Why This Series Matters

Everywhere you look, there are countless people who play guitar—and yet, very few know how to teach guitar effectively. Most lessons tend to stop at “here’s how to play a song”—but true teaching is far richer. In this series, we’re going to guide guitarists who want to become teachers: how to follow a syllabus, attract students, set up your teaching environment, and deliver lessons that matter.

1. Understanding the Gap Between Playing and Teaching

Playing guitar well doesn’t automatically make someone a great teacher. Teaching requires structure, empathy, communication skills, and an ability to help students build true understanding—not just replicate riffs.

Most new teachers default to showing songs, but that approach doesn’t give students the tools to progress, troubleshoot, or build lasting skills. Teaching involves:

• Building a clear learning path

• Adapting to each student’s needs

• Guiding with intention instead of improvising every lesson

2. Start with a Structured Method—Then Make It Yours

Even if you eventually craft your own curriculum, using an established method gives structure you can rely on as you begin teaching:

• Hal Leonard Guitar Method (Complete Edition / Book 1) is widely recommended as a reliable foundation for beginners. Many teachers start here for pacing and clarity.

• The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer is a comprehensive reference that supports both teachers and students alike.

• Mel Bay’s Deluxe Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords is a staple resource for learning and teaching chord varieties in every key.

These resources give you consistency while you’re building confidence. Later, you can supplement or personalize based on your teaching style and students’ interests.

3. Focus on Learning, Not Just Song Replication

Take advice from experienced teachers like James Maxwell and others interviewed by Tom Hess:

• Early wins matter: Teach musical things that sound good immediately and give students a feeling of success.

• Enjoyment over perfection: For many students, the experience of fun and achievement matters more than disciplined home practice.

• Minimal but meaningful guidance: In group settings especially, students benefit more from specific direction and practice rather than constant individual corrections tomhess.net.

• Going deeper than songs: Instead of teaching just “how to play a song,” explain why—chord structure, key, patterns, how the song was built tomhess.net.

4. Essential Teaching Skills and Administrative Basics

• Define your goals: Are you teaching for fun, supplemental income, or aiming to go full-time? Tools like Tom Hess’s free e-book and Income Calculator can help you shape your path.

• Find students: Use referrals, local ads, and partnerships. Referrals from happy students are especially powerful.

• Set your rates: Instead of simply matching what others charge, base your pricing on the value and teaching craft you bring.

5. Free & Practical Teaching Resources

There are plenty of teaching aids already available to help new instructors:

• TeachWombat offers a huge bank of free PDF lesson plans, chord charts, theory handouts, backing tracks, and even certificates—great for beginners, kids, and group lessons.

• StartTeachingGuitar.com includes a free eBook (“Teaching Guitar The Smart Way”), podcasts like “7 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Teaching Guitar”, and income tools to get you started quickly.

• Other resource hubs such as Lessonface or LiveTeachGuitar offer free materials, curriculum templates, and teacher-centered content.

6. Books & Tools to Help You Get Started

Here are some excellent books/course tools you can recommend (great as Amazon affiliate links):

• Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 – The industry standard for beginner students and teachers, offering step-by-step, progressive lessons.

• Teach Yourself to Play Guitar: A Quick and Easy Introduction for Beginners (Spiral Bound) – Friendly spiral-bound format, ideal for teaching students who need clean layouts and simplicity.

• How to Practice Guitar and Train Your Creativity – A creative and psychological take on practice—excellent to help students develop long-term creativity habits.

7. Wrap-Up: What You Can Do Today

• Pick a method like Hal Leonard to launch your first lessons with confidence.

• Download free resources (lesson plans, theory sheets, certificates) to reduce prep time and elevate your lessons.

• Listen to teaching podcasts and read ebooks to build your own teaching philosophy and business mindset.

• Try out teaching using structured materials, focusing on musical understanding—not just songs.

• Set your pricing based on the value you bring, and start attracting students through referrals and clarity in your offerings.

Teaching guitar is more than showing someone how to strum through their favorite song—it’s about guiding them on a journey of discovery, skill-building, and confidence. With the right structure, tools, and mindset, you can turn your passion for playing into a rewarding way to inspire others. Whether you’re starting with trusted method books, creating a welcoming lesson space, or learning to adapt your teaching style to each student, remember: great teachers don’t just create guitarists—they create musicians.