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Many, many years ago when I started to learn Classical, the guy having his lesson ahead of me was a beginner and had just retired at 65. My then teacher told me that in his opinion if you've got 10 playing years left in you and you work hard, then you'll get as good as you can get whatever age you start. True/False?
My 72 year old father just bought a Martin guitar from me, as he is seriously working on learning fingerstyle blues? I tried to convince him to go the Flamenco route, but he wasn't interested. :)
My observation is, the people who wish they started younger ... Are all the younger guys. Figure that one out.
My then teacher told me that in his opinion if you've got 10 playing years left in you and you work hard, then you'll get as good as you can get whatever age you start. True/False?
I think it depends on the individual, but generally speaking - false.
Technically, I suppose the younger you are the better - this certainly works for young dance students. However, with age comes years and years of listening (especially to the cante) and it can make a few chords sound more flamenco than a whole string of super fast scales. This is how I make myself feel better anyway!! Karenanne
For those of you who bemoan your belated start in flamenco, here's two nifty solutions:
Join the International Air Guitar Championships in Finland and vie for the big prize. You don't need to really play - you just have to FAKE it really well!
Run out and purchase Guitar Player software. Evidently it's a video game that matches color-coded keys with a template that allows you to wail with the best of 'em. I don't think they've come up with a flamenco version yet, but maybe we can put in a special request!
Needless to say, I'm just kidding. But at 52, y'all have a serious headstart on me. I started two years ago and figure I'm preparing for a big comeback in my next lifetime. If I'm lucky, I'll be channeling Manolo Sanlucar!
Hi jasmine_27,air guitars not such a bad option really,hey incidently,your names a little misleading.It makes u sound like a 27 year old woman but you are in fact a 52 year old man haa ha lol, seriously though, welcome to the foro man!
I started playing guitar when I was fifteen, and flamenco at 45 (two years ago). I've made more progress these past two years that in the entire 30 years before. I'm happy I started Flamenco period. Who cares how old you are? It's the journey, not the destination isn't it?
Regards, Jeff
Weird. I had the same experience. I started at 10 (Now 57). I thought I was on a permanent plateau and would never get any better, and suddenly about 10 years ago my picado picked up speed and over the space of a year I got really fast. And at my age I should be getting slower. Go figure. But I learned a trick that really changed things. I'm not a spiritual person, but this was a zen-like revelation.
But in my early years, I can say that it wouldn't have mattered what kind of guitar I played. Those first years are spent getting your hands used to the instrument, not learning flamenco. It would be good to be born LISTENING to flamenco (for compas to become instinctive), but beginning to PLAY it later isn't such a big disadvantage. Just keep learning enough new stuff to keep yourself interested and engaged and you'll progress rapidly.
Ya, Arnold, don't make the rest of us wait till we're 47 to learn Zen picado, too! Help us out :)
I started playing guitar at 12, I think, using a classical to learn music that really was meant for steel strings (you can imagine my relief at buying a cheap Fender Squier Strat! ). I finally learned how to use that guitar at 14, my camp counselor taught me basic picado and rumba strum, and a bit of "Leyenda", haha. Around the same time I started listening to Ottmar et al., and about a year later that transitioned me into a little bit of real flamenco (PDL + Tomatito). Finally started really learning to play flamenco last summer at 17 and from there I've had a bit of a "flamenco explosion" in my life, haha. It would have been nice to have started a few years younger but no use complaining now.
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haa ha lol, seriously though, welcome to the foro man!
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