Kid Guitars
Kids Guitar Information
Archive for the ‘Discount Children’s Guitars’ Category
When most children express a desire to learn the guitar, they often imagine themselves playing extended solos in front of adoring fans. In truth, the best rock songs are almost always together by a solid rhythm guitar player – an unsung hero who provides the backbone for the song. Rhythm playing might not be as glamorous as the solo spot, but it’s a crucial part of any traditional rock song structure.
In between practicing with his electric childrens guitar, have your son sit down to listen to a few examples of quality rhythm playing. Start off with something obvious and heavy on riffs – maybe some early period Who. Pete Townshend was a competent enough solo player, but most critics would agree he was best known for laying down some great rhythms and allowing Roger Daltrey’s voice and Keith Moon’s drums to do the inventive stuff.
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Music therapy emerged as a viable form of psychiatric treatment in the U.S. during the height of World War II. Ever since, many licensed therapists have sworn by the beneficial effects of music on a troubled psyche. A music therapy session can take many forms, including allowing the patient to compose his or her own piece. According to the Psychiatric Times, the therapy is often used children suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
It should come as no surprise that something as simple as the strum of acoustic childrens guitars could make a measurable difference from a psychiatric standpoint. After all, many people rely on music – both as listeners and active participants – to calm down at the end of a busy day. There’s something about the rhythms and the melodic tones that affect us at a primitive level. Children don’t need to understand these principles to benefit from them.
In recent years, music-themed videogames such as the “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” franchises have garnered plenty of attention from kids of all ages. The games seem to be just as popular among preteens as they are among slacker college students. Among older musicians and music shop owners, there are two schools of thought regarding these games – one positive, the other negative.
It remains to be seen whether these guitar-playing games will act as a feeder system for kids to learn the genuine instrument. Generally speaking, electric kids guitars remain the best way for children to hone their skills at an early age. Playing a videogame and playing a real electric guitar are two very different skills, and proficiency with one doesn’t necessarily translate to the other.
In some cases, children just learning to play the guitar have only been exposed to a few limited musical styles. Rock music is a mainstay on the pop charts, and there are plenty of rock songs and videos to be found on the radio as well as on TV. But what about the diverse blend of other musical styles whose practitioners employ the guitar in very different ways?
Flamenco and folk music, for example, are very different from what is easily heard in today’s pop culture landscape. Both genres feature prominent use of the capo, a device that is attached to the guitar at a certain fret in order to raise its overall pitch. The capo is especially useful on a childrens guitar as their fingers are often too short to create adequate chords.
Considering the vast amount of guitars on the market today, it’s not always easy to determine which instrument is right for your child. For starters, take the kid’s age into account. If he or she hasn’t yet reached the age of 9, a ¾ scale guitar is probably the best bet. That way, you can ensure that the child can reach the necessary chord fingerings it takes to make music.
If possible, take the time to try out a few acoustic guitars for kids before buying. Pay close attention to the tonality and sustain of each instrument. You can get a feel for the tonality by comparing a few different guitars and selecting the one that sounds best to your ears. Sustain is determined in part by the width of the strings. Wide strings can sustain a note for a longer duration.
Just like all masters of their craft, the best guitarists in the world make even the most difficult musical feats look simple. This can be a bit misleading for a young child who’s just picking up a kids electric guitar for the first time. Why is it so easy for Eddie Van Halen and Slash to churn out jaw-dropping solos when most people can’t even play a few notes correctly? Children should be reminded that even their idols had to begin by putting a few chords together.
A chord is a set of notes that are strung together to play a melody. This effect can be achieved through one of two primary methods: plucking or strumming. Chords are broken up into two main categories – minor and major – which are easy to distinguish by ear. Minor chords have a melancholy sound that’s commonly associated with ballads, while major chords are used in rollicking, upbeat numbers.
The ability to play a musical instrument is a joy in itself. There’s something culturally enriching about sitting down to play a guitar with confidence and competence. In a way, you’re tapping into an entire body of work that came before, borrowing bits and pieces from blues legends, country greats and rock and roll icons in the service of your own musical statement.
Guitars for kids are self-enriching, but they’re also a great source of entertainment. Many children use their musical inclinations as an impetus to branch out socially. Even the most famous musicians had to get their start in a bad rock band or a mediocre jazz ensemble. As a conscientious parent, you should consider giving your child every tool necessary to fit in and excel in social circles.
Teaching your child to play an instrument is a rewarding experience for both the parent and the child. Music is a source of creative release as it supplies an outlet to expel daily frustrations while offering a way to hone and acquire your skills and improve your talents. If you have a child who’s musically inclined, you should consider introducing them to the vast variety of instruments that are waiting for a devoted owner. With the time your child will soon be spending with their instrument of choice, they’ll quickly learn that a bond between them will develop.
But before you rush into a purchase, it’s good to know beforehand a little bit about what each instrument will bring to the table. It may sound like a commonsense thing to say, but if your child chooses drums, prepare yourself for the continual banging ahead – you may need ear plugs. I would recommend discount childrens guitars. Not only will you receive a fair price, but you can choose from acoustic or electric, which are both excellent options!
The Allure of the Rock and Roll Lifestyle
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
posted by Strumming-Along 1:12 PM
From the time that they’re old enough to watch MTV, many children become obsessed with learning to play the guitar. When you think about it, it’s really no different today than it was 40 years ago, when the Baby Boomer generation grew up idolizing the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. Guitar players are undeniably cool – they get paid to play music, after all – but it’s not easy to pinpoint the precise reasons why.
Maybe it’s the adoring fans who fawn over every new record and hang on every word printed in magazine interviews. Perhaps it’s all the attention they receive from the opposite sex. Just as likely, it’s the perception that professional musicians have beaten the system somehow – they’ve managed to avoid a boring day job, preferring to make money on the strength of their creativity and style. An electric guitar for children is like a ticket to an exciting new lifestyle.
Many parents are surprised to learn that their kids’ ability to learn to play guitar has little to do with actual musical talent. In fact, it has much more to do with capturing and holding the child’s interest. In order to achieve this goal, try think back on the way your mind worked when you were a child. Did you care about the technical aspects of music, or did you “just want to rock?”
By keeping the lessons fresh and fun, you can hook your kid into learning to play electric childrens guitars in no time at all. First of all, mix in some songs that your child already knows and loves – this will boost his incentive to learn them. In other words, don’t focus too much on classic rock riffs if your kid is more familiar with modern top 40 radio.