Table of Contents Introduction and Background The Guitar _________________________________ 1 Related Instruments _____________________ 1 Guitar Parts and Names __________________ 2 Acoustic vs. Electric __________________ 3 Brand Names _______________________ 3 The Neck _____________________________ 4 Fretboard __________________________ 4 Width______________________________ 5 Thickness __________________________ 5 Intonation __________________________ 5 Action _____________________________ 5 Adjustable Truss Rod _________________ 5 Strings _______________________________ 6 Electric Pickup Configurations _____________ 7 Tele _______________________________ 7 Strat ______________________________ 7 Peavey Copies ______________________ 7 Les Paul ___________________________ 7 Active Pickups ______________________ 7 Guitar Amps ___________________________ 8 Accessories_________________________________ 9 Case _________________________________ 9 Guitar Stand ___________________________ 9 CAPO ________________________________ 9 Music Stand ___________________________ 9 Strap_________________________________ 10 Guitar Strings __________________________ 10 Picks_________________________________ 10 String Changing Kit _____________________ 11 Peg Winder _________________________ 11 Wire Clippers _______________________ 11 Polishing Cloth and Polish _____________ 11 Electronic Tuner ________________________ 11 Metronome/Drum Machine/Sequencer_______ 12 Tape Recorder _________________________ 12 Effects _______________________________ 12 Harvard Dictionary of Music _______________ 13 Tuning __________________________________ 15 Tuning Options _________________________ 16 Electronic Tuner _____________________ 16 Pitch Pipe __________________________ 16 Tuning Fork _________________________ 16 Standard Pitch _________________________ 15 Standard Tuning ________________________ 15 Tuning to a Piano ______________________ 17 Relative Tuning ________________________ 17 Alternate Tunings _______________________ 18 Higher or Lower Standard ______________ 18 Drop D ____________________________ 19 Open D ____________________________ 19 D minor ____________________________ 20 Open G ____________________________ 20 G minor ____________________________ 21 DADGAD and others__________________ 21 The Basics Fingering _____________________________ 22 Fret Hand __________________________ 22 Picking Hand ________________________ 22 Fretboard _____________________________ 23 Fretting Rules __________________________ 23 Tabulature Notation _____________________ 24 Positional Tabulature ____________________ 24 Notes and Names Pitch ______________________________ 25 Equal Temperament __________________ 25 Chromatic Scale _____________________ 25 The Diatonic Scale ___________________ 25 Musical Alphabet ____________________ 25 Piano Notes ___________________________ 26 Guitar Notes and Names _________________ 27 Natural Notes by String ________________ 27 Notes in First Position _________________ 27 The Diatonic Scale ______________________ 28 Notes on the Fifth and Sixth Strings ________ 30 Chord Basics________________________________ 31 Introduction to Chords ___________________ 31 Chord Diagrams _______________________ 32 Open Chord Example ________________ 32 Bar Chord Example __________________ 32 Basic Rhythm Styles ____________________ 33 Strum _____________________________ 33 Alternating Bass and Strum ____________ 33 Arpeggio___________________________ 33 Five “Major” Chords _____________________ 34 Strumming ____________________________ 35 Five Basic Rhythm Patterns ____________ 35 “Major” Chord Progressions ______________ 36 More Major Changes ____________________ 37 Seventh Chords ________________________ 38 The “Twelve Bar Progression” _____________ 38 The “F” Chord _________________________ 39 Related Minor _________________________ 40 Relative Minor _________________________ 41 Minor Changes ________________________ 42 Moveable Chords ______________________ 43 Moveable Bar Substitutions _______________ 44 Basic Chord Progressions _____________________ 45 Diatonic Harmony of the Five Keys _________ 45 Essential Chord Changes ________________ 46 Essential Chords ______________________ 47 The Capo ____________________________ 48 Capo Chart ___________________________ 49 Transposition Chart _____________________ 50 Basic Chord Alterations _______________________ 51 Suspended Chords _____________________ 52 Major Seventh Chords ___________________ 54 Minor Seventh Chords ___________________ 55 Sixth Chords __________________________ 56 Passing Chords ________________________ 57 Diminished Seventh __________________ 57 Major Alterations _______________________ 58 Alternate Bass Note __________________ 58 Alternate Chord/Same Root ____________ 60 Minor Alterations _______________________ 61 Minor “Walk Down” _____________________ 62 Bar Chords _________________________________ 64 The “Major” Bar Patterns ________________ 65 Basic Sixth String Root Patterns ___________ 66 Basic Fifth String Root Patterns ____________ 67 The Basic Bar Major Changes _____________ 68 Major and Minor Bar Changes _____________ 69 Five Chords ___________________________ 70 Palm Mute __________________________ 71 Additional Basic Bar Changes _____________ 72 .