Giving Guitar Lessons...

[Absentminded]

I'm going to be giving guitar/bass lessons to some people around my town, and I was wondering, what would be a good way to plan out my lessons? I have the introductory lesson planned out, but, I'm not sure what I should teach after that. So, I'm asking for your input. How would you teach someone who was just starting out on playing guitar? What techniques would you find to be most important when teaching someone?
I'm also wondering how I can make the lessons last a full hour (roughly)...

Thanks guys!

[silentsound]

well, a lot of teachers start with open chords and simple songs (A, E, D in the open position and Sweet Home Alabama or Smoke on the Water). When I learned I started with Hal Leonard's Guitar Method 1 book learning to read notes and my teacher also taught me some basic chords and finger exercises (you know 1-2-3-4 frets on each string practicing using all of your fingers and that kind of stuff). Personally I think this is a better way to learn because even though I couldn't sound "impressive" as fast as others now my fundamentals are strong and I know more about music and the guitar than most people I play with. PM me if you want to keep talking about this, I <3 guitar and I think its awesome that youre giving lessons

[BlakeHarmony]

Well, I don't play guitar, but do know how to play 4 instruments and the basics should all be similar and/or adaptable. To start off, getting to know the instrument is always really important, learning what it sounds like, what you can do with it (not so much all the supper fancy stuff, but just a few fun quirks of the instrument), what you shouldn't do to or with it, that kind of thing. After (and during the process of) getting acquainted with the instrument, proper posture and hand position and everything else should be emphasized, I would spend some time with the student just picking up the guitar, getting ready to play it, then setting it down, then doing it again so they can build up muscle memory of doing it the proper way. After that, just spend some time learning the easy stuff, I would do chords and just notes. Then find out what kinds of music they prefer and find an easy/beginner version that they can go home, practise and learn... Then in lessons you can spend some time listening to what they have practiced, then tell them what to work on and how to improve.

That's what I would do anyways, good luck!