United States

I am 51 years old and started playing Guitar a little over 2 years ago. I wish my parents would have put a Guitar in my hands when I was a child. I did pick up a guitar very briefly when I was 20 but it never worked out because of drugs and Alcohol. Now for the last 2 plus years I have been practicing every day and met up with someone I met who plays Bass and we Jam together. Trying to get a Drummer is like pulling teeth.

Is there anyone out there who started playing an instrument at a late age

Eddie

ASk Pale o pete. LOL

Note: that WAS a joke!

Sliding Ed,
I'm already familiar with you because your within my "50 mile radius". I noticed a lot more available drummers then guitarists in our area. After a few months on bandmix, my son (bass) and I have found a drummer. Were now considering either a sax or guitarist. We rehearsed three times as a trio, and have covered thirty songs, (five of them originals). If your serious about starting a band, I you may want to upgrade your Bandmix account to a "primer membership". It will make it a lot easier to contact potential band mates. Hang in there ,and good luck with your search.
John

P.S. I was playing "Mount Airy Lodge" when I was 16 and I'm 57 now, so I guess I'm no Jonny come lately, but I've known people who started late in the game and progressed very fast. They usually are enthusiastic about playing.

I sang very early, but I didn't start playing bass until I was 23. Guitar about a year later.

I started piano at 6, but celtic harp at age 34. It was no problem at all. Such a natural fit. I was self taught and playing concerts withint 2 years.

I think you can pick up an instrument as "late" as you like - what determines what you do with it is your inspiration, your natural talent with it, and your willingness to perform.

I say go for it. You only live once (although some may believe in reincarnation). The last thing I want to think on my death-bed is I wish I had played an instrument. My mother took up piano in her late 50's and she still plays a bit now (she's in her mid-80's). It gives her a lot of pleasure. Anyway, good luck. I'd love to hear you post us about your first gig. Wouldn't that be cool? Later...

Thank you for all your posts. You have given me some confidence. What I like best about playing guitar is it allows me to express myself and it relaxes me. I want to contribute something to the Music world, even if is just a song that people would enjoy listening to. My son Eric who is in the picture with me at the Martin Guitars factory wanted a guitar 2 years ago. I bought a guitar and an amp the same day. I showed him 3 chords that I knew e, a, d and a blues scale only in 1 position. After that the bug hit me. I signed my son up for lessons and I myself bought myself several guitars and amps. I practice on the internet and have learned major scales and many more chords but I can not read music. I listened to Fishermanbob, Neanderpaul and Howlin J's music that you posted and I really enjoyed listening your music. I love the blues, I also liked what Irminsul posted, sounds like New Age and it really put my mind in another place.

Thank you all
Eddie

Good luck with it. I started when I was in my early 20s, and fell in love. I think the later you start it, the more you appreciated it . . .
You don't need to learn music theory to play music. Train your ear, and you can play just about anything.
If you ever find yourself in a rut, - learn a new song.
Or - learn a new chord, and make up a song around it.
Keep learning new things, and you'll neevr get bored . . .

I sang very early, but I didn't start playing bass until I was 23. Guitar about a year later.

.....And I started playing piano about a year ago at 36.

If it bothers you that you started so late... Do not let it. It does not mean anything. Look, actually, I have started playing guitar later than many people these days. I picked it up at around 17. Most people I talk to or see are like... "I started at 15," "I started at 7," "I started at 10," etc... I am not saying I am old, but you know, I wish I started younger too. But all and all, it means nothing.

Irminsul for instance, he started playing harp, as he said, at age 34... Have you listened to how brilliant some of that guys harp stuff is? He posted some links in another thread, maybe he will post them again if you want to hear them. That is a perfect example of how age means nothing in music. Music comes from the soul, so whether you are 10, 15, 20, 40, 50, 60, or even 70, it does not matter, you still can learn.

The mind never stops learning unless we tell it to, and even then you are lucky if it stops.

So I say, go for it, try as hard as you can in your free time to find that drummer, and have some fun, Sliding Ed.

I have been playing guitar for almost 2 years now, I love it. I write all the time, I learn to play fast shred stuff, learn all the techniques, talk to people on here about it, sometimes I go out and jam with a friend.

Good luck with the music and peace be with you, GuitarAnatomy.

Even though I've had a small synth hanging around me for the past 15 years, i never sat down and actually tried to play a keyboard until about 2 weeks ago. mainly because I can't find a local keyboard player.

I've been playing guitar, bass & drums for the past 30 years but back in 2005, I decided to try my hand at writing a musical comedy for the stage for my son's high school. I gave up music 10 years prior so had to refresh myself to playing and going in debt for all new equipment plus recording gear in order to record the tunes.

Well, not only was I able to remember how to play at 44, I discovered I had a whole mess of new tunes and a new approach to playing and was able to not only write better songs, but design a stage set & write (for the first time ever, I've never written anything before except songs) a musical comedy script that was produced!

Age shouldn't be a factor, I believe that once you get past the 'new' learning curve, you'll find that your age and experience lend a lot to your playing (especially with the blues, you wind up knowing a lot about the blues as you get older...;>)

Age is just a number, what matters most is your attitude. Hanging around young people helps keep your attitude fresh. Good luck!

Just play. I was 18 when i started and felt I was old to begin. Most prodigies begin at 7/8 years of age.

My first show I fell apart, panicked and just played and ad libbed like crazy.

Afterwards, the others I played with were pissed as hell. That is until they asked us to go back up and play another set. Then they just sat back, really ad libbed, played nothing at all and came off looking like we were well-rehearsed and 100% professional.

Moral of the story is, if you got the goods, it shows even if you make mistakes. You have to take chances to win it all. Alternate is the lotto motto, "you have to be in it to win it". Relax and just open the flood gates, music is about emotion. Go create some emotion, make them feel your pain.

I'm 47, ROCK ON OLD MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rock on Young Man