1-year acoustic guitar plan:
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Month 1 – Getting Started
Week 1: Guitar anatomy, tuning (by ear & app), holding the guitar & pick, basic strumming patterns.
Week 2: First chords – C, G, Am, F (easy version).
Week 3: Transition practice between chords.
Week 4: First song: “Stand by Me” (Ben E. King) or “Let It Be” (The Beatles).
Month 1: The Absolute Basics
Focus: Getting comfortable with your instrument.
Week 1: Introduction to the guitar. Parts of the guitar, proper posture, holding a pick, and basic finger placement. We'll learn the names of the open strings and practice plucking them one at a time.
Week 2: Understanding chords. We'll learn our first two chords: G and C. We'll focus on clean fretting and smooth transitions between them.
Week 3: Basic strumming. We'll introduce the concept of rhythm and practice a simple down-strum pattern. We’ll combine our G and C chords with this pattern.
Week 4: Putting it all together. We’ll learn our first full song, "Horse with No Name" by America, which uses only Em and D chords. This will solidify our basic chord knowledge and strumming.
Month 1: The Absolute Basics
Goal: Get comfortable holding the guitar, tuning it, and playing simple open chords.
Week 1: Introduction to the Instrument
Topics: Anatomy of the acoustic guitar (body, neck, headstock, fretboard, etc.), proper posture, how to hold a pick, and basic string identification (E, A, D, G, B, e).
Practice: Practice holding the guitar correctly. Practice switching between holding a pick and using your fingers. Use a tuner app to learn how to tune your guitar.
Song to Learn: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on one string (e.g., the B string).
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'How to Hold the Guitar'
Week 2: First Chords
Topics: Learning the open chords G, C, and D.
Practice: Practice the chord shapes. Focus on pressing down firmly with your fingertips to get a clear sound. Practice switching slowly between G and C.
Song to Learn: "Happy Birthday" (using just G and C).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's '3 Easy Beginner Chords'
Week 3: Strumming & Rhythm
Topics: Simple downstrums, the concept of a beat and tempo, and basic strumming patterns.
Practice: Strumming the chords you know. Try a simple D-D-D-D (down-down-down-down) pattern on G, C, and D. Use a metronome app to stay in time.
Song to Learn: "Jingle Bells" (using G, C, and D).
YouTube Video: Andy Guitar's 'Beginner Guitar Strumming Lesson'
Week 4: Chord Transitions & Practice Routine
Topics: Building speed and fluidity between chords. Establishing a daily practice routine.
Practice: Focus on switching cleanly between G, C, and D. Aim for quick, silent changes. Try a simple G-C-D progression.
Song to Learn: "Stand By Me" (simplified version with G, C, and D).
YouTube Video: Fender's 'How to Switch Chords Fast'
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Month 2 – Rhythm & Strumming
Week 1: Downstrokes & upstrokes, 4/4 rhythm.
Week 2: New chords – D, Em, A.
Week 3: Strumming patterns (island strum, calypso).
Week 4: Songs: “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Bob Dylan), “I’m Yours” (Jason Mraz).
Month 2: Chord Mastery & Simple Songs
Focus: Expanding your chord vocabulary and improving rhythm.
Week 1: More open chords. We'll add D and Em to our repertoire. We'll practice transitioning between all four of our new chords (G, C, D, Em).
Week 2: Chord transitions. We'll work on a specific exercise to smoothly switch between G, C, D, and Em.
Week 3: Simple strumming patterns. We'll introduce the "down-down-up-up-down-up" pattern and apply it to our existing chords.
Week 4: Song: "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley. This song uses G, C, and D, and is perfect for practicing our new chords and strumming.
Month 2: Building a Chord Vocabulary
Goal: Add more fundamental open chords and understand basic chord progressions.
Week 1: Learning A Minor and E Minor
Topics: Introduction to Am and Em chords. The difference between major and minor chords.
Practice: Practice Am and Em. Practice switching between Em and C, and Am and D.
Song to Learn: "House of the Rising Sun" (simplified progression).
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'Am and Em Chords'
Week 2: Learning A and E Major
Topics: The A and E chords. Chord families.
Practice: Practice A and E. Practice switching between E and A.
Song to Learn: "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley (A, D, and E).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Easy Beginner Chords A and E'
Week 3: All-Chord Practice
Topics: Review of all chords learned so far (G, C, D, Am, Em, A, E).
Practice: Create your own simple chord progressions using the chords you know. For example, C - G - Am - Em. Focus on smooth, steady strumming.
Song to Learn: "Let It Be" by The Beatles (G, D, Em, C).
YouTube Video: Music is Win's 'The 4 Chord Trick'
Week 4: Rhythm Variations
Topics: Introduction to up-strums and more complex strumming patterns (e.g., D-DU-UDU).
Practice: Apply new strumming patterns to the chords you know. Use a metronome to keep your rhythm steady.
Song to Learn: "Wonderwall" by Oasis (simplified, G, D, Am, C - focus on the famous strumming pattern).
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'Wonderwall Strumming Lesson'
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Month 3 – Expanding Chords & Playing Full Songs
Week 1: Learn E, Dm, A7 chords.
Week 2: Practice chord families (C family, G family).
Week 3: Song with 4 chords: “Someone Like You” (Adele).
Week 4: Play a medley of 4-chord songs (mashup practice).
Month 3: Basic Music Theory & Fingerpicking
Focus: Understanding what you're playing and introducing a new skill.
Week 1: Introduction to music theory. We'll learn the names of the notes on the fretboard (EADGBe) and the concept of a major scale.
Week 2: Basic fingerpicking. We'll learn the rest stroke and practice a simple "alternating thumb" pattern on our open strings.
Week 3: Combining strumming and picking. We'll learn a simple chord progression and practice both strumming and fingerpicking it.
Week 4: Song: "House of the Rising Sun" (fingerpicking version). This is a classic that will help us practice a simple arpeggio pattern.
Month 3: Basic Fingerpicking & Tablature
Goal: Introduce basic fingerpicking and reading tablature (TAB).
Week 1: Introduction to Fingerpicking
Topics: Basic fingerstyle technique (thumb, index, middle, ring fingers). Plucking individual strings.
Practice: Practice plucking single strings with different fingers. Focus on a clear, clean tone. Try a simple "PIMA" (thumb, index, middle, ring) pattern.
Song to Learn: Simple arpeggios on G, C, and D chords.
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'Fingerstyle for Beginners'
Week 2: Reading Tablature
Topics: What is TAB? How to read string and fret numbers.
Practice: Read and play simple single-note melodies from TAB. Practice the "Twinkle, Twinkle" TAB you've seen before.
Song to Learn: "Ode to Joy" (from TAB).
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'How to Read Guitar Tablature'
Week 3: Fingerpicking Chords
Topics: Combining chords with fingerpicking. Arpeggiating chords.
Practice: Play a G chord, then pluck each note of the chord individually (G - B - D - G - B - D). Practice this with C and D chords as well.
Song to Learn: "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (simplified fingerpicking pattern).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Hallelujah Easy Fingerstyle'
Week 4: Combining Strumming and Fingerpicking
Topics: Switching between strumming and fingerpicking within a song.
Practice: Find a song that uses both techniques. Practice a verse with fingerpicking and a chorus with strumming.
Song to Learn: "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman (simplified).
YouTube Video: Andy Guitar's 'Fast Car Easy Guitar Lesson'
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Month 4 – Introduction to Fingerpicking
Week 1: Basic fingerpicking pattern (PIMA).
Week 2: Learn Travis picking (bass + melody).
Week 3: Song: “House of the Rising Sun” (The Animals).
Week 4: Song: “Fast Car” (Tracy Chapman).
Month 4: Introducing Barre Chords
Focus: Conquering the biggest hurdle for new players.
Week 1: The F chord. We'll learn the dreaded F barre chord and break down the technique. We'll focus on finger strength and hand placement.
Week 2: The B minor chord. Another challenging but essential barre chord. We'll apply the same techniques we learned for the F chord.
Week 3: Barre chord exercises. We’ll practice a series of exercises to build hand strength and muscle memory.
Week 4: Song: "Wonderwall" by Oasis. This song uses both barre and open chords, so we'll get a lot of practice switching between them.
Month 4: The Capo & Barre Chords (Part 1)
Goal: Understand the purpose of a capo and tackle your first barre chord.
Week 1: The Capo's Magic
Topics: What is a capo and why do we use it? How to place it correctly on the fretboard.
Practice: Put the capo on different frets. Play familiar chords (C, G, D) with the capo on. Notice how the pitch changes.
Song to Learn: "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles (with capo on 7th fret, C, G, Am, F shapes).
YouTube Video: Fender's 'How to Use a Capo'
Week 2: Introduction to the F Chord
Topics: Your first barre chord - the F major. The concept of a barre.
Practice: Don't get discouraged! This is the biggest hurdle for many players. Focus on the hand position and building finger strength. Practice the full F barre chord for just a few minutes a day.
Song to Learn: Focus on the G-C-D-Em progression, but use the F chord as a goal to work towards.
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'F Chord: The Fretboard Enemy'
Week 3: Partial Barre Chords
Topics: Learning easier ways to play the F chord (partial barre or using the thumb).
Practice: Focus on the partial F chord. Practice switching between C and the partial F. This is a great stepping stone to the full barre.
Song to Learn: "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond (C, F, G).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Easy Way to Play F Chord'
Week 4: Building Barre Chord Strength
Topics: Review of the full F chord. Exercises to build finger strength.
Practice: Practice the full F chord. Use exercises like "The Claw" or pressing the barre on different frets. Practice transitioning from C to F and G to F.
Song to Learn: "Let Her Go" by Passenger (G, Em, C, Am, D - no barre, but a good test of your chord knowledge so far).
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'Let Her Go Lesson'
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Month 5 – Barre Chords (the scary but fun part!)
Week 1: Finger strength exercises.
Week 2: First barre chord: F major.
Week 3: Movable chords on the fretboard.
Week 4: Song: “Wonderwall” (Oasis), practice barre chord in context.
Month 5: Blues & Pentatonic Scales
Focus: Adding a new genre and a fun scale to your playing.
Week 1: Introduction to the 12-bar blues progression. We'll learn the basic pattern using E, A, and B7 chords.
Week 2: The minor pentatonic scale. We'll learn the basic shape of this scale and practice it in the key of A.
Week 3: Basic blues lead playing. We'll use the minor pentatonic scale to create simple licks and riffs over our 12-bar blues progression.
Week 4: Song: "Sweet Home Chicago" (basic version). We'll learn a simplified version to practice our blues progression and some basic licks.
Month 5: Blues & Basic Theory
Goal: Understand basic music theory, the 12-bar blues, and your first scale.
Week 1: The Major Scale & Introduction to Theory
Topics: The C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). The concept of intervals (half steps and whole steps).
Practice: Play the C major scale on the B string. Practice picking each note cleanly.
Song to Learn: "Ode to Joy" on the C major scale.
YouTube Video: Music is Win's 'C Major Scale for Beginners'
Week 2: The 12-Bar Blues
Topics: The fundamental 12-bar blues progression. I, IV, V chords.
Practice: Learn the G, C, and D7 chords. Practice the 12-bar blues in the key of G.
Song to Learn: A simple blues progression in G.
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Beginner Blues Guitar Lesson'
Week 3: Blues Strumming & Riffing
Topics: "Bluesy" strumming patterns. Simple blues riffs.
Practice: Practice the 12-bar blues progression with a swing feel. Learn a simple riff to add at the end of each progression.
Song to Learn: A simple blues jam track.
YouTube Video: Andy Guitar's 'How to Play the Blues'
Week 4: Soloing with the Minor Pentatonic Scale
Topics: The A minor pentatonic scale. The "box" shape.
Practice: Practice the A minor pentatonic scale. Try "soloing" over a blues jam track. Focus on the notes within the scale.
Song to Learn: "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream (simplified riff).
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'A Minor Pentatonic Scale'
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Month 6 – Strumming + Singing
Week 1: Practice singing while strumming.
Week 2: Learn syncopated strums.
Week 3: Song: “Hey There Delilah” (Plain White T’s).
Week 4: Song: “Riptide” (Vance Joy).
Month 6: The Capo & Alternate Tunings
Focus: Expanding your sound with simple tools.
Week 1: Using a capo. We'll learn how to use a capo to change keys and make songs easier to play.
Week 2: Popular songs with a capo. We'll learn "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman, which uses a capo on the 2nd fret and simple chords.
Week 3: Introduction to alternate tunings. We'll learn Drop D tuning and some of its common applications.
Week 4: Song: "Come As You Are" by Nirvana. This song is a great example of using Drop D tuning for a heavy, low sound.
Month 6: Barre Chords (Part 2) & Chord Shapes
Goal: Master the F chord and learn the movable E and A shapes.
Week 1: Mastering the F Chord
Topics: Review of the F chord. Troubleshooting common issues.
Practice: Dedicate at least 15 minutes a day to practicing the full F chord and transitioning to and from it.
Song to Learn: "Hotel California" by Eagles (simplified progression).
YouTube Video: Fender's 'How to Play F Major Barre Chord'
Week 2: The Movable E Shape
Topics: The concept of movable shapes. Learning the E major and E minor barre chord shapes.
Practice: Practice the E shape. Move it up the neck to create G, A, and B chords.
Song to Learn: A simple progression using the E shape, such as G - C - D.
YouTube Video: Music is Win's 'Movable E Shape Barre Chords'
Week 3: The Movable A Shape
Topics: Learning the A major and A minor barre chord shapes.
Practice: Practice the A shape. Move it up the neck to create D, E, and G chords.
Song to Learn: A progression using the A shape, such as D - A - Bm - G.
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Movable A Shape Barre Chords'
Week 4: Putting It All Together
Topics: Combining open chords with barre chords.
Practice: Practice a song that uses both open chords and barre chords. Focus on a smooth transition between them.
Song to Learn: "Hey Soul Sister" by Train (G, D, Em, C - but using barre chords for G and D).
YouTube Video: Andy Guitar's 'Hey Soul Sister Lesson'
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Month 7 – Introduction to Scales & Melody Playing
Week 1: Learn major scale in C.
Week 2: Learn pentatonic scale in A minor.
Week 3: Create simple riffs.
Week 4: Song riff practice: “Smoke on the Water” (Deep Purple), “Sunshine of Your Love” (Cream).
Month 7: Advanced Strumming & Rhythmic Patterns
Focus: Making your strumming more dynamic and expressive.
Week 1: Syncopation. We'll learn about syncopated rhythms and how to incorporate them into our strumming.
Week 2: Strumming with accents. We'll practice emphasizing certain beats to create a more interesting and percussive sound.
Week 3: Chunking and muting. We'll learn how to mute strings to create a "chunking" or "percussive" effect.
Week 4: Song: "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton. We'll work on the intricate fingerpicking and rhythmic strumming in this song.
Month 7: Advanced Strumming & Rhythmic Feel
Goal: Develop a more sophisticated rhythmic feel and learn to count complex patterns.
Week 1: Counting & Syncopation
Topics: Counting 8th notes and 16th notes. Introduction to syncopation (off-beat rhythms).
Practice: Strum along to a metronome, counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and" and "1 e and a 2 e and a...".
Song to Learn: "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day.
YouTube Video: Justinguitar's 'Strumming with Syncopation'
Week 2: Palm Muting
Topics: Using your palm to mute the strings for a percussive effect.
Practice: Practice palm muting on a simple chord progression.
Song to Learn: "Horse with No Name" by America.
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'How to Palm Mute'
Week 3: Dynamic Playing
Topics: Playing with volume and expression (loud vs. soft).
Practice: Practice playing a song, starting quietly and gradually building to a loud strum.
Song to Learn: "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd (the famous intro and verse).
YouTube Video: Acoustic Letter's 'Dynamic Strumming'
Week 4: Learning a Full Song
Topics: Applying all rhythmic techniques to a full song.
Practice: Dedicate the entire week to perfecting one song.
Song to Learn: "American Pie" by Don McLean.
YouTube Video: Andy Guitar's 'American Pie Full Lesson'
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Month 8 – Playing Styles & Genres
Week 1: Folk strumming.
Week 2: Pop ballad chord progressions.
Week 3: Blues shuffle (12-bar blues).
Week 4: Song: “Sweet Home Alabama” (Lynyrd Skynyrd).
Month 8: The CAGED System
Focus: Unlocking the fretboard and seeing it in a new way.
Week 1: Introduction to the CAGED system. We'll learn the five basic chord shapes (C, A, G, E, D) and how they connect across the fretboard.
Week 2: Finding chords in new positions. We'll use the CAGED system to play a G chord in different positions on the neck.
Week 3: Soloing with the CAGED system. We'll use the scale shapes from the system to create simple melodic lines.
Week 4: Song: "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison. This song is a great example of a simple progression where you can start to use your CAGED knowledge to play different chord voicings.
Month 8: Intermediate Fingerpicking
Goal: Learn more complex fingerpicking patterns and arpeggios.
Week 1: Travis Picking
Topics: Introduction to Travis picking (alternating bass with thumb, melody with fingers).
Practice: Practice a simple Travis picking pattern on a C chord.
Song to Learn: "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas (simplified intro).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Travis Picking for Beginners'
Week 2: Advanced Arpeggios
Topics: Playing arpeggios across multiple strings and chords.
Practice: Practice arpeggiating G, D, Em, and C chords, focusing on a smooth, flowing rhythm.
Song to Learn: "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica (intro).
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'Nothing Else Matters Intro Lesson'
Week 3: Fingerstyle Blues
Topics: Combining fingerpicking with blues progressions.
Practice: Practice a fingerstyle blues progression. Focus on keeping a steady bass line with your thumb.
Song to Learn: A simple blues fingerstyle tune.
YouTube Video: Acoustic Blues Lessons' 'Easy Fingerstyle Blues'
Week 4: Learning a Full Fingerstyle Song
Topics: Dedicate the week to learning a full song that requires fingerpicking throughout.
Practice: Practice section by section, then combine them. Use a metronome to keep the tempo steady.
Song to Learn: "Blackbird" by The Beatles (simplified).
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'Blackbird Easy Version'
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Month 9 – Fingerstyle Song Month
Week 1: Refine Travis picking.
Week 2: Play “Blackbird” (The Beatles).
Week 3: Play “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley).
Week 4: Record & review progress.
Month 9: Jazz Chords & Chord Melody
Focus: Exploring more complex sounds and arrangements.
Week 1: Introduction to 7th chords. We'll learn C7, G7, and D7 and the sound they create.
Week 2: Minor and Major 7th chords. We'll expand our chord knowledge to Am7 and CMaj7.
Week 3: Chord melody. We'll learn the concept of playing a melody and chords at the same time.
Week 4: Song: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen. This song is a perfect introduction to a jazzy rhythm and some fun, simple chords.
Month 9: CAGED System
Goal: Understand the CAGED system to unlock the fretboard.
Week 1: The C-A-G-E-D Shapes
Topics: Introduction to the five movable shapes: C, A, G, E, and D.
Practice: Practice playing each shape in its open position.
Song to Learn: "House of the Rising Sun" (but playing the chords using different shapes up the neck).
YouTube Video: Music is Win's 'The CAGED System Explained'
Week 2: Connecting the Shapes
Topics: Learning how the shapes connect to each other on the fretboard.
Practice: Practice sliding from one shape to the next. For example, play the C shape at the 1st fret (C chord) and slide up to the A shape at the 5th fret (C chord).
Song to Learn: "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd (D, C, G - but try playing them in different positions).
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'Connecting CAGED Shapes'
Week 3: Finding Chord Progressions
Topics: Using the CAGED system to find chord progressions in different places on the neck.
Practice: Take a simple progression like G - C - D. Find all three chords in one area of the neck, then move to a new area and find them again.
Song to Learn: "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show (G, D, Em, C - play them in different positions).
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'Wagon Wheel CAGED System Lesson'
Week 4: Using CAGED for Soloing
Topics: Using the CAGED shapes to find the notes of a scale for soloing.
Practice: Practice the G major scale in the G, E, and D shapes. Solo over a G major jam track.
Song to Learn: "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison (use the CAGED system to find the different chords and notes).
YouTube Video: JustinGuitar's 'CAGED System for Soloing'
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Month 10 – Advanced Strumming & Dynamics
Week 1: Muting strings & percussive strum.
Week 2: Palm muting.
Week 3: Song: “Zombie” (The Cranberries).
Week 4: Song: “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (Green Day).
Month 10: Playing by Ear & Improvisation
Focus: Developing your musical intuition.
Week 1: Basic ear training. We'll learn to identify intervals and simple melodies by ear.
Week 2: Transcribing a simple melody. We'll listen to a short melody and try to figure it out on the guitar.
Week 3: Improvisation basics. We'll use the minor pentatonic scale to improvise over a simple chord progression.
Week 4: Song: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. We'll learn the main arpeggiated part and then practice improvising a simple melody over the chords.
Month 10: Songwriting & Composition
Goal: Use your knowledge to write your own simple song.
Week 1: Writing Melodies
Topics: The relationship between chords and melody.
Practice: Take a simple chord progression (e.g., C - G - Am - F) and improvise a melody over it using the major scale.
Song to Learn: "Let It Be" again, but this time, focus on the melody.
YouTube Video: Music Theory for Guitarists' 'Writing Simple Melodies'
Week 2: Chord Progressions That Work
Topics: Common and effective chord progressions (e.g., I-V-vi-IV).
Practice: Play through common progressions in different keys.
Song to Learn: "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran (G, Em, C, D).
YouTube Video: The Art of Guitar's 'Chord Progressions That Work'
Week 3: Writing Lyrics
Topics: Storytelling, rhyme schemes, and song structure (verse, chorus, bridge).
Practice: Write a simple story or poem. Try to fit it to one of the chord progressions you've been working on.
Song to Learn: "Hallelujah" again, but this time, pay attention to the lyrics and how they fit the music.
YouTube Video: Songwriting with Sarah's 'How to Write Lyrics'
Week 4: Your First Song
Topics: Combining a chord progression, a melody, and lyrics into a complete song.
Practice: This week is dedicated to you! Work on a simple song of your own.
Song to Learn: Your own creation!
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'How to Write a Song for Beginners'
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Month 11 – Writing Your Own Music
Week 1: Common chord progressions (I–V–vi–IV, etc.).
Week 2: Write simple chord progressions.
Week 3: Add lyrics or melody.
Week 4: Record your first original idea.
Month 11: Advanced Fingerstyle
Focus: Taking your fingerpicking to the next level.
Week 1: Travis picking. We'll learn this classic fingerpicking style, which is great for folk and country music.
Week 2: Syncopated fingerpicking. We'll work on more complex rhythmic patterns and incorporating muted notes.
Week 3: Arranging a simple song for fingerstyle. We'll take a basic song and arrange it with a fingerpicking pattern.
Week 4: Song: "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. This is a beautiful and challenging song that will test your fingerpicking skills.
Month 11: Performance & Stage Fright
Goal: Build confidence by performing for others.
Week 1: Performance Preparation
Topics: How to prepare for a performance (tuning, practice, stage setup).
Practice: Choose one of your favorite songs and practice it as if you're about to perform it. Record yourself.
Song to Learn: Your favorite song from the past 10 months.
YouTube Video: Guitar Lessons 365's 'How to Overcome Stage Fright'
Week 2: Playing with a Metronome
Topics: The importance of a steady tempo.
Practice: Practice your entire performance song with a metronome. Start slow and gradually increase the speed.
Song to Learn: Your performance song.
YouTube Video: Rick Beato's 'The Importance of the Metronome'
Week 3: Jamming with Others
Topics: Playing with a bassist, a drummer, or another guitarist.
Practice: Find a friend or family member to jam with. Focus on listening to each other.
Song to Learn: A song with a simple chord progression that everyone can play along to.
YouTube Video: Marty Music's 'How to Jam with Other Musicians'
Week 4: Your "Final" Performance
Topics: Your final assessment!
Practice: Perform your song for a small audience (family, friends, or even just me!). We will work on a song that best showcases your progress.
Song to Learn: A song of your choice that you have mastered.
YouTube Video: None! Just you and your guitar.
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Month 12 – Performance & Confidence
Week 1: Stage presence basics.
Week 2: Practice full set of 3–4 songs.
Week 3: Play along with backing tracks.
Week 4: Mini performance (recorded or for family/friends).
Month 12: Performance & Putting It All Together
Focus: Consolidating your skills and preparing for the next step.
Week 1: Review and refine. We'll review all the major topics from the past year.
Week 2: Performance practice. We'll work on playing a few of your favorite songs all the way through without stopping.
Week 3: Open mic night. We'll prepare you to perform a song for friends and family (or a real open mic if you're feeling brave!).
Week 4: Setting goals for the future. We'll discuss what you want to learn next, whether it's
songwriting, a new genre, or advanced theory.
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:point_right: By the end of the year, you’ll:
Know 20+ chords (open + barre).
Play 15+ full songs.
Understand strumming, fingerpicking, and scales.
Be able to write and perform your own simple song.
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Would you like me to also create a practice schedule per week (like 20-30 mins daily, divided into exercises, chord practice, and songs)? That way, you’ll know exactly what to do each practice session.
