Five steps from first chords to your own songs

• Hold and tune a guitar or a bass

• Play open chords and change between them

• Keep a steady strum or a steady bass line

• Read a chord chart and a tab

Your teacher moves you on when the chords change without a stop. Every student moves at their own pace.

• Strum patterns and palm muting

• Barre chords on the guitar

• Short riffs you can play from memory

• Bass lines that sit with a drummer

You move on when a riff stays steady for a whole song. Every student moves at their own pace.

• Pentatonic and major scales across the neck

• Bends, slides and hammer-ons

• Build a solo from one short phrase

• Pick or play fingerstyle, your choice

You and your teacher decide together when to move on. Every student moves at their own pace.

• Count a band in and finish together

• Play your part and listen to the others

• Set up your own amp and cables

• Join a Friday band lab

Your band lab coach talks it over with you after a show night. Every student moves at their own pace.