Beginner's book for township music?

Bob-Dubery

Hi all,

I work at a hospital where there are a large percentage of long term patients. One of these patients has somehow ended up with a guitar - a 3/4 size steel string. I got talking to him yesterday. He is trying to make a go of it but has no idea where to start. He is busy picking out simple tunes of his own devising but he is smart enough to know that he doesn't know how to tune a guitar and that if he can't do that then there are problems.

He is not what you could call "well off", let alone "wealthy". I have told him that I don't have the time to give him any kind of tuition, I am not employed in any nursing or therapeutic capacity. However I would like to help this guy learn how to tune his guitar and to get him some kind of introductory book.

It's the second item where I see a problem. Beginner's books usually work because the beginner is familiar with the tunes that are used for examples. You don't have to LIKE them, you just have to know them. So, in my WASP world, "Over The Rainbow" would work in an instruction book because I know the tune.

Is there a beginner's book for people who have grown up in the very different culture of a South African township, where they don't necessarily know about the Eagles or Bob Dylan?

Keira-WitherKay

hey Bob what area is the hospital in......... cos you know i would be only to willing to go and help him (free of charge) if it's close to one of my teaching trips to either northcliff / randburg / midrand / florida cos as long as hospital staff don't mind me not being there at official visiting times and obviously i would only be in area on specific days ..and at a specific time...... but hell yes ...i'm sure i could find an hour before my lessons start .......... and would gladly give of my time

and strange this popped up i have been thinking about starting a community project teaching music one day a week especially for people who don't have access to music education ......... so maybe this is my 1st challenge.......

guitarboy2828

Great question Bob. I don't know the answer to this question, I know I have never seen anything like this.

The different people I've taught, even from "townships" know modern pop songs (they were all teens though). So I have used that rather than the old stuff. Which is hard, coz the new pop songs aren't written for solo acoustic guitar.

When I first learnt guitar, the book i learn with didn't actually have any songs in it. It just taught you chords and strumming patterns, I know, how boring. But for a guy like this, maybe a book like that would work? No idea what it was called or where it is. ☹

guitarboy2828

Keira WitherKay wrote: and strange this popped up i have been thinking about starting a community project teaching music one day a week especially for people who don't have access to music education ......... so maybe this is my 1st challenge.......

That'd be so awesome Keira, if you do, won't you jot down the different things you teach them. I would love to start that here in Durban/Ballito area. ?

aja

+1 karma to keira!

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: hey Bob what area is the hospital in......... cos you know i would be only to willing to go and help him (free of charge) if it's close to one of my teaching trips to either northcliff / randburg / midrand / florida cos as long as hospital staff don't mind me not being there at official visiting times and obviously i would only be in area on specific days ..and at a specific time...... but hell yes ...i'm sure i could find an hour before my lessons start .......... and would gladly give of my time

Wow!

I have PMed Keira, as I don't want to get my employers splashed all over this forum without their say so.

I will find out how long our aspirant guitarist is likely to be here, and we will almost certainly have to liaise with the hospital staff because of the various rehabiliation programs that are going on here and the time needed for those.

I must say I think this is a very generous offer.

Bob-Dubery

I've been in contact with Keira via PM and cell phone, but just in case anybody else is following this

Vincent, the guitar-playing patient, is going to be here for some time. He is currently wheel-chair bound.
The therapy staff here are thrilled by Keira's offer as the tuition will help to fill his day and lift his mood.

I am going to chip in with some strings and a tuner.

Fantastic offer from Keira.

Conrad

+1 Karma to Keira. Wish there were more people like her in this world.

Keira-WitherKay

X-rated Bob wrote: I've been in contact with Keira via PM and cell phone, but just in case anybody else is following this

Vincent, the guitar-playing patient, is going to be here for some time. He is currently wheel-chair bound.

The therapy staff here are thrilled by Keira's offer as the tuition will help to fill his day and lift his mood.

I am going to chip in with some strings and a tuner.

Fantastic offer from Keira.

thanks Bob i was gonna actually ask if anyone had an old tuner they willing to donate to vincent ... damn you must read minds...... ?

so thats awesome cos tuning by ear for a beginner without a point of reference like a piano is hellishly difficult ..........

yay good on you Bob .... appreciated

FatBoy

Awesome stuff, both of you!! Karma'd

Riaan

Hats of to both of you. In my work I get to do with patients like this very often, and believe me, what you're doing may well mean the difference between life or death for this guy. :applause: :applause:

Conrad

No man....now I am all curious about what jobs you and Bob have...

Bob-Dubery

Riaan wrote: Hats of to both of you. In my work I get to do with patients like this very often, and believe me, what you're doing may well mean the difference between life or death for this guy.

I checked with the therapists at the hospital first. They didn't put it quite like that, but they did say it would make a big positive difference.

I've broken the news to Vincent and he is blissed out.

Squonk

Good stuff Bob

I am starting to see that you are quite mercy motivated! ?
Hats of to Keira as well, this will make a huge difference in Vincent's life

rikus

That's very cool!

I recently got involved with starting up free guitar lessons at a High school in Khayalitsha through my church.

It's very basic stuff, but it's sooo much fun. Before we got started I also thought about what songs to teach them vs. what they would know.

During our first lesson I asked them what sort of music they listen to, to maybe get a feel for their tastes, and it was mostly electronic music. When the class was finished though, while we were waiting for the storeroom key the kids (who are all mostly around 14) were still messing about with the guitars one of them started just randomly strumming the open strings and sang a few lines of Killing me softly (I think)... and then it hit me, R&B!

During the next lesson I want to get some R&B songs that they know, which we can then get some basic chords for and take it from there.

I don't know if it'll help, but I thought I'd share.

Keira-WitherKay

rikus wrote: That's very cool!

I recently got involved with starting up free guitar lessons at a High school in Khayalitsha through my church.

It's very basic stuff, but it's sooo much fun. Before we got started I also thought about what songs to teach them vs. what they would know.

During our first lesson I asked them what sort of music they listen to, to maybe get a feel for their tastes, and it was mostly electronic music. When the class was finished though, while we were waiting for the storeroom key the kids (who are all mostly around 14) were still messing about with the guitars one of them started just randomly strumming the open strings and sang a few lines of Killing me softly (I think)... and then it hit me, R&B!

During the next lesson I want to get some R&B songs that they know, which we can then get some basic chords for and take it from there.

I don't know if it'll help, but I thought I'd share.

thanks for the post rikus but yeah i teach music full time in jhb and since i perform world music i know enough african music to not be teaching dylan songs ....... ?

but yeah rikus good one on you too and fabulous you 'giving back" you know it's amazing to see how many musicians are community conscious... i know melanie lowe (how do you spell that) has an enviromental group set up and often get invited to charity events by cole van dias so yeah theres a lot of muso's doing something for the community .... and nice to hear you among em...... you must tell us more re your project .........maybe some more CT muso's can get involved......

IceCreamMan

excellent project...while i cannot assist in other areas i would be happy to make a financial contribution if needed.

post bank account details and what sort of funds are needed and i will chip in.

DonovanB

Thanks Icecream man...

I'll take a few grand.... ?

guitarboy2828

IceCreamMan wrote: excellent project...while i cannot assist in other areas i would be happy to make a financial contribution if needed.

post bank account details and what sort of funds are needed and i will chip in.

I'm in this camp too.. PM me if i can send some money to buy another tuner or strings or something like that.. No Don, I won't buy you a PRS.. ?

Bob-Dubery

Thanks for all your kind offers. There's no immediate need to be filled. Your support is much appreciated.