...I have no idea what will.

Embrace this child and invite her to the next SG101.
Simply. Wow.

Gellert (my first name)

Guitarist for The Fintastics

https://www.facebook.com/TheFintastics

I agree, simply WOW! The quality of her playing is extraordinary. She lands on every note solidly and has great sustain. There are people that have been playing for decades, whom are not able to play as cleanly as this child does after a very short time. Kudos to her instructor for teaching her technique so effectively and to her also, for having the discipline to apply what she has learned.

Long ago, in a galaxy far away, I was a guitar teacher. I was often amazed by how well children could play and at the skill and agility that can exist in small, but very flexible, hands. I noticed the same thing in this video. Her hands seem pretty small, in comparison with the neck of a 25.5” scale guitar, but she was obviously able to play quite effectively with those little hands. Even better, chances are that having started so young, her hands will retain their flexibility and agility when she reaches her full growth.

Indeed, this is heartwarming.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

TheFintastics wrote:

Exactly as Synchro said...for a 9 year old to play a 25 1/2" scale neck is astounding, especially in the surf genre. I hope she sticks with it. This video really makes me happy and warms my heart to no end.

Children have an amazing ability to learn new things, sometimes very rapidly. I wasn’t in her league when I was first learning to play, but I remember that the first year or so I learned pretty quickly, and I’ve seen the same thing with my own students. The question really comes down to where they want to go with it, or perhaps more accurately, what options are open to them.

New players need an outlet, whether it be as a band, or just hanging out and trading licks with their peers. For a youngster like this, especially considering that she seems to be developing some great skills on the instrument, the challenge may be in finding a peer group. She will likely end up jamming with players that are not in her age group, which is exactly what has happened with her recording. In any event, I wish her the best.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

SabedLeepski wrote:

synchro wrote:

New players need an outlet, whether it be as a band, or just hanging out and trading licks with their peers. For a youngster like this, especially considering that she seems to be developing some great skills on the instrument, the challenge may be in finding a peer group. She will likely end up jamming with players that are not in her age group, which is exactly what has happened with her recording. In any event, I wish her the best.

Yeah, that's the part of the video I like least TBH: her band mates being 4(+?) decades older. I understand that it's impossible to find band mates, all of her age, at that level, but I hope she's not confined to a balding/greying band for too long.

Anyway, she plays amazing and I hope she won't have forgotten about surf guitar after she's ventured into punk/metal/jazz during her teens

The problem is, finding young players that are serious. They are out there, to be assured, but not necessarily nearby. I find it interesting that we see more examples of young girls that are serious players than we do of young boys. I’ve seen several videos of preteen girls playing both Surf and Fingerstyle guitar on YouTube and in many cases they are excellent players.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I was at a music store in metro Denver and there was a girl in her teens that was jamming with us old cats and doing a great job of it. Later on, I heard that she had placed quite well in a national fingerstyle contest.

Music gives young people a worth goal that they can attain in direct proportion to the effort they expend. It’s a wonderful thing. If I had unlimited assets, I would love to come up with a place where gifted young musicians could meet and interact. It’s always troubled me that young musicians, as a rule, don’t have access to live music because most live music happens in places where alcohol is sold. It would be great if kids could have an opportunity to see skilled musicians playing in a live setting and then learn by watching the best, and then hopefully having the opportunity to ask a few questions and to compare notes with other players of their peer group.

I’m very happy to see that there are youngsters that are interested in carrying the torch.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.