Guitar for Kids: First Steps in Learning to Play Guitar with Audio & Video

For the colour version please "See all formats and editions" ISBN 978-0956954725

Guitar For Kids is a fun and comprehensive guide on the first steps of learning to play Guitar, with over 70 photographic examples, diagrams and cartoons. The book features original musical pieces in styles like Rock, Blues, Pop, Flamenco, Jazz and Reggae. Start with a strong foundation in guitar playing with easy-to-follow techniques throughout.

The book begins with advice on buying your first guitar, how to hold the guitar and how to tune it. The music then starts with easy-to-play melodies using only open strings (open strings means only the plucking hand is used), ideal for young beginners. This is followed by simple melodies that incorporate both plucking and the use of the fretboard.

Tablature Based - Guitar for Kids clearly explains and uses guitar tablature making this popular instrument more accessible for children. Sight-reading is also covered, starting with rhythm for the chord lessons, and introducing note pitches later.

Audio & Video - Guitar for Kids comes with 47 downloadable audio tracks for the musical exercises and pieces. Each piece has a full band demo track and a backing track with the guitar part removed to play over. Each musical piece also has a demonstration video.

What Else? - Easy chords are covered and are accompanied with diagrams of the full versions for later on, or if your child feels like a challenge. There’s an introduction to easy Power chords with Rock pieces to play and there's a Blues and Rock duet to play with a friend.

• Guitar Playing Techniques: String plucking, alternate picking, fretboard hand technique and strumming . All with clear explanations and photographic examples.
• Guitar Melodies: Nine different melodies in various contemporary styles.
• Easy Guitar Chords for Kids: G major, G7, C major , A minor, E minor and D major in easy-to-follow chord diagrams.
• Guitar Strumming: Six musical exercises and two musical pieces for strumming chords.
• Guitar Duets: Two Guitar duets in Blues and Rock styles. Duet backing tracks with one of two guitar parts removed for one to play over, and a backing track with both guitar parts removed for two to play over.
• E minor Pentatonic Scale: Easy-to-play with open strings, this is one of the most used scale types in popular music.
• Power Chords: Three different easy-to-play power chords and two musical pieces using power chords.
• Sight reading: Basic notes on the top three strings, three sight-reading exercises and four sight-reading pieces.
• Quiz: Guitar for Kids finishes with a Quiz, no cheating!

Start your child's journey of developing a lifelong skill and a passion for music and Grab Your Copy Today!

For some video examples of Gareth's guitar playing (from the "Guitar Licks" books) please view Gareth's author page.