Kids love guitars. Why? Because they are exciting, probably the most exciting musical instrument today. Look at rock bands today. In almost all case the guitarist is the lead performer, or will play lead on many songs. The guitarist is often the driving force of a band, always right out in front.
Also guitars are loved because they are fairly easy to come by. I see beginning acoustic and electric guitars sold at department stores. I don’t see many fiddles or clarinets sold in stores, except music shops. And guitars can be relatively cheap compared to other band instruments.
And guitars are well suited for a child (or adult) to learn music in general. One can play a guitar and sing along; try doing that with a clarinet. One can learn and play chords. The guitar is quite portable too, unlike say a piano. All in all, the guitar is an extremely versatile instrument.
But like with any instrument, learning the guitar takes time and practice. One has to learn to read music, tune and hold the guitar properly, learn to strum the guitar. But it is not so difficult for a beginner to learn a few basic chords and quickly be able to play a song. A beginner can learn to play a simple song on a guitar in no time, given the right learning tools.
A good book or DVD on learning the guitar will show a student how to read music. Reading a tablature (a notation showing where to place fingers when playing) is as important as reading a staff of actual notes. The learning aid should show pictures or video as examples of finger-placement, as well as holding and strumming the guitar. Also the program should show the differences between acoustic and electric guitars, the types of songs played on each, and how to select a good guitar without going overboard on price.
I think what’s really important is to let the student have fun while learning. If it becomes a chore, it then gets boring and the student will lose interest. Also, a good learning program will have the students learn simple songs to begin with, to give the student a sense of accomplishment and get them to keep going.
Now some parents may object to a child learning electric guitar, which may involve a lot of loud jamming that will make the walls shake. But I think parents should be happy if their kids are interested in something that they can learn from, keep their interest, and share with their friends.
And it could be profitable to them some day!
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