http://takelessons.com/

After you press “play” you go to this page:You select a drum beat, then select two riffs. You can select as many as you want but only the last two will loop. This free version also contains buttons for horn section and percussion, but these features don’t loop, so I don’t see their value.

The instructions are clear and the app is easy to use. A future update will feature speed control!

The lessons are progressive, starting with unison and whole step tones. After you complete a lesson and test on it successfully, you go on to another. Lessons also cover minor second, minor and major third, tritone, perfect fourth and fifth, minor and major sixth and octave intervals.
I like this app for teaching but the full version costs $7.99 so I probably won’t buy it.

After you identify the interval you are shown the correct answer and the two tones are displayed on a staff . There is a resume button if your test is interrupted.

The app will keep score and give results and areas of improvement after 15 tries.

This app will help you practice your ear training and can be upgraded to the full version with more intervals.
This app will not teach you to identify intervals, it will let you practice the ones listed above.
I like this app and will use it to introduce intervals to my guitar students. It’s easy to use and has the game element in the results.

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As you can see from the screenshots, there are learn, practice and test modes. The learn mode is very light on information, which is ok because the focus here is on listening and identifying intervals and chords. The lite version is not a bad starting point for someone at the beginning level, but don’t rely on this app to teach you ear training. It can be used for practice, though.
But I have some questions that I posted on the author’s blog. Does the full version feature inversions? Do all the scales and chords use D as the tonic?

If the answer is yes to one or both, the app is less valuable as a practice tool.
If the paid version has adequate examples of chords, especially triads, in at least first inversion that would add more credibility. Equally important would be the use of other keys, at least the most commonly used keys.
The lite version is very limited, but still worth checking out.

This app would be fine for someone who plays very little guitar or just wants to hear how the G, em, C and D chords sound. No other chords are featured. Strummed sounds are delayed so it’s very difficult to strum rhythms.
ITunes reviewers mostly agree the app is too limited to be of use as a learning tool.
There are no instructions in the app. Go to the app store (iTunes) for these.
The app does have some nice graphics.

You can play, with or without distortion, electric or acoustic instruments that appear in colors. Left handed setup can be selected.

When you open the app the screen shows drums and bass on/off switches so you can choose what will play back. To the right are circles that show what has been selected in the lower pane. The lower pan let’s you choose the key, tempo(bpm), number of turnarounds (repeats) and chord queue. The queue allows you to alter the progression a little.
After you’ve chosen your setup, press start. The screen changes to the orange and blue circle page shown above. If you don’t have a guitar or other instrument, touching the circles generates tones (blues scale). The playback starts automatically and pressing stop will take you back to the setup screen. If you touch the little i in the right upper corner of this screen, you are taken to an explanation of the blues scale relative to the circles.

These are well-done with good production values. Some cover the basics and others are for the advanced or intermediate player.
You can download them to your computer, iPod or iPhone for use in the studio.
They range from a couple of minutes to several minutes long.
You can read reviews on each podcast before downloading it.

If anyone else has ways to use the iPhone (or other phones or ?) I’d be interested

Meters include 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8; simple, compound and complex strums, arpeggio and travis picks are shown in tablature style.

You can use these patterns to play real songs. With these examples, practice with the A-D-A-E-A chord progression.

A few tips:

Now is a great time to advertise your services

Offer a starter package of lessons. Some people don’t want to commit to an ongoing lesson schedule, but will sign up if the lessons end in a specified time frame. This way, they feel that they can get a proper start

Offer accessories with your lesson package: some picks, a tuner, a capo or method book to sweeten the deal

Schools are a great resource for finding students. Contact the music teacher(s) and let them know about you. These teachers are asked often about referrals to private teachers

Contact you local classical guitar society. Even if you don’t play or teach classical, many classical aficionados like to play other styles

I hope some of these ideas are useful.

http://www.musicteachershelper.com/

One of my students is learning to improvise using the Dorian scale. Since it’s better to have some music to improvise with, I made a CD with accompaniment so he can practice while listening. The cuts I made for him include rhythm guitar, bass and drums. I also record the cuts at slow and fast speeds. When he practices, he can hear what it sounds like in a band setting, rather than just his guitar by itself. GarageBand contains many loops of guitar, bass and drum riffs (some of which can be edited). You just drag and drop them onto a layout, copy and paste to turn one riff into an ostinato, export your work into iTunes, then make a CD. If there is any interest, I can post an example.

With a class I’m teaching, I record the accompaniment for the songs I am teaching so that the students get a feel for playing in an band. I usually don’t make copies for them; I just use them in class. I’ve found them to be motivational. Students must keep a steady beat and tempo.

These are just a few of the things we can help each other with. After teaching guitar students for over thirty years, I have learned a few things that will benefit newcomers to the field. I’m sure each of you can contribute your unique experience also.

I just had my interview in Oxnard. Ken, the program director, is a super guy with great ideas. He’s hiring people for 13 elementary and 3 middle schools. $25 an hour. You set your hours (between 2 and 6 p.m.) and pick your school.

It looks interesting and I’ll have more to say about it later. Guitar teachers, this might be something to investigate because you can teach a class and make contact with students/parents who are interested in guitar.

PODCAST

Chordie
Guitar Notes
Guitaretab(pop-ups)