Guitar

Getting Started with Guitar

Guitar lessons from recording artist, performer, and teacher Jerry Jennings include videos, diagrams, and downloadable pages. Students learn the fundamentals of the guitar, including tuning and basic chords. Students then progress to scales, triads, and playing simple pieces.

Course Outline

Instruction through video, diagrams, and downloadable pages from instructor’s own music books.

Unit 1

• Week 1 – Familiarize Yourself with the Guitar, Chords (G and D)
• Week 2 – Chords (A Minor and C)
• Week 3 – Natural Notes on the Neck
• Week 4 – F Chord

Unit 2

• Week 1 – New Chord, E minor
• Week 2 – Minor Pentatonic Scale
• Week 3 – New Strum Pattern
• Week 4 – A Chord, Pick-Strum Pattern

Unit 3

• Week 1 – Review Minor Pentatonic Scale
• Week 2 – Julia’s Song

Unit 4

• Week 1 – Lesson for Sunny Side Up
• Week 2 – Construction of a Major Scale
• Week 3 – Power Chords
• Week 4 – Playing on Upbeats

Unit 5

• Week 1 – Return of the Pentatonic
• Week 2 – 12-Bar Blues
• Week 3 – Introducing Scales and Triads
• Week 4 – Major Scale

Unit 6

• Week 1 – Triads Continued
• Week 2 – Blues Riff in G
• Week 3 – The Pentatonic Scale

Unit 7

• Week 1 – Writing a Song with Chords in the Key of C
• Week 2 – Shuffle, E Blues
• Week 3 – Using Capos—Super Fun Device
• Week 4 – E Blues Strum Pattern

Unit 8

• Week 1 – Bar Chords
• Week 2 – Diagonal Shape for the Minor Pentatonic
• Week 3 – Major Pentatonic

For a printable course outline, click here.

More About This Course

Are your children interested in learning how to play the guitar? They can join recording artist Jerry Jennings as he leads students through an introductory course that will enable them to play simple pieces by the time they are finished. He teaches the fundamentals of the guitar such as the individual parts and tuning, basic chords, the minor and major pentatonic scales, strumming, and picking. As the course progresses, he provides lessons that focus on more advanced topics such as blues riffs, triads, bar chords, and using capos. Through the use of videos, diagrams, and downloadable pages from his own books, your child is sure to develop a love for the guitar that will, hopefully, fuel a desire to build upon the basics. These lessons are suitable for any age from elementary through high school, or any adult member of the family.

While this is an introductory course, students will learn many of the basics they will need to progress as a guitarist and will also have a chance to determine just how interested they are in the work that is involved in progressing in this area. Lessons should be followed in order as the difficulty increases with each lesson. This course counts as a music elective credit. Students who complete the 28 lessons can earn 0.5 academic credit. As always, please check your own state’s academic requirements.