OT: Kids & Guitar

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hmarq

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My daughter (9) has expressed interest in the guitar (probably because I play ... though Hilary and Avril have helped a little too) ...

I've certainly got plenty of them around, but being 9, here arms are kind of short for playing first through third position. I've seen a number (mostly Horner?) 3/4 size, tenor type guitars that are marketed toward kids.

Are these worthwhile? Anyone used one? Any teachers care to comment?

The alternative seems to be to buy a capo and stick it about the 5th fret and haver her start learning with the real thing.

Anyone have thoughts?
 
Hmarq,
I'm a teacher and I'd say if you can find a suitably sized guitar with manageable playability and tuning stability for your child at a low price then go for it. The only problem with short-scale guitars is, as I mentioned, tuning stability. They tend to be more finicky with tuning adjustments and if they have the slightest high action they'll sound awful when chording. There are, however, short-scale instruments to be found with good stability but they are the exception to the norm.

I like your idea of the capo on a full-sized instrument. If she can handle the full sized guitar without too much frustration then I'd say you have a great idea there. Keep in mind, the enemies of a teacher/student are boredom and frustration. Make sure she's having fun and good luck! :)
 
Sorry to interupt, but maybe this relates to the discussion...

I'm teaching a 12 year old boy guitar.

He has trouble playing chords because he has not developed the strength to press down the strings, while leaving room for the strings to vibrate and resonate.

The acoustic guitar is old, and dosn't have the closest action possible. I'm not concerned with adjusting the guitar, because if I can get him to play well on it, when he gets a better acoustic or electric it'll be that much easier.

Are there any suggestions on exercises to help this kid form his chords properly?
 
Some day when I decide to settle down and have kids, I'm letting them start on a Fender Duo-Sonic. A real guitar tuned normally, but short scale and easy to play. Then on to an SG which is the easiest normal scale guitar to play, when you know how to set it up right. Especially for little guys...I mean, thats why Angus has always played one.

Taylor is making full sized short scale acoustics now that are really easy to play, but theyre mucho $$.

H2H
 
im a 13 year old guitarist and i started out {when i was 10} on a really old guitar. it was terrible . everything about it was broken. but after a year or two i got a realy cheap electric. it ade guitar playing alot easier because i had already put my hands through the worst of it. :) :)
 
hmarq said:
My daughter (9) has expressed interest in the guitar (probably because I play ... though Hilary and Avril have helped a little too) ...

I've certainly got plenty of them around, but being 9, here arms are kind of short for playing first through third position. I've seen a number (mostly Horner?) 3/4 size, tenor type guitars that are marketed toward kids.

Are these worthwhile? Anyone used one? Any teachers care to comment?

The alternative seems to be to buy a capo and stick it about the 5th fret and haver her start learning with the real thing.

Anyone have thoughts?
Click to expand...



I started playing when I was eight, and as my dad is a luthier, I was playing a full sized, handmade acoustic guitar. We put a capo at the third fret, and I just learned to play there, and when I got bigger, I got rid of the capo.

You can by a good Shubb capo for $25. I can't imagin that you can buy a decent 3/4 sized guitar for that.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
I started playing when I was eight, and as my dad is a luthier, I was playing a full sized, handmade acoustic guitar. We put a capo at the third fret, and I just learned to play there, and when I got bigger, I got rid of the capo.

You can by a good Shubb capo for $25. I can't imagin that you can buy a decent 3/4 sized guitar for that.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...
Thanks to all that replied here. I think in the end I'm going to do the capo thing with her. Particularly if I let her use/have one of my Strat shaped electrics, I might even be able to get away with the 2nd fret which would have the side benefit that if I tune down to D, she'll actually be in key then with most things she's likely to play with ... might have to get heavier strings but that's OK ...

Just letting her noodle on it yesterday I can see that hand strength is the real thing that's going to be frustrating; I've been playing so long I can't really remember what it's like to just not be strong enough to make chords, but I know we all start there.
 
I always suggest that parents start with a nylon string classical to serious students. It's easy on the fingers. Plus they're fairly cheap for the entry level decents ones (e.g. Yamaha, etc.).

That's how I started and I'm increadable on guitar... Oh, no wait, I suck. Never mind....
 
the baby taylors play really well. but they aren't very cheap.

the only problem i see with using a capo is that you will need to downtune the strings in order to keep the same key. but then again this might be a good thing because downtuning the strings will make them easier to press which means less need for finger strength.

whatever you do i would suggest you get the guitar set up as to be easy to play. i'm sure you don't want her quitting just because her fingers hurt from the high action. get her playing on a guitar that sounds good and that she'll enjoy. then she'll want to play more often.
 
The capo seems to be the way to go. My student is starting to pronounce his chords with practice. I think a capo will boost his confidence (you know what that's like :rolleyes: )

I first learned on the worst acoustic guitar in the world, as real piece of shit.

I murdered my finger tips, but learned how to play well on it.
Once I got a real acoustic life was great, it seemed like a piece of cake....then when I got an electric there was no stopping me.

I feel it's important not to go overboard in coming up with a guitar that is unrealistically easy to play when only beginning.

Anybody else feel the same?
 
I've worked with a few kids, the main problem has been their hands are small so they have trouble reaching across the fingerboard. Finding a guitar with a neck that fits a child's hand isn't always easy (especially acoustic) I know this isn't a solution but playing comfort will greatly lower a kid's frustration and help keep their interest. All of us who have been playing for a while remember how frustrating and at times even painfull it was in the beginning so be patient and keep reminding her that it will get easier. Try to keep the chords and exercises limited to the first four strings untill she developes more strength and dexterity. Hope some of this helps, it's just some advice I wanted to share.
 
That's what it's all about isn't it? Balancing ease of play v. frustration ...

Like many of you I learned on a real piece of crap for my first two guitars, yet managed to persevere till I bought a decent guitar of my own; part of me would save my child from that frustration -- yet the point of making it too easy is valid too; finding the balance is the hard part.

Someone mentioned using a nylon string acoustic as the learner instrument ... funny that's exactly what somone told my parents many moons ago too. Too bad I wanted to play electric :( .... same with my daughter. Certainly an argument can be made that better form is learned on an acoustic as it isn't as forgiving of mistakes as a solidbody with amplification ... at the same time, there is something to be said for instant gratification in the learning process; so I'm pretty well fixed now in my direction of giving the kidlett one of my old electrics, tuning it down a whole step, capo'ing it at the 2nd fret and letting her give it a whirl ... now to find a teacher ... yet another quest :)
 
I know this doesn't mean much....

I actually started out playing the violin. I know she probably doesn't want to play that, but when I was in school, it came around, and I was playing violin for 4 years before I got a guitar, and maybe it helped me a bit being better at reading music and translating the same notes to guitar? or maybe not? I think it did though.....then at 12 I got my first guitar, but continued to play violin.....It was a long transition, but just a thought...... :)
 
How to be a great music teacher with only one lesson.

I'm slightly off thread here, but I remember a funny story about Pete Seeger, the folk singer banjo player of years past. Someone once asked Pete how he had time to teach all his boys (I think there were five or six) to play guitar and banjo so well since he was on the road most of the year. (they all grew up to be seriously great players).

Pete said; "Well, I gave them one single music lesson one day". Huh?
"Yeah, I put one of my guitars and a banjo on my bed and I called all the boys into the room". Then I said very sternly; "While I am out on the road, if I EVER hear of ANY of you even TOUCHING this banjo or guitar I'll break you arm!"

"That was all there was to it. From then on out they would sneak in there and practice like hell every day, and I always made sure to leave the instruments out when I went out of town".
 
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