How do I teach guitar, or any instrument, to a 6 year old child?
Thanks for asking. To be honest, that sounds pretty tough. Most of them "wash out" because, among other things, the strings are too hard to press down on many guitars. I started on piano, and that's generally what I'd recommend. If the kid's highly receptive to music and attentive, guitar might work. Anyway...A Beautiful MindThe youngest kid I taught was memorable. He was about 8 as I recall. He did have a small guitar (good call!). We got acquainted, and I was telling him where some notes were, and showed him the smallest chords. He did this thing where he would look up in the air while he was thinking. He immediately came up with an analogy - something like "Oh, I see. These notes form a diamond shape, so they're like the bases on a baseball field!" My eyes went wide open. He talked like a small college professor. I can recognize musical talent very quickly, but this kid's intellect was also clearly off the charts. So I had a very basic guitar song book for him to use, and we went through a song or two, and he clearly grasped melodies. I also explained, sung, and played a scale, since he had an "ear". After the lesson was over I talked to his Mom and told her that her son was an incredible little guy, and that she must be an amazing parent. She was a little shy, but enjoyed the compliment. Probably Did Calculus InsteadSadly, he didn't last too long in lessons. I wasn't informed of exactly what happened. With his massive mental capacity, I'm guessing that he had too many other activities going on. Who knows? But of anyone that young that I've met, he did have the potential. Other kids drop out because they're bored, or have no aptitude, or run out of money, or maybe are simply just too young, and possibly their parents push them in, as you mentioned. Guitar seems to resist being taught until maybe about 11 or 12, at least in my experience. But I'm sure others have managed to keep students younger than that.
At what age did you learn how to play a musical instrument?
Let me share my experience!!I’m 23 right now! I always had fascination for musical instruments! When I was studying in 10th standard I went to learn piano, I learned scales there! It went well!But I didn’t have a piano with me!! So I asked for a piano to my parents, and they weren’t much interested to spend 8k to something that they consider as a waste! So it was the end of my music explorations! I went for engineering, and after that I was working in an NGOLast year, while I was working in NGO, I was staying in an uncle’s home. He had a small guitar (bought for his son). It was worth for just 800 rupees! Due to some situations, I had to stay there 2–3 hours alone. I thought to try on the guitar from some guitar lessons in youtube. And I learned 2–3 chords! That felt awesome.. It happened in last year… And that changed everything…I was looking for guitar everywhere. Spent hours for finding beginner guitars! Thought and prayed for few months!! Finally I bought Yamaha F310 on May 19 2016! It is gonna be one year!!What I did was, I learned all scales and chords(maj, min and some variations) and ways to figure out chords in a song. So now, I can figure out chords in a song and strum, travis picking, and I am getting into fingerstyle… I am not an expert, but I am learning…I’m glad that I could do much better than friends who went to music school for 3–4 years and who are playing guitar for some years…That’s all! :)
Which is a good age to start teaching musical instruments to kids? Which is the best musical instrument to teach a 2 year old?
I say start as soon as possible - I wouldn't worry about muscle control or finger dexterity to start with - I'd expose the child to the sensation of elliciting sound by touching something. A drum or a tambourine is probably the most accessible - you can sit with them and teach them about rhythm and tone - a keyboard is probably the next level as it can be played at floor level and you can set the volume!The early stages are going to be about having fun and playing games with the instrument - creating the association between joy and the instrument - but as the child becomes more cognizant and has developing language skills - get them to a teacher. Our youngest had a brilliant drum teacher who taught rhythm through a series of exercises using dinosaur names:Steg - A - Saur -UsHe'd hit the drum with a stick in time to a beat playing in the background - they used different dinosaurs and different tempos - he was three then and Has a great sense of rhythm now. I guess as parents we can introduce the idea of music and fun and how it can be self generated as early as possible - but if your kid shows an interest, find a teacher 'cos they make a huge difference.
What is the right age to begin learning musical instruments?
You can learn a musical instruments in any of this age (if instruments were available), as far as “Ages of the World” are considered.The First Age is from the beginning of the human race, that is, from Adam, who was the first man that was made, down to Noah, who constructed the ark at the time of the flood during the Antediluvian period.The Second Age extends from that period on to Abraham, who was called the father indeed of all nations.The Third Age extends from Abraham on to David the king.The Fourth Age is from David on to that captivity whereby the people of God passed over into Babylonia.The Fifth Age is from that transmigration down to the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ.The Sixth Age with His Jesus Christ's coming the sixth age has entered on its process.I was kidding.On a serious note, you can learn at any age in your lifetime, as far as you have got the right amount of passion stored in you.Keep your motivation high!
Why is it more difficult to learn an instrument or a language as you get older? I want to play violin?
What is it that makes learning more difficult? I particularly want to learn the violin. I played the piano for a little bit when I was younger, but I had difficulty reading notes. I was just slow at it. So I mostly memorized them. I gave up on it easily. I tried learning the ukulele and guitar last year, and found it fairly easy, but also difficult because my hands are just... small, and my fingers aren't strong enough. lol. I am 24 now, how hard will learning the violin be? If I am slow at reading piano notes, will I just have a difficulty reading other musical notes in general?
What is a resonable punishment for 10 year old losing instrument at school?
I understand that you are angry your child lost their instrument, but punishing kids is truly one of the worst things parents can do to their children. No one responds well to punishment and meanness, and I think kids respond to it worst of all. Not only do they grow up learning that if they make the slightest mistake, the world will take away their stuff and make their lives harder, but they will not take care to be a better person out of the kindness of their own hearts; they will do it out of fear. Instead, if you wish to teach your child to be a responsible person who values themselves as well as their stuff (as I believe human self confidence is worth much more than any possession), you may want to have their "punishment" (if you can call it that) to be to stick close to you for a few weeks. Don't let them stay home, take them everywhere, and keep them with you whenever you can. This works.
What is the easiest instrument for a 13 year old to learn?
Now, I am not asking for kazoos... At school, I have chosen band for an elective and I must pick an instrument but I am not sure which one to pick. I am thinking about learning how to play the flute. I don't really have any experience with instruments other than a recorder in 5th grade. The school wants us to use instruments such as flutes, clarinets, french horns, saxophones, violins, etc. So, no guitars :P Please help, Thank you