First Lesson

[marnold]

Well, I gave my son his first guitar lesson today. My Squier '51, Zoom 505II, and Peavey Blazer are in his room now.

I am using Doug Marks' "Metal Method" course. Today's lesson mainly involved holding the guitar properly, figuring out what the knobs do, and then some basic fingering exercises. I also taught him an E minor chord since it's pretty easy and it's the main chord for "Rockin' in the Free World" which will be the first song he learns.

It taught me a couple of things. 1) I'm glad I had him take piano first so he understands musical concepts, 2) Afterwards I was pleased to go into his room and find him practicing already--I wondered how much enthusiasm he would have for all of this, 3) I guess I do know a few things after all. I guess I just take for granted that I can do a bunch of stuff without remembering it took me time, patience, and practice to get it too.

At the very least, it should be an interesting journey.

 

[thearabianmage]

At the very least, it should be an interesting journey.

Just remember: it's never to early to put the fear of The Yng into him!

 

[luvmyshiner]

Very cool Marnold! It's great when you can find things to share with your kids.

Um, I mean things that they really like to do instead of just ridiculing you for being old. (my world . . . it's a strange place).

 

[just strum]

:AOK: That's great to hear. I don't recall if you mentioned it before, but how old is your son?

Is this something he's been asking you to do?

 

[marnold]

:AOK: That's great to hear. I don't recall if you mentioned it before, but how old is your son?

Is this something he's been asking you to do?

My son is 10; he'll turn 11 at the end of next month. He's seen me play and always kind of admired it. I told him when he started taking piano lessons that if he stuck with it, I'd teach him to play guitar. He's had four years of piano (I think), so today I kept up on my end of the bargain.

My only concern is with stick-tuitiveness. He has a tendency to quickly give up things that don't come easily to him--much like his father. That's why seeing him practice right away was encouraging.

I had forgotten how relatively difficult the simple act of fretting a note while strumming it at the same time is at first.

 

[sumitomo]

That's great marnold,I have an idea how you feel,my daughter is 7 and I wanted her to try guitar but she wanted piano so found some cool keyboards on craigs list and she takes lessons every sat.This last weekend I was going to a track to race my car and she wanted to go.Its a ways away so it was our first campout without mom we had a blast she got ride in my car and also she got to drive a kids go kart on the track her first time,Boy I was a proud dad even had a tear or two watching her.Sumi

 

[just strum]

My only concern is with stick-tuitiveness. He has a tendency to quickly give up things that don't come easily to him--much like his father. That's why seeing him practice right away was encouraging.

The fact that he sees you working at it and you are around when he has questions or needs encouragement should go a long way. And if he loses interest, I have a set of drums I'm selling.oke:

I had forgotten how relatively difficult the simple act of fretting a note while strumming it at the same time is at first.

That came to me the other day when someone mentioned how to barre chord. It seems like yesterday I was struggling and here it's already been a week.

 

[dws]

That's great to hear! We always need more guitarists.

This probably is painfully obvious, and I don't want to sound bothersome, but you should remind him to never get frusterated, since guitar take a huge amount of time to get good at. For me, I tended to get a bit frusterated with other instruments I played, including sax and piano, but guitar always is fun for me, because I'm not killing myself to become a virtuoso. The little improvements along the way are what people should be happy about.

Tell him to look at the amount of fun pros are having while playing....it just takes a lot of patience.

 

[marnold]

Good point, dws. I'm trying to ride that fine line between correcting what needs to be corrected and being overbearing.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

That's great news. Congrats! My son and I started guitar together, and we each were taking lessons. I certainly cannot teach him anything as I do not have the cred, but it is really fun to play around together.

 

[Tone E]

I too have used Doud Mark's metal method course. It develops skills in a way which progresses quite well I have found. Good to see a bit of father/son interaction, a lot of kids dont get that.

 

[warren0728]

my son was really interested in guitar and enjoyed playing around with me and i taught him a couple of things....then he started taking lessons from a pro and actually lost interest (he was 10) because it started involving actual work instead of just goofing around with me!

He is starting middle school next year (today is his last day as an elementary schooler) and he signed up for band. He says he wants to play the trombone

i'm going to have him take a couple of lessons over the summer to see if it is really the instrument he wants to play....might have him take a couple of introductory lessons on other band instruments too to introduce him to other band instruments before school starts!

ww

 

[thearabianmage]

He says he wants to play the trombone


ww

Hey man, when I first started middle school I played the clarinet (hand-me-down instrument, too poor to afford anything else) and I went with a bit and then eventually gave it up in 7th grade. I left music for a few years when I got into Final Fantasy (oh the memories!) and when I started learning how to draw, but then when I was 14 I picked guitar up and have never looked back.

There is a right time for everything, maybe 10 wasn't the right time for your son. Hell, I had a guitar laying around in my room (my sister's) and I never even touched it. It was there for years. but after she sold it, I got into guitar, and went from there. I always imagine how different of a guitarist I would be if I picked it up earlier. But I didn't, and that's that. All I know is that I picked it up at the right time, my receptiveness towards the instrument was at its peak when I picked it up, which is why it stuck.

Don't give up on him!

 

[warren0728]

Don't give up on him!

never will....that's why i didn't force him to keep up the guitar lessons....he still has his guitar and amp and he will probably pick it up again someday....i just want him to have interests other than video games and the computer! He does play guitar hero (which at least exposes him to some good old rock and roll) and has gotten into basketball in the past year.....his team one the championship in their division this season!

my daughter is into soccer and she recently mentioned playing the guitar....she's only 9 so i'm not sure she will be up for the practicing yet either....but if she wants to try it i'll encourage her!

ww

 

[thearabianmage]

i'll encourage her!

ww

That's it!

Sports are always a good way to get kids exercise and whatnot, but I would never rule out the option of them learning how to draw. You'd be surprised how much a child could learn from that. And there are also many mediums with which they can draw through - not just pencil and paper, but ink, watercolours, acrylics, etc. And it's not expensive. $20 will set them up for weeks if not months.

I'll have to get some of my drawings up on here, sometime. . .

And separating a boy from his video games is hard work, trust me. . .

 

[warren0728]

I'll have to get some of my drawings up on here, sometime. . .

i would love to see them....i'm a commercial photographer/graphic designer and my daughter lovers art!

And separating a boy from his video games is hard work, trust me. . .

don't i know it!....luckily he likes to play outside too....of course here in florida we are already pushing 100 degrees with 80-90% humidity

so swimming and indoor sports are the way to go during the summer!

ww