Guitar playing Mamas?

[femalephish]

Am I the only one?


I ussually get my chords from ultimateguitar.com- but I can't find any little kid songs! Where do you find good kid-friendly sheet music?

[ancoda]

I am not a guitar mom though I wish I was. I can not seem to get my short, fat fingers to do any cords. My 7 year old likes to learn from this site though. http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitar.html

[Mama Shifra]

I don't play guitar, but my 8 year old daughter does. The FJH Young Beginner Guitar books (www.fjhmusic.com/guitar/ybg.htm) have lots of children's songs and so does the series Progressive Guitar Method for Young Beginners. There is also Usborne Guitar Tunes for Children. Your local library may have any of these books to borrow (especially the Progressive Guitar books because the are imported and expensive!)

[femalephish]

Yay! Thanks guys!

ancoda; That is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks.

MamaShifra- I didn't even think to look near children's books at the library. Thank you for the ideas!

I've only been learning for a year- if your daughters can learn, you guys can learn! I love it.

[sugareemoma]

I just started playing guitar & I'm awful at it! My toddler likes to pick it up and pluck at the strings so hopefully she will get a love for music out of my attempt...

[rhiOrion]

Well, I'm not sure I can be called a "guitar player" and I'm not a momma yet. BUT, I do own a guitar! I used to try to play it, and I could play chords...but I have no rhythm, unfortunately. And then I married a guitar player who tends to leave my guitar in crazy tunings. And even with a tuner I can never seem to get it right... so I pretty much gave up.

I did want to suggest Rise Up Singing as a good book for children's songs. It's jam-packed with them!

[ee_lime]

Joining this tribe I started playing 4 years ago with a couple long breaks when ds and dd were tiny. I have an acoustic but seeing all of dhs electrics does make me a bit jealous. So I am keeping an eye out for a nice electric on craigslist. I think when I come across the right for me I will know it :biggrin

[Nemesis]

I attempt to play mandolin. Does that count? I am still really new to it and have a few great learning DVDs that have helped me a lot. There isn't anyone in my area that I've found to get lessons from, but I think I would learn best from another person.

[chanibell]

I stopped taking lessons! I got a guitar as a gift for Xmas from my dh as well as lessons and in Jan it would have been a year. I just could not find the time to practice :( but I will pick it up on my own time. Thanks for those links. I was learning chords. I really went from learning E to learning chords so I am very happy about that.

[objet_trouve]

I play, not quite a mama yet though. But I write and sing. http://www.last.fm/music/Lofn

[MrsJPS]

I don't play nearly as much as I used to, what with having a baby and a busy life now, haha!  But the guitar is lying out on the couch right now, having been played yesterday, so that counts for something I suppose!  I started playing when I was 13 and am now 29, used to do a TON of song-writing but now it's pretty rare.  I hope to get back into it someday.  I play at church from time to time and that keeps the old girl from getting too dusty!

[jenP]

I've been playing for almost a year now. I can almost play about 6 or 7 songs. Seems like in each song, there's one chord that gives me problems! In Tangled Up in Blue, it's that confounded F#min. In Mama Tried, it's the Bflat. The Penis Song, it's the B7. And so on. But still, I absolutely love playing, it is one of the most gratifying things I can think of to do. I also sing along, loudly and fairly badly. But I love it. I've been playing acoustic, but I just recently picked up my husband's electric, and lo and behold, I can play Tangled up in Blue on it! The lower action makes it easier to hit the chord, plus the distortion hides if I don't quite get it right, so it works out great! Now I want to learn some power chords and rock out! But really, the acoustic is my first love, I just want to strum and sing folksy-type songs.

Also, I had been trying off and on to learn guitar for years. For so long I just couldn't form the chords, or if I could do one it took minutes to get my fingers in place and I couldn't go from one chord to another at all. I would drop it for a long time, then try again... and finally, last year when I picked it up again, I could do it! Not particularly well, but it was something! So, if you think you can't do it.... keep trying! I know people 30 years younger than me who can play way better, but I'm happy to be able to play at all and I just keep plugging away at it.

[jenP]

Three chord songs!  Ya gotta love them! Any more than that, and I have to choose between singing decently or playing the song decently LOL

The Long Black Veil: http://theband.hiof.no/lyrics/long_black_veil.html

Catfish John: http://www.allcountrytabs.com/tabs/garcia-jerry/catfish-john-9568.html (for some reason this doesn't have all the words...next link has the same song in a different key and has all the words. But I like the way it sounds in the first one.) http://www.e-chords.com/chords/alison-krauss/catfish-john

I think those are the only 3-chord songs I know. Would love to see more!

Also, any time I try to look up chords for the alphabet song, everyone always gives it as C and F. But it doesn't sound right, at least not the way I sing it.... anyone have chords for that in a different key?

[Jewel2]

The easiest songs I can find (on the 'net) to play on the guitar are:

"The Tide is High" by Blondie: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/blondie/tide_is_high_crd.htm A, D & E

"Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley: for some reason I can't paste it, but it is on the same web site as above. A, D & E

"Gypsy Rover" G,D & C : http://www.thebards.net/music/lyrics/Gypsy_Rover.shtml#chords

"Love Potion No.9" Am, Dm, C & E

"Stand By Me" by Ben E King G, Em, C, D

"If I Were a Carpenter" D, C, & G

"Take These Chains" D, A, A7, D7, G, & G7

"Blue Moon" G, Em, C, D, Am, A7 & D7

"Ring of Fire" G, C, & D

"Cecelia" G, C & D

"Achy Breaky Heart" A & E

"Harper Valley PTA" G, C, D, A & E

"Hello Mary-Lou" A, D, E, & A7

"Cotton Fields" A, D, & E

"Along Came Jones" A, D, E7 & E

"Charlie Brown" A, D & E

I am still learning & teaching the kids at the same time :o)

[Jewel2]

And, hey, while I'm at it.... I recently bought a couple of 1/2 size guitars for my younger kids and changed the strings from steel to nylon (to be easier on their fingers), but of course now they can't be tuned to the same notes as the bigger guitars. I looked on the 'net and found a suggestion to tune the smaller ones like a big one with a capo on the 5th fret (tuned to A) - but that of course means they are playing different chords if they follow my fingering, right? I decided to tune one a whole octave higher, one of the little guitars now has only 5 strings..... :o( I have just now tuned them to G (3rd fret of bigger one) and I like the sound, but not sure how good they will sound being played along with the bigger guitars. Maybe we won't notice if we sing loudly enough......

Cheers Jewel

[omMommaom]

oooooo...me Me ME!  I've been playing for about a decade now!  And like one of the pps said, I stunk in the beginning.  I nearly gave up completely, but I found myself pretending to strum on my steering wheel (I suggest this for those who 'have no rhythm'), and one day I picked it up.  And those chords that I couldn't get my fingers to play.....well, magically I could play them!  So, I know guitar is super frustrating to learn, nearly impossible to force yourself to learn.  But, take a break.  Fall in love with some music that you know you'd like to play.  Practice your air-guitar, and steering wheel jammin'...it'll come.  Just be easy on yourself!  You are learning how to use both side of your brain and both hands in a new way!  That's difficult stuff!

FemalePhish - Pertaining to childrens' songs....we love Laurie Berkner!  Her songs are usually easy(ish), and silly enough that the kiddos don't notice the guitar as much as interactive song lyrics!  She has a website...I don't have time to google...

JenP - the trick I've found for playing bar chords took me years to realize.  I have to shift the way my hand that holds the neck to an entirely new position, and then use my thumb to press on the back of the neck, to enable myself to press the bar down hard enough.  It's hard to explain.  And difficult at first.  But, keep it up!  You'll get it!

Me?  I'm rhythm guitar only.  A little folky picking too.  I play some of my own stuff.  But, I don't like to sing my own songs over and over.  I get bored talking about myself, and feel like I'm revealing myself in ways I'm not totally comfortable with yet.  Maybe I need to write songs that are not so personal. 

I play a LOT of Grateful Dead.  Years ago I picked up a head-made chord book on lot, and it's my main chord bible.  I also play some Widespread Panic, Joni Mitchell, Marley, Cat Stevens, Phish, Pink Floyd, Dylan, Ani DiFranco, & Neil Young......I love to play, and have to keep practicing because I want to someday, sit in on a jam session and contribute with ease!