Absolute Beginner Acoustic Guitar Course - Phase 1
In this absolute beginner 6-week guitar course, I will be giving a thorough grounding in all the first-step guitar basics, beginning with tuning the guitar, and ending with strumming and playing songs the student chooses.
Tyson Farmer
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(3)
What's included
6 live meetings
6 in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. I recommend that beginning students practice in shorter sessions of around 10-15 minutes per day, 4-5 times a week (as opposed to 1-2 hours once per week) so good habits and muscle memory are formed naturally over time. At the end of each class I will provide that class's practice exercises to be worked on during the week.Assessment
This course is about providing students with a thorough grounding in basic concepts and skills that are meant to grow over time at the student's individual learning rate and style. Each student will leave the class with a basic understanding of the mental concepts taught, but getting their hands to master the skills learned in class takes work over the fullness of time and with regular practice. Since everyone learns these skills differently and at different rates, I feel it's better to assess each student's progress individually, so feel free to contact me for more details on where they're at on the learning curve!Class Experience
Beginner Level
In this absolute beginner 6-week course, I will be giving a thorough grounding in all the first-step guitar basics that all guitarists need to know, beginning with tuning the guitar, and ending with strumming and playing songs of the student's choosing. During the lessons I will provide several different camera angles for perspective, reference sheets on all topics covered, and guided exercises to make sure the student knows how and what to practice on their own. Each lesson will begin with a review and progress check-in of the previous week's lesson to make sure everyone understands the concepts discussed previously.
Learning Goals
How to tune the guitarHow to play notes and chords on the guitar
Syllabus
6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Tuning the guitar (using a clip-on, stand-alone, smartphone, or online tuner)
•Basic tuning concepts: notes, tuning machines, standard tuning and open string names, string numbers, picking with the rest stroke, what direction to twist the tuning machines
•How to tune a drastically out of tune guitar using the Hertz tuning method
•How to tune a slightly out of tune guitar using note names
•The musical alphabet: how it works, sharps and flats
•Tuning walk-throughs with each student to make sure their guitar is in tune 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Basic Beginner Guitar concepts
•Tuning review and check-in
•Parts of the guitar and basic guitar vocabulary
•Finger, string, and fret numbers and names
•Putting these together to play a note
•Names of chords and difference between major and minor chords
•Reading open chord grids
•Playing chords
•Deciding on your own chord fingerings 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Chord Workshop: digging deeper into chords
•Basics review and check-in
•Scoring yourself - "percentages" VS binary grading
•Strengthening the fingers with finger exercises
•How to hold a guitar pick
•Changing between chords: choosing leading fingers
•How to use your favorite songs as practice tools
•Finding guitar chords for your favorite songs online and how to read them (chordie.com, azchords.com)
•"Deal-breaker" chords and how to know what songs aren't good for beginners
•Reading basic guitar tablature 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Strumming and strum patterns
•Chord workshop review and check-in
•How to strum using a pick or your thumb
•How strum patterns are built
•Basic beats, down and up beats, and measures
•How to play the most common strum pattern
•Playing multiple strum patterns in a row
•Using your favorite songs as strum practice
•Using an app for a counting "deadline" to speed up your changes between chords 60 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Pre-Requisites
No pre-requisites, just a guitar and a guitar pick (any thickness)!
Supply List
Students need at least an acoustic guitar and a guitar pick. Electric guitars with an amplifier may be used, but keep in mind this class only focuses on acoustic guitar playing styles and concepts. Also, I recommend students bring their smartphones so they can optionally download free tuner and metronome apps onto it if needed (please refrain from checking texts and social media during class, of course). NOTE: please use only a desktop or laptop computer for these classes - I have found Zoom lessons over smartphones and tablets introduce too many unsolvable audio problems for music classes, since I can't hear students' guitars!
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2024
5.0
3reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have been teaching music, singing, and playing the guitar professionally for over 30 years, and have taught thousands of students. I studied classical guitar at Kennesaw State University, and jazz guitar at Georgia State University. I started teaching exclusively online in 2018, and can teach with a variety of camera angles and online resources.
I teach a wide variety of styles, including rock, jazz, metal, classical, country, 80s rock, classic rock, funk, and more. I also teach a wide variety of specialized playing techniques, like fingerpicking, improvisation, developing speed in scales and chords, singing while playing an instrument, playing and learning music by ear, songwriting, and understanding music theory on a practical level.
I can teach anyone from the absolute "square one" beginner who has never played a guitar or other instrument before, to a musician of any skill level who wants to take it to the next level or get back on track with their playing.Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly or $120 for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
2-5 learners per class
