Cody Hyland Bonnie Moore English 2010 March 31, 2014 So Your Child Wants to Play Guitar When

I was a young boy, every Sunday night, my family would go to my grandma's house for dinner and to play games. Being as curious as I was, one special night at grandmas happened to change my life forever. It had come to my attention that in her basement, underneath the stairs was an old crawl space. And for some reason, I was feeling mighty adventurous. I quickly hogged down that dried, tasteless pork chop, grandma always made and found my way to the basement; eventually coming to an aged wooden panel that boarded the old crawl space. I shoved the wood aside and stared into the darkened abyss of past memories. As I entered, the ground felt cold and dirty. The air was filled with cobwebs and the smell of dust came from every direction. After a few seconds, I found the fragile string that's only function was to provide light for the viewer. I pulled down gently and the dull flickering light bulb came to life, terrorizing the dark shadows that hid so well in the comers. The first and only item my young eyes came upon was an odd shaped black box. I crept up to the abnormal thing and opened it with caution. And there it was. Its beauty reflected upon my pupils and confused my sense of sight. I saw nothing but a rusted orange body, inlayed with bronze and black Aztec patterns. The neck was covered in a dark walnut base, was ornamented with "mother of pearl" white frets. And the bronze

appliances, holding the crystal clear nylon strings in tune, reflected the overhead light as if the sun had just rose. I had never seen anything like it before. That very instant of discovering such a treasure was the first time I had ever seen a guitar up close. From that moment on, I was determined to play the guitar. Although most children don't stumble upon guitars in dark scary storage spaces, it's common now for children to be introduced to a musical instrument through their parents. Now as a parent, if your child expresses a desire to learn and play music, specifically the guitar, then buy him/her a guitar. However, do not go out and buy the first, cheapest, and lowest price guitar you see. This is an investment in your child and you should use him/her to get a good-beginner guitar. The guitar is such a versatile instrument that will give your child opportunity, whether it is as a musician or family entertainer. On the other hand, bluntly buying a child a guitar might sound ridiculous to the average parent. It doesn't take science to understand that most children have short attention spans. If you do buy your child a guitar, they'll love it and play it for two weeks and then stash it away with all the other forgotten toys in their closet. So why on earth would you invest in a toy such as a guitar? The answer is simple. You and your child should know that a guitar is not a toy; it is an instrument. It's not going to be another item they can take outside or bring into the bathtub. This is a serious investment that can't be taken lightly. You as the parent have the upper hand in this situation; you are the one paying for the instrument. However, be fair and reasonable, for remember, this is an investment in your child, not yourself. Use him/her to your advantage when making the final purchase. There are four important questions one must ask as they begin the research in this

investment. 1. What kind of guitar should I buy? 2. What kind of brand should I buy? 3. How much am I willing to invest? 4. Has my child ever physically held a guitar? These three questions are vital to the purchase of the instrument. Each question is designed to help you research the type of guitar your child deserves. Q1. What kind of guitar should I buy? For a first time buyer, you must understand that there are three types of guitars. Acoustic, Electric, and Classical. Each style of guitar is unique to its character. Acoustic guitars are self amplified instruments. They are often referred to as hollow body guitars. They use steel strings that give off a bright fixed sound; most often this is a sound country and solo artists like. Electric guitars are the exact opposite. With out electricity, an electric guitar is unable to produce sound. However, as soon as you are plugged into an amplifier, your sound choice is limitless. As for Classical guitars, they are the exact same style as acoustic guitar, however they have nylon strings that offer a more mellow relaxed tone; most often used amongst flamenco and classical artist. So now ask your-self the question, what kind of guitar does my child want? If your child is into country, or classical, or even alternative, maybe acoustic/classical is the way to go. On the other hand, they might like rock, pop, or metal music, in which case electric should fill their needs. Talk with your child and allow them to have there input on what style of guitar they want. Once decided, its now time to start thinking of what brand of guitar to buy.

Q2. What kind of brand should I buy? Asking your-self the next question might be taunting at first. There are a lot of guitars on the market and choosing the right one can be a difficult task. However, just remember that you are buying a beginner guitar and that most brands will have listed what model best fits a novice. So already you have a narrowed your choices and eased the pain of shopping for a guitar. Along with this question, you might want to investigate and ask your child what kind of music he/she most favors. Do the like Rock, Pop, or Country? By knowing their favorite genre, buying their guitar will only get easier. Although guitar brands dont normally associate their models with genres of music, I have listed bellow five main genres (Rock n Roll, Metal, Jazz, Country, and Classical) and what brands most affiliate with that sound. Rock n' Roll Guitars (Electric) Driving harmonies, mind melting solos, and head banging is only just the surface when it comes to Rock n Roll. Bands such as The Who and Led Zeppelin, all the way to modem band such as Linkin Park and Muse can be defined in such terms. Similarly, just like these bands repetition, two major brands of guitar have made it into the world of Rock n Roll: Gibson and Fender. Orville Gibson, a one-man team that designed and built guitars for private individuals, founded The Gibson guitar in 1902. Two particular instruments are named Les Paul and the SG. Both of these models are great for the beginner rock star. Each model has a standard Humbucker pickup (the electronic brand that allows guitars to amplify) and come at a relatively generous price

Fender is another Rock n' Roll favorite amongst guitarist. Leo Fender founded the Fender Company in 1946. This company is known for introducing guitars that helped start the rock revolution. During the production of Fender guitars, the Telecaster and Stratocaster have become most famous. Each model general has included a single coil pickup that produced a fat brightened sound. Metal Guitars (Electric) Being the big brother to Rock n Roll, Metal consists of more head banging, screaming from all directions, and heavy soloing. Sounds scary at first, but in reality, most artists associated with metal produce meaningful and expressed messages; just not the way you expect it. If your son or daughter is a metal head, then Schechter is the right brand for them. David Schecter founded Schecter in 1976. Artist such as Disturbed, Avenged Seven-Fold, and The Cure are all in use of Schecter guitars. Schecter began its involvement in metal with the release of the C-6 deluxe. This model was designed and produced with basswood, which is a lighter wood that allows sound to be more sustained and balanced; a sound that is key to metal music. ESP is another great band of Metal guitars. This Japanese company Founded in 1975, by Hisatake Shibuya, opened a shop providing high quality replacement guitar parts. After being recognized, ESP started building and selling their own guitars. For the novice, the ESP-LTD F-IO will do well. The F-10 has both single coil and Humbucker pickups allowing the player to really alter their sounds for those driving heavy solos. Jazz Guitar's (Electric or Acoustic) Originally being more acoustic, Jazz guitar's now have converted to electric. The use

of amplification allows artist to explore new sounds involved in jazz, such as chorus and tremolo. The best part about Jazz is that when it comes down to playing it, the model and brand doesn't really matter. However according to Guitar for Dummies, written by Mark Phillips and Jon Chappell, they suggest looking at Gibson ES-175, Super 400 L-5, and Johnny Smith; Archtops by DAngelico, DAquisto, and Benedetto; Epiphone Emperor Regent; Ibanez signature models (Phillips and Chappell) which are great for the novice. Country Guitars (Acoustic or Classical) Country music is known for its story telling. Its bending harmonies and twang style riffs give a living character to the heart and soul of the player. Most often, country will be more acoustic based, rather than electric. Two brands most associated with this genre are Martin and Yamaha. Anything from the Martin X series will bring delight to the avid country fan. These models allow tight and rich sounds that each country artist looks for. As for Yamaha, you can't go wrong with any model. No matter the model, Yamaha will produce a bright full sound great for the beginner at a generous price. Classical Guitar's (Acoustic or Classical) In the Classical world of music, ones heart and soul should be surrounded with bright melodies and awe-inspiring harmonies. Most any other form of music derives from this form of music. Now the question to ask if seeking a classical guitar is not what brand should I buy, but more so, do I want a nylon or steel string guitar? The most common form of classical guitar is a Nylon string guitar. Known for its name, this type has nylon strings and usually consists of a wider neck, or fret board. Nylon string guitars have more mellow and muted tones that allow the player more dynamics when playing. On the other hand, one might want a more bright and sustained tone. If so, then Steel

string Guitar will do the trick. However if that is not enough, Phillips and Chappel suggest Ramirez, Hopf, Khono, Humphrey, Hernandez, Alvarez(Phillips and Chappel). 3. How much am I willing to invest? It is essential to be honest when answering this question. You don't need to spoil your child with an expensive instrument, and you certainly don't have to be cheap. Be thrifty and deliberate when making a budget for your child's guitar. To be more specific, buy your child a guitar that will last. Having said so, not only are you buying a guitar, your also buying the appliances that come with it. Make sure to check out the tuning pegs to make sure they are screwed in straight. If buying an electric guitar, be sure to plug it into an amp and make sure that the wiring is hooked up right. Basically make sure that the guitar looks sturdy and all around sound before purchasing it. 3. Has my child ever physically held a guitar? You might think this question is unnecessary to ask. However, in reality, this is the most crucial part to ponder, as you get ready to purchase your child's guitar. Having been said, musicians alike (whether it be guitarist or any other musician) will agree when I say that the presence and actual feel of the instrument is the most important factor when investing. Joan Jett, a rock n' roll hall of fame-er and guitarist/lead singer of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, once said, "My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension o myself. It is who I am." (Brainy quote) That being said, after you've reviewed a couple of brands and you've made a budget, take your child to a guitar shop and let him physically hold and play a couple of guitars. You and your child may discover that one guitar feels better than the other. Saul Hudson (also

known as Slash) was the lead guitarist for Guns N Roses and also placed in the Rock n' Roll hall of fame, once said" I had no aspirations to be a musician, but I picked up a guitar for two seconds and haven't put it down since." (Brainy quote) Hudson was a runner up nominee of Time's issue of Top Ten Guitarist of 2009, and it's amazing how just the "feel" of the guitar lead him to that fame. Now don't expect your child's first guitar to give him/her some magical power/talent that will lead him to the leader boards of top guitarist. But as your child picks up and plays different guitars, he/she will recognize which instrument is, what some might say, "The One." Take it from someone who has bought many instruments, some of which I had to resell because the "feel" wasn't right. Failing to permit your child's desire to learn and play guitar would be a terrible misadventure. The opportunities involved in music and guitar's is not one to bypass. Jimmy Page, famous for playing lead guitar in the band Led Zeppelin, once said, "Let me explain something about guitar playing. Everyone's got their own character, and that's the thing that's amazed me about guitar playing since the day I first picked it up. Everyone's approach to what can come out of six strings is different from another person, but it's all valid."(Rockwisdom) Every guitarist brings a new style to the world of music. In the end of it all, buy your child a guitar; he/she deserves to be rock star.

Work Cited Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is the world's leading guitar manufacturer, and its name has become synonymous with all things rock 'n' roll" www.Fender.com. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, n.d. 1 Apr 2014. Web. Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin. " Gibson USA 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.gibson.com. Web. Inspirational and Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote". Web. http://www.brainyquote.com. Martin Guitar | Acoustic Guitars by C.F. Martin & Co.". Web. http://www.martinguitar.com. Phillips, Mark, and Jon Chappell. "Perfectly Good Guitars." Guitar for dummies. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub. 2006. Print. Schecter Guitar Research - Schecter Guitars. Handmade, Custom. About Schecter Guitars. 1 Jan. 2006. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.schecterguitars.com. Web. Sweetwater, Music Instruments & Pro Audio ...www.Sweetwater.com. Sweetwater Sound Inc, Web. ROCKWISDOM.COM - Song Quotes." Web.