Private Baltimore Guitar Lessons In Your Home

The guitar is a great instrument for all ages, and many students can start as young as 4.

That said, it’s important to choose the right guitar size and type for your child. Guitars come in scaled-down versions to fit smaller hands, and picking the right one can make a big difference in how comfortable and enjoyable learning feels. We’re happy to help guide you—generally, a ½-size guitar works well for ages 4–7, a ¾-size for ages 8–11, and a full-size guitar for most students 12 and up. Let us know what you’re considering, and we’ll make sure your child starts off with the right fit.Read more: What Age Can a Child Begin to Take Music Lessons Online?

Many young beginners start with a ¾-size acoustic or classical guitar. If you’re unsure what to get, our teachers can help you choose the right size and style for your student. 

Learn more: How to Select the Best Guitar for a Beginner Guitarist

You can technically learn on either. It really depends on what your goals and desires are for learning guitar. In general, learning on an acoustic is more “foundational” for understanding the guitar as a whole. Young learners will also develop more finger strength on an acoustic, which will make switching to electric much easier. But if your child has a natural inclination to electric guitar, start them out on that!

Read more: Acoustic or Electric Guitar?

Besides the guitar itself, there’s not a whole lot more you need. We’d recommend having these things to improve and speed up learning:

• Picks – Learning how to play the guitar with a pick helps young guitarists strum the strings. There are all sorts of pic sizes and thickness. When starting out, a pack of medium or soft pics will aid in learning.
• Guitar Strap – If you want to play or practice standing up, then a strap is a must. Plus, guitar straps can be customized can give kids a sense of personality.
• Spare Strings – Strings break down over time and need changing based on how frequently you play. It is always handy to have extra strings on hand when one string breaks, when they start to feel rusty, or when you want to improve the tone of your guitar.
• Tuner – Having a well-tuned instrument is key to sounding good and staying on pitch. You’ll want to start each practice by tuning your guitar as weather, humidity, and other variables can make your strings go flat or sharp.
• Metronome – While you can still learn the guitar without a metronome, practicing with it at home can ensure good rhythm when playing. It is especially important when planning to play with other musicians. There are tons of devices or free apps that you can use.
• Cleaning & Maintenance Items – Regular cleaning and maintenance can keep your Guitar in great condition. Cloths, lubricants, and cleaning tools may be useful depending on your instrument.

When in doubt, ask your guitar teacher! They’ll help you guide you in what you need to be successful.

Sore fingers when first learning guitar are completely normal. Don’t worry. As you practice more, muscle strength in your forearm and calluses on your fingers will develop. The pain will go away pretty quickly in time. If necessary, there are some ways to lessen the pain when practicing such as using lighter strings. Ask your guitar teacher about this if you’re dealing with pain!

Any practice is better than no practice. In fact, there is no magic number of minutes because we teach that consistency is the key to success. We’d rather our students play for 10 minutes a day daily rather than 60 minutes in one sitting in a week. One of the benefits of private lessons is that our teachers will give recommendations to your practice time and habits based on your child’s learning style. There’s a lot to consider on an individual student level for how much time should be spent practicing.

You don’t have to read sheet music to start learning guitar! Long term, our goal for our students is to help them be independent as musicians. Reading sheet music, or learning the ability to learn a piece of new music, is foundational to that goal.

It helps, but we can guide you through what to look for and recommend some great beginner options. If you’re unsure, your teacher can even help evaluate what you already have or suggest the right size and style based on your child’s age and goals.

Most students take one lesson per week, which offers a consistent rhythm for learning and practice. If your child wants to move faster or prepare for something specific, we can adjust the frequency to fit those goals.

Read more: How Many Guitar Lessons Do I Need?

No, Lessons In Your Home does not require recitals. However, our private instructors encourage students to find ways to share what they have learned with family and friends, which can include recitals, school performances, and more.