7 Tips for Older Beginners | Tom Strahle | Easy Guitar | Basic Guitar

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From this video...

Tip #1 - Practice 5 minutes a day (to start)
Tip #2 - Lighter Strings/Lower Action
Tip #3 - Toughen up the finger pads
Tip #4 - Keep the guitar out where you can get to it
Tip #5 - Warm up
Tip #6 - Practice efficiently
Tip #7 - Keep it simple to fight discouragement

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[TomStrahle]

The guitar is a 1965 Gibson Folksinger BTW. It's missing the lower pick guard.  It originally came with two, an upper and a lower probably because (say it with a crotchety old man voice) "these kids today are using these things called plectrums and scratching up the top of the guitar.  So let's glue two big pieces of plastic on the top to protect it."

[frankg.]

I'm 87 and I'm finally starting to learn guitar. I love the way you're teaching.

[angiel]

I'm a 55 years old grandma. I grew up in a family of musicians where all the male learned to play the guitar, but the females. All the females were sent to the kitchen to learn how to cook and clean.🙄🤣 Now it's my time. I'm going to learn to play the guitar on "my own". Well, here I'm looking for easy classes for beginners. 🤣

[scottcochran]

i'm 60, divorced and disabled and just starting with a guitar.. my biggest challenge is trying to learn to read Music, learn finger placement, and timing all at one time.. but i'm workin at it Daily.. I WILL prevail..

[davidmccue]

Holy smokes 70s and 80s??!!?? Good for you, people !!! I thought I was the old guy he was talking about, and I'm 49. I'm surprised how quickly I'm picking it up.

[henrypearson]

Hi Tom, I am an absolute beginner at 82 years old and my first guitar is arriving on Wenesday, I am determined to learn how to play it and your tips an encouragement and commonsense approach is just what I need, thanks a lot.

[tnewsteadbentham]

Hi
I’m 71 and recently retired and now have time on my hands to learn guitar having not picked one up for over 50 years.
Thanks for taking the time to post some valuable information for us older folks who want to start playing.
Great video 👍

[rip.n.Rob.]

Those are all great tips Tom, I'm 60 years old and I'm picking up guitar for the 4th time, this time I'm determined to do it right and succeed, if I had YouTube when I was a young person and had access to people like you I would be a very accomplished guitar player by now, thanks for all you do.

[nursewratchet]

I’m a 61 year old, tired nurse. Trying to get my mind off the pandemic! Just bought my first guitar. I’ll be watching and practicing!

[RhinoDNA]

By the mid-70's I developed a repertoire of roughly 50 songs and had learned just enough guitar to support myself playing solo for 'happy hour' in hotel bars/lounges...2-3 hours a night...brought home around $300 each week (back then that was pretty good money for a girl). Then I got married, raised a family and hardly ever touched the guitar for over 40 years...until this past Christmas when one of my sons gifted me with a brand new Fender Redondo (a sentimental replacement of my first guitar back in the late '60's). Now, I'm trying to 'really learn' to play and at 71, I found that what little I already knew has come back to me rather quickly...even the calluses. I've been following all but a couple of these 7 tips since Christmas and am so grateful for YouTube! This is great advice for the 'older' first time guitar student...and good encouragement for all others, too.

[USMCArchAngel]

5 minutes of guitar practice is infinity better than no guitar practice.

[youngnc]

I’m 75 and have been “playing” for about 5 months. Practice every day. Love to play. I try to challenge myself with cord progressions that are difficult. Don’t always succeed that day but there’s always tomorrow. I figure if I keep doing this I’ll have more tomorrows. I don’t do this to perform for anyone else but me. It keeps my mind and my fingers more nimble.

[jdwisdom]

It makes me feel good that there's so many old farts like me that believe that their not too old to learn what was just a dream as a kid. Thank You for thinking of us! JD

[KateC]

I’m 46 and just got my first guitar today. I played clarinet for a long time but always wanted to try guitar or piano. I am nervous about starting but these suggestions are great. Good luck to all of us.

[johannechouinard]

I bought my guitar at 14, took 1 lesson and didn't go back because the teacher " made me feel uncomfortable". I became a dancer, took singing lessons for 5 years but it's at 50 that music happened. I'm 67 and Covid 19 made me dust my guitar. I'm learning fast and loving it. Great teachers on YouTube !!! Maturity helps haaaa. 😷🤗💚🎸

[thegipper]

I am 75 years young and decided to build a kit guitar during Covid. Now i'm learing to play and really appreciate your tips.

[wildalbalass]

Great tips. Many thanks.
I started learning 11 days ago. I can’t put my guitar down. I am forced to stop with the chords as my fingers are too sore so then I do some strumming practice or picking practice.
I have become a woman possessed or obsessed or both. Loving it too.
Regards from an absolute beginner aged 63.
All the best from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[denniswright]

I am 77 years old a beginner and I struggle with all the chords but I will win in the end lol

[amnocturne]

I’m a 44 year old mom & a second time beginner. I wish I had the focus and clarity of intent that I have now when I was young and had all of that time on my hands! These tips are fantastic, thank you!!

[Keithphotorama]

A month before I turned 61 I decided it was time to learn guitar. I was born with severe hearing lost in both ears and two years ago I got Cochlear Implant in my right ear. So, my primary challenge is my hearing lost and I ended up buying both Electric and Acoustic beginners guitar so I could recognize the difference between them. It’s definitely fun to learn in my own private room, and maybe one day I will have an audience. The Flame by Cheap Trick is definitely a song I would love to play one day.