Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Red Jul 13 2009, 11:24 PM

I would want to try to get my brother into playing guitar.

He want to learn to play but he looses his interest after maybe 15-30 minutes. And he's an absolute newbie at instruments.

So what should I do to keep him interested?

Start out with some songs and stuff like that?

I already taught him the intro to Iron Man and he seemed happy when he could pull it off by himself, on 1 string

And well yeah as I said, he wants to learn but he looses his interest very fast and says things like "I'm to bad"

Any help appreciated

Posted by: jafomatic Jul 13 2009, 11:26 PM

1. Is he truly interested or does he agree to try in order to please you (I'm assuming you are his elder).

2. Constant encouragement and positive reinforcement!

3. Start as simple as possible, some things that are already be natural to you may not be natural for him. It's a very easy mistake for us to make when we attempt to teach others that something as simple as strumming or picking a single note is NOT natural for a true beginner.

Posted by: Red Jul 13 2009, 11:32 PM

He is truly interested, or at least it isn't because he wants to please me

And I'm telling him things like that he got guitar playing in him and avoiding to point out small mistakes he does.

And on the last, I am starting as simple as I can but I don't have many ideas about what I should teach him, so any tip would be great

Thanks for the answer.

Posted by: Moonchild Jul 13 2009, 11:35 PM

Hi maybe try to teach him the simple powerchord shape.
I had to play Pentatonics up and down all the time in the beginning with my guitar teacher and lost motivation too.

I think if he learns to play some powerchords he could try to play the smoke on the water intro.
Hmm...but maybe he is the 21344235435 new guitar player on earth hwo learns this in the beginning...
Anyways its a great motovation if you can crank up the distortion and play something that sounds like real rock music in the beginning.

greetings...

Posted by: Red Jul 13 2009, 11:44 PM

I will try some powerchords with him tomorrow, and I think you are right about the distortion too maybe he wants to become a rockstar when I'm done with him

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 13 2009, 11:49 PM

Power chords and some simple chords first,
teach him to play some easy melody,
it should work on single string as well.
Then leave it to him to see how it goes,
if he bites it nicely then you're set to go.
If not, try few more times and make him stop saying
how bad he is.

Posted by: Red Jul 13 2009, 11:58 PM

I have been doing this melody thing with him, and he already knows a few chords.
But he isn't very great at changing between chords.

So is that something I should help him with before I leave him alone or should I just teach him how to hold the chords?

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 14 2009, 12:01 AM

Well yeah, blending chords together is real pain for beginner,
I'm sure you can remember how you dealt with it!
Spend some time with him, help him with smoother transition with chords, simply chords.
Once he manage that it'll be easier for him to
mess around with more complex chords including bare ones.

Posted by: jafomatic Jul 14 2009, 12:32 AM

Perhaps start with chords that are an easier transition. E, Amin for example (or E and A sus2!) aren't too demanding early on?

Posted by: Red Jul 14 2009, 12:58 AM

Thanks a lot guys

But I think that he would think it was funnier if he learned some song by chords and not just to change between them, so any tip on easy chord songs that is fun to play?

Posted by: Moonchild Jul 14 2009, 12:58 AM

Oh that was a pain and still sometimes is
Maybe ha can try G, Emin, C, Amin (Redemption Song - Bob Marley)
It´s an easy progression and sounds cool...

Knocking on Heavens door: G, D, Am and G, D, C (a bit more challenging because he have to change all the fingers)

I think one of the important things beside the technique is to keep the motivation up with easy but good sounding small stuff...

Posted by: Emir Hot Jul 14 2009, 01:06 AM

Uriah Heep - Lady in Black

this one has only Am and G. One of the most famous tunes of all times in just 2 chords. You can then play the vocal melody on another guitar and that might sound interesting for him.

Posted by: jafomatic Jul 14 2009, 02:37 AM

Pink Floyd - Breathe (Emin, A) ... wow, did I really not click post like an hour ago?

Posted by: UncleSkillet Jul 14 2009, 03:10 AM

AC/DC songs are really easy to learn chords and rhythm when you’re just starting. Worked for me.

Posted by: NoSkill Jul 14 2009, 03:45 AM

When my brother wanted me to get into guitar, he taught me Neil Young, Heart of Gold. Em, D, G and C...I think. I was making music right away.

Posted by: Oxac Jul 14 2009, 09:01 AM

I think that fingerpicking house of the rising sun isn't too demanding, it was probably one of the first things I learned. Take one chord on a day and he'll have it figured out in one week.

The beatles... Some kiss riffs are very easy yet good sounding, maybe a rolling stones song? Some of their songs are very easy.

-edit- house of the rising sun is very good because it sounds good at almost any speed.

Posted by: Red Jul 14 2009, 10:14 AM

I think I will go with some AC/DC with him, as he likes that kind of music

And House of the Rising Sun would also work I think, don't get how I could forget about that one.

Will look into all of the songs you guys listed also to see if It's something for him.

Thanks a lot

Posted by: Jose Mena Jul 14 2009, 02:42 PM

Maybe this is not what you want to hear, but trying to push him to play might make him walk away from it. When my little brother was about 7 I wanted him to play guitar and started trying to teach him, and he was the same as your brother, got bored fast.

I tried for a while , but then I decided to let him be, years passed, maybe like 3, and one day while I am playing my guitar he asks. "Bro I really want to learn now, teach me how to play"

I gave him a few exercises, basic chords and off he went, he developed his own style and technique, and his own taste for music as well.

Here he is playing like a madman:


And again, having fun with me playing technical difficulties

Posted by: NoSkill Jul 14 2009, 03:59 PM

Ahhh, that's awesome, Jose!

Posted by: Emir Hot Jul 14 2009, 04:20 PM

Wow Jose, your brother plays great. Well done

Posted by: Red Jul 14 2009, 04:30 PM

That was great! You made me pick up the guitar now.

And yeah, maybe I should let him get into it more by himself as you did. He's 13 years old right now and I didn't start until I was 14, so hopefully it will come.

Posted by: kaznie_NL Jul 14 2009, 05:31 PM

hey there Delilah is used a lot for beginners these days! Really awesome footage Jose!

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 14 2009, 08:09 PM

start with easy songs that he likes, and that he can sing along with guitar, try to sing with him as well, this should boost his moral. When he learns his first whole song he's addicted

Posted by: Red Jul 14 2009, 08:17 PM

I Taught him House of the Rising Sun a few hours ago, and he can play the cords quite well except for the F, which I taught him the modified version without baré.

And it seems like he's starting to like it more, but It's only been 2 days.

And I will ask him if he would like to learn the Delilah song next time he wants to play, thanks.

Posted by: JamesT Jul 14 2009, 08:59 PM

Led Zeppelin: Black Dog, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Over the Hills and Far Away.

Posted by: Oxac Jul 16 2009, 06:59 AM

Over the Hills and Far Away; isn't this a gary more song and pretty advanced for someone who's been playing for 2 days?

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 16 2009, 07:10 PM

Aaah yes the good 'ol Animals Awesome song for beginners, I'm glad he liked it!

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic Jul 16 2009, 09:38 PM

He's great!
Jose, your right hand posture is exactly like Petruccis
That jazz metal soloing is really good, nice legato!

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jul 17 2009, 01:00 PM

I suggest teaching your brother famous songs and riffs that he likes. That will definitely hold his attention and make him practice more

Posted by: Jose Mena Jul 17 2009, 03:06 PM

You think so?, I'll take a look at petrucci's, I believe it depends on what I am playing, I used to place my hand in a different position for a different type of sound when playing with the neck pickup, but don't do it often anymore because I could not mute the strings very well.

To get back on the subject Red, It has to be from his own will, show him stuff but don't push it, If he feels pushed he'll walk away. This is what happened with my other brother, he completely quit for the longest time and dedicated himself to sports, he didn't want to be the same, but eventually he came to his senses and became an acoustic player, great bass player, and excellent songwriter, but he came back to it when he has like 18.

Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Jul 17 2009, 04:53 PM

Kind of a wild thought Jose. Has your brother been to Gmc yet ? I think he would make a sick instructor.




@ Red- I would just do like Smoke on the Water, or something famous like that.

Its funny all my friends that don't play guitar can still play like a one string smoke on the water melody .

And maybe some Acdc. Back in black is always good.

Don't really force him to play, just kind of talk about it frequently when your around him, but not too much.
Show him what you can play to. He might get inspired from that aswell.

Posted by: Laszlo Boross Jul 17 2009, 07:35 PM

The inspiring so important at teaching as the songs that he is learning.
You have to motivate him ,teach him simple songs.