We get a lot of inquiries for guitar lessons… I would say that 80% of those inquiries are potential students who have never played before, or who have little experience on the instrument. I have taught hundreds of beginner guitar lessons and they are at times the most rewarding lessons to teach. This is because you get to witness progress first hand.
As a teacher you have many different obstacles to overcome. Each student learns differently and it is up to me as a guitar instructor to find a way to get the information to sink in. This is easier said than done. I can literally exhaust every teaching method know to man but if the student does not spend the appropriate amount of time practicing on his or her own time it will not sink in. I suggest that beginner students practice a minimum of 5 days a week at no less than 20 minutes during each session. No, you cannot count the amount of time it takes the student to tune the guitar. Tuning can take beginner students quite a while to figure out. My advice to parents is to learn to tune a guitar with your student. This way you can help them get to practicing quicker. There are endless Youtube tutorials on tuning. Once the guitar is tuned the student should run through the assigned exercises until he or she can play them with some confidence. Always continue to encourage your young student to keep trying. Eventually the hard work will pay off. Beginner students will always end up complaining about their fingers hurting. If they do, allow them to take a break. Always encourage them to keep practicing. There is no substitute for spending time with the guitar in your hands. The payoff from practicing is well worth the work put in.
Playing the guitar is a skill that can bring the player a lifetime of joy. Who knows where it will lead you… Whether it’s strumming your favorite songs on the back porch or rocking out on stage in front tons of people, the guitar will always be your friend. Now go practice!!
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