OP, Remember that fine motor skills aren't developed at the same age in all kids. He may be losing interest because of this. I have been a musician and teacher for over 49 years and have seen kids turned off because their parents pushed them when they weren't physically ready. Be supportive and encouraging. As was suggested it would be a help if you learned along with him. One of my best student's father would learn every lesson with his son and his interest/enthusiasm was a big factor in his son's progress. Above all, don't forget that music is fun!!
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Jan. 6, 2010 12:47 p.m. Don49 New Reader
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Jan. 6, 2010 12:55 p.m. mtn SuperDork
As far as 3 chords getting you a LONG way.... Look at every folk and country song out there.
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Jan. 6, 2010 1:34 p.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork
My motivation was furthered by the fact that neither of my parents had any interest in it whatsoever.
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Jan. 7, 2010 10:16 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork
Don49 wrote:
OP, Remember that fine motor skills aren't developed at the same age in all kids. He may be losing interest because of this. I have been a musician and teacher for over 49 years and have seen kids turned off because their parents pushed them when they weren't physically ready. Be supportive and encouraging. As was suggested it would be a help if you learned along with him. One of my best student's father would learn every lesson with his son and his interest/enthusiasm was a big factor in his son's progress. Above all, don't forget that music is fun!!
Thanks for that, Don. I still think the reason my daughter gave up keyboards was because her mother & teacher saw some "potential", and forced her into a piano competition when she was 10. And of course, neither of her parents actually played the thing...I was a punk rock drummer in college (and pick at electric bass guitar), and her mother has never touched an instrument.
I'll bet that as a teacher, you hear stories like this all the time..
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Jan. 7, 2010 10:17 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork
EastCoastMojo wrote:
My motivation was furthered by the fact that neither of my parents had any interest in it whatsoever.
Hmmm...sounds like my childhood interest in cars!
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Jan. 8, 2010 9:07 a.m. Scott Lear Production Editor
At 5 he's probably a little young for this advice, but it helped me when I was learning bass in my early teens, so somewhere down the road it might come in handy: Pick up one of those GripMaster hand exercisers to fidget with. When I started playing bass, my left-hand pinky was essentually useless for holding those big bass cables to the fret board, and that was kinda frustrating. Just having a GripMaster around to fidget with when I was on the phone or watching TV, and in a couple of weeks I could pin any string, no problem. Don't think there's a kid version, necessarily, and not sure if it's as critical on guitar, but the physical strength to play does take frustration out of the equation.
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Jan. 8, 2010 9:19 a.m. dyintorace Dork
Thanks again for all the advice folks! I appreciate it very much.
