When children decide they want to learn an instrument, the guitar is often a popular choice. This is because it is a versatile instrument that can be used for many different styles of music. Sometimes, it is also because it is an instrument played by one of their favourite pop stars. If you are planning to help teach your child how to play the guitar, one of the first steps is to teach them how to play guitar chords. Here are some tips on how to do this.
Get the guitar in tune
The first step is to make sure your child’s guitar is in tune as this will make it so much easier for them to learn the chords and recognise the different sounds that the strings and chords create. One of the simplest ways to do this is to use an online guitar tuner.
Make it fun
Children find new skills much easier to learn if they are fun. Look online for different activities you can use to help your child to learn guitar chords that will help to make the experience enjoyable. Allowing them to practise when they are not tired will also make learning to play the guitar a lot more fun and not seem like a chore. Try and make a game out of it, don’t place pressure on your child too early.
Practise, practise, practise
As with all skills, practise makes perfect when it comes to learning to play the guitar. The more opportunities your child has to practise playing guitar chords and guitar scales, the quicker they will pick up these skills. It will also help them to perfect different techniques to improve their overall playing. Before practising chords and scales with your child, always check the guitar is in tune using an online guitar tuner.
Take it one chord at a time
Giving your child too much to think about at one time will confuse them and make learning how to play guitar chords much more difficult. It is better to teach them one chord at a time and practise this until it is just right. Take your lead from them and allow them to learn each new skill at a pace they feel comfortable with. Once they have perfected several chords, they can progress on to playing guitar scales or even some simple songs.
Recognisable songs
Once your child has mastered playing a few chords, you can start applying their new skills to some easy songs. This is much more fun for your child if the songs are recognisable to them and they will also find the songs easier to master if they know them well already.
The guitar is a fantastic instrument for children to learn that can help them to develop many new skills. By using these tips, you should find it fairly simple to teach your child some basic guitar chords and help them to progress on to playing scales and even simple songs.