Dueling Guitars

Last year for terms 2, 3 and 4 the girls learnt the recorder with another homeschooled girl that lives nearby to us. I have to say that despite being 12 and a great little flutist (or flautist) she was a super little teacher and that both girls not only loved attending her classes but made sure they practiced and practiced. She even gave them homework sheets to go home and fill in and they would drop their regular schoolwork just to ensure Miss Music's work was completed. It used to make me laugh as they had never showed half as much enthusiasm when learning from a professional music teacher during term 1!

I had thought that Miss Music was going to be going off to High school this year so had the girls both chose a different instrument to learn to play. Sorry people but, I am not a fan of the recorder and really couldn't have handled another year of it! The Fashionista chose the guitar and Agent Smelly chose percussion. Thankfully they both had instruments that they could use.

Rather than pay for more music lessons only to find that they didn't want to keep up, I picked up some books from The Book Depository (my most favourite online shop in the world!) and off they went.

I highly recommend Alfred's Kid's Guitar Course. It comes with a CD and the kids practice right long with it. Even I have had a go and have been able to pick up a few chords again quite easily.

After a couple of weeks, they decided they preferred each others instrument (or course ... sigh) and so they swapped over. Then they both decided the guitar was the favoured instrument but because they were sharing one it all got a bit too hard and they lost some motivation. 

Well recently we were in Kmart and Agent Smelly saw a child's guitar for $25 so used her own pocket money to purchase one.

Both girls have since set up a little music corner in the lounge and here they are at practice. They seem to be more keen (there's less whining for a start) and not rushing through their practice as quickly when they play together. I try and have them practice the guitar three or four days a week for around 10 - 20 minutes but I still have them practice the recorder at least once a week. Long may it last!

There is a second book in the series and if they finish that and prove to me that they are still interested in learning the guitar then I will send them off for some "proper" lessons with a music teacher but until then Alfred's books will serve us well.