How to Give Your First Music Lesson

Your student won't become a professional overnight, but with your help, she should be able to develop her voice.

If you're a teacher, your first lesson is usually the most difficult, because you don't know what to expect. For music teachers, this means your first lesson should be about assessing your student. After the evaluation, you should tailor your lesson to your student's singing or playing ability. This means that you have to be prepared to teach material to students of different levels. It's a good idea to stick to basics for your first lesson.

Instructions

1. Prepare yourself for your first lesson. Write out a lesson plan and pick a few pieces that would be good for your student to sing or play. Pick a few different pieces that work for students of different levels if you're unsure of your student's skill level. If you're going to be playing an instrument as well, tune it. Write out a lesson plan detailing everything you want to cover in the class. Try to include a few extra activities, like a few licks you can teach, in case your class runs short.

2. Introduce yourself and your musical background and explain the rules of the class. Have your student introduce himself and his experience. If there's anything that you do or don't want your student to do, tell them.

3. Ask your student about her expectations for the class. Try to find out what she wants to learn and how fast she expects to improve. This will help you prepare your future classes and tailor them to your student's expectations.

4. Have your student sing the scales or ask him to play a simple song on his instrument to give you a better idea of his performance level.

5. Start with warm-up exercises that address one musical aspect, such as harmony or pitch. For example, have your student tap out a rhythm while singing a melody to develop rhythm.

6. Teach your student a simple piece. Since this is your first lesson, the pieces shouldn't be too complicated. Work on developing this piece for the majority of your lesson. If she lacks even basic skills, start by teaching her the scales.

7. Tell your student to practice the piece as homework throughout the week, for about half an hour a day. Starting with your next lesson, you should have the student play the piece for you to see if he's been practicing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're teaching your student how to play an instrument, tune the instrument properly before beginning.

• Don't be afraid to ask for input from your student. He will likely know if this is your first class, and it isn't a sign of weakness to ask him what he liked and didn't like about the first class.

References

• Music Education Madness: Creative Contributions
• Teaching Music
• Music Notes: Rhythm Drills