This is the busiest time of the year for us at Dace’s Rock ‘n’ More Music Academy. All the kids go back to school and want to start up music lessons. Of all the questions regarding beginning music lessons that we get asked at Rock ‘n’ More, the following are some of the most frequent. I hope this helps you get started.

Q. Do I need my own instrument?

A. Yes. Playing music is all about muscle memory. You need to be able to practice your instrument consistently when you’re away from Rock ‘n’ More. You don’t necessarily need to bring your instrument to the school for your lesson (can you imagine having to bring your piano for your piano lesson?) but you do need to have something on which you can practice when you’re away from here.

Q. Should I get an acoustic or an electric guitar?

A. Whichever one will inspire you to practice more. I’m not sure where people got the idea that they need to start on an acoustic guitar and then go to electric, but I hear it all the time. It doesn’t make sense to me unless the student wants to play acoustic. Acoustic guitars are much bulkier and harder to play than electric guitars. Some people have told me that they think they should start on the more difficult instrument and move to the easier one once they reach a certain level of proficiency. It makes the most sense to me, at least, to get an instrument that will inspire you to play more. With a lot of people, having a really cool, shiny electric guitar is enough to get their fingers flying frequently.

Q. How much does a beginner guitar cost?

A. Whether you decide to play acoustic or electric guitar, you can usually find beginner packs at most music stores. They usually come with the guitar, the amp and cable (if applicable), a tuner, string winder and an extra set of strings. These “beginner packs” generally cost about $300-$400 dollars. You can find lots of great guitars for much less money than this; however, you can also find a lot of really bad guitars for much less money. Unless you, or someone you know who is willing to help you, really know how to tell the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar, I suggest you start with a new one from a reputable dealer.

Q. How much should I practice?

A. A lot. We encourage beginners to play at least 30 minutes a day, but I’d like to add a bit of context. I’ve read that it can take anywhere from 300 to 10,000 repetitions of something before it becomes a natural movement. Eddie Van Halen and I practiced for at least 5 hours a day when we first started playing. That doesn’t mean that you have to be as obsessed as us or Eric Clapton, who spent most of his adolescence with a guitar in his hand, but if you want to become highly proficient you kinda’ have to. However, we never encourage our students to practice to the point where it interferes with their school work.

Q. How old does my child have to be to start lessons?

A. Age-wise, eight seems to be the magic number for playing music. By the time kids are eight years old their hands are usually big enough to get around a guitar neck, reach the bass drum pedal, and have patience enough to sit through a 30 minute lesson. Piano students can usually start a bit earlier.

I hope this helps. There are a lot of questions that I didn’t have space to address here. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at uofrock@hotmail.com or call us at 425-413-2165.