Teaching your 8 year old kid how to play guitar

[bejeeber]

SCREW CHORDS

 

But seriously though, as someone who taught pivate lessons full time for 9 years, I think it sounds like Red Winger's son's teacher sounds like he's taking the best approach mentioned so far.

 

There are fun things the average kid can play almost immediately, and in the first few lessons this doesn't include chords.

 

Simple riffs - "Bad to the Bone" on the Low E, a root notes version of Teen Spirit, etc., now THAT can give 'em something fun to play and have fun with right away. Then ease them into the chords.

 

Try this, if you're a right handed player, flip the guitar around and try to play it left handed. This will remind you what the student will be facing coordination wise. Now seriously, what's easier to play, a single string riff, or chords? You'll be able to play a riff, but chords will sound like crap and be difficult pain in the butt in comparison.

 

Now why would you start a beginner with something difficult they can't play right away, instead of something easy that they can play right away? That's just back asswards.

 

[Lee Knight]

Thanks Halljams . Great ideas here...

 

The #1, uno, "don't mess with it" rule is "PRACTICE SLOW!!!!(underlined) AND PRACTICE PROPERLY(play the part neatly and correctly) AND PRACTICE REGULARLY!!!!"

 

And bejeeber ...

 

Try this, if you're a right handed player, flip the guitar around and try to play it left handed. This will remind you what the student will be facing coordination wise. Now seriously, what's easier to play, a single string riff, or chords? You'll be able to play a riff, but chords will sound like crap and be difficult pain in the butt in comparison.

 

Now that is a great idea! I'll be using that one for sure. Thanks all.

[sevennotes]

Hi,

If you want to teach your 8 years daughter how to play guitar, then you need to find a guitar teacher near you. She will learn guitar from a music teacher easily rather than a book.

[Luke17]

I think she might have learned by now, she was about to be 8 years old in Dec. 2005 when this was posted.

[Renatorock]

Thanks a lot for all this. I'm about to start teaching my nephew VIA INTERNET!!! 

I self taught and have no idea how to start.  The cords method seems more appropriate. Besides, English is not my first language. So : I need a method I can follow. Any suggestions? Thank you! 

[happwith12strin]

the most important aspect of a kid or anyone else including adults is you absolutely must have either long fingers or big hands if you have small hands play drums!!!
if the kid has average finger length or regular size hands then set up the guitar for slide ie open g ect no fretting just a metal slide top fret sounds a major cord bottom fret sounds a minor ovatio makes a bullet proof accoustic but not kid sized fender makes a kid sized stratocaster!! use a shock proof wireless unit ie nady  with slide in open tuning you onl strum only need picking technique on rt hand look at any great guitar player holding the neck of a guitar to see how long their fingers are its criticAL!!!!

[Jeff Leites]

She should be 25 by now.  How did it turn out?