Kid Guitars
Archive for the ‘Electric’ Category
One of the most important aspects of encouraging children in a new pursuit—whether it be intellectual, physical or emotional—is to have worthy leaders to emulate. I have always encouraged my children to look to leaders for inspiration and motivation when embarking on a new endeavor. So when my youngest son picked up the electric guitar, I suggested that he listen to some of the pioneers.
I was excited when shopped around kids electric guitars, albeit a little nervous about the noise he would be creating. Luckily he developed an appreciation for the same guitarists that I loved—as opposed to those heavy metal thrashers. In just a few months he has developed in to quite an adept player.
Back in the 1930s and ’40s, during the early days of the electric guitar, audio feedback was considered a detrimental sound to be eliminated in the interest of purifying the sound. The first solid-body electric guitars were invented for the express purpose of reducing feedback levels. Something changed in the 1960s, however. Innovators such as Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend began to cultivate the assortment of noises that could be produced by holding a guitar at varying distances from a guitar amplifier. I fondly remember my friends and me trying to imitate the trademark sound on our cheap electric guitars, to no avail.
Over time, this technique of perfecting a feedback loop to harmonious or dissonant effect was taken even further. The British rock band My Bloody Valentine released “Loveless” in 1991 – an album that utilized feedback in a way that made many people wonder how they could achieve such sounds with a mere guitar. Even more recently, Rage Against the Machine adopted a trademark “crunchy guitar” sound with the help of amp feedback.
The term “cool” is highly subjective, and nowhere is this more apparent than in popular music. While some groups think that bands like Puddle of Mudd and Nickelback represent the pinnacle of coolness, others simply view them as sellouts. Conversely, some people see bands like Radiohead and of Montreal as being too irrelevant to be cool, while others see them as cutting edge avant-garde musicians.
As can be imagined, the definition of a cool guitar player varies as much as the distinct tastes in music that people hold. Some enjoy the breakneck playing that is the trademark of heavy metal, others the minimalistic nature of acoustic music. Although defining “cool” is often a task of futility, the beauty is that every person is free to define it for themselves.
When I was little my parents presented me with an ultimatum: join the choir or learn an instrument. As a rather timid child, the idea of standing in front of droves of people and flexing my pipes was terrifying—naturally I opted for the latter option. For me, the decision as to what type of instrument to play was simple; I was enthralled with rock music and had always dreamed of playing the electric guitar.
Growing up in the heyday of classic rock music—as it is referred to now—I idolized axmen like Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. My parents were familiar with my infatuation and satisfied my rock and roll urges by purchasing my own childrens electric guitar. Although I never achieved rock and roll stardom, playing the guitar gave me a greater appreciation for the music that I already loved.
When you buy your child their first guitar, there are some important attributes to consider. Obviously you want to ensure that the instrument is the correct size for your child. Many models are too big for children and will inhibit their ability to reach the proper tabs and fingerings.
The next thing to consider is price. Since this is their first instrument, it is probably wise to simply invest in cheap kids guitars so that they have something to cut their teeth on. Just because the price isn’t high doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on quality; there are many excellent models available that don’t carry an excessive price tag.
During the 70’s there was one band that towered over all of the others: Led Zeppelin. Arising from the remnants of The Yardbirds, the band featured the premier musician at virtually every position in the band. While all of the members are now famous—or infamous depending on whom you consult—the guitarist Jimmy Page stands alone in rock lore.
Not only was Page the most prolific guitarist of his time, but he also added to his allure due to his associations with magic and the occult. During concerts, Page would employ an assortment of crazy guitars and accessories to enhance his performance. From using a bow to play his guitar to the famous double-necked model used for the epic “Stairway to Heaven,” Page’s stage performances have become a thing of legend.
When they are just starting out, many kids have a hard time focusing on the actions of two hands at once. This ability to multitask effectively will come with practice; in the beginning, it’s best to simply remind kids not to stop strumming. It’s perfectly understandable that most of a child’s attention will be focused on fingering the fretboard. After all, the right hand just has to strum along, right?
In fact, the role of the right hand is slightly more complicated than that and certainly more important than it would seem. In addition to strumming, the right hand must operate as a sort of metronome, keeping time with each upward and downward strum of the strings. If this motion stops for any length of time during the course of a chord change, all timing with kids electric guitars will be thrown out of whack.
Before they can read words, sentences, paragraphs and novels, kids must learn their ABCs. By developing a solid foundation in the basics – figuring out how to identify, write and say each letter of the alphabet – kids are provided with a template for literacy. A similar approach can be used to teach them how to play childrens electric guitars. Try breaking down the lessons to their most basic component.
Just as letters are the building blocks of words, guitar chords are the most basic unit of a popular rock song. A great rhythm guitar player often learns by aping a chord chart, then working on transitional movements between the chords. Encourage your children to build songs from scratch using the chords they have learned, but remember to keep them on track with traditional lessons as well.
Coordinating Guitar Playing with Lyrics
It’s no secret that most kids are eager to emulate their heroes from the moment they get their hands on a guitar. Back in my day, it was all about emulating Slash, the virtuosic and mysterious guitarist from Guns ‘N’ Roses. Luckily, learning to play the guitar like Slash did not entail any singing lessons. Axl Rose handled the bulk of the band’s vocal duties. Still, I learned to value the importance of singing and playing guitar at the same time.
Learning to excel at this can be tricky, and it’s important for children to take it slow. Playing the kids electric guitar should remain the overriding concern, while singing remains secondary for the moment. It’s not a bad idea to start out with the most basic kids’ songs – the ones where you can sing the words without a second thought. With time and practice, you’ll be able to do the same with rock lyrics.
Have you ever listened to a recording of your own voice? Answering machine messages, home movies and professional interviews all offer opportunities to listen to one’s own voice being played back. In some cases the immediate effect is embarrassment, since we never sound exactly the way we think we do in our own mind. However, recording one’s singing voice and listening to it later can prove constructive for a recording artist.
Beginning guitar players can take advantage of the same technique when they practice. The best part is that the quality of the recording device doesn’t make much difference. There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a pricy recorder when any old model will do. The important thing is that the children learn to identify their mistakes through listening to their own work on kids guitars.