How to Play Guitar

Offered By: Berklee College of Music via Coursera

Course Description

Overview

Have you always wanted to play the guitar, but never knew where to start? Whether you’re just picking up the guitar for the first time or you just want to brush up on your skills, the Guitar Techniques specialization created by Berklee College of Music will help you practice the techniques you need to bring your playing to the next level. Throughout this 16-week specialization, you’ll lay a firm foundation by learning and practicing major, minor, and pentatonic scales as well as triads and chords. You’ll also practice improvising, writing melodies and licks, and playing through lead sheets. By the end of this specialization, you’ll have learned the skills and confidence to perform your favorite songs in front of an audience.

Syllabus

Course 1: Guitar for Beginners
- Offered by Berklee. Grasp the essentials needed to begin playing acoustic or electric guitar. You'll learn an easy approach to get you ... Enroll for free.

Course 2: Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions
- Offered by Berklee. You’ve got the guitar basics down: You can strum your guitar and play a few of your favorite songs, but you’re ready to ... Enroll for free.

Course 3: Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck
- Offered by Berklee. Many beginning guitarists have learned the basics of open and movable chord shapes, but want to further expand this ... Enroll for free.

Course 4: Guitar Performance Techniques
- Offered by Berklee. Your favorite guitarist didn't become your favorite guitarist without the support of other musicians. The most important ... Enroll for free.

Courses

22 reviews
22 hours 17 minutes
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Grasp the essentials needed to begin playing acoustic or electric guitar. You'll learn an easy approach to get you playing quickly, through a combination of exploring the instrument, performance technique, and basic music theory. For students who have long thought about picking up the acoustic or electric guitar, this course will provide an easy-access foundation that will get you playing. When first learning guitar, it is important to have the material presented in stages, in an enjoyable way that allows you to grasp the basics of the instrument and music. The course begins simply with the parts of the guitar, the names of the strings, tuning, and technique—whether finger-style or pick. It then explores the basics of music theory with such topics as scales, triads, power chords, and fingering and shapes. At the end of this course, students will understand the structure, parts, and accessories of the instrument, in addition to an understanding of its basic maintenance. Electric guitar players will learn the operation of their instrument along with basic options for amplification, effect pedals, and sounds. Students will also learn to develop correct technique and apply theory concepts to their playing. They will have the foundational knowledge necessary to pursue most intermediate guitar courses.
0 reviews
14 hours 13 minutes
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You’ve got the guitar basics down: You can strum your guitar and play a few of your favorite songs, but you’re ready to take the tunes to the next level. In Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions you’ll expand your knowledge of scales, chord fingerings, and common chord progressions. You’ll also learn important skills for soloing, creating melodies, and adding depth and dimension to your guitar playing. This course is not only for the aspiring guitarist who has taken Berklee’s Guitar for Beginners, but also for guitarists who have let their six-string gather dust for too long, and want to brush up on techniques. Each lesson covers the four basic aspects you’ll need to sharpen your guitar chops: scales, arpeggios, chord progressions, and rhythm. Amanda’s practical approach to learning these important elements is fun and helps you to use what you’re learning and practicing in a real musical setting. You’ll improve your playing and creativity, whether it be as a singer-songwriter, a guitarist accompanying a singer, or a player in the band. By the end of this course, you’ll be more comfortable playing throughout the neck, and you’ll gain a better understanding of chord structure and how each chord relates to tonal centers or keys. You’ll also be able to solo and improvise by playing simple lead guitar lines based on the minor pentatonic scale. Whether your preference is for acoustic or electric, the curriculum is designed to turn you into a real guitarist.
0 reviews
10 hours
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Your favorite guitarist didn't become your favorite guitarist without the support of other musicians. The most important skill for a guitarist to learn is the exact same skill that was so important in kindergarten: playing well with others. Guitar Performance Techniques gives guitarists the essential and practical skills to play well with others in any ensemble situation. This course begins with daily warm-up techniques that help you prepare for rehearsals, jam sessions, and stage performances. From there, you'll explore chords, time accuracy, tone production, ear training, and the many aspects of jamming with other musicians. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to confidently interact with other musicians in a group setting and bring your A-game to any jam session you join.
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9 hours 29 minutes
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Many beginning guitarists have learned the basics of open and movable chord shapes, but want to further expand this chord knowledge. In this course you’ll learn how to construct and play triads and basic 7th chords. You’ll start by creating major and minor triad inversions, and move on to power chords, drop-2 voicings, and learn how to substitute common chords to create a richer harmonic experience for listeners. Throughout the course, you will focus on the notes that chords are made up of, rather than the shape of individual chords. With this knowledge, you will be able to create inversions and different chord voicings up and down, and across the entire fretboard of the guitar, thus unlocking new ways of playing the guitar.

Taught by

Amanda, Rick Peckham, Thaddeus Hogarth and Tim Miller