Learning guitar as an adult: lame or not?

[skajah]

When I started up again, I picked up a 3/4 sized Dean off Craigslist. Great way to begin in my opinion. I found it super easy to play, along with being able to sit just about anywhere, giving me more options for practice. Had it with me in my deck chairs all summer long. Their Flight series have all positive reviews everywhere I looked. Playing the full size more, but the 3/4 got me off and learning fast.

[SKIP IN7RO]

^Those Deans are nice. I am bookmarking their page for a possible future purchase. Thanks for the suggestions.

[~mikey b]

My son got his guitar tonight.

https://youtu.be/FrWSFna7Yas

[oftpiste]

He's killing it!

[old goat]

I agree with those who recommend smaller guitars for beginners (and a lot of expert players). I haven't played a huge number of acoustics but the one I liked the best was a Martin Clapton. 000 size which means smaller body than a dread and a shorter scale than the same-sized OM. Takes looser, lighter strings than a dread. The Martin might be just a wee bit expensive for a beginner at 4800 list. My own acoustic is a D28 but I'd get a 000 if I were to do it again. No way can I justify another acoustic (but then I can't justify most of my guitars).

It's worth it to buy in person when possible. Hassles and risks of return shipping if you don't like the guitar, even if return is free. (Guitars are a lot like wives in many respects.) If buying on line buy from an established retailer with a good return policy. Lots of people buy off ebay or reverb; I personally wouldn't. Even with their buyer-friendly policies I've heard too many stories of prolonged hassles before people got their money back. There is a guitar with your name on it within an hours drive of almost everyone in the US of A. (Just my opinion.)(And Guy Clark's)

[FLS]

Kinda of fun watching genius at play...

[skajah]

Play gee-tah

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[east or bust]

so not quite learning guitar, and also not an adult depending on who you ask... but I'm looking for some new acoustic stuff to learn.

anyone have recommendations for some good, non repetitive, technical music to learn? I've pretty much exhausted most of the main stream options. I should add that I can't read a lick of true music, mainly a YouTube learner and can really only read tabs

[SumJongGuy]

After 35 years of playing drums A LOT, I put down the drumsticks and picked up guitars and a bass for a little over a year playing in a RnB gospel cover band. Never really got any good at strumming or plucking but still have fun messing around. Really having fun collecting the gear! In the past year I've picked up a Sambora fat Strat, an Epi Les Paul 100, a 2nd bass (super short scale), and a Platinum Edition Rich Warlock. Also added some small room PA gear, Marshall GX100 head, Behringer bass head and Eden cab, etc. Living room is ready to rock.. That's right, Mrs SumJong is OK with the drums and other music gear in the living room... for now hahahaha..

[~mikey b]

I’m going to start taking guitar lessons soon from my son’s teacher. I’ll use my wife’s Seagull concert that is collecting dust. I just had a pin put in my left pinky so the last knuckle doesn’t bend. I have to wait until I’m not using a splint in a couple weeks. Really looking forward to learning from and playing with my kid.

[FLS]

Use that splint as a slide?

[~mikey b]

That’s what my instructor said.

[The Reverend Floater]

Any mediocre guitar players here ever attempt to learn the dobro? Haven't played a guitar in years but thinking a dobro might be fun to learn. Thoughts?

[skiballs]

Tune your guitar to open e or g, get a slide, and learn to finger pick.
Same thing basically, dobros sound amazing.

[Flyoverland Captive]

I’ve been playing 6, 12, and electrics for 30 years. Got bored (not good, just bored) and bought a ukulele. Damn, that is a fun instrument: Cheap, fun to play (get past the boring beginner chords, and experiment with finger-pick), easy to backpack. Love guitars, but the simplicity vs complexity of a uke is attractive.

[east or bust]

Any mediocre guitar players here ever attempt to learn the dobro? Haven't played a guitar in years but thinking a dobro might be fun to learn. Thoughts?

Tune your guitar to open e or g, get a slide, and learn to finger pick.
Same thing basically, dobros sound amazing.

This is all you need to know. Watch it. Be enlightened.




since we're on the topic - eta

[highangle]

[Self Jupiter]

After 35 years of playing drums A LOT, I put down the drumsticks and picked up guitars and a bass for a little over a year playing in a RnB gospel cover band. Never really got any good at strumming or plucking but still have fun messing around. Really having fun collecting the gear! In the past year I've picked up a Sambora fat Strat, an Epi Les Paul 100, a 2nd bass (super short scale), and a Platinum Edition Rich Warlock. Also added some small room PA gear, Marshall GX100 head, Behringer bass head and Eden cab, etc. Living room is ready to rock.. That's right, Mrs SumJong is OK with the drums and other music gear in the living room... for now hahahaha..

Nice set up! Tom fills for days!

[~mikey b]

My son has been teaching me lately. I’m weak but figuring it out

[skajah]

Be prepared to spend hella time at it, or you may as well fegettaboutit.
Seriously. I'm the same hack as I was 40 years ago.
Actually, I can improvise from time to time. Great fun to figure it out, but can be frustrating as fuck!
Keep at it!

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[east or bust]

it has been so strange trying to play electric guitar after 12ish years on an acoustic, having trouble playing chords in key

the logistical answer is that I prolly suck and death gripping the strings... but so used to stiffer strings on the acoustic

[Flyoverland Captive]

^^^ Just add distortion, reverb, and delay; mistakes disappear in all the noise. :-)

[galibier_numero_un]

So my wife asks how I can ski so well and have such a terrible sense of rhythm.

I've purposely ignored a metronome - mainly due to laziness and the fact that it felt like drudgery.

I picked up a Digitech Trio +, which is a band in a box gizmo that generates a bass line and drum pattern based on a rhythm pattern you "teach" it. It sounded as if I could put technology to work for me and have fun with this.

Well, the damn thing confused the hell out of me. I played with it maybe 30 times over a couple year period and finally sold it this week.

I started looking at loopers (looping for dummies). The choices were bewildering - much like going through ski choices.

I considered my biggest weaknesses - bad rhythm and forgetting where the hell I am in a song. I agree with the Justin Guitar dude (video, below) about simple being best.

The Boss RC-1 floated to the top of the list. It's simple, and the key benefit to me is the ring of LEDs that helps you track your progress through the loop. I've already learned more in two days with this than the two lost years with the Digitech.

I considered fancier loopers - ones with memory and drum patterns, but all of them seemed as if they would take me down the same slippery slope as the Digitech. The RC-1 has only one, 12 minute memory slot with no micro SD card or USB connector. It does retain memory on power down, however.

The only thing I would have liked to have in the RC-1 is a metronome or click tone to keep time with. I have a smart phone app as well as dedicated metronome for that, and on balance this looked like the best piece of gear to help me progress.

The TC Ditto and Ditto x2, along with the EHX 720 (has a loop countdown display) were also on my short list. The Digitech Jamman Express and Solo were looking too complicated for my simple brain.

And yes ... I've re-committed to a metronome.

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole looking at your options: http://looperpedalreviews.com/

Here's a good intro to looping:



This is the offical Boss RC-1 video:




... Thom

[highangle]

it has been so strange trying to play electric guitar after 12ish years on an acoustic, having trouble playing chords in key

the logistical answer is that I prolly suck and death gripping the strings... but so used to stiffer strings on the acoustic

Walk around slung for a while. If you got a Tele with a neck that keeps a lot of fretboard width in 1st position, start there. They don't all sound good unplugged, but all the good ones do.

[Self Jupiter]

So my wife asks how I can ski so well and have such a terrible sense of rhythm.

I've purposely ignored a metronome - mainly due to laziness and the fact that it felt like drudgery.

I picked up a Digitech Trio +, which is a band in a box gizmo that generates a bass line and drum pattern based on a rhythm pattern you "teach" it. It sounded as if I could put technology to work for me and have fun with this.

Well, the damn thing confused the hell out of me. I played with it maybe 30 times over a couple year period and finally sold it this week.

I started looking at loopers (looping for dummies). The choices were bewildering - much like going through ski choices.

I considered my biggest weaknesses - bad rhythm and forgetting where the hell I am in a song. I agree with the Justin Guitar dude (video, below) about simple being best.

The Boss RC-1 floated to the top of the list. It's simple, and the key benefit to me is the ring of LEDs that helps you track your progress through the loop. I've already learned more in two days with this than the two lost years with the Digitech.

I considered fancier loopers - ones with memory and drum patterns, but all of them seemed as if they would take me down the same slippery slope as the Digitech. The RC-1 has only one, 12 minute memory slot with no micro SD card or USB connector. It does retain memory on power down, however.

The only thing I would have liked to have in the RC-1 is a metronome or click tone to keep time with. I have a smart phone app as well as dedicated metronome for that, and on balance this looked like the best piece of gear to help me progress.

The TC Ditto and Ditto x2, along with the EHX 720 (has a loop countdown display) were also on my short list. The Digitech Jamman Express and Solo were looking too complicated for my simple brain.

And yes ... I've re-committed to a metronome.

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole looking at your options: http://looperpedalreviews.com/

Here's a good intro to looping:



This is the offical Boss RC-1 video:




... Thom

Thanks for the TR Thom . I started drumming to improve my time and it appears to have helped me become a below average drummer and below average guitar player but my time has definitely improved.

Trying to loop stuff live is so hard, I have such respect for artists who pull it off cleanly.