Teaching my son to play guitar.

[64Firebird]

I started teaching my son to play at the start of summer and after 3 months he still couldn't make simple changes. I was just about ready to give up when I saw a video called "Smart Start Guitar." This thing is great! After about half an hour, he was playing songs and making changes and having fun with it. So, if any of you guys are trying to teach your kids to play and having a hard time take a look at this tape. It rocks!

 

[Chris Tondreau]

SPAM!! SPAM!!












Just kidding, Firebird! We've seen you around here enough to know you're a reputable source. Thanks for the tip! What did the video do/show/say differently that made the difference, do you figure?

Chris

 

[foo]

Wasn't that the one that starts:

"First thing you do is buy a large bottle of Southern Comfort"?



foo

 

[JR#97]

more info please, 64....

my 9 year old step-son asked me to teach him the guitar the other night, but I'm not about to invest in a new axe and a lot of time without having a good tool to help me teach him. He's got the attention span of a mosquito.

 

[64Firebird]

Well, she has the kids play in open G tuning to start with. That way they can play a chord right off. She shows them two other chords using just two fingers and starts teaching songs like Old McDonold and such. She also has them using a capo so it's a lot easier to reach and finger the chords. Another thing she does is give the differant rythems fun names that my son liked a lot. She called a shuffle pattern "the horse step strum."

I want my son to play because I think it will make it easier for him to make friends as he gets older. He has a little trouble with that now. He's very smart, but is sort of behind emotionly, so a lot of the kids think he's a nerd.

 

[LocusLarsen]

if he starts now he'll be gettin mad chicks before everyone else

 

[64Firebird]

if he starts now he'll be gettin mad chicks before everyone else

That's the plan!

 

[guhlenn]

always the same with those guitar players...

In it for the chicks LMFAO!!!

Guhlenn*guilty as charged*

 

[christiaan]

lol, well who isn't.
I made an huge mistake though... I went for bass guitar...

 

[christiaan]

By the way.. Anyone who knows useful sites about teaching guitar? The other day when my almost 2 year old nephew held a tennis racket almost like a guitar (I don't think he even knows what a guitar is yet) I said to my sister that I will teach him to play guitar when he's a bit older. She said she's going to hold me on that promise because she would love that.
Since he's so young I have quite some time left to refine my not so great guitar playing skills (like I said, bass is my main instrument) before we actually get to it but I don't have a clue yet how to share what I've learned, mostly by myself.
Ordering that video from the US isn't an option because in Europe we can't play those back. Hell, I don't even own a VCR.

To make a long story short: Is there a site where I can find some useful tips about teaching guitar?

 

[64Firebird]

lol, well who isn't.
I made an huge mistake though... I went for bass guitar...

Just have the chicks sit on your amp and play very low notes with lots of rumble.

 

[guhlenn]

he..

i woudl suggest teaching the kid bass now... nothing looks funnier (or more adoreable) then seeing a 2 year old with a huge bass ... he'll have a harem before he's 5!!!

Guhlenn

 

[jimistone]

man, i wish they had of had instructional videos when i was learning to play guitar....i learned alot of more advanced things before i got all the basics down...mainly because i learned from records and watching good players. years after i had learned to play guitar and was giging I would stumble across something and say to myself "damn, i should have already been doing that"

its kind of like football, the complicated plays don't flow as well if the players haven't learned how to block and tackle.

 

[TexRoadkill]

My daughter and niece are both 2 1/2 years old. My daughter gets pissed when I try and play guitar for her but my niece loves instruments. My bro in law bought her a baby martin and a little drum set and she'll actually jam with me, it's awesome. If she sees a guitar out in public she goes nuts unless she is allowed to touch it. She'll cry until he gets their real martin out of the case and lets her strum it.

Whoever recomended Fretboard Logic, thanks! I picked that up about a month ago and I can finally play lead half decently now. (I'm mainly a keyboard player). That book rocks.

 

[JR#97]

Whoever recomended Fretboard Logic, thanks! I picked that up about a month ago and I can finally play lead half decently now. (I'm mainly a keyboard player). That book rocks.

your welcome

I might start teaching again and I was thinking about using that book. I also like the idea of using open tunings to get people used to just strumming and moving their hands on a fretboard and slowly integrating more fingerings.