SYLLABUS: THE QUICKSTART GUITAR COURSE

Week 1--Intro To Guitar: The Guitar Place In Pop Music; How To Read Tablature; How To Read Chord Diagrams; Intro To Rhythm: Whole, Half, Quarter, and 8th note Rhythms; Basic Open Chording & Fingerboard Integration

Playing Assignment: Reading Tablature Example 1, Open Chords: G, C, D, & Am. Set a goal of obtaining clear sounding chords with proper fingerings. Time permitting, begin working on "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" and/or "(If I Could ) Be Like That"

BRAINWORK--Memorize the names of the open strings: E, A, D, G, B, & E (Remember: Even Armadillos Drink Gatorade Before Eating)

Week 2--Open String Chord & Tablature Review; Examining "Knockin' On Heaven's Door;" Practice Tips;" "Move Exercises;" Intro To Basic Power Chords: Open Power Chords, Intro To The 12-Bar Blues Form.

Playing Assignment: "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," break down and practice song into 2-Chord "MOVE" exercises; eventually experimenting with Whole and Half Note Rhythms. Once you've obtained clear sounding chords, each with their proper fingering, set your goals toward getting from chord to chord in a timely fashion. Practice Open Power Chords E5, A5, D5 in 12 Bar Blues Variations 1-3 (4 is extra credit). Memorize these progressions.

Week 3--Review 12-Bar Blues, and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" Intro To Movable Power Chording, Basic Theory (Whole Step/Half Step/Sharps/Flats; Expanding Your Fingerboard Knowledge.

Playing Assignment: "When I Come Around," "All The Small Things," "Classic Power Chording Progressions" (any one of these or ALL of these) lesson in movable power chords, practice with suggested rhythms

BRAINWORK--Memorize the notes of the low E and A Strings, note the half steps between E & F and between B & C.

Week 4--Intro To Applied Music Theory (geared for the "ROCK" Guitarist): Major Scale (in the keys of C, G, D, A); Construction and application of the major scale within the basic power chord format; Analyzing Basic Power Chording Patterns & Progressions.

Playing Assignment: Review all lessons thus far; analyze progressions (all in G); Power Chording examples to the songs "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," "(If I Could) Be Like That" and "When I Come Around"

BRAINWORK--Construct G Major Scale, follow directions in "Steps To Applying The Major Scale Into Your Playing"

Week 5--Rhythm Guitar Strumming: how to read the basic strumming rhythms, technical ideas in strumming, Lesson: Broken Chording

Playing Assignment: "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" (Rhythm Guitar Exercises)/(If I Could) Be Like That (16th note Strumming Exercises) "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" (Broken Chording)/(If I Could) Be Like That (Broken Chording);

BRAINWORK: We'll go over the "Quickstart Rhythm Overview" in class, make sure you understand the basic rhythms covered in this lesson.

Week 6--Review Week; "The Germ Theory," (including "the building blocks of a song"), song form also discussed.

Playing Assignment: Come up with your own musical "germs," in the form of chord progressions. Come up with your own 2 and 4 chord progressions… using chords that you think sound good together. Follow the "Germ" Lesson and see where it takes you. REVIEW EVERYTHING!!!

Week 7--Introduction to melody on guitar (Lead Guitar), major key melodic playing, practicing and creating with the Major and Major Pentatonic scales.

Playing Assignment: Memorize the G Major Pentatonic Scale in 12th position; follow the steps spell out in "Introducing Lead Guitar." Follow the "Music Theory & Soloing" lesson attached to the "Be Like That" lesson.

Week 8--Question and Answer Week, I'll Answer your questions.