- Basic Guitar Setup & Care
- How to hold the guitar properly (sitting/standing).
- Tuning (by ear and with a tuner).
- String names, changing strings, basic maintenance.
- Chords & Rhythm
- Open chords (G, C, D, A, E, Am, Em, Dm).
- Simple strumming patterns.
- Switching between chords smoothly.
- Introduction to barre chords later.
- Notes & Scales
- Notes on each string.
- Major scale, minor scale, pentatonic scale.
- Playing in positions.
- Reading & Playing Music
- Tablature (TAB) as a starting point.
- Standard notation basics if the student wants to go deeper.
- Rhythm counting and timing.
- Songs & Application
- Learn simple songs early (so students stay motivated).
- Build up to riffs, solos, and full pieces.
- Technique & Style
- Proper picking and strumming.
- Fingerpicking basics.
- Muting and dynamics.
- Styles: rock, blues, folk, pop, etc.
Standard Books & Methods (Recommendations) 📚
- Hal Leonard Guitar Method (classic, widely used for beginners).
- Mel Bay’s Modern Guitar Method (another staple, more traditional).
- Fretboard Logic by Bill Edwards (great for understanding the guitar neck and patterns).
- Berklee Basic Guitar Series (structured, especially for more serious students).
For younger kids, Hal Leonard Guitar for Kids or Alfred’s Kid’s Guitar Course work really well.
Song Based Learning💡
I mix a method book (for structure) with song-based learning — meaning, as soon as the student knows a few chords, I introduce songs they love that use those chords. This keeps it fun and makes the fundamentals stick.
