Level 1 Level 1 1. Speed and versatility: The fretboard Ways to find notes quickly anywhere on the fretboard Guitar terms # Sharp: One fret up, it raises a note by a semitone (a half step) ♭ Flat: One fret down, it lowers the note by a semitone (a half step) Octave: An interval of 8 notes of a musical scale that shares notes of the same name – e.g., from a low C to a high C in the C major scale The musical alphabet – a recap There are 12 notes in Western music, but only 7 letters are used to name them: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. To complete the 12, we use sharps (#) or flats (♭). Tips for navigating the fretboard 1. Go 5 frets, 1 string down to find the same note. The exception is between the B and G string, when you count 4 frets. 2. There are 12 frets between the lowest and highest notes of an octave. 3. Go 7 frets, 1 string up to find the lowest and highest notes of an octave. The exception is between the G and B strings, when you count 8 frets. 1 Level 1 Goal To be able to name a note at any random location on the fretboard within 5 seconds Advanced goal To be able to name a note at any random location on the fretboard within 2 seconds Exercises 1.1.1 Learn strategic frets The aim of this exercise is to know all the notes on 4 frets, which you can use as reference points for counting up or down to quickly find other notes. Once you can name the notes on a fret from memory, move on to the next fret. My suggestion is to learn these frets in this order: Fret 5 Fret 7 Fret 3 Fret 10 2 Level 1 1.1.2 Learn octave shapes Take time to practice these octave shapes and memorize them. Then you can use your knowledge to find your way quickly around the fretboard. Octave Shapes 3 Level 1 2. Chords: Major and minor barre chords Tips for playing barre chords Guitar terms Root note: The first note of a chord – e.g., the root note of E major is E Technique • • • • Place your thumb on the back of the neck. Keep your index finger straight. Maintain a gentle curve in your wrist. Apply moderate pressure. Movable chord shapes Root Note Major Chord Minor Chord On string 6 (low E) On string 5 (A) OR 4 Level 1 Goal Within 1 second locate major or minor chords with the root on the 6th or 5th string, as shown in the video Note: If you’re absolutely new to this, it can take some time before these shapes become second nature. Exercises 1.2.1 Know the major barre chords Make some time in your regular practice sessions to play the following chords with the root on the 6th and 5th string. Use the diagrams at first if you need to. When you begin to feel more confident, start playing them from memory. C G D A E B F# C# 1.2.2 Know the minor barre chords Make some time in your regular practice sessions to play the following chords with the root on the 6th and 5th string. Use the diagrams at first if you need to. When you begin to feel more confident, start playing them from memory. C minor G minor D minor A minor E minor B minor F# minor C# minor 5 Level 1 3. Lead: Major scales in 3 positions Increase your versatility as a player by knowing major scales Guitar terms Function: The relation of a note, scale degree, or a chord to the tonal center (or key) of a song. Functions are expressed with numbers and can be flattened or sharpened. Interval: The distance between the pitch of one note and another note The major scale – a recap Starting from the root note, this is the sequence of intervals between the notes in a major scale: Whole tone (2 frets) Whole tone (2 frets) Semitone (1 fret) Whole tone (2 frets) Whole tone (2 frets) Whole tone (2 frets) Semitone (1 fret) Goal To play from memory the C major scale in 3 locations on the fretboard 6 Level 1 Exercises These exercises are great to play every time you pick up the guitar, as a warmup. 1.3.1 Open chord and C major scale 1.3.2 Barre chord and C major scale, root on 5th string 7 Level 1 1.3.3 Barre chord and C major scale, root on 6th string 8 Level 1 4. Practical theory: Chord degrees How chords and scales relate to the key – and what that means for your playing Guitar terms Chord progression: The sequence of chord degrees played in a song Key: The group of pitches (the scale) that is used in a song Chord choices Chord degrees are named using these Roman numerals: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii. The I, IV, and V are major chords. The ii, iii, and vi are minor chords. Understanding how the scale and the chords in a key relate to each other can help you choose chords and scales to play in a particular key. Functions Notes (C major scale) Degrees Chords 1 C I C major 2 D ii D minor 3 E iii E minor 4 F IV F major 5 G V G major 6 A vi A minor 7 B vii B diminished* *We won’t be covering the vii degree in this course. 9 Level 1 Goal Start to recognize the chord degrees. Feel comfortable playing in different keys. (The most seen major keys are: C – G – D – A – E.) Exercises 1.4.1 Common chord progressions Practice playing the following chord progressions: Key of G: I – vi – IV – V Key of C: vi – IV – I – V Key of G: V – IV – I – I Key of D: I – IV – V – I Additionally, you can try to make a few chord progressions yourself. 1.4.2 Analyze songs Take some songs you already know and analyze them to find the chord degrees. 10 Level 1 Exercise 1.4.1 Common chord progressions 11 Level 1 5. Improvisation: Key of C Essentials for getting better at improvising Tips • • • • • Play the guitar as if you’re speaking. Use short sentences. Stop once in a while to breathe. Use repetition. Play licks you’ve memorized from solos by your favorite guitarists. Study theory. Practice improvising. Advanced tips • • Record yourself and listen back to hear the bigger story in your guitar solos. Finish your licks on a target note from the chord you’re playing over. Goal To gain confidence improvising with notes from the C major scale Exercise 1.5.1 Improvisation in the key of C Improvise over the backing track. It uses the C chord and the F chord. In the key of C, the C chord is the I chord, and the F chord is the IV chord. So we call it a “I–IV (one-four) progression in the key of C.” If you use notes from the C major scale in your improvisation, they will sound great with these chords. 12 Level 1 6. Solo: “Optimistic Jam” Play over a backing track using the skills you’ve learned Guitar terms Bend: Push a string across the fretboard to make it tighter and raise the pitch of the note BPM: Beats per minute; a measure of the speed a song is played at Double stop: Two notes played at the same time Hammer-on: To play a string open and then place your finger on the string to play a higher note without needing to pick again Pull-off: To lift your finger off the fretboard so you can play a lower note on the same string without picking again Staccato: A style of playing where notes are short and clearly defined Vibrato: Repeatedly and quickly bending a note to give character to the sound Goal To nail this solo over the slower backing track Advanced goal To nail this solo over the faster backing track by the end of the course Exercise 1.6.1 Solo: “Optimistic Jam” Practice the solo with the backing track. It becomes more difficult as the song progresses, so play what you can. Then practice until you can play the whole solo over the backing track. If you can play the solo well over the slower BPM backing track, move on to the regular speed. You don’t need to be able to play the solo perfectly before moving on to the next level of the course. Keep practicing it if you need to, even after you’ve finished the rest of the course. I made it pretty challenging so you have something to work toward. 13 Level 1 Exercise 1.6.1 Solo: lvl “Optimistic 1.6 Jam” = 85 1 7 C 9 7 9 5 5 7 C 5 F 2 7 7 full 15 15 13 13 14 8 5 8 5 8 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 7 7 9 5 5 7 F 4 7 5 F 10 1 2 3 0 15 15 3 0 9 7 9 12 9 12 14 13 full full full 15 15 3 0 2 1 13 3 full 13 14 0 2 full C 11 8 full full full 7 F full full 15 14 C 8 5 9 C 6 8 9 7 F full full full 9 C 3 15 15 F 12 0 3 0 2 1 3 0 3 1 F C F C 13 14 15 16 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 15 12 0 15 12 0 12 10 0 12 10 0 10 8 0 10 8 0 8 5 0 8 5 0 C 17 8 10 6 0 8 8 10 12 10 8 10 12 10 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 13 15 17 15 13 15 17 15 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 full full 13 15 1/1 14 Level 1 Advancing to Level 2 This course becomes progressively more challenging as you build your skills. I designed it so you can advance at your own pace, to suit your learning style and your priorities as a guitarist. To help you decide if you’re ready to move on, answer the questions below. You don’t need to get everything right before you move forward. There are no guitar police looking over your shoulder! But I really hope you’ll spend 10 minutes on this self-assessment so you know the areas where you need to practice more. Level 1 Self test Grab your guitar and a pen so you can assess the skills you’ve learned. For the answers, go to Advancing to Level 2 in the members area. 1. Name the notes Can you name these notes without looking at a diagram? 15 Level 1 2. Find the chords Can you play these chords without looking at diagrams? a) B b) F# minor 3. Play a scale Without looking at the tabs, can you play the C major scale in at least one of the positions in lesson 3, with a C chord before and after? 4. Play in key a) What is the iii chord in the key of G? b) Name two chords that will always sound good in the key of D. c) Can you play a I – IV – vi – V progression in the key of A? (Hint: one of these will be a barre chord!) 5. Improvise and play solos After playing with the backing tracks in lessons 5 and 6, do you feel more confident about improvising and playing solos? 16 Level 1 17
