Did Tal Farlow prove adult learners can become virtuosos?

[Dennis D]

Starting from almost zero guitar experience at 18-19 years old I had a classical guitar teacher who guided me the way to play virtuosic pieces like asturias in just 2-3 years. I practiced like crazy to get to that point though...

Good going !

So,
1.What got you into an instrument at 18, and maybe not sooner ?, and
2. Why a guitar ?

[jazznylon]

I was too distracted by video games as a kid to give the idea of playing a musical instrument any serious thought. Then guitar hero 3 came along and yeah naturally it just eventually made me want to get a real guitar.

Didn't practice at first though it wasn't until my guitar teacher got furious with me for not being serious with the instrument (I was starting in college). Then I figured I have to do something it can't continue like this and so I practiced to the point to where I get brain fog.

I visited him recently to buy strings and admitted that it was pretty over the top looking back what I did. He said 'it's the only way'.

[Cunamara]

Breh, a 22 year old is not disadvantaged at learning compared to an 8-12 year old, that's absurd. Young children age 3-6 who are just learning their primary language do have more neuroplasticity and have an intuitive advantage if they pick up music then in an immersive way. But 20 somethings aren't poorer learners than kids who've already formed their language ability and identity. Adults get BETTER at learning, they just don't have as much of the immersive learning ability that small children have age 3-6. You're saying a 12 year old would do better in med school than a 22 year old?!

You confused yourself as to the point being made. If you reread my post, you will see that these things were addressed within it.

As for your question about a 12-year-old doing better in medical school than a 22-year-old, you're just being silly. Learning to play music is a type of language acquisition, learning medicine is not. The two things cannot be compared.

[Lionelsax]

An instrument is a tool, music is a language there is an interaction.
Some learn an instrument and by practising they learn a language, you don't lose this language if you decide to play another instrument, you just learn how to use the tool.
I'm more into the double bass now, it came very naturally to me with some academic exercises, no teachers, just an old classical method. I wouldn't say I'm a virtuoso but I can play compared to people who don't know the language and start from scratch.
Scott LaFaro was a clarinettist, when he died, he had only 7 years of double bass playing.
I play in a jazz trio, the pianist used to be a professional classical percussionist (mostly marimba), now he's kind of retired and picked the piano few years ago, he can play.

[DawgBone]

I have seen guys get good starting in their late teens and early 20's but I never saw any of them follow through with it professionally. Some of them still play guitar but none of them still play seriously or gig. I suspect it's more difficult to make guitar and music a life habit once your core practices as a young adult have already been established vs a kid that starts age 10-13 who already has a decade of experience by that time.

[rpjazzguitar]

Just on the subject of reading:

I have met several adult guitarists who wanted to be able to read but, somehow, couldn't accomplish it. It seems to me that this might be because it's easier for a youngster.

I learned a little when I was 8 and then started guitar, with reading from the outset, at nearly 14. In my 50's I started playing in bands that required a lot of reading, which slowly improved.

I've never met a player who learned to read well as an adult, but I haven't discussed it with that many players.

I notice that the horn and piano players in big bands are uniformly good readers -- and I assume they all started clarinet or something in 4th grade.

[wintermoon]

You can certainly learn later in life but when young you're like a sponge and absorb more readily.