Is my 6 year old too young for guitar lessons?
If you are interested in getting your child started on an instrument, it is a good idea to consider the age of your child in relation to the instrument that might best fit their needs. We hear from a lot of parents who have 4, 5 and 6 year olds who are begging for guitar lessons. Maybe the cool videos on MTV or more likely the popularity of Guitar Hero and Rock Band have added to the number of youngsters getting into the guitar.
Generally we recommend that students under the age of 8 start on the piano. This is because the guitar takes more coordination and effort to play. The piano is accessible to virtually anyone who can press their fingers down on the keyboard, while the guitar requires both hands to play a note. And you can only look at one hand at a time. We have a lot more students between the ages of 5 and 8 on the piano than we have on the guitar. We welcome children of all ages to give the guitar a try but we’ve seen what happens too often. So unless your child is especially drawn to the guitar and at the same time has a better than average ability to focus, we would recommend the piano.
Remember that the knowledge drawn from the piano will transfer well to other instruments. Theory and ear training are more easily learned and assimilated through the piano or keyboard than most other instruments. Either way, the student should be expected to practice 10 to 15 minutes a day 4 or 5 days a week so if you have a young child interested in the guitar, be sure to support their curiosity by urging them to practice routinely. Without practice, the chances of making significant progress are minimal.
B&B Music Lessons has a flexible policy so if you think it is worth trying guitar lessons between the ages of 5 and 7, we’ll accommodate you. However, we urge parents to consider the piano as a more practical alternative at that age.
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Comments (4)
What if I cannot afford a piano? What would you suggest. I have a 6 year old.
Hello there,
Using a keyboard is a great alternative to get started on piano lessons. They have several advantages to a piano.
Volume is adjustable (headphones are also an option)
Price is much more affordable ($400 will get you a full size weighted keys keyboard)
Space, size, relocating, etc
If you would like suggestions regarding where to purchase an instrument, just let me know. Here is our contact form if you’re ready to get started with lessons:
http://bnbmusicworld.com/contact-us/
What do you recommend for a young child (2.5 yrs) who has been obsessed with the guitar for over a year now? he has a small acoustic guitar and will play it for 10-20 minutes at a time. He moves his fingers up and down the frets while strumming with the other hand. I am not a guitar player myself but take him to see live guitar whenever appropriate and possible. He will sit and take direction from an (out-of-town) cousin who plays, but I am looking for someone local. Do you have any advice?
It is great that you’re so supportive of your child’s interest in music. While we’d love to accept a child such a young age, our teachers generally prefer to work with children from 5 and up. We’ve had some young students who are interested in guitar start with the ukulele. The ukulele serves the purpose of introducing the basic technical aspects of guitar, but with just four strings it is easier to play. We do prefer that guitar students begin at the age of 7 or 8.
It is also strongly recommended that students of a very young age begin on the piano. The reason for this is that the piano offers a clear and accessible understanding of music theory. When a child is old enough to play the guitar, it is beneficial to have already learned about scales, chords, sightreading, etc.
At this age, perhaps you could consider Kindermusic or another program of that nature that focuses on 2 and 3 year olds.
We hope that this helps.
Sincerely,
Bhagwan