|
|
Post by theevan on Dec 14, 2023 10:19:54 GMT -5
Got a couple of kids at our church school that are asking for lessons. They basically want to strum songs. I've never taught in this realm before, but they'll get their money's worth, I guarantee. Yeah, I'm a volunteer. Anyway, what do you suggest? I see Hal Leonard out there. Seems to dominate. Suggestions?
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 14, 2023 11:23:32 GMT -5
How about just a song book of familiar songs to them. Make sure it is written for "Easy Guitar". This means that it was not transcribed by a piano player who likes the black keys. Easy Guitar may be missing some of the non essential passing chords.
If they know the song lyrics and melody by hearing it then all they have to do is practice the first position chords. They can already sing along with the song so they know if they are doing it right. Scales and proper fingering can follow later.
A good example for someone our age would be a Easy Guitar book of Beatles tunes. For church lessons maybe Hymns or current pop-Christian songs.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 14, 2023 11:28:54 GMT -5
Or:  |
|
|
|
Post by Russell Letson on Dec 14, 2023 12:05:01 GMT -5
I haven't looked at a "method" for decades, but I suspect that Marty's approach would work fine, especially if overseen by an experienced player. My earliest lessons were from our junior-high piano teacher, and the book consisted mostly of chord frames and easy songs with the chord names and strum-slashes. Miss Diamond clearly didn't play guitar, but she walked me through the first third of the book, which gave me enough to take on folk-music folios. A college classmate showed me about chord construction and such (1-3-5, flat the 3rd for a minor, etc.), which wasn't necessary for playing but did give the whole thing some context. (I still have the notebook page on which he wrote out the essentials.)
A player who knows the first-position chord shapes and has an idea of how to use a capo can do a lot without worrying about the details of harmonic theory. Though that chord-spelling lesson did eventually get used.
I suspect that most of the early stages of "teaching guitar" is physical--how to make the fingers go where they're supposed to, how to wrangle the ergonomics of the fingerboard, how to coordinatate right and left hands. And for that, it's the student's persistence that counts most.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Dec 14, 2023 12:28:36 GMT -5
You have the advantage of having learned how to play classical guitar as well as... non-classical? Anyway, I'm trying to say you're probably a pretty well-rounded player. I assume you can listen to a song, pick out the key and analyze what chords might go along with the song. So I'd probably take an approach one of my instructors took: ask them for a song they'd like to learn. Then listen to it together and show them how you figure out what key it's in. That's the first chord you teach them.
If they're starting from scratch, they're going to need a tuner (never mind that "in my day" we tuned by ear to a tuning fork) and they're going to need to know what each string is tuned to. A Snark of something similar would be a good investment.
You might go over some ways they could write down what they're learning, too. Not that you necessarily write it out for them, but you show them how to write it down. Whether it's tab, or chord blocks, or standard notation. But they need to be the ones who write it down.
|
|
|
|
Post by james on Dec 14, 2023 12:48:51 GMT -5
Open D tuning is good for keeping the student's spirits up when chord fingerings are still hard. (G too). Avoid F chords.  I got on quite well in the dim and distant past with Russ Shipton books. Didn't like Bert Weedon's much. have a teenage nephew who has been playing for a while now. I'll ask him if he used a book or YouTube lessons to get started. |
|
|
|
Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 14, 2023 13:16:53 GMT -5
“Avoid F chords”
Disagree James. Yeah, the F is hard and frustrating for a beginner. But the sooner they start trying it the sooner they will build muscle memory, and nothing smells like victory more than finally mastering a barre F.
Mike
|
|
|
|
Post by james on Dec 14, 2023 13:46:17 GMT -5
I may have spent too long hearing Martin Simpson's thoughts on barre chords. He says - "There is a very good reason for it to be called the "F" chord as far as I'm concerned" |
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 14, 2023 14:19:52 GMT -5
ALSO:
Having the guitar properly adjusted can make or break a student. If the strings are too high at the nut even an experienced player will have a tough time playing 1st position chords.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Dec 14, 2023 15:48:39 GMT -5
You mean there's a method to playing a guitar?
Who'da thunk it?
|
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on Dec 14, 2023 16:09:02 GMT -5
Regards the F chord. I would teach it with thumb and strings 234 fingered and then eventually flattening the first finger to a mini 2 string bar. I actually still damp or avoid strumming the first string a lot of the time. An F chord without the first string sounds pretty full and melodic.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Dec 14, 2023 16:09:29 GMT -5
ALSO: Having the guitar properly adjusted can make or break a student. If the strings are too high at the nut even an experienced player will have a tough time playing 1st position chords. This, combined with Mike and James' comments on the F chord. When I did setups on a regular basis, that was my test of whether I got the nut right. If I could easily play a barred-F, it was probably good. |
|
|
|
Post by kenlarsson on Dec 14, 2023 18:11:55 GMT -5
The F chord is hard.....what about B?
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Dec 14, 2023 18:21:35 GMT -5
The F chord is hard.....what about B? x2444x, index and ring finger for me. Never been able to play it any other way, except xx4447. |
|
|
|
Post by billhammond on Dec 14, 2023 18:45:08 GMT -5
The F chord is hard.....what about B? x2444x, index and ring finger for me. Never been able to play it any other way, except xx4447. My B chord solution, and chords above and below B, was to go modal with an A chord shape. Use your index finger to barre all six strings and then fret the third and the fourth strings at the second fret, not fretting the second string. Not major, not minor, but usually just fine and often very cool. Make sense? |
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 14, 2023 21:26:09 GMT -5
I am always surprised that people find barre chords, especially F, hard to play.
|
|
|
|
Post by billhammond on Dec 14, 2023 21:44:14 GMT -5
I am always surprised that people find barre chords, especially F, hard to play. If you do, stay away from playing Kinks songs. |
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on Dec 14, 2023 23:30:56 GMT -5
The F chord is hard.....what about B? x2444x, index and ring finger for me. Never been able to play it any other way, except xx4447. Once you have an F conquered move it to the 7th fret. A handy cheat. |
|
|
|
Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 15, 2023 13:51:24 GMT -5
I am always surprised that people find barre chords, especially F, hard to play. I couldn’t do it for the longest time. And then I could. Now it’s the only way I play a F. Mike |
|
|
|
Post by majorminor on Dec 15, 2023 14:46:24 GMT -5
Do what I do. Show them a Youtube video of a 7 year old Asian girl who's feet aren't even touching the floor playing Paganini at 300 beats per minute and ....you know....shame them.
|
|
