We’ve been engaging in important conversations about a fundamental aspect of learning guitar: tuning. With lessons lasting only 30 minutes, tuning can become a significant time-sink for teachers. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to empower parents to tune their children's guitars, benefiting both students and parents alike.

Why Is Tuning So Important?

1. Correctly tuned instruments will produce Sympathetic Vibrations; this means that when certain notes are played, other harmonically related notes will also sound, producing a warmer richer overall sound. Out of tune instruments do not do this, and therefore sound less pleasing. 

2. A Tuned Guitar Enhances Learning: When students play on a properly tuned guitar, they sound so much better! And they can fully engage with their lessons and practice more effectively. We want to develop musicians ear to become used to the sound of a correctly tuned instrument. It’s crucial for their musical development.

3. Parents Gain Control: By tuning the guitar, parents can take an active role in their child’s practice routine. This involvement helps create a supportive environment for learning.

Addressing the Time Crunch

We understand that many parents have busy schedules and may be hesitant to dedicate time to tuning. So, how do we encourage them to embrace this responsibility?

1. Impact on Their Child's Ear Training: A guitar that’s out of tune can hinder a child’s listening skills. If they practice with an untuned instrument, they risk developing poor relative pitch, which is essential for any musician.

   • Real-Life Example: Our at-home resources are played on a tuned guitar. If a child practices on an out-of-tune guitar, playing along will sound bad - possibly distressingly so!  We don't want this experience to be a disincentive for practice - we want the opposite!
   • Understanding Pitch: We want developing musicians to be used to hearing an in-tune instrument. Developing in "inner ear" for music will be enhanced by regularly playing (and haring) hearing correctly tuned instruments, 
   • While perfect pitch is rare and not essential, strong relative pitch is a very important musical skill. Ensuring the guitar is in tune with itself lays the foundation for developing this.

Our Strategies for Success

To make tuning accessible and manageable for parents, we’ve developed several resources:

• Quick Video Guide: We created a brief, 30-second video titled "How to Tune Your Guitar." This simple guide walks parents through the mechanics of tuning using basic clip-on tuners and online tuners. It’s designed with the time-crunched parent in mind.

• In-Person Support: We encourage students to arrive early for their lessons so they can tune up with assistance if needed.

• Visual Reminders: "How to Tune" reminder poster. This visual cue helps parents ensure their children’s guitars are ready before they enter the classroom.

Try out the program!

Ready to help your kids thrive in their guitar lessons? Click below to sign up to trial our Group Guitar program to access tools to support your music school experience. Together, we can make learning guitar a rewarding journey for both students and parents!