Guitar is emerging once again as a popular pastime among youngsters and because of that, legions of budding musicians are in dire need of advice on how to ask their parents for a guitar. Even though the six stringed instrument is one of the most wholesome hobbies that an adolescent can pick up, convincing parents to buy them one remains a tremendous challenge.
Perhaps it is the rebellious image of guitar-driven rock and roll, along with its startling distorted sounds, that have sparked anxieties among parents. Children can play guitar but what about university students and young adults? With the electric guitar as the symbol of this loud and brash culture, it is more likely that a teenager will get a Playstation instead of a guitar, which is supposed to be a much healthier activity for people of all ages.
The guitar is an important part of various cultures all over the globe and was never restricted to any genre. It would be a thing of beauty if the youth of today were to remind their parents about the guitar’s role in shaping our creative world. From Rio De Janeiro’s bossa nova, to the flamenco of Southern Spain and beyond, there is no heart that has not been touched by the guitar’s powerful sound.
Ways to convince your parents to buy you a guitar
- Show them how serious you are about music
Most parents understand the fickleness of the youth when it comes to their interests. This is why it is normal for them to think that your fascination for guitar is just a phase. Earning money is not easy nowadays and they want to make sure that you love music enough to deserve an instrument.
If you really want a guitar, then you should spend your free time reading and watching videos about it, as well as the practitioners that contributed to its development. Aside from showing your parents that you have the dedication to pursue this craft, the knowledge that you will gather, shall also aid you in choosing your future ax.
- Bridge the gap
There will always be a divide between parents and their offspring because adults can’t keep up with society’s rapid transformation. Music however, is ageless and should appeal to people of all eras and cultures.
While we can’t expect our folks to get into the extreme genres of today, it would be great for young guns to research more on music history’s greatest artists. When some of history’s greatest guitarists cemented their legitimacy, your parents’ generation were the fans.
Ask your parents what they listened to as teenagers and let them know that you are sincerely digging their jams too. After they get you that six string, you could even learn their favorite songs as a way of saying thank you to them.
- Address future noise issues
Even if your parents were headbangers back in the day, getting you that guitar won’t instantly become a walk in the park. Problems can come up once they buy you an instrument and receiving complaints from irritable neighbors is just one of them.
You can opt for an electric guitar and practice with headphones, but if acoustic guitar is your preferred instrument, then what you can do is pad your floor and walls with cheap soundproofing materials. Blankets, carpets, egg crates and mattresses, are some examples of sound absorbers that could help muffle your noise.
Find a solution for this predicament first before asking your parents for a guitar, as the sound issue can make or break your pitch.
- Study hard, play hard
Assuming that you are still in school, be reminded that music should not interfere with your studies, even if you got what it takes to become a pro. Being educated is a huge advantage in life and music is just a small portion of the knowledge that you will be accumulating through the years.
Parents dream of providing their children education and to assure them that you will not be wasting that opportunity, can be a good way to land that guitar on your lap. Knowledge is power so make sure to put in the needed work, and then let music be the ultimate reward for your academic efforts.
- Save up
Your parents would love to see your talent bloom to its potential, but the bills and tuition fees are making it difficult for them to fund your passion. You can help them by learning how to be financially responsible at an early age. Save your lunch money and shoulder a portion of the guitar’s total price to lighten your parents’ spending load.
If you are dead serious about becoming a guitarist, you’ll have to sacrifice things as well and forget about the gaming console that you were wishing for. The trade-off will be worth it if you truly believe that playing guitar is one of the sweetest things in life.
There are also ways to earn money doing online freelance work. You can become really good at graphic design, photography or video editing and find projects online. By being smart in handling your time, skills and resources, you won’t have to worry about asking your parents for a guitar, you could even buy one with your own earnings.
