OK...this short person comes in...

[punkin]

I met with a young man and his mother day before yesterday after a phone call the mom made to me asking if I had any openings for beginner guitar lessons. I said come on down. The little man was toting his "i have no idea what brand, wanna-be Les Paul knock-off" while his mom was carrying a cardboard box containing a line 6 POD and a hand full of cables. I invite them in down to the studio...the mom ask for the usual cost information and asks if it's ok to sit in an watch....ok.

I'm told by the mom he's never taken lessons but he never stops playing...aparently he's learned to cope with TAB via the internet. The lad pipes up while looking around the room and says "You've got a POD too" Yup...but we won't need that...I've got a practice amp. He replies "I don't like the way those things sound, I like PODS". Alrighty then.

I asked him if he knew any scales...nope....how about chords...he plays a few but not by name. "I know this one...and I know this one...I like this one...etc.. OK...who's your favorite guitar player? "Mr. VanHalen". I'm thinking...oh please not another one. "I can play his songs!" OK...lets hear what you got...the young man is 15 years old.

Check this out. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/3/theyeastiboysmusic.htm

We did a couple takes using his favorite settings. I almost hate to teach him how to read music. I added just a couple quick level, reverb and compression things to it but no more than about 5 minutes worth. It's the way he played it.

What do you think?

 

[punkin]

I've got another tune that we captured...he seems to like AC/DC as well. I'll get it posted later.

 

[Rokket]

Seems like lots of raw talent that could be developed there, if he's willing to let you break him down and build him back again. He should learn to read music and understand what he is playing. If he wants to pursue music, he will need that. How many times have you gone to an audition where you were joining the band "on stage", and they told you they were going to play a I-IV-V in F#? If he doesn't at least know the names of the chords, he will be lost. He's got talent, but he needs training. I say give it to him...

 

[xtjdx]

Man. How old is he? It sounds good for someone who has had no training. Wish I would of started out that early.

 

[Rokket]

Man. How old is he? It sounds good for someone who has had no training. Wish I would of started out that early.

I did. I started out at about 14, but I didn't have someone to teach me. I'm 38 now, and while I consider myself a pretty fair guitarist, I had to struggle to learn the whole way. If I'd had someone to mentor and teach me, I might have been better off. Don't waste the talent!

 

[punkin]

He's 15...mom said he started all by himself about 2 years ago.

 

[Rokket]

I was supposed to have mom drop a kid by today so that I could evaluate him for teaching. They didn't show up, so I am off to the candy, uh, I mean music store. Mom told me the same thing. He has been wanting to learn and really loves the guitar. I hate to see talent go to waste, and I'm not even sure this kid had any, so I hope they do come around.

 

[zim]

15, huh? pretty good, though i'll go out on a limb and say that it ain't freakin' great. definitely listening to eddie, though... but i will add that your clip is only him playing the same ryhthm line over and over... with the twang at the end. if he'd of thrown in some crazy solo or someithing (that's what i was waiting for...), it'd be a bit different.

now, i'm no yngwie, but i started when i was around 14 with no lessons either, and i could play a couple of tunes by then--no soloing or anything, but once you learned bar chords, it made everything easier. all i'd had was somebody show me an 'a' or a 'd', and i'd learn by building on it. you should definitely start him from scratch, i feel. i never did take real lessons; always just learned by observation and fail/succeed... but i wish i did. now, being 35, i feel like an old goat--i'll never learn the scales, read music or use my pinky like i should... i'm too stuck on what i've taught myself, and i still use the ole' try it until you get it right method.

i'm rambling now, but you've made me wanna go get those old tapes from when i was 15-16 and see how good i think i was, now... i can only imagine what some of you would say (i.e. you suck!!) jk, hah!

ZIM

 

[punkin]

Zim, I hear what your saying...not great but going as far as he could with out any guidance I thought it was pretty cool. I've got 6 students in the beginner category...frankly...they sound horrible. No sense of time just playing one note after another. I only have 2 students that have stuck with for more than a year while the others seems to be on permanent rotation and disappear every summer.

This little ditty wasn't the only thing in his bag. He had several more tunes which sounded pretty good and he's been collecting a bunch of catchy little licks. He's admitted to not being able play anything he hasn't heard so the edjumacation is still very rough.

Just thought it would be interesting to see what you all thought of this kid. Next week I'll get him to do his AC/DC demo and post it up.