1-year acoustic guitar plan:
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Month 1 – Getting Started: The Absolute Basics
Goal: Get comfortable holding the guitar, tuning it, and playing simple open chords.
Focus: Getting comfortable with your instrument.
Week 1:
Introduction to the Instrument - the guitar. Parts of the guitar. We'll learn the names of the open strings and practice plucking them one at a time.
Topics:
Anatomy of the acoustic guitar (body, neck, headstock, fretboard, etc.), tuning (by ear & app), proper posture, how to hold a the guitar and a pick, basic strumming patterns, basic finger placement, 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:
Understanding chords. We'll learn our first chords – C, G, Am, F (easy version). We'll focus on clean fretting and smooth transitions between them.
Topics:
Practice the chord shapes. Focus on pressing down firmly with your fingertips to get a clear sound. Learn the open chords C, G, Am, F, and D. 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:
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
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.
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" (Ben E. King) simplified version with G, C, and D or “Let It Be” (The Beatles) .
YouTube Video: Fender's 'How to Switch Chords Fast'
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Month 2 – Rhythm & Strumming: Chord Mastery & Simple Songs. Building a Chord Vocabulary.
Goal: Add more fundamental open chords and understand basic chord progressions.
Focus: Expanding your chord vocabulary and improving rhythm.
Week 1:
Downstrokes & upstrokes, 4/4 rhythm. Learning A Minor and E Minor.
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).
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 new chords – D, E Major, and A. Chord families. Learn chord transitions. We'll work on a specific exercise to smoothly switch between G, C, D, and Em.
Practice: 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
Simple strumming patterns (island strum, calypso). We'll introduce the "down-down-up-up-down-up" pattern and apply it to our existing chords.
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.
Songs to Learn:
"Wonderwall" by Oasis (simplified, G, D, Am, C - focus on the famous strumming pattern).
"Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley. This song uses G, C, and D, and is perfect for practicing our new chords and strumming.
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Bob Dylan), “I’m Yours” (Jason Mraz).
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.