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Guitar lessons can be a great way to expand your child’s mind and help them explore their musical interests. Here at Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, Inc., we offer comprehensive guitar lessons for kids of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels. Whether they want to start their own rock band, serenade a schoolyard crush or learn the time-honored ways of classical guitar, Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, Inc. has what your child needs to succeed.

When to Start Guitar Lessons for Kids

There is no set, established age for when children can begin taking guitar lessons. In truth, it depends completely on the child in question. Are they physically and mentally ready for guitar lessons? Do they have the foundational skills necessary to be successful?

In general, children are best suited to begin guitar lessons once they have developed these four characteristics:

A level of coordination and dexterity. In order to play guitar correctly, your child needs good hand dexterity and coordination. These skills will allow them to stretch their fingers along the fret board, move their hands independently of each other, and pluck, strum and pick comfortably. Without proper dexterity and coordination, guitar lessons can be a real challenge, making them frustrating, overwhelming and just plain not fun for your little one!

Discipline and patience. Learning to play an instrument takes work. If your child wants to become a good guitar player, they’re going to need to put in the effort, be patient and keep at it. They will also need to commit to doing “homework,” going over their lessons and practicing at home in between sessions. For young children, this takes extreme discipline. Does your child have the discipline to practice their guitar inside, while their friends are playing tag in the front yard? Ensure your child is ready to make a commitment before enrolling them in guitar lessons.

A good attention span. Most guitar lessons range from 30 minutes to an hour. That means your child will need to sit still, listen attentively and stay focused for at least that long. They will also need to have the attention span to practice at home on a daily basis. If they are easily distracted or unable to focus, you may want to wait another year or so before enrolling them in guitar lessons.

Musical interest. It’s always important that your child show a general interest in music before enrolling them in music lessons of any sort. Musical interest ensures the child will be engaged and excited about learning their instrument, rather than dreading or resenting it. This love and excitement for their lessons will translate into increased discipline and greater dedication to honing their craft.

Typically, the youngest a child can begin guitar lessons is around five or six years old, and that’s only if they show great coordination, musical interest and focus. Otherwise, lessons may be best saved until your child has matured a bit more, and is physically and mentally ready for the hard work and determination that guitar lessons require.

The Benefits of Guitar Lessons for Kids

Guitar lessons – and all music lessons, for that matter – are extremely beneficial for children. They help improve physical and cognitive abilities, build up crucial skills like self-discipline, commitment and responsibility, and can give children a leg up both academically and socially.

Studies have even shown that music lessons at an early age can help increase intelligence later on in life. According to a study by the University of Kansas, children who participated in music education programs had 22% higher English test scores and 20% higher Math scores than their non-musical peers. Additionally, a University of Toronto study found that music lessons gave children a 2.7 IQ-point jump on others their age.

But guitar and music lessons don’t just improve intelligence, IQ and academic performance. They can also provide children with these five advantages that other extracurricular activities just don’t offer:

• Better memorization and learning skills. Memorization is an important part of guitar lessons. Children have to memorize scales, notes on the fret board, what every string sounds like and more. Over time, your child will begin to develop improved memorization and learning skills, allowing them to pick up on new ideas easily and store information quicker than most kids their age.

• Increased responsibility, commitment and self-discipline. Talent is not developed in just one lesson. If a child wishes to become a truly great guitarist, they must be disciplined, follow their practice and lesson plans, and be willing to put in the time. Ultimately, this can help your child to grow into a more responsible and committed individual.

• Decreased shyness. Guitar lessons can help children come out of their shells by improving their confidence and increasing their self-esteem. If your child is shy, withdrawn or not very social, guitar (and musical lessons of all kinds) can help them become more outgoing.

• Improved language abilities. Learning songs and lyrics during guitar lessons can help kids develop stronger language and communication skills, as well as an improved vocabulary. Music can also help children understand and remember new information more easily, as the melody helps it stay fresh in their minds.

• Better coordination and flexibility. Playing the guitar requires a lot of coordinated movements. The child must move both hands independently, pluck, strum, pick and hold down fret positions, all at the same time. Over time, these movements become second nature, and the child will become more coordinated, flexible, and gain greater dexterity on the whole.

Guitar lessons can provide a great many benefits for kids, but these are not the only reasons you should consider them for your child! Guitar lessons are also a lot of fun, and can give your child a great, wholesome activity in which to immerse themselves. Overall, guitar lessons can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience for kids of all ages.

Electric Guitar Lessons vs. Acoustic Guitar Lessons

Depending on your child’s goals, you may want to enroll them in electric guitar lessons, acoustic guitar lessons or a combination of both. While the foundations of each instrument are the same, the styles used when playing are very different.

If your child is looking to start a band or play current popular music, then electric guitar lessons for beginners are probably the best fit. If they are hoping to make the school marching band, want to play folk or country music, or are interested in classical or Spanish guitar, then acoustic guitar lessons are the way to go. If your child is not sure what they want, or if you simply want to give them a good foundational knowledge of the guitar at an early age, acoustic guitar lessons for beginners are usually your best bet. As an added bonus, acoustic guitars are typically less expensive than electric ones, so it’s less of a financial investment up front. A beginner student who is young (between 6-8 years of age) will need to start with a smaller or half-size guitar. There is a strong secondary market for small guitars online because once the student grows, they move on to a full-size guitar and will typically resell their smaller guitar.

Check Out Guitar Lessons for Kids at MACSA

If your child is ready to embark on their musical journey, consider guitar lessons at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, Inc. We offer San Antonio guitar lessons for kids of all ages, and our talented instructors are ready and willing to help your child achieve his or her musical dreams. To get started, just fill out our , and we’ll match you with a prospective teacher who fits your needs.