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Teaching child guitar?
Posted on 11/29/23 at 4:04 am
Posted on 11/29/23 at 4:04 am
My 10 year old is interested in learning to play guitar in spare time. What’s the best way to get started? He stays busy with other extra circulars, so not really looking to take lessons if other avenues are beneficial learning basics to see if he catches on. Thanks
7
Posted on 11/29/23 at 5:06 am to Brickma
quote:
He stays busy with other extra circulars,
So, it's just another thing?
Posted on 11/29/23 at 6:10 am to Brickma
quote:
started? He stays busy with other extra circulars, so not really looking to take lessons if other avenues are beneficial learning basics
Strum C-G-D a bunch of time. Add the occasional a and e chords.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 6:54 am to Brickma
Google Justin guitar
Posted on 11/29/23 at 7:26 am to Brickma
Fender strat mini. Check Craigslist - can usually get for less than $100. Fun to have on your own if he gives it up.
Get him lessons - 30 minutes once a week - otherwise he’s just banging strings and won’t stay interested.
Get him lessons - 30 minutes once a week - otherwise he’s just banging strings and won’t stay interested.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 7:44 am to Pvt Hudson
quote:
strat mini. Check Craigslist - can usually get for less than $100. Fun to have on your own if he gives it up.
Get him lessons - 30 minutes once a week - otherwise he’s just banging strings and won’t stay interested.
Just took a pause with my 9 year old. Had a Squier Mini Strat. Had to work on the guitar quite a bit to get it to stay remotely in tune. Changed to heavy strings, filing the nut, playing with the bridge intonation, etc.. Don't know if there are any better small options, but just giving my experience.
30 minute lessons are perfect for that age. He was learning a lot. Even learning to read music (not just tabs). Problem was he's in so many other activities, we had to force him to practice outside of the lesson. And that practice is when you really see advancements. I'd still be bringing him to lessons if he showed initiative to practice on his own. But he prioritized everything else above guitar. Just pointing out its not an easy thing to learn without dedicating some time to it in the midst of all the other activities.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 9:30 am to Jon A thon
Most children that age do not possess the physical strength, the discipline to learn and/or the responsibility of caring for a nice instrument. Your child has other activities that further muddle the scenario. Taking up guitar at this age will be very difficult and may actually be counterproductive as far as building a lifetime skillset and passion for music.
I'm not only a guitar tech but also a former guitar teacher who had many students of all ages. And I'm a father of six very musically inclined children. I watched my young students and my young kids struggle physically and mentally until they either quit out of frustration; or until they got bigger and stronger physically and mentally and were truly capable of taking on the task. All that said, I advise you wait until the child is a teen.
If you feel you must proceed immediately, the best guitars I've found for small hands and bodies are the Baby Taylor series. Unlike the mini electrics, the BTs actually hold tune and sound great. Be ready to pay a competent tech to lower the action a little for a 10-year old's hands. Mini electrics are toys and even me the pro tech hasn't figured out how to make them work properly with standard strings and standard tunings. Budget $399 street for a BT plus another hundred for a guy like me to do his set-up magic.
I'm not only a guitar tech but also a former guitar teacher who had many students of all ages. And I'm a father of six very musically inclined children. I watched my young students and my young kids struggle physically and mentally until they either quit out of frustration; or until they got bigger and stronger physically and mentally and were truly capable of taking on the task. All that said, I advise you wait until the child is a teen.
If you feel you must proceed immediately, the best guitars I've found for small hands and bodies are the Baby Taylor series. Unlike the mini electrics, the BTs actually hold tune and sound great. Be ready to pay a competent tech to lower the action a little for a 10-year old's hands. Mini electrics are toys and even me the pro tech hasn't figured out how to make them work properly with standard strings and standard tunings. Budget $399 street for a BT plus another hundred for a guy like me to do his set-up magic.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 11:59 am to TheFretShack
Thanks for the input. Not my idea. I’m just getting more information to have a better conversation with him. I’m not in favor of it because he does stay so busy.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 1:13 pm to Brickma
I’ll tell you how I wish I learned.
Remove the hi and lo E, and the A.
The D, G and B strings can create major and minor triads as well as both inversions over 3 frets. I always thought the B string was a problem, until I realized that being tuned that way is what makes the guitar so versatile. They are also the strings that provide the frequency which the guitar usually sits in the mix.
So you are able to play most songs with just those three strings, while using a max of three fingers to do so. Play your favorite songs out loud and try to follow them.
If you can learn that, adding more strings is very intuitive in what role they will play. There won’t be this unnecessary need to play all six strings when you first start, which is still difficult to do after nearly 20 years of playing for me.
Remove the hi and lo E, and the A.
The D, G and B strings can create major and minor triads as well as both inversions over 3 frets. I always thought the B string was a problem, until I realized that being tuned that way is what makes the guitar so versatile. They are also the strings that provide the frequency which the guitar usually sits in the mix.
So you are able to play most songs with just those three strings, while using a max of three fingers to do so. Play your favorite songs out loud and try to follow them.
If you can learn that, adding more strings is very intuitive in what role they will play. There won’t be this unnecessary need to play all six strings when you first start, which is still difficult to do after nearly 20 years of playing for me.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 1:26 pm to Brickma
My son started playing at 10. He does not play teamsports and playing music is really his only hobby besides watersports. He started on a Gretsch Archtop Acoustic and he is very small for his age. This is a difficult guitar to start on. However, when he moved to electric, it was a very easy transition.
It's possible for them to play on a regular size guitar but it will be more difficult. If you don't play guitar and can't show him the basics, you would probably want to put them him in lessons. 30 mins/week is good. He will not succeed if he does not put in the time or is not really interested. Guitar is difficult for even the most dedicated players. Once his interests get more focused and he does fewer things, he can always pick up his guitar and continue the journey.
It's possible for them to play on a regular size guitar but it will be more difficult. If you don't play guitar and can't show him the basics, you would probably want to put them him in lessons. 30 mins/week is good. He will not succeed if he does not put in the time or is not really interested. Guitar is difficult for even the most dedicated players. Once his interests get more focused and he does fewer things, he can always pick up his guitar and continue the journey.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 1:38 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
Just took a pause with my 9 year old. Had a Squier Mini Strat. Had to work on the guitar quite a bit to get it to stay remotely in tune. Changed to heavy strings, filing the nut, playing with the bridge intonation, etc.. Don't know if there are any better small options, but just giving my experience.
30 minute lessons are perfect for that age. He was learning a lot. Even learning to read music (not just tabs). Problem was he's in so many other activities, we had to force him to practice outside of the lesson. And that practice is when you really see advancements. I'd still be bringing him to lessons if he showed initiative to practice on his own. But he prioritized everything else above guitar. Just pointing out its not an easy thing to learn without dedicating some time to it in the midst of all the other activities.
They have to really want to do it and it's hard to know if they do or not.
Just buy a decent guitar and tuner, see if he gravitates to it.
If he keeps it in his hands, help him along.
Posted on 11/29/23 at 3:17 pm to Brickma
Buy an acoustic first. A Taylor Big Baby model is a good one that is slightly smaller than normal, is easy to play, and sounds decent. Playing an acoustic will teach them the importance of proper technique. Starting on electric (what I did) leads to dependency on effects and lets sloppy playing slide more.
Also, teach them to play without accompaniment. This will force their timing to be better.
Also, teach them to play without accompaniment. This will force their timing to be better.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 10:28 pm to OceanMan
quote:
I’ll tell you how I wish I learned.
Remove the hi and lo E, and the A.
The D, G and B strings can create major and minor triads as well as both inversions over 3 frets. I always thought the B string was a problem, until I realized that being tuned that way is what makes the guitar so versatile. They are also the strings that provide the frequency which the guitar usually sits in the mix.
So you are able to play most songs with just those three strings, while using a max of three fingers to do so. Play your favorite songs out loud and try to follow them.
If you can learn that, adding more strings is very intuitive in what role they will play. There won’t be this unnecessary need to play all six strings when you first start, which is still difficult to do after nearly 20 years of playing for me.
So teach them how not to not play the guitar.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 4:59 pm to Brickma
My kid started "lessons" around 9. It was great because a great guy was having lessons after school, at the school. It was easy and convenient. My kid enjoyed it and strummed some chords.
COVID hit a couple of years later and my son got a Squire Strat and an amp for Christmas just before. He found YouTube and began working super hard learning.
Our instructor retired and we found some new lessons, my kid is constantly challenged by the new instructor and probably plays a couple of hours a day.
He's now 16 and the lead guitarist for our Church praise band, and the youth band. He played the lead of Sultans of Swing in his last recital with his band.
All this to say, your kid has to find the spark. It took years of strumming before my son finally wanted more. Now, I'm trying to convince him not to be a music major in college.
COVID hit a couple of years later and my son got a Squire Strat and an amp for Christmas just before. He found YouTube and began working super hard learning.
Our instructor retired and we found some new lessons, my kid is constantly challenged by the new instructor and probably plays a couple of hours a day.
He's now 16 and the lead guitarist for our Church praise band, and the youth band. He played the lead of Sultans of Swing in his last recital with his band.
All this to say, your kid has to find the spark. It took years of strumming before my son finally wanted more. Now, I'm trying to convince him not to be a music major in college.
Posted on 12/2/23 at 1:42 pm to deeprig9
quote:
So teach them how not to not play the guitar.
Essentially yes.
It’s basically learning in open G but directly translates to standard
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