Mature guitar students often have a more difficult time learning the guitar than children because they over-think or are impatient with themselves to see progress immediately.
Here are a few of the techniques I've used to help mature beginners overcome problems they had learning to play basic scales and chords and riffs.
1. Get it into your head
It becomes a whole lot easier to play things on the guitar if you can sing and tap them out first. Get the music and rhythm in your head before you try to play it - you'll see how much easier it is.
2. Close your eyes
Practising scales and chords at first can be tricky. If you find yourself staring at your hands while you play, try closing your eyes and doing it or looking away.This technique helps a lot of mature students overcome the limitations of over-thinking.
3. "Too many mind"
If you've watched The Last Samurai this will make sense already. If you haven't, it comes down to this: whatever you are trying to play, you will learn better if you think about only one thing at a time. Most things you play on a guitar involve right hand and left hand and coordination between them. That is already three things (minds) that need individual attention.
4. Wait for it!
Be patient. Do the work - slowly - concentrate. Then go do something else. Give your brain time to process what you are doing and pack up all the new learning neatly into a new skill you can access. This doesn't happen in 10 minutes. Come back tomorrow and you'll sound better.
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