Got any advice for a novice guitar instructor?

[teleman55]

Other than don't do it lol.
I've got people bugging me to give them guitar lessons. I've never done that, but could use a few extra bucks. Mainly never done it because I'm a lefty so I figured it wouldn't work right. But people say it would be good, like looking in a mirror for them. Plus, I've never taken a guitar lesson. So I haven't been through that routine. Though I did have plenty of lessons on brass as a kid when I played in school band and orchestra. So I know that drill. I know music and can read and all that, but so much of what I do with a guitar is intuitive and unexamined.
But, they're bugging me, extra money would be good, and I've got no problem sharing what I know. So I guess I'm gonna do it. These would be people who've played a bit, not beginners. I'm thinking of sitting down with anyone for a half hour for free and seeing what they're looking for and if I can do something for them, then charging from thereon if I am of use to them. Any tips????

[shredtheater]

if they have played abit i think its easier for teachers. Its really structuring the lessons that i find tricky because, like you, ive not had lessons other than for piano as a kid. The one-off lessons where the student has a goal in mind are great for me but when the student doesnt have that ambition its upto me to get a structure in place thats fun but also doesnt leave gaps. I think alot of it comes down to organisation and planning. Patience to, ive always felt that i have to introduce something new everyweek rather than charge them again for more or less the same lesson as the previous week. It took me along time to get out of this mode but i finally realised that giving them tons of info doesnt equate to helping them improve.

Those are my experiences but i too would love to hear from the more experienced teachers around here.

[scolfax]

I haven't gone down that road yet, but this guy has an interesting site and podcast that talks all about it:

http://www.startteachingguitar.com/

[stratman79]

I'm sure it won't matter you're a lefty... infact I find teaching some kids get really confused when looking at me play then repeating as it's all backwards... it may even make more sense to students if you're playing lefthanded.

I think you know the drill if you had brass lessons. Try to make it structured as it gives you confidence going in and makes you appear more professional etc.

1. Spend a bit of time on technical exercises/warming up, take a metronome mark and give them a target for next week.
2. Work a little on aural - even if it's just very basic: is this chord Major or Minor - Is this note higher or lower than the last note etc... obviously can go as far as you want with that one. Could also set a little home work task.
3. Work on a piece that covers many elements etc or you can take many different mini lessons from... i.e Sweet Child O' Mine: Strum the open position chords, Play it in powerchords (do they know the notes to find the power chords?) Work on the opening solo after the first chorus... Work on the intro, talk about how the notes from the solo/intro work with the underlying chords etc etc

If you haven't taught someone before it can be really tricky as you don'y know how much they know or what standard.

I would say apart from been patient and not showing off yourself and actually siting and listening to them (all obvious IMO) my main tips would be.

1. Don't worry about preparing too much
2. Don't worry about using it all - Don'y overload with information.

[Seraphine]

I don't like teaching beginners... even with many gtr players this is a good idea though. Good habits and "how" to play... then..

C scale ( Ionian ) major, and a few octaves of it, especially pointing out how the gtr is laid out and where this is up and down the neck.

Next the triads off the C scale and the C progression.. again, right up the neck everywhere.

Third.. nuances.. bending .. slides and hammers pulls etc.. These I stress NOT to use as habit when playing anything, but to be mindful of when using any inflections, nuances etc

Then Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" as it uses much of the C progression C-dm-em-F-G.. This also allows for some nuances they can apply.. like hammers slides in places.

From there it's the horizon and sky for limits.. even the stars?

This way they can also move on to serious study or other teachers and have a solid foundation provided through you.

The need ( for some ) to comprehend "timing" may need to be considered, even from the beginning. Also I'd advise getting them to learn all the notes on the fretboard and where they are, by heart.

Advanced Fretpro 2.0 ( freeware ) should be fun for them, or hardcopy books. With Fretpro, the scales section ( selected ) and "chromatic" scale on E will light all the notes on the fretboard. The game found in the program will challenge them to figure out and answer what note is where...

Something as basic as coming straight down on notes and brilliant touch and technique will go a very long way in their playing. Right from the start... oh! and stress dynamics early on! Might as well point them towards being phenomenal players from the beginning too eh?!

Good Luck man!

[teleman55]

Thank you, all. Really.

[candid_x]

hey Teleman

I've taught formal classes for kids from a book, and candidly, I was learning along with them, being the mindless jammer I was. From that we gained a few private students, and this is where I believe in the right teacher for the student being critical. Where earlier it was strict fundamentals, now it evolves to what an individual seeks from this sound making means of expression. Some ADD kid is probably going to lack the attention to learn theory, voicing etc, yet may intuitively possess timing or pitch, and interpretation.

So I ask the person (not always a kid) if I give lessons, I ask what specifically they'd like to learn, and try to get a feel for what they have the aptitude for. Some learn best structurally, some learn from copying, some learn from their mistakes, with enough theory understanding to communicate it to other musicians. There's little more frustrating then calling out the key of a tune, and the bass player looking at you with a blank stare, having no clue what a key signature of C even means.

Some kids minds are acutely tuned to formula, mathematics, systems, all which make up music theory. It makes it all technically explainable and therefore able to help performances stay true to the score. If a kid has this nature and aptitude; that is the teacher I would look for. Some of rock's greatest legends have been well schooled in classical music theory.

I could teach places to go within certain chord structures, playing melodies, harmonies, counter-melodies, simile, octaves, and with a student with the aptitude, I could teach to let go of all they know, and just p l a y. But it seems the vast majority strap on head phones and learn impressively sounding licks, note for note, starting slow and speeding up. The world has a burgeoning population of these keyboard or fretboard technicians, most of them were never inspired in their entire life to create music or art form, not even for self expression. They may as well be disassembling and assembling old clocks.

[frquent flyer]

I have often said that just because a guy can play well, doesn't mean he can teach. The best guitar teachers are the folks who teach professionally. My advice is that you seek out some public school teachers and talk to them about curriculum and the like.