Guitar Lessons

Merriam’s MMOA platform gives guitar students anywhere in the world the chance to take guitar lessons from our award-winning teachers through our easy-to-use technology. Find out why most of our instructors actually prefer teaching online and have seen even greater levels of progress amongst their online students than their in-person students.

Seeing as guitars come in so many types, shapes, and sizes, selecting the ideal guitar for a beginner can seem like a daunting task. There are three main types of guitars: nylon string acoustic, steel-string acoustic, and steel-string electric.

For young students, nylon string instruments are almost always preferred given their soft, gentle feel on the fingertips. Nylon string guitars can also be excellent choices for adolescent and adult students that are looking for a softer touch. Steel-string acoustics and electrics are a little harder on the fingers but do offer a more appropriate tone for genres like rock, pop, and country and, as such, for students with the strength and dexterity to establish a clear sound on these instruments, can be a more inspiring experience dependent on their musical preferences.
The other big consideration is size. Guitars are offered in four main sizes: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full size. Here is a general breakdown of recommended size based on age range (*note: this can also vary based on the individual height of a student):

In terms of specific manufacturers, established brands like Fender, Epiphone and Yamaha are always safe bets. Their great reputations as guitar manufacturers are merited given the quality they provide throughout their entire product lines. This is particularly true when it comes to the factory setups these brands offer even in their entry level models.

As easy and effortless as guitarists make it look, playing the guitar is more physically demanding than most people expect and it’s often the reason that new beginners sour quickly on learning it.

As the famous saying within the guitar community goes, “tone is in the fingers”. While this is true for any instrument in which one’s touch is directly linked to sound production, it is one of the primary reasons guitarists get discouraged early on. It becomes a difficult prospect to keep an aspiring guitarist practicing when the sound they are hearing back from the instrument is buzzy, muted, or non-existent. For this reason, a suitable instrument to learn on and lessons from an experienced instructor that aptly prioritizes technique development in fun and engaging ways is one of the best weapons to combat discouragement.

Another important factor in maintaining motivation is presenting a sense of purpose. While technical development, drills and reading exercises are undeniably important, students need to see a tangible use for the skills they are developing to justify their time investment in practice and lessons. Enrolment in ensemble programs is a fantastic means to establishing a greater sense of purpose, but utilizing technology can certainly help bridge the gap when ensemble playing is not a possibility. Interactive apps and play-along tracks can keep things stimulating and engaging for students.