Kid Guitars
Posts Tagged ‘guitar’
My daughter has always loved Faith Hill. She has been listening to her music for years and wishes she could look like Faith Hill. More than anything in the world, my daughter wants a beginner acoustic guitar. As a single Dad I want to get my kids everything but expenses are tight since I was laid off from my job last year. My daughter has a birthday in a couple weeks and I have begun an online search for discount kids guitars in hopes of finding a guitar of good quality but yet affordable.
I love being a father and I feel like I have a special bond with my daughter. When I was her age I too played drums and guitar. I played in a band throughout high school and college and remember those days quite fondly! I look forward to seeing where my daughter will go with her guitar playing. She also has a good voice and has been singing for years like Faith, her idol. As I look into the future it looks quite bright!
In the 1930s and 1940’s, during the early days of the electric guitar, audio feedback was thought to be a detrimental sound that needed to be eliminated in order to purify music. The very first solid-body electric guitars were invented for the express purpose of reducing feedback levels. However in the 1960’s musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend began to cultivate an array of sounds that could be produced by holding a guitar at varying distances from a guitar amplifier. Many kids from this genre fondly remember trying to imitate this trademark sound with their discount childrens guitars, to no avail.
Over time, this technique of perfecting a feedback loop to harmonious or dissonant effect was taken to further levels. The British rock band My Bloody Valentine released “Loveless” in 1991 More recently, Rage Against the Machine adopted a trademark “crunchy guitar” sound with the help of amp feedback.
My ‘know it all’ son says that he deserves an electric guitar. After a very persuasive argument he has actually convinced me that a guitar would make his life better. I am glad he is enthusiastic and I just hope that those ‘cool’ kid guitars fit our price range. My son assures me that they and everything will just be fine. If my husband is game then I guess I am game.
After looking online and talking to friends I think that childrens guitars may in fact be more affordable than I thought. His birthday is in fact on June 15th so I guess that is a good time to give him this precious gift. I must admit, (though I would never tell him this). I begged my folks for a guitar when I was his age, however my very practical parents made me wait until I was in high school. When it’s all said and done times haven’t changed all that much!!
When choosing a guitar for your child, do you an electric, acoustic or even a classical guitar. If you want your child to play guitar there are many good quality cheap kids guitars available. You could begin with a kids acoustic guitar which cost less. There are two basic types of acoustic guitars: nylon-stringed and the steel-stringed. Nylon-stringed guitars are easier on the fingertips because the strings are thicker and more flexible while steel strings can be pretty painful to play especially when the strings are taut.
The choice of guitar can actually depend on the music you want your child to play. Nylon strings are used for folk and classical music. Steel strings are best for rock, country and almost all other styles of music. Nylon strings produce a soft and classic sound of the guitar while the steel strings produce crisp and sharp sounds. A common misconception about nylon guitars is that your fingers won’t get sore. It is quite inevitable that young fingers get sore with both nylon and steel stringed guitars especially at the beginning. Nylon strings are less dense than steel strings and therefore are a lot easier to push down to form the chord but steel strings can be pretty painful to push down since they are thinner and more difficult to push. Both can take a lot of getting used to but are well worth it in the long run!
It is sometimes very interesting to look at how sound is created and maintained in a guitar. In a plugged-in electric guitar, sound is created when the strings are strummed or plucked and the vibration from the movement is picked up by a magnetic device called the pick-up. Many discount electric guitars and cheap childrens guitars are available for eager beginners if cost is a worry. Interestingly, the sound can be further manipulated and modified by turning the volume and tone dials as well as knobs of the amplifier. Most electric guitars have three knobs or dials for controlling the volume, treble and bass tones which are produced by the built-in electronics of the guitar
Basically, a pickup is made of a long copper wire that is wound around one or more magnets. When electricity passes through the copper wire, the magnet/s in the middle of the coil detects the movement or vibrations of the metal strings. Electrical impulses travel through the wire inside the pickup due to these vibrations, and when attached to the amplifier, the impulses create the sound heard from the amplifier. The tremolo bar allows the player to quickly and easily alter the pitch of the strings. The tuners are found at the headstock of the guitar and are used to tighten and loosen the strings. The standard tuning for electric guitar is EBGDAE but other types of tuning such as Drop-D are used depending on the preference of the guitarist and the kind of music played.
My son wants another guitar. It seems like yesterday that we bought him a toy guitar for his third birthday and I must admit that he has really outgrown it. Now he says he wants a “real” guitar! I think he looks at our next door neighbor who plays lead guitar in a local band and has received a lot of accolades. He is now old enough to learn on an actual ‘playable’ guitar so my hesitant husband and I will start looking at some beginner childrens guitars.
For the most part our kids have grown up with music so it’s no surprise that they’ve all shown an interest in it. I am not going to stand in their way and will support them in any way I can. After all I played the piano for many years and my husband forgets the ‘guitar lovin days’ of his youth. Actually my husband just told me that he bookmarked a website for me to see that has discount kids guitars! Well ok!
Many kids today express an interest in learning to play guitar but what age should they start? First, is your child big enough to hold an acoustic guitar comfortably? Acoustic guitars for kids come in several sizes. The smallest playable guitar that you can buy is a ¼ size guitar. This kids guitar is made for children between the ages of 4-6 whose height is approximately 3ft 3inches – 3ft 9inches. The next size guitar is a half size for kids 5-8 years whose height is 3ft 10inches- 4ft 5inches. The ¾ size kids guitar is designed for kids 4ft 6inches- 4ft 11inches and the full size kids guitar is for children 5ft and over.
After you have established the proper sized guitar, it is extremely important to know whether your child’s fingers are strong enough to properly hold the strings. It is also a good idea that children use a kids acoustic guitar that has nylon strings. Kids acoustic guitars that have steel strings are too hard for soft hands. Finally make sure that your child has the necessary commitment and enthusiasm. Playing guitar can be a great hobby for your child as long as you do your homework.
My daughter has shown interest in music and actually seems to have some natural musical ability. My husband and I noticed that when she was a child she would tap the edge of her crib in a specific rhythm. As a toddler when music was being played on the house my daughter would take her hand and clap to the beat or pretend she was playing the drums with whatever she could get her hands on. She has watched both my husband and I play guitar and she will start to sing and pretend to play the guitar at the same time. My husband and I have begun to look at acoustic guitars for children as we feel that this would be the ‘perfect’ birthday gift for her!
I love my daughter and want to teach her the importance of being the person she is truly meant to be. If guitar isn’t it then that is ok with us. I know she will go through many phases during her lifetime and we expect this, (provided they are decent and safe). She really seems to love music and I do believe that a childrens acoustic guitar will be a wonderful birthday gift for her!
What parents need to know when choosing the guitar for their child
A question parents often ponder when allowing their child to learn to play an instrument is: when is the right time? The answer can vary depending on the instrument. You might want to consider allowing your child to learn to play guitar. There are many different types of kids guitars to choose from. Parents want to know if their child is old enough to play guitar and one consideration should be whether their wrists and fingers are strong enough to successfully play chords on the guitar. For this reason, experts recommend waiting until a child is at least seven years old to start this instrument. Children who want to start playing before the age of seven can start on the piano. They will learn basic chords, notes, and rhythms while their bodies grow strong enough to play the guitar.
Beginning guitarists often learn in a group setting. Most parents choose this option because it is the most affordable however students do not get to benefit from this one on one attention in a group setting. In an individual lesson, the teacher is able to pinpoint areas that the child needs to work on much more easily. Once you have started lessons, you must work hard to encourage your child to practice. Learning to play guitar can have many benefits for your child and you will be glad you invested your money and time in such a worthwhile pursuit!
Learning to play a musical instrument has many benefits. Instruments like kids electric guitars help teach children the relationship between hard work and rewards. It raises IQ’s and studies have shown that children exposed to music lessons and musical instruments are more likely to be smarter than their peers. It also helps them to read although nobody seems to be quite sure why. It gives them an outlet for stress. Being able to play a guitar can help your child learn how to work through stress even though your ear drums may pay the price!
Allowing a child to play a kids electric guitar can help the child seem ‘cool’ because electric guitars are viewed as cool and everyone wants to hang out with the ’cool’ kids at school. Learning to play guitar can help your child’s public speaking abilities as he or she gets used to performing in front of an audience. Before you rush out to buy a childrens electric guitar, it pays to shop around for the best deal. You can upgrade as he or she becomes a more accomplished player