Kid Guitars
Archive for the ‘Learn to play’ Category
Last summer I decided to try to teach my son how to play guitar. Since I have been playing for over 30 years, I figured that I would be able to impart my knowledge fairly easily. It turns out that playing the guitar is much easier than teaching it, and after a few weeks of our lessons, it was evident that he wasn’t making any significant progress.
Instead of doling out hundreds of dollars on professional lessons, I decided to try our luck with guitar lesson videos. After just a few hours practicing with the video, he already had learned more than in the weeks that I was teaching him. Now that he has some of the basic knowledge under his belt, I have been able to give him a few pointers that he can actually take advantage of.
Learning the guitar, or any instrument for that matter, can be a painstaking and time-consuming process. Taking lessons will expedite this process of course, but going to a professional on a regular basis can be expensive. A great option for learning the basics is to utilize video guitar lessons.
Not only will the video lesson provide the same basic training as traditional lessons, but it is also just a fraction of the price. Unlike traditional teachers who are only available to you by appointment, video lessons are always at your disposal, allowing you to hone your skills on your own time.
In a time where it seems like everyone disagrees with just about everyone else, it’s nice and frankly comforting to know there are still several subjects that everyone can generally agree upon. One of these neutral topics is music. Of course, not everyone agrees on what music is “good” or “bad,” but you are hard pressed to find somebody who doesn’t at least like some kind of music. Whether you’re interested in smooth jazz or heavy metal, two people with the most disparate tastes in music can at least agree on a basic appreciation of the musical art form.
Music has even been shown to stimulate development in unborn children. So make sure to foster that love of music after the child is born as well. Whether it’s through private lessons, instrument lesson videos or through a school program, encourage your child’s interest in violins or woodwinds or guitars. Even if they never use the skill outside of school, at the very least they will always have something to use as general conversation with others. There are so few things that people can agree on. Help your child find that common ground through a rudimentary understanding and a deep rooted love of music.
For Christmas this year, I was at a loss as to what to get for my little brother. He is one of those kids who goes out and buys himself everything that he wants, and any present that you get him is sure to be a disappointment. The last time I visited him, however, I noticed that he had a mild obsession with the videogame Rockband.
While his actual guitar is gathering dust in his room, the buttons to his video game model are nearly worn out. In order to inspire him to pick up the real instrument once again, I purchased him the Rockband songbook. Hopefully having the same songs from the game at his disposal will serve as motivation to pick up his real guitar again.
Many people view drummers as reckless maniacs who haphazardly wail away on their kits. While it may appear this way to the untrained eye, there is, in fact, a method to the madness. The drummer actually keeps the rhythm for the whole band and sets the tempo for the song.
The importance of the drummer is most evident in the great bands where the drummer is at the forefront, such as Neil Peart in Rush, John Bonham in Led Zeppelin, and Dave Grohl in Nirvana. Watching these drummers live is nearly the equivalent of taking drum lessons. They take the drum kit from a mere background instrument and transform it into a powerhouse that demands attention from the crowd.
There are literally dozens of different methods that teachers employ when teaching their pupils how to play guitar, and there is not necessarily a right or wrong method. When I was learning guitar, however, I already had a background playing the piano, which made the process much easier. As a matter of fact, most music teachers suggest learning to play the piano before embarking on another musical endeavor.
The reason why the piano is good as a starting point is that it is unparalleled at training people how to read music. Due to the layout of the keys, it makes learning to read and play music easier. While some musicians claim to never read or write music, they are the exception to the rule, and a good grounding in musical notation is beneficial to any aspiring musician.
Anyone who has played an instrument will tell you that the beginning is always the most difficult part. As you first start out, the noises that you create can hardly be classified as music. And the worst part, in my opinion, is that you are forced to play through amateurish tunes like “Ba Ba Black Sheep” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” incessantly.
One of the best ways to get motivated about learning a new instrument is to purchase instrument lesson books that include popular songs that you enjoy. While you will still have to learn the basics, including songs you enjoy in your practice routine will motivate you to play more. It is also easier to begin to play a song when you are already familiar with it and know how it is supposed to sound.
Most people who pick up a guitar dream of being a lead axmen for a band that sells out arenas around the globe. While it isn’t bad to have lofty aspirations, the truth is that it is becoming more and more competitive to make it as a lead guitarist. That doesn’t mean that the dream of being a star in a rock band has to die.
While there is an abundance of superb lead guitarists, there is a lack of the less noted, but equally important, bassist. While the bassist rarely makes it to the spotlight, musicians and true music fans know that the bass line is often the pulse of a song. Taking the time to learn bass guitar not only will improve your prospects for a musical future, but it will also give you a better appreciation for the intricacies of music.
While there are many different activities with which your child can become involved, you should always encourage their particular interests and passions. And if they’re interested in playing an instrument in the band or orchestra, you can be wholeheartedly behind them, because there are definite and numerous benefits to receiving a musical education. For one, when they learn how to play guitar, or any other instrument, your child garners a sense of accomplishment. It’s a difficult task, and when they grow and succeed, they’re sure to feel good about themselves.
Playing musical instruments also teaches them a definite sense of discipline. Again, learning an instrument is hard, and reaching any level of success is dependent on dedication and discipline. There are also stress relieving qualities to playing an instrument, and this can be particularly helpful when your child reaches adolescence. And lastly, there have been many studies that indicate music helps our brains develop and thrive. Typically speaking, children that play instruments do better in school and other mental arenas.
“Music education = brain power” is the motto of the VH1 channel’s Save the Music Foundation. In the past ten years, VH1 Save the Music has provided $43 million worth of musical instruments, instructional tools and instrument lessons to over 1,600 public schools in the United States, which has impacted the lives of 1.2 million public school students.
The foundation espouses the belief that music education is an essential component in the education of children and aims to raise awareness regarding the benefits of music in the education of children. Many of its early public service announcements brought attention to the fact that music programs in U. S. public schools were being cut. Top recording artists such as Natasha Bedingfield, Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, Mariah Carey and many others have participated in VH1 Save the Music Foundation events.