New Best Friend - Any day now!

[harborcoat26]

We are expecting our 3rd child any day now! After having 2 beautiful girls we are very excited that our 3rd, and last child, is a BOY!

So while kids, and especially babies, cut into and already almost non-existent guitar playing schedule, the thought of having someone to someday jam with and talk music, Rickenbacker, Vox, tubes and other stuff with makes it well worth it!

My 4 year old has quite the ear, and voice, for music! We've done a little impromptu jam of The Beatles "Yesterday" which I'll have to share sometime soon! Can't wait until everyone is older and we can play music together!

[jingle_jangle]

Musical children are a blessing, Brian. Keep them at it as long as they show interest and ability. But if they don't, don't force it on them.

When I was young, I had a musical passion, but my parents forbade me (!!!) to exercise it, because they did not want to "have to buy me" an instrument.

I surreptitiously snuck Dad's accordion out from the closet, and taught myself scales and chords while parents were out of the house. That was the beginning of my partial knowledge of music, and the basis of my sick obsession with love of accordions.

We encourage our 13-year-old's passion for music, and she's been singing semi-pro for about 4 years, and playing the piano for 3.

She's appeared on stage with the SF Opera, done many concerts as a member of the SF Girls' Chorus, and sung bossa nova in a local restaurant. Her Chorissima group will be touring Cuba next summer as part of a cultural exchange program.

It is amazing to hear our own daughter sit down at the piano and accompany herself...but if she had other interests, I would not push her against resistance.

[johneek]

...But will she love the intricacies of Conversion Varnish?

[harley]

Congratulations, Brian!

I'd echo the comments from Paul. Encourage their talents, help them to be disciplined if they want to learn but never force them. What you can do, though, is keep the ability to play always near by. Everyone in our house plays and so we've always had a lot of instruments available for trying out. Sometimes the interest of a child grows and fades and grows again. Our son, now 20, learned how to play guitar around the age of 8, put it aside around the age of 10 and picked it back up in his teens and is now a very good bass player (with an occassional turn at the "skinny stringed" instruments).

But mostly ... congratulations!

[harborcoat26]

Paul - Good to hear about your daughter! And chances are always pretty good that kids keep an interest in their instrument/singing even through their teenage years since it's cool to play music.

I certainly don't force, or really even encourage my kids, to play/sing. All songs are done impromptu. I was learning the guitar for Yesterday and would play it a lot. So the oldest, and now the youngest as well, started singing it every now and then. One day while I was practicing she sang instead of me and not long afterward I managed to get it on film - which is something that almost never works out! It's not her best performance (maybe not her range?), but is a moment to remember since it was one of the first times we played music together. Hopefully there are many more to come!

My son, on the other hand, is going to have Rickenbacker/Vox shoved down his throat! And he IS going to learn electronics and fix my A.C.10!

[harborcoat26]

What you can do, though, is keep the ability to play always near by.

Good advice! I should play more for that reason alone!

Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement!

[harborcoat26]

He's here! And weighing in at 9.9 lbs I think I'll start him out on bass!

[johnallg]

Hey Brian! Congrats!

[marc61]

Brian, that is sooo coolll!!!! congrats.

Now as far as music, do what I do. Don't force it on them but, then again, if they don't practice, why bother feeding them?

very happy for you. lots of years of health and happiness for all.

[harley]

Congratulations! And don't forget, bass players are always in demand.

[kenposurf]

Congrats Brian!!!!

[scott_s]

...But will she love the intricacies of Conversion Varnish?

That stuff's passe. When the time comes, Paul will be showing her how to build a UV curing booth.

- Scott

[johneek]

Congratulations Brian! Sharing your passions (and even interests) with those you love is one of the great joys in life. To be able to do it with your children is beyond special...

Get ready...having #3 in the house seems to be the catalyst for the chaos to begin. Our experience is that going from zero to one was a huge change, life was never the same again. One to two was a little different, but not too big a change. But going from two to three is a change almost on the magnitude of going from zero to one. After three, the incremental chaos is barely noticeable. Enjoy them, they grow up way too quickly

[ram]

+1 on what John said!

[johnallg]

+1 on what John said!

Yeah, +1 on what John said. Our experience with 3 also.