Just because a student (of anything, bass, reading, math, French) has ADHD, doesn't mean you have to do things "faster" or more frantic so they won't get bored. You're probably doing them a little disservice that way. In my case, the more frantic things are the harder it is for me to focus and I get really stressed because *nothing* is stable enough for me to focus on. So many thoughts going through my head plus all the stimulus outside, and I get really stabby.
It's not because they get bored easily... it's because their brain processes information differently. For me it can be like someone is changing channels on a TV and I can't get into the story because the channel changes too quickly... Or sometimes it's just the opposite: I'll have something stuck in my head that I can't get out... an image, a song lyric, a phrase or a memory... so much so that I'll not be able to "shut off".
The good thing about ADD and ADHD is the ability for someone with the disorder to "hyper-focus" Ever wonder how a kid with ADHD bounces completely off the wall 95% of the time but they can play XBox for hours on end? They're hyperfocusing- they just haven't learned to harness that in other areas of their life yet.
I'd start with trying to break up the lessons into smaller chunks that you and he can focus on with as little distraction as possible, then give them a little bit to "rest" and internalize that section. Don't let them go completely unfocused during that rest time, but just enough so they can internalize the material and let their mind process the information before moving on. I'd also try and break down the music they are learning to the barest essential that they can focus on... That's a problem for me sometimes as well... focusing on a bass line I'm trying to learn or transcribe and ignoring a keyboard part that comes in and out... I can see how learning that style would be very "distracting" with so much going on... "here, listen to this part on the CD" probably will get very frustrating for them.
Every student learns differently as well. Some by hearing, some by watching some by doing... You may want to talk with them and ask about a project they did in school that they got a really good grade on or just ask them how they learn something the best and tailor their lessons around that.
There's a school in Dallas that specializes in students with ADD/ADHD/Dyslexia etc... you might find some insight on their
resource pages
Also... Is the student medicated? Can their lessons be moved to a time of day when their medication is more effective? For me, on my current medication, I take a capsule early in the morning and I'm good throughout the day. The previous dose/type I was on would taper off around mid afternoon- I'd have trouble losing focus on things in the evening because of that. Moving the lesson to a time where that's not a possibility could help.
