So one of my other daughters is learning guitar

[mshilarious]

Thus far I have taught her "Wipeout" and "Ball and Chain". Surprisingly, she has not asked about "Smoke on the Water". She has practiced more in the last day than in six years of violin lessons

 

[antichef]

Good for you! My older daughter (turns 18 tomorrow) a few years ago really wanted to *know* how to play guitar, but apparently not to *learn* how to play guitar. We were at a friend's birthday party, and he had a guitar and amp, and she watched him and me play around with it - on the ride home, she impressed on me how much time and energy she was going to devote to learning, so I hauled out all my old equipment. She didn't progress very much, and complained that I wasn't spending enough time teaching her -- we signed her up for lessons, I tried working with her, but nothing really came of it.

The bright side is that my son (3.5 years younger, and 9 yrs old at the time, I think) was quietly picking up the instrument and self-teaching, and now at age 14 he's a really good player.

I've now started on the younger daughter (now 2).

 

[Chili]

Surprisingly, she has not asked about "Smoke on the Water".

She's seen your videos.

 

[mshilarious]

She's seen your videos.

She shot the last two . . .

 

[pohaku]

Yeah, the practice part is a bitch. You can only provide so much encouragement/incentive -- the rest they have to do on their own. I have one kid that has some talent, but she won't practice to save her life. Her choice. Maybe she'll find proper motivation someday -- like a boy that also plays

 

[CalebMcC]

i would say for now let her learn stupid and trivial things like that. there isnt much i should really give advice on, but starting out just might be one of them becuase i failed at every instrument anyone tried to teach me for a long time. i never cared about books that had you playing chords one note at a time and why those notes made that chord what it was. i just wanted to duplicate the songs i enjoyed hearing, and i get the feeling your daughter is the same way. my brother finally just tought me 3 simple chords with which i could play dozens of my favorite songs. despite the chords sounding dead and pathetic at first, i liked being able to sort of hear myself getting close to that familiar progression, and that made me want to learn more, and eventually, want to go back and do the scales and chord progressions and theory. anyway, id say let her screw around till she wants to learn something more technical that stretches her to get some of the chords and theory down first, and when she gets into that, she'll be more committed and will go back and learn the more dry parts of music.

 

[mshilarious]

Oh I don't let her off easy on anything, she is learning the theory of Wipeout She has played violin for six years, so she can read music without too much trouble. I really don't care if she plays guitar or not, that's up to her.

Guitar is really a terribly limiting instrument, sad but true. I mean if you decide to study classical guitar you learn pretty fast that it's the red-headed stepchild of classical music (together with the saxophone!), and even Vivaldi's literature sounds a lot better on the mandolin or lute it was written for. Guitar is a totally optional instrument in jazz, and quite often jazz is better off without it.

So the two most serious forms of music you would almost actively discourage someone from choosing guitar. Rock and folk music are pretty well played out, doesn't leave much.

It's still fun though. Wipeout! She's learning to surf too; went to a one-day surf camp and managed to get up on a day that was almost wave-free. That's more than my fat old butt will ever do, unfortunately I squandered my childhood on skiing, a silly expensive hobby if ever there was one.

 

[chazba]

kids and guitars

I tried my best to get my daughters interested. They wouldn't touch a uke with a 10ft pole. Now the older one at age 38 has begun to practice, the younger one at age 32 has her own band. Son was totally disinterested till he graduated highschool. Now practices hours daily and is turning into a speed-metal freak, looking for like minded (minded???) guys for a band.
I used to believe that I could spot a budding talent a mle away but now I doubt that there are any indicators. They bloom when they are ready. period. I'm now working on the g-kids

chazba

 

[mshilarious]

True dat. Today's lesson was punk rock with slam dancing (before the days of the "mosh"!) to the Clash

 

[muttley600]

i would say for now let her learn stupid and trivial things like that. There isnt much i should really give advice on, but starting out just might be one of them becuase i failed at every instrument anyone tried to teach me for a long time. I never cared about books that had you playing chords one note at a time and why those notes made that chord what it was. I just wanted to duplicate the songs i enjoyed hearing, and i get the feeling your daughter is the same way. My brother finally just tought me 3 simple chords with which i could play dozens of my favorite songs. Despite the chords sounding dead and pathetic at first, i liked being able to sort of hear myself getting close to that familiar progression, and that made me want to learn more, and eventually, want to go back and do the scales and chord progressions and theory. Anyway, id say let her screw around till she wants to learn something more technical that stretches her to get some of the chords and theory down first, and when she gets into that, she'll be more committed and will go back and learn the more dry parts of music.

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