About this course
Perfect for absolute beginner guitar players.
Designed for the adult beginner, this course covers notes on all six strings, lead guitar picking technique, rhythm guitar chords and strumming patterns, fingerpicking, reading music and basic music theory. This dynamic course features step-by-step guidance with real music examples, and comes complete with audio and video resources to make learning easy and enjoyable. Explore exciting topics like The Harmonic Minor Scale, Time Signatures, C Major Chord, and master new skills with every engaging piece.
Covers essential guitar skills: melody and chord playing, fingerpicking, reading, theory, and various musical styles.
This course in a printable PDF format
Correctly approaches practice by balancing new material with revision, addressing errors, and exploring concepts.
Electronic tuning techniques and methods for achieving accurate guitar tuning are covered.
Tuning techniques for producing accurate guitar sounds are covered, including methods for achieving precise pitches and frequencies.
Classical guitars with nylon strings and steel string acoustics are covered, highlighting their roles in various modern music styles.
Explains the mechanics of electric guitars and distinguishes them from acoustic instruments based on design and functionality.
Electric guitar types include solid-body designs like the Gibson Les Paul and hollow-body styles exemplified by the Fender Stratocaster.
Amplifier types include combo and stack configurations that drive musical output.
Techniques for choosing and maintaining guitar strings to ensure optimal tone and prolong instrument life.
Position yourself comfortably to play guitar with techniques on leg placement and guitar alignment.
Balances weight evenly between feet and maintains upright neck positioning for optimal electric guitar playing.
Introduces the fundamentals of right-hand picking with a plastic pick.
Correct arm and hand positioning techniques for effective guitar playing are covered.
Traditional music notation and tablature are introduced for deciphering and applying guitar music.
Guitar tablature is represented visually as six lines for strings, with numbers indicating fret positions.
Music notation covers staff structure, clefs, and note placement.
Notes on staff explained, including note heads and stems.
Bar lines, double bars, and final bars are used to organize music into sectional structures.
Time signatures are examined, indicating number of beats per bar and duration of notes.
Harmony and chord progressions are covered, focusing on reading and applying chord symbols for instrumental accompaniment.
Hammer-on, pull-off, slide, bend, reverse bend, vibrato, and pick tremolo techniques are explained through visual aids.
Introduces note playing techniques for E, F, and G on the first string, covering finger placement and proper picking.
Music notation symbols are introduced for counting, finger placement, and left-handed technique guidance.
Notes B, C, and D on the 2nd guitar string and their fingerings are covered.
Identifies and plays half notes and whole notes, fundamental music notation elements.
Tuning and playing notes G and A on the third guitar string is covered.
Recognizes common note patterns and structures of the octave.
Detailed diagrams and score images cover playing notes D, E, and F on the fourth string.
Tackles notes and playing techniques for guitar strings 4-6.
Introduces the concept of ledger lines, short lines on the staff used to navigate notes and enhance guitar playing.
The properties of the six-stringed instrument are examined, including note placement on fretboard and ledger lines.
Covers chord basics, including types (major, minor, dominant) and how to read diagrams, with a focus on playing techniques and notes.
Reads and explains major chord symbols in standard music notation.
Rhythm notation for guitar covers chord strumming patterns and chord names.
Introduces fundamental techniques for strumming and playing major chords through five essential shapes and transitional methods.
Covers finger independence exercises for efficient chord transitions.
Harmonizes melodies through effective chord usage, enhancing musical comprehension and performance abilities.
Understanding strumming patterns and timing, applies rhythm patterns in guitar playing.
Eighth note strumming rhythms are applied to chord progressions for acoustic guitar.
Indicates silent intervals with quarter, half, and whole rests in music notation.
Recognizing and playing song beginnings beyond the first beat, including lead-in notes and first and second endings.
Introduces techniques for adding restful intervals to strummed rhythms through optimal right-hand placement.
Staccato chords are explored through F major chord practice, focusing on crisp rhythm playing techniques.
The major scale's structure, tone and semitone intervals, and note relationships are examined.
The C Major Scale is introduced in open position, highlighting its distinct sound and adaptability for soloing over different chords.
Sequences are explored to build melodic proficiency and develop musical coordination skills.
Introduces the fundamental concept of songwriting, including key signatures and their impact on melody.
The three-four time signature, also known as waltz time, is covered, with a focus on practicing chord progressions within this rhythmic pattern.
Time rhythm patterns are introduced and applied to chord progressions within a specific time signature.
Root notes, chord shapes, and rhythmic patterns are covered in a study of key bass note rhythms for improved chord playing.
Covers playing bass note rhythm patterns in 4/4 time with emphasis on applying variations to chord progressions.
Sharp signs in music notation enable playing notes one fret higher than written.
The F Sharp note is applied across multiple guitar strings, appearing in positions on the 6th, 4th, and 1st strings.
The G Major Scale features a distinctive pattern and interval structure, highlighted by its F# note, with connections to the C Major Scale.
Key signatures are explained, covering the roles of C and G major in indicating F# notes.
Silent strumming and continuous rhythms are emphasized for improved timing and coordination.
Silent strum symbols and eighth note rhythms are introduced for building versatile chord progressions.
Syncopation techniques and off-beat rhythms are covered.
Syncopated rhythms developed through continuous strumming and body percussion exercises.
Flat signs alter note pitches, allowing accurate playing.
The note B Flat (Bb) is introduced, along with its impact on subsequent notes' pitch.
The F Major scale features a distinctive Bb note, while melodies written in F Major are characterized by their tonal properties.
Develops skills in recognizing and playing all guitar notes, as well as reading music effectively.
Introduces the principles of guitar notation, exploring semitone and tone relationships between notes and fret positions.
Introduces the concept of raising note pitches by one semitone with sharp signs (#).
Introduces the chromatic scale, covering all 12 notes within an octave using sharps.
Flats lower the pitch of a note by one semitone when placed before it.
Introduces enharmonic notes, their recognition, and application in guitar playing, focusing on first position and chromatic scales.
Combines playing two adjacent strings simultaneously to produce rich harmonies and unique tonal colors.
Notation and fingering techniques for power chords are introduced.
Movable power chord shapes are taught for playing various chords with minimal finger movement.
Tighten up your power chord riffs with techniques for controlling right-hand damping.
Covers fundamental rock chord shapes based on root notes and notes from the 5th, 6th, and flat 7th degrees.
Introduces the fundamentals of Rock guitar with two essential chord shapes: A, A6, and A7, including a basic chord progression.
Introduces the D, D6, and D7 chord shapes for playing on 4th and 3rd strings.
E major chord shapes cover E, E6, and E7 variants.
Introduces the application of rock chords to the 12-bar blues structure, incorporating new harmonies and transformations.
Introduces concepts of natural, harmonic, and melodic minors, as well as fundamental principles of minor keys and scales.
The harmonic minor scale features a distinctive Eastern sound, characterized by a 1.5-tone interval between the 6th and 7th degrees.
The melodic minor scale is covered, featuring its distinctive ascending and descending patterns used in minor key music.
Introduces the hammer-on technique in 6-8 time signatures, covering accenting beats and rhythmic playing.
Suspended chords substitute the third with the fourth degree, applicable to both major and minor keys.
Adds 9th chords to your guitar playing, increasing harmonic possibilities.
Slash chords are used to create smooth melodic bass lines, emphasizing non-root notes as the chord's bass.
Adds scale tones to chords, expanding harmonic possibilities and introducing novel sound combinations.
Introduces techniques for playing eighth-note triplets with a rhythmic emphasis on the first note, focusing on even spacing and groupings.
Develops rhythmic patterns using triplets, focusing on shuffling rhythms created by playing the first and third note of each group.
Notates swing rhythms using common substitutions for simplified notation.
Introduces the concept of playing sixteenth notes, a fundamental aspect of music rhythm.
Introduces techniques for combining sixteenth note rhythms with quarter notes to enhance musical complexity.
Introduces major seventh chord shapes for C, F, G, A, D, and E, along with rhythmic exercises.
Introduces the minor seventh chord, covering its shapes and fingerings for Dm7, Am7, and Em7.
Introduces tempo markings, Italian terms for speed, and identifies musical phrases at varying tempos.
Bar chords are movable shapes played anywhere on the fretboard, commonly used in Pop, Rock, Blues, and Heavy Metal.
Covers various bar chord shapes and their movable positions on the fretboard.
Modifying an open E major chord creates a bar chord, expanding guitar playing capabilities.
Proper finger placement and thumb positioning for smooth playing are emphasized.
Root 6 minor bar chords are created and played, including variations and applications in chord progressions.
Percussive strumming techniques for adding rhythmic complexity to bar chords.
Introduces basic concepts of Rock chord playing with two-note chords played on just two strings.
Introduces techniques for playing sixth rock chords, covering root and A6 variations, with practical exercise applications.
Introduces fundamental techniques for playing D and D6 root 5 rock chords, laying the groundwork for effective guitar playing.
Seventh chord shapes, including Root 6 and Root 5 variations, are covered along with applications to exercises and major chord progressions.
The classic 12-bar blues progression is explored, including its widespread use in popular music through examples from hundreds of well-known songs.
Quarter notes riffs are applied over A, D, and E chords within a 12-bar blues progression.
Eighth-note guitar riffs are applied to a 12-bar blues progression.
Alternate picking techniques are introduced for precise execution of eighth-note rhythms.
Introduces the 12-bar blues in A minor, including variations and alternate picking techniques.
Riff playing techniques applied to minor chords and common rock chord progressions.
Introduces advanced guitar techniques for playing A minor riffs across keys.
Ties in traditional music notation are applied to produce syncopated rhythms and off-beat phrasing.
Rests and ties are applied to create syncopated guitar rhythms, adding off-beat accents for enhanced musical interest.
Eighth note triplets are introduced as a fundamental rhythmic technique used in blues and rock music.
Covers creation and application of shuffle rhythms within a 12 Bar Blues framework, incorporating staccato techniques.
Covers fundamental skills in mastering scales and timing for effective improvisation.
The minor pentatonic scale is explored as a foundation for lead guitar improvisation.
Improvising over chord progressions involves positioning notes from various fretboard starting points.
Basic licks are introduced using Pattern 1 notes for improvisation and soloing.
Introduces the concept of the keynote, the note matching the song's key.
Covers the application of a flexible chord progression for improvising over popular music styles including pop, rock, and country.
The Minor Pentatonic Scale is used to improvise over various chord progressions and can be applied in blues, minor, and major keys.
The Major Pentatonic Scale is played using Pattern 1 applied to major key progressions.
The hammer-on technique is introduced, providing a foundation for increasing speed and fluidity in guitar playing.
Introduces quarter note triplets with three notes played in the span of two beats.
Combines techniques of hammer-ons and pull-offs for fluid note execution.
The quick hammer-on is a fundamental guitar technique used to add rhythm and interest to playing.
The slide technique is introduced as a fundamental guitar skill for achieving smooth note transitions.
Introduces extended patterns for improvisational jazz, including expanded note sequences and slide techniques.
The art of adding nuance with the quick slide, a subtle technique in music performance.
Covers techniques for crafting guitar riffs using slide movements and exploring rhythmic nuances through triplets and quick slides.
Hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides from the pentatonic scale are applied to master a lead guitar solo.
Covers advanced techniques for manipulating pitch, including subtle bends to enhance musical expression.
Techniques for adding emotional depth to guitar playing include bending and licking strings.
The release bend is a vital guitar technique for smoothly transitioning back to original notes after string bending.
Techniques for creating expressive release bends in music performance.
Quickly develops skills in playing quick bends and reverse bends, covering nuanced sound creation and pitch variation techniques.
Note bending and blues-inspired lead guitar solos are covered, featuring expert techniques for mastering the art of improvisation.
Improvisational techniques for mastering blues, major, and minor chord progressions.
Introduces the fundamentals of 12-bar blues progressions and how to apply them in various keys.
Minor key progressions and improvisation techniques are covered.
The minor pentatonic scale is applied to playing and improvising over major key progressions, such as a typical Rock progression.
Major key progressions and improvisation techniques for playing in ballad style.
Fingernail health and aesthetics are crucial for effective fingerpicking techniques; this covers growth, shaping, and care strategies.
Introduces the anatomy and roles of the right hand's primary, index, middle, and ring fingers.
Techniques for picking guitar strings with the right hand are covered, including proper finger placement and motion.
Introduces proper technique for picking guitar strings using the thumb with downward motion and rigid posture.
Introduces a foundational fingerpicking technique, demonstrating its application across diverse chord progressions.
Alternating bass notes between root and other chord notes introduces more varied picking patterns.
Fingerpicking techniques for accompanying melodies are covered, featuring patterns and chord choices.
Introduces waltz time fingerpicking patterns, examining a specific pattern's application to chord progressions and classic song arrangements.
Introduces fingerstyle techniques through iconic song arrangements including Greensleeves, Waltzing Matilda, and Sakura.
Introduces fingerpicking techniques for the key of C Major.
Fingerpicking patterns in six-eight time are developed using earlier techniques to accompany melodies and incorporate chord shapes.
Introduces the basic clawhammer fingerpicking pattern and demonstrates its application on C chord variations.
Iconic melodies and fingerstyle patterns are covered through the application of classical guitar techniques.
Tuning techniques include matching an instrument, pitch pipes, and electronic devices.
Introduces the process of detuning and re-tuning a single guitar string, comparing sounds to refine precise tuning techniques.
Visual indicators on electronic tuners ensure accurate pitch readings for easy guitar tuning.
Introduces the guitar fretboard layout, covering notes in open position and explaining sharp and flat intervals.
Chromatic scales include sharps, flats, and enharmonics, with emphasis on guitar fretboard navigation and tuning.
Covers the fundamentals of playing in various keys, including popular keys for guitar and other instruments.
Identifies key signatures, linking melodies to major and minor scales.
Tones and semitones in scales are covered, with an emphasis on their application to guitar playing.
Natural notes in music theory cover scales such as chromatic, major, minor, minor pentatonic, and blues.
The chromatic scale is a series of semitone intervals spanning an octave, used in music composition to create melodic patterns.
The A chromatic scale is explored, covering its application to improve musical comprehension and execution.
The major scale's basic properties and characteristics are examined.
Minor keys relate to major scales, identifiable by key signatures and melodic patterns.
Introduces fundamental chord shapes and techniques for playing box-shaped and bar chords on acoustic guitars.
Chord progressions of 12 Bar Blues and Turnarounds are examined, including those used in numerous iconic songs from the 1950s onward.
Transforms piano scores into guitar-friendly melodies by adapting songs through creative application of rhythm skills.
Covers key aspects of playing in a band, including group direction, music choice, and group structure etc.
Chord formulas are covered, including applications to different chord types.
Introduces techniques for recognizing and playing altered chords with flat 5ths, sharped 9ths, and substitute bass notes.
Scale tone chords are constructed and applied in this topic, covering fundamental concepts in music theory.
Adds notes to existing scale tone chords to create complex harmonies.
Musical terms and concepts, guitar techniques, and harmony and theory.
“I have to say it's the best guitar course I've taken. I've learned more in the past weeks than I have in the last years - so thank you!”