We Are Biased, But We Recommend the Guitar
The most popular first instruments for a kid usually go in this order; piano, guitar, flute, violin, and trumpet. As educators, we think any of these would be great for whatever your kid shows interest in. Previously we talked about the long-term benefits of music for kids.
The reason Piano and Guitar top the list is because they are what are called foundation instruments. A foundation instrument is an instrument that is intuitive to play with transferable skills to other instruments. This means once they learn the piano or guitar, it is easier for them to pick up another instrument.
Yes, Piano Is the Most Versatile, but…
If you are looking for your kid to play the most diverse group of music from classical to pop, then piano might be their thing, but nobody shreds on a piano. Rock, pop, blues and jazz are expressed best on the guitar and your kids will know it after playing their first open chord.
Are Piano or Guitar Lessons Easier?
Some would argue piano is easier at first because you press down on a key and get a note. The guitar is also extremely intuitive. Especially once you learn how to read guitar tab. Piano lessons can go slower after you get the fundamentals down. The level of complexity increases over time as you learn how to coordinate both hands to play different chords and melodies. Guitar lessons lets you hit the ground running and playing tends to get easier over time. Guitar lessons allow you to grasp chords from the beginning and your child may be able to learn more songs faster than on a piano.
Guitar Lessons Are More Fun
Ok, our full bias is showing here. However, it is hard to ignore the reaction when a kid plays their first guitar riff compared to a kid who plays their first melody. Most songs your kids hear online will showcase the guitar, a video game, or a movie soundtrack. When they learn to play a song that sounds like the song they heard, they feel like they achieved something just outside their reach.
When designing a new video, a game based on music that would take over the world, the game developers at Harmonix didn’t pick the piano, flute, violin, or trumpet. They picked the guitar, and Guitar Hero became a cultural phenomenon.
Piano Vs. Guitar Final Verdict
We give it to the piano for its ability to play multiple genres. At first, the piano may seem more intuitive, but with a few minutes learning the parts of the guitar and how they work. Your kid will be strumming as quickly as they would be pressing keys. They will understand chords from the very beginning. Finally, your kids will want to play the music they hear, and that music is often played with a guitar.
Sign Your Kids Up for Online Guitar Lessons
The Rock Dojo is an award-winning guitar program for kids in Portland, OR. Online guitar lessons are the safest and most effective method for playing the guitar during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can register your kid now for our online group guitar classes for kids and private guitar lessons for kids. You can also try our FREE workshop, which happens once per month.
