Guitar

This course covers the basic technics of learning the guitar. Topics covered in the ten-week period are guitar anatomy, tuning, chords, scales, intervals, soloing technique and easy music theory topics and
caring for the guitar. (This course syllabus is subject to change or adjustment to facilitate student age and previous experience)

OBJECTIVES: As a result of this series of lessons, you will be able to:
 Understand the parts and anatomy of a guitar.
 Perform basic strumming patterns and name notes on each string.
 Know how to use a tuner to tune your guitar to a standard E – A – D – G – B – E tuning.
 Identify different types of guitars (acoustic, electric. classical.).
 Know the notes for the first 12 frets on all six strings.
 Play/sing notes with a pick moving from string to string and fret to fret.
 Be able to play basic power chord shapes (dyads) and the common open chords from the CAGED system.
 Know and be able to memorize and use basic major and minor chords.
 Remember and utilize basic major, minor and pentatonic guitar scales.
 Understand and put into practice basic soloing technique including bends, vibrato, sliding and alternate picking.
 Play through and be comfortable with simple chord progressions that allow you to play full songs.

GUITAR LESSON COURSE CALENDAR

Day Date Topic Application
Week 1
 Guitar anatomy
 Holding the guitar
 Tuning to standard tuning
 Playing single notes (open and fretted)
 Using a tuner
 Identifying different types of Guitars

Week 2
 Identifying notes on the fretboard for the first 12 frets.
 Review holding a pick and playing notes
 Play through and memorize the notes on the first 12 frets for the six strings.
 Name the notes as you play them.

Week 3
 Playing single notes and moving through the fretboard and/or different strings.

 Play single notes while moving from fret to fret and/or string
to string also naming the note being played. OK to refer to the fretboard memorization chart from week two.

Week 4
 Playing basic two-note power chords (dyads) and the open chords of the CAGED system.
 Be able to play two-note power chords and move them to different frets at moderate amount of speed.
 Play the open chords covered and change between them slowly

Week 5
 Playing other types of major, minor and power barre chords.
 Use the chords you have learned to play some simple chord progressions.

Week 6
 Cover some of the simpler and morecommon guitar scale shapes.
 Use basic progressions and songs to provide a context in which to play the barre chord shapes covered.

Week 7
 Talk about intervals (fretboard note spacing) and illustrate some of the most common interval shapes.
 Use scales for some basic improvisation. Demonstrate how to break in and out of scale patterns.

Week 8

 Cover bends, vibrato and reinforce the concept of alternatepicking.
 Provide some examples of improvised tabs and then have the student come up with their own solos (something simple) that incorporates these new techniques.

Week 9
 Cover additional complex lengthy scales.
 Revisit the application from week seven.

Week 10
 Review strumming and rhythm technique using 4/4 and 3/4 time with
dynamics.
 Work on songs that have different rhythm and dynamics.