Is 19 to old to start learning?

[billybenbob]

I think 19's way too young to start playing guitar, but what the heck. Have a go at it!
Seriously, I started 3 years ago at 46 and am having the time of my life! This is the best hobby that I've ever had. True, I'll never be a rock & roll star, but that's OK, I have a hard time staying up past 10:30 anyway.

[Dr. J]

I picked up a guitar at 16 , put it down at 18, then picked it up again at 42.
The learning on this journey is more about state of mind than age.

[Wizbit81]

I think from all this its a resounding no m8. You can start anytime as long as you put in the time. You can b as good as u want to get.

[Abraham Lincoln]

Advantages of beginning guitar at 19:

1. You're hands are fully grown. Thus, you are physically more able to play than someone who started early on.

2. You've more than likely been listening to music for quite some time now and if so, you'll have a better ear than people who started early on.

3. You'll have more patience than a young student.

4. You have the attention span to take time to learn the instrument.

5. Hopefully, you wouldn't give up as easily as a young student either.

[autumn leaves]

This is my first post, but I've been coming to IBM.com forever.

Anyway. I think it's safe to say that everyone here is rooting for you, honey. The only person that can inhibit your progress is YOU.

If playing the guitar is something you really want to do, don't give it another thought! Get your guitar, tune it and just play. The guitar is a very lenient instrument. It's not like you want to become the world's best glockenspielist, which may present difficulty. You'll have plenty of time in your musical journey to think about and analyze your playing. You'll come in and out of places of inspiration. It's a journey.

I picked up the guitar before I was a teenager, I "caught the bug" and sat in my bedroom each night fiddling with a guitar that I hadn't even learned to tune. I took a few lessons with an absolutely impatient guitarist who didn't help me much at all. I was discouraged and put the guitar down.

Years later, I pick up the guitar on my own terms, my own time and haven't put it down yet. It certainly hasn't been a day at the beach but I'm still learning and still going.

If you feel it...do it. Don't worry about anyone else's opinions. good or bad.

You say you're inspired by the guys of SOAD. Well, The singer Serj worked as a computer programmer before he did music and didn't make it big in soad until his early/mid thirties.

Tom morello didn't pick up the guitar until he was 18. Even if you don't like his style, he's definitely a respected guitarist amongst his genre.



Just play!

<3

[EricV]

Exactly.
And I think if you´re determined, there´s nothing that should keep you from trying it.
Ever heard of Patrick Rondat ? He´s a french guitarist, has some serious chops, has released several instrumental albums, and is the guitarist for Jean-Michel Jarre.
As far as I know, he started playing when he was 18 years old. And he is really really good.

Oh, and there´s this guy named Allan Holdsworth ( ) who got his first acoustic guitar when he was 17, and it took him a while till he got serious about practising, too.

I know some people who go "Well, I´m too old to learn that".
think that if you really want it, make efficient use of your practising time and keep your goals realistic, you can definitely achieve what you want to achieve...
Eric

[Shred Fan]

I think everyone else has pretty much said it , but i'll put in my $0.02 nonetheless. IMHO, 19 is definately not to old, as long as you have the desire for the music you can never be to old to play.

You just need to be prepared to put in all the hard work and have the dedication and desire it takes and that alone is all you need. As pointed out, starting when older most definately also has benefits.

There is no point thinking about it, get an axe and start working.

Shred on.
-Shred Fan

[Bongo Boy]

Originally posted by Shred Fan
There is no point thinking about it.

This is the most significant comment made so far. Kinda like "Do, or don't do. There is no 'try'." Master Yoda. Are you off dead stick yet?

[Shred Fan]

Haha, exactly right Bongo. Wondering about it will achieve nothing, you need to take action. You must do or do not, there is no try.

[Bongo Boy]

Thanks, Shred. I may be an old geezer, but I'll tell you young punks one thing: life only sucks when you look back on your existence in pathetic wonder at why you didn't do this or didn' do that. If you're on the internet, chances are you live in a flippin' paradise compared to 2/3 of the world. Stop the whining.

I overheard a woman today at the golf club whining to her freinds about how badly she wanted to be a marine biologist all her life, but "couldn't ever do that". She was like 35. You're making me sick. Get off your *** and get started with your life, eh? Maybe biology classes would be a start--and you'd soon learn what you're made of.

Okay, I'm done now. "Shut up and play yer guitar."

[Koala]

Oh so true Bongo.

[DanF]

Hehe, right on Bongo!

Also regarding what Abraham said, I think he nailed it. I started guitar right before my 20th birthday and I love it, I'm improving everyday (I still would probably have to say that in the grand scheme of things I suck, but I'm very pleased with my progress towards unsucking).

I actually had a teacher tell me that he's never seen a student assimilate theory as quickly as I have and my guess isn't that I'm a genius it's just that I didn't start until I had already been through school and some of college...I've pretty much got this studying book stuff down Now if only my hands would catch up with my brain I'd be rippin'

Most younger kids walk through the door and say "Teach me some Blink 182" I walked through the door and was like, "Let's talk about the fundamentals of harmony."

Good luck!

-Dan

[tom_hogan]

a mate of mine started a year ago and he is now a better player than me in some respects ( bastard) although i started when i was 13 i just noodled and to this day i still do

just dont force it man if you force it it will be a chore just do whats fun and you ill find yourself playing for hours

[forgottenking2]

I learned how to play guitar 8 years ago and I've been teaching myself since then, the intensity of my practicing has varied from "religiously" to "lazily" About 3 years ago I started med-school and it just left me with no time, now I'm married and I don't have much time to practice (and I'm just 22 <!!!!>), but I still try to get at least a few minutes every day, so yeah, it's just a mater of doing what you love... and hey Koala, I'll be posting licks soon, just let me get some time to write them down, I'm into exotic scales a lot, so I usually come up with wierd modal stuff... maybe I can't shred like I want to, but at least I can come up with some interesting stuff...

[Bongo Boy]

Since we've chosen to beat this topic to death with a Nerf bat, might as well continue...

Originally posted by DanF
I still would probably have to say that in the grand scheme of things I suck, but I'm very pleased with my progress towards unsucking).

I'm going to have this quote framed and hung on my practice room wall. It says everything to me.

...my guess isn't that I'm a genius it's just that I didn't start until I had already been through school and some of college...I've pretty much got this studying book stuff down

Another good point...learning itself is something you learn to do. Sounds kinda stupid (well, then it probably is), but you do have to learn how to study, learn how to practice, learn how to hear, etc. One problem with learning any of these skills though is that you have to win once in awhile--somehow you have to recognize the fact that indeed you've learned something. If this isn't pointed out to you (by yourself or by someone else), I don't think you'll figure out what behaviors to repeat.

Hmmm...so did we all succeed in freaking out Fon du Lac Bob so badly that the poor guy is now over on the www.whosthegreatestshreddertoeverlive.com site?