Beginner Guitar Lessons – Welcome to the world of Guitar

Start learning the guitar with a rock-jazz-blues guitarist and songwriter. Even if this is your very first class, Todd will address all the fundamental points so that you get a solid foundation.

You will have access to more than 470 videos, learning step by step with progressive exercices, examples and useful tools like the metronome, chord diagrams, and a recorder.

At the end of this course, you will be able to play well known songs such as “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “Sing” or “Heroes” and much more.

Thanks to his tailor-made method for beginners, you’ll quickly notice your progress and will have more and more fun playing your guitar.

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Discover all our guitar lessons

The main concepts taught

Rhythm

Melodies on Strings

Natural and Accidental Notes

Chord Switching

Synchronization

Key Signature

The lesson plan proposed by Todd Clouser

Take full beginner guitar lessons!

The method proposed by Todd Clouser aims to teach you all the fundamentals of guitar. These lessons are accessible to all students, with concepts introduced step by step.

In this program, the course is divided into 14 chapters. You will study the anatomy of the guitar, rhythm, synchronization of both hands, basic chords, melodies on strings, natural and accidental notes, the major scale, the eighth note and barre chords. At the end of each session you have access to exercices to continue practicing.

Chapter	Detailed Notions
Get you know your Guitar: Fundamental skills	In this first part, Todd Clouser introduces the course. He explains the fundamentals of classic guitar, the anatomy of the instrument, how to have good positioning when holding the guitar. He will also talk about the different strings, how to tune a guitar, the way to read a tablature, and how to hold a pick. Todd will give you all the advice and exercices you need to start playing with ease.
Rhythm	In this second session, Todd focuses on the beat and addresses the notions of whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. With the help of a metronome he will teach you how to keep the beat. You will be able to practice with a series of exercices. Finally, Todd will help you learn to read music symbols.
Synchronization of Hands	Now, you will learn how to play with both hands while paying attention to the synchronization. A series of exercices are available to practice this point.
Learning Basic Chords	Todd Clouser explains what a chord is and teaches you the main chords. You will also learn the different types of rests, and why they are important in music. He’ll also teach you the “chord switching” technique and give you many exercices to master these notions.
Playing Easy Songs	This chapter will get you started playing easy famous songs such as “Sing” “Lady in the Black” “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” “Heroes” “Yellow Submarine”. The goal is for you to practice and assimilate the previous notions. You can make use of the metronome when playing, to make sure to keep the pace of the piece.
Learning Easy Chords	In this part, you will go deeper in learning how to play guitar chords. In particular, you will learn the chords B7, A and Dm. Thanks to many examples and provided exercices, you will soon learn to switch perfectly from one chord to another.
Melodies on Strings	Here, you will discover how to play a melody on a single string. Next, you’ll learn to play the melody with the help of backing tracks for support. In several exercices you will be offered to play the accompaniment, then the melody, and finally both of them. You will be able to see the first open strings (G, B and E strings) before discovering the E, A and D strings. Finally, you will train on several songs and combine the melody and the rhythm. The “Dotted half note” notion will also be seen in this session.
More Melodies	This session contains more pieces of music to continue practicing the melody. You will play on the following pieces: “Amazing Grace” “When the Saints go Marching in” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho” “I Got the Blues” “Greensleeves” Through these exercices you will also get a more in depth understanding of the “Anacrusis” notion and the “Pick-up note”
Natural and Accidental Notes	Todd Clouser addresses the concepts of natural and accidental notes. You will approach in detail the notions of sharp and flat accidental notes. You’ll be able to train on the piece “Down in The Valley”.
The C Major Scale	This session focuses on the notion of the “major scale” . You will study the C Major Scale, with different octave variations. Todd will also teach you the “Key Signature“. You will train on the following pieces: “Red River Valley” “Shenandoah”
The Eighth Note	Here you will discover the « Eighth note ». This is what gives a « blues » character to a piece of music. You will specifically see the G7 chord position. You will practice on the folkloric piece « This Train ». Todd Clouser will give you tips and tricks to improve your playing. You’ll find more exercices to tap the rhythm and to work on the melody.
Barre Chord Study	In this chapter you will learn to play barre chords, using one finger as a capo. You will understand how barre chords are constructed and how to use a real capo on your guitare. He gives you tips to warm up before practicing. F, E and Fm barre chords are seen in detail as well as the « Eighth rest » and « Chord switching » You will also learn to mix the notes. Finally several exercices on music pieces are available at the end of the session.
Barre Chord on E and A String	This session details the previous one. It also deals with barre chords and focuses more especially on E, A, B and Bm chords. You will also practice chord switching and ear training thanks to new exercices.
Congratulations	Your teacher Todd Clouser congratulates you for the long way you have come since the beginning of these beginner guitar lessons, and invites you to continue on with other musical repertoires. You’ll now be able to play along with these songs: “Hey Jude” “Love is All” “The Dock of the Bay” “Hallelujah” etc…

Lesson plan

Chapter	Detailed Notions
Get you know your Guitar: Fundamental skills	In this first part, Todd Clouser introduces the course. He explains the fundamentals of classic guitar, the anatomy of the instrument, how to have good positioning when holding the guitar. He will also talk about the different strings, how to tune a guitar, the way to read a tablature, and how to hold a pick. Todd will give you all the advice and exercices you need to start playing with ease.
Rhythm	In this second session, Todd focuses on the beat and addresses the notions of whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. With the help of a metronome he will teach you how to keep the beat. You will be able to practice with a series of exercices. Finally, Todd will help you learn to read music symbols.
Synchronization of Hands	Now, you will learn how to play with both hands while paying attention to the synchronization. A series of exercices are available to practice this point.
Learning Basic Chords	Todd Clouser explains what a chord is and teaches you the main chords. You will also learn the different types of rests, and why they are important in music. He’ll also teach you the “chord switching” technique and give you many exercices to master these notions.
Playing Easy Songs	This chapter will get you started playing easy famous songs such as “Sing” “Lady in the Black” “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” “Heroes” “Yellow Submarine”. The goal is for you to practice and assimilate the previous notions. You can make use of the metronome when playing, to make sure to keep the pace of the piece.
Learning Easy Chords	In this part, you will go deeper in learning how to play guitar chords. In particular, you will learn the chords B7, A and Dm. Thanks to many examples and provided exercices, you will soon learn to switch perfectly from one chord to another.
Melodies on Strings	Here, you will discover how to play a melody on a single string. Next, you’ll learn to play the melody with the help of backing tracks for support. In several exercices you will be offered to play the accompaniment, then the melody, and finally both of them. You will be able to see the first open strings (G, B and E strings) before discovering the E, A and D strings. Finally, you will train on several songs and combine the melody and the rhythm. The “Dotted half note” notion will also be seen in this session.
More Melodies	This session contains more pieces of music to continue practicing the melody. You will play on the following pieces: “Amazing Grace” “When the Saints go Marching in” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho” “I Got the Blues” “Greensleeves” Through these exercices you will also get a more in depth understanding of the “Anacrusis” notion and the “Pick-up note”
Natural and Accidental Notes	Todd Clouser addresses the concepts of natural and accidental notes. You will approach in detail the notions of sharp and flat accidental notes. You’ll be able to train on the piece “Down in The Valley”.
The C Major Scale	This session focuses on the notion of the “major scale” . You will study the C Major Scale, with different octave variations. Todd will also teach you the “Key Signature“. You will train on the following pieces: “Red River Valley” “Shenandoah”
The Eighth Note	Here you will discover the « Eighth note ». This is what gives a « blues » character to a piece of music. You will specifically see the G7 chord position. You will practice on the folkloric piece « This Train ». Todd Clouser will give you tips and tricks to improve your playing. You’ll find more exercices to tap the rhythm and to work on the melody.
Barre Chord Study	In this chapter you will learn to play barre chords, using one finger as a capo. You will understand how barre chords are constructed and how to use a real capo on your guitare. He gives you tips to warm up before practicing. F, E and Fm barre chords are seen in detail as well as the « Eighth rest » and « Chord switching » You will also learn to mix the notes. Finally several exercices on music pieces are available at the end of the session.
Barre Chord on E and A String	This session details the previous one. It also deals with barre chords and focuses more especially on E, A, B and Bm chords. You will also practice chord switching and ear training thanks to new exercices.
Congratulations	Your teacher Todd Clouser congratulates you for the long way you have come since the beginning of these beginner guitar lessons, and invites you to continue on with other musical repertoires. You’ll now be able to play along with these songs: “Hey Jude” “Love is All” “The Dock of the Bay” “Hallelujah” etc…

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A word from your teacher

"At the end of this course, you'll be able to achieve your goal of learning to play the guitar and you'll be able to play your favorite songs, and maybe even begin to write your own music."