Wish i could do better.

[joner4567]

I have played since 1985 I'm 65 now and I want to give up playing.
Have tried to practice the "difficult keys" I can only play chords by shapes not knowing what notes I use.
Tried different types of music but as soon as I learnt it I forget it.
I have taken lessons but they only want to teach piano/bass clef ,and my left hand won't change now!
Tried lots of expensive organs and keyboards to make me sound better but at the end of the day , if you just can't play !
Played my favourite 100 or so tunes over and over and over again through the years.
My teenage kids are not interested , I can help them in homework with sheet music theory, but they don't want to play and run when I fire up My Way.
Mrs is not impressed.
My dog sits nearby but I think he is tone deaf too!

Can't play modern, it's just a back beat with a rift.
So all this leads up to I will have a Genos for sale .
Thanks for advice over the years.

 

[3dc]

I think you are giving up too easily. I will be 50 this year and I just start learning about music and keyboard playing last year during pandemic. This year I finally figured out where is middle C.

Others will chime in but as far I know Genos is Genos because you can play anything you want in any way you want. I think you have programmable chord looper and one key chords among other things so you can focus only on melody part. Another great advice I got is to play anything strictly in 40 BPM only. This does miracles with proper daily repetition. Its actually used in keyboard schools for kids and senior keyboard players.

As for your family and the dog. Don't let them give up on music. If they don't like it kick them all out.

 

[markmann]

I'm almost 65 and just started learning to play keyboard a few months ago. Yes I suck and learning is extremely slow but I enjoy it and that's all that matters. I practice with headphones so my wife doesn't have to listen to the noise I make .

On a serious note I think it's good for older folk to learn and work at motor skills.

 

[joner4567]

I'm almost 65 and just started learning to play keyboard a few months ago. Yes I suck and learning is extremely slow but I enjoy it and that's all that matters. I practice with headphones so my wife doesn't have to listen to the noise I make .

On a serious note I think it's good for older folk to learn and work at motor skills.

It's great learning, when you get your first chord changes and the song starts taking shape as you remember it.
I suppose i have just played thousands of times over the years my favourites and need to move on.
Kept me using motor skills as you say though evenings and weekends.
Time to build a car race sim now and take on the kids !

 

[Rayblewit]

!
Played my favourite 100 or so tunes over and over and over again through the years.

Getting bored with same old, same old.
Try different variations . .
Play "my way" with a Latin beat or keep it a ballad but power it up with brass. Try different styles.
Dare to be different.
R

 

[happyrat1]

For me, playing tunes is an almost Zen experience.

The best damned meditation method ever.

I just lose myself in the rhythms and patterns and my brain stops thinking in words and guides my fingers.

You don't realize how much you miss that sensation until you suddenly have to go without it.

Gary

 

[joner4567]

For me, playing tunes is an almost Zen experience.

The best damned meditation method ever.

I just lose myself in the rhythms and patterns and my brain stops thinking in words and guides my fingers.

You don't realize how much you miss that sensation until you suddenly have to go without it.

Gary

I always had to force it,never ad lib.
Take away the music I stopped playing ,not a note afterwards.
It always amazed me when watching pro guys playing thinking why can't I do that.
I cannot play naturally, I can only read and play,robotic like.
It kept me quiet for years though !

 

[happyrat1]

I'm self taught by ear and started learning 25 years ago when I was in my early 40's.

It's never too hard or too late to learn to play by ear.

Just listen to music you like, pick out the scale of the key signature and try not to hit any wrong notes.

It will come to you quicker than you realize.

It also helps in my case, if I fire up a blunt beforehand.

Gary

 

[joner4567]

I'm self taught by ear and started learning 25 years ago when I was in my early 40's.

It's never too hard or too late to learn to play by ear.

Just listen to music you like, pick out the scale of the key signature and try not to hit any wrong notes.

It will come to you quicker than you realize.

It also helps in my case, if I fire up a blunt beforehand.

Gary

I have noticed in the past after a few beers , the music did roll out a lot easer!

 

[happyrat1]

In my case, it does wonders for my arthritis

Gary

 

[Rizzo]

FWIW....I'm 75 years old with osteoarthritis hampering my fingers. Six months ago I decided to start playing. After immersing myself in music theory & making a commitment to myself to practice diligently, I am thrilled as to the progress I have made. My point? Life is short; just do it!

 

[happyrat1]

Blaze up a fattie before you play, and be amazed by how quickly your fingers can move.

Even on damp, rainy days

 

[gwc uk]

I have been playing keys for past 50 years, Due to health problems I sold my T5-76 + NP30 Twinset.
After one month I missed having keys so much I bought DGX670.
benifit is it puts my brain into another direction and I find I do feel better for it.

 

[RedEyeC]

The appreciation of music is above anything else associated with it. So we all can't be Liberace's - if one gets sheer enjoyment playing an instrument, whether simplistic or advanced - then they have achieved the goal of music.

 

[Rizzo]

Amen!

 

[Giocast]

I have played since 1985 I'm 65 now and I want to give up playing.
Have tried to practice the "difficult keys" I can only play chords by shapes not knowing what notes I use.
Tried different types of music but as soon as I learnt it I forget it.
I have taken lessons but they only want to teach piano/bass clef ,and my left hand won't change now!
Tried lots of expensive organs and keyboards to make me sound better but at the end of the day , if you just can't play !
Played my favourite 100 or so tunes over and over and over again through the years.
My teenage kids are not interested , I can help them in homework with sheet music theory, but they don't want to play and run when I fire up My Way.
Mrs is not impressed.
My dog sits nearby but I think he is tone deaf too!

Can't play modern, it's just a back beat with a rift.
So all this leads up to I will have a Genos for sale .
Thanks for advice over the years.

Sorry to read this joner, after a while you might miss the experience in which case you could still resume. Like Gary, I can still lose myself while playing and improvising and the therapy is becoming more and more valuable, even irreplaceable as other pursuits become harder through aging.

I know it's massively cliched, but more practice has always been the answer for me, but I can see it's not this in your case, but maybe a different, fresh approach to playing might be the answer? I rarely play when down in the dumps or not feeling that confident - state of mind/mood is imperative for me or can be a waste of time and no progress made.

 

[happyrat1]

Plus it's just plain fun riffing along with Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Cream and all the other great tunes of the past six decades.

Here's an idea.

Buy yourself a spinning party light bulb and/or a cheap strobe light and picture yourself on stage with them.

It's the small indulgences that keep things fresh.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Amazon.com : party light

www.amazon.com

 

[bill88]

I concur with Gary (happyrat1) about firing one up before playing.

 

[Mayo Vox]

I have played since 1985 I'm 65 now and I want to give up playing.
Have tried to practice the "difficult keys" I can only play chords by shapes not knowing what notes I use.
Tried different types of music but as soon as I learnt it I forget it.
I have taken lessons but they only want to teach piano/bass clef ,and my left hand won't change now!
Tried lots of expensive organs and keyboards to make me sound better but at the end of the day , if you just can't play !
Played my favourite 100 or so tunes over and over and over again through the years.
My teenage kids are not interested , I can help them in homework with sheet music theory, but they don't want to play and run when I fire up My Way.
Mrs is not impressed.
My dog sits nearby but I think he is tone deaf too!

Can't play modern, it's just a back beat with a rift.
So all this leads up to I will have a Genos for sale .
Thanks for advice over the years.

Music is magic. Don't give up on it...I'm 56, I'm a total amateur, but sometimes I just hit few chords on my Kurzweil - Digital piano, some Rhodes sound and the world is different. It becomes a nicer place. That is our privileges, for us "musicians", no matter how good or bad we are