Hogwallop Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Hi! I am a noob here and please accept my apologies if I have posted in the wrong arena.. I have a little girl who is almost 5 years old and is begging me to allow her to plug in and play like Daddy which presents my query... When is it too early to learn? or.. Is it ever too early to learn? Also, where can I get an axe she could possibly play (other than her uke)? Thanks for the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuben Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 5 is not too young. They have some pretty playable youth (smaller body) guitars Peace http://www.spotcheckbilly.com http://www.littlefeat.net http://www.bonnieraitt.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Fox Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Put some music on (I vote for AC/DC), let her strap the guitar on, plug it in, and let her go!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Iverson Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 She can get started, though I doubt I'd want to lay any complex music theory on her, or give her any Bach fugues! I know your kid's smart, but let's take stockIt's a long, long road from Barney to Bach! I have a friend who let his 6 year son bang on his guitars. I'm not sure how interested the kid is now...... PS It's an even LONGER road Bach again to Barney! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Q: When is it too early to learn? A: When you don't feel like it. If you were pushing the guitar onto your daughter, THAT would be the wrong time. But if she's keen to learn then the time is probably right. As far as axes go, have you ever considered the Daisy Rock guitars? They're meant to be designed for girls and women with small hands but, being small, they are also rather agile and have made some inroads into the mainstream guitar world. http://www.daisyrock.com/ Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s mel gibson1642606968 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Wow! She wants to play so all you have to do is go down to the guitar store and get her one of those Squire MINI's. They're a 3/4 size Strat with a neck scale length of 23" as opposed to the regular 25 1/2" scale. The total length of the guitar is 35". The reg Strat is 39" The Squier MINI is $99.95canadian. The Fender Strat Jr.(mim) is $495. It has original Fender Parts and is string thru. The MINI is top load and made in Indonesia. http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s146/pickypicky_2007/CIMG0112.jpg They both have only one vol and one tone control. Both have 5 way switches. The bridge p'up is tone controlled. They sound great through my Marshalls. They are gig worthy. And a lot of fun for those real stretchy finger tricks. Another sneaky excuse for getting another guitar.(For your daughter.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A String Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 When I was teaching, I requested that the students be at least 7. Just had to many problems with kids younger than that. Craig Stringnetwork on Facebook String Network Forum My Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s mel gibson1642606968 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 So she'll have 2 years of noodling to her advantage when it's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 ...When is it too early to learn? or.. Is it ever too early to learn?... I'd say 4am is generally too early for me. I'm just to darned tired that early in the morning... whether I've been up until 4am or had a night's rest and wake up then. As for teaching kids, It's never too early to learn so long as you remember she'll likely have a short attention span for repetition. Unless your child has previously shown the ability to stay calm, concentrate for a significant period of time, etc., your best bet is to teach as much as she's willing to stay still for and encourage her to experiment on her own. When she's 7 or 8 she'll likely be in a better place for you to decide to expect more from her as a student. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 actually 4am is "late" in my opinion. 10 am is too early. :grin: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtail Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 ...When is it too early to learn? or.. Is it ever too early to learn?... I'd say 4am is generally too early for me. I'm just to darned tired that early in the morning... whether I've been up until 4am or had a night's rest and wake up then. I practice from 3:30 AM to 5:30 AM every weekday. Come on over to my place and let's jam. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Sure! Except that's 2:30am - 4:30am my time AND I'm 17 hours on a tour bus away from you! (I know. I've done it. Straight up to the WTC and back for a concert in 1999.) It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I started at age 7, but I started piano before I was four. There's one limitation on age for guitar (or violin, or other stringed instruments), and that's whether the child has developed the hand strength and can deal with the slight amount of pain that's inevitable before your fingers toughen. I've heard of kids that started a little too soon, and because it hurt their fingers, were turned off to the instrument. If your daughter is intent on playing and can put up with these beginner's issues, if you take it slow there's no reason she shouldn't start playing. And as had been said, there are models that are small enough for her to use. And you're lucky! My 7-yo son has no interest at all, yet, in learning an instrument. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiral light Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 If she really wants to join in and wants to know the hows and whys of playing then I say go for it. My daughter is 3 and likes to strum away while I play my acoustic. She's too young to really learn anything but at least she has fun (plus her "guitar" doesn't, amongst other things, have the best intonation). When she's ready to figure out the basics we'll get her setup with a real guitar (or piano, or violin, or etc.), but it's never too early to start them on that road. As for a guitar, I would start off on an acoustic, they'll develop fretting hand technique better that way. www.windhamhill.com - Shameless Advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ellwood Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 I wouldn't start them in any serious way until about age eight or nine. There are physical limitations before that that could do more to discourage them than encourage them. Any teacher of young children can tell you about how difficult it is for them to perform small motor skills with their hands, let along have the ability to exert pressure and make chords on guitar. There may be a real concern about straining and abuse of their young muscles and development. I think I would find out what a pediatric specialist has to say about the idea. http://www.thestringnetwork.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiral light Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 I think that by 6 or 7 they would only begin to be making the connection between where fingers are placed and the noise created. In the case of my daughter, if she seems to be still interested in the guitar in a few years (~age 5) then I would move her to something that can actually be tuned but still easy on the wrist/fingers (nylon string acoustic perhaps). There is also the child itself wanting to learn as oppossed to just random strumming, something that takes a few years to develop. My wife's sister is looking for a guitar for her 7 year old, one that she can learn on. It seems a good age to start that aspect, so I guess I am agreeing with you in a rather long-winded way. www.windhamhill.com - Shameless Advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.