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| GUITAR LESSONS: BEGINNER ROCK GUITAR | |||
| WorkshopLive's Beginner Rock Guitar lessons are designed to give the beginning guitarist the first steps towards becoming a rock legend. These rock lessons cover a wide variety of topics and techniques such as the Major, Minor and Pentatonic scales, hammer-ons and pull-offs, vibrato, bending, slides, how to build solos, power chords, and classic rock chord progressions that have stood the test of time. These rock lessons will prepare you to start rocking out with friends, and even to take on some of the great rock song lessons available here at Workshop Live. |
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| COURSE | LESSON | TEACHER | DESCRIPTION |
| Introduction to the Electric Guitar | Introduction to the Electric Guitar and Amplifiers | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Have you ever wondered what all of those knobs and switches on your guitar and amp do? Does your axe sound like a rubber band, and your neighbor's a million bucks? Do you wonder what your whammy bar is and why you might want to switch pickups? This lesson will answer all of these questions and more. We'll be introducing the Strat-style guitar and the Les Paul-style guitar. Most electric guitars are influenced by one of these two classic designs. We'll also be exploring the features of a basic channel switching guitar amplifier. This lesson will help you get a great tone no matter what guitar and amp you have. So, let's get started! |
| Review of Rudimentary Materials | Unisons and Octaves on the Guitar | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Learning your fretboard is important, and understanding unisons and octaves will help you do just that. Fretboard knowledge makes everything on guitar easier to understand and remember. The guitar, unlike a piano, has the ability to play exactly the same pitch in several different locations. These are called unison pitches. There are also quite a few ways to play octave intervals on the guitar. An octave is defined as "the closest distance between two notes of the same name." Understanding unisons and octaves will help with everything from tuning the guitar to learning note names, music theory, and actually playing your favorite songs. So, let's get started. |
| Review of Rudimentary Materials | The Major Scale and Natural Notes on the 6th String | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | This lesson will introduce you to the linear major scale and natural notes on the 6th string. The linear scale is very easy to play and clearly illustrates how whole and half step intervals combine to create the familiar and lovable sound of the major scale. Natural notes are notes that are not sharp or flat. Learning them will build your fretboard knowledge, making it easier for you to correctly position the movable barre chords, power chords, and scale forms that you'll soon be learning as you follow the rock curriculum here at WorkshopLive. So without further ado, let's begin. |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique | Introduction to Eighth Notes | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | A solid understanding of basic rhythm is highly important to the aspiring rock guitarist. In a nutshell, you should really be able to tap your foot and play guitar at the same time, and you should learn all of your basic rhythms, including eighth notes. The simple rhythm we call 'eighth notes' is one of the most common in rock and is also used in virtually every other kind of music. You probably already play eighth notes, even if you don't know them by name. So, let's get started. |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique | Octaves, 5ths, and Power Chords | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | This lesson will show you how to play octaves, 5ths, and power chords, how to use them to in riffs, how to understand their names, and the theory behind them. Power chords are easy to play and sound really cool, especially with gobs of monster distortion. Whether you're into classic rock, metal, punk, alt rock, or, prog, power chords are a big part of the picture, so fasten your seatbelts and get ready to rock! |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique | The Natural Notes of the 5th String | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | This lesson will acquaint you with the natural notes on the 5th string. Learning the note names on each string is really important. The farther you get in your studies, the more you'll use this basic information. We've already learned the linear major scale on the E string in a previous lesson. In this one, we'll tackle the linear major and minor scales on the A string, plus a few cool rock riffs and techniques, so, let's begin! |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique | More Chords | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | The bulk of guitar playing simply involves switching from one basic chord to another. This skill let's us strum our favorite songs, which is why knowing our chords is very important. This lesson will cover the first wave of rock chords. You might already know a few of these, but probably not all of them! The chords you need to play songs by artists like Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Steve Miller, The Eagles, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Green Day, The Beatles, and Nirvana are all right here, so, you've come to the right place at the right time! Let's get started! |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique | Chords Continued | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits once sang 'Check out Guitar George. He knows all the chords', and that was a great line! If you want to be like Guitar George, then this lesson is for you. It introduces the 2nd wave of open position rock chords, many of which are derived from adding or removing a finger from a chord you already know. Some of these chords have fancy names and exotic sounds. Others are very straight forward, but they're all important parts of getting good at rock guitar. This lesson will teach you 20 new chords, and several imaginative ways to use them, so let's dig in! |
| Expanding Technical Skills | Open Position Minor Pentatonic Scales | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Welcome to open position minor pentatonic scales. The minor pentatonic scale is a very popular and user-friendly scale, which plays an important role in everything from cranking AC/DC licks to jamming on jazz! This is a good choice for early scale work because there are only two notes per string, and one of those two will be an open string. The forms we'll learn in this lesson will later be moved to other positions and keys, so they're important building blocks of future lessons. Of course, we're also going to delve into the theory behind the scale, and a cool lick or two, just for fun. About half of all rock guitar solos use the minor pentatonic scale! So, without further adieu, let's get started! |
| Expanding Technical Skills | Introduction to Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | There are many ways to sound a note on guitar without directly picking it. These are called slurs; each slur has a different sound, and is used in many ways. Two simple, beginning level slurs are called hammer-ons and pull-offs. We will be learning how to hammer-on and pull-off in this lesson! The song 'Wish You Were Here', by Pink Floyd, begins with a clearly audible hammer-on, as does 'Life In The Fast Lane', by The Eagles. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are often combined, and this can be heard in the intros to 'Layla', as played by Eric Clapton, and 'Sweet Home Alabama', by Lynyrd Skynyrd. These techniques are easy to get started on, and that's what this lesson is all about, so, let's get to it! |
| Expanding Technical Skills | Introduction to Vibrato Techniques | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Vibrato is one of the most important rock guitar techniques. Just as a singer uses vibrato to enhance his voice, so a guitarist uses it to make his notes 'sing out'. It adds a personal and expressive touch to anything he plays. Vibrato is simply a rhythmic variation of pitch. Instead of a note remaining static, it warbles above / and or below the main note, creating a pleasant musical effect. This lesson will introduce two kinds of vibrato: rock vibrato, and classical vibrato. These techniques sound very different from each other, but are both highly useful in rock! |
| Expanding Technical Skills | Introduction to Bending | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | Bending notes is one of the all-time coolest rock guitar techniques. There are many instruments that simply can't even come close to a similar sound, so its a definitive part of the guitar's unique vocabulary. To bend a note is simply to push up on the string, so that the pitch of the note you're holding fluidly rises to a higher pitch. A skilled player can bend up any interval from less than a half step to a perfect 4th, or even more! Many tricky bends will be learned in future lessons, but, this lesson is designed to get you started with your very first simple techniques. Getting a solid foundation, with good habits, will make everything easier down the road, so, let's get started. |
| Expanding Technical Skills | Sliding with Single Notes in the Pentatonic Minor Scale | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | The slide is a very important guitar technique in both lead and rhythm styles. This lesson will introduce you to this expressive sound by teaching you to slide notes in the A Minor Pentatonic Scale. Sometimes, even a basic lesson contains some extra goodies, and this is one of those lessons. Sliding enables position-shifting so, among other things, we're going to explore a very fun and useful version of the minor pentatonic scale that spans several fretboard positions. This secret weapon will be highly useful in your lead guitar arsenal; so, let's get started. |
| Developing Solo Technique I | Applying Techniques to Solos I | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | This lesson is meant to help you put it all together with the lead guitar techniques we've learned so far. These include vibrato, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and bends, within the A minor pentatonic scale. If you took the previous lessons, then you've already had a glimpse of what were about to do. Maybe you've even begun to integrate these techniques into your playing, on your own. Either way, fasten your seatbelts and get ready to rock. This will be a plateau-breaking lesson. |
| Developing Solo Technique I | Applying Techniques to Solos II | Tobias Hurwitz & Ralph Agresta | This lesson will continue to build your lead guitar skills by teaching you an entire eight-bar guitar solo that combines all of the techniques we've gone over so far. Instead of just playing licks, you'll see how a real solo is put together and learn how to play it at the same time. The solo will be divided into phrases and then assembled into the whole. Techniques like bending, vibrato, double stops, sliding, hammering on, and pulling off are all included. This lesson is tons of fun so, without further ado, let's get started. |
| Building Fretboard Knowledge on the 5th and 6th String | Chromatic Notes on the 5th and 6th Strings | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi and welcome to Roads to the Great Wide Open-Chromatic Notes on the 5th and 6th Strings. In this lesson, we're going to explore the lowest two strings of the guitar and learn how to find any note, anywhere on those strings. Using a few different techniques to help you learn and visualize the notes, you'll be able to develop a better understanding of these strings and music that is played on them. Also, we're going to talk about the importance of learning these strings inside and out, and how you will be able to use this knowledge for the rest of your guitar playing days. Let's get started. |
| Building Fretboard Knowledge on the 5th and 6th String | The Closed Position A Minor Pentatonic | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi and welcome to 'Home Sweet Home, the Close-Position A Minor Pentatonic'. In this lesson we're going to talk all about the A Minor Pentatonic scale, a scale that is near and dear to almost every rock guitar player. We'll learn what it is and how to go about playing it. Using a few different techniques, we are also going to get your fingers used to 'running around in it', so to speak in different ways that are not great exercises, but great licks to incorporate into your soloing. Let's get started. |
| Building Fretboard Knowledge on the 5th and 6th String | Moving the Pentatonic Scale to Other Keys | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | In this lesson, we are going to talk about the minor pentatonic scale and how to move it up and down the neck changing keys as we go. We'll talk about what a key is, why we need to know about it, and how to be sure were playing the minor pentatonic scale in the right key. We will also talk about how to apply the right minor pentatonic scale to a song for soloing or part writing. Let's get started. |
| Expanding Technical Skills I | Palm-Muting Techniques With Power Chords | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going? In this lesson we are going to talk all about palm muting; one of the most popularly used and easiest to learn techniques in rock guitar playing. We'll talk about what palm muting is and how to get the right sound. I'll show you how to play some riffs using palm-muted power chords and even talk about accenting power chords with and without palm muting. Get your amp set up with some distortion, grab your pick and let's get started. |
| Expanding Technical Skills I | Alternate Picking Using 16th Notes | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going? This is an exciting lesson on alternate picking through several different musical examples that any rock guitarist can apply to his style. We'll talk about picking with the chromatic notes on the guitar, the pentatonic scale, and even talk about incorporating open strings into our alternate picking licks. This lesson will provide you with the tools to develop more speed and coordination with your picking and challenge you to develop your alternate picking to new levels. Let's get started. |
| Expanding Technical Skills I | Building Licks with Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going? In this lesson we're going to expand upon the hammer-on and pull-off techniques you've already learned and add some classic pentatonic licks and tricks to your playing.You'll learn how to apply what you already know to develop new licks and how to build these ideas into entire phrases. Grab your guitar, crank up your amp and get ready for a real left-hand workout. Let's get started! |
| Expanding Technical Skills I | Classic Licks Combining Slides and Bends | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi, how's it going? In this lesson we're going to dive deeper into the art of slides and bends and learn a bunch of great licks that you can incorporate into your playing. We'll talk about whole-step and half-step bends with the 2nd and 3rd fingers, as well as use slides to get from one note to another and even as grace notes. As an added bonus, we'll be working with the A minor pentatonic scale and the open E minor pentatonic scale so that you will have plenty of opportunities to apply these to tunes you already know. Let's get started! |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Open-Position Progressions 1 | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi! In this lesson we will explore two different rhythm guitar techniques using the E, A and B7 chords. I'll show you how to incorporate some of the palm-muting techniques we've already discussed into basic strumming patterns. I'll also show you how to use arpeggiated chords to create new sounds and textures for your rhythm-guitar playing. Grab your guitar, dial in a clean sound, and let's get started. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Soloing Over the E, A, B7 Progression | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey! It's good to see you. In this lesson I'll show you how to solo over the chord progressions from a previous lesson using motivic development. We'll talk about what rhythmic and melodic motivic development is and how to incorporate it into your playing. I'll also show you some new licks that you can use to build entire solos on using this new technique. Grab your guitar and let's get started. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Open-Position Progressions II | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi and thanks for stopping by. In this lesson we are going to expand upon the techniques we learned in "Open Position Progressions Part I" and learn how to spice up the very common chords: G, C, D and Em. We will start off learning one of the most common progressions in music and then learn to make the mundane sound interesting again. We'll learn some great chord substitutes and a new strumming technique. Grab your pick and let's get started! |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | More E Minor Chord Progressions | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | In this lesson we will discuss a few different E Minor chord progressions using the chords Em, Am, D, C, and B7. I will show you some common ways to string these chords together to make classic-sounding chord progressions. We will also learn a very common strumming pattern to throw into you growing bag of rhythms; and, we will also discuss the importance of keeping your strumming arm moving throughout a song to attain a smooth and fluid sound in our rhythm playing. Pull out your music notebook and let's get started. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Open-Position Progressions III | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going? For this lesson we will be working in the key of A Minor, using the chords Amin, Dmin, Emin, and E Major. We will look at some classic progressions in this key and how to spice them up with some Spanish-flavored sounds. We will learn to strum a very common 3/4 rhythm that you can use with any chord progression, and we will learn an arpeggiated progression very reminiscent of some classic tunes. Grab your guitar and let's get strumming! |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Simple Concepts For Improvisation I | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going. In this lesson we will discuss two very simple but often overlooked concepts that can take your improvising to the next level. Through the study and use of space and dynamics we will learn to develop a more mature approach to soloing. I'll show you simple exercises to develop these techniques and as an added bonus, the entire lesson will only use six notes, so you won't have to worry about tricky scales or fingerings. Plug in and get ready to take your soloing into the stratosphere. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Open-Position Progressions IV | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi and thanks for stopping by. In this lesson we will learn a few different chord voicings for the dreaded F Major chord. Working in the key of C Major, we will learn how to incorporate our new F major chord voicings into some common progressions, also using C major and G7. Along with our chords and chord progressions we will look use a very common strumming pattern to add to your repertoire that will make these progressions come alive. Pull out your gear and lets gets started. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Simple Concepts for Improvisation II | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hi and thanks for stopping by. In this lesson we will look at a very simple but important concept to incorporate into our soloing: rhythmic variation. We'll learn a handful of useful exercises to become more comfortable with various rhythms, then I'll show you how to take the most stale-sounding licks and give them a fresh new sound using different rhythms. And just to keep things simple, we'll only be working with six notes of a scale so we don't have to be weighted down learning new scale fingerings. Grab your guitar and let's get started. |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Open-Position Progressions V | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, how's it going. In this lesson, we are going to learn how to spice up some simple major and minor chords using suspended chords and learn a few common suspended chord progressions. First, we will learn how to play four of the most basic suspended chords used by guitar players: ones built around D and A. Then we will learn progressions using those chords similar to classic songs like "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams and "Dust In The Wind" by Kansas. Let's get started! |
| Solo and Rhythm Guitar Techniques with Open-Position Progressions | Simple Concepts for Improvisation III | Tim Quick & Geoff Hartwell | Hey, it's good to see you again. In this lesson we will learn two simple concepts for improvisation which will enhance our soloing and give it a more bluesy flavor. Using shorter phrase ideas and commonly-bent notes, we will start creating licks in the vein of blues greats like Albert and B.B. King. We will work with a simplified scale fingering for ease in learning these concepts and learn some great licks to take to your next jam. Grab your guitar and let's dive in. |
| Expanding Strumming Technique | Strumming Syncopation | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | The most important part of good strumming technique is keeping a steady motion. In this lesson, we'll check out a few exercises to help you develop a good handle on strumming guitar for rock. We'll take a look at how to use downstrokes and upstrokes in an 8th-note rhythm and begin to check out accenting with the strumming pattern. For this lesson, it will be helpful to review the warmup exercise, which helps you to get your hand loose and ready to play both downstrokes and upstrokes in a relaxed, consistant motion. |
| Movable Chords | 6th-String Root Movable Chords | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson you will learn how to play movable major, minor and dominant 7 bar chords using the sixth string as the root. We will take a look at some exercises that will help you to practise moving your hand around the neck using these chord forms. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to play both major and minor chords in any key simply by finding the root on the low E-string (or 6th string). As you practise playing the chord forms you will, in turn, begin to memorize where all the notes are on the low E-string. |
| Movable Chords | 5th-String Root Movable Chords | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson, you will learn how to play movable major, minor and dominant 7 bar chords using the fifth string as the root. We'll take a look at some exercises that will help you to practise moving your hand around the neck using these chord forms. By the end of this lesson you will know how to play both major and minor chords in any key simply by finding the root on the A string. As you practise the chord forms you will, in turn, begin to memorize where all the notes are on the A string. |
| Movable Chords | Cool Progressions | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | There's more to playing rhythm guitar than just strumming open chords aimlessly. Although it can be a challenge trying to get both hands to work together while maintaining a steady rhythm, using certain techniques will add variety to your playing and make you more sensitive to the beat. In this lesson you'll be introduced to left hand damping. This technique will improve your ability to play rhythm guitar in the Rock style, as it adds a whole other dynamic to the rhythmic pulse. You'll learn exercises that will help you develop a good technique while playing different rhythms. We'll also check out some 16th note rhythms, moveable chord shapes and use accents. Let's get started. |
| Developing Soloing Technique II | Movable Major Scales | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson we will check out a few different one-octave major scale patterns. Each pattern will begin with a different rooted string, allowing you to become familiar with the notes on the 6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd strings. By learning the major scale from different rooted strings, you'll begin to develop an ability that will be very useful to you as an advanced player, which is to improvise over changing keys without having to shift your hand up and down the neck just to find the root on the 6th string. For now, these patterns will help you in improvising over any major-key chord progression. Keep in mind that each pattern is moveable and can be played in any key, depending on the root from which you begin. |
| Developing Soloing Technique II | Soloing with Movable Major Scales | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In the previous lesson, you just learned some moveable major scale patterns, each beginning from a different rooted string. Now its time to really start applying them to your soloing skills. Lead guitar embellishments and solos coming straight from the major scale have been used throughout the Rock scene for decades. You can really hear this sound in the music of bands such as the Alman Brothers, U2, Green Day and The Smashing Pumpkins. In this lesson I'll show you some licks that will really allow you to visualize how they fit into the scale patterns you've just learned, as well as where they are in relation to the major chord of the key. When you're ready to rock, let's get started... |
| Expanding the Minor Pentatonic Scale | The First Position | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson, we will take a look at the first position of the minor pentatonic scale. You will learn exercises to help you practice playing the scale clearly and evenly, as well as to help you begin to develop your soloing skills. You will also learn an alternative to the pentatonic scale known as the blues scale, which simply adds one extra note to the minor pentatonic scale. Keep in mind that there are a total of five positions of the minor pentatonic scale, and that this lesson isolates only the first. We will look at one position at a time so that you are able to become really familiar and comfortable with each, then we will begin to connect positions all over the neck. |
| Expanding the Minor Pentatonic Scale | Minor Pentatonic Scale System II | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | This lesson takes a look at the second position of the minor pentatonic scale. Learning each pattern of the scale will open up the fingerboard and expand your possibilities when soloing. This lesson focuses in on the second position fingering so that you can concentrate on learning each scale pattern, one position at a time. Once again, we'll look at where to add in the flat fifth to transform this minor pentatonic pattern into a blues scale. Later on, we'll begin to connect positions all over the neck. |
| Expanding the Minor Pentatonic Scale | Minor Pentatonic Scale System III | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | This lesson deals with the third position of the minor pentatonic scale, expanding your knowledge of the scale even further. Once again, this lesson focuses in on the third position fingering so that you can become familiar and comfortable with each position, one at a time. You'll also learn where to add in the flat fifth to construct a blues scale in this position. Soon we'll begin connecting all five positions across the fingerboard. |
| Expanding the Minor Pentatonic Scale | Minor Pentatonic Scale System IV | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson, we'll check out the fourth position of the minor pentatonic scale. Once again, we'll construct a blues scale by adding the flat fifth to our minor pentatonic pattern. As before, we'll concentrate only on the fourth position of the scale, so that you can become comfortable with this pattern before you begin connecting positions across the neck. Adding this fourth position pattern will increase you knowledge of the fingerboard and help further expand your soloing skills. |
| Expanding the Minor Pentatonic Scale | The Fifth Box Pattern | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | In this lesson we'll take a look at the fifth and final position of the minor pentatonic scale. We'll concentrate only on the fifth position of the scale before we begin connecting all five patterns across the neck. Adding this final minor pentatonic pattern will give you all the fingerings you need to solo almost anywhere on the neck. As before, we'll construct a blues scale in this position by adding the flat fifth to our scale. |
| Pentatonic Scales | The Major Pentatonic Scale | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Another popular scale used in Rock guitar is the major pentatonic scale. Many immediately recognizable licks and riffs have been created from this simple scale, making the major pentatonic scale a must for every guitarist. In this lesson, we'll check out the major pentatonic scale, how its constructed and its relationship to the major scale. I'll also show you how to visualize the major pentatonic scale, the major scale and the major bar-chord shape immediately. So, grab your guitar and let's get started... |
| Pentatonic Scales | Expanded Fingerings | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Many famous rock riffs are based on pentatonic scales. This makes it important for us, as rock guitarists, to understand how to use these scales and be able to visualize the patterns all over the fretboard. In this lesson, we'll look at the G Major Pentatonic box patterns all over the fretboard and then we'll connect them in a three octave form. Make sure that your comfortable with each of the five individual minor pentatonic patterns before you work on this lesson. Let's get started. |
| Pentatonic Scales | Combining Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Pentatonic scales make up a huge part of the Rock guitarist's vocabulary. The scales themselves are pretty versatile for improvising in any style. The patterns also seem to fall nicely under the fingers. But, you can also become predictable by not mixing things up enough. In this lesson we're going to mix up the major and minor pentatonic scales to create some new ideas. So, let's get started... |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique II | Sliding Power Chords and Root-4 Fourths | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Although playing cool licks and lightning-fast riffs is fun, it's really only one aspect of being a good guitarist. Laying down a solid foundation for those licks and riffs is absolutely essential. The best solos sound good because they're part of a cool sounding tune. In this lesson we're going to work on our rhythm chops by checking out power chords and creating solid rhythm parts. So, let's get to work... |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique II | Open E and A Pedal Tones with Power Chords | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Using repeated open notes with power chords is an important part of Rock rhythm playing. These open notes are called pedal tones. Pedal tones can be found in everything from classic Rock standards, like Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lot'a Love' and Jimmy Hendrix's 'Purple Haze', to eighty's shredders, like Malmsteen and Iron Maiden, to modern Rock anthems, like Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'. In this lesson, we'll discuss pedal tones and power chords and check out some of the ways that they're used. Let's get started... |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique II | Chord Embellishments | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Major and minor chords can be just fine, in the world of Rock music, but sometimes you'll want to add a little harmonic depth to your playing. There are chords that can achieve this, giving just enough unresolved tension to add a whole new dimension to the music (without sounding too jazzy, of course!). They're called 'sus chords'. In this lesson, we'll take a look at the music theory behind a sus chord and then I'll teach you popular open and moveable chord forms that will get you ready to throw these into your rhythm playing whenever you feel like changing up the sound a bit. Let's get right to it... |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique II | Introduction to Left-Hand Damping | Glenn Riley & Tim Quick | A little scratch, a little chuck, a little control over the strings when you play. That's what you'll walk away with after this left-hand dampening lesson. This cool and sometimes forgotten technique will have you sounding like a pro. There's a couple of really helpful exercises in this lesson for you to use in your own playing. So if you've got an itch, let's scratch it! |
| Developing Rhythm Guitar Technique II | Exercises Using Any/All Chords Learned | Glenn Riley & Tim Quick | If you're ready to make some cool music with the chords you've been learning then you've clicked the right button. There are four chord progressions in this lesson that will put your chord vocabulary to use. After you have learned some new chords it's really important that you get them into your playing ASAP, and try some new things with chords you already have a grasp of. So let's go. |
| Developing Technical Skills III | Bending | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | One of the most beautiful things about music is that you can create sounds that express feelings. The guitar is wonderful instrument for recreating human sounds. Learning how to express yourself in a musical phrase requires you to learn how to play the notes. In this lesson, I'll introduce you to bends and show you how to get the most feeling out of your licks. |
| Developing Technical Skills III | More Advanced Pull-Offs and Hammer-ons I | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Now that your starting to really connect ideas and develop your soloing skills, it's time to check out some left-hand techniques that will help you to begin creating your own sound. In this lesson, we'll take a look at hammer-ons and pull-offs. Even if you've had some experience with using these before, I encourage you to check out the exercises in this lesson, as they'll really help you to generate a clean and even sound. Once you work our a solid hammer-on and pull-off technique, you'll soon be able to increase your speed, while maintaining a consistant, clean sound. Keep practising the exercises in this lesson, and you'll be unstoppable! |
| Developing Technical Skills III | Combining Slides and Vibrato | Alex Nolan & Paul Howard | Playing expressive phrases and developing a soulful touch are what set apart great guitar players from the good ones. Knowing your scale patterns and notes is only part of the process. There are a few techniques that can help you get more feeling out of each phrase. In this lesson, we're going to check out how to slide from one note to another and how to use vibrato. Let's get right into it... |
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