Comments on: How Can I Convince My Parents That I Should Learn Guitar Instead of Piano?

By: iâ?¥sf

iâ?¥sf — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:55:29 +0000

I think if you direct this to this yahoo question, they will understand your passion for the guitar and will gladly shift their funds from the piano teacher to a guitar teacher. They probably have no idea how much you hate the piano, and think every thing is going hunky-dorey. I wound up taking a couple years more piano lessons than I wanted to because I just didn’t feel like I could stand up to them and say, "I want to play something else!" As a child, when parents don’t present that option to you, it doesn’t seem like an option. But it should be! And from a parent’s perspective, what they are most concerned with, at least in the short-term, is that you still have some thing to devote your time to. Rather than just watching TV all day.

However, the next biggest stumbling block is, who do you want to teach you? It takes footwork for your parents to find a proper guitar teacher, and if you can do this for them and find one, they will be all the more happy to pay for it. They’ve been paying for a piano teacher anyway, and that is no small piece of change.

Regarding the modern rock vs. classical issue, I think you should give classical guitar music a chance. It will help you build a lot of technique that will help you in your mastery of rock, as well as expand your horizons. It is worlds different from classical piano.

By: Lester G

Lester G — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:38:22 +0000

Get a can of black spray paint and cover all of the walls of your house with a message something like,"I want to play guitar, not piano!" That should convince them. Good luck.

By: Todd

Todd — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:10:26 +0000

Best way would be to sit down and talk to your parents and tell them how you feel. Forcing you to play an instrument that you’re not interested in will do no good in the long run… you’ll just grow to hate and resent it. That said… the piano is a good base instrument that is useful in composition and as a way to compose music. You can get an electric keyboard and practice with headphones… same is true for guitar… use headphones if they say its too loud.

By: mamianka

mamianka — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:28:50 +0000

Did your parents buy the guitar, and will they also pay for guitar lessons? Then you have no right to complain – they are CORRECT in requiring you to stick with piano, too. ALL college music programs – whatever you major or style of music – require you to have a minimal college-level proficiency in piano, BESIDES your major instrument – that is how important it is. You are whining because your parents want to give you TOO MUCH education??? Don’t you read all the questions here from kids who would LOVE to be in your position? If the piano/privacy thing is aggravating you, then make a deal – you will EARN the money to get an electric keyboard, at least 61 notes (76 or 88 if you can – there are used ones EVERYWHERE for cheap) so you can practice in your room with headphones – and you will promise to play the acoustic piano for them once a week. You should also promise to play something on the guitar for them one a week, too – even if it is scales.

If you do NOT intend to take guitar lessons, then question over – you will stink for years, and be a bedroom wannabee – like we need a few more thousand of THOSE. Get lesson with a good teacher – not the stoner at the local music store, no matter how cool you think he is . If you are SERIOUS about this – then *man up* and prove it.

Added – To Esmee – If you have not noticed, the users of this forum have voted me as the TOP Answerer here – because I give seriously well-prepared and though-out answers. You can read my bio info to see if I *know anything about music*. When you have as much education, professional experience, and awards for excellence in teaching that I have, we can continue this conversation – perhaps in a few decades. Meanwhile, I hold to my answer – this young person has a chance to do WELL, if only he would think about the best way to approach his parents, and benefit from their generous support. Sitting in his bedroom and trying to teach himself the guitar is NOT working – he has had the thing since Christmas, and is not getting anywhere, is he? So – what are YOUR accomplishments that validate *your* answer? Huh??

By: Jimjon

Jimjon — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:10:12 +0000

Tell them you aren’t in to the piano, you feel that the guitar is more something you would like to play instead. And trust me i know how you feel about the whole applaud thing that happens to me a lot whenever my parents tell me to try out the piano, just try to block them out and continue playing. Anyway when i wanted to play the trumpet and not the xylophone all i did was tell them the trumpet was more "me" and i would have a lot more fun in band if I played it. If that doesn’t work try to bribe them, tell them you’ll do more chores around the house and stuff.

By: Javier H

Javier H — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:52:40 +0000

If I were you I would learn both. I took piano for 5 years as a kid and quit when i was 10. I wish i never did because I’d be such a badass right now. You can get a keyboard and play some funky stuff. You can rock out with a keyboard and still learn to play guitar. You’d get so many girls. If only i was your age again

By: Sephora

Sephora — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:15:26 +0000

Well, good luck with that *laughs* because I really don’t consider guitar a real instrument.
Anyway,
You have to convince them that you will actually play something they consider music and play something with sheet music. Not tabs, or chords. Like, sheet music, with the treble clef and everything. And why do you have a guitar if you don’t play it…?
So yeah, good luck.

By: Kidcoolie

Kidcoolie — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:30:29 +0000

tell them its your choice

By: aZtig Jimbo

aZtig Jimbo — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:42:17 +0000

summon Pikachu and electrify them..lol jk…make them notice that u raelly love to play guitar and piano like make some ideas that they will see that u really love it