New invention to help people learn the guitar (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

New invention to help people learn the guitar

11:17am Friday 12th December 2008

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A REVOLUTIONARY training aid designed to teach people the guitar has been invented by a local resident.

Professional guitarist and teacher Kelvin Pratt has designed, patented and launched the Space Trainer to help budding musicians learn guitar chords correctly.

The Space Trainer works by positioning the hand correctly on the guitar for the chords to help beginners learn the fundamentals before moving on to become guitar heroes.

Mr Pratt, of Crescent Road, Heybridge, came up with the idea after teaching at Plume School, Maldon and Thurstable School, Tiptree, when he realised there was nothing else on the market to help.

The gadget has now been sold in the UK and the USA and Mr Pratt hopes it could prove to be an essential aid for all beginners.

He said: “I work as a guitar teacher and have met a lot of people in the industry but there is still the opportunity for a local business to get involved. For anyone starting it is a wonderful idea. People with a guitar can then use it rather than giving up and throwing it in the corner.

“For many years I have played the guitar professionally and I have worked all over the UK in many bands, clubs, pubs and halls. 12 years ago I became a professional teacher of the six string electric, bass and acoustic guitars both in many schools and at my own studio.

“During my time teaching I have noticed that many beginners struggle with bad hand position and I have tried to correct this by using pencils or a similar item positioned underneath the neck to encourage their hand into the correct playing position.

“After years of unsuccessfully searching for a gadget to solve this problem I have produced my own solution, the Space Trainer. When fitted it has trained many of my students and now they find it easy to get their hands into the correct shape making chord playing much easier.”

The new gadget is now being used in schools around the Maldon district and is available from www.space-trainer.com

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