- 1). Purchase the right guitar for your child. Owning their first guitar is a strong incentive for children and encourages them to learn how to play it. Smaller children have difficulty playing full-size guitars, which often leads to frustration. There are many smaller guitars, both acoustic and electric, that are easier for children to play. Decide if your child is more interested in an electric or acoustic guitar.
- 2). Start with simple melodies on the first two strings. Traditional guitar instruction books, such as Mel Bay, teach beginners by dividing the six strings of the guitar into three sections, first and second strings, third and fourth strings, and fifth and sixth strings. This approach works very well with children because they are able to play simple, single-note tunes quickly, and they are learning the guitar fret board. Focus on the first three frets of the guitar.
- 3). Make the lessons fun. Pick melodies that your child knows, such as themes to her favorite movies or television shows or her favorite pop songs. Accompany her on your guitar. This helps her see the bigger picture and will make her single-note melodies sound fuller. Playing guitar chords as your child plays single notes encourages her to understand the relationship between chords and single notes.
- 4). Teach simple strumming patterns using only the open strings. Strumming patterns will teach your child the fundamentals of timing and rhythm and help make the transition from single notes to chords. Set the metronome to a slow speed and count 1-2-3-4. Strum all six strings with down strokes, one strum per beat. Next strum using down and up strokes. Strum twice per beat, 1 (down/up), 2 (down/up), 3 (down/up), 4 (down/up).
- 5). Teach your child to play simple chords. Children often have difficulty playing chords on the guitar because of the size of their hands. Let him know that everyone has trouble when he first attempts to play guitar chords. Make the task easier for your child by teaching him easy chords on the first four strings. For example, a G major chord can be played by fretting the first string at the third fret and playing the fourth, third, and second string open. The notes are D-G-B-G. Play a C major chord by fretting the second string at the first fret and playing the third and first string open. The notes are G-C-E.
- 6). Schedule a family performance. Goals and rewards are a good way to motivate children. Schedule a performance for a family holiday or gathering. Children are proud to show friends and grownups what they are able to do. Performing at a family function provides an incentive to practice, and the family's applause and encouragement serve as nice rewards for months of hard work.
previous post
next post