Kid Guitars
Archive for the ‘Learn to play’ Category
The world may never agree as to the precise moment when the electric guitar became the coolest instrument of all. Was it the mid-1950s, when Chuck Berry cranked out the infamous lines to “Johnny B. Goode”? Others might point to Bob Dylan’s decision to plug in for a rousing performance of “Maggie’s Farm” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. In any case, generations of guitar gods have been defined by their ability to wield the electric ax.
Few of those rock stars would readily admit it, but it’s rather easy to learn how to play guitar. In the past, aspiring guitarists had to seek out a mentor or a paid instructor to sit down with them and start from scratch. But now, in the age of computers and instant Internet access, software programs do much more to aid wannabe rockers. These programs feature tutorial videos and can be used at each novice’s preferred pace.
I have known many guitar players throughout my life. Many of them were in college and high school. They were the guys who would whip out their guitars when you were all sitting around a campfire and begin impromptu acoustic guitar lessons. It’s hard for me to recall what their names were, but I never forget the music that they played and the good times that were had by everyone.
There is one that I do remember however. I met him during college at a student camping retreat. There we were all sitting around a blazing campfire; drinking beers and talking about what our plans were for the rest of the summer, when this quiet guy I hadn’t noticed took out his guitar and began to play the song “Something in the Way She Moves” by James Taylor. His guitar strap was unlike any one I had seen before. It had drawings and signatures all over it. When he asked me to sign it I was touched. That quiet guitar player has been my husband for 25 years now. There’s something about those guitar players!
Anyone who has tried to play an instrument knows how mundane the first few months can be. No matter how old you are, you can only play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” so many times before you want to tear your hair out. When I was learning to play my first instrument, my instructor allowed me to play music that I enjoyed, which encouraged me to practice more.
One of the reasons that kids are so excited to play the Guitar Hero videogame is that it features familiar songs that they enjoy. Now you can take advantage of this in your efforts to get your kids to practice their real instrument with the Guitar Hero songbook. It features the same songs from the game and is specifically designed for beginning players.
On their debut album Pablo Honey, Radiohead included a song entitled “Anyone Can Play Guitar.” While some people have interpreted this phrase as a musical philosophy proclaiming that proficiency with an instrument is relative, the slogan can also be understood from a practical standpoint: it really is true that anyone can learn to play guitar.
The first step to playing guitar, or any instrument for that matter, is learning how to read music. While chords will allow guitar players to imitate their favorite songs, to truly understand the fundamentals and develop a skill set that transcends any particular instrument, it is necessary to learn to read music. The easiest instrument to develop this skill on is the piano, which is why most people start there.