Guitar is a hobby that most are in agreement can only be positive. As well as being great fun and an amazing party piece, it is a hobby that improves your brain function, play your favorite songs and even meet fellow musicians. The amount of times I see people who say they wish they had learned an instrument, or specifically learned guitar, are hard to count. How young should you be to learn guitar? What is the best age to start? Is there such thing as too old to play guitar? We explore some of the questions in this article.
In terms of adults, there really is no specific age at which learning to play is a good idea. It is more of a case of being ready for it, and being willing to invest some time! Learning to play guitar is simpler than ever with the huge amount of online resources and YouTube tutors, and there is no such thing as too old! Learning guitar is a great way to keep your brain active and challenged at any age including retirement and old age!
In children and teenagers, choosing the right age to learn to play guitar, or any instrument, is important. If you have ambitions for your children to be musical, it can be tempting to try and get them playing something as early as possible, but being pushy can make it feel like a chore for children, and their interest is more likely to wane, they may totally want to avoid practising if it feels like something they’re being made to do.
Children develop at different ages, girls and boys develop at different rates, and only by knowing a child will you be able to properly judge when the best time is for them to learn, whether that means taking guitar lessons or learning over the internet or online courses.
I would say that if you plan to teach your child yourself, then a slightly younger age is probably appropriate. There are plenty of example of kids as young as Seven or Eight starting to play guitar or even becoming very good at it. Personally, I didn’t start playing until I was 13 years old, but by 16 could do a pretty decent job.
The best tips for teaching youngsters include simply going at their pace, being a patient teacher and trying to give them something to be excited about. Teaching a young person to play a scale may be very useful, but it isn’t exciting for them. Teaching them to play a simple melody from their favorite kids television show or movie will reward them for their effort and encourage them to continue to learn.
Conclusion
It is very hard to put a specific number on the age at which it is advisable to pick up a guitar. Everybody is different, but by putting small goals in place and not applying too much pressure, you can encourage children at a very young age to start to learn the basics, and get a headstart for later in life. Even if you learn later in life, there is still plenty of opportunity to perfect your skills.
