What's The Best Beginner Guitar Course For Older Adults Ages 50+?
Whether you are old or young, when looking for an online guitar course, it's very important to work with a teacher that truly understands how to break things down step-by-step.
Not all teachers and courses are created equal. There is a HUGE difference betwee a guitar teacher and a guitar players.
So what should you consider when looking for the best beginner guitar course for older adults?
Let's discuss below.
Return to All Guitar LessonsGuitar TEACHER VS Guitar PLayer
Over the years, I have heard countless comments from students who have worked with some AMAZING guitar players. The downside is that they didn't make the greatest guitar teachers because they had a really hard time of breaking things down.
They simply forget what it's like to be a new player and often times want to show you how great they are VS helping you learn to play songs you know and live on guitar.
The key to a good guitar teacher, especially if you are an older adult, is someone that can really break things down into step-by-step chunks.
As our bodies age, we sometimes aren't able to do things as quickly as we used to.
Many of my older students are battling with arthritis, tendonitis or other issues. So we sometimes have to start things off a little bit slower while we develop the strength and finger dexterity required to get good at the guitar.
My student Kevin below had a horrible experience with his in-person teacher who ultimately overwhelmed him with too much information. Not only that, but the teacher also went on to insult him and tell him he couldn't do it!
This always stuns me. But it just goes to show you that not all teachers are made equal.
Kevin really appreciates the structure found in my 7 Level Guitar System and now has the confidence to make his dreams come true.
Do they have a plan?
If you are used to learning on YouTube, you probably think that all it takes to learn guitar is a bunch of lessons and a whole lot of practice.
While that is true, I find having a real system for learning to be vital to success.
Not only that, but a system that is designed with older guitar learners in mind. A system that will move you step-by-step in the right direction.
Many of my students have told me how old courses went too fast or the instructor didn't slow things down enough for them to understand. Not only that, but the teacher would also start them on VERY difficult chords like barre chords or chords that use 3 or 4 fingers at a time.
It's hard enough to move one finger at a time, never mind 3 or 4 of them.
That's why in my 7 Level Guitar System, I focus on starting with simple skills and building on them over time. It why the first chords we learn require us to only use 2 fingers and move only 1 finger at a time.
This helps you have more fun with the guitar sooner and give you the confidence to keep going.
Some guitar teachers will call this 'cheating' but it's what I have found to work for over 5000 students in my guitar program.
I always compared it to martial arts. If someone is a white belt, they will get frustrated learning orange belt moves. But if you systematically learn the fundamentals: Chords, strumming, picking and finger dexterity, you can become a very good guitar player.
As you can see from Dan's post in our guitar community below, having fun and believing in yourself as part of the process.
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What do other Older Learners Say?
The proof is usually in the pudding as they say.
The majority of the students in my 7 Level Guitar program are in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I even have students into their 80s learning to have fun with their guitar. Here is what 85-year-old Barbara Collin's had to say about the 7 Level Guitar System.
"Lauren – Thank you!
Since signing up for your 7 Level Guitar System I have not had one moment of feeling alone on this journey, because little messages of encouragement and tips from you keep popping up, and I have access to your live chats and play-along sessions.
Also, I have a son who plays guitar and he has always been supportive and encouraging in my endeavors.
I am 85 years old and have finally learned to have patience with myself.
Over the past 50 years, I have made many attempts at learning to play this old guitar. Starts and stops; starts and stops, never feeling successful. Yet there has been a yearning in my soul to just be able to sit alone with this instrument and make beautiful sounds.
Now is my time!
I found you – the ultimate teacher.
You have a natural gift for teaching, and maybe part of that is a result of some of your early experiences in learning to play. The fact of your patience with repetition of the basics means everything to me.
Also – the progress sheets that you provided are going to be so helpful! I started filling mine in yesterday. I have completed only Level 1 through Section 2, but that is okay. These pages will be a constant reminder of my incremental successes.
Guitar is sitting in its stand where I can pick it up several times throughout the day and spend 5-10 minutes practicing. I am feeling success already.
Consider this little message a big note of appreciation. One of these days I will be strumming along with you, playing a real song!
Barbara Collins"
It's emails like these thank make me happy to be a guitar teacher.
You can see what other students are saying in the video below as well.
Why Not Try For Free?
If you are an older learner and looking for the best guitar course from older beginners, then I would absolutely LOVE to be your teacher.
I understand that you might have a lot of questions on whether or not this is possible, so I have put together a free 14-Day Guitar Crash Course for you to experience what it's like to work with a teacher that breaks things down step by step.