I'm starting to feel as if "needing to play an instrument most of your life to be good" is a myth.. because young kids have a lot slower learning style and don't learn as fast.

While young adults, and older teenagers learn a LOT faster.

Depends on how you define good, good as in knowing the ins and outs of the guitar and theory, or good as in being able to play Yngwie licks.

Thanks for revealing how little you know about learning tendencies in the growth stages. Young children learn SO MUCH faster than older people. This is most evident with language, but its also pretty obvious with music, PROVIDED that they're given proper instruction. You can't just give a kid a guitar and expect them to be any good at it by themselves.

Hey,
I know one site who will help you AND give this type of services.
I suggest you should try or visit this site.
I am saying this because I have also used this site.
So, Try this one
Best of Luck

______________________
Find Musicians Hut coupons and Music123 coupons at FindSavings.com.

LOL @ this thread. What a crock of horseshit.

Wow. This is like the most uninformed assertion ever made. Did you intentionally set out to get laughed off the internet today?

As for the actual topic...adults can learn to play just fine. It's just a lot harder than it is for a kid and takes a lot more practice. Aside from the mental aspects there are certain muscles that are developed when playing any instrument and a kid's body just physically adjusts more quickly.

this misty lake person is one of the worst posters ive seen

I see the point though, really small kids will tend to goof off, while someone older will be more structured.

I also knew someone who learned to play very good guitar in about a year in his late 20s, but he was already a keyboard player.

Glenn Tipton began playing guitar at age of 20. And then we got All Guns Blazing which should say it all

There may be some truth to this, however little. I began playing the piano about a month ago, and can now play the majority of one of Chopin's easier waltzes, and most of the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. However, I have also been playing the guitar for about 20 years so I would imagine that has quite a bit to do with it.

To be honest, it's all about your level of dedication. My musical idol is Tony MacAlpine so I am naturally my own harshest critic. Usual exchange between myself and my girlfriend:

Her: "That sounded great, your playing is really getting faster!"

Me: "No, it was utter crap. I need to practice alternate picking for 2 hours now."

My advice: Don't believe your own hype or you'll never improve. If your gut tells you that your playing "could be better", then it probably could.

What the ****? You can play those already after a month!?

Well, to be fair neither the Chopin waltz (aside from one bar) nor the Beethoven piece are very difficult. It's a matter of starting slowly; very slowly. The most difficult part is making both hands work independantly of each other. Also, I would recommend learning the correct fingerings for chords, scales and arpeggios, which will save you time down the road.

Jason Becker said " You just need to pratice as much as you need to to get good, it's different for everyone." I believe him, from my experience with guitar, you get out what you put in.