Kid Guitars
Kids Guitar Information
Archive for October, 2009
My youngest daughter Katie is asking for guitar lessons. She has decided that it is her mission in life and she will play the guitar in a band or do a solo act. Katie is eight years old and so I want to look for beginner guitar lessons for her. My second task is to get her a beginner kids guitar! I have been looking around for some good deals and will probably be able to find her one by Christmas. It is my goal in life to make my kids happy because the more well adjusted they are now the more likely they will be to grow up to become productive adults.
I am a strong believer that learning to play an instrument can teach discipline but also help your child express his or her creativity in a healthy way! My older son Daniel has spent many years learning how to play the trumpet and I am so glad that kids instruments are available so that children can experience the joy of music at a young age! Soon my house will be filled with the sound of music! I can hardly wait!
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In the last year or so, I’ve tried to expose my son to the music that was so influential during my formative years. I try to be open-minded, but it just seems that the majority of today’s music has lost its organic roots, trading them in in favor or slick, computerized production techniques. My favorite album – and one that has grown on my son as well – is “At Fillmore East,” a record recorded live by the Allman Brothers Band in the early 1970s.
Duane Allman’s masterful slide guitar playing technique inspired me to pick up a childrens guitar in my youth. He utilized an empty medicine bottle to create a mellow, soothing sound that just cannot be attained with a metal slide. Though I was never able to perfect Allman’s technique myself, I did become rather proficient at playing the traditional way. I’ll be passing those skills on to my son.
Playing both acoustic and electric guitar for many years It is no wonder all my kids have picked up my passion. It hasn’t been easy for my kids who have basically grown up without a mother. As their father I have been working long hours for years to support them. During the day I work in a bank and at night play my guitar in local coffee houses should I be so lucky. Music is my outlet and although it sometimes takes time away from the kids, it is my “therapy’ if you will.
I guess I would have to say that my oldest son Nate is the most serious about the guitar. He also plays in his free time and one day hopes to join me in the act. Nate is eleven years old and has picked up the guitar quickly ever since I purchased him a vey quality childrens beginner guitar 2 years ago. I decided that I am going to honor his passion in any way I can. Through music I feel close to my kids. I am now looking for some good sturdy childrens guitar cases. I want my kids to find something they feel excited about because it makes what can often be a hard life, much sweeter!
Do you have a hard time relating to your kids? It is amazing to me how much each generation changes form the one before. Whoever thought in the 1980’s that today’s kids would all have their own personal phones, talk on the computer at night and become addicted to Xbox? I guess each generation feels entitled to their“own”stuff. My kid Steven is no exception. He has all of the gadgets that he feels are his “right”. Now my wife Maryanne says that Steve is requesting an electric guitar for his birthday or Christmas. What will it be next?
I guess we will begin looking for one soon. So I asked my wife, “Where the heck are we going to find a crazy guitar for Steve?” Maryanne says we can look at some local music stores or we can probably find a lot of good deals online. Maryanne says she knows someone who can give Steven some good guitar lessons for beginners that will expose him to different kinds of music other than just rock and have him learn the proper basics. So I wonder what he will want next year?
All I want for Christmas is a new guitar! I don’t know how to make this message any more clear to my parents who seem to always get me something I don’t want or need! Last year they bought me sweaters for school, some books and socks, SOCKS! That was pretty much it! I guess I have to make it EXTREMELY OBVIOUS what I really want for Christmas! But my far too practical parents will probably say what they always seem to say “we can’t afford it!” So I’m doing my homework Mom and Dad.
If you can’t find things cheap on the internet, you haven’t been looking very hard! I mean come on, there are so many really cool cheap kids guitars online. This year I will just sit my parents down and let them know that if they want to make me happy, a kids electric guitar is what I really want! Parents just don’t have a clue! Now I need to find a way to get cheap beginner guitar lessons! However knowing my parents, I better not push my luck!
When the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
posted by SKWiley 10:09 PM
I have been playing the drums in a popular local band for years. I started playing in high school when my buddies and myself had stars in my eyes convinced we would make it BIG one day. But graduating from high school, going to community college, getting married and having kids seemed to somehow wipe out that dream as the years rolled on. But I am fortunate enough in my own life to have established a pretty decent career working in landscape. Sometimes sales drop off a bit in the summer but playing in the band helps our family get through the rough times. My band mates and I have known each other for years and we have a good local fan base.
My son Christopher has been the “apple of my eye” for years and one could look at the both of and definitely conclude that the “apple does not fall far from the tree”. Christopher, (who is now eight years old) has been pretending to “play” the drums for the past many years and we have loved wathcing him do this! My wife Cindy is sure that Chris will soon follow in my footsteps and begin playing the drums in a band. Cindy and I both hope to expose Chris to many different types of music. We have just purchased a childrens drum set as a Christmas gift for Christopher. We saw so many GREAT looking childrens drum sets that it was hard to decide on which one we wanted. They are so cool looking and now I wish I could have had one when I was his age! Now we will see just how much Cindy will love the noise level in our house!
No matter what style of guitar they play, all beginners face the same preliminary challenge: to develop calluses on their fretting hand. In order to play individual notes and chords, one must apply significant pressure to the strings. As those strings are pressed down on the fret board, the finger tips are irritated. The body’s natural reaction is to build up protective calluses.
Those calluses actually do more than just protect your fingers from developing painful blisters, however: they aid in your playing ability. Over time you’ll forget all about your fingers and begin to think of the kids guitars as natural extensions of your body. Some people claim that calluses become noticeable in cold weather as they are a bit more sensitive to temperature than normal skin.
What’s a mother to do? One day my daughter wants to be an actress, another day a ballerina, another day a basketball player! I know that all kids have their whims and trying different activities is part of growing up and but as a mother it’s hard to know when to push and when to let go. I guess it’s just part of being a parent. As of late however, Jennifer has expressed interest in becoming a musician! She has grown up watching her older brother Glen play bass guitar in a local rock band and I’m really starting to believe that Jennifer wants to follow in her brother’s footsteps! Jennifer does love Glen and has throughout the years enjoyed playing on his guitar while receiving his instruction.
So as the holiday season is approaching I am giving serious consideration to purchasing a quality beginner guitar for Jennifer. I am divorced and my husband Rick has been a great stepfather to my 2 children. I know he will support me in this venture! I recently became aware that there is a market for childrens guitars and I am hoping to find one that is a good fit for Jennifer. Stay tuned as I search for the perfect childrens guitar!
My son, Nick will definitely be in a band one day. I see the signs already. He wants to grow his hair long, wears a dew rag on his head, picks up everything in sight pretending it is a guitar, hums various rock tunes constantly, and even has a swarm of girls that follow him! Lately he seems to want to imitate my idols, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend. He has the Pete Townshend guitar slide down pat! It is fun for me to watch and I want to support him with his passion but hope it is not the only thing in life that interests him.
Nick’s birthday is in November and Christmas is the following month. My wife Sandra says we HAVE to get him an electric guitar for either his birthday or Christmas. I must admit that there are some very cool guitars out there for adults and kids! I have always wanted an electric guitar and might buy one for myself so I can “jam” with Nick. There are some good deals out there so I don’t think it will strain the budget too much. My only concern is that Nick doesn’t try to “smash” his guitar the way Pete Townshend used to!
My kid LOVES the drums. We gave him a toy drum when he was a toddler and trust me, it’s gotten plenty of use! Now that he’s eight he wants a drum set. So my husband Tom and I have been pricing childrens drum sets and are hoping to surprise him with one on Christmas day! Zachary, our son really wants one this year because his good buddy Jeffrey, (who lives across the street) has one! We want to give our kids what they most want for Christmas but finances are a little tight since I lost my part time job this year due to layoffs at the mortgage company where I had worked for fifteen years.
Of course we will get the kids some of the less expensive items that they have asked for but are not sure of some of the larger and more expensive ones. Recently I happened upon a website devoted to children which had some drums for kids that that were s lot less expensive than I thought they would be. So now I am thinking that a childrens drum set for Zachary may be perfect this year. Santa may do a pretty good job after all!