Never Too Late to Learn an Instrument

As a guitar teacher with over 20 years experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work with guitar students of all ages and skill levels. One student, however, stands out among all. We first met when she walked into the music store, came up to the counter and said,  “I want to learn how to play guitar. Can a woman of my age do it?”  I replied, “Absolutely!” Uncertain, she asked, “How can you be so sure? I’ve heard many people say that it’s very hard.” So, I said, “I’ll tell you a secret, the Guitar is the easiest thing to learn and the hardest thing to master.”  

ANYONE can learn how to play guitar. The questions is how far you want to go with it. Think about it: do you need to know the inner workings of an internal combustion engine to drive a car? Most people just put the key in, turn it on, and go. Learning the guitar is the same thing. You could make the choice to learn everything about guitar,  practice countless hours every day, immerse yourself in music theory and learn the little nuances that have created countless classics over the years....  

Or, you could do what 9 out of 10 adults do. Learn some chords, and be able to play some songs.  Learning enough to put a smile on your face, relieve the stress from work,  jam with some people at a party or an open mic.  There are many options nowadays when it comes to learning guitar, or any type of instrument for that matter.  

Private instruction, whether in person or via webcam, is by far the fastest way to learn. The right instructor will have you playing faster than it would take the YouTube video to finish loading. The instant feedback a music teacher can give you is priceless when you think about how much time can be wasted in practicing something incorrectly. Learning how to play the guitar can be taught in as little as 20 minutes.   

It’s just like starting the car, after that, you have the rest of your life to enjoy the journey. As for the woman at the music store, she looked at me and said, “Ok, I’ll give it a shot.” I said, “That’s all you need to do, give it a try… By the way,  if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” She smiled, “Would you believe, I’m 88?” No matter what age you are, you can learn. I’ve taught kids as young as 4 ½  all the way up to Miss Alice who holds the record as my oldest student at the ripe old age of 88. 

ANYONE can learn to play guitar, you just have to give it a try.