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Hi, Guys

Does anyone out there have any ideas for teaching kids some stuff to keep their interest up while learning to play guitar?

Normally, I teach from exam grade books like this:-



These books (going from grade 1 to 8) teach some really good rudimentary stuff (chords, scales, rhythm, intervals, aural development etc.) and completing grades 6 to 8 will seriously help a student gain access to music college. However, they don't teach any songs or tunes where they can apply the chords, scales, arpeggios or whatever that they have learned. Teaching adults is so much easier since they probably grew up listening to Hendrix, Eddie VH or whoever and so they have generally defined what kind of stuff they want to play and what kind of sound they want to use etc. But kids.......how do you keep them interested while teaching them the (ahem) dull stuff?

I think what I'm looking for is some suggestions and ideas of songs/tunes that kids would be cool with - pretty easy(ish) but fun as well. We're talking 9 to 14 years old here (male & female) - no Steve Vai, Guns n Roses, Led Zepp. Any ideas. Thanks.

Hey Tartarus,

I haven't taught kids that age in the last few years, back then, they were into Creed and there were a few good songbooks out, plus I'd transcribe stuff they brought in on cd. Hal Leonard Publications here in the States is a good resource for popular band books, they usually have things for easy guitar as well as accurate transcriptions.

One thing, though, that works for kids no matter what the band du jour currently is...the blues scale for jamming.

I used to teach it with the chord grid pattern, but you could use something like this:

Start with the sixth string, using one left hand finger per fret and play 6I (sixth string index) 6P (sixth pinky); 5I 5M (fifth string middle) 5R (fifth string ring finger); 4I 4R; 3I 3R 3P; 2I 2P 1I 1P. That will give you a fairly useful blues scale, the index finger on either the first or sixth strings are the "key" fingers...if the index is on a "G" note, then you're jamming the blues in G. You can even move this to country/bluegrass by using the pinky finger on either the sixth or first strings as the "key" note...if the pinky is on A, then you're jamming in the key of A.

Have them play it as a scale against the chord changes, then have them play whichever of those notes that they feel like.

Run them through a blues or blues-type progression (there's almost always a blues progression hit in every generation) and get 'em jamming.

All the Best,
Mike

Mike,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I've been looking all over the net for stuff that's specifically for kids, but it's invariably too kindergarten or too advanced and not really what I'm looking for. I'll check out my local music store and look for the Hal Leonard books or similar - there's gotta be be something kids would be cool about playing for their friends.

I never thought about 'jammin' da blooze' - duh! That's how I learned years and years ago!

Regards,

Scott

Any more ideas, guys? I'm very much open to suggestions.

Regards,

Scott

When I was young and wanted to learn, my folks found a local music student who taught classical guitar, but she always asked me about the type of music I liked and the kind of movies or shows that I was into at that time. She wrote a simple verision of the Star Wars theme for me, which I thought was very cool.

After she left the area, I didn't pick up my guitar untill I had graduated high school.

When I deciced to play again, I found my own teacher (who was more of a salsesman than teacher). He sold me my first "good" guitar and got me to hang out at an open mic blues night with him once a month.

If you listen to your student and are possitive about their interests, you can show them how music relates to them.

Excellent post. I'll take all of that on board and try to pass it on. Thank you.

Regards,

Scott

Scott, Get yourself a book of Beetle songs. Or Bob Dylan. I have found that they always go over big. Besides, If you learn them you can play at any open mike in the country and win friends. Frank V.

Softkrome,

Thanks for the feedback.

Picked up a 'busker's songbook' today. It's loaded with Beatles , Dylan and various other chart songs from the the past 40 years that EVERYBODY knows. My idea was to teach simple songs in between all of the scales, rhythm exercises and music reading/theory to give students a sense of where they're going with their music - I'm sure learning this stuff will help. Incidentally, how I learned all of my chords was by going through 'The Beatles Complete' song by song when I was about 12 years old: that was much more interesting than just learning chord after chord and not knowing how to apply them. Then I wanted to learn the riffs & solos etc. My own progress after that was pretty natural and logical - I'd love to do the same with the kids that I'm teaching.

BTW If you have any ideas for single-note melody exercises that are fun to play, I'd really like to hear them - anything that would keep kids hooked while they learn the hard stuff.

Regards,

Scott

Don't forget all that double note Chuck Berry stuff. A lead like "Johnny B. Goode" teaches a lot, isn't extremely difficult, and kids like it. Also the intro lead from "Sweet Home Alabama" works off a D chord, isn't very hard, and teaches pull offs and mixing scales and chords.

All the Best,
Mike

Mike,

'Johnny B' was one of the first things I put in my own teaching module. 'Sweet Home Alabama' is definitely a good idea - loads of tricks in there - keep 'em coming, buddy!

Regards,

Scott

Mike,

You are SO right about the intro to Sweet Home Alabama; it
was one of the first riffs my son learned !

Emily

I think the way to reel em in is to find a song that they like, and teach em how to play it---maybe something pretty contemporary---they can play it and impress their friends, and when they do that, they'll want to learn another--gradually work harder chords and theory into it. To much theory and scales at the beginning will find them bored.

Herbie

Herbie,

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more. Another thing I've started looking at recently is some Green Day songs and Red Hot Chilli Peppers stuff. Learn some of the chords and then some simple bits of lead - they're sure to impress their friends with that AND it keeps them coming back for more lessons (which keeps me in a job!).

Another thing I came across was the Rockschool (no, not Jack Black! LOL) grade books :-



I'm sure you'll have similar stuff in the US. Like the RGT grade books I work from, there's loads of chords, scales & theory, but they also have little rock instrumentals (tabbed & with standard notation) they can learn. They come with a CD so that you can listen to it and then play along with it on the supplied backing track. Apart from the fact that they are learning, it gives them something to aim for and a sense of acheivement when they have accomplished their goals. Then we can set new targets. And more theory!

This has been a good thread - I'm sure a few teachers have looked in and thought about new ways to teach kids. Adults are much more easy to teach in some ways - I've found they are more self-motivated and can set their own targets. I'm sure I'll find out more about kids in the coming months!

Regards,

Scott

Scott, Do your kids sing? If they don't, try to get them to sing to the chords they are playing. I have found that whenever I can get my students to sing along with the chords no matter how simple, they seem to have a lot more fun.Frank V.

I didn't read anybody else's post..., but kids wanna play some songs, something they've heard and like, if you can get them to accomplish something on their level, then you've got a student that is hooked, I've given away several guitars to kids,gave away another one just a few weeks ago, and a couple of them are giggin' and writing and still have that fire from learnin' those first few songs...sure there are two ways to go, theory being the other and the parent or the kid will dictate that fairly early on...just my take ...Moker

Softkrome,

I teach them to sing along with the chords. Even if they sing pretty quietly, the idea of rhythm will get into their heads. I teach the same thing with single-note tunes - ALWAYS sing in your head what you're trying to play: that way they'll quickly learn how to play in time and they'll also learn how to play from the head and not the hands. I try not to bombard any youngster with too much information early on, but good habits should start from day one. After that I try to get them to read music and from there they can learn EXACTLY where a note is supposed to land in any particular bar - that helps with teaching them how to improvise. They're well on the way after that and they can start learning some stuff on their own and that should open a few more doors for them - I hope!

MK

That pretty much sums up my own approach to teaching - handing out books, videos etc that I don't need any more. Anything to get them hooked. It's not all about money; it's just good to watch kids grow up as proper players and get hooked on music as I did.

Regards,

Scott