Each student in the ELECTRIC MOON Guitar program will learn the origin of the instrument, the fundamentals, basic scales, basic chords, tuning, rhythm and theory. Our beginner guitar lessons will spark the imagination in each player and help develop the skill of practicing and encourage the enjoyment of playing the guitar. In our more intermediate and advanced classes, students will learn about music theory, and the classes are designed to build upon the strength they’ve already learned in the beginner programs. They will learn to develop their own musical voice and how to apply it to songwriting. We believe in inspiring our students by encouraging the use of their own unique imagination, and it is important to us that our students also learn what THEY want to learn. Students will be asked to select a few songs that they are interested in learning throughout the course of their lessons. Private lessons are available for every ELECTRIC MOON class.
Here at the ELECTRIC MOON we realize that all students will be different, each will be interested in different genres, and all will learn at a different pace. We also understand that all instructors will have their own unique and creative way of teaching and inspiring the student. We encourage that! What we have included here is just a basic agenda, and areas we think should be reached. All of this is flexible and can be interchanged according to the students needs and interests. We want to encourage and inspire future leaders and give them the musical tools to change the World in their own way. That is at the heartbeat of the ELECTRIC MOON.
Recommended Instructor book : Hal Leonard Guitar Method books 1-3
*1st 10-20 minutes in each lesson is used to get to know the student and go over what was taught in previous lessons, and how practice went.
*Next go over the new lesson plan and determine what will be practiced for the next lesson.
*Last 20 minutes discuss how these music lessons can be applied to everyday life and watch live performances of Artists that have influenced both the instructor and student to help inspire and encourage practice and future lessons. It is very important to the ELECTRIC MOON that everything that is learned in the lessons is applied to creating something new and unique that interests both the student and instructor. It is very important to the ELECTRIC MOON and the basis of our foundation that diversity is always front and center. We believe that just like in any profession, research and study should hold great importance to a well rounded musician. We want our students to be well rounded and all instructors are encouraged to include all forms of music, soul, blues, country, hip hop, jazz, metal, rock and roll, world music and beyond into their lesson plans.
GUITAR BEGINNER
*Origin of the guitar.
*Basic mechanics of the guitar and what they do.
Strings, Tuning knobs etc.
*Tuning
*Technique
*Basic Chords (The CAGED System) C, A, G, E, D, Am, Dm, Em.
*Explain chord diagrams.
*Reading tablature.
*Learning to read music.
*Develop physical capability of playing the guitar.
*Work on the ability to change between different chords.
*Working with a metronome.
*Timing and Rhythm.
*Express the importance of practicing on their own. The students progress is based on the time they put in.
*The use of power chords.
*Work on songs that the student is interested in learning. If a song is too complex for the students current level, simplify the song, or discuss selecting another song.
*Toward the end of lessons, work with the student on creating songs using the new chords they have learned.
INTERMEDIATE COURSE
*Begin with assessing students’ skill level to set the course of instruction.
*Bar chords.
*Muted power chords.
*Able to move smoothly between basic CAGED chords.
*Learn basic scales : the minor pentatonic scale, blues scale, major scale, minor scale,
Major pentatonic scale, the modes of the major scale.
*Tremolo picking introduced.
*Begin to discuss theory and technique.
*Work on playing chords in time with a backing track.
*Focus on technical ability.
*Once basic chords and fundamentals are established, begin to discuss music theory.
*Student and instructor work together to compose a song or two using the new skills they have learned in the lessons.
ADVANCED COURSE
*Begin with assessing students’ skill level to set the course of instruction. (Much of this course will be determined on the students current skill level).
*Music theory introduced, and the main focus.
*Complicated jazz chords.
*Hammer ons, pull off’s, slides and bends.
*Mastering of the scales taught in intermediate courses.
*Practice performing and running scales without looking at fretboard.
*Working on more complex songs that the student is interested in learning with the instructor.
*Student and instructors work together to compose a song or two using the new skills they have learned in the lessons.
