What would you do differently ?

[Irish Pennant]

Maybe take classes in literature, poetry and writing. I create a lot of original music without lyrics. I'm not a wordsmith, it's not something that comes natural to me and so some training in that direction would have helped with putting words to my music.

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by Irish Pennant

Maybe take classes in literature, poetry and writing. I create a lot of original music without lyrics. I'm not a wordsmith, it's not something that comes natural to me and so some training in that direction would have helped with putting words to my music.

I can't agree with this more. The only thing I'd add is I wish I also started taking singing lessons way back in addition to the above advice.

[mtcross]

Back in the 5th or 6th grade we were practicing for the Christmas Concert, and as I recall, if we weren't in band we were expected to sing. Cool, no problem, but the teacher, in front of the amassed assemblage of my peers, calls me out and says "Pat would you just lip sync please?" Of course I was upset by this and of course my peers were relentless for a few days.

Well to make a long story short, I guess I should have taken singing lessons then and there, however instead I've spent the intervening years believing there is no way I could ever sing.

However the smartest thing I did was pass up on the banjo lessons my grandmother offered to buy for either my brother or I. I counter offered with guitar, but she was set on banjo or nothing.

[smurph1]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I am taking lessons now...in my late 50's/early 60's. And I practice everyday: not merely playing through songs, but taking some of that time to focus on things that aren't going smoothly (maybe a chord change, maybe a fingerpicking phrase, maybe a flatpicked phrase, maybe learning a new song) and giving it focused attention and repetition.

Wish I had done both decades ago. I made time for other things, and found money to do other things; I wish I had made time for playing and really learning in a committed way.

Ditto. . If wasn't so busy I would. . But it looks like country band is being reincarnated. .

[Dreadful]

I started playing guitar around 16, playing with friends with a cheap guitar.

If I could turn back the pages, I would have taken some professional lessons from the start (rather than waiting until I was 50!), and I would have purchased a decent guitar and would have it set up so the action wasn't a mile high. I also would have been more persistent over the years, rather than playing for a few weeks and then putting the guitar away for months. This is where a good guitar that is properly set up can really make a difference.

[Pinetreebob]

I would not have given up playing ANY guitar, acoustic or electric for 30 years. I started playing in high school, probably about 16 years old on an old Sears Silvertone acoustic with action about 1/2" above the fretboard. I then graduated to a Harmony hollow body electric and then to a 1961 Gibson Melody Maker. Unfortunately, I got hard up to cash when in college and sold my Melody Maker for $125.
I finally got inspired to play again when my daughters both took up musical instruments with my oldest playing guitar. I picked up her guitar when I visited her apartment and managed to remember a few chords (E and A) and the next thing I knew I bought my own and I was learning how to play all over again. I'll tell you it ain't easy to get your fingers untangled after 50 years of age. One upside is I have much more money than I did when I was 20 and can afford nice guitars!

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I wouldn't do anything differently about how I learned to play guitar. For me, everything worked out about as good as I could have hoped. I didn't become a big star, but I think fate did me a big favor.

- Glenn

I'm with Glenn on this one. I wouldn't do anything differently. It's a question I think about a lot and like many here I started very young but never kept with it. I started playing when I was 14... and 21... and 30... and 40... but it wasn't until I finally started playing (again) at 50 that I finally had the spare time, desire and discipline to keep at it. Now at 53 I play every day for at least an hour (usually 2 or more) and I can play well. I can do exactly what I always wanted to do on the guitar - play songs and play with others.

I sometimes think, "If only I'd stuck with it when I started at 14... How would my life be different?" But I've lived a really good life and have a great wife and terrific kids, a job I don't hate that pays well, and hobbies and friends I enjoy. When I was young I thought there would be nothing better, nothing cooler than being a rock star! But we have all see the reality of that. And what's worse is I see all these guys who were/are really good guitar players who also wanted that dream and didn't get it and their lives are sometimes not that great. They don't have any sort of decent job, no family, no savings, no benefits... They are in generally really poor health and can't afford to go to the dentist. But they've got some nice guitars and amps.

And then there's the guys that were really good players who gave it their best shot and worked really hard at it for a long time but now hardly ever play. I can't imagine that. When I think about the things that time takes away from you physically having the ability to do, losing the ability to play the guitar every day is my biggest fear! So like I said, I'm with Glenn. I think fate did me a big favor. I'm enjoying playing guitar immensely and I'm so very happy to be where I am even though I'm not all that great and probably never will be.

[reholli]

Originally Posted by Justinbeene

If you could go back in time what THING would you do differently when learning the Acoustic guitar ?

I would play more often...

[DASmusic]

I would have paid attention in music class and picked up guitar way earlier.
It wasn't until after highschool (about 4 years ago) that I got into playing music and picked up a guitar for the first time. That's my only regret/something i would do differently about guitar and music in general. Other than that I'm still thankful for getting started when I did.

[k_russell]

I would have spent more time learning classical guitar before moving to different steel string styles. Then, I would have found good teacher of improvising techniques.

[Red Eye]

I would have stuck with it in my teens instead of chasing a lower golf score the last 35 years and having to start over at 53.

[usb_chord]

I would've started earlier. Much earlier. I barely knew what a Martin was until I was 21

[DesertTwang]

Take up guitar when I was young and wanted to instead of taking clarinet lessons instead, just to please my parents.

[SFCRetired]

Focused on Flat Picking. Heck I did some, but I didn't know what I was doing and wandered off trying to learn to play the top hits of the day. Can't remember a 1/4 of them. What a waste of time.

For anyone wanting to "learn" the guitar, I suggest learn how to flat Pick and how it works in relationship to the scales. Learn that, and the rest makes a whole lot more sense. Most all music came from that style in some form.

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by usb_chord

I would've started earlier. Much earlier. I barely knew what a Martin was until I was 21

You're funny. I didn't know what a Martin was until I was in my mid-thirties.