I Just wanted to comment on a couple of mistakes that I see parents often making when they go to purchase a guitar for their child at Christmas time.
First, be aware that guitar is a VERY difficult instrument for kids younger then say 10 years old to play. They just don't have the motor skills. I'm not saying it's impossible. If your child is TRULY motivated and focused, they can succeed with patience and practice ... but many will become discouraged because they just aren't capable of controlling the instrument at a level that SATISFIES THEMSELVES. Many are still in the "play" phase. They see themselves as "Rock Stars" up there on the stage not realizing that it takes hours and hours of work to get there.
You also have to find the right guitar EDUCATION for them. Many of the online courses (including ours) don't work well for the young kids. You probably want to get them a private teacher ... but ya' gotta' make sure you find the right one. They have to have a FUN program where the kids get to play music they like. The days of the stodgy old guy who just sticks you in the exercise book are over! You may have to search hard but you can find a good teacher if you do the leg work and ask the right questions.
The young kids may also need a 3/4 size guitar. They simply won't be able to wrap their hands around a full size guitar. Small guitars are more available and affordable than ever ... electric and acoustic. If your local music store doesn't have any, try shopping online. As you may already know, www.MusiciansFriend.com is the web's best known musical web retailer. They have a good reputation for taking care of their customers. Even if you don't buy from them, it's still a good place to research and do price comparisons.
No matter what age the child is, make sure you get them the instrument that plays the music THEY LIKE AND LISTEN TO. Don't get your child an acoustic guitar if all they listen to is Hard Rock. They'll just get discouraged and quit. Some other teachers will disagree with me on this. Some feel that you should start every kid on ACOUSTIC guitar before they play electric. Though these teachers may have some compelling arguments, I believe the overriding factor is MOTIVATION. It just ain't that much fun to play Iron Man on a folk guitar!
Make sure you get a reasonable quality instrument. Some parents try to get the cheapest instrument they can find. They say "I don't want to spend a whole lotta' money until I know that the kid is going to actually STICK WITH IT" ... and I can certainly sympathize with that ... but get them a piece-o'-junk instrument that FIGHTS them every inch of the way and you GUARANTEE that they get discouraged and quit! Be prepared to spend a minimum of $200 for a trustworthy guitar (another $100 for the amp if you go electric) and don't ever buy one from a TOY STORE. Many of these so-called instruments are UNPLAYABLE right out of the box!
Remember, if you purchase a viable instrument, it will always have a certain RESALE value. You can always sell it to the parents of the kid next door for say $75-$100 if your child looses interest ... and that certainly makes it worth it to spend the extra few bucks to give your child the BEST shot at developing a lifelong interest in music. Heck! They might even get rich and famous and buy you a house down at the beach!
Once you get them the instrument, they gotta' learn how to play it. For any kids over say 12, I might humbly suggest our Absolutely Understand Guitar Video Guitar Lesson Program on DVD as a great way to get started. Our course is very comprehensive and well organized. We'll get your aspiring guitarist off to the best possible start without bad habits or confusion ... all for a FRACTION of the cost of private lessons. We also have the absolute BEST STUDENT SUPPORT in the industry. Kids can call me anytime toll free or email me if they need help ... NO CHARGE! I don't know any other program that offers that. Check us out at www.AbsolutelyUnderstandGuitar.com .
From Scotty, Kathy, Geof and all of us at AUG ... have a great holiday season!
One of the favorite gifts that the children likes take as a Christmas gift is a Guitar .........
Posted by: Larissa | January 23, 2009 at 12:30 AM