The word-rhythm method is super cool. One thing though: 16th and 32nd notes can scare beginners off pretty quickly. You can do the exact same thing with quarter and eighth notes — same idea, same picking, just slower. Once the brain gets the grouping, you can always speed it up later.

@Michael Millspaugh Oh, you mean groupings with accents on the one? Like a popular example: Clocks by Coldplay — the drums/piano go 123 123 12, which makes it 4/4. I can't sing to save my life 😅 It's like when I focus on a note and pinpoint exactly where I want it, and the moment I open my mouth it lands somewhere totally different. That instrument is only made for karaoke in my case… But singing and playing can be a tad tricky at first (I sing for my students — poor guys — to help them with structure and form). You really need to have the guitar down intuitively to manage both. Sounds like you're on a good path with it.

@Michael Millspaugh Glad you checked it out! Small thing: it's not really swing — the notes stay straight (even 1/8s). What makes it feel alive is the accent grouping: 3+3+2 over the straight 8ths, with the accent on the 1 (123 123 12) — so it's still 4/4. Same notes, just emphasized in a pattern that suggests a second rhythm on top. Swing would mean actually playing them uneven (long-short). Subtle but useful distinction once you start placing accents on purpose. 🤘

Hi Collin, hope you're sticking with it. 64 isn't a problem — the "show me slowly" approach is how most older students I teach actually progress fastest. And the noodling years weren't wasted. Noodling is actually useful — it's how you explore. I think blending and balancing practice with noodling is the best way to go. Your ears already know more than you think.

Welcome Deborah, hope you stuck with it. The hardest part is the first 10 minutes with the guitar in your hands. Once you get past that, the rest takes care of itself.

Twinkle Twinkle works well for this. On a single string (high E), try: 0-0-7-7-9-9-7 / 5-5-4-4-2-2-0. Slow, one note at a time, sing along while you play. Once that feels easy, do the same melody starting from a different string. Same shape, different starting note. Your ear will start hearing the intervals, not just the notes. Mary Had a Little Lamb and Ode to Joy work the same way and use mostly the same notes. Three songs, one technique.