Complete Guitar Lessons System - Beginner to Advanced

In this video I discuss the anatomy of the acoustic guitar.

https://kit.co/YourGuitarSage

In this video you will learn the basic fretting technique that will be the cornerstone for all fretting.

1. Play directly on your fingertips (make sure nails on “fret” hand are always
trimmed.
2. Play right behind the fret (this is for leverage). Remember the see-saw example.
3. Play with ALL your fingers (each finger plays a specific fret)
4. It is best to leave some space between the palm of you hand and the guitar neck,
This will give you much needed leverage to play on your fingertips. Sometimes
dropping the shoulder can be helpful as well.

In this video you will quickly master the art of reading tablature, also known as "tab".  this type of musical notation is a quick way to learn the exact place on the neck of the guitar, where a guitarist plays a particular riff.

There is blank tablature paper attached to this post, so that you can start doing your own tablature.

In this lesson, I will show you how to establish great habits when transitioning chords. Here we will learn what fingers should move and which ones should not when moving from one chord to another.

In this video I will introduce you to the "big strum". Basically, this is an exaggerated strum which keeps you true to the downbeats/downstrums and upbeats/upstrums. Use the method whenever you are having strumming issues. These big strums will keep you from strumming incorrectly. Remember to slow the strum down too if you are having issues.

This video discusses the philosophy of "perfect practice" and how understanding this ONE concept will literally change the way you practice and play the guitar. Understanding this very concept can make/break you from being ALL that you can be!

Not all capos are created equally. Let's take a look at the different types, their pros/cons and see if there is a best one for YOU!

In this video, I explain a concept that will TRULY show you how to think about doing many tasks at once. Hint: you must get good at each individually first.

In this video, I show you how to download, play, loop and slow down musical passages using Guitar Pro.

In this video I show you how to download Tux guitar for playing .gpx files.

There is a very logical and step-by-step method for playing your chords cleanly and on time. This seems to be a heartache for almost ALL guitar players in the begining. Here is how to break things down so that you CANNOT fail!

1. Transition between two chords only - NO strumming

2. Transition between two chords only - while counting a beat - NO strumming. Finger each new chord on the 1 and hold out until you need to leave that chord to set the next chord up. Again, no strumming and anticipate(mentally prepare) the chord before it's time to play it.

3. Transition between two chords only - this time WITH strumming. Make sure that you leave the previous chord EARLY enough to play the next chord ON TIME. The "one" is the most important part of the measure. If you are not getting to the chord on time, leave the last chord earlier.

4. Do this same method with two more chords until all chords in the song are played.

5. THEN start bringing the other chords in (not just two chords at a time, but several).

6. Once you have this down, you can SLOWLY start bringing in the rhythm. If the actual rhythm is too much of a jump, first strum the chords ONLY on the changes(when the chord moves from one to the next), then try half note, or quarter note strums, THEN try the rhythm again. Remember you can always slow things down too. This is a surefire way to allow your brain to "catch up".

This is a fingerpicking technique that I call harpsichord.

In this video, I show you the one crucial method that is needed to make sense of ALL fingerpicking. This foundational method, if embraced and practiced will give you the core needed to conquer ALL fingerpicking.

PLEASE make sure that you thoroughly understand this method before attempting any fingerpicking.

In this video we will revisit (by request) the harpsichord technique. If you feel proficient in this technique, you don't need to watch this video. However, if you are having any issues, watch this video and practice the prescribed techniques. You WON'T be sorry!

This video talks about the importance of alternate picking and show you the ins and outs of developing this SUPER powerful picking technique.

In this lesson I show you how to key a song for your specific vocal range. Often times this can be the one variable that assures that you don't have notes too high or too low when you are singing a song. Whether it's a cover OR your own song, making sure that you have the song "keyed" to your vocal range is very important for an optimal performance.

In this video I show you how to create a "Ska" or Reggae sound using some simple techniques.  This style utilizes the 3rd pattern of level 5 of our strumming patterns that we covered in the beginners section (all upnotes/upstrums).  The basic concept is fairly easy, but doing this cleanly and clearly can be a challenge.  Ska/Reggae music does not often use open chords, but favors bar chords and other chords up the neck that can be easily muted by lifting the fretting hand fingers.

Take your time with this as with all the exercises.  Be conscious and focused on your technique and you will master this cool technique quickly!  Yeah mon!

If you want the ability to play the guitar without looking at the neck as much, check this lesson out.  When you force yourself to use your other senses, they will "step up"!  Please let me know how this one works out for you!

In this video I give you some tips used to determine the strumming pattern of a song.

Here are some things to keep in mind. Remember that these are "rules of thumb" and don't always occur, but often times do:

1. The frequency of the strum(1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, 1/16th notes) is often similiar to the drummers' high hat.
2. The accent of the strum is often where the snare drum falls, which is the 2 and 4 of the measure.
3. Most chords move/change on the "1" of the measure. This will help you with your timing.

In this video I address the idea of strumming in 16th notes. Please use the attached PDF and learn to count in this prescribed manner when you encounter strumming that needs that 16th note sound. In the studio, this is what we refer to as "dirtying up" your strumming.

In this lesson I show you how electric guitarists think in regards to open chords.

In this video, we will be using a basic 12-bar-blues progression in the key of E to alternate bass notes to create that classic country sound. Please see the attached chart as an example.

In this lesson I will show you how use a new technique that will add some great depth to your playing. You will need a reverb or delay pedal and a volume pedal is preferred although not necessary.

In this lesson I will show you how to get that old school "raking" sound. This will add some great tone/technique to your playing.

Musicians use accents(dynamically louder notes/chords) as a means of musical communication and time-keeping. When we learn to use accents, it will help bolster our timing, increase speed and give our music a more emotional and pleasing pulse.

Your homework for this one is to practice your scales and strumming patterns being aware of the accents and using those as an anchor for the rest of the notes/strums. If you use accents, you will find that it is easier to stay in a groove.

For the most part, G and C are the easiest keys to play in on guitar. With the use of a capo, we can play in the "feel" of either of these keys and in some cases both keys. Refer to my capo videos within the course to understand how to change keys with the capo. Please refer to the attached PDF to see how many open chords are used for these two keys.

In this video I show you what I call, the "Magic Z"!  This pattern is prevalent on the guitar and if you know it, you will always know where the 1, 4 and 5 scale degrees are!  Why is that important?  Because those 3 notes are the most widely used notes and the roots for the 3 most widely used chords (1,4,5), just like the 12-bar blues progression.  There is rarely a song that does NOT have those chords represented.

Also, if you know where your 1, 4 and 5 are at any point, you are always one scale degree away from every other note in the scale.  1 is next to 7 and 2.  4 is next to 3, and 5 is next to 6.  SO, improvisation, knowing what scale degree you are at etc., becomes a LOT easier.

Make sure to work this exercise some, NOT just go through the video.  Working this out a bit in your own head will make sure that it will stick.  THIS is the kind of thing that makes good guitar players.  Knowing where to play on the neck is crucial.  Don't skip this friends!!

In this lesson I show you how to instantly find the chords to any key. This is how I think of chords all the time and in fact this is how a lot of Nashville cats do it. For this particular lesson we will be using 6th string root only. Diatonic chords (those built from the major scale) will always line up like this:

1. Major

2. Minor

3. Minor

4 Major

5. Major

6. Minor

7. Diminished

In this lesson I show you how to find the chords to any key found on the 5th string. This is very poweful stuff and will allow you to name the chords to any key quickly using this method. This is how I think of chords all the time and in fact this is how a lot of Nashville cats do it. For this particular lesson we will be using 5 th string root only. Diatonic chords (those built from the major scale) will always line up like this:

1. Major

2. Minor

3. Minor

4 Major

5. Major

6. Minor

7. Diminished