When is the Best Time to Learn How to Play Guitar
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“When is the best time to learn how to play the guitar?” There is no definite answer for a question like this because any time is the best time, especially if you have the motivation and interest in music! Whether you’re fifty or nine, you can definitely pursue your dreams of becoming a guitar musician through online music education.
But for parents who want to introduce guitar playing to their children, studies suggest that the younger they start, the better.
According to research, many younger children learn musical skills faster than adults since the former doesn’t have any learning barriers to overcome, such as different learning styles, internal motivation, and social filters.
What Age Can Children Start Learning the Guitar?
At Music House, we start our guitar students at age 9, but we like to get them started on piano before that. Piano is much more physically accessible and logically laid out than the guitar. We've found that teaching 6 to 8-year-olds how scales and chords work on a piano really sets them up for success when they start guitar (or any other instrument) at age 9.
So why start so young? Learning a musical instrument at a young age has plenty of benefits to the child’s overall health. This includes:
- Increased cognitive development, like memory, focus, and learning.
- Enhanced motor skills and coordination.
- Allows emotional expression and release.
- Reduces stress, anxiety, and other mental struggles.
- Improves communication and social skills.
- Develops self-confidence, self-esteem, and teamwork.
Additionally, musical lessons provide kids with a chance to learn and adapt lifelong lessons as they mature, such as having an open mind, humbleness, and hard work.
It is still worth noting that every child is different, which means they also have varying learning capacities, inherent abilities, and patience. For instance, a child without well-developed fine motor skills (hand control) would have a hard time learning the guitar, so it would make sense for parents to wait until they are older before enrolling them in a class.
Furthermore, guitar lessons would impact a child more if done during their older formative years (9 years old) instead of during their toddler years.
How To Know If Your Kid Is Ready for Their Guitar Lessons?
Of course, before deciding on anything, it is crucial to consider your child’s preferences and interests first. There is potential emotional and mental harm in both pushing your kid to do guitar lessons and in holding them back because you think they are too young. It’s hard, but you need to balance it out and avoid going too far on each side.
So to help you decide, here are five signs that indicate that your child is ready to take their very first online music education to learn the guitar.
1. They Show Interest and Enthusiasm in Guitar Playing
The best indicator is when your child starts showing interest in playing the guitar. Interest in a particular activity is a great motivating force, especially for a child. You’ll know they’re interested when:
- They enjoy watching concerts and performances of a guitarist.
- You find them playing with a real guitar without being asked, even though they don’t know what they’re doing.
- They are constantly asking you to enroll them in guitar lessons.
- They speak about their interests in learning the guitar.
If you observe this behavior in your child, then you have a budding musician at your home waiting to be honed by the best guitar instructor.
2. They are Motivated to Put in the Hard Work
If your kid has been asking you to get him into guitar lessons, then that means they are ready to put the effort and hard work into developing their musical interests.
Many kids have an interest in music, but only a few can put in the time and effort to pursue it. They know that enrolling in music lessons means less time playing video games and more time spent with their music instructor.
If they are motivated enough to commit to that, then they are ready to take their guitar playing to the next level!
3. They Have Great Focus
Children have a shorter attention span than adults; that’s why the ideal age for taking online music education is 7 or higher. Attention span is also the first thing that parents should consider when considering music lessons for their kids.
Children need a lot of focus and concentration for about 20 to 30 minutes during their music classes. They need to follow directions, apply their learnings, and put it into their memory so they can still revisit and practice everything they learned when they get home.
4. They Fit the Instrument
Another vital thing to consider is your child’s physical skills and abilities to play their chosen instrument. For example, not all kids have the same agility, hand size, or finger strength needed to play the guitar correctly.
However, there are ways to help your child fit into their instrument to start honing their skills. For instance, if your kid has short arms and hands, you can buy them a smaller acoustic guitar that suits their physical abilities.
5. You Have Access to a Great Music House
It may be a little challenging to find a music school that will cater to your young child, especially between 4 to 9 years old.
So, you need to make sure that you have access to an excellent music school that can teach music to young children. Additionally, they should have great instructors who have experience teaching guitar to children at a young age.
You can also opt for private lessons or online music education to keep your child safe and make learning convenient for them.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn an Instrument!
It’s essential to keep in mind that everyone can learn an instrument at any age. It is never too late to pursue your passion for music. Enroll in music classes, join a band, or sign up for your local community’s summer guitar workshop to enhance your musical prowess!