Am I expecting too much

lapua65

So I first picked up a guitar in May 2019. Hacked around on Youtube etc for a couple of months. Had lessons since Sept 19 until March this year. Been practicing quite hard throughout. Now I have no intention of stopping as I am enjoying the learning, but... I can't play any complete songs, I can do some very basic E, A, D rifts (?). I was expecting on being far further forward than I am and the self discipline in not checking Youtube for "After a year of playing I can do this" videos has not worked. Am I expecting too much or is there a case of old dog new tricks or some people just cant?  

MagicPigDetective

For us who learnt as teenagers it's a bit hard to identify, but just keep going. Play every day and little by little it will become easier and more natural. Consider getting lessons - they will identify any bad habits and a good teacher will be of far more benefit than youtube.

phil_b

"Am I expecting too much"

yes

I started about the same time as you and by the sound of it at about the same level. Im 48 and dont think Im too old to learn but I also realise I cant practice as much as I would like. full time job family ect ect. some nights I feel my practice is just a waste of time as im too tired to concentrate but I remind myself if nothing else im building up the strength and dexterity in my fretting hand.

lapua65 said:

 Now I have no intention of stopping as I am enjoying the learning,

If this is true then it will come together it may take a while but that does not really matter

more

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OG__SwkV3wg
You might find  this interesting 

I believe there is probably too much stuff out there ,   a  five minuet video  can present a few thing that will take  years to master . 
 Two things that took me  years find out . Most of the player I liked did not play in  stranded  tuning . The other thing I learnt, When learning something new , only play at the speed you can , and not make mistakes.   

Kilgore

I think it's important to ask yourself, "Am I practising or just noodling?"

Regardless of what level we're at it's all to easy to fall back on the things we are comfortable with and can already play and not really challenge ourselves.
Playing the intro to Back in Black over and over isn't practising, it's just noodling. 

Youtube is a great resource for guitarists but it's also an enabler for the above. It's very easy to flit between channels learning a bit of this and a bit of that. 

mudslide73

I found it helped if I had something to practice for.. getting in a band really motivates you. I thought I was being serious about it until then (this may be wide of the mark in your case).

Our bass player went from non player to being able to gig 60+ tunes in 2yrs. He does 30 mins a day but is completely focused on learning the set. 

BluesLover

I've two friends who've been playing for years, and they'd be the first to admit that they're rubbish. They flit from song to song learning intros and riffs, and can't remember any of it. But they enjoy it and that's the most important thing. When I decided to learn, I wanted a structured course, so I followed Justinguitar beginners course. Everything took much longer to do than I'd hoped, but I stuck at it, and it took about 2.5 years to complete. I recommend this course unreservedly. I then tried a local teacher and that was a waste of money, it takes me ages to learn a tune, and he wanted to give me something new each week. I think you either need a structured course or a target to give learning a focus, or just admit you're not serious and are happy to faff about. Good luck with your learning.

drpbier

I think you are being hard on yourself. I started in Oct 17 after a c.25 year gap so had some basic open and barre chord shapes and knew the standard tuning open string notes. So I've been seriously learning now for slightly more than 2.5 years...using the Guitar Tricks basic course, then with a local teacher and doing my RSL grades 2-4. Currently doing Paul Davids' Next Level Playing course as well as lessons with a different local teacher and taking a little break from grades to focus on some weaknesses around rhythm playing. Practice almost every day for c.45 mins. I can't remember almost any of the songs I've learned and I can't pick up a guitar and do much noodling but I know I'm getting better. It's fun and it takes me away from real life. My last teacher said he didn't really feel like a guitar player (ie confident to just walk in and start jamming with other musicians) for 6-7 years. So I don't worry about comparing myself to anyone, I just try and maintain perspective about how much I've improved. 

Lestratcaster

There are 2 key things you need in order to progress - routine and the right practice. It will come eventually if you stick at it long enough. Most of my learners can play competently within a year with a weekly lesson with me, I never move onto a new song until they prove to me they've mastered the current one fully. I don't like them having 5-10 songs they can't play very well.

lapua65

Well I had my first guitar lesson in months and realised that I have been (as pointed out in Kilgore's) post noodling rather than practicing. I have got my metronome out the drawer and tried to stick to the homework. Hopefully I will get back on track

Chris_Bradley

Improvement is minute each day and you dont realise how much better you have become. Record yourself playing a few things today and listen closely to it and pick out the things you like and things you dislike. Work on both. On the days you are feeling down about where you are with your playing pull out your first recordings and compare.

munckee

Why not pick a relatively easy song and commit to making a video of you playing it all the way through in 4 weeks to post on here.

That'll get you practising!

If you want a suggestion how about knocking on heaven's door.

King85

Go for something super easy like blitzkrieg bop or another power chord solo free song and like munckee and get a video on here for feedback.

Mark1960

I first picked up a guitar at 14 and started learning some chords and songs, and it took me 10 years to get to what I would call a competent level (good enough to play in a band). Could I have done it sooner? Possibly, but work and life get in the way and can slow the process down. the point I am making is 
1) How long it takes is dependant on so many factors, including natural ability and dexterity, the level you want to achieve, strength and durability of fretting hand and wrist, inclination, practice time, quality of kit etc. etc. and 
2) The important bit is to enjoy the journey, not see it is an end result. I've now been playing over 45 years, taught my son (who is now better than me), taught a friends son, and I'm still learning, so target learning a song or Riff by all means, but don't worry about overall level, as this will take care of it's self, dependant on the factors in A. Enjoy your journey!

Jota

When I first started (I was 15) I was about to give up cause my teacher would teach me the chords but no context. No songs to learn. Through some friends I got some lyrics with chords on top from popular songs and that's when I had some practice moving from chord to chord. Yes, it took me a big while to be able to do it!

Later, after that teacher told me he had nothing more to teach me (he was a keyboard player and only knew the chords on guitar) I was in a band and needed to learn more so I found another teacher. He was a jazz/funk guy and again, songs were my salvation. I never had the mindset to practice scales and all that stuff so I concentrated myself on chords. He would teach me those crazy chords and those jazz standards but it was Bossa Nova that made me want to practice weird chords. Again, it was somehow a slow road...

Grampa

One word answer....Yes
I started a bit before you, Jan 2019 at 57 and basically wasted the first year having weekly one-to-one lessons, brilliant well respected teacher, great player, but I never did respond well to that kind of learning/work environment and felt under pressure to keep up. Switched to Justin's on line course and been making great progress, probably because I can work at my own pace and the only person I'm trying to impress is me.
The best advise I can give is keep practicing, you don't have to be the best, just try to be the best that you can be.
Cheers
Grampa

Balrog68

It's been mentioned several times already but I'll say it again.... Find yourself a band or just some others to play with..I've been playing on and off for about 45 years, I've been properly committed to practicing for the last 3 or 4 years and concentrated on the bass for the last two.
But the biggest jump in my confidence and ability came after joining a band(who are all way more talented than me). 
We've not played together for a while, for obvious reasons, but learning new material and practicing becomes so much more focused when you don't want to let your band mates down.
You also realise that in order to REALLY learn a piece of music you have to play it so many times that you don't have to think about it any more... Sometimes to the point that your fed up with playing it. But that is when the 'muscle memory' really works.
Sorry.. Long, waffling post but it genuinely does make a massive difference. 

thegummy

In my opinion everyone does have a natural level of how well they'll be able to play music where some will get much better much faster while others will take longer.

I really don't think that anyone is so limited that they can't get to playing full songs though, it will just take more time and effort.

I can think of a specific person I know who is completely tone deaf and has quite a poor sense of timing but has learned to play many full songs including some solos etc.

If you're youtubing people's progress after a year then you'll likely get as good as that but it might take longer. Only if the person is highly gifted, imo, could they already be at an unattainable level after a year.

Don't know what your long term goals are but I am quite sure you'll get to the point of playing songs.

ennspek

Also 10 minutes a day is better than two hours once a week.

fastonebaz

I started when I was 13. Played every day for years sometimes until my hands ached.   I got very good at it but only after lots of practising.  I can still do it now but I'm probably not as good at it as I was in my 20s.

Oh sorry I thought we were talking about masturbation.

phil_b

fastonebaz said:

I started when I was 13. Played every day for years sometimes until my hands ached.   I got very good at it but only after lots of practising.  I can still do it now but I'm probably not as good at it as I was in my 20s.

Oh sorry I thought we were talking about masturbation.

tosser