1. The Parts of the Instrument
It’s challenging to give a student direction if they don’t know what you’re talking about when you use terms such as “bridge” or “pickup.” Make sure your student has the basic vocabulary and anatomy of the guitar mastered so you are able to communicate effectively.
2. How to Tune a Guitar
If your student practices with a guitar that’s out of tune, their ear is unable to develop properly and they will not be able to make the connection between their hands, eyes, and ears. Show your student how to use a chromatic tuner as well as tuning by ear.
3. How to Change a String
Strings break, we’ve all been there. Make sure your student knows how to replace strings themselves so a broken string doesn’t prevent them from practicing (and so they don’t get overcharged at a music store for a 2 minutes of work!).
4. How to Read Tablature and Chord Diagrams
Chord charts and tabs can look a lot like gibberish to a student who’s just starting out, so make sure teaching how to read them is key to your lesson plans. Doing so will open up a whole world of songs for your student to play, and it’ll make it easier to introduce new material down the line.
5. Notes on the Fretboard
Show your student how the guitar notes of the guitar are laid out and how each fret is a half-step. Encourage them to memorize the fretboard as much as possible, but also show them how to count from the open string in case they forget.
6. Basic Music Theory
Your students do not have to read music, but they should know the essential elements of music theory. Basics such as intervals, key signatures and tonality should become familiar to your students, as well as some basic ear training.
7. Open Chords
Once your student has mastered the open chords (A Major, A minor, C Major, D Major, D minor, E Major, E minor, F Major, and G Major), they will be able to play dozens of different songs. The basic finger placement of those chords will also provide a useful point of reference when they start learning other chords.
8. Minor Pentatonic Scale
Pentatonic scales are an easy way to introduce your student to solos and jamming with other musicians. The minor pentatonic scale has the advantage of being movable and easy to remember, which makes it’s a favorable introduction to scales.
9. Power Chords
Get your students rocking out early! Power chords are considered “cheating” by some guitarists. However, showing your students how easy it is to play a whole song without changing their hand shape is a great way to motivate a frustrated student and show them that they can do it! Power chords are also a simple way to show your students chord progressions and chord numbers.
10. How to Play With a Metronome
You can’t play with other musicians if you can’t to play with a metronome! Encourage your students to practice with a metronome and slowly dial up the tempo of the song until they can play the original tempo, or even double-time!