What do you require your students to have?

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
What materials are necessary for your students?

For beginners I want them to have:


Foundations for Guitar (of course :embarrassed:)
3 ring binder to keep songs and handouts together
Metronome.

A tuner would be nice but not mandatory.

Classical students need a good method book like Solo Guitar Playing by Frederic Noad, a metronome and a foot stool.

more advanced students are on a "case-by-case" basis.
 
A binder to organize their materials and to help ensure that everything gets brought back to class weekly.

A tuner as well.

Some dedication and thirst for knowledge helps too :wink:
 
AdamLopez said:
A binder to organize their materials and to help ensure that everything gets brought back to class weekly.

A tuner as well.

Some dedication and thirst for knowledge helps too :wink:
Click to expand...

The organizer is huge. Where I used to work kids would come in with a crumpled up ball of paper with last weeks Green Day tab and a CD. I would make my students keep a binder but having my book also keeps things on track, too....
 
AdamLopez said:
I've yet to write my book (2010!) so until then, a Trapper Keeper will suffice :)
Click to expand...

Do you have specific handouts for the students? I got started on my book by formalizing the handouts in Finale. After a few months I had the start for my book....
 
markwein said:
Do you have specific handouts for the students? I got started on my book by formalizing the handouts in Finale. After a few months I had the start for my book....
Click to expand...

The only handouts that most everyone gets are a basic chord chart and a tab of a basic finger exercise and excerpt of a song they know. That's first lesson type of stuff.

My book is on fretboard fluency and navigation concepts. It's not for lack of material that it isn't done yet :facepalm:
 
AdamLopez said:
The only handouts that most everyone gets are a basic chord chart and a tab of a basic finger exercise and excerpt of a song they know. That's first lesson type of stuff.

My book is on fretboard fluency and navigation concepts. It's not for lack of material that it isn't done yet :facepalm:
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. I've needed to do Book 2 of Foundations for tow years now. I have a play along book/CD thats probably going to get done first now that we are putting the studio in though.
 
My last guitar teacher required me to bring a notebook, a cassette tape, and cash or check.
 
Mark Wein said:
What materials are necessary for your students?

For beginners I want them to have:


Foundations for Guitar (of course :embarrassed:)
3 ring binder to keep songs and handouts together
Metronome.

A tuner would be nice but not mandatory.

Classical students need a good method book like Solo Guitar Playing by Frederic Noad, a metronome and a foot stool.

more advanced students are on a "case-by-case" basis.
Click to expand...
Possibly things have changed since I taught regularly, (14 years ago), but for a number of students, esp. younger ones who had never played before, I used to have to do a "guitar quality" review and clinic with their parents to explain exactly why the piece of shit acoustic guitar from when "dad used to take lessons 25 years ago" that they had pulled out of the closet for Jr. to use was not only untuneable due to broken tuners, bridge pulled up from body, 17 year old strings, etc., but would likely be unplayable by Jr. even if we ever got it tuned up due to the fact that it was a $39.00 Sears "2 inch from the fretboard action" special in the first place when it was brand new :facepalm:

Hopefully this does not happen too much these days.
 
Frank Prince said:
Possibly things have changed since I taught regularly, (14 years ago), but for a number of students, esp. younger ones who had never played before, I used to have to do a "guitar quality" review and clinic with their parents to explain exactly why the piece of shit acoustic guitar from when "dad used to take lessons 25 years ago" that they had pulled out of the closet for Jr. to use was not only untuneable due to broken tuners, bridge pulled up from body, 17 year old strings, etc., but would likely be unplayable by Jr. even if we ever got it tuned up due to the fact that it was a $39.00 Sears "2 inch from the fretboard action" special in the first place when it was brand new :facepalm:

Hopefully this does not happen too much these days.
Click to expand...

not so much these days but occasionally I do have to tell someone to go buy a real guitar.$50 on a toy or $100 on something resembling an instrument?

Help!I'maRock! said:
money.
instructional book.
manuscript book.
metronome.
tuner.
picks.
Click to expand...


I'm starting to add "Flash Drive" to that list.
 
When I used to teach.....

For beginners I want them to have:
  • A Guitar in decent condition that they can practice with
  • 3 ring binder to keep songs and handouts together
  • Metronome
  • A tuner would be nice but not mandatory
  • Ambition, determination and the desire to learn

Classical students use "Solo Guitar Playing" by Frederic Noad.
Non Classical students wanting to learn to read "A Modern Method for the Guitar" by William Leavitt

Advanced students will depend upon level and what they want to focus on.
 
Helmet, skis, poles, proper clothing, appetite for fun and adventure. If they don't have that last one, I try to help them discover it.
 
I have to say that things have changed a little.

For beginners I still work out of FOundations...many of my Skype students end up getting the electronic version and if they sign up for lessons and have bought the book I'll throw in the subscription version here on the site in for free since it has backing tracks and videos.

A binder is still important, but they usually end up buying metronomes and tuners as apps on their smartphones so I don't even cary those to sell anymore.

I used to burn CDs for students but now I just email them mp3s and PDF's of material to work on.
 
I don't expect to ever have any students, but if I did, a pair of ears would be essential. :embarrassed:
 
I like to ask for talent, but according to every mom and dad their kid has a real musical gift, probably due to their grandma who played the organ in church when the real organist had the runs. :embarrassed:
 
- Sticks: Vic Firth 8D, 5A, or 5B wood tip; depending on the size of their hand.
- Metronome (usually the "Tempo" app for the iPhone.)
- 3 ring binder to keep lesson materials organized.
 
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