Free Guitar Lessons for Kids & Teens
Welcome to the Kids Guitar Academy Free Lesson Page! If you are looking for professional quality guitar lessons designed specifically for kids and teens then you have come to the right place! Below you will find everything you need to get started learning guitar as well as lessons that will help take your playing to the next level.
All Kids Guitar Academy lessons include supplemental resources that will help you master the lessons on this page!
PDF Sheet Music
Follow along with the lessons using our downloadable Sheet Music PDF's
Play-Along Videos
Master the songs by using our slow & full speed Play-Along Videos (on screen TAB included)
Practice Mp3's
Perform the song for friends and family using our Performance Backing Tracks (minus guitar)
New to Guitar? Start Here...
If you are brand new to guitar, your first step is to enroll in the free Kids Guitar Academy Beginner Kickstart Course:
In the Beginner Kickstart Course you'll start from ground zero and begin learning your first song in minutes. Most importantly, you'll begin learning guitar the right way--without developing the bad habits that beginner frequently develop!
Lesson 1 - Guitar Anatomy
Our first order of business is to get familiar with the different parts of the guitar. We'll pay special attention to the guitar neck (since this is where the playing happens). You'll also play your first notes! (Guitar Anatomy PDF Included).
Lesson 2 - Setting Up the Picking Hand
Once you're familiar with the different parts of the guitar, it's time to begin "setting up the hands". In this lesson, you'll follow a step-by-step process for setting up the picking hand properly. You'll also learn some picking exercises to help you get oriented to the strings.
Lesson 3 - Setting Up The Fretting Hand
Only one more step until you're ready to start playing! In this lesson, we'll be setting up the fretting hand. This is one of the most important lessons you will ever have since the fretting hand is where the playing happens! In this lesson, we'll look at how to set up this hand properly and what bad habits to avoid.
Lesson 4 - Beginning to Play!
Now that you've set up the hands properly, you're ready to start playing! In this lesson, we're going to kickstart your playing by learning a really fun (and cool sounding) exercise called the "7th Position Strut". This exercise will help you begin to develop coordination between the hands.
Lesson 5 - Your First Song: "Faded"
Get ready to learn your first song! You've put in the work needed to set up the hands properly and you've already begun to develop coordination between them. You are now ready to learn your first song: "Faded" (by Alan Walker).
Lesson 6 - "Faded" Play-Along!
The best way to master any song is to practice playing along with it. In this practice session, you'll get a chance to work on mastering "Faded" by playing along with it at slow & full speed. This is every student's favorite part!
Lesson 7 - Bonus: Guitar Practice Log
Now that you've begun your guitar journey, it's important to keep the momentum going! Students enjoy learning guitar the most when they're seeing consistent improvement in their playing. A Guitar Practice Log is a great way to keep you focused and moving forward.
Completed the Kickstart Course?
Here's Your Next Step...
Once you have completed the Kickstart Course, you are ready to begin learning how to read music for guitar. This is simpler than it sounds! In the following mini-course you will learn the basics of reading guitar tablature--the primary means by which guitarists learn songs. If learning more songs sounds good to you then you don't want to miss these lessons!
Reading Music for Guitar (Free Mini-Course)
Lesson 1 - Introduction to Music Staff & Tablature Notation
In order to learn songs quickly, you have to be able to read music. In this lesson, we'll begin learning how to read guitar music by covering the basics of music staff and guitar tablature.
Lesson 2 - The Four Main Types of Notes in Music
Being able to read the notes in tablature is only the first step. The second step is to be able to read the timing of the notes. In this lesson we will learn about the importance of playing notes using the right timing while also memorizing the four main notes of music.
Lesson 3 - The Reading Test: Guessing the "Mystery Song"
In this lesson we will test your new music reading skills by having you read through the melody of a familiar song. Read and play through the song a few times to see if you can guess what song it is!
Beginner Level Guitar Lessons
If you've completed both the Beginner Kickstart Course and the Reading Music for Guitar Mini-Course, congratulations!--you are well on your way to getting good at guitar fast! If you enjoyed these lessons, then definitely check out the Kids Guitar Academy Ultimate Beginner Guitar Program as all of the above lessons were taken from that program. In the meantime, here are some more beginner level lessons that you are sure to enjoy!
Intermediate Level Guitar Lessons
Ready to take your playing to the next level? Check out these free Intermediate level lessons!
Ready to get good at guitar fast? Be sure to check out The Kids Guitar Academy Ultimate Beginner Guitar Program!
- 100+ videos of professional, step-by-step guitar instruction!
- 70+ downloadable files!
- Monthly Coaching Livestreams!
- Access to the student helpline for additional support!
Why Guitar Lessons for Kids & Teens?
Hi, I'm Dave Osborn, founder and head teacher at Kids Guitar Academy. When I first began teaching guitar in 1992, the majority of people seeking to learn guitar were adults. By 2000, that had significantly changed as more and more kids began to express an interest in learning guitar.
I quickly learned that teaching kids presented a different challenge than teaching adults. I also learned that kids have little interest in learning "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"! Like adults, kids enjoy learning songs that they're familiar with.
At the end of the day, kids value fun. As long as the learning process is fun kids will trust the process. Further, when kids & teens see that they are progressing--when they see that they are getting better at guitar they get excited! The confidence boost that kids receive through seeing their progress is the most fun of all.
At Kids Guitar Academy, we are committed to providing professional quality guitar instruction that is highly effective & fun. Our guitar lessons for kids & teens are based on over twenty years of professional guitar teaching experience. We sincerely hope that the lessons on our site are a huge help as you strive to reach your guitar playing goals!
