Practical Guitar

This lesson provides a basic understanding of the guitar as an instrument and how to approach it. Students will know the components that make up the guitar (the neck, body, bridge etc.) as well as the various other types of guitars there are out there. We will touch on different types of genres and their different approaches to guitar playing. We will then go through the different sitting and hand positions when playing, introducing frets, names of the strings and how to tune them. Students will be taught the beginnings of music theory - about the staff, clefs, time signatures and lines and spaces.

In this lesson, the basics of music theory are introduced. We will go through the staff, note values, rests and simple time signatures. From this understanding students will then learn how to read open notes after getting a quick review of the sitting and hand positions.

In this lesson, we start on chords. Students will understand how to read chord blocks and start with open chords, A, Am, E, Em, D. We will walk through the different specifications when looking for a pick and how to play with one. A short exercise will be given to teach easy transitions between two chords as well as different strumming patterns that can be played within simple time signatures. We will put all these together and play Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones as the first song.

This lesson will consist of playing exercises. How to use a capo will be introduced in addition to three new chords (C, G, F) as well as a refresher of the chords from the previous lesson. A quick review of the open string notes will be done before the students are taught the notes on the 1st and 2nd strings.

In this lesson, students will be able to put the chords they recently learned to use with a different set of new fun popular songs. We will then do a little more theory by introducing the sixteenth note and dotted notes. They will then learn the notes on the 3rd and 4th string and be able to play a piece incorporating all of the notes they have learned thus far using a few the new notes learnt.

In this lesson, you will learn the last few notes on the 5th and 6th strings, enabaling them to play all of the notes in 1st position. You will then go through accidentals (sharps and flats), students will be opened up to the Circle of Fifths and key signatures. This will set them up to play a wide range of different pieces in future lessons.

Students will understand open seventh chords and barre chords on the 6th string and finally learn the F chord in this lesson. Barre chords are a little more challenging than open chords so it might take more practice. In addition, they will play a new exercise which incorporates all notes on the 6 strings and in a key (G Major) as well as play two voices in one piece.

Students will learn practical skills in order to practise efficiently everyday.

In this lesson, students will play a piece using three voices which means that the pieces will contain chords as well as a melody. We will also begin with scales. Now that the student is familiar with the Circle of Fifths, this will set them up to succeed with how to approach scales. We will begin with playing the major scale in 4th position - starting with C major - which allows them to play other keys with the same scale structure on the 6th string. We will then move onto barre chords on the 5th string, both major and minor. The scales will set them up nicely for improvisation in the coming module.

Module 2 begins with a refresher on scales. After reviewing the major scale in 2nd position, we will move onto the major and minor pentatonic scales in 2nd position (6th string). We will move onto the natural minor and harmonic minor scales in 2nd position (6th string). We will then touch on what can be expected with improvisation by playing all three scales over a chord accompaniment.

In this lesson, you will begin learning standard 'Autumn Leaves'. Focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm, timing and improvisation.

After reviewing the major scale major and minor pentatonic scales, as well as natural and harmonic minors in 2nd position, we will move onto the major scale in 2nd position (5th string) as well as the major and minor pentatonic scales in 5th position (5th string). We will then touch on what can be expected with improvisation by playing all of the scales learnt thus far, over a chord accompaniment.

In this lesson, students will really start to experiment with improvisation. By now the student should be able to play the scales from memory, allowing them to play around with it when improvising. New advanced chords will also be introduced, including open sus chords, open two chords, moveable two chords and moveable 11th chords.

In this lesson, you will begin learning standard Fly Me to the Moon. Focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm, timing and improvisation.

In this lesson, we will add a few new skills in improvisation. Students will learn riffs, bends, pull-offs and hammer-ons, and how to use them while improvising. We will also learn power chords and different chord progressions in music theory. Primarily the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords. Students will learn two final skills when improvising, by learning tapping (tr)and triplets and how to use it while improvising. With the understanding of triads, students will know how to play different inversions of chords (first and second inversion).

In the final lesson of module two, students will learn their final scales by being exposed to modes. They will learn Dorian mode, Phrygian mode, Lydian mode, Mixolydian mode, Aeolian mode and Locrian mode. We introduce the blues scales on both the 6th and 5th strings, adding another scale to the students repertoire with which to improvise with. We will then look into the music theory behind chords, by understanding triads and intervals. We will also look into slide notes, a skill that will improve improvising. In addition, we will also explore compound time signatures, opening up more advanced pieces to play.

Students will understand the theory behind phrasing, grouping and cadences. They will learn how to implement it into pieces and how to compose by manipulating it. This links to the chord progressions from two lessons ago.

We will work through different types of dynamics, across all genres. We will look at how these dynamics link to different phrasings in the piece.

In this lesson, you will begin learning well-known classical piece, 'Air on G String' by Bach. Focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm and timing.

Work through various types of music terms in both classical music and popular music.

In this lesson, you will begin learning a well-known classical piece, 'Clair de Lune' by Debussy. Focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm and timing.

In this lesson, you will begin learning Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. Focussing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm and timing.

In addition to technical work, students will learn how to play chromatic scales. They will learn the theory behind whole tones and semitones. Also how to implement chromatic scales while improvisation.

Students will learn the theory behind transposing a piece of music and how to modulate correctly. They will then learn how to implement this into improvisation.

This module starts with syncopation. Syncopated notes and rhythms as well as genres that rely on it.

We will play only waltzes in this lesson. Discover the history and theory behind it and how it influenced popular music.

We finally get to arpeggios in technical work, as well as different kinds of tunings you can play in.

We will play different minuets in this lesson, and cover the theory behind what makes a minuet a minuet.

In this lesson, you will begin learning Blackbird by The Beatles, focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm and timing.

In this lesson, students will learn the tools in which to sight read pieces.

In this lesson, you will begin learning Blackbird by Tracy Chapman, focusing on the notes, dynamics, phrasing, positions, fingering, rhythm and timing.

In this lesson, students will reflect on their journey through this course. This will be a fun lesson, playing different pieces from all the genres you looked at.