too late?

[e73]

i don't know if this belongs in this category (feel free to move this if its in the wrong area) but i have had a few questions on my mind lately

i started really playing electric guitar and taking lessons a little over a year ago and prior to that i had been playing acoustic and kind of messing around for two years. so ive been playing for a total of over three years now with some piano training in the past. i'm now 21 and i'm wondering if i'm too old to keep up and even go to music school. i'm still taking lessons and would ideally like to go to music school for a year next september. i guess i really want to go but i'm wondering if i'll be able to keep up because it seems everyone started when they were 12 or 15. i'm a really hard worker but im wondering if i can compensate for all the lost years ie. 21 - 15 is 6 years! i'm currently in the la area and was considering going to MI or LAMA. am i just a ridiculous dreamer that found out his passion a little too late? i know i should focus on progress but its hard not to compare to other people and to see all the areas i need to work on.. especially having started late. anyone have any advice? especially those who have gone or are in music schools?

[Zarathustra]

Heck I felt the same way as you. I'm 17 and I really only got serious about playing the guitar halfway through the summer. I realized that you just have to stick to what you really want to do, because there is nothing else worth doing.

[dave111]

I think Allan Holdsworth only started when he was 21!

Dave

[phantom]

it will only be too late if you keep wondering when it's too late.

just do it.

music doesn't care about age.

[rmuscat]

e73 i've been "playing" guitar around 11/12 years now.

Problem is this - 80% of that time i had been w*nking about, i did not focus on anything i just played stuff i enjoyed, which was not that intensive (at all). At one point i had even quit guitar completely.

2 Years ago (now i'm 23) i went back to it. Got myself some books and started to work my a*s off like never before.

I'm still far from anywhere decent but i did more improvement in 1.5/2 years than in the previous 10!!

I face those questions daily, but at this point i fight them back by practicing -- as zappa says lol ;) When i hear a bad a*s solo instead of quitting i work it out and rip it out note by note. It always helps to keep frustration in check.

The more worried i get, the more i practice. So don't worry man you're not alone.

Just grab that guitar and wear your fingers away.

my 2c

p.s. i think holdsworth played violin before that

[phantom]

oh yes.. after reading robs post, one more wise quote comes to mind:
"time is relativ"

and if time is relativ, age has to be as well.

*phantomclosingthebiganddustymetapherbookwalkstoth enurseandasksforhispills*

[dave111]

He played Violin before? Didn't know that, seems weird considering he wanted to play Sax and liked more Jazzy stuff...

Dave

P.S ( I'm 14, Started playing properly (seriously) about 8 months ago, and about 2 weeks ago decided I'd prefer to be a lawyer then a musician... Not that I don't love music, its just that im not dedicated enough. Dedication is more important then time (To some degree)

[phantom]

about 2 weeks ago decided I'd prefer to be a lawyer then a musician...
:eek:

[Malcolm]

Age, as it relates to learning, has to take into account attention span, and the time available for study, practice, etc.

Non-musical example; I finished my degree, BS Business Administration, twenty seven years after I first entered college. Without a degree I had progressed as far with the company as possible. I wanted to go farther.

I believe the answer to your question lies in how bad you want this knowledge. You normally have to give up something to get something else. Only you can weigh which one is more important to you.

As to you being too old? No way. As to having the time, that is another story. You have to find the time. Most of my study was done at 30,000 feet inside an airplane or from 4:00 to 6:00 AM each morning.

Time is more a factor than age.

[dave111]

:eek:
:D It's just I think I lack the dedication to be a musician. Maybe I'll be "music lawyer"

I'm definetly not gonna stop guitar, and nothing is final.

;)

[Los Boleros]

A whole bunch of great advice.And there you have it. It does come down to time. The only advantage a teenager has is usually time. For you it means, is there enough time in your schedual? It does come down to priorities. The advantage you have now is that you are at a great age for working methodically. The time you put in now can have great efficiency!

[phantom]

"Maybe I'll be "music lawyer" "

you know what, that's a good thing. helping fellow musicians out with your law knowledge. the usual player just doesn't spend enough thought on his rights... i think.

[Sentinel]

Rmuscat: I'm in the same boat as you. I played off/on for 9 years. More off than on. Then I gave it up for 3 1/2 years. I only got serious about a year ago, but I've made way more progress after that year then in the 9 years before. Now if only I had this kind of dedication during those 9 years. :) But better late then never.

[e73]

thanks for everyone's thought so far

well besides time to pratice isn't there some advantage of starting younger? my logic, is that since the brain, as well as the body is still developing at an age of 12 or 15, they might be "naturally" better at noticing relative pitch or conditioned their fingers earlier to be able to play fast. i know a lot of it has to do with practice but my guess is there is some sort of advantage besides having more time.

and part of me wishes i started earlier so that i would have had more time. i remember in jr. high and high school i didn't do much with my time. now im a college student at UCLA where i really have to work hard to pull off decent grades.

would it be efficient to go to music school? or should i study by independently.. the reason i ask is because someone wouldn't want to spend a lot of money and time to go into music school if they're just learning like scales.. because you can learn that on the internet. the reason i want to go directly after graduating from UCLA is because I dont have a job or family to tie me down and i figure one year ain't too much.

[Los Boleros]

I wish I could have studied music in college. Go for it kid! You got your whole life ahead of you. The people you meet will have as much influence as the school itself.

[silent-storm]

If you got the time and not much of a social life to tie you down, get into a music school and go for it. Sure you can learn lots outside of one, but you can't beat the competition of constantly being surrounded by people better then you.

I'm currently in music school most people (and from what I've heard this is true with other places) are either straight out of highschool or in their late 30's early 40's. Don't know why this is, but you definatly wont be out of place.

As far as I know, Beethoven didn't start composing till his late 20's, early 30's and he turned out pretty good.

[Gunnan]

My first guitar teacher Bill always said its not how long you have been playing but how many hours you play.
Also 21 is only about a quarter of your life if your healthy and were not radiated by any freak nuclear accidents ( Im from belarus*Churnobel*) so you have plenty of time to pursue your musical ideas and career.
I feel the same way as you at 19 sence I started when I was 17. At some point I realy wanted to go to music college but I choose to stick it out with my girlfriend instead. I think the major issue you should look at is how deticated yo u are right now? Do you wanna go to music college because you think it will make you a better guitarist or because you have exhausted most other guitar resources? Does music college fit in with your life choices, and as usual what do you want to do once you graduate. - Yan

[John Tuohy]

Listen, if this is something that you want to do, just do it! It's as simple as that. If you think that going to a music school would be fun and challenging, and it sounds like something that you want to pursue, then what's stopping you? I think it's a wonderful idea.

The thing that you're worried about is that the "natural learning process" is over for you, and things will won't come as naturally. I say, don't worry about it? The worst that happens is that some things are harder for you than they would have been 6 years ago. Big whoop. Art is hard. Once you accept that fact, you'll enjoy working towards your goals.

I have a great example. I have a friend that goes to my college (WCSU in CT) that not only NEVER played jazz before college, but didn't really play much guitar. He didn't know ANYTHING before he came to college, besides some open chords and a pentatonic scale. Since the university was low on guitar players that year, he still made it in. He got hooked up with a good teacher, and within 3 and 1/2 years of working his *** off, he is one of the better players in the whole music department.

Does this kid have buttloads of natural talent? No. Does this kid wish that he had started earlier, like the rest of the guys in the music department? Yes. Did he let any of this stop him? NO, NO, NO.

He entered music college on a whim, and is now reaping the benefits. He gets to play with one of the best combos at school, as well as various other ensembles. All it takes is a dedication, and time.

To sum up, if this is what you want, just do it. The process isn't as hard as it seems at the start. All you have to do is just do it. You'll thank yourself, and be very happy in the long run.

[DonBeto]

well, i guess i have to quote walter mathaough (dont know how its spelled :P) in this one:

Too late? It's never too late, thats why they invented death!! lol

[e73]

well, i guess i have to quote walter mathaough (dont know how its spelled :P) in this one:

Too late? It's never too late, thats why they invented death!! lol

haha. then i hope death doesnt come soon ;D