Kid Guitars

So you want to learn acoustic guitar, what do you need to get started?  Most importantly you’ll need the right guitar. There are some things about guitars you need to know.  There are 2 types of acoustic guitars, the standard American steel string classic or the “classical” Spanish guitar with nylon strings.  If you want to play standard songs like “House of the Rising Sun” and classic rock tunes, a steel string is the best choice. If you want to play classical music then get the nylon string guitar.  If the guitar is for a child then you’ll need a 3/4 size or even 1/2 size guitar. There are many affordable childrens acoustic guitars that are also of good quality As an adult, a full size is great. But even the full scale guitars can vary somewhat in the size of the body. When you try guitars out at the store make sure you’re comfortable with the size. Nowadays good acoustic guitars are affordable!  It might be a good idea to get light gauge strings so the strings will hurt you less when you are first learning to play.
 
Learning only a handful of easy guitar chords at the beginning may be your best choice.  These chords are the following: C, A, G, E, D as well as A minor, E minor and D minor. D7 and A7 are also included in this grouping of easy guitar chords.  As you progress you’ll discover other things to learn such as the infamous F chord. But for now, keep your focus on these easy guitar chords to avoid frustration.  If you find the chords physically demanding, use a capo. The capo is a device that clamps onto the guitar to make the strings shorter. They’re usually very inexpensive and it can make a big difference in the beginning.  It’s entirely possible to teach yourself from the right books or online resources. Keep it simple for now with the 10 aforementioned easy guitar chords.   Do your best to get them sounding clear. Put the capo at the 2nd or 3rd fret if you need to. Once you have a couple of shapes memorized, try switching back and forth between them and pretty soon you’ll be on your way.