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The Dos and Don'ts of Treating Learning Disabilities


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The Dos and Don'ts of Treating Learning Disabilities

When my youngest child was diagnosed with a learning disability, I immediately started looking for everything I could learn about it. I knew that there was a lot of information available about the disability, but I found a lot of conflicting information about what works and does not work in dealing with the disability. I talked to a few other parents and they were left feeling the same confusion I was. I started this blog to help other parents understand what treatment options are available and what has and has not worked. I hope that by sharing this information, other families will get the help they need.

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Pros And Cons Of Starting Guitar Lessons With An Acoustic Guitar

If you're thinking of learning to play guitar, you may be displeased with a recommendation to start with acoustic guitar and learn electric guitar afterwards. "I want to play in a band, not serenade a cowgirl!" And it's true that the acoustic guitar doesn't perform well in a band setting. However, there are a number of reasons your teacher or potential teacher might recommend that you start with the acoustic guitar. Here are the pros and cons of starting lessons that way.

Pros:

  • Price

For a beginning instrument, an acoustic guitar is usually an affordable option. In addition, beginning instruments are often better quality than you'd get if you looked for the cheapest, junkiest electric guitar on the market. If you buy a cheap, badly made electric guitar, you could be letting yourself in for electrical problems, whereas with an acoustic guitar, what you see (and hear) at the point of purchase is usually what you get.

  • Hand strength

It's true that an electric guitar is physically easier to play, because the strings are easier to hold down and you don't have to push them as far. Your teacher may want you to start with an acoustic guitar for this very reason. The fact that you're required to exert some effort in order to produce a result can help train your hands to play with better technique, whereas if you started on an electric guitar you'd have the opportunity to develop lazy, sloppy technique.

  • Mobility

You can play an electric guitar anywhere you have a plugin... and the amplifier you want... and so on. But you can play an acoustic guitar anywhere on the planet (although if you're outside and the weather is much below zero, your fingers will probably disagree). This mobility allows for greater freedom in practicing and means that you can't use "not having anywhere to practice" as an excuse for not getting any work done that week.

Cons:

  • Physical difficulty

If you're young, have small hands, or otherwise find it a physical challenge to manipulate the strings of a guitar, starting with an acoustic may just be too much of a discouragement. It can also cause some very painful fingers while you're waiting for calluses to form. If you use an acoustic, make sure you start with nylon strings; leave the steel strings for the cowboys.

  • Embarrassment

If you have an electrical guitar, you can practice with headphones so nobody else can hear you play. With an acoustic guitar, although the volume of sound is quieter, anyone nearby (in the same room or the next room over) will be able to hear you play. If you live in a crowded apartment and your family isn't supportive of your playing, the electric guitar may be a better choice for you.

These pros and cons demonstrate that your teacher isn't just being mean by saying you should start with an acoustic guitar. In addition, you now have educated points you can use to argue against that decision if you feel acoustic guitar isn't for you.

To learn more, visit a company like Welch Music