The Dos And Donts Of Buying The Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar

The Dos And Donts Of Buying The Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar Suzy S. Looking for the best beginner acoustic guitar to purchase? Read on for some helpful advice from  Perth Amboy, NJ guitar teacher Jeff S... Selecting the right guitar teacher for you or your children is certainly a crucial decision and the choice you make can often dictate how well the lessons will go. Yet an often overlooked (and quite frankly, often-botched) step that needs to be carefully addressed before lessons begin is selecting the right size and type of beginner acoustic guitar  for your childs age, body and hand size, and musical inclinations. See Also: 9 Best Acoustic Guitars for Kids I would estimate that 60% of my students (or their parents) buy the wrong size or type guitar. And this invariably puts me in the awkward and unenviable position of eventually being the bearer of bad news. And while I never push my students or their parents toward purchasing another guitar, Im often asked for my input on this subject. So in an effort to be helpful and to point them in the right directions, I have compiled a list of some guitar makes and models that are size-friendly, are reasonably easy to play, and are cost-efficient for most budgets. I have recommendations for acoustic guitars under $500.00 as well as acoustic guitars between $500.00 and $1,000.00, which I will share with you in part two of this article, but first let me offer details on what I consider the wrong guitar. When I speak to a new students parent and they tell me they bought a guitar package deal at a warehouse or club wholesale store, I have to hold back a wince.  Not necessarily because of a lack of quality of merchandise sold there, but because typically theres a very large-sized guitar featured in these bundles or packages (which can include a small amp, tuner, cable, picks, etc.). But the sad reality is that most children and even some teens and adults will be challenged to comfortably wrap their arms around them and be able to reach the sound hole of the instrument (where they need to place their right hand to strum the strings). The name of this type of guitar is dreadnaught (and in my mind, the prefix dread is quite apropos). And dreadnaughts, along with jumbo-sized guitars, are the largest, widest-bodied acoustic guitars on the market. When a child attempts to hold them (especially a small child), it feels and looks about as natural as if they were holding a St. Bernard dog on their lap. So I would generally steer you away from dreadnaughts and jumbo-sized guitars, no matter how sweet a deal you find at the club and warehouse stores, In fact, even if Uncle Jimmy offers to loan or give one to you for your kid, Id say thanks, but no. The only possible exceptions to my admonitions against larger-bodied guitars would be for taller or larger teens and adults. Then the dreadnaughts and jumbos are worth looking into for their big sounds and great values. I would also steer clear of nylon string (aka classical) guitars unless your child or you are interested in learning classical guitar music, flamenco, or the like. The reason I say this is because the necks on classicals are significantly wider than steel string acoustics, and theyre almost always highly lacquered (making them prone to stickiness and therefore quite difficult to maneuver on). The nylon strings can also be more difficult to grip than steel strings for many students. So what size and type of guitars would I recommend? How do you find the best beginner acoustic guitar? My suggestions would be: folk size, 3/4 size, orchestra size, mini-jumbo size, and travel size. See Also: Best Acoustic Guitar Reviews All of these body shapes and sizes are nowhere near as wide as dreadnaughts and jumbos, so students (of just about every size) feel much more comfortable holding them. The trick is finding them, because strangely enough these ginormous-sized dreadnaughts tend to be the most common in music stores and are often less expensive than their smaller-bodied counterparts. Strange, huh? Want more specific recommendations? Heres my list of the best acoustic guitars under $500 check out the list, play the instruments in the store and compare them carefully, consult a knowledgeable salesperson if you can find one at the store, and buy cautiously (and hopefully at a store or online seller with a lenient return policy). But my closing mantra would be: Less is more. Happy selecting and strumming! Jeff S. teaches guitar, ukulele, speaking voice, songwriting and more in Perth Amboy, NJ, as well as online.  Jeff has created and taught songwriting and music business classes at colleges, universities, and music schools throughout the country for many years. Learn more  about Jeff here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by murray

The Brigham Young University-Idaho College Experience

The Brigham Young University-Idaho College Experience Blythe earned her bachelors degree in geology from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She specializes in writing tutoring, science tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Brigham Young University-Idaho: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Blythe: The campus is fairly small for a university campus. Its about a fifteen minute walk from one end to the other. The campus is rural, located in the small town of Rexburg, Idaho. I felt very safe on campus; there was never a time when I felt at risk in any way. There are buses for specific places, such as Walmart or certain apartment complexes. However, nearly everything needed is within walking distance, so neither a car nor bike isa huge necessity. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Blythe: In my experience, the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants are always available. If the professors arent available, their TAs definitely are. As a former TA, I can attest that we were available as much as possible for the students. The campus is very student friendly. The professors all are working there because they want their students to succeed, so they make themselves available as often as possible. I did not have a single professor that was unwilling to work outside of the classroom with a student. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Blythe: I did not participate in the dorm life, but most of the apartment complexes are located within a five or ten-minute walk to campus. Both dorms and off-campus apartments live by an honor code; all students abide by it, whether they live in dorms or apartments. The Honor Code is a set of rules or guidelines each student pledges and promises to follow, which creates a safe and respectful environment on and off campus. There are usually two persons to a room, and anywhere between four and eight to apartments, depending on the size. The socialization opportunities are excellent. Almost every evening, and definitely every weekend, there are multiple social activities going on. These vary from dancing, to cultural celebrations, to group hikes. There is a great variety of activities continuously being held. Ive never been in a more social environment. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Blythe: The majority of the majors and programs are represented and supported. It seems like I heard more about the communications major than any other major, but each program on campus is supported. I studied geology, because I love learning about the processes of the earth and its formation. BYU-I is lacking a bit in the support of the sciences, however. There are fewer students majoring in science than in other areas, such as communications and physical therapy. As a result, the university really cuts back on the funds and classes for the science departments, especially geology. The science professors, however, fight fiercely to keep the departments running smoothly and efficiently, so I would still recommend majoring in science. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Blythe: As a freshman, it is extremely easy to meet people and make friends. The orientation at the beginning of each semester is centered around getting the students involved in as many activities as possible. I fully believe the school puts almost as much work into the social aspect, as it does the academic aspect. They do not have a Greek life at BYU-I. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Blythe: BYU-I has a career center, a tutoring center, and rehabilitation classes, just to name a few services. There are many different student support services, and if you utilize them, they are very helpful. In my experience, there is not a ton of campus recruiting. The recruiting that I do remember was for things such as student leadership conferences and career fairs. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Blythe: Every study area is easily available. The library can get a bit crowded at times, but other than a few days out of the semester, you can always find a place to study in the library. The library has a specific floor for quiet studying, so its always a great place to go before taking a test. Even if you cant find a place in the library, which is extremely rare, there are multiple lounge areas located in every building and every apartment complex. There is always a place to study and most of them are spacious. Describe the surrounding town. Blythe: The surrounding town is small, but quaint and homey. There are several places to spend time and do activities. The campus has game rooms and a bowling area. There are a few movie theaters in town, one of which has bowling, an arcade, and mini golf. There are four or five parks located around town as well. The Teton Mountain Range is less than two hours away, and is great for hiking, camping, and various outdoor activities. Closer by, there are multiple camping and hiking areas. The area is perfect for almost any activity you can think of. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Blythe: The student body has around 20,000 students. The class sizes range from 15-40 students, depending on the class. Ive never been in a class with more than 45 students in it. It makes the class very engaging and it makes it easy to listen and ask questions, and get in depth responses from the professors. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Blythe: One of my most memorable experiences at BYU-I was during what the Geology Department calls Field School. We went out into the field for six weeks and studied and utilized all the skills we learned in our classes. It was an excellent learning and growing experience, spending that much time with our peers and colleagues. During that time, I grew to know my peers not just as peers, but as family. We learned to work with each other in ways I never realized were possible. The last two weeks were the most intense and rigorous physically and mentally. The weekend before, I was in a biking accident and I was having a hard time walking. Everyone was so helpful, that it actually began to be a bit annoying. As annoying as it got, the help and support that everyone there provided me was a great comfort. Field School was one of, if not the single, hardest thing Ive ever done. Without the aid of my professors and peers, I would never have finished it. As hard as it was, it was also the mos t memorable and fulfilling thing I have done thus far. What makes BYU-I great is not the college itself, its the people. They are genuine, kind, loving, and fun. They make each other better, and they make attending BYU-I worth it. Check out Blythes tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.