“Nine out of ten adults and teenagers who play instruments agree that making music brings the family closer together.”
-Music Making and Our Schools, American Music Conference, 2000

There is something magical about playing the guitar with other people. Maybe it’s the shared goal of mastering a tricky passage or the joy of performing a challenging song from beginning to end as a cohesive unit, but research has confirmed what musicians have known for years: making music brings people together. 

With that being said, here are three tips to help you harness the power of music and foster harmony in your family life.

Practice the Guitar Together

Whether you’re six or forty-six-years-old, the first few weeks of learning to play the guitar are always the hardest because you haven’t developed the practice habit. This is the perfect opportunity to lead by example and teach your child the power of daily, deliberate, and focused practice sessions in the process. 10 to 15-minutes per day is a great starting point. Just remember, start simple and focus on having fun.

For an easy song for beginners, check out 17th Avenue Rock (A Robot Apocalypse) written by a 10-year-old Rock Dojo student.

Compose on the Guitar Together

Few activities bring families together like composing on the guitar. As a music educator, I have seen bitter sibling rivalries transform into songwriting mega teams and discordant classmates joyfully work together to create music.

To help you get started composing as a team, here are three easy steps for writing guitar riffs: Step 1: Choose a Rhythm. Step 2: Choose a Scale. Step 3: Noodle Until the Magic Appears.

For a more in-depth analysis of this process, please refer to Three Steps to Writing Guitar Riffs.

Play Layered Guitar Parts Together

Layered guitar parts are designed to seamlessly fit together. Learning to write great layered guitar parts is a much larger topic and an art unto itself. Fortunately, I designed Guitar for Kids: Rock Dojo The Complete Belt System for guitar ensembles, which means each study contains three, four, and often five layered guitar parts making it a perfect practice tool for families learning to play the guitar together.

Featuring 11-original studies for multiple guitars, games & puzzles, fun characters, and a rewarding belt system, Guitar for Kids: Rock Dojo The Complete Belt System is a guitar method book for kids that actually rocks!