Advice needed from the guitar players out there.....

[FireandRain]

Hey there! "Santa" just gave my 10 & 8 year old sons thier own guitars. They are small, kids acoustic ones, but they really want to play. I don't know how, although would love to learn. I do know how to read music, but I wouldn't know how to tell them where to put thier fingers for the chords. My brother & father-in-law know how to play, but we don't see them too often (drats for my brother, Yehaw! for the father-in-law! lol) We are in a rather remote area & are active with our animals (both kids show in 4H) so going to lessons isn't really an option.

So the question is: What would be the best way for them to learn?

Thanx for any help!

[mrmetal]

They need to learn some strumming songs first. Have to crawl before you can run.

[Deansolo]

I agree with mrmetal...some easy strumming songs first. There are resources on the web where you can get chord and fingering charts for free. There are also sites out there with with lessons for beginners. Encourage 'em and make it fun for 'em....guitar playing is a skill that lasts a lifetime.

[MetalHead]

New Shredders in the making

Start with some easy chords like G, D, C and then progress as they do

iBreatheMusic has some cool stuff too.
Might be worth checking out ?!

[Fretman]

Buy a book of chords that shows them where to put their fingers. That's how I first got started.

[mrmetal]

Exactly. A song like the Eagles' "Take it Easy".

[MetalHead]

after a year or so(or sooner if they're fast learners) you could teach them
the intro riff to Crazy Train

[stratattack]

get some Mel Bay books . they have alot of books for all skill levels plus there is always a strum it song in guitar one mag as well. its not like the good ole days when you would walk in a music store and watch the local shredder and try to figure out what the hell did they just play. or in my case watching my uncle greg who like myself is a Berklee alumni. now.

there is alot of great avenues to take when learning guitar now we live in cool times all we need now is a pres who cares about all his peeps not just the rich ones.

[Stargazer]

Some of the first riffs I learned were Iron Man, Paranoid, Crazy Train, Smoke On the Water, Highway to hell and a few others. So if they're into metal than maybe those would be good. I suggest maybe they get a guitar teacher. That made all the difference for me.

[FireandRain]

Thanx to everyone's help. I'll do some web-surfing tonight to see if I can get some of those charts. They have to be tuned 1st, so it may be a bit before they can be played, though. My 8 year old loves the riffs of "Smoke on the Water", and my 10 year old is into country. I'll get them to play some Jake stuff though! Plus a little Pink Floyd mixed in....hehehe

[MetalHead]

My 8 year old loves the riffs of "Smoke on the Water"

a new Yngwie in the making ?

, and my 10 year old is into country.

Hmm, a new Zakk Wylde in the making ?

I'll get them to play some Jake stuff though! Plus a little Pink Floyd mixed in....hehehe

That's how good parents should act, always !

[Rock]

Yeh my kid is 10, he has been playing for 2 years, started on an acoustic, and I just got him an Ibanez electric and small amp for xmas. He loves ac/dc etc, so I taught him that kinda stuff and stones etc, anything with open chords then progress to Barre chords and scales. My kid is lucky he has me, been playing for 25 years myself. But here is a good site which is pretty extensive with chords, scales etc etc.

http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/reference/index.php

[crisguitar]

firstly well done!!! its good to think that guitar will still be around wen were all past it!
i think that online learning could be the key,once a week get them to learn choards and scales and then let them do ther own thing..no use pushing some1 if ther adicted like we r then theyl be playing all day!

[stratattack]

if Rocks Kid is anything like I was at that age He'll be doing his home work on his guitar case or back of his guitar, No joke I actualy did that even in College