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I am a beginner. What guitar, bass or ukulele should I buy?
There is no ‘right’ answer to this question, and choosing the best guitar or bass for you or your child will depend on several factors, including the type of music you or your child is interested in learning/playing and age.
Guitars
Generally speaking, folk, traditional, song accompaniment, acoustic blues, etc. are usually played on a steel-string acoustic guitar. This is the type of guitar we recommend for students in our Introducing Guitar for Adults and Introducing Guitar for Teens courses, and we can also provide guitars as part of Course + Instrument Packages for both. Rock, metal, blues, alternative, etc. are usually played on an electric guitar. And classical, Spanish/flamenco and sometimes folk and traditional are usually played on a nylon-string ‘classical’ or ‘Spanish’ guitar. Partial size nylon-string guitars are generally the easiest for younger players, and this is the type of guitar we recommend for students in our Introducing Guitar for Children course. (We can also provide a guitar as part of a Course + Instrument Package for this course.)
Basses
The two most common bass types are precision and jazz, and the two main difference between them are their necks and pickups. Precision bass necks have a fairly consistent thickness, and closer to the nut (the small piece of hard material under the strings, near the headstock) they taper in slightly. Jazz bass necks are thinner and are more noticeably tapered towards the nut, making them easier to play for beginners and younger students. Precision basses generally have a split-coil pickup that produces a more defined and ‘solid’ bass sound. Jazz basses have dual humbucking pickups that produce a ‘cleaner’ sound and give players a wider variety of tonal possibilities.
Ukuleles
Sometimes thought of as little more than a toy in the past, the ukulele is now used by musicians and bands the world over – and ukuleles are now available for everyone from beginners to professionals. The main considerations when choosing a ukulele are size and quality. Ukuleles come in four standard sizes: soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Soprano and concert ukuleles are the most popular and the sizes that most people associate the ukulele with. Regarding quality, as a general rule, try to buy the best ukulele you can comfortably afford. There are countless ‘cheap’ ukuleles available, but the vast majority are little more than toys. Start instead with a reasonably priced ‘budget’ uke, which will offer the best balance of quality and affordability.
Waltons music shops have a range of guitars, basses and ukuleles suitable for students at all levels, as well as payment plan options. See Guitar, Bass & Ukulele Discounts & Payment Plans for more information.
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Do I need my own guitar, bass or ukulele?
Yes. You will need your own instrument both for the lessons/course you are taking and for practice at home. However, it is possible to use a school instrument for the first lesson/class so that you can get advice from the teacher on choosing the best instrument for you. Let us know before your first lesson if you would like to do this. Although all students should bring their own instruments to lessons/classes, electric guitar and bass students do not need to bring their own amplifiers.
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Is my child too young to start lessons?
Six years old is usually the youngest age that we start students on guitar. Guitar is very physically challenging for students younger than this. When to start lessons depends on things like coordination and attention span – and sometimes hand size. It is best for children to start off with a 1/2- or 3/4-size nylon-string guitar. Nylon-string guitars make it much easier for children to ‘fret’ notes without the strings hurting their fingers. Young beginners can start with private (one-to-one) lessons at the school, or take our Introducing Guitar for Children group course. Because the ukulele such a small and lightweight instrument, it is easy for younger children to learn. As with guitar, coordination and attention span are two factors to consider.
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Am I too old?
No! We have successfully taught guitar, bass and ukulele to hundreds of mature students, of all ages. No one is too old to make music. Adults can start either with 30-minute private (one-to-one) lessons or two of our popular group course for absolute beginners, Introducing Guitar for Adults and Introducing Ukulele.
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Both of my children want to learn. Can they take lessons together?
Yes. They can take ‘partner’ guitar or ukulele lessons, as long as they start at the same level. Partner lessons are an enjoyable and satisfying way to explore music together. Ideally, the children will benefit from mutual observation and motivate each other to improve – and the enjoyment will go well beyond the lessons as they practise and progress together. See Tuition Options – Partner & Small Group Lessons for more information.
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What skill levels do you teach?
We teach students from complete beginners to advanced, up to and including diploma level for guitar and bass. All of our teachers take beginning and intermediate level students, and each of them has specific strengths for advanced guitar lessons and courses, including classical, jazz, rock/metal, blues, fingerstyle, Irish traditional and flamenco.
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Can you prepare me/my child for grade or practical examinations?
Lessons can certainly include preparation for grade examinations in guitar or bass with a range of exam boards. Our teachers can also prepare students for Junior Cert. Music and Leaving Cert. Music practical exams.
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What is the point of lessons, since I can use ‘self-teaching’ books, online courses or YouTube videos?
A teacher can observe your technique and progress in real-time and give you immediate feedback. You will be reassured by getting reinforcement for things you do well and constructive advice for areas that need improvement. Questions and difficulties can be dealt with as they arise, so you do not develop bad habits that will later be hard to correct. While there are many materials and aids available to help you ‘teach yourself’, determining where to begin and what path to follow is not so simple. An instructor can evaluate your skill level and provide guidance to keep you on track and focused on topics most appropriate for your development and personal objectives.
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What about tabs vs. music notation?
Beginners learning guitar, having discovered tabs, frequently ask whether there is any point in learning musical notation as well. The answer really depends on what you want to do in terms of playing guitar.
Tabs (or tablature, to use the full term) are easy to learn and can be a great help in learning to play your favourite song or piece of music. However, it is also important to realise that they are limited – all they do is show you which frets to finger and in which order. They cannot show you time or key signatures or note length, which means that unless you already know the piece of music you intend to play, you will have no idea what it should sound like. You can’t learn an unfamiliar piece of music from tabs alone.
If you learn to read music, on the other hand, the time will come when there will be nothing you can’t play and no one you can’t play with. All you will need is the music, widely available in music shops and online.
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What kind of pick do I need?
Picks (or plectrums) come in many sizes, although they tend to be a fairly uniform shape. The key question is their thickness, which varies from almost paper thin to rigidly thick, and the material they are made from. Both qualities change the sound the guitar produces when played with a pick. The best advice for a beginner guitar player is to buy a packet of assorted sizes/thicknesses and find out how each one affects your playing and the sounds your guitar makes. You will quickly find that you have one or two favourites that you nearly always use.
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My strings buzz when I play the guitar/bass/ukulele.
What can I do about this?
This could be due to one of two things. The first and most likely situation is that you are not pushing down on the strings with the correct amount of force or are pressing them in the wrong place. Make sure you place your finger as close to the fret as possible (nearer the bridge) and also with enough pressure. If your strings still buzz then it could be due to incorrect setting of the guitar (truss rod, bridge, nut height, etc.) You may need to take it in to Waltons or another music shop to have a specialist look at it.
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