At your age, how is your playing?

[CarolinaGetaway]

I'm 75 and seriously disabled; also half deaf. Been playing since I was 15 (with one long break). I just started learning to play with a pick; started with fingerpicking and stayed with it (acoustic and electric) I am playing better than ever. A bit slower perhaps, but with more integrity and personal expression. It's not how many notes you can play but what they say that counts. Remember "There are no mistakes." -- Miles Davis

[Mr. Jelly]

I'm still a hack but I dress it up better now days. I have become satisfied with playing what I want to hear and not worrying about playing things I don't want to hear.

[dcopper]

After playing for 50 years (started at 16) I have learned much what the OP discussed - I have my own style and limitations. I can accept that. I try to play smarter and with more dynamics. I do mostly acoustic versions of classic rock covers and am adding in electric guitar versions now as well. Playing a Tele or PRS is much easier on my hands. I think maturing as a player has been a good thing - just hope my fingers stay straight enough to bar those chords. I may be losing the battle but triads are a whole new world to explore.
Thanks for the original post - it made my day!
Davidc

[Rogerblair]

My playing gets better every year. Of course, my hearing gets worse every year….wait, there may be a correlation there. Oh well.

Rb

[Don W]

Originally Posted by TBman

I just turned 68 and I turned in my red S some time ago,

I haven't been able to memorize full tunes for some time now, but I'm able to enjoy learning new things as long as they aren't too fast and too difficult - it just takes a bit longer than it used to.

I too have issues memorizing now at 70...that aside, I like your classical work. I began playing classical 5-6 years ago and have a Yamaha full size classical. I have played acoustic steel string for 50 years but find the classical (especially bar chords) difficult. The string height is a tiny bit over 1/8th at the 12th fret low E which I understand to be a standard for classical guitars. If possible, I would be interested in knowing what your string height is on your Cordoba.

[Alister]

The older I get, the better I was.
But seriously, I recall a fairly recent quote from Clapton, where he states he can't believe some of the stuff he used to play, and is certain he could not do so now.

I have some small library of sessions, solo albums, demos, and playing on other people's stuff, enough to be self-critical but also to assure myself I used to be a good player (at least on electric; engineers made my acoustic stuff, um...passable)

I'm 73 and two years ago got PMI, which is similar to Rheumatoid Arth except that it's genetic and most recover after 6-12 months. I could not play at all, and every muscle and tendon in my body pained me. I could not drive a car, and could barely get up off the toilet or out of bed.
It was scary as hell, but what bothered me the most was, after the guitar being my creative outlet for 60 years, I couldn't play at all.

I am back to 80% 'normal' I feel but playing "well' is now in the perspective of just enjoying music for its own sake, and playing at all.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by Chickee

How is your playing at your current age?

I'm 71. Been playing for 55 years. It's better than ever.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by Don W

I too have issues memorizing now at 70 . . . .

I've never been good at memorizing. In high school it took me three years to pass Spanish 1.

At 71, it hasn't gotten better and it hasn't gotten worse. Sometimes I remember a lyric, sometimes I don't, same as always.

Now you know.

[gurroz]

Originally Posted by Yamaha Man

terrible-- i'm 69 going on 70, and have lost the use of my ring finger and pinky in my left hand. It's so bad i can't even play a G chord anymore. I'm going in for hand therapy next week. Apparently i have a pinched nerve in my arm that controls those two fingers, it's like carpal tunnel, but a different nerve.

Cedell Big G Davis was an impressive blues player. He had Polio as a child that damaged his left hand badly. He used a butter knife to fret the strings. Anything is possible!

[imwjl]

I mostly don't care.

At this point I'm well into knowing I'm a not with a lot of natural talent hobbyist who enjoys playing. If an age aspect has hurt things recently it would be playing much less and working at sports and physical stuff I won't be able to do some day.

Comments on memory are interesting. I still have a complex and demanding job where notes help but age also helps for context, calm and history. For playing that seems to be I'll remember common chord progressions but look up details of other things.

What really scares me about age is how many people significantly younger than me not doing so well, not still learning, and not trying to be competitive. No fun with age is the same things that make some sports challenges show up with playing too. It reminds me to keep at the stretch, balance and wellness stuff.

There is no doubt I play more in winter time. Ramping up this season seems slow but my brain and body are at other complex things too.

[AX17609]

I care quite a bit.

I'm 73 and have had to discover different learning modalities from the ones I used when I was younger. Memory is a huge issue. I can play flawlessly something I learned when I was 19, but I can't remember something I learned yesterday. Also, attention. I just space out it a way I never used to.

[mo6020]

I'm 41 and while I'm still a fairly loose/sloppy player, I'm probably better than I ever was when I was regularly gigging and touring.

I've got a much lighter touch now, use less gain (tweed amps rather than a JCM800), and have far more diverse influences. However, I played in punk bands mostly, so it's not hard to get a lighter touch when that's your starting point...

I also play more acoustic now than electric. I'm at probably at 70/30 split in favour of acoustic these days, where as before I really only played acoustic guitar if I was doing an open mic or an acoustic show.

[mr. beaumont]

My playing is the best it's been. I'm hoping to get better. So I keep practicing.

I look at guys like Jim Hall as my inspiration for continuing to grow as I age. Jim might (and I stress might) have lost a little speed as he got older (he was never a fast flashy player anyway) but his concept greatly expanded. He never stopped learning and looking for new sounds and ideas.

So I keep practicing

[edward993]

Let's just say I am at the age where I am hoping to retire next year. That said,
my playing is better, cleaner, and more "soulful" now than it ever has been. That's the good part!

BUT, the problem is age and all that comes with that reality, most notably a nerve issue creeping into my left hand, leaving a half of my hand that swings between a dull numbness and a pain. Can't have it all, to be sure! Got a dr. appt coming up after a gig and post Christmas. Hoping for a solution! Rock on, all!!

Edward

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hm. It depends. Usually, it's better than it's ever been. I'm just as fast, and I know more.

But sometimes, like for the past week or two, my left forefingertip hurts too much to use.

Luckily I have a squareneck, but it's not as much fun because (a) it's hard to sing and play squareneck at the same time and (b) it's mostly an ensemble instrument.

Now you know.