teach my 5 y/o guitar while I learn bass ...

[IAmTheDood]

long story short .. I'm a single father with custody of my 5 year old .. I want to take bass lessons to expand my skills .. been playing for a little over a month and doing good at it .. but taking lessons to get on the right track is obviously better.

My daughter loves watching me play .. has always been into music .. playing around with a piano / keyboard .. and has a little small ukeleyle that she plays when I play my bass.

when she came home yesterday from the ex's weekend visit and saw my new bass she wanted one .. I told her we'd go to the store tonight and get a small one for her .. I know they make kids versions that might fit her better.

So I was thinking of getting her a small guitar. And then setup some kind of lesson system where I will be taking bass lessons with one instructor while she takes guitar lessons with another.

MY daughter will be turning 5 at the end of the month .. is tall for her age .. knows her ABC's, knows how to write and read some .. loves music .. and is a quick learner ..

Anybody done the same thing? Or know what I could expect?

In theory .. what I'd really want to do is for her to be a violin player. but she's shown no interest in it yet .. but really likes the guitar.

[vindy500]

why on earth would you want her to be a violin player, just think of the jams you could have with a little guitarist!

[IAmTheDood]

lol .. true she can play 50% of the notes on easy on guitar hero 2 ..

[Tony G]

Also, why guitar? Why not have her learn bass like you? Isn't that what she has shown interest in?

[IAmTheDood]

don't think she understands the difference yet in guitar and bass guitar and would rather her start with guitar ..

i grew up a rythm player always playing bass intstruments .. would like her to be a lead type player with whatever she does ..

[BrandonBass]

let her play guitar man, whenever a girl tells me she plays an instrument i always think 'prolly piano or violin'.

my new band's lead guitarist is a chick and she can play better than most guys...and thats pretty impressive to most people.

and a guitar to jam along with a bass is neat

[IAmTheDood]

now the question is do I get her the pink hello kitty kids guitar i saw at the guitar store the other day???

lol.

i think i saw a sponge bob one too.

[Enden]

Get her a "real" looking guitar, 'cause after a while she's definitly going to grow to hate it.

[RiddimKing]

Here's what I did:

My son started playing guitar at age six, and took a half-hour lesson once a week. After a year or so, I decided to take up bass and, fortunately, his teacher, who is a good guitarist, had actually started out as a bassist. (He's also a theory wonk, which applies to any instrument.) I'd recommend that if you can afford an hour lesson, divide it in two. Have her take her lesson first while you sit in (quietly); then take yours (she can read or do homework or watch...but it won't hurt her to be there to see how YOU struggle with learning new skills. I also think it's a great idea that you take two different instruments, because then there is less competition, and you can jam together. I'd also recommend that you buy her a decent instrument right off the bat. If she's starting on acoustic guitar, something like a Baby Taylor; on electric, I'd go with one of the Samicks (tele or strat shape)--the build quality on these is better than comparable Squires, etc. Oh, btw, my son kicks my butt as a musician. Here's a little clip of him playing with his ensemble class at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go last year (He's 11 now):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f4uA2gmFn0

[tjh]

pretty neat ... I can see at least two kids that are going to grow up with a sense of themselves and knowing that somebody loves them ... where does one apply to get adopted??

[CoDBassPlayer]

Originally Posted by RiddimKing

Here's what I did:

My son started playing guitar at age six, and took a half-hour lesson once a week. After a year or so, I decided to take up bass and, fortunately, his teacher, who is a good guitarist, had actually started out as a bassist. (He's also a theory wonk, which applies to any instrument.) I'd recommend that if you can afford an hour lesson, divide it in two. Have her take her lesson first while you sit in (quietly); then take yours (she can read or do homework or watch...but it won't hurt her to be there to see how YOU struggle with learning new skills. I also think it's a great idea that you take two different instruments, because then there is less competition, and you can jam together. I'd also recommend that you buy her a decent instrument right off the bat. If she's starting on acoustic guitar, something like a Baby Taylor; on electric, I'd go with one of the Samicks (tele or strat shape)--the build quality on these is better than comparable Squires, etc. Oh, btw, my son kicks my butt as a musician. Here's a little clip of him playing with his ensemble class at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go last year (He's 11 now):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f4uA2gmFn0

DAMN! That little kid can solo like a full-grown guitarist!

[RiddimKing]

Yes...thanks. I'm super proud of him...and I enjoy every minute of him playing. Of course, he didn't get any of his chops from me...but I take credit for supplying logistics and gear.

Actually, adults like to play with him because he listens and is respectful. His teacher stresses the group part of playing in a group...and having big ears...and serving the song. Wish some of the adults at some blues jams I've attended could learn that lesson...

Cheers,
Rid

[IAmTheDood]

well .. after going to the guitar store last night with her ..

she's still too small to play .. they had a fender strat 3/4 there that was about the smallest they had in terms of electric .. and it was still too big for her ..

so, she said "I want to play violin!" ..

lol ...

we then went to another music store that sells everything from guitars, string instruments and brass, and wind instruments ..

got her fitted up for a 1/4 size violin on a rental program and she's gonna get lessons every week for 1/2 hr a week .. I'm going to get bass lessons while she gets her violin lessons from another instructor

she was playing around with it last night and now all I can think of is that stupid off key song that the guy plays in Revenge of the Nerds!

[IanStephenson]

You can get 1/2 size guitars too:

http://www.djmmusic.com/itemdesc.asp...2DPINK&eq=&Tp=

My daughters only six months, so I've got a few years to wait. I still couldn't resist the pink flying V uke for Xmas. She loves plucking plucking the strings, but she also wants to eat the machine heads.

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/dan...tems/UFV-1-PK?

Ian

[the_fonz]

Originally Posted by RiddimKing

Here's what I did:

My son started playing guitar at age six, and took a half-hour lesson once a week. After a year or so, I decided to take up bass and, fortunately, his teacher, who is a good guitarist, had actually started out as a bassist. (He's also a theory wonk, which applies to any instrument.) I'd recommend that if you can afford an hour lesson, divide it in two. Have her take her lesson first while you sit in (quietly); then take yours (she can read or do homework or watch...but it won't hurt her to be there to see how YOU struggle with learning new skills. I also think it's a great idea that you take two different instruments, because then there is less competition, and you can jam together. I'd also recommend that you buy her a decent instrument right off the bat. If she's starting on acoustic guitar, something like a Baby Taylor; on electric, I'd go with one of the Samicks (tele or strat shape)--the build quality on these is better than comparable Squires, etc. Oh, btw, my son kicks my butt as a musician. Here's a little clip of him playing with his ensemble class at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go last year (He's 11 now):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f4uA2gmFn0

they let kids in the whiskey-a-go-go?
also, hellz yeah for the samicks