Our 6 year old granddaughter is spending the whole week with us, and as planned, it's a guitar camp. As a surprise, I replaced her toy (First Act) guitar
with a Martin LXM. I strung it with light gauge strings, and the action is pleasantly low and easy. (I gave her the First Act when she was just two, and she
has been strumming it with me ever since.)
Today is Wednesday, and she can play C, G, G7, and D chords. She still has rather small hands, so I have her playing just the first four strings---but I have her using the appropriate fingers for each of those chords, so that when she can span the whole fretboard we'll just add the other appropriate fingers. I found a good beginner's chord book, and after I've taught her each of those chords, I've marked them in the book, so she can go back and refer to them when she's on her own. The book fits in the pocket of the gig bag that comes with the LXM. (The gig bag is a very big hit with her, for some reason. She's been walking around the house with it strapped on like a backpack.)
She has a good ear. She knows when the chord changes come. That's a big part of the game, right there! (Must be born in her.)
We've played mostly "novelty" songs that she knows, but I snuck some ringers in, like "Little Birdie"---a Stanley Brothers song with two chords.
This is a hoot.
Today is Wednesday, and she can play C, G, G7, and D chords. She still has rather small hands, so I have her playing just the first four strings---but I have her using the appropriate fingers for each of those chords, so that when she can span the whole fretboard we'll just add the other appropriate fingers. I found a good beginner's chord book, and after I've taught her each of those chords, I've marked them in the book, so she can go back and refer to them when she's on her own. The book fits in the pocket of the gig bag that comes with the LXM. (The gig bag is a very big hit with her, for some reason. She's been walking around the house with it strapped on like a backpack.)
She has a good ear. She knows when the chord changes come. That's a big part of the game, right there! (Must be born in her.)
We've played mostly "novelty" songs that she knows, but I snuck some ringers in, like "Little Birdie"---a Stanley Brothers song with two chords.
This is a hoot.
