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dsc2j

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Posted

Ok what is your 2 cents on ......my son has been taking lessons since 08/10 he can not tell me how to play a cord all can do is play by Tab .......should I get him a new teacher or what?:eek:

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Posted

Ok what is your 2 cents on ......my son has been taking lessons since 08/10 he can not tell me how to play a cord all can do is play by Tab .......should I get him a new teacher or what?
:eek:

 

1) How old is your son?

2) Is he having fun?

3) What are his aspirations?

4) What are your aspirations for him?

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Posted
1) How old is your son? he is 16 on the 25th

2) Is he having fun? yes other then when I get on him about practicing

3) What are his aspirations? To be a great Guitar player and play anything

4) What are your aspirations for him?

to learn how to play

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Posted

Ok what is your 2 cents on ......my son has been taking lessons since 08/10 he can not tell me how to play a cord all can do is play by Tab .......should I get him a new teacher or what?
:eek:

 

A lot of times kids make it clear to the instructor, what is going to keep him "turned on" when it comes to learning the guitar. I can tell you, that many kids don't want to learn in a bubble or vacuum. They want to learn songs, things that will get them motivated to play. So, if he's still playing guitar and loving it, let him. Don't impose your ideas of what a valid methodology is. It can sometimes be a while before chords are introduced because of strength and finger stability (we teachers are sneaky...we sneak that stuff in, in the context of learning songs).

 

If your son is happy and still motivated and learning, then let it go. Honestly. If he starts showing disdain for things, then find out at that point. But it can take several months for a kid to have guitar "take them". What I mean, is most kids won't sit and practice chords, the kids of today are different from kids of the 60's and 70's. What marks progress to you, is vastly different from what is meaningful to them. As a guitar teacher, I seek to help the kid fall in love with the thing, and I know its starting to happen, and become more personalized, when the kid starts showing up with t shirts with guitar stuff on them... :)

 

It's a slow but deliberate methodology I use getting the kid to buy in, but the first experiences of success is the "taste" that gets them excited and keeps them hooked. At that point, you don't have to ask them to practice, its become a part of their own sense of who they are - they've transitioned from "I am learning guitar" to "I am a guitar player".

 

Best,

 

Sean

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Posted

ok I will let it go It is just hard when we both want to learn and I can only pay for one of us to take them and was thinking he would be able to show me what he dose ......we pay $22 a 1/2 hour and I have spent around $800 on guitar ,amp,books picks tuners,Tab books just on his then I have lots of nice "TOYS " for myself but can not afford the lessons for me ..........Maybe some day he will learn the cords and notes so he can show me

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Posted

I reckon you discovered an interesting thing: each person needs something different from a teacher, even at the beginning.

 

You don't have to wait for him to start learning what you want to learn. While it's not as good as a live teacher, there's heaps of stuff out there on the good ole internet that can help you get started.

 

We're here to answer questions too...

 

GaJ

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Posted

I thought of some more gratuitous advice :)

 

1) Sit in your son's lessons.

 

But don't open your mouth during the lesson. Even if you think your son needs to be told something. It's not your job, you are there just to see/hear.

 

At first my son's drum teacher was surprised when I came in with my son at the first lesson and sat down on the couch, but like... its 30 mins what else was I going to do, sit in the car? Very quickly, though, the teacher came to appreciate the interest I was showing in what my son was learning and how he was going. As long as you have complete respect for the teacher this can be a win for everyone.

 

2) Maybe take a quick lesson yourself at the end of your son's lesson. No teacher wants to slot in someone for a 15 minute lesson normally: it's not worth the effort to have engage a student on those terms. But after I got to know my son's drum teacher, the opportunity to let him know that I'd like a few pointers myself came up, and he now gives me 15mins after my son's lesson, every two weeks: just enough to hear me do one thing and set me the next thing. This is less cost than a whole once a week lesson, so it's affordable, and I'm not in a rush to have a longer lesson, I'm happy to take the brief pointers and work with them. You might be too, especially if you are feeding yourself from internet lessons as well.

 

WFM, YMMV.

 

GaJ

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Posted

 

ok I will let it go It is just hard when we both want to learn and I can only pay for one of us to take them and was thinking he would be able to show me what he dose ......we pay $22 a 1/2 hour and I have spent around $800 on guitar ,amp,books picks tuners,Tab books just on his then I have lots of nice "TOYS " for myself but can not afford the lessons for me ..........Maybe some day he will learn the cords and notes so he can show me

 

 

What is it you'd like to learn? Tell me a little about your background, interests etc. I have a free guitarist mentoring service. Maybe I can help.

 

Best,

 

Sean

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Posted

All good guitar teachers teach their pupils how to read music. Let me repeat this. All good guitar teachers teach their pupils how to read music.

 

Your son still can have fun but a little music reading will enable him to pick up any piece of music and play it. And it's easy. I would get him a new music teacher that will teach him to read music notation but make sure it's one that your son gets along with as that is even more important.

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Posted
ok I will let it go It is just hard when we both want to learn and I can only pay for one of us to take them and was thinking he would be able to show me what he dose ......we pay $22 a 1/2 hour and I have spent around $800 on guitar ,amp,books picks tuners,Tab books just on his then I have lots of nice "TOYS " for myself but can not afford the lessons for me ..........Maybe some day he will learn the cords and notes so he can show me

It's probably too late to say this, but you could have spent less on the guitar/amp/toys/etc, and saved a little for a few lessons of your own. ;)

I would agree with all the above advice, that if he's enjoying it (and feels like he's progressing) then everything is OK.
OTOH, I think he should know a few chords well enough by now to try and show you a couple.
The other (possibly) bad sign is that you have to get on at him about practising. Ideally, you should be having to beg him to stop occasionally! But if he's messing around on it every day, even if only for brief times, then it's probably OK.
At least, nagging him to practise will have the opposite effect to what you want. It will make it seem like a chore to him, and it should never be that.
If practising is already a chore for him - if he often doesn't touch the guitar for a few days in a row - that's a sign that either he hasn't got what it takes to be a musician, or that his teacher is giving him the wrong things to practise: that he hasn't found a way to make it inspiring. It should be easy to determine which by talking to your son. Does he always seem to be interested in doing other things? Or is he still keen on guitar but seems frustrated with how the lessons are going?

IMO, it's important you don't make him feel that he has to learn in order to teach you! It's his thing. Of course it can be a great thing you can share with him, but don't make him feel responsible, or like he's torn between you and his teacher.

I suggest you try and learn some stuff on your own (plenty of free stuff online, youtube lessons, etc) - then compare notes with your son. Eg, "I learned this chord/riff [whatever] today, do you know this one?" Or "I found this lesson online and I can't make sense of it - what do you think?"

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Posted

+1 ^^^^ :thu:

 

One thing we do, when our kids aren't practicing, is ask them why not. "Hey, Tim, haven't heard you wack the drums for a while, are you out of steam?"

 

GaJ

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Posted

 

today, do you know this one?" Or "I found this lesson online and I can't make sense of it - what do you think?"

 

 

He dose not even Know that I am not doing mine so no he dose not feel responsible, as far as amps Guitars and other toys that is ok we have alot more then we need and most real nice stuff 3 amps , 2 electrics 5 others .......You see I had played years ago but had a bike wreck and had lots off memory loss so I have to start over I have done some one online stuff but it dose not cut it for me I need someone to catch my mistakes ......his teacher tells him to try 10 min X3 a week I thought for the most part he should pick it up most days ......he will mess around now with the green day tab we got for him.......

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Posted

 

What is it you'd like to learn? Tell me a little about your background, interests etc. I have a free guitarist mentoring service. Maybe I can help.


Best,


Sean

 

 

Hey Sean .You see I had played years ago but had a bike wreck and had lots off memory loss so I have to start over I have done some one online stuff but it dose not cut it for me I need someone to catch my mistakes . I pray that it will come back to me so I can play Praise and worship Music.......I need to find a way to do some cord work and learn notes and how to read music.......I use to know how it is very upsetting to me I dont think anyone can understand this problem......

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Posted

 

ok I will let it go It is just hard when we both want to learn and I can only pay for one of us to take them and was thinking he would be able to show me what he dose ......we pay $22 a 1/2 hour and I have spent around $800 on guitar ,amp,books picks tuners,Tab books just on his then I have lots of nice "TOYS " for myself but can not afford the lessons for me ..........Maybe some day he will learn the cords and notes so he can show me

 

 

Why don't you do this and then you can learn together? You can get a new one for $149.00 or a used one on eBay for around $100.00. He is an excellent teacher and you can keep going back to the same lesson over and over again if you need to. And he definitely teaches you how to read music. I have been using this for about two years now but if you stick to it and practice regularly, it's about a one year course. I hope it helps.

 

http://www.learnandmaster.com/guitar/order-now/

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Posted

 

Hey Sean .You see I had played years ago but had a bike wreck and had lots off memory loss so I have to start over I have done some one online stuff but it dose not cut it for me I need someone to catch my mistakes . I pray that it will come back to me so I can play Praise and worship Music.......I need to find a way to do some cord work and learn notes and how to read music.......I use to know how it is very upsetting to me I dont think anyone can understand this problem......

 

 

Actually I've worked with many people in your situation, or similar, from partial paralysis, some having been in a halo, and having to learn from the opposite end of things, to head trauma. I am sensitive to the issues attending those areas. I also routinely train people in Contemporary Praise and Worship capacities locally. I may be able to help you. You are right, I do not know what it is like to be in your shoes, and I'd never presume otherwise. But, if I can help you out, I'll give it my best.

 

Best,

 

Sean

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Posted

 

Actually I've worked with many people in your situation, or similar, from partial paralysis, some having been in a halo, and having to learn from the opposite end of things, to head trauma. I am sensitive to the issues attending those areas. I also routinely train people in Contemporary Praise and Worship capacities locally. I may be able to help you. You are right, I do not know what it is like to be in your shoes, and I'd never presume otherwise. But, if I can help you out, I'll give it my best.


Best,


Sean

 

 

COOL what do I need to do first to get started ..........If you dont hear from me untill 3/16 I will be on a trip to Az with my wife leave 3/10

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