My daughters 8th birthday, and she had expressed an interest in a 'guitar'. By this she means string instrument. I am considering purchasing a ukulele as an introduction for her. Would this be help out hindrance?

 

She has experience of playing the flute, but is getting bored/frustrated.

 

Any suggestions?

It would not be a straight switch to guitar if she ever wants to progress as the chords are obviously different and in my experience going the other way not even slightly the same.

 

It's probably worth looking to see if there are plenty of online resources to learn the uke, there's loads for guitar.

 

Lastly, don't buy a shit toy guitar it'll be too difficult to play and will probably put her off. A decent ukulele will be cheaper than a decent guitar I'd have thought.

My daughter is 10 and is learning the guitar.

 

As said.. dont buy a toy one. Music shops sell a junior one from 50 quid upwards.

 

She has lessons at school with Bolton Music Service. 16 quid a month for one lesson per week in school.

 

Because its also important we go off topic..has anyone snapped their banjo string?

I'd look into lessons for her.

 

My dad pays £10 for half an hour with a bloke from round this way. It's not as dear as you think.

I've a couple of ukeleles - they are ace and despite the difference in chord shapes it will teach her the fundamentals.

 

You can pick up really decent ones for next to nowt.

 

I'm teaching my nipper to play one and then moving up to the guitar. Easy to learn and if she wants to step up she'll have the grounding if she fancies the step up.

I'd avoid a ukulele - totally different instrument with a different number of strings for a start.

 

I'd go with a small Spanish style guitar - you can get some decent ones for about £80. The strings tend to be a little further apart so it's easier for her to learn on. Then when she's a bit older and if she takes to it, swap for a steel string acoustic which is a bit tougher on the fingertips but better for strumming out songs on. Once she gets to 13 or 14 buy her a 1958 Gibson Les Paul in sunburst and a Marshall stack.

I'd avoid a ukulele - totally different instrument with a different number of strings for a start.

 

I'd go with a small Spanish style guitar - you can get some decent ones for about £80. The strings tend to be a little further apart so it's easier for her to learn on. Then when she's a bit older and if she takes to it, swap for a steel string acoustic which is a bit tougher on the fingertips but better for strumming out songs on. Once she gets to 13 or 14 buy her a 1958 Gibson Les Paul in sunburst and a Marshall stack.

 

I found the opposite - the 4 strings of the uke are the perfect size for kids.

 

Also a lot of the the chord shapes on the uke are similar to the shapes for guitar chords, you're just doing them on 4 strings so the transition up isn't too much of a leap.

Edited July 21, 201511 yr by mickbrown

She's 10 though Mick. Fair enough if she was 4 or 5 and you just wanted her to get used to strumming something but I reckon it would be a backwards step. Plus - there's always the possibility that she might end up only ever playing the uke which is a horrendous instrument!

 

There you have it - two different approaches to the same problem - the joys of WW :-)

 

Main thing is - it's great that she's got an interest in music and that you're encouraging it for her!

I have a cigar box guitar

 

it's a beautiful looking thing but I have no idea how to play it so I've just bought a bracket to fix it to the wall instead

Kent's right, there are a good few - I think they call them 3/4 size guitars out there to start off with. Surgical sprit is helpful for toughening up the fingertips of the left hand. Also there are many good tutorials on Youtube for practice. Good luck.

My daughter is 10 and is learning the guitar.

 

As said.. dont buy a toy one. Music shops sell a junior one from 50 quid upwards.

 

She has lessons at school with Bolton Music Service. 16 quid a month for one lesson per week in school.

 

Because its also important we go off topic..has anyone snapped their banjo string?

Snapped me cock a few years back

 

Not one for the bucket list, chaps.

I'd say, loads of video for learning guitar out there, Justin etc. Not so much Ukes, and the only band you'll be joining is a George Formby tribute one.

 

Turned out nice again.

I snapped mine, in flagrante, thought it was the girl at first - the blood torrent...anyhow, the two ends felt like someone was applying electric shocks to 'em, got it fixed by some young surgeon being talked through his first one (frenuloplasty) - he did alreet as it happens, I was back in work the afternoon of the op, then out on the piss same night, bandaged todger an' all, midway through which the various anasthetics and painkillers wore off, ouch. Oh aye, I made the 'it's cold out' joke on the operating table, mainly because my knob, in sheer terror for it's life, had curled into my body like a petrified tortoise...

Edited July 21, 201511 yr by Youri McAnespie

I cough up big green globules when I have guitar.

She's 10 though Mick. Fair enough if she was 4 or 5 and you just wanted her to get used to strumming something but I reckon it would be a backwards step. Plus - there's always the possibility that she might end up only ever playing the uke which is a horrendous instrument!

 

There you have it - two different approaches to the same problem - the joys of WW :-)

 

Main thing is - it's great that she's got an interest in music and that you're encouraging it for her!

 

 

I've already chosen the guitar I'm buying her mainly because I want one, she's just my excuse.

 

Taylor Baby - lovely wee things

The double bass would be ideal

I snapped mine, in flagrante, thought it was the girl at first - the blood torrent...anyhow, the two ends felt like someone was applying electric shocks to 'em, got it fixed by some young surgeon being talked through his first one (frenuloplasty) - he did alreet as it happens, I was back in work the afternoon of the op, then out on the piss same night, bandaged todger an' all, midway through which the various anasthetics and painkillers wore off, ouch. Oh aye, I made the 'it's cold out' joke on the operating table, mainly because my knob, in sheer terror for it's life, had curled into my body like a petrified tortoise...

I didn't need surgery, just had to let nature do its thing. Luckily the only result from the accident was a very slight kink. I'm told this can make for pleasing lady results if delivered from certain trajectories.

 

For the first few days after the snap, my ballbag was jet black and the size of a melon as all the blood poured in.

 

It fucking hurt.

For the first few days after the snap, my ballbag was jet black and the size of a melon as all the blood poured in.

 

It fucking hurt.

Stop being a big girl!

'kin ell, Spider, I think the injury you're referring to is snapped cock, not snapped banjo string... I've too had the melon-sized, easily a big yellow honeydew, ballsac though, with a seperate ailment, so can sympathise with that, felt like Buster Gonad, I had to dig out some baggy jeans from years back as none of my other pants would fit...

In her heart of hearts she wants a sax; so get her an alto

Cheers folks, appreciate the advice and the disturbing insight on ruptured genitalia.

If she'd asked for a piano do you think an accordian would suffice?

Not at all; she has seen a uke and assumed it was a guitar. Her musical tastes have developed dramatically, and if my eldest is anything to go by, they will be almost unrecognisable in a few years... This is my quandary; get her something she liked the look of, or get her something that will allow her to develop. If a uke combined the two it would be a no brainer.

If you go down the uke route let me know and I'll send you a link to a decent one that plays well, holds tune and is cheap as chips. Most cheap ones are shit.

 

Download a tuning app for your phone. Only thing worse than an out of tune instrument is a snapped banjo string.

 

There's loads of resources for both ukes and guitars.

Edited July 22, 201511 yr by mickbrown

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain have some decent covers on youtube if you like that sort of thing.