I usually use much of the first lesson to gauge the student’s goals and skill level. I will often ask them to play a song or piece that they know, and use that to instruct them on fundamentals like picking technique, fretting hand posture, etc.
The student’s beginner-level skills will have been developed, and with additional instruction we will work toward intermediate and even advanced skills, such as fretboard fluency, ear training, phrasing, improvisation, and somgwriting. The student’s skills will be finely tuned and perfected as the lessons continue.
Once the student’s primary goals are established, a clear plan will be developed to strengthen the skills vital to these goals. I encourage everyone, first and foremost, to play the music THEY love!
The second and third lessons generally consist of an introduction to the basics of guitar-centric music theory, like the pentatonic scale and types of chords. I often show the student a beginner-level song that is meant to train a specific skill based on the individual’s strengths and weaknesses.