I Am The Music Man

For Christmas last year we got Lionel an acoustic guitar in sunburst blue. Since then, I have shown him a few basic chords and pointed him in the right direction for looking up some popular songs online which have the chord sequences laid out above the words.

At first, I was a little worried that Lionel had no rhythm because even the most basic of strumming patterns he was struggling with but over the last two weeks something has clicked and he is really taking off playing two songs which he sourced himself online: More Than Words by Extreme and My Girl by The Temptations. Good choices I feel as they are not too complicated but make you feel like you are 'really' playing complicated songs.

I am now sourcing some books with popular songs that Lionel may have heard before or know quite well already so that he feels like he is really playing something rather than just doing rifts exercises.

Beyond the initial teaching of my showing Lionel the basic chords of A, D, E and G, he is teaching himself the rest and each day has used his hour on the computer to learn more. I am constantly amazed at how fast he is picking up the guitar in this way and smile each time he shows me proudly what he has mastered each day.

Good for you Lionel.