Practical Insights for Guitarists Over 50
Whether you’ve just started learning to play the guitar or a seasoned player, things do change as you age. But it shouldn’t stop you from exploring more of your musical interests. Here are some practical insights for guitarists above 50 who wish to maintain a steady guitar practice.
A great exercise routine
You might find it hard to believe, but regularly playing the guitar can contribute to your physical and mental well-being. Guitars require a lot of hand-eye coordination and even challenge your brain to recall chords, scales and tabs.
When you maintain regular practice and play your acoustic guitar, you’re exercising your hands and wrists along with your brain. If you challenge yourself to learn new songs, you’ll be making this exercise more intense and even more fun.
However, you don’t need to continue to learn new songs and new techniques. As long as you keep a consistent practice, the exercise will contribute to your well-being and you might even feel curious to explore more as a guitarist.
More than just a hobby
Just as it is a great exercise for your mind and body, playing a musical instrument can also keep you engaged. Not only that but the positive effects of music such as stress relief only increase when you do more than just listen to your favorite songs. Hobbies are meant to make us feel happy and keep us engaged in an activity that we like.
For those above 50 and with a lot of time on their hands, indulging in activities like learning a new instrument is definitely a great time investment. There’s never an age to stop learning and exploring and it’s exactly the same when it comes to learning to play the guitar. Whether you’re a beginner and learning to play the guitar or someone with years of experience, maintaining a musical hobby delivers nothing but positivity and joy.
Choosing the right guitar
Whatever your age may be, making the right purchase requires time and knowledge about the different choices. When you’re buying yourself a new guitar, you want to know exactly what you wish to play. Often we like to play genres we listen to the most.
If you’re someone who listens to rock and blues, you might want to explore the electric guitar section. If you’re someone who loves classical music, plucking and folk music, you should check out classical guitars.
And if you’re somewhere in the middle and want an instrument that’s suited for all genres and is enjoyable, you should try acoustic guitars. Beginners are recommended to start out with acoustic guitars as they are more versatile and can allow the guitarist to know what they would want to buy next.
Buying the right accessories
When purchasing your guitar, you should check out the different strings that are for sale. For soft and warm tones, brass strings are the best. For classical guitars, nylon strings are the best. For sharp and strong notes, aluminum strings are the best. Take your time to learn about all varieties and then spend your money.
You should also look up other guitar accessories for more ease of playing. Some of the accessories you should consider buying are as follows:
- Capo – For changing the scale of the song or moving from harder chords to easier chords.
- Plectrums – To avoid hurting fingers and getting more flexibility in deciding the sharpness of the notes.
- Tuner – To make tuning your guitar quick and easy. You can either buy a separate tuner or find apps for your phone.
- Guitar strap – Optional but recommended for those that perform on stages
- Case and stand – Protect your guitar from dust and moisture with a good case and a stand to rest it on.
Divide time between learning and revising
It might be foolish to have rigorous learning practice every day. Instead, what you should do is start with a warm-up session where you play a song you love and then move into learning a new song. Playing songs that you already know gets you ready to play new songs and get into the zone and boosts your confidence and self-esteem to take on a new challenge.
Another thing to remember is that consistency beats longevity. This is applicable in any learning process and the same applies here. Decide how much time you have to invest in playing the guitar and then make a commitment to follow it religiously.
You might miss a day here and there, but do not miss practice for more than a day or two. It will only hamper your progress. Manage expectations and limit learning till it’s fun and exciting and not boring and exhausting.
As a guitarist over 50, you may have plenty of time to devote to indulge in your musical hobbies. Find time for yourself and for music and come back to it every single day. Maintaining interests and hobbies are always important and more so when you start growing old.
