young Taylor player

[MeredithI]

Hello, I teach guitar and one of my newest students, a 9-year old girl, has an entry level Taylor.  It's a Taylor Swift 3/4 size "baby Taylor".  I am so proud of her accomplishments so far.  She can read music and has played everything I've put in front of her.  She's been taking lessons from me for less that four months.  Note in the video she learned that Bm chord and Gsus4 chord in only a couple of weeks and she's only NINE.  It won't be long 'til she's ready to "graduate" to a standard size and model Taylor.  Here she is with her dad, who's learning banjo, making music with family, sister and grandma singing harmony around a campfire at Thanksgiving in North Carolina.  The song is "The Rainbow Connection" made famous by Kermit the Frog.  Nah, they're not exactly in tune and they're not professionals, but this is what it's all about!!  Bonding with family with MUSIC.  This is how we nurture our children to grow up to be music makers.  I'm so proud to be a guitar teacher!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdMj0ElyKu4&feature=youtu.be
Sighing in contentment.

[jjrpilot-admin]

Hello MeredithI!!! It's great to have you here! Please make yourself at home!

Thanks for sharing your story, and most of all thanks for investing your life and love of music with that girl. Not too shabby for a 9 year old! it's neat to see how the family was bonding through their music.

Welcome again! 

[CodeBlueEMT]

 Hi MeredithI. Welcome to the UTGF. Thanks for sharing the video. In all of your excitement, you forgot to introduce yourself.  Enjoy the site. 

[MeredithI]

Yes, you're right, I didn't introduce myself.  I mostly wanted to share the story of my student who owns a Taylor.  I play an Ovation Custom Legend 1619 Acoustic-Electric (solid sitka spruce top) and a Dauphin Classical (solid cedar top).  I have played many Taylors though and I like them a lot.  I've been playing since 1973 in the 6th grade when I got my first guitar, a Yamaha FG 110.   I went to college as a music major with my principal instrument as classical guitar.  I now teach general music at an elementary school, plus I teach private guitar in the afternoons.  Right now I have 9 private guitar students.  Only one has a Taylor and that's the student in the video link.  I wish they all had Taylors though!  Some of the entry level guitars I've seen by other manufacturers not good at all!  It's hard to convince a parent to spend more than $200 on an instrument for a child though.  Oh yeah, I'm a woman!  There aren't many lady guitar players out there, but rest assured I love being surrounded by great guys who play guitar.  That's one of the perks of being a lady guitarist: ya get to hang out with lots of guys.     Relax, I'm married.   

[Captain Jim]

Heart-warming video!  The young lady in the video does a fine job. 

Welcome aboard!  Nice to have you here.

Best wishes,
Captain Jim

[Cindy]

Hi Meredith and welcome to the UTGF.

Your student certainly has the makings of becoming a fantastic guitar player before she is even out of high school! Kudos to her family for getting her a Taylor. Yes, even the smaller bodied Taylors are quite playable and well-built, but as you said, it is difficult to convince a parent to purchase a better quality instrument because of its price. Her guitar seems especially well suited for her size.

Look out Taylor Swift.

[BigSkyTaylorPlayer]

So cool, how nice for you to look at that and know you had a role in shaping that young girl's (and her family's) life.  I still remember my first guitar teacher.  We never know what influence we may have on others and it's nice to see it in action once in a while.

Welcome to the forum, perhaps when she is old enough - or with her parent's supervision she will join us here.

[oatordeal]

thanks for sharing. i wish i started as early as her. again, great vid! nothing better than sharing music with loved ones (esp family).

[mgap]

Hi Meredith and welcome to the UTGF, it is great to have you here