what would you teach first to a beginner?

[wordy76]

maybe even tune it to an open chord and just play around with a 12 bar blues for a week or two.

Thats an excellent idea that had never occurred to me. Despite his lack of experience, he does have two guitars, so I should put one of those in an open tuning and try that.

[wordy76]

Hey Joe, using open chords to start, and the E minor Pentatonic (12th position) fr the solo.

Thats exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for - stuff that we can play together, with open chords, then either an attainable lead part, or some improv over the chords.

I dont want to get into some you-play-it-then-I'll-play-it thing, we have to try to get some things going together.

[Nik Harrison]

Thats an excellent idea that had never occurred to me. Despite his lack of experience, he does have two guitars, so I should put one of those in an open tuning and try that.

Usually, people need something to play with and experiment with. Try a whole load of 1 - 5 - 6 - 4 chord progressions in different keys. That covers hundred of tunes!

[timmyo]

Simple.
Follow the Beginners Course on justinguitar.com and use the accompanying Beginners Songbook to learn songs relevant to each stage.

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-00...nersCourse.php

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BS-00...rsSongbook.php

Do you want proof that this works?

Watch my grandson's videos here.
This is him after age 13 I had been teaching him for about ten months.

He's a better rhythm player than I am. Well done to both of you

[MattANJH]

Teach him this

[mrerikryman]

I've still got a Play In A Day book around here somewhere...

Can't go wrong with Frere Jacques and Twinkle Twinkle...

[alexanderzz]

Does anyone know some easy Stones tracks that you can play with open chords? Even better if there's an achievable lead part to go along with it.

How about Honky Tonk Woman in G it can all be played with open chords.

[musophilr]

12-bar blooze formula, in A D E open chords followed by the riff thing that uses an open string and the 2nd 4th and 5th frets on the string above it.

Show how those chords in I IV V combination can also harmonise a variety of other songs eg Blowin In The Wind and many others.

[Skipped]

I vote for starting with chords.
Slowish tempo song with 3 changes.
Tom Petty Free Fallin' would be good. Try it in A.

[bj]

@ bj

Have you taught a beginner to play using this approach?
I can't see it working tbh.
Sliding power chords with string skipping from 6th to 5th string roots ... plus right / left hand muting ... and an F barre chord at fret 1 as the first things to learn!

I don't see it working.

Yes, I taught a beginner aged 40 who had similar aims, it was pretty successful especially considering he would never practise.
My approach would involve no barrel chords, muting, or crossing strings: to begin with, he would just be sliding power chords with the root on string 5.