new guy - beginning at 60

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Peepaw

I'm a big fan of Justin Guitar on youtube.
He has free lessons targeted at absolute beginners.
He also has lessons for advanced players as well.

Not a bad place to start.

+1 and Welcome Navy!

I am a gigging musician and still go to Justin's site to learn new things and material. It's a fantastic resource. I'm 56 and been at it seriously for about 8 yrs now. Have fun with the new hobby.

[mr. beaumont]

Welcome aboard. Never too old to start.

And I'm completely fascinated "Navy" was still available as a forum name.

[mawmow]

You made it through NAVY : Congrats !
Learning to play guitar will now haunt the rest of your life
since it is a never lasting and quite self-rewarding process : Congrats ! :-)

[Rockysdad]

Welcome Navy, as has been said, it’s never too late to start.
Justin Guitar site is good, there’s all sorts of help on YouTube, and Google is your friend.
Feel at ease to ask about anything here, lots of helpful folk.
Be patient, your fretting hand fingers will feel a bit awkward and sore for a bit but you’ll get through it.

[JMYMusic]

Originally Posted by Peepaw

I'm a big fan of Justin Guitar on youtube.
He has free lessons targeted at absolute beginners.
He also has lessons for advanced players as well.

Not a bad place to start.

I started from scratch at age 63 and am using Justin Guitar as the foundational method, but I also check out other youtube videos to supplement this. I have always loved the sound of the acoustic guitar, so just being able to play a chord cleanly and hear it ring out on the instrument is a pleasing experience at this stage of the journey! These simple pleasures add up and will fuel your motivation to continue learning.

Have fun!

[tippy5]

Keep posting, learning, playing and smiling.

A dog and an acoustic I also have supplanted from my yesteryears of parenthood, booze and women...

Keep up your new hobby. Don't get frustrated. Sometimes the discovery joys are the funnest of times.

[Sax Player Guy]

Welcome, Navy! One of the nice things about a place like this is you quickly realize that you aren't alone. There are a lot of folks on here, including myself, who decided to dive into learning guitar in their 50s, 60s, 70s. I'm in my late 50s and started a little over a year and a half ago. I'm tellin' ya, it's a beautiful thing to do, and, even if you figure in the cost of GAS, it's WAY cheaper than therapy.

Another great thing about a place like this is all the knowledge that people here have. I initially discovered this forum because whenever I googled a guitar-related question it seemed like there were answers to be found here on the AGF. I have learned so much from following various discussions on this site.

BTW, I agree that Justin is very good. The biggest reason to get playing the guitar is so you can play songs. Justin has some great songbooks for different levels of players, including beginners, and he has videos (free on youtube) where he shows you how to play the songs. I am a fan. I also found his beginning guitar method book to be very helpful. Enjoy the journey!

[Ukulele_Eddie]

Welcome @Navy. Always great to challenge yourself.

There are a lot of great resources online. As already recommended, Justin Guitar (https://www.justinguitar.com/) is great. He has loads of lessons and they are coded by difficulty.

Udemy also has a bunch of great courses.

Also, while there ARE an incredible number of resources online, if you have the budget to take some private lessons, it is well worth it IMHO.

Have fun on your guitar journey!

[Rev Roy]

Welcome, Navy! I’m a vet myself...of the Army variety. I also didn’t start playing guitar until I retired when I was 63. That was five years ago. I still suck...but not as bad as I used to. I know because the dog no longer leaves the house when she sees me grab a guitar. Hope you enjoy this journey as much as I have.

I also recommend Justin’s site. First thing I did was take his beginner course. It’s been a good foundation for all the other stuff I learned since.

[guitargabor]

One thing that should be mentioned when starting guitar at this age:

Make certain you have good posture while playing your instrument.

Many of us who started at a young age developed incorrect posture and hand position etc.

After many years of playing, I have had to pay more attention to this aspect as our physical abilities begin to deteriorate.

It is one thing that is not emphasized in any on line lesson.

I really believe in having some one on one private lessons IN PERSON with an instructor.

If I had not taken lessons for 10 years when I was in my 40s, I would not be the played I am today.

And still learning...

Enjoy the ride!!

Gabe

[Lockback]

Welcome and congratulations!
I played a little bit in college on a really crummy acoustic, learned a few chords but didn't (and still don't) read music. I gave up in frustration after a couple of years and later picked up keyboards.
At 63, 3 years ago, I got the bug to try an electric guitar for the first time and ordered an inexpensive Yamaha Pacifica 112J and Fender Champion 20 amp. I didn't want to invest too much in case I was lousy or lost interest quickly.
Luckily for me, it took.
And then I bought another electric and a bigger, better amp and now two acoustics.
I still don't read music and consider myself an intermediate beginner. I'm not the worst player who's ever picked up a guitar but Eric Clapton and Tommy Emmanuel needn't worry about me displacing them on stage anytime soon.
The point is that I'm really enjoying it. After a lifetime of having to do things for my job or my wives, this is strictly for me. I do it at my own pace. If I don't feel like playing, I don't. If I'm inspired, I play ... and as luck would have it, I play almost every day. And, yes, I'm getting better, but slowly.
Which is okay. I'm not in a race with anybody. I do this for my own enjoyment, not for anyone else.
So enjoy the ride. Do it your way. Take your time. One great thing about this era is that you can get a wonderful guitar for not a ton of money.
Have fun!

[Dru Edwards]

Navy - Welcome to the AGF! We have many members who only picked up the guitar after 50 (and 60) so you're not alone. It's a great journey and it just starts with 3 chords.

[ScottSD]

Welcome Aboard Shipmate,

Spent 21 years in the canoe club myself. Started learning guitar a year ago, after I punched out of my second career. Turning 60 in a couple months so we're pretty much in the same boat.

If I have anything to add to this discussion, it would be consider taking in-person lessons. I'd like to think I've benefited greatly from them. The internet is good but it won't identify what you're doing wrong and tell you how to correct it!

Scott

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by Navy

... had always been interested in learning guitar but, when I got to a point where I could do something about it, I joined the Navy...

Old Navy story. I joined in 1968. After a year of paychecks I bought a Martin D-35 and brought it aboard. Action was so hard that I took it to the carpenter shop on the ship. I filed the nut slots too low, and built them up with drops of epoxy. Lived with that until 1999 when I took it to a person with odd name of luthier.

[J Patrick]

...benvenuto Navy....(maybe you sailed with the 6th Fleet)....

....good onya mate!!....playing music is an elixir.....and it’s okay .to overindulge....