How to get young people motivate to learn guitar?

[Brucebubs]

Build an iPhone into the headstock that can only be activated when they can play 3 chords correctly.
It's on a timer.
The more chords they learn the longer access they get.

[Skarsaune]

I taught for Junior Appalachian Musicians for a while, which provides instruments and instruction in our regional music for kids. It’s taught in small (6-8) groups and the kids can take the instruments home.

I was disillusioned at first to find out that most of the kids were only marginally interested in music. They were there for the social aspect, and it’s a positive after school activity in an area without very many of them.

So I figured if I could get the light bulb to go on for a couple of them, I was doing well. I didn’t immediately take to the guitar at 10 years old either. But I came back to it at 18. My job was to show them the possibilities.

Conversely, I have a young one-on-one student now that is super enthusiastic and motivated.

I don’t know how to turn that enthusiasm on in anyone, but is sure is a wonder to behold.

[pszy22]

I would encourage you to proceed with your goal of providing children the opportunity to make and enjoy music. I have a similar goal and find it very rewarding.

I work with 3 - 6 year old children and they love to make music. My goal isn't necessarily to teach them to play a guitar, with the younger children singing and playing instruments like a ukulele seems to provide alot of fun and satisfaction to the participants. Sometimes as the children get older, they choose to learn to play a guitar,and what they have previously learned provides them a good foundation.

My suggestion would be to think about what you would like to accomplish. Something you may want to consider, sell the nice guitars you have and use the funds for tools that may better serve your targeted audience.

It seems like you have a great opportunity, perhaps set up a program that runs for a half hour after church services are over. Parents are already there with their young kids, if you had a fun program that the kids enjoyed, I think parents would be more then willing to let their kids participate. The parent may even enjoy joining in a group sing-a-long.

Good luck and thanks for caring,

[KarenB]

A desire to play guitar comes from within, not without.

[Bluenose]

When I was a teenager, lo these many long years ago, I got interested in learning to play the guitar after I had the opportunity to sit very close to a man named Chuck Tracy as he fingerpicked some old ragtime and blues tunes on a Martin 00018. He sounded so good that day and it looked like so much fun that I thought that I just had to learn to do it myself. There is nothing like watching and hearing an accomplished player live IMO.

[martinhubltz]

thank you everyone. I will discuss this over with my wife this weekend on what to do next. My wife retires early and she volunteers at that church everyday, help out with the church accounting, finance, teaching People of Color English (My wife is also from South America). She has a better idea how to proceed with this.

[TBman]

Well, generally you can't "get kids interested" in something they aren't interested in. I have 3 kids and 6 grandkids and I've witnessed this first hand.

But......

Remember Guitar Hero video game? Maybe a real life version.

I agree with KarenB though. Its either there or it isn't.

[Nymuso]

I was hoping my kids would gravitate to it and they certainly heard me playing a lot growing up but it didn't take, and I didn't force it. Additionally both kids played violin in the school orchestra but upon graduation put them down and that was that.

My guess, based on observation only, is that kids are not seeing their music making heroes using guitars, but technology. I see that as neither good nor bad. Its just what is.

[DRBDJS]

I think this is a great idea. I have a teenage son (17) who is actually getting pretty good. Several of his buddies in the neighborhood play. I have 2 close co-workers on my 3 person team at work and one of them has VERY little kids so they don't play yet, but the other has teenagers and they both play. I think it is a bit of a myth that kids are not interested in playing guitar anymore. Guitar sales are at all time highs--and more readily available than ever. SOMEONE is buying them. I doubt there will be lines at church waiting to play them but Ill bet that many do. Keep in mind that 90% of new guitarists quit--so do not be surprised if there is extreme interest followed by a decline.

Not sure I would personally provide beginners with a D-42, but I applaud the fact that you are. If there is great interest, you MIGHT want to think about selling the D-42 and replacing that guitar with about 5-10 really good but less ornamented guitars (ie-sell the 10K guitar and buy #10 $1k guitars) but those discussions are pretty good conversations to have.

I think it should be applauded that you are providing them with GOOD quality guitars. I often wonder how many kids have quit due to the frustration of trying to play what amounts to an unplayable guitar. One of my acoustics went out of setup recently (long story) and when I picked it up, I could not even make a D cord ring without buzzing. Luckily, I live in Nashville and have many friends who can set up an acoustic for me so I promptly had it set up and now it is fine--but that got me thinking--how many kids quit when they cannot even make simple cowboy cords not knowing that the real problem is that their $25 guitar is unplayable and that even a master could not make that cord on that guitar? I would argue that it is very common. Would be like trying to teach a kid how to drive a manual transmission car on a vehicle where the clutch is stripped!

[Nimiety]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

I was hoping my kids would gravitate to it and they certainly heard me playing a lot growing up but it didn't take, and I didn't force it. Additionally both kids played violin in the school orchestra but upon graduation put them down and that was that.

My guess, based on observation only, is that kids are not seeing their music making heroes using guitars, but technology. I see that as neither good nor bad. Its just what is.

I had the same experience. I wanted my kids to have access to 'proper' music lessons from a young age, because that's what I wanted, but didn't get. I had to fight hard to get the lessons/exposure that I did.

Of my 3, only one stuck it out on piano, but now just plays for pleasure.

However, I don't necessarily agree that kids only see the technology. If you look a the highest ranking YouTubers, they are all superb musicians that are inspiring a new generation of hands-on players. They use technology as an adjunct.

[Nimiety]

Originally Posted by DRBDJS

...

Not sure I would personally provide beginners with a D-42, but I applaud the fact that you are. If there is great interest, you MIGHT want to think about selling the D-42 and replacing that guitar with about 5-10 really good but less ornamented guitars (ie-sell the 10K guitar and buy #10 $1k guitars) but those discussions are pretty good conversations to have.

That's a really good idea. Even $1000 might be too much spend for beginner instruments. There are decent guitars out there (used) for less. And those certainly can be taken home as loaners.

Keep one (or two) of those best guitars that you've acquired in the fleet. If you do have a really promising guitarist in the bunch, they can maybe 'graduate' to it if they are committed. As a perk.

I also want to reiterate that you need a program/lesson plan/goal. And you will need to teach songs/music that the kids want to play. All that can be worked in with lessons on theory and technique.

p.s. I wonder how many kids quit because it takes so long to develop and then maintain calluses? That's why it's recommended that beginners start with nylon strings. My calluses are pretty good - but I noticed that my new Larrivee is harder to play than my little parlour guitar...which is way harder on my finger tips than my nylon-stringed guitar.

Maybe buy decent nylon stringed guitars to avoid that issue. If they play long enough they'll develop those callouses and the transition to steel string won't be an issue.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by martinhubltz

A university in my local area just sold me five guitars, a seagull S6, two Martin D-18, a Martin D-28, and a Martin D-42. I bought them at dirt cheap price. The university has to replace guitars every five years.

These guitars are in very good shape but they have lot of dings & scratches on them because they have been used by university music students. I took them to the local music store to check out and all of them are in good shape.

My goal is donate these guitars to my local church youth group and hire a guitar instructor to provide a group lesson once a week, and I will pay the instruction cost. I will also pay for string replacements and maintenance of those guitars. The church youth office will be available for kids to come in and practice anytime between 9am - 10pm

My local church youth group teams up with another youth group from another church where kids are from low income families. Sound like a good plan right?

Well, the youth group director of the other church told me that it will be hard to get kids to be interested in guitar. They tried it once before but had to shutdown after three months due to lack of interests.

How do I get kids interested in learning guitar, other than telling them, play guitar will get you pretty girls?

Any ideas?

My daughter started playing a month ago, she’s 16 and has been ignoring my playing for 16 years. Maybe she likes pretty girls, I don’t know, but I’m sure that’s not the reason she started. Guitars are for everyone.

It’s a really nice thing you’re doing, kudos. I hope you get some kids interested! I dunno though, not sure a church group would be the first place I’d go to learn unless I was really young. Seems awkward, maybe for me it wasn’t something I wanted to do in a group setting, it was just something I wanted to do myself. Partly I would guess the kids might be self conscious about beginning, partly you have to give them music they think is cool. I started my daughter on “Ride” by 21 Pilots. She didn’t think it was “a guitar song” but it’s a really easy guitar song. That got her more motivated.

I would try 1:1 lessons if that’s possible. I think the group thing will be a tough sell unless they’re 10 or younger.

[phavriluk]

All considerations of the likelihood of success notwithstanding, I agree that high-end instruments would do more good being sold and the proceeds used to buy a bunch of Yamahas for the folks to learn on. One valuable instrument in the hands of one person is too much concentration of resource for the benefit of one when it could be spread among many. . Some of that money might go to good use in buying other stuff a student needs, like tuners, picks, teaching materials, stuff that still costs money, and some set aside in perpetuating the project. And maybe hiring some professional advice first.

[fazool]

No disrespect to worship players but church is not a bastion of desirable guitar music for youth. I've literally only met one person who played a guitar with their church choir and they lost interest quickly.

This may sound disappointing but kids who want to learn guitar don't want to learn guitar to play in church and playing in church isn't much of a motivation.

[Skarsaune]

Originally Posted by fazool

This may sound disappointing but kids who want to learn guitar don't want to learn guitar to play in church and playing in church isn't much of a motivation.

There are always exceptions - playing in church is precisely the motivation of my new student (young teen). She wants to play in the worship band.