Will Learning Guitar Help Me Sing?

Something I've been meaning to talk to you all about for a while now. The ‘Guitar’. Two questions you all have been asking me... why and which? The guitar is my personal choice of instrument that ALL singers should learn to play. Not necessarily classical plucking, just strumming the basic chords is sufficient enough. Why? The guitar is mobile and you would have to learn to tune it on a regular basis. Great for ear training and getting your pitch to where it belongs. The guitar is fun and makes ya look cool too! Usually, depending on IF you are practicing every day for 20 minutes, you can learn within 2 weeks to 2 months! MOST importantly, once you get past all the basic chords, you can get real creative and start learning how to write songs. Yes! Write songs! Some of you have shown me how talented you are at poetry. Why not take it a step future and put it to melody and then chords? Along with your voice lessons, I give the option to include guitar lessons during the last 15 minutes of your lessons. Let me teach you how to play, and then, let’s make music together! What do you think?

Now, about “WHAT” guitar to get? Everyone is so quick to take off to the music store without me. I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 9, so please listen to what I’m about to tell you next…. Get a Classical (folk) guitar, ¾ size. Do NOT Get an acoustic guitar! AHEM! I repeat! Do NOT Get an acoustic guitar! It’s the biggest mistake so many parents and older students make when learning to play. Without going into detail, Acoustic guitars are larger in size that is really made for experience players ONLY. Why do stores all over the US push sales harder in acoustic guitars? Because they or more mass produced. Classical guitars take a little more care in making and the strings are a little easier on the fingers when learning. Studies have proven that %75 percent of kids (especially girls) and adults who try learning on an acoustic guitar, give up learning within 2 weeks. Need I say more?

Now for the last, "Where to get it" question? I prefer SKIP's music store over Guitar Center. Guitar Center tends to be more commercial and might see you only as a number. Skip's is so much more caring over the products they sale. If you choose to go to Skip's, be sure to tell them you "Singing teacher, Raquela sent you" ;-) Below is a picture of the model I recommend. There's a Skip's in Elk Grove, but the one up on 2740 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95821, is the original and would be better stocked on everything. Whew, that was a lot of info regarding the guitar, but I do love that instrument. I’ve written and copyrighted and published so many of my own songs, all thanks to that instrument, so I hope this all helped...