Anyone Ever Give Guitar Lessons?

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the dude

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Hi all! I am starting to give lessons after playing for 10 years and wondering if anyone else has done this before and what their take on it was. Like, where to go after the basics are learned, although that will be down the line because my students have never played before! they are coing along nicely after only 2 lessons. so that is a good sign! anyone have any suggestions? I may just buy a guitar 101 book and follow it. sounds simple enough! thanks for the advice! peace the dude
 
start with scales...scales scales scales!!!



ive done alot of music theroy with my alto and tenor sax, scales are the foundation of any music learning.


do some scales every day to embed them into the back of the little kiddies skulls. then after that do some basic technique and after that do some simple songs...and if they do a good job reward them, no joke, its a good way to start them on the learning.



and always work at the person your teachings pace, if they arent picking it up as fast, keep going over and teach them at a slower pace.


hope i helped. i havent teached :-P any persons on a guitar yet, but i have with drums and sax's


freak
 
I taught my oldest son how to play. I just made up the lessons as I went along. Some people can pick it up on their own if you give them enough to get going with. Just think about the most important elements and start giving it to them in managable bites.


bd
 
I teach. Right now I have about 7 students, down from about 15 earlier this year. The ranks always thin out during the summer months and pick up again once shcool starts.

I think the most important thing is to teach songs first. Teach 3 chords and get them playing songs ASAP. Scales and theory are important no doubt, but knowing songs will motivate them to practice on their own more than anything else.

Make your students practice with a metronome.

Probably my biggest frustration is dealing with student's crappy instruments. It's tough to motivate a 10 year old beginner when their guitar won't even hold a tune for a 1/2 hour lesson. The minute they get home, their guitar sounds like crap. They can't even tell if they are practicing what we talked about correctly because the guitar is so out of tune.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
great! thanks guys, i am actually teaching adults who want to learn. I am basically offering to teach them what they want to learn, the one girl wants to play songs and the one guy wants to start fromt he beginning. I, myself, would want to learn a song first. As simple as it may be or a chord progression. SOMETHING to make it sound like you are accomlishing something productive witht he instrument. And I also took sax lessons for 12 years and shit all through school and scales are the beginning . . . . of the end! just kidding. they suck but they are necessary, in my opinion. so, thanks again dudes, peace
 
I agree the song angle is good as bait but they've got to learn scales, patterns and relationships. But a cool lick to a familiar song can bring them to a higher plataeu and keep them motivated.

I tried to teach for a while a long time ago, but I got so upset with students who didn't practice the previous lesson, I just gave up.


The best guy out here has pretty good chops in all styles and won't even play live anymore cause he's booked every afternoon and evening at $60 an hour. His trick is that when the kid comes in and plays the new thing they learned he goes, "That ROCKS man!". Jazz, classical, blues, rock, it doesn't matter, he does the same thing. The students love him and work hard to impress him.
 
I use a Mel Bay book for reading and guitar manuscript book for riffs, chords, tunes, etc.
For really little kids like 6 or 7 I just use the manuscript. This way I can write in the notes at their pace.

I teach everyone a simple A blues from day 1. Then we build on that. Add in the 9th chords, dim 7th, flat 5's, etc. I'll show them some fingerstyle blues turnarounds. People seem to really like that. And of course the scales that go with it.

I've got some young people playing some very slick stuff.

The idea isn't to stuff blues down their throats, but it's a good way to get their fingers dancing.

As a rule I try to make half the lesson academic and the other half the fun stuff the want to do.
 
I have taught bass guitar on very much a part time basis for a few years now. The most difficult problem I have is keeping patient with somebody who can't seem to pick something up. What is also frustrating is when they don't practice, or at least don't practice the work you have given them to practice.

Scales are clearly important for all instruments, I tend to start with just a few scales and warm ups then move onto some actual tunes, then go back to scales and excersises periodically through the lesson, this is particularly good with people that have a short attention span.
 
hey thanks again guys! musch appreciated. and i agree with the "not practicing" shit. but, hey! THEY are paying ME, so i really dont care if they practice. I am in it for the money and if they are going to waste their money then that is their problem. They are adults and if they want to learn it, they will! Luckily, I havent had to deal with this. . . . YET!!!! later
 
I used to think that way too. Your percecption will probably change once you've been teaching for a while. The money is good, but the satisfaction of watching your students improve is good too.
I have had a few students that I eventually had to just cut off. They just plain couldn't get it/ wouldn't practice. It's always easier to fill the slot with someone else than it is to nurse along a loser.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
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