Guitar Lessons
Have you decided to learn how to play guitar? Congratulations! Guitar is a wonderful and versatile instrument that you can quite literally play for the rest of your life. The guitar plays a role in all kinds of music: rock, metal, pop, jazz, blues, country, orchestral, pop − you name it!
Learning guitar for beginners can be quite overwhelming due to the sheer amount of information available online. That’s why we’ve written this article – because sometimes the best way to learn guitar is by just sitting down and starting rather than wasting time searching for the best online guitar lessons.
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NO CONTRACTS: All styles, ages and skill levels.
Frank Giarratano has over 20 years experience as a guitar instructor from Private Lessons, Sounds like Music, and Guitar Center. Frank received his Bachelors degree in jazz studies from North Central College and received his Masters in Music from Northern Illinois University under the direction of Fareed Haque.
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Curriculum
GUITAR ELECTRIC/ACOUSTIC
(curriculums may vary)
Level 1
Maintenance and Guitar knowledge
(parts, strings, body)
Simple Time- practicing quarter & eighth note rhythms
Learn classic riffs on 6th and 5th strings
Understanding musical forms and theory
(ABA) (I, IV, V)
Open chords with one or two fingers
Understanding tuning and utilizing tuning devices
Play beginner melodies with accompaniment
Multiple strumming patterns and picking styles
Introducing note name on 6 string (1-12 frets)
Level 2
In the box (small section of the Am pentatonic scale)
Understand in sixteenth note rhythms
Introducing 3 finger open chords
Study different articulations
(staccato, hammers on, pulloffs)
Play more complicated melodies with accompaniment
Learning notes on the 5th string
Intro to powerchords
Quarter and eighth note triples
More advanced strumming patterns
Level 3
Learn the whole Am & Em pentatonic scale
Transcribe an easy solo for ear training
Intro to finger and hybrid picking
Learning how to utilize pedals, amps, and EQ
Further Articulation techniques ( palm muting, bends, trills, pinch harmonics)
Understanding music theory diatonicism
Introduction to harmony
Intro to triads and inversions ( major & minor) on each 4 sets of strings
Learning all the Pentatonic patterns
Understanding common chord progression ex. (I, V, vi, IV----vi, V, ii,I---- ii, V, I etc…)
Level 4
Intro to solo guitar (balancing between chords and melody or scale)
Introducing common blues rhythmic ornamentation
Intro to barre chords (Major, Minor, Dominant)
Complete triad inversions (diminished & augmented) on each 4 sets of strings
Further articulations and techniques (artificial harmonics, double stop bends, and dive bombs
Intro major scale patterns in all 6 keys (one octave on each 4 sets of strings)
How to end songs ( ex. tags)
Transcribe more complicated solo from different genres
Major and minor arpeggios
Level 5
Utilizing upper extensions and intervals
Further articulation exercises
(legato & tremolo & sweeps)
Complete the remaining 6 major scales (one octave on each 4 sets of strings)
Further recognition of notes on the fretboard
(including notes beyond the 12 fret)
Intro to improvisation by using guide tones
Understanding Modes
7th chord arpeggios
Intro and theory to harmonic and melodic minor scales
Further development on technique and speed
Level 6
Further development of solo guitar
(chord melodies)
Jazz harmony function
Combining major, pentatonic, hybrid scales and, Intro Chord substations
Intro non-diatonicism
Learning whole tone and diminished scales
Understanding songwriting
Further advancement towards improv (ex. rubato & creating intros)
Perpetual motion
Being able to play the melody and improvise to any song in all 12 keys
***and much more...***