Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Book 1 Guitar 101
Chapter 1 Guitar Anatomy and Tuning
The Parts and Workings of a Guitar
How Guitars Make Sound
Strings doing their thing
Using left and right hands together
Notes on the neck: Half steps and frets
Comparing how acoustics and electrics generate sound
Tuning Your Guitar
Tuning Your Guitar to Itself
Tuning Your Guitar to an External Source
Keying in to the piano
Putting that pitch pipe to work
Getting a taste of the tuning fork
Employing the electronic tuner
Using the audio tracks
Chapter 2 Getting Ready to Play
Assuming the Positions
Sitting down and playing a spell
Standing up and delivering
Fretting with your left hand
Picking with your right hand
Getting Your Head Around Guitar Notation
Understanding chord diagrams
Taking in tablature
Reading rhythm slashes
Discovering How to Play a Chord
Chapter 3 Buying and Stringing a Guitar
First Things First: Developing a Purchasing Plan
Noting Some Considerations for Your First Guitar
Sifting through Models to Match Your Style
Looking for Quality
Construction and body type
Woods, hardware, and other goodies
Workmanship
Appointments (cosmetic extras)
Before You Buy: Walking through the Buying Process
Online or bricks-and-mortar?
Seeking expert advice
Negotiating with the salesperson
Closing the deal
Changing Your Strings
Surveying string-changing strategies
Removing old strings
Stringing an Acoustic Guitar
Changing strings step by step
Tuning up
Stringing a Nylon-String Guitar
Changing strings step by step
Tuning up
Stringing an Electric Guitar
Changing strings step by step
Tuning up
Setting up a floating bridge
Chapter 4 Deciphering Music Notation and Tablature
Knowing the Ropes of Standard Music Notation
The composer’s canvas: The staff, clef, measures, and bar lines
Pitch: The highs and lows of music
Duration: How long to hold a note, what determines rhythm, and so on
Expression, articulation, and other symbols
Relating the Notes on the Staff to the Fretboard
Relishing the Usefulness of Guitar-Specific Notation
Fingering indications for the right and left hands
Stepping up to the barre
Taking on tablature, a nice complement to standard notation
Book 2 Sounds and Techniques
Chapter 1 Basic Major and Minor Chords
Chords in the A Family
Fingering A-family chords
Strumming A-family chords
Chords in the D Family
Fingering D-family chords
Strumming D-family chords
Chords in the G Family
Fingering G-family chords
Strumming G-family chords
Chords in the C Family
Fingering C-family chords
Strumming C-family chords
Songs with Basic Major and Minor Chords
Fun with the “Oldies” Progression
Chapter 2 Adding Spice: Basic 7th Chords
Dominant 7th Chords
D7, G7, and C7
E7 (the two-finger version) and A7
E7 (the four-finger version) and B7
Minor 7th Chords — Dm7, Em7, and Am7
Major 7th Chords — Cmaj7, Fmaj7, Amaj7, and Dmaj7
Playing Songs with 7th Chords
Chapter 3 Power Chords and Barre Chords
Reviewing Open-position Chords
Putting Power Chords into Play
Moving power chords
Pulling the power together
Getting Behind the Barre
Getting a grip on barre chords
Playing E-based barre chords
Moving the E-form barre chord around the neck
Other E forms: Minor, dominant 7, minor 7, and 7sus
Playing A-based barre chords
Moving the A-form barre chord
A forms: Minor, dominant 7, minor 7, 7sus, and major 7
Chapter 4 Right-Hand Rhythm Guitar Techniques
Strumming Along
Downstrokes
Strumming in eighth-note downstrokes
Reading eighth-note notation
Upstrokes
Combining downstrokes and upstrokes
Playing a combination figure
Strumming in sixteenths
Reading sixteenth-note notation
Getting a shuffle feel
Mixing Single Notes and Strums
The pick-strum
Boom-chick
Moving bass line
Disrupting Your Sound: Syncopated Strumming
Syncopated notation: Dots and ties
Playing syncopated figures
Giving Your Left Hand a Break
Left-hand muting
Implying syncopation
Suppressing the Right Hand
Right-hand muting
Left-hand Movement within a Right-hand Strum
Giving Your Fingers Some Style
Getting Into Rhythm Styles
Straight-four feel
Two-beat feel
16-feel
Heavy metal gallop
Reggae rhythm
Three feel
Chapter 5 Playing Melodies in Position and in Double-Stops
Playing Scales and Exercises in Position
Playing in position versus open strings
Playing exercises in position
Shifting positions
Creating your own exercises to build strength and dexterity
Practicing Songs in Position
Double-Stop Basics
Defining double-stops
Trying exercises in double-stops
Playing Songs in Double-Stops
Book 3 Getting to Know Guitar Theory
Chapter 1 Navigating the Fretboard and Building Triads
Tracing Back to Strings 6 and 5
Moving whole steps and half steps
Sharps and flats
Grouping notes
Tracking Notes and Playing Octaves
Shaping octaves with your 1st finger on strings 6 and 5
Octaves starting on strings 4 and 3
Octaves that are three strings apart
Repeating octaves beyond the 12th fret
Measuring the Space between Pitches with Intervals
Playing intervals 1 through 7
Filling in the gaps with flats and sharps
Harmonizing the Major Scale to Build Triads and Chords
Major triad: Building from the 1st scale degree of the major scale
Minor triad: Building from the 2nd scale degree of the major scale
The Seven Triads of the Major Scale
Playing the Chord Sequence of the Major Scale
Chapter 2 Getting to Know the CAGED System
Chord Inversions and Chord Voicings
Using the C Form
The C form as a moveable barre chord
Playing a C form arpeggio pattern
Playing C form chord voicings
Using the A Form
Using the G Form
Using the E Form
Using the D Form
Playing Minor CAGED Forms
Playing the C minor form
Playing the A minor form
Playing the G minor form
Playing the E minor form
Playing the D minor form
Chapter 3 Playing Snazzier Chords with Chord Tones and Extensions
About Chord Tones and Extensions
Adding 7ths to the Major Scale Chords
Playing major and minor 7th chords
Playing dominant 7th chords
Playing minor 7th flat 5 chords
Working with 2nds and 9ths
Sus2 chords
Add9 chords
Minor chords with 2nds and 9ths
9th chords
Working with 4ths and 11ths
Sus4 chords
Add4 chords
Playing 6th Chords and Blues Shuffles
Chapter 4 Playing Chord Progressions by Numbers
Drawing Chord Progressions from the Major Scale
Using Roman Numerals to Represent Chords
Visualizing Numbers on the Fretboard
Transposing to New Keys
Playing Common Chord Progressions
Playing I-IV-V chord progressions
Playing major chord progressions
Adding minor chords ii, iii, and vi
Playing minor chord progressions
Starting Numbers on the 5th String
Playing Chord Progressions with Open Chords
Chapter 5 Identifying Tonics, Keys, and Modes
Understanding the Relationship between Major and Minor Scales
Numbering the Relative Minor
Accounting for any interval changes
Looking at a few minor key song examples
Identifying the Modes of the Major Scale
Ionian (I)
Dorian (ii)
Phrygian (iii)
Lydian (IV)
Mixolydian (V)
Aeolian (vi)
Locrian (vii♭5)
Key Signatures and Common Discrepancies
Looking past the key signature to figure out a song’s mode
Considering some common discrepancies in music notation
Comparing Scale Formulas and Structures
Chapter 6 Dominant Function and Voice Leading
Chord Function and the Dominant Chord
Leading with the leading tone
Tension rises with a tritone
Playing songs with dominant function
Secondary Dominants
Drawing attention to some common secondary dominants
Thinking of secondary dominants as mini key changes
Songs that use secondary dominants
Voice Leading
Book 4 Rock Guitar
Chapter 1 I Know, It’s Only Rock Guitar, but I Like It
Differentiating Between Rock and Acoustic Guitar . . . It Ain’t Just Volume
Sound quality, or timbre
Signal
Distortion and sustain
Oh yes, and volume
Listening examples
Knowing the Essentials: The Power Trio
The electric guitar
The amplifier
Effects
Accessorizing Your Guitar
Picks
Straps
Cords
Tuners
Chapter 2 Playing Lead
Taking the Lead
Holding the pick
Attacking the problem
Playing Single Notes
Single-note technique
Alternate picking in downstrokes and upstrokes
Using scales
Skips
Combining steps and skips
Starting at the Bottom: Low-Note Melodies
Going to the Top: High-Note Melodies
Playing in Position
Open position
Moveable, or closed, position
Jamming on Lower Register Riffs
Making It Easy: The Pentatonic Scale
Playing the Pentatonic Scale: Three Ways to Solo
Pentatonics over a major key
Pentatonics over a minor key
Pentatonics over a blues progression
Improvising Leads
Chapter 3 Groovin’ on Riffs
Getting Your Groove On: Basic Riffs
Half-note and whole-note riffs
Eighth-note and quarter-note riffs
Sixteenth-note riffs
Eighth-note syncopation
Playing Two Notes Can be Better than One: Double-Stops
Combining Single-Note Riffs and Chords
Chapter 4 Going Up the Neck and Playing the Fancy Stuff
Going Up the Neck
Choking up on the neck
Playing double-stops on the move
Playing in Position
Positions defined
A firm position
Using the Moveable Pentatonic Scale
Staying at home position
Going above home position
Dropping below home position
Changing Your Position
Licks that transport
From the depths to the heights
Knowing Where to Play
Associating keys with positions
Placing positions
Putting the five positions into play
Bringing Down the Hammer-ons
Having Pull with Pull-offs
Slippin’ into Slides
Bending to Your Will
Bend and release
Pre-bend
Sounding a Vibrato That Makes You Quiver
Chapter 5 The Care and Feeding of Your Electric Guitar
Using the Tools of the Trade
The basics
Power user tools
Changing Strings
Choosing the right strings
Removing the old strings
Putting on the new strings
Cleaning the Parts of Your Guitar
The strings
The body, fingerboard, and hardware
The frets
The electronics
Setting Up Your Guitar to Optimize Performance
Warning signs
Bridge spring tension
Fixing minor wiring problems
Troubleshooting Guide
Storing Your Guitar
Book 5 Blues Guitar
Chapter 1 Introducing the Blues and Playing Blues Rhythm
Beyond the Delta: Defining the Blues Guitar Sound
The method to the music: Chord progressions
The guitarist’s language of melody
Playing blues expressively
The groove that sets the pace
Strumming Along
Stroking down
. . . And stroking up
Combining down and up
Striking to a beat
Mixing Single Notes and Strumming
Separating bass and treble: The pick-strum
Playing common pick-strum patterns
Shuffling the Beats with Syncopated Strumming
A bit of notation: Dots that extend and ties that bind
Syncopation: Playing with dots and ties
Muting: Stopping the String from Ringing
Muting the sound between two chords (left hand)
Simulating syncopation with left-hand muting
Muting the sound of a note (right hand)
Copying the Classics: Plucking Fingerstyle Blues
The Right Hand’s Bliss: Different Rhythm Styles to Play
The shuffle groove
The driving straight-four
The slow 12/8, with groups of three
The two-beat feel
The slow and funky 16 feel
Chapter 2 Blues Progressions, Song Forms, and Moves
Blues by the Numbers
Recognizing the Big Dogs: Primary Key Families and Their Chords
The Structure of a Blues Song, Baby
Playing the 12-bar blues
The quick four
The turnaround
Slow blues
The 8-bar blues
Straight-four (or rock blues)
Applying Structures to Keys
A move with many chords: The Jimmy Reed move
The sound of sadness: Minor blues
Accessorizing the 12-Bar Blues: Intros, Turnarounds, and Endings
Intros
Turnarounds
Endings
High Moves
Chapter 3 Musical Riffs: Bedrock of the Blues
Basic Single-Note Riffs
For the low-down bass notes: Quarter-note riffs
The big daddy of riffs: Eighth-note riffs
Adding a little funk: 16th-note riffs
Throwing rhythm for a loop: Syncopated eighth-note riffs
Double the Strings, Double the Fun: Two-Note Riffs (or Double-Stops)
Straight feel
Shuffle, or swing, eighths
High-Note Riffs, the Bridge to Lead Guitar
Keith Richards’s borrowed trademark: Quick-four riffs
Intro, turnaround, and ending riffs
Mastering the Rhythm Figure
Book 6 Classical Guitar
Chapter 1 Introducing the Classical Guitar
Classical Guitar: One Term, Two Meanings, and a Bit of History
How a Classical Guitar Is Physically Different from Its Peers
Beyond Physique: Other Unique Attributes of Classical Guitar
Player’s form and technique
Musical knowledge and skills
Situating Yourself to Play
Taking your seat
Supporting the guitar: Leg position
Embracing the guitar: Arm support
Placing your hands correctly
Approaching the Strings with Your Hands
Fretting the strings: Left-hand form
Preparing to pluck: Right-hand form
Stroking the strings: Basic right-hand technique
Chapter 2 Playing Easy Pieces in Open Position
Coordinating Contrapuntal Music: Layered Melodies
Playing two melodies in sync rhythmically
Opposing forces: Separating the thumb and fingers rhythmically
Thickening the upper part by adding double-stops
Melody and Accompaniment: Using All Your Fingers
Matching rhythm between accompaniment and melody
Getting creative with the flow: Two parts, two rhythms
Playing Easy Pieces in Different Textural Styles
Chapter 3 Combining Arpeggios and Melody
Grasping the Combination in Context
Going Downtown: Melody in the Bass
Playing a bass melody within arpeggios
Practicing making a bass melody stand out
Moving Uptown: Melody in the Treble
Playing a treble melody within arpeggios
Practicing making a treble melody stand out
Mixing Up Your Melodic Moves: The Thumb and Fingers Take Turns
Playing a shifting treble-and-bass melody within arpeggios
Practicing making a shifting melody stand out
Playing Pieces That Combine Arpeggios and Melodies
Book 7 Exercises: Practice, Practice, Practice
Chapter 1 Putting the Major Scales to Use in Your Playing
Practicing Five Major Scale Patterns
Major scale pattern #1
Major scale pattern #2
Major scale pattern #3
Major scale pattern #4
Major scale pattern #5
Applying Your Scale Work to Actual Pieces of Music
“The First Noël”
Chapter 2 Adding Major Scale Sequences to Your Repertoire
Practicing Major Scale Sequences
Major scale sequences using pattern #1
Major scale sequences using pattern #2
Major scale sequences using pattern #3
Major scale sequences using pattern #4
Major scale sequences using pattern #5
Putting Your Sequence Skills to Work with a Few Songs
“Oh, Them Golden Slippers”
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
Chapter 3 Tackling the Three Minor Scales
Familiarizing Yourself with Natural Minor Scales
Natural minor scale pattern #1
Natural minor scale pattern #2
Natural minor scale pattern #3
Natural minor scale pattern #4
Natural minor scale pattern #5
Raising the Bar with Melodic Minor Scales
Melodic minor scale pattern #1
Melodic minor scale pattern #2
Melodic minor scale pattern #3
Melodic minor scale pattern #4
Melodic minor scale pattern #5
Harmonizing with Harmonic Minor Scales
Harmonic minor scale pattern #1
Harmonic minor scale pattern #2
Harmonic minor scale pattern #3
Harmonic minor scale pattern #4
Harmonic minor scale pattern #5
Playing Pieces Using the Three Minor Scales
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”
Handel’s “Allegro”
“The Three Ravens”
Chapter 4 Building Finger Independence with Chord Exercises
Practicing Inversion Patterns
Patterns using outside chords
Patterns using inside chords
Playing Chord Progressions
Progressions using outside chords
Progressions using inside chords
Practicing Pieces that Use Chord Progressions
Putting outside chords to use with “Danny Boy”
Playing inside chords in “Look for the Silver Lining”
Appendix A 96 Common Chords
Appendix B Accessing the Video Clips and Audio Tracks
Index
EULA