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Instruments > Guitar > Beginners Guide to Acoustic Guitar

Beginner
Acoustic Guitar Lessons

Learn how to play guitar right here! Start your musical journey by learning the most important basic guitar chords, strumming patterns and picking techniques through songs you're going to know and love. These adult beginner guitar lessons will teach you everything you need to know from the first time you play through humming along to your favorite tunes.

Beginner Guitar ChordsGuitar Tab

Basic Music Concepts Easy Guitar Songs

About Beginner Guitar Lessons with David Butler


Embark on your musical journey with the Beginner Guitar Lessons with David Butler, exclusively available on ArtistWorks. This online course is designed for novices with no prior guitar playing experience, providing a comprehensive, engaging, and interactive pathway to learning guitar from the comfort of your own home.

Under the guidance of the acclaimed musician, David Butler, you'll delve into the essential basics of guitar playing, including chord structures, finger placement, strumming patterns, and playing techniques. David's unique teaching style combines personal insights, professional expertise, and a genuine passion for music, helping students grasp concepts more effectively.

The course features:

  • Step-by-Step Lessons: Start from understanding the parts of your guitar to mastering your first song. David's methodical approach ensures no stone is left unturned.
  • HD Video Tutorials: Over 100 high-definition videos offer clear, close-up demonstrations. Watch and replay at your convenience to ensure you master every technique.
  • Interactive Learning: You're not just watching - you're participating! Engage in practical exercises, play along with David, and submit videos of your performances for personalized feedback.
  • Extensive Song Library: Learn to play a variety of songs across multiple genres. Whether you're into blues, rock, country, or pop, there's something for every taste.
  • Exclusive Study Materials: Gain access to a wealth of downloadable resources including music sheets, chord charts, and practice tracks.
  • Online Community Access: Become part of ArtistWorks' active online community where you can interact with fellow students, share your progress, and gain inspiration.

Whether you aspire to strum campfire songs or jam on stage, the Beginner Guitar Lessons with David Butler is the perfect starting point for your guitar-playing aspirations. Start your musical journey today and discover the joy of playing the guitar with ArtistWorks.


About Video Exchange® Learning



What ultimately sets these beginner guitar lessons apart from other offerings is the ability to submit a video for review using the ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning® platform. David reviews each submission and records a video response- just for you! You'll learn how to play guitar at your own pace, but guidance is at your fingertips. Progress checkpoint videos help you gauge your progress too.


About David Butler


David Butler is the Cofounder of ArtistWorks, and a lifelong acoustic guitarist. He grew up listening to and playing the guitar-centric music of the 60’s, surrounded by the many music influences of his hometown Memphis Tennessee. Especially drawn to the sound of the acoustic guitar, he strived to master and teach its many styles and techniques including flat pick and finger style (“Travis”) picking. Though his university studies centered on computer engineering, his love of music and guitar inspired a parallel and continuing interest in music education.

His multi-faceted technology career included being one of the original engineers at AOL. After over a decade at AOL, he left to focus his energy on finding better ways for people to learn to play musical instruments, essentially combining the social elements of AOL with music instruction. The result is Video Exchange® learning, an industry-unique approach to online music instruction only available at ArtistWorks. David has been awarded three US patents on Video Exchange learning.

David shares his lifetime of acoustic guitar knowledge in the new online Beginner’s Guide to Acoustic Guitar. His goal is to provide comprehensive, step by step, deep instruction that fills in gaps that often cause first time players to get frustrated. Normally behind the camera at ArtistWorks, he now steps to the other side to teach all the adult beginners who wish to play and enjoy the acoustic guitar.


Beginner's Guide to Acoustic Guitar Lessons


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Section 1

Skills and Song Overview - All the Things You'll Learn
Learn Your First Chord: Open Position G
Another Useful Fingering for Open Position G
How to Use the Study Guide
The 3 Physical Challenges of Guitar
Learn Your Second Chord: Open Position C
Changing from One Chord to Another: G to C
Notes & Combinations of Notes
Learn Your Third Chord: Open Position D
Making Chords Sound Better
Study Guide Checkpoint

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Section 2

Introduction to Rhythm
Changing Between 3 Chords Smoothly in Rhythm
Rhythm Pattern 1
“This Land is Your Land” - Rhythm Pattern 1
Rhythm Pattern 2 ("This Land ... " cont.)
Rhythm Pattern 3
Chord Basics: The Power G Chord
A Closer Look at the Pick Itself
Playing Single Notes with a Pick
Study Guide Checkpoint

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Section 3

Notes on the Fretboard
Introduction to the Major Scale
The C Major Scale
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Single Note Development: The G Scale
Single Note Melody 2: “Three Blind Mice”
Single Note Melody 3: “Frère Jacques”
Study Guide Checkpoint

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Section 4

Controlling Multiple Strings with a Pick
Dynamics and Tone Quality
Playing Without a Pick
Chord Families and the 1-4-5 Progression
Chord Basics: Open Position A
“Red River Valley” - Using Rhythm Pattern 3
“Red River Valley” - Adding Alternating Bass
Alternating Bass: Rhythm Pattern 4
Study Guide Checkpoint
What Are 7th Chords?
Rhythm Pattern 5
“Red River Valley” - Adding Seventh Chords
“Will The Circle Be Unbroken” - Using Rhythm Pattern 5
Rhythm Pattern 6 (Waltz Time)
“Amazing Grace” Using Rhythm Pattern 6
“Amazing Grace” - Adding Variations
“Angel from Montgomery”

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Section 5

Chord Basics: Open Position E
“Gloria”
“Wild Thing”
Open Position Minor Chords
“Greensleeves” - Playing in a Minor Key
The Mighty F Chord
“Help Me Make It Through the Night” - Using the F Chord
Study Guide Checkpoint
“Bird on a Wire” - Using the F Chord
Chord Basics: The B Minor Chord
Rhythm Pattern 7
“Proud Mary” - Rhythm Pattern 7
5 Songs You Probably Should Know

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Section 6

Chord Basics: F# Minor
“500 Miles” - Using Rhythm Pattern 4
Chord Basics: B and B7
“Rock Island Line”
Bass Approach Lines
“I Walk the Line”
“Ho Hey”
Study Guide Checkpoint

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Section 7

The 12 Bar Blues Form
Bends, Slides, Hammer-ons & Pull-offs
Blues Improvisation
Blues with 9th Chords
Boogie Woogie Lines
“That’s Alright, Mama”
“Surfin' USA”
Study Guide Checkpoint

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Section 8

“Brown Eyed Girl”
Chord Basics: Barre Chords
The 1-6-4-5 Progression & the Chord Scale
How to Use a Capo
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” - Using a Capo
“Surfer Girl”
“House of the Rising Sun”
“Wildwood Flower” - With a Capo
“Wild Horses”
Study Guide Checkpoint
“Sugar Mountain”

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Section 9

“The River Song”
“Hey Ho” - Building a Multi-Part Melody
“Bookends Theme”
Travis Picking
“To Try for the Sun”
“The Boxer”
Chord Basics: Major 7th Chords
“Gymnopedie” - Using Major Sevenths
Finger Picks
Study Guide Checkpoint
Embellishing a Song with Travis Picking
“Blackbird”
“Ballad of a Crystal Man”
“Scarborough Fair”
“On Doing an Evil Deed Blues”
Altered Tunings
How to Get Into Open D Tuning
“Big Yellow Taxi”
How to Get Out of Open D Tuning (Back to Standard E Tuning)

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Section 10

Chord Basics: F# Minor
Chord Basics: Open Position E
Learn Your First Chord: Open Position G
Changing Between 3 Chords Smoothly in Rhythm
Another Useful Fingering for Open Position G
Chord Basics: Barre Chords
The 1-6-4-5 Progression & the Chord Scale
Learn Your Second Chord: Open Position C
Chord Families and the 1-4-5 Progression
Chord Basics: B and B7
Changing from One Chord to Another: G to C
Blues with 9th Chords
Notes & Combinations of Notes
Open Position Minor Chords
Chord Basics: Open Position A
Learn Your Third Chord: Open Position D
Chord Basics: The Power G Chord
Chord Basics: Major 7th Chords
Making Chords Sound Better
The Mighty F Chord
Chord Basics: The B Minor Chord
What Are 7th Chords?

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Bonus Lessons

For What It's Worth
“Silent Night”
“Jingle Bells”
“Joy to the World”
“O Christmas Tree”
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
"Auld Lang Syne"

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Introduction

Introduction to Lessons
Welcome to the Course
Skills and Song Overview - All the Things You'll Learn
How To Get Started
The Lesson Layout
How To Ask Questions and Socialize
Video Exchanges

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Learning Tips

Learning Tips

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Guitar Basics

Know Your Guitar
Common Setup Problems
Storing and General Care of Your Guitar
How to Hold the Guitar
3 Ways to Tune Your Guitar
Left Hand & Arm Position
Right Hand & Arm Position
Developing Calluses
The 3 Physical Challenges of Guitar
How to Change a Guitar String
Warm Up Exercises
Stretches
Chromatic Patterns

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Music Theory

Introduction to Guitar Music Theory
Notes on the Fretboard
The Major Scale on the Guitar
Rhythm, Counting & Keeping Time
Intervals
Triads (3 Note Chords)
Major vs. Minor
The Chord Scale with 3 Note Chords
The Root and Relative Minor
What Are Chord Progressions
7th Chords
9th Chords
Suspended Chords
Introduction to Tablature

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What's In This Plan:


  • Unlimited Access to Lessons
  • Unlimited Access to Video Exchange Library
  • Unlimited Video Submissions to Teacher
  • Music Theory Workshop
  • Backing Tracks across Instruments
  • 100s of guitar lessons at your own pace
  • Specifically geared to adult beginners
  • Easy Guitar Lessons & Tunes

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