This specialty paper is designed to mimic the guitar neck, laying out the strings and the frets. This allows the instructor to lay out the various chords onto the paper, with numbers being used for the different fingers. Although numbers are frequently used, other visuals that would help the student may also be used. Taken a step further the guitar paper may be cutout and placed underneath the strings. The child can place their fingers over the marks on the paper, figuring out the proper chords from the diagram.

Obviously, finding the right guitar for their practice is going to be crucial. Not only should the guitar be small enough for their compact size, but ideally the guitar is nice enough that the chords are easier to hold. The action on the guitar neck (the distance between the string and the frets) should also not be overwhelming for their small hands. Typically smaller gaps make for easier learning.

Teaching a child how to play an instrument is an excellent way to sharpen their mind, increase their creativity, and ultimately enhance their life. As difficult as it can be to focus a child’s attention on anything, once they have the fire to play, it will lay the foundation of a lifelong passion. Although the guitar is not always the first instrument that comes to mind for children, it may be just the right direction for a number of personality types. As with other music, the guitar takes practice, patience, and dedication to master.

Have you ever noticed how you can remember the words to a song that you haven’t heard in years? I hear songs that I haven’t heard in maybe ten or twenty years on the radio, and can instantly start humming along. How exactly does the brain do that? I can’t even remember what I had for dinner yesterday, but I remember the nonsensical lyrics from some seventies pop song. The brain does work in mysterious ways. I was giving a ride the other day to a university student I play squash with, and she started singing to the song on the radio, which was probably at least 15 years older than she was. I mentioned that to her, and she said it was one the songs her parents played a lot as a kid. She still remembered the words. “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry, was the song by the way. The only hit the band ever had.

So, If remembering words over a long period of time could be considered education, then I guess music is an amazing tool. What about music from other cultures and different languages. Why not give a listed to a little greek radio ( ελληνικό ραδιόφωνο ) and find out for yourself.  I suspect it will work pretty well, and you may even educate your self in some Greek language speaking skills.  I know I learned a few french words from a certain disco song that Patti Labelle made famous a few years ago.  You can get greek online radio ( ελληνικό online ραδιόφωνο ) right in your web browser these days.  All you need is a computer and the internet.

Considering, that studies have shown that even infants still in their mothers wombs benefit from hearing classical music before birth, it would probably do us all some good to broaden our listening choices these days.