What if your child wants to start playing the guitar?

Your child comes home from school and suddenly picks you up with confidence and determination in his desire to learn to play the guitar. Mia Madre! What to do? Should you succumb to the sirens of music at your age? How do you do? Is it too early? What will be the initial arrangements?

The capability to learn music, especially an instrument like the guitar is suitable for children because they are naturally curious, knowledge-hungry and very imaginative.

With enthusiasm, your child may quickly learn the basics and fall in love with this instrument.

Is there an age to learn the guitar?

Look no further; the answer is clear: no, no age limitation is there to learn to play the guitar and start taking guitar lessons.

However, the age of 6-7 years is the ideal age to start: indeed, before this age, the child does not have the necessary physical maturity because the fingers are not yet sufficiently muscular to press the rope and ring. Or intellectual maturity, because the guitar requires concentration and discipline. The child must be able to coordinate his movements and, for example, to master chords.

Is it easier for children to play the guitar?

A child will have more ease and panache to learn any kind of instrument like the guitar compared to an adult.

Although the latter has experience with the guitar, they are in excellent physical condition to learn something that is not achieved overnight. His brain absorbs all the information he receives. So, the sooner you start to learn to play the guitar, the more it will have the chance to correct their mistakes and perform well in the future while increasing the taste of this new activity. The important thing to play the guitar is to combine these four necessary conditions: rigor, patience, discipline and commitment.

Your child’s first steps of learning to play the guitar

First, you need to check the learning interest of your child. If he is motivated and eager to learn, then you should support him, as there are many benefits that your child will enjoy. Start by giving an example: if you love music and playing an instrument (if it’s the guitar, it’s best), by playing in front of it you will be capable to answer its questions.

1) Is he motivated to learn to play the guitar?

Before knowing if he can play the guitar, he must discover music and a variety of instruments like the guitar. At this point, your child is still small, will become aware of the music, the sound and if he can produce them, and maybe inclined to play the guitar.

Motivation and fun are a must!

For those who are a little older, music academies, as well as cultural associations and centers, offer to attend free guitar lessons to feel the atmosphere, to see if the child is comfortable with the learning and to chat with other students and teachers.

2) Understand the challenges of learning guitar

It is essential to know if your child really wants to play the guitar and is motivated, or if he wants to be like his friends or follow a fashion. Learning the guitar is difficult and requires maturity and discipline, so your child should be aware that learning it will have a direct impact on his life and habits.

Talk about music lessons, learning instrument classes and musical training such as music theory, inherent in the practice of guitar. Is he ready to start learning the guitar lessons once a week with a teacher? Of course, there are other methods to learn but children need to be guided and accompanied by a professional to get a solid foundation in music, how to play the instrument properly. , make no mistakes and if it occurs, it is corrected by an expert.

3) Choose the right guitar before the start of lessons

Once the child has shown an apparent interest in the guitar, then the next step is to acquire this instrument. Do not buy any guitar: first, because there are many guitars that are suitable for the age of each child and, secondly, because not do you any good to force him to have a perfect guitar because it is more or less expensive because it seems to match the taste of the day or any other subjective reason.

But how can you choose the perfect guitar for your child? What should you know about buying a guitar for beginners?

It is essential to buy the guitar that fits and that suits its size and current age, but also their different musical tastes while remaining within the budget. The choice of your first guitar is very important and decisive for the future. Obviously, you can’t buy a guitar for your child if he wants to play classical or popular music. As you are looking for Best Electric Guitar For Kids, you should be very careful.

The type of guitar to start playing

There are 3 types of guitar for your child so that he can indulge his passion: classical guitar, acoustic guitar and electric guitar.

  • classical guitar

It has three metallic bass strings and three treble nylon strings, which does much less damage to the small fingers. The neck of the electric guitar is wider than the acoustic or electric, which requires more intense work with the left hand.

The repertoire of this guitar leans more towards classical, flamenco, tango, early music, etc.

  • Folk guitar

It is almost similar to the classical guitar. The box is thinner and all the required strings are made of metal or nylon to provide a sound of music such as country. The mast is lower than the classical guitar, so the left-hand does less work.

  • Electric guitar

This guitar has no soundbox; to make a sound, you must have to connect it to an amplifier. The mast is similar to the acoustic guitar, but the access to the high strings is more pronounced. All the strings are made of metal.

This guitar is popular because it can play many types of music: blues, funk, rock, pop, metal, etc.

Note that whichever model you choose, the electric guitar is always expensive than a classical guitar or acoustic guitar. Although the classical guitar is more suitable for kids, especially for its nylon strings. Some guardians prefer that their children start with the electric guitar, the mast is smaller. The sound can be adjusted (even a child can touch with a helmet). Do not hesitate to seek advice from professional musicians as a guitar trainer or a seller of a guitar.

A guitar according to your child’s age:

Once your kid has decided what type of music you want to play, we need to take according to their age and height.

  • For children aged 3-6 years (children around 1.10 m), the ideal guitar is a ¼.
  • For children 6-8 years old (about 1.30 m), a ½ guitar is necessary.
  • For children 8-12 years old (measuring around 1.40m), a ¾ guitar is perfect.

Finally, children over twelve and adolescents, an adult guitar, is ideal. These standards do not always correspond to reality; It is best if your child tries several to see what he likes and what he agrees with most.

Other tips for when your kid starts with the guitar:

His style, his musical interest and that your kid will feel affection for the instrument will influence the type of guitar that suits him the most. Let him choose the colors or designs, as this will stimulate his taste for the instrument.

Which brand to choose? Lots of variety do not hesitate to seek directions from a guitar seller. You can even choose between Ibanez, Takamine, Fender, Cort, Vigier, Gibson, Yamaha, etc. I named the most popular brands. Look at opinions (professional, if possible) if the child chooses a particular brand and compare prices from different stores and online.

Finally, never forget to motivate your child. The guitar has many advantages on a personal level: open-mindedness, enriching their general culture and music, socialization, exchanges with professionals, able to share their passion, etc.