[OzzieMikie]

So I'm three weeks into my guitar journey (at age 67). I've had three 1/2 hour lessons thus far, with another coming up tomorrow.

I've learned the A, C, D, E, and G chords thus far. (Along with a simple I, IV, V bluesy kinda thing picking single notes in the key of A).

But for the life of me, I simply can't seem to change chords in time, even though I know ahead of the change where my fingers need to go (knowing where they need to go and getting them to do it seem to be at odds with each other!). Two things seem to be happening that, despite my best efforts, I just can't seem to correct:

1. My instructor has me picking the string by itself and then strumming the rest of the chord on the next beat. Sounds easy, and it should be, I think, except my right hand only seems to want to pick the right string about 60% of the time. Most of the time my right hand seems to want to pick the string on top of the one I need to start strumming on, or it picks the one on top of the one I need to pick by itself. If I watch my right hand, then I seem to make mistakes fingering the chords. If I watch my left hand (which my instructor is adamant I should do, then I make mistakes picking the wrong string with my right hand.

2. For some reason, the D chord gives me the most problems. (I've been working on that I, IV, V thing using just the A, D, and E chords). It's the darned high E string that my middle finger just doesn't seem to want to land in the right spot. Most of the time my error is that the finger is too close to the fret...but when I try to correct that, my ring finger wants to slide up the B string and most often won't ring out properly.

Maybe the solution is to only choose songs that have a full measure of empty space between chords? 😄

Anyway...maybe what I'm experiencing is normal, but I sure do feel like a 5 year old at times.