[HANASHIR:14687] Re: guitar advice

[Singalong2 <Singalong2...>]

This guitar question is a really interesting one and one I find fascinating 
to read about, since I'm in the process of purchasing guitars for my fifth 
graders. My decision is to buy full size guitars, and I'm actually looking for 
a 
nylon string with a neck that isn't quite as wide as the traditional 
"classical" guitar.

In the thirty years I've been a music teacher, I've always used my 
"classical" folk guitar in the classroom - an old Yamaha original with a wide 
neck. It's 
gotten dropped hundreds of times and beaten around and still sounds great. I 
use my more expensive "performing" steel guitars for gigs, playing on the 
bimah and performances when I need a richer sound. 

I think that for kids that are not going to play consistently (every day) to 
build up callouses (how DO you spell that anyway?) nylon is the way to go. 
It's difficult enough for kids to learn to put their fingers in that awkward 
way, 
to keep their fingers round and not to let their knuckles "buckle". I have 
always found that the first month to three months for kids is really hard.

If I were starting a teen on guitar, knowing that they wanted to play rock 
and go to an electric guitar, I'd find an easy to play steel string with good 
action, or at least have the action worked on, and put light gauge strings on. 
For a 5th or6th grader (or even younger) I'd definitely go nylon - besides - 
you can get nylon string guitars in different sizes, much like strings for 
Suzuki programs.

I would never start with an Ovation because of how awkward they are to hold. 
As a matter of fact, someone gave me a really nice Ovation for a 50th birthday 
present, and I never play it because I can't get used to the feel. I play my 
Martin instead.

So, now my question, and I think this question was asked earlier this year. 
Can anyone recommend a class guitar teaching method that would be suitable for 
a very diverse group of 5th graders?

I would like to supplement my own expertise with that of others that have 
worked in classes - I will have 20 in a class with 10 guitars.

Thanks - please answer privately.

Laura Deutsch
University of Hartford Magnet School
and 
Congregation Beth Israel
West Hartford, CT

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