First lessons are about comfort and confidence, not perfection. A good tutor will make sure you leave with something you can actually play, even if it is simple.
Getting comfortable
Your tutor will start by checking that your guitar is the right size and set up properly. Strings that sit too high above the neck make playing painful, and that is a common reason beginners give up. They will show you how to sit, where the guitar rests, and how to hold the pick.
What the tutor will cover
- The names of the six strings: E, A, D, G, B and E.
- How to tune with a clip-on tuner or a phone app.
- Two or three simple chords, often E minor, G and C.
- A basic down-strum pattern to keep time.
- How to switch slowly between two chords.
Acoustic, classical or electric?
Classical guitars have soft nylon strings that are kind to young fingers. Steel-string acoustics are louder and suit pop and worship music. Electric guitars have the lightest strings and are surprisingly easy to start on, but need an amplifier. Ask your tutor which suits your goals.
What to bring
Your guitar, a few picks, a tuner and a notebook. If the lesson is online, place your phone or laptop so the tutor can see both of your hands.
Fingertips may feel sore for the first week or two. That is normal and it passes as they toughen up.
After the lesson
Practise changing between your first two chords for ten minutes a day. By your second lesson the change will already be smoother, and you will be ready for your first full song.