Help with giving guitar lessons (PLEASE)

[waffle_house_jam]

In a few weeks I am starting to give lessons to a beginning guitarist. She has not played at all before, is 11 yrs. old, and I really don't know where to start. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any resources I could find on the internet with good tips for beginners and maybe some ideas for early lessons. Also, any suggestions at all are welcome. I personally plan on teaching the basics (holding the guitar, etc.) and then recommending some finger excercises to practice when not in lessons. Also, I personally play without a pick. I was wondering if I should start her out using a pick or teach fingerstyle guitar right away...
Any suggestions are welcome... I really want to do this correctly.
Thanks.
-waffle

[gravedigger]

In a few weeks I am starting to give lessons to a beginning guitarist. She has not played at all before, is 11 yrs. old, and I really don't know where to start. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any resources I could find on the internet with good tips for beginners and maybe some ideas for early lessons. Also, any suggestions at all are welcome. I personally plan on teaching the basics (holding the guitar, etc.) and then recommending some finger excercises to practice when not in lessons. Also, I personally play without a pick. I was wondering if I should start her out using a pick or teach fingerstyle guitar right away...
Any suggestions are welcome... I really want to do this correctly.
Thanks.
-waffle

First thing you do, is teach her how to play Tripping Billies and The Stone.


No, but seriously my suggestion would be to maybe tell her a bit about the instrument, like the different parts of it, the body, neck, bridge, nut, frets......etc. and what each string is called E A D G B E. then I guess just start teaching her a couple of chords, show her how she should hold a pick, and how to hold her hand. But I guess you don't want to bombard her with too much since she's only 11. But at that age I guess they can absorb more than say us "adults" or whatever we are.

now she's ready for Tripping Billies!

have fun!


peace,
Ken

[johntherevelator]

i have a question

what do you do when a girl wants you to teach her guitar but really all you want to do is bang her?

[sunglassesatnight]

i have a question

what do you do when a girl wants you to teach her guitar but really all you want to do is bang her?

I second this question, I am in the precise boat right now. I am quite confused. I can only see myself staring at her breasts instead of the fretboard while she strums away at some G Am C progression. I am truly in trouble. This is a very difficult time for me.

PS--she's not eleven
Slimer

[gravedigger]

try spankin' the monkey before the session, and see if that relieves some of the tension.

[billywestom]

first off, i would teach her chromaticism (how the notes progress up the neck on each string). then basic chords, d, g, c, e, the minors... show her how the root note of each chord is the same note. then go on to playing note progressions and chord progressions (G, Em, C, D) then bar chords. just a start

[michaelb14]

One of the first things I would teach would be the notes on the fretboard. This is something I myself am trying to learn and it is a great help when you can play a note and know what it is not just know the shapes. Wish I'd have learned it earlier. I am using a program called absolute fretboard training, works pretty well. In addition to this I would teach all the open chords and then some simple songs that use these chords. I know it helped keep up my confidence and willingness to learn when I could actually play a song. Also I would go for something contemperary that she would know. With me I first learned blues travelers "runaround". Something with simple chords but not stupid stuff like mary had a little lamb that they put in books sometime....unless it's SRV's version of mary had a little lamb. Then teach her the stone and trippin billies, just kidding.

As to the second question if the chick digs you and is using the "lessons" as an excuse then go for it. if she has no interest in you I guess the advice offered earlier about spanking it before the lesson might be sound advice.

[God_Fearing_Man]

if a girl asks you to teach her guitar

it usually means she wants you to bang her

heh, it's how i ended up with my girlfriend!

anyway as per the initial question - it's already been covered, introduce the player to the instrument.. tell them all there is to know about the BASIC workings of a guitar.. what each thing is, it's purpose and so forth.

Next, work on holding the guitar..
where to place their arm
how to cradle the neck
how to hold a pick

and the first thing i would do, evne before working on chords, is work on simple fingerings -

songs like mary had a little lamb and ode to joy as it helps build up finger strength more than palying chords, and is far less discouraging than trying to learn chords first (it is much more difficult to play a chord without calluses or any motor memory in your hand than it is to play a 4/4 melody).

Just find a couple of simple things like that, because they are things that the player can learn probably in one lesson and with a few days of practice, master.

then work on some of the basic, common chords (C, G, D are probably the best two).

then go back to finger movements - find things that are more difficult than the songs i mentioned before (i.e. greensleeves) and then go onto some basic chords.

especially becauseyou're dealing with a youngre child who probably has no musical experience, she needs to be taught in a way tht simplifies and rewards.. otherwise she will be discouraged , and that, obviosuly is the last thing you want to have when you're a teacher...

(hope this made sense, im' crazy tired)

[taylordb]

I agree with God_Fearing_Man. Also, you need to have some kind of lesson plan of attack to keep things moving in the right direction. I'm remembering back to my first guitar lessons and my guitar instructor used the Mel Bay Guitar book...its still in print and a little (no alot) dated but very good. It started with the absolute basics and built from there. It also gave me something to work past what he had given me to do for the week if I wanted to.

Acoustic Guitar Magazine also has a series for learning guitar that you might want to check out.

[Pickles]

teach her Easter Bunnies Get Drunk After Easter. thas how i learned

[johntherevelator]

try spankin' the monkey before the session, and see if that relieves some of the tension.

ya but im tryin to bang her, not tryin to teach her guitar

[cave_cricket]

This may be painflu but to keep the 11 year olds interest maybe learn the vocal line a a BRitney Spears song or Backstreet Boys song. Teach it along the same lines you would Mary Had A Little Lamb. SHe may find more enjoyment if she can paly the notes that sound like "Oops I did it again."

Just a thought to keep her interest.

Peace,

[JimiThing]

My instructor first taught me the different parts of the guitar. Next we were taught how to hold it ect. He taught us in classical guitar style w/ the 4 points of contact and the neck high which makes it easier to finger. 1st position, second position ect. The first banging I got to do on the guitar was learning the pentatonic scale. There are a million ways to improv this which will lead to her learning hammers, pull offs, slides ect. The pick was one of the last things we used. We had to finger pick the guitar...learning rest strokes, swing rhythm ect. After the pentatonic scale came chords E7, A7, then B7 and all the major and minor chords...

just my teachers approach..hope it helps

[gravedigger]

yo cricket, I love the new sig!!

[cave_cricket]

yo cricket, I love the new sig!!

Thanks...I thought it summed up much of the angst that has arisen from the huge catastrophe that is ticket scalping. (wow i sound like winston - although I don't think I used any of those words right )

Peace,