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The Greatest Guitar Course in the World
This site has my guitar lessons and associated audio (mp3) files. The
site is intended for study only and as a means to learn guitar. The
audio files are not profession grade. I am only an average singer,
but the audio files may help you to learn the songs and hear some of
the guitar playing that you will be learning.
==========Click to see Front Cover
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson 1 Introduction And Basics.............................1-1
==========Click for Lesson 1
Audio CD...................................................1-2
Song File CD ..............................................1-3
Typical Progression Through the Class......................1-4
Tuning.....................................................1-4 Click here for audio
Re-Stringing a Guitar......................................1-6
Guitar Position............................................1-8
Left Hand Position.........................................1-9
Right Hand Position........................................1-12
Lesson 2 D, A7 And G Chords..................................2-1
==========Click for Lesson 2
Songs in D.................................................2-4
++ Skip To My Lou.......................................2-4 Click here for audio
++ Down In the Valley...................................2-4 Click here for audio
++ On Top Of Old Smokey.................................2-4 Click here for audio
++ Michael Row the Boat Ashore..........................2-4 Click here for audio
++ O Suzanna............................................2-5 Click here for audio
Lesson 3 Timing And Simple Strums.............................3-1
==========Click for Lesson 3
Timing.....................................................3-1
2/4 (4/4) Strum............................................3-1 Click here for audio
3/4 Strum..................................................3-3 Click here for audio
Strum Patterns.............................................3-4
Lesson 4 G, D7 And C Chords..................................4-1
==========Click for Lesson 4
Songs In G.................................................4-2
++ Blowing In The Wind..................................4-2 Click here for audio
++ This Land Is Your Land...............................4-2 Click here for audio
++ Where Have All The Flowers Gone......................4-3 Click here for audio
++ Battle Hymn Of The Republic..........................4-3 Click here for audio
++ Yellow Rose Of Texas.................................4-4 Click here for audio
++ Happy Birthday (not on audio CD).....................4-4
++ Country Roads........................................4-5 Click here for audio
++ I've Been Working On The Railroad....................4-6 Click here for audio
Tips On Playing Chords.....................................4-7
Lesson 5 Chords In The Keys Of A, C And E....................5-1
==========Click for Lesson 5
Songs In A.................................................5-1
++ Tom Dooley...........................................5-1 Click here for audio
++ My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean (Not on audio CD)......5-1
++ He's Got The Whole World In His Hands................5-2 Click here for audio
++ Rock My Soul In The Bossom Of Abraham................5-2 Click here for audio
Songs In C.................................................5-3
++ You Are My Sunshine..................................5-3 Click here for audio
++ Red River Valley.....................................5-3 Click here for audio
Songs In E.................................................5-4
++ Edelweiss............................................5-4 Click here for audio
++ Amazing Grace........................................5-4 Click here for audio
++ Riddle Song (not on audio CD)........................5-5 Click here for audio
++ Crawdad Song.........................................5-5 Click here for audio
Lesson 6 Minor Keys...........................................6-1
==========Click for Lesson 6
Songs In A Minor...........................................6-1
++ House Of The Rising Sun..............................6-1 Click here for audio
++ Scarborough Fair.....................................6-2 Click here for audio
++ Sound Of Silence.....................................6-2 Click here for audio
++ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (not on audio CD)........6-2
Songs In D Minor...........................................6-3
++ El Condor Pasa.......................................6-3 Click here for audio
++ Sunrise, Sunset......................................6-4 Click here for audio
Songs In E Minor...........................................6-5
++ I'm Just A Poor Wayfarin' Stranger...................6-5 Click here for audio
++ When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again................6-6 Click here for audio
Lesson 7 Transposing And Capo Use.............................7-1
==========Click for Lesson 7
Transposing Table..........................................7-1
Circle Of Chords (Circle Of Fifths):.......................7-2
++ When The Saints Go Marching In (In 5 Chord Sets).....7-4 Click here for audio
The Capo...................................................7-5
Lesson 8 Tablature Notation..................................8-1
==========Click for Lesson 8
Right Hand Notation For Strums.............................8-2
Left Hand Notation For Melody..............................8-3
Brush Notation.............................................8-4
Hammer-On And Pull-Off.....................................8-5
Double Thumbing............................................8-5
Notation For Repeat Sign:..................................8-6
Special Notation...........................................8-6
++ Riddle Song..........................................8-8
++ Amazing Grace........................................8-9
++ Blowing in the Wind..................................8-10
++ Silent Night.........................................8-12
++ When the Saints Go Marching In.......................8-13
++ Shortnin' Bread......................................8-14 Click here for audio
++ Rock Run.............................................8-15 Click here for audio
++ Honky-Tonk...........................................8-16 Click here for audio
Lesson 9 Strums For Guitar...................................9-1
==========Click for Lesson 9
Flat Picking Strums........................................9-1
Arpeggios..................................................9-2
Using Hammer-Ons...........................................9-3
"Travis" Or "Cotten" Picking Strums........................9-3
++ When The Saints Go Marching In (Different Strums)....9-5
Strums For Guitar..........................................9-7
Strum TP................................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strum TPP...............................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strum TDU TDU...........................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strum TDUDU TDUDU.......................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strum T D TUDU..........................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strum T T1 T2T1.........................................9-7 Click for Audio
Strums For Guitar (Arpeggios)...........................9-8
Lesson 10 Bass Runs.........................................10-1
==========Click for Lesson 10
Inserting Bass Runs.......................................10-1
Key Of D Bass Runs........................................10-1 Click here for audio
++ Skip To My Lou (Bass Runs - With Slow Strum)........10-2
++ Skip To My Lou (Bass Runs - With Fast Strum)........10-3
++ Down In The Valley (Bass Runs)......................10-3
++ When The Saints Go Marching In (Bass Runs)..........10-3
Key Of G Bass Runs........................................10-4 Click here for audio
++ This Land Is Your Land (Bass Runs)..................10-5
Key Of C Bass Runs........................................10-6 Click here for audio
++ Red River Valley (Bass Runs)........................10-6
Key Of A Bass Runs........................................10-7 Click here for audio
++ On Top Of Old Smokey (Bass Runs)....................10-7
Key Of E Bass Runs........................................10-8 Click here for audio
++ Riddle Song (Bass Runs).............................10-8
Lesson 11 Flatpicking Style.................................11-1
==========Click for Lesson 11
++ You Are My Sunshine.................................11-2 Click here for audio
++ I Walk The Line.....................................11-3 Click here for audio
++ Wildwood Flower(Key of C)...........................11-4 Click here for audio
++ Wildwood Flower(Key of G)...........................11-5
++ On Top Of Old Smokey (Key Of G - Not On Audio Cd)...11-6
++ On Top Of Old Smokey (Key Of C - Not On Audio Cd)...11-7
++ This Land Is Your Land (Key Of C)...................11-8
++ This Land Is Your Land (Key Of G)...................11-9
Lesson 12 Fingerpicking Style...............................12-1
==========Click for Lesson 12
++ Freight Train I.....................................12-3 Click here for audio
++ Freight Train II....................................12-4 Click here for audio
++ Soulcake............................................12-5 Click here for audio
++ Sugar Babe..........................................12-6 Click here for audio
++ Silent Night (I)....................................12-7
++ Silent Night (II)...................................12-8 Click here for audio
++ Good King Wenceslas.................................12-9 Click here for audio
++ Adeste Fideles......................................12-10
++ We Three Kings......................................12-11
++ Steff's Reel (Cumberland's Farewell 2 Redgap).......12-12 Click here for audio
++ Fennario............................................12-14 Click here for audio
++ Railroad Bill.......................................12-15 Click here for audio
++ Malaguena...........................................12-16 Click here for audio
++ Will The Circle Be Unbroken.........................12-18 Click here for audio
++ Portland Town.......................................12-19 Click here for audio
++ Four Finger Rag.....................................12-20
Fingerpicking Exercises...................................12-24
Appendix A Some Music Information............................A-1
==========Click for Appendix A
Musical Scale Formation....................................A-1
Scales and Modes...........................................A-3
Musical Notes On Guitar Strings............................A-4
Notes On Scale Related To Tablature........................A-4
Notes On The Staff.........................................A-5
Appendix B Chords............................................B-1
==========Click for Appendix B
Miscellaneous Notes........................................B-2
Barre Chords...............................................B-3
Power Chords...............................................B-11
* Summary of 5th power chords in tablature: .............. B-15
* Chord Positioning ...................................... B-15
* Power Chord Riffs ...................................... B-17
* Power Chords in Drop D Tuning. ......................... B-17
* Chord Progressions ..................................... B-19
* Octaves ................................................ B-23
* Exercises .............................................. B-24
INTERVALS .................................................B-27
TRIADS ....................................................B-27
SCALES ....................................................B-28
* Pentatonic Scales (useful for blues and rock) .......... B-29
Major Chord Progressions...................................B-30
Minor Chord Progressions...................................B-31
Chords In Alphabetical Order...............................B-32
Large Chord List...........................................C-1
==========Click for Large Chord List