Thank you Fender for sponsoring this post. Learn guitar at home with Fender Play.
“You’ll play guitar your whole life.”
That’s what my 91-year-old grandfather said to my daughter, his great-granddaughter, last week after she told him the she was learning to play guitar.
This surprised me, as our conversation had just been about how music isn’t his thing and that the only the only upside to losing my grandmother was that he doesn’t have to go to concerts any more. Turns out, though, that he’s a fan of the guitar. And after nearly 92 years on this planet, it’s safe to say he’s an expert at what you will and will not do your whole life.
Fender makes it easy for even busy teens to learn the life-long skill of playing the guitar. When my teen told my grandfather that she takes lessons online thanks to Fender Play, his reaction again surprised me. He was a fan.
She told him how she can learn at her own speed, from anywhere she has access to the internet and she doesn’t have to do lessons at a set day or time. As a man who has always liked to do things his own way and on his own time frame, my grandfather thought it was a great set-up. He was just a bit disappointed that they didn’t have something like that when he was younger.
This was all very comforting to me because I’d been nervous when my teen daughter announced she was quitting band. She’d played the flute for six years. At the end of the last school year, however, she decided that she wants to explore other elective classes in high school. Bye-bye, band.
She was open to other ways to make music, but with less of a time commitment. But how to do that?
The answer: guitar.
She found another musical instrument that works for her. Let’s be honest, playing the guitar is cool. From Taylor Swift to Niall Horan, her favorite artists play guitar. It’s much easier to play her favorite contemporary songs on the guitar than any other instrument.
Speaking of playing favorite songs, once we had the gorgeous guitar in the house, there was the small issue of learning to play it.
The answer: Fender Play
What my teen loves about Fender Play:
Fender Play is a fun and song-based online learning program that gets new guitar players making music in a matter of just minutes. My daughter, like most teens, likes instant gratification, and wanted to really hit the guitar ground running. Fender play helped her do just that.
Short lessons were also plus – she felt like she was getting somewhere and learning quickly, which made her want to play more.
It’s a customized curriculum based on the player’s musical preferences. She was able to play the songs she loves quickly because the curriculum broke them down to the basics. There are several different tracks so you can find one that fits your musical tastes. Choose from pop, rock, blues, folk, or country.
She also loved that she wasn’t restricted to any certain space, and she loved going outside on nice summer days.
What I as a parent love about Fender Play:
As a parent, I appreciated that Fender Play was created by curriculum experts. While I’m not a guitar expert, the folks at Fender are. I felt confident placing my trust in the leading guitar brand.
Online lessons meant that she could do them anywhere and any time during a summer that involved a lot of travel and wacky scheduling. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about coordinating times with a teacher. Also, I loved not having to drive her anywhere.
Heading back to school, she’ll be able to continue but as time permits. Teens have really busy yet often inconsistent schedules. If she has a big test the next day, she can take a night off. Or if she has a slow Sunday, she can do as much as she wants.
As a parent, I also love knowing that kids who learn guitar do well socially – they’re more confident. And the fact that that playing guitar helps them develop coordination, math skills, and concentration are huge added bonuses.
What we both love:
The lessons were really well done. Fenders instructors thought of everything and give lots of angles and view and explanations, all of which kept my teen from getting too frustrated.
The songs on Fender Play are great. It reminded me that music really does bring people together.
Not only was my girl playing songs right away, she was playing really good songs that we both enjoy. She loved Meghan Trainor’s No. Others were ones that I love, like U2’s With or Without You and Bob Marley’s Waiting in Vain.
And if you want to a see a mama melt, watch her watch her baby play Humble and Kind.
A few more songs at the very beginner level would be great. I’m hoping they’ll add more as time goes on.
You can start your FREE 30-Day Trial at play.fender.com. After a few short lessons, you and/or your kids should be able to show off something new! Whether it’s a skill, a recognizable riff or a full song, learning guitar online is easy with Fender Play!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Prior Post: Production has begun on Ant-Man and the Wasp
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