisted.. From the Musical "Bye Bye Birdie", there's a song entitled ~
" I believe in you " which is sung by a Man who is looking at himself in a bathroom mirror.. Jay Pierpont Smith is the character's name, and he is the star of this show/movie.. YouTube it or google it up..
Don't let anyone steal your Dreams, especially ' YOURSELF '..
Be strong ~Be fearless and DO IT.. Bye Bye for now~

**604bourne123** · 05-04-2009, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by whiskywheels

Whilst many great musicians started very young, it's not a requirement. In fact, I envy people starting later..........like 37 never mind 17.........; I started at 12, by 15 people were impressed with my playing, at 17 I had a brief career as a pro. Then I got into life, other career, family etc. I'm 55 now, and after years of abstinence I have, in the words of the late great Ian Carr, come "Out of the Long Dark". In some ways I'm playing better now, but on the whole I wish I could play as well as I did when I'd only been playing for 5 or so years!

Maybe in another 5 or so years time.......

your the dictator of your life music silently waits for you always

**The Korux** · 05-05-2009, 08:57 AM

Age doesn't matter.
I mean I had the same thoughts in a kind of extreme way:

I'm now 19 and I will have finsished my jazz studies at university when I'm 20.
(As long as things run good..)
But for shure, for a long time I was thinking, man I'm so slow and old, Bireli Lagrene or Diku Schneeberger where so much younger than me when they debutet. And then I thought I had no chance becoming a professional guitarist, cause I'm to old (! serious..)

But now I don't care about that anymore. I think my average age is very young and even if I was ten years older changes are good for me. So what I'm trying to say is, don't panic, age doesn't really matter in music.

all the best, Tobias