Parked on a platea, indefinitely

[Kinda Old]

I'm 70 years old, I don't want to grow in my guitar journey anymore. In fact, I've stopped playing bar chords altogether on acoustic guitar. I never liked playing them on an acoustic, (although, I still bar Bm) I'm starting to cut out most of the stuff that I couldn't play well but played anyway because I wanted to keep getting better. So now I'm enjoying playing as never before. I'm thinking what would have been so bad if I had come to that realization when I was 40? Better late than never.

[ChrisN]

Thanks for sharing the benefit of your experience.

Not completely similar, but along the same line of thought, I recently contacted the seller of a vintage amp to suggest he might be underpricing his amp, relative to the market. I wondered if he was not aware of what he had (original owner of iconic amp he bought new in 1965).

His response? "I'm old enough now that I no longer worry about trying to maximize my financial return on the sale of things. Just want it to find a good home." As I, too, am getting old enough to appreciate such thoughts, that was a bit of a light-switch moment, for me. So, too, was the case with your own observation.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Kinda Old

I'm 70 years old, I don't want to grow in my guitar journey anymore. In fact, I've stopped playing bar chords altogether on acoustic guitar. I never liked playing them on an acoustic, (although, I still bar Bm) I'm starting to cut out most of the stuff that I couldn't play well but played anyway because I wanted to keep getting better. So now I'm enjoying playing as never before. I'm thinking what would have been so bad if I had come to that realization when I was 40? Better late than never.

I get it also, bar chords suck on acoustic, I had learned them on electric and it was great, not that I can't do them on acoustic, because I can since I used 13-56's on my electrics.
Now I use a capo to keep in open chord territory, I still use Bm, F#m7 bar chords at times unless I want to change the sound in parts of the song then I might use an open and bar chord where it feels right
But overall im happy with a capo and cowboy chords

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by CASD57

I get it also, bar chords suck on acoustic, I had learned them on electric and it was great, not that I can't do them on acoustic, because I can since I used 13-56's on my electrics.
Now I use a capo to keep in open chord territory, I still use Bm, F#m7 bar chords at times unless I want to change the sound in parts of the song then I might use an open and bar chord where it feels right
But overall im happy with a capo and cowboy chords

Oh and it's really the right hand that gives the song feeling anyway unless your a lefty [emoji106]

[zombywoof]

I am also at that age. While I have no sage advice to impart, the one thing told to me many years ago that has helped is that your style is a combination of both your strengths and your weakness. So as the strengths wane and the weakness multiply with age I have had to change the way I approach a guitar. Due to hand issues I now, as example, rely primarily on my right hand thumb and middle finger with only sparing use of my index finger.

On other thing though follows what an above poster brought up with regard to selling a vintage amp Last year I parted with five guitars. I honestly did not give a fig what top dollar for the instruments was or even if I recouped what I had in them. It was like I no longer get emotional about it all.

This is an interesting topic. I turn 49 this year so I am relatively young in comparison to the OP and others but I have been playing for over 35 years. I have come to accept and appreciate the plateaus that happen. Up until 3 or so years ago I was practicing 4-5 hours a day and was maintaining a repertoire of over 100 (quite complicated for me) fingerpicking songs. I was progressing but I was miserable. With the encouragement of others I allowed myself to slash my repertoire and practice time and reap the benefits of my hard work without killing myself anymore. I allowed myself to plateau and let that constant and troublesome drive fall by the wayside. I still maintain some songs and take on challenges but not at the expense of my happiness. And when the plateaus happen, I let them happen.

[Silly Moustache]

I've just been talking on the phone with Mando Bob, the guy I've been playing with for maybe twenty-five years or more and he confessed that he simply hasn't played his mando since since last summer, when for a few sunny days we played together in Ian the bassman's large garden.

Even then we found it increasingly difficult because we had no fortnightly club nor and gigs to practice for.

Frankly for me giving Zoom lessons has given me the only impetus to play these last few months, but I have some days with no students (I prefer to call them clients) many of whom have had illness or illnesses in their families.

Still, it has rested my trigger fingers somewhat.

p.s. I never was much for barre chords! I prefer the thumb over method but like the OP I prefer using the capo!

ho hum - Spring WILL come!

[davidbeinct]

What do us old noobs do? I’m 58 and have been at it for a year and a bit. I know my goal is to get a steady thumb and pick cleanly mainly in the first position, with occasional forays into the typical country blues double stops and triads up to the twelfth fret. Can I make it at this ripe old age?

[Saxonbowman]

Originally Posted by Kinda Old

I'm 70 years old, I don't want to grow in my guitar journey anymore. In fact, I've stopped playing bar chords altogether on acoustic guitar. I never liked playing them on an acoustic, (although, I still bar Bm) I'm starting to cut out most of the stuff that I couldn't play well but played anyway because I wanted to keep getting better. So now I'm enjoying playing as never before. I'm thinking what would have been so bad if I had come to that realization when I was 40? Better late than never.

I suspect you will keep getting better at the songs you like and when you find a new one you want to learn that needs a new chord you’ll learn it. So don’t think you are stagnating.

I’m almost that old and spend more time learning technique rather than playing. I may have to reassess that at some point as I sometimes feel guilty just playing for fun. Thanks for your post. You make me think.

[jazzereh]

Being in my 70's I get it. I'm almost at the point of knowing I am likely to not get better but I still work on new tunes. Can't let the grey matter disintegrate too much.

I've had an acoustic guitar of one sort or another since the 60's and bar chorded as needed. Sometimes used a capo. Bought my first electric [Tele] about 4 years ago. However I'm mostly a sax player and that has seen a decline in 'use' since covid started. No rehearsing or gigs for months so there is less and less motivation. Luckily I'm playing guitar more since it is a solo thing for me.

I also knew about a couple of years ago that I wasn't going to get any better on the sax so just played what I enjoyed as well as getting more tunes for my band to work on. Don't bother with exercises and stuff these days when I do pick up the horn, I play tunes. So, yes, I get it that there is a time to stop worrying about 'getting better' and to do what you do do and enjoy the time with music. For me, it keeps me going, and it doesn't create any anxieties any more.

Won't ever give up playing something!

[charles Tauber]

In general, people engage in an activity for two reasons. First, because they enjoy that activity. Second, to make a living at that activity. The reasons can be one, the other or both.

In general, there are two kinds of people. There are those who derive "energy" from within: introverts. There are those who derive "energy" from without: extroverts. In general, introverts tend to be their own motivation for practicing/playing or "getting better". In general, extroverts tend to obtain their motivation from playing in front of others. In the absence of audiences, such as in pandemic times, some extroverts find motivation for their activities dwindling.

One should make one's practice/playing whatever best fulfils one's needs. If that means playing one, and only one, song by oneself, so be it. If that means striving to play guitar concerti in front of a filled concert hall, so be it. The voice you hear in your head driving you is yours.

[Robin, Wales]

Firstly, you have not plateaued. You have had an insightful move forward based on 50 or more years experience. And without that experience you would not be where you are now.

Secondly, if we were supposed to play bar chords God would not have invented the capo!

I don’t play bar chords. My epiphany came 15 years ago a couple of thousand feet up a rock climb when I was hit by stone fall that took a third off my left hand index finger. I play guitar now better than I ever have.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Kinda Old

I don't want to grow in my guitar journey anymore. In fact, I've stopped playing bar chords altogether on acoustic guitar.

I'm also in my seventies, and I have never been able to play barre chords well and I don't worry about it. I mostly select music that I can play without left-hand gymnastics. Having said that, I have found myself constantly improving, to the point that people listening to me at (currently online) open mics don't seem to hear, or are able to ignore, my mistakes. One benefit of this pandemic is that I have had more time to work on improving both singing and guitar playing. I'm really looking forward to getting back out and playing in public. I had a couple of paid gigs lined up when the pandemic hit, and I hope I'll be able to reschedule them at some point.

[Mark L]

Of course, there are other points of view. This, for example. However, as the wisdom of the internet cautions, “ymmv”:



Do not go gentle into that good night
Dylan Thomas - 1914-1953



Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

[rick-slo]

Same age. Probably a little less speedy and a bit slower to memorize things. Otherwise about the same. Barre chords
are in 90% of the tunes I play so playing them stays. They're not bad if the guitar action is good and the neck shape
and fretboard radius is good. On the other hand I'm not looking to start some style of playing I never did before.