With over 20 years as a guitarist (sheesh!) and 10 years as an instructor, guitar is my cornerstone instrument. I have taught more lessons and developed more curriculum for guitar than any other instrument. Though my teaching studio offers a wide variety of lessons, guitar remains our primary instrument of interest for students.
As I develop my lesson materials, I build them with three things in mind: private lessons, classes, and camps. I take my best essential lesson content and package for these settings. Below, you will find student booklets, class guides and camp guides for each of the skill levels as I define them.
Introduction to Guitar (Skill Level: Newbie)
Through the process of helping HUNDREDS of newbie guitarists navigate the challenges of strumming, steel strings and chords with huge gaps between them, I have refined my scope and sequence for brand new guitarists into my very effective “Introduction to Guitar” material.
“Introduction to Guitar” Student Booklet
My time-tested guitar method for newbie guitarists includes everything you need to take your new student from zero to strumming two- and three-chord songs in short order. Even in our digital world, there’s something helpful about providing your student with a physical booklet to use as a guide for his/her lessons. This booklet is designed to be printed on letter paper, hole punched and put in a three-ring binder. Written with the student as the intended user my “Introduction to Guitar” booklet guides the student (and you, the instructor) through the need-to-know material that will lay a solid foundation for guitar learning while grabbing the student’s interest as quickly as possible. This booklet will help your students succeed as learners and will help you retain students as they see results and transition from guitar students to musicians.
This booklet is the cornerstone curriculum for use with my “Introduction to Guitar” Class Instructor Guide and “Beginner Guitar Camp” Leaders Guide. Purchase of this download gives you a license to print and copy it for use in your teaching studio for your students. It is updated annually, so check back for new editions.
Table of Contents:
- Your Journey of Amazing Discoveries: Instructor Commitment & Student Commitment
- The Good Stuff Standard
- What Your Lesson Will Look Like
- Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Lesson
- Start with “Why?”
- My Music Goals
- Parts of the Guitar
- How to Tune Your Guitar
- Posture While Playing
- Chords & Rhythm Guitar
- Chord Group #1 (G, C, D, Em & Am)
- Down Strokes, Up Strokes & Strum Patterns
- Closing the Gap with Two-Chord Songs
- Vocabulary, Skills & Concepts Evaluation
- My Practice Plan
- My Practice Log
“Introduction to Guitar” Class Instructor Guide
Are you running out of space in your schedule for private students? Do you want to make more money for less teaching time? Work smarter instead of harder… teach foundational guitar vocabulary, skills and concepts in a class format! Think about it – you teach every new student the same information for the first few months. Why not do it in a class format and transition students to private lessons when they’re ready?
My class instructor’s guide is the perfect complement to “Introduction to Guitar.” The class instructors guide formats my student booklet to be used in an 8-week class format. Guide includes games, worksheets, etc
“Beginner Guitar Camp” Leader Guide
Don’t let summer break kill your tuition cash flow… offer “Introduction to Guitar” in a week-long day camp format! I have taught this camp for years, tweaking the material to make a highly successful kick-start experience for newbie guitarists. Parents are always floored that their campers come in with zero guitar skills and leave playing songs… in just five days! Why do a camp? Because campers convert to ongoing students. This camp leader guide takes the “Introduction to Guitar” Student Booklet and Instructor Guide and reformats them for use in a day camp setting. Complete with daily schedules, games, activities, marketing ideas, email and phone call templates, registration forms, etc. This is a turn-key camp solution!
Table of Contents:
- Why Should You Hold a Music Camp?
- Why, What, Who, When & Where?
- Before You Start: Build a Camp That Will Rock!
- Registration that Rocks
- Communication with Campers
- Get Campers to Sign Up: How to Market Your Camp for (Almost) Free
- Camp Structure & Lesson Plans
- Templates: Registration Form, Parent Emails, Phone Call Script, Post-Camp Survey, Postcard Design, Camp Itinerary Handout, etc
“Introduction to Guitar” Camp + Curriculum Bundle
Get all of your newbie guitar curriculum for one great package price! Purchase the “Introduction to Guitar” Camp + Curriculum bundle for 25% off! With this sweet bundle, you’re ready to rock private lessons, classes and camps!
Handouts a La Carte
Need just a handout or two? No need to buy a whole booklet or bundle… you can pick and choose the resources you need, a la carte! A note for the budget-conscious: keep in mind that most of these handouts come with the class instructor guide. You get a lot more content for the money if you buy the guide instead of individual handouts. Each handout is priced to provide a license for you to reproduce it in your teaching studio for your personal students.
Every student needs to know why he/she is taking lessons. A good answer to the “Why?” question will keep him/her learning even when motivation wanes. Goal setting will help you and your student determine a learning path, evaluate progress, and make changes as necessary.
Help your student keep momentum and accomplish goals by logging practice time. My practice log template includes a self-grading component that reminds students that not all practice sessions are created equal.
Teach students the first four pro-tips for closing the gap between chords.
Follow “How to Close the Gap – Part 1” with three more pro-tips for closing the gap between chords.
Most of your student’s learning will happen (or not) at home. Give him/her the tools necessary to be a great musician by practicing well. Remember – practice makes permanent.