[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Don W

…Anyone out there learning notation at an "advanced" age? I would love to hear your experiences with this. Will I eventually get it? My instructor says yes and says I am in good company. Of course I believe him but would love to hear from others and how they are doing with this.

HI Don

I think the best way to learn standard notation and a bit-o-theory is to take beginning piano lessons. Many community colleges offer group classes.

Pianos/keyboards are laid out differently than guitars, and are easier to learn/understand notation and theory on. Learning scales in standard notation is very simple on keys, and building any chord makes more sense - especially as to how they are written out in standard notation and laid out on the keys.

Both scales and chords make sense visually on keys, and they make sense to one's hands as well. I'm not suggesting you forsake guitar, or TAB. I'm suggesting you add keyboard to the arsenal.

Just learning note names on the score without learning the scales and chords they relate to is senseless.

I'm not sure there is a magic answer. I have a degree in music, and played trumpet, keyboards (piano, accordion, synth) and guitar starting age 8. I've often been glad I learned music from a keyboard perspective and then brought that knowledge to other instruments.

Hope this adds to the discussion.