How to learn 'Rock' guitar without the formality of school lessons?

[cornflakemum]

DS (10) is getting an electric guitar for Christmas (his 'big' present).

He's been playing acoustic for about 2+ years now and has got to a reasonable level (Grade 3), but is mostly playing exam grade type music - so not chords/ accompaniment type stuff.

I don't really want him to have another set of guitar lessons at school for the electric guitar, but I'm wondering how he can 'learn' to play more rock-style music otherwise? Neither DH or I play guitar.

How do boys of this age learn/ play 'band' music together. The school guitar group plays fairly standard classical repertoire.

I guess what I'm really looking for is some sort of weekend 'group rock' lesson! Do such things exist??

yes, look for fliers at your local music shop, it will be festooned with info on things like this.

However most guitarists I know got started playing along with their favourite records in their bedroom.

All the guitarists I know taught themselves with this type of book and playing along to records. They then progress to playing with friends and if they're lucky, there will be teachers who can help them along the way. It seems to be a very organic process that doesn't really suit formal lessons IMHO.

my advice to be honest - leave him to it, unless he specifically asks for help.

Don't know where you are living but DS1 had a marvellous guitar teacher who would teach him anything he wanted to play, but also taught him scales, to read tabs etc ect. He now just finds the tabs on the internet and the the music and teaches himself by playing along to it.

Although we found teacher by word of mouth he did have fliers up in the guitar shops in Denmark st, just off tottenham ct rd. So look in any guitar shops near you. Organisation of playing in a band is a bit haphazard they all have to be very committed and someone always lets them down.

Finally, after all that, DS2 taught himself with the help of a few friends who could already play.

Is he year 5 or year 6, because if he is patient he may find rock clubs/ guitar club available at his secondary school.
DD is teaching herself acoustic throught the beginners guitar club and they also have a rock school club.

We also have a local Rock Skool but that is expensive.

Sorry it's not Rock Skool, it's Musiclab and the prices are £12 and hour for group and £30 for one to one.