Loog Mini Guitar Review: Best Guitar for Kids and Beginners? (COUPON in description!)
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- Is Loog Mini the best Guitar for Kids and Beginners? In this video I'll give a review of the instrument based on my experience using the Loog mini with my own music students ages 4 and up. Although the Loog Mini is designed for children, it's still fun for an adult to play, as you'll see in the video!
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$$$ DISCOUNT CODE! $$$
Loog gave me a code to share with my UA-cam subscribers!
Use this link to visit the Loog website:
www.loogguitars.com/benbrillcr...
At checkout, enter the code BENBRILLCREATIVE to save 10% on most items in the Loog store. *Note, it may not work when Loog is having a big sale, but it can’t hurt to try!
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BOOKS I MENTIONED:
Hal Leonard Guitar Method and Songbook for Kids:
amzn.to/3mCN7LX
Note, be sure to get the "Method AND Songbook option" (like in the link). Although having an experienced teacher is a big plus in general, these books are set up well enough that even a non-musical parent can get a kid started playing.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When I ordered I thought they learned cords that only use the 3 strings on the Loog but they are learning partial cords. So whatever she learns she’ll have to relearn on a 6 string instead of building on what she learned. Am I missing something? I’m disappointed.
Hey, Jennifer - thanks for your awesome question. Is my belief as a teacher that there’s no need for disappointment.
If a student learns to play chords on the three string Loog guitar, they Will have a head start on playing the full versions of chords on a six string guitar if they eventually decide to move to that instrument. For this to work best, it’s important that the student uses the correct finger numbers ad is explained on the deck of cards that come with the guitars. It can take a little practice to get good at using these cards, and I do think that there’s some room for a better explanation of how to do this. I plan to make A few videos on this here on UA-cam.
As a full-time music teacher, the thing to me that’s most exciting about Loog guitar, is that before Loog was invented, many kids would usually start learning on ukulele then switch to guitar later. But the downside of that is that they would have to totally relearn the names and shapes of all the chords learned.
Not so with three string guitars. The name of the chord is the same, and the student just has to learn to add one or two other fingers to complete the full shape.
I hope that helps, but let me know if there’s anything that doesn’t make sense yet. Music and instruments are a complicated but wonderful world!
No this thing is silly.
@@timothycollinsguitar9450 Do you mean visually, or more of the concept? If you think it looks silly with me playing it, I can't argue there, haha. If you have a critique of the concept, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. I checked out some of your vids, and really enjoy your arrangements.
@@BenBrillCreative I was being a little grumpy I guess. I do start a lot of very young students on three strings. One of my ew students got one so I’m looking forward to playing it. Definitely silly but probably in a good way. Thanks and keep up the great work. 🎸🎶🎶
@@timothycollinsguitar9450 I hear ya! I was pretty skeptical about these guitars for a while. Even now, I'm taking a level-headed and scientific approach to seeing how well they work compared with ukuleles and 6-strings. So far, I'm extremely pleased on all fronts. I hope your new student does well with them. If they have a loog pro (the one for ages 8+, I do find the original strings a bit hard to press down). No big deal to swap to normal tension nylon, though.
Thanks for the encouragement, and best of luck with your own students. It's an important time to be a teacher
Thanks a lot for the review and advices, I'm considering buying it for my 4 yo birthday, and I think it's a cool gift which will be used when she grows up)
Good idea! The guitars are a lot of fun to play, even if just for making noise with. And like you're thinking, using more as the child gets older. But, who knows - kids sometimes become very interested!
The Loog Acoustic Guitars are designed with an Electric Guitar type feel to facilitate playability, and make the transition between the Two Guitars (Acoustic & Electric) a Breeze. What about putting a Piezo Pickup on this Guitar.
Their Pro & Pro VI Acoustic Guitars use Extra-Light Strings to get an Electric Guitar feel, in order to facilitate playability.
2:07 Fun fact, if you use FX with the Acoustic-Electric you get a really special sound that you just can't get out of a Standard Electric Guitar. It's the Acoustic Woodiness mixed in with FX that makes Acoustic-Electric Guitars really special.
I'll agree with that for sure. I thought about installing a pickup under the bridge of the Loog mini to see how that sounded. In this video, I ended up using a cheap contact pickup that ACTUALLy sounds really good. Was like $15 on Amazon. I like it because I can stick it to any instrument and get some cool effects.
@@BenBrillCreative The Acoustic-Electric Loog (basically an Acoustic Loog with an added Piezo Pickup, Pre amp with Volume, Tone, On Off Switch, & even a built in amp) is next.
@@BenBrillCreative Oscar Stern here, adding a Piezo makes the Acoustic Loog Guitars even more versatile so kids can play the same music on both Loog Guitars (Acoustic-Electric, & Electric). It never hurts for kids to have both Guitars because Loog Guitars (and lots of companies) designed their Acoustic Guitars to feel like Electric Guitars in order to make them more playable. Just remember Acoustic-Electric Guitars are more of an add on with Electric Guitars because they're known for that really special sound, take a listen:ua-cam.com/video/GfXfxISVrI8/v-deo.html
@@BenBrillCreative The Loog Guitars would also benefit from a Zero fret in order to help with playability.
@@BenBrillCreative hello there! I am musically illiterate and I'm trying to buy "that thing he's using" so my husband can make the little Loog he ordered for our son sound electric. Is that what you two are talking about here? Can you please send me a link for that?
My husband has autism and we're finding every way possible to connect. If I'm not being clear I can elaborate.
Hi, My Grandson asked for a guitar so I got the mini electric with built in speaker. I want to try the contact amp you mentioned but Im not clear on how to use it. Do you plug it (the contact amp) into a bigger amp or in the mini guitar jack?
Nice question, and glad you're checking out the Loog guitars! If you already got the loog mini electric, I'd say that's all you need at this point. Nice and simple to have the speaker and everything inside the guitar.
You can get super fancy and buy a guitar cable and amplifier that can make crazy sounds, but at that age it would be excessive, in my opinion. The contact pickup is something i was using on guitars that don't have the option to plug in, so you wouldn't need one of those
Awesome review.
I really appreciate you watching!
The Loog Pro & Pro VI Acoustic Guitars have Extra Light Gauge Strings to emulate an Electric Guitar feel, & all their Acoustic loogs should become Acoustic-Electric so that they're more versatile, they'll have the same controlls as their Electric loogs but instead of a magnetic pickup, it's a Piezo Pickup.
Have you done a review on the Loog electric 3 string?
Yep! Here ya go:
ua-cam.com/video/L5feUcz0rrY/v-deo.html
I've owned the loog pro electric for a few years and play it pretty often. Loog makes a loog mini electric (smaller size than in the video ) as well. I've played one of those a few times as well (a student has one). Same concept for both sizes, but the larger one works a bit better for me.
I just received the mini electric. Is there a good tutorial on the very beginning... like strumming? How to use the pick and such? Maybe dumb
question.
Nah! Not dumb. I made some videos like that because I didn't see much out there that was basic enough. Here's a playlist of a series I made for total beginners. Just look for the ones with "Loog" in the title.
ua-cam.com/video/f9YZcjg-NK4/v-deo.html
Are you wanting to learn yourself, or help a young person get into guitar?
Ah thanks!! Learning for myself first.
Im not a kid, but i sure like this for on the go jamming or turning into a 3 string slide guitar 🤔
I've also seen Ashton Kutcher playing solos on a loog
Rock on! Checked out your Loog video and really dig it. Keep up the great work. Yea, these things are surprisingly fun to experiment on.
@@BenBrillCreative thank you brother. They are fun guitars 🙌🏻🎸.
What would be involved with turning it into a slide guitar?
My daughter is almost 4 and she doesn’t care much for when I play my electric but every time I play my acoustic for her she is crisscross on the floor watching me with awe. She’s definitely interested and I would love to get her started on learning so that we could jam together for the rest of our lives. Do you think this is the product for that or is there a better option? I started playing at 26 years old so I was a little late to the game. That’s why I need help with this question.
Phil: that is an absolutely beautiful goal of wanting a life of music with your daughter!!! And that’s really cool she’s got a love of acoustic instrument sounds.
I’d love answer your question and maybe give some ideas of things to maybe check out on her learning path.
First of all, it sounds like you’re primary instrument is guitar, right? Are there certain styles of music you have experience with? That info would help me answer your question as best as possible.
For me, with kids under 6, the Loog mini is my favorite instrument to teach on. I sometimes teach uke if that’s what the student really has their heart set on, but I do prefer the simplicity of 3 strings, and using a pick.
I think the Loog mini is excellent for teaching young kids a few one-finger chords. From there, they can play tons of folk and pop songs, which I find is what gets most of my students excited. But, really depends on the student.
Another cool thing about Loog is they have a free app (you can get it anytime) that has some engaging games, songs, and a really intuitive tuner that makes sense to kids.
I’ve also put together some videos on UA-cam that give examples of how to teach some really simple chords and melodies.
ua-cam.com/play/PLqTwgGRP1t3oItMwDcX3PyIJxwQaBHsdl.html
Regarding other options for kids that age, I’m aware that the Suzuki method has guitar curriculum, and they can teach very young kids on 6 string nylon guitar. It’s a more classical and ear-training approach. I haven’t perused it yet, but am curious to learn more about it.
I’m getting more ideas too, but I don’t want to overload you! Glad to be of service if you have other questions!
Ben Brill Music for KIDS It's the Loog Mini Acoustic, that's because they now have an Electric version of that Guitar along w/ the Loog Pro (and Pro VI). The Loog Electric Guitars now have a built in amp which makes them more versatile than the Acoustic Guitars and helps with recording via pickup. You can turn the Loog Mini Acoustic into an Acoustic-Electric by adding a piezo pickup to it, let's hear what it sounds like.
Nice! Thanks for adding all this good info here. Yes, I'm pretty excited to see how the new electric Loogs turn out. It's a pretty bold design to build in the amplifier like that. I have 3 music students who pre-ordered their Loog electrics a few months ago, and it looks like they'll be getting their guitars over the next week or so. Will see if I can borrow those instruments and make a video asap.
I checked out your channel! Awesome instrument selection.
@@BenBrillCreative The Loog Electric Guitars (Mini, Pro, and Pro VI) are a big hit. With the built in amp playing the Electric Guitar is even easier because now you simply "Flip the Switch & play". Using an Interface connected to the device with the app running really makes them useful too, & the Active pickup allows you to use headphones too.
@@BenBrillCreative Even though Electric Guitars are physically easier to start on due to their construction, Loog Guitars made it even easier by making ones that have a built in amp (just like the Vox Apache Electrics and those 60s Guitars with built in amps), "Flip the switch and play".
@@BenBrillCreative Oscar Stern here. The Loog Electric Guitars are a big hit, & they're even easier to start with thanks to the built in amplifier. So instead of "plug in and play" it's now "Flip the Switch and play".
I really loved your content and how you really dedicate to it, even though you sadly is not recognized
And the way you edit your videos are really well done too
@@davitarga7091 I appreciate it! Thanks for watching. I think people get plenty out of the vids, and I get thanks all the time so it feels good being on here!
Interested in details on this contact pickup. Can you attach a link?
Totally! I've bought a few of this particular item. Super cheap and works well:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZYH4RRN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dang I might get one of those electrics just to mess around with 😅
Yea - I think you'd have a good time with it! The pro electric (larger size of 3 string loog) is my fav electric by the company. I figured it would be sort of a gimmick for me to legitimately play one, but ended up really enjoying the challenge of having to figure out arrangements for 3 strings. Built in overdrive is fun. If I run the guitar through an octave pedal, I can double down the low notes, and basically sounds as good as my stratocaster.
You know what they say "Flip the Switch and Play" because their Electric Guitars have a built in amplifier which makes them even easier for beginners.
What pickup were you using on the Loog in this video?
Hi, @jonneet2126! Sorry for my delay there. Here is the exact one I was using. The pickup has held up really well, and it works on a ton of instruments. Really versatile for under $20!
amzn.to/4aThfvc
i bought this for my friends lil bro. waiting for it to ship. can i knock the tuning down to DAD, so he can play powerchords on it?
update : you can down tune them to DAD.
Good call! Yep, I've used that tuning and it can work. One finger all the way across and you an play just about anything. In fact, I like to get the same result by just dropping the "G" string down to an E. So, you'd have E-B-E. You still have a powerchord, and the strings have a bit more tension. Rock on!
Would you do a video on the DAD down tuning? For the mini electric?
@UCBQNOPlojOj_NgBj5SFQ8NA
The addition of a built in amp on the Loog Electric Guitars (Mini, Pro, & Pro VI) is great cause now kids can "Flip the Switch and play". They also need to turn off the switch so that they don't drain the battery when they put it away.
yes but can you play smoke on the water on it
100% yes. That riff gets probably 60% of my students started at loving guitar, haha
@@BenBrillCreative what about Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Absolutely. You can hit all the riffs on a Loog, but it's up an octave higher. I actually tabbed it out and you can have a copy here (assuming I can put a link here)
drive.google.com/file/d/1HdvfkQB2LtxwEWgr0xzAvABoN0qSKIUJ/view?usp=sharing
Wow prices have gone up. I just paid $199.00 for a loog mini electric with strap and bag
I did notice the guitars went up a little over the last months. Definitely not the cheapest instruments out there, but in my experience it's worth it. Lower quality options are often impossible to play at all, and these guitars are much nicer.
it has three stings and you wont get any where with three strings and when you move up to a six string guitar it will be almost imposable to switch and since it has different chord shapes it will be hard to switch to full size six string guitar chords it is a toy not a guitar
Hey there - good to hear your thoughts. I do think it'll take a little effort to switch from 3 to 6 strings. But, I have been very happy with how my students are doing with these guitars. I had one student who basically gave up on guitar until we tried out a Loog electric. Now he's playing every day and enjoying it a lot more. Depends on what your goals are I guess. The Loogs do look a little silly, but I've owned maybe 25 guitars in my life, and the quality and sound of the Loogs is good enough for me to enjoy playing them.
Thanks for your comment, and I wish you luck with your channel!
@@BenBrillCreative a loo
What is the tuning it cames with?
It comes in standard tuning. The notes are the same as the 3 smallest strings on the 6-string… E, B, G.
Thanks for helping out with that question, ChiroTom5! Well put, and I appreciate it!
It’s like a strum stick.
Kinda! My fist impression on these Loog guitars was that the sound was similar to a dulcimer. The frets on these are more like a guitar style.
Cute but it’s not technically a gtr with only three strings.
Sure -by the textbook definition, you're right. Not sure what else to call it, though.
It's closer to a guitar than a lute so I would say, yes it technically is a guitar
@@BenBrillCreative rather just get a cheap beginner guitar with 6 strings for me but then again i started with a guitar instead of a uke