The Anyone Can Play Guitar Beginner’s Course
Welcome to my beginner’s course! These lessons are designed to guide you through the early stages of learning to play, from choosing a guitar and getting it in tune, to learning your first chords and playing some cool songs.
The problem with learning to play guitar in the internet age is that there’s so much information – both good and bad – that it’s next to impossible for a beginner to know where to start. Everyone’s an expert or a would-be expert and it’s hard to know who’s worth listening to. The idea behind my course is to give the beginner a clear, structured series of lessons designed to get them making music and playing songs as quickly and as painlessly as possible. There’s no hype, and I won’t be revealing the secrets to instant fretboard mastery, I’m just going to get you off to the best possible start.
I cover all the essential stuff I think every beginner needs to know, irrespective of whether they want to end up playing doom metal or fingerpicking delicate folk songs. Music theory, reading and exercises are kept to a minimum, and the focus is on establishing a solid basic technique, developing a sense of rhythm and playing real music and songs as quickly as possible. No prior musical knowledge or playing experience is assumed.
I’m not saying my way is the only way to learn, but I do know from many years of teaching private students that it works. It won’t always be easy – worthwhile things rarely are – but stick with it and it will be one of the most fun and rewarding experiences you could possibly have. But, enough of my yakkin…let’s get started.
Click on the links to be taken to the individual lesson page. Feel free to jump around, but the lessons work best when followed in sequence.
[These videos were amongst the first I filmed when I launched my site. I was still getting comfortable with the technical side of making the videos and with the presentation (what do you mean wooden?!), so they’re not quite as slickly done as some of my more recent lessons. All the content still stands up well though I think, but at some point in the future I may get round to re-filming some of these lessons.]1. How to Choose a Guitar
2. The Parts of the Guitar
3. Get in Tune
4. The E Chord
5. The A Chord
6. E to A Chord Changing
8. More Chord Changing
9. Right-hand Strumming
10. Song – Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam
11. Finger Exercise
12. G and C Chords
13. Song. California Stars by Wilco and Billy Bragg
14. The Most Useful Strumming Pattern Ever
15. Minor Chords
16. Song. The One I Love
17. 7th Chords
18. The 12 Bar Blues
19. How To Play In Time
20. The F Chord
21. Song – Sunday Morning
22. How To Practise
23. Sus4 Chords
24. 3 Scales
25. Song – The House of the Rising Sun
26. Some More 7th Chords
27. Song – I’m Only Sleeping
28. Beginner’s Course Review