It's Electric...
Well, I just spent my New Orleans money and bought KJ his first electric guitar. Crazy? Maybe, but more like hopeful
KJ (my 13 year old son) has never really found "his thing". He like dinosaurs, at one point he wanted to be an astronaut, and he claimes he wants to eventually be a knight, but none of these things have ever really been a passion. His interests in school are broad, his interests at home are broad, and he's never seemed to have any one interest that defined him or who he might be in the future. As a mom, this has begun to worry me lately.
KJ was able to join the school band this year, I suggested that he try the trumpet or drums but that he should pick what he wanted. Turns out, what he wanted was the trombone. I rolled my eyes, but in the end told him that it was his choice. To my great surprise he has practiced that trombone every single day without me having to tell him to. He's maintained first chair trombone in the band all year long. In addition to to, he gets bored when the teacher isn't working with his section so he'll grab spare instruments (trumpet or drums usually) and play along with them. His band teacher has offered him the opportunity to switch and play with either section if he prefers them to his trombone.
About two weeks ago he came home and told me that he was going to audition with his girlfriend to be in the school talent show. I chuckled and asked what his talent was. He informed me that he was going to play the guitar. I pointed out that he didn't know how to play the guitar, and he said that he knew and it would be okay. So for the past two weeks he's been taking our classical guitar back and forth to school with him, staying late to work with the band teacher, transcribing music and working his toosh off to learn a song on the guitar. The audition was Tuesday, it went well and they got a spot in the show. However, they need to pick a different song. They need a different song not because KJ can't keep up, but because his girlfriend, who *does* play the flute, can't. Here's you sign mom.
A few months ago KJ and I had discussed him joining Jazz band next year. However they meet every morning before school and he knew that I worked, so he said he wasn't interested. I told him that I'd find a way to make it happen for him, but he wasn't sure. So, being that I'm no longer working I thought I would address the issue again and he jumped at the chance. His only problem was that he said he'd like to play the guitar for jazz band but jazz band uses an electric guitar and he didn't have one.
He LOVES music, it's really the first thing that I've ever seen light up his face. It's the first thing that I haven't had to keep at him about doing. It's the first thing that I've seen in him that lights that spark. And so, I figure it's more important than me attending another concert or going to New Orleans. This is my son, and I want to be able to encourage him in every way possible that I can. If this is what he wants to do, I'm with him.
We bought a "Squier Strat by Fender" starter kit that included a tuner, strap, picks, practice amp, and headphones. I also got him a guitar stand and a music book all for about $325. His new guitar is a deep metallic red and it's really pretty. It's one step up from the Fender Starcaster that you get at Target but it's a lower end instrument as far as Fender's go and it's marketed to people just getting started. We made a deal, KJ and I. If he goes at this like he's gone for his trombone then next year we'll buy him the $400 Mettalic Peacock Blue Fender Stratocaster that he really wants.
I hope that this turns out to be the amazing investment that I think it will be.
KJ (my 13 year old son) has never really found "his thing". He like dinosaurs, at one point he wanted to be an astronaut, and he claimes he wants to eventually be a knight, but none of these things have ever really been a passion. His interests in school are broad, his interests at home are broad, and he's never seemed to have any one interest that defined him or who he might be in the future. As a mom, this has begun to worry me lately.
KJ was able to join the school band this year, I suggested that he try the trumpet or drums but that he should pick what he wanted. Turns out, what he wanted was the trombone. I rolled my eyes, but in the end told him that it was his choice. To my great surprise he has practiced that trombone every single day without me having to tell him to. He's maintained first chair trombone in the band all year long. In addition to to, he gets bored when the teacher isn't working with his section so he'll grab spare instruments (trumpet or drums usually) and play along with them. His band teacher has offered him the opportunity to switch and play with either section if he prefers them to his trombone.
About two weeks ago he came home and told me that he was going to audition with his girlfriend to be in the school talent show. I chuckled and asked what his talent was. He informed me that he was going to play the guitar. I pointed out that he didn't know how to play the guitar, and he said that he knew and it would be okay. So for the past two weeks he's been taking our classical guitar back and forth to school with him, staying late to work with the band teacher, transcribing music and working his toosh off to learn a song on the guitar. The audition was Tuesday, it went well and they got a spot in the show. However, they need to pick a different song. They need a different song not because KJ can't keep up, but because his girlfriend, who *does* play the flute, can't. Here's you sign mom.
A few months ago KJ and I had discussed him joining Jazz band next year. However they meet every morning before school and he knew that I worked, so he said he wasn't interested. I told him that I'd find a way to make it happen for him, but he wasn't sure. So, being that I'm no longer working I thought I would address the issue again and he jumped at the chance. His only problem was that he said he'd like to play the guitar for jazz band but jazz band uses an electric guitar and he didn't have one.
He LOVES music, it's really the first thing that I've ever seen light up his face. It's the first thing that I haven't had to keep at him about doing. It's the first thing that I've seen in him that lights that spark. And so, I figure it's more important than me attending another concert or going to New Orleans. This is my son, and I want to be able to encourage him in every way possible that I can. If this is what he wants to do, I'm with him.
We bought a "Squier Strat by Fender" starter kit that included a tuner, strap, picks, practice amp, and headphones. I also got him a guitar stand and a music book all for about $325. His new guitar is a deep metallic red and it's really pretty. It's one step up from the Fender Starcaster that you get at Target but it's a lower end instrument as far as Fender's go and it's marketed to people just getting started. We made a deal, KJ and I. If he goes at this like he's gone for his trombone then next year we'll buy him the $400 Mettalic Peacock Blue Fender Stratocaster that he really wants.
I hope that this turns out to be the amazing investment that I think it will be.