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.
David Butler is the Chairman and 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.
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Section 1
How to Use the Study Guide -NEW!
Learn Your First Chord: Open Position G
Another Useful Fingering for Open Position G
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 -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
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” -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
“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 -NEW!
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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” -NEW!
Study Guide Checkpoint -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
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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 -NEW!
“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 -NEW!
Study Guide Checkpoint -NEW!
Embellishing a Song with Travis Picking -NEW!
“Blackbird” -NEW!
“Ballad of a Crystal Man” -NEW!
“Scarborough Fair” -NEW!
“On Doing an Evil Deed Blues” -NEW!
Altered Tunings -NEW!
How to Get Into Open D Tuning -NEW!
“Big Yellow Taxi” -NEW!
How to Get Out of Open D Tuning (Back to Standard E Tuning) -NEW!
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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
Learn Your Second Chord: Open Position C
The 1-6-4-5 Progression & the Chord Scale
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
Welcome to the Course
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 -NEW!
Stretches -NEW!
Chromatic Patterns -NEW!
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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
