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#1
06-24-2002, 11:11 AM
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how young can a child start guitar?
My 8 year old son says he wants to learn how to play guitar. Have any of you taught a child to play? I'm wondering if he would have the hand strength and size to play. I've only played for a couple of years, so I don't know what it would be like for someone that young to try play guitar.
I'd appreciate any advice with this. Thanks.
__________________
The Boss, not the cornhusker state. 
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#2
06-24-2002, 11:25 AM
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No personal experience but I've heard plenty of stories of great guitarists that started that young. I have a "daughter at heart" who is 6 who I bought a half size, nylon string guitar and tuned it down to make it easier for her. She's not really learning yet but she now knows how to hold it and how to fret a note. Plus she's learning how to develope a rythm strumming. When I play mine she wants to get hers out and she, her brother and I sit there and take turns making stuff up. I have to think it will pay off somehow as she grows. It is hard for little hands to play too many chords though.
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#3
06-24-2002, 11:41 AM
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I have been telling my 7-yr-old that he'll start taking piano lessons this fall, and will need to progress a little while before he learns to play guitar. The transition from keyboard to fretboard is SO much better than vice versa in terms of theory and just general understanding.
Also, young fingers can play the piano a whole lot earlier than they can manage bar chords! That being said, I tune his 'toy' guitar to an open chord and let him strum away.
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#4
06-24-2002, 02:54 PM
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I started at ten, with a "Stella" (brand name). The action was about 1/2" off the fret board, or so it seemed. I was never pushed into practicing or playing, it was just something that I wanted. It's been a constant companion for forty something years. Even if I neglected it for months it was always there waiting. I say get him an inexpensive guitar and let him play. It may well be one of the nicest things you do for him.
__________________
“With every mistake we must surely be learning”
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#5
06-24-2002, 03:24 PM
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I wanted to start at 7 (2nd grade) But I did started at 8 (3rd grade) Based on the kids I have taught over the years , that would be my vote for a good starting age. They and read and count by this age.
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#6
06-25-2002, 02:53 AM
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I started out around eight or nine with a "Stella." The strings were in Massachusetts and the fret board was in Nebraska.
The action was so high, it made my fingers bleed. I forgot about playing guitar for a few years. Point being : Its probably as important to start a kid off with a decent guitar as his age. Al 814CE-LTD
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#7
06-25-2002, 10:53 AM
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Eight years old is by no means too young to start playing guitar. In general, I think it's best to start a child's musical education by 6 years (from the developmental perspective).
My advice is get a guitar that "fits" the child's size and is of "good enough" quality. And start off with some lessons to develop good habits from the git go. I get some (unsolicited)catalogues in the mail that are clearly aimed at music teachers (which I am not). They have 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 size guitars that look to be of reasonable quality and price. Sorry to say, I haven't kept any, but I bet a Google search would turn some up. Or ask a local music teacher for a source. Good luck! I wish I'd started guitar at 6 y/o rather than 16. Of course, I did start piano at 5 y/o and violin at 9 y/o. David
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#9
06-25-2002, 02:21 PM
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My sister started my nephew at age 8. I thought at the time it was a bit young, but he's doing well. Has a great sense of rythym. Didn't get it from me!
__________________
Kevin 414 LOTF MACE Big Baby Tacoma EMC9
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#10
06-25-2002, 07:17 PM
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for small children some of you might want to check out
SmartStart Guitar by Jessica Baron Turner.... easy and enjoyable method based on open G tuning so that chord fingerings are simplified and full sounding...suggested age range is usually given as 4-9 or 5-10...it's just strum and sing....no note reading...but there is instruction...I think it's very good for guitar playing parent and interested child.... there's a book/CD called SmartStart Guitar there's a supplementary songbook called SmartStart Guitar Songbook (with CD) there's a video... there's actually a SmartStart Guitar for ages 12 & up book now, too...(never seen this book) don't be cheap with children...get them a Baby Taylor or Big Baby if appropriate...
__________________
Indeed, there is something in the current DC/NY culture that equates a lack of unthinking boosterism with a lack of patriotism. As if not being drunk on the latest Dow gains is somehow un-American. - Arianna Huffington May 11, 2009
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#11
06-25-2002, 07:39 PM
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and just to add...
SmartStart Guitar does eventually introduce standard tuning... there are specific strumming patterns used..steady beat, Marching Strum, Horseback Strum, Two-Step Strum, Waltz Strum... one other note...in the supplementary book (43 songs)...for many of the songs there is either some very brief history of the song given - whether it's about a state, or river, or president, or religion, etc..(can you say " I dunno, let's go peek in the atlas, Honey") or a suggested activity (remember the age)....might be of interest....take advantage of learning opportunities...their brains want to get connected...help 'em get connected.... might have something to do with Bob Womack's 'Horrified' post.... it's called Mr. Rogers NEIGHBORHOOD, you know... sometimes language is not too too important...but then sometimes, it is...
__________________
Indeed, there is something in the current DC/NY culture that equates a lack of unthinking boosterism with a lack of patriotism. As if not being drunk on the latest Dow gains is somehow un-American. - Arianna Huffington May 11, 2009
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#12
06-30-2002, 06:45 PM
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I saw this in the "news" section of the Larrivee site. Thought it might be interesting here.
http://www.larrivee.com/news/articles/steele/steele.htm "The winner of the 2002 Larrivee / RGT Guitar Award is 9 year old Benjamin Steele, who achieved a remarkable 99% in his Grade 5 RGT electric guitar exam – one of the highest marks ever achieved at this level. To mark his outstanding achievement, Benjamin was awarded a beautifully-crafted Larrivee D-04 acoustic guitar, which was presented to him at the London College of Music by Dr. John Howard (manager of LCM exams). "
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#13
06-30-2002, 08:11 PM
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My 9 year old stepson has been taking lessons for about 9 months now. Knows 3 chords, can play "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and a basic blues riff. I was able to find a teacher who does very well with kids. He just happened to be an old high school buddy that I hadn't seen in years.
He is using my Baby Taylor. Seems to be about the right size for him. I really stress to him that this is a real guitar and that he can use it but needs to take care of it. So far so good. He really seems to love it. Mark
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#14
07-17-2002, 02:29 PM
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In 1st grade my first "guitar" was a badminton racket I strummed while listening to a transistor radio the size of a pack of cigarettes. I began to really play guitar when I was 11 - I got a $6 "Hi-Lo" acoustic from the Army PX for Christmas.
My 9 year old daughter has been asking for a Baby Taylor. I'm looking for something a little cheaper to start her out on - then if she takes off I might spring for the Baby. (However, I have looked at this as a good reason to get Baby Taylor in the house - then I could play around with it - but I think my wife is on to that scheme.) I've also thought about getting a Squier Strat to leave around the house for the kids to link on. I picked up a $99 Yamaha classical at Sam's Wholesale hoping the kids would play it. It sat around the living room until someone broke the headstock off of it (glad I didn't leave my Taylor laying around there). I have 4 children and I've taught the oldest 3 how to play a simple few tunes on the mandolin. Its a good size for small hands - and you can get beginners models fairly cheap. Peace.
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#15
07-22-2002, 01:05 PM
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My son, who is 3, is already learning a little. I bought him a cheap little Lauren 1/2 size guitar (because he always wanted to play my Baby Taylor). I tune the guitar to an open D chord (DADF#AD), and let him strum away. He is so funny to watch because he takes himself so seriously! We have video of him at 2 years old strumming away and singing, "Hey, Bo Diddley!" over and over again. Recently, he's started improvising his own lyrics.
Obviously, his grasp of music theory is nil, but he knows how to hold the guitar, how to strum, and what a capo is. And best of all, he is already showing a love for music! So, I guess there's no such thing as "too young," as long as you approach it in a developmentally-appropriate way. Of course, if my son continues to show an interest, I'll eventually have to get him a Baby Taylor . . .
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