Orem, Utah County
801.815.5041
Wasatch Classical GuitarMark Alger Studio • Est. 2000
Parent Resources • Teacher's Thoughts

Teacher's Thoughts & Guides

Ideas, instrument buying guides, and practical advice from Mark Alger to help you coach your young guitarist with inspiration and good humor.

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Instrument Guide•Classical Guitar 101

Purchasing a Classical Guitar

By Mark Alger, M.M.

"Intonation? Rosewood? Cedar? Spruce? Action? Pegs? String brands? WHAT?! How in the world am I supposed to find a good guitar at the right price? Where's that panic button... I need to push it!"

No you don't. :) I know local sources in Utah County for great guitars and I will help you find the right one. But you still want to be an informed consumer, right?

Nobody wants to buy a lemon. We're all intelligent people here; all we need is a bit of information... so here is a short "Classical Guitar 101".

What to Look For When Buying a Classical Guitar:

1. Nice Flat Top of Solid Wood (No Warping)

Although scratches aren't pretty, they won't affect the tone. Solid wood tops sound significantly better, whereas laminate tops don't vibrate well and don't produce a great sound. Solid Cedar top or Solid Spruce top? It's up to you—what do your ears like?

2. Hardwood Body

It's what will be sending out the sound. Mahogany or rosewood back and sides are great choices.

3. Quality Nylon Strings

The strings on the guitar at the store will probably be a cheap set, but luckily changing strings is not a big deal. Cheap sets stretch out faster and easier, don't have great tone capability, and may not have a good feel. Look for string brands like D'Addario Pro-Arté series for better quality sets.

4. Comfortable Action (String Height)

Action is the distance from the string to the fretboard/neck. If the guitar has really high action, your child is going to have to push really hard to make the notes clean and clear. If the action is too low, the strings will buzz against the frets while playing.

5. Accurate Intonation

This refers to the ability of the strings to sound in tune up and down the neck. If a guitar isn't made accurately or has old/cheap strings, the guitar will not play in tune.

6. Reliable Tuning Pegs (Machine Heads)

Pegs tighten and loosen the strings. If they aren't decent quality, they won't hold the tuning reliably.

7. Proper Child Guitar Sizing (Fractional Guitars)

Sizing of classical guitars for children is a little on the complicated side. Every child's build is a bit different and guitar makers sometimes size things their own way. I will personally measure your child and help you find something that's the right size with a little room to grow—because children tend to do just that: grow and grow and grow!

Enjoy the process. And just know that I will be there to help you every step of the way.

Practicing & Family Culture•Suzuki Parenting

Bringing Beauty to the Home

By Mark Alger, M.M.

I remember years ago a father came to one of our parent meetings. He wasn't the daily music "coach," but he was there because, he said, "I pay the bills." During the meeting he shared that he loved it when he could hear his daughter practicing and the music flowed through the house:

"The atmosphere in our home becomes... beautiful..."

I know just what he's talking about.

One morning as I came in from the studio, I could hear my daughter practicing and it was calm and beautiful. Lately I've been trying to let my children know when I love what they are doing and how I admire their talents. I realized that if I feel the difference in my home, I should let her know how her music is affecting us all for the good.

Isn't it motivating to know that you can make a positive difference in the world? How many children feel powerless—like they have to wait to grow up before they can have much control or feel like they can really contribute to the family or community?

Praise and acknowledgment of a child's musical contribution to the atmosphere in your home could be the very encouragement they need to overcome obstacles in attitude toward practicing. What do you think?