You could be here some day
There’s a big difference between a music lover and a person who plays music!!! A music lover is a person that listens to music, well made or played, and loves it. The people who Create and Play music are called “MUSICIANS”
Here’s what we “Musicians” do Learn well, Practice Hard, Play Harder. I dedicate this book to my mom
Genevieve Rose
- Glenford Terrence
Know your
Guitar
Head
Tuning Pegs
Fingerboard & Frets (Fretboard)
Nut Neck
Sound hole Saddle
Pick guard
Bridge
Body
The
Guitar
A Guitar has 6 Strings, and each string has a name. Always starting from BELOW -
E
B
G
D
A
E
Frets E
A
D
G
B
Strings
E
Frets & Strings
6
5
4
Frets 3
2
1
E
6th
D
4th
G B E
5th
Strings
A
3rd
2ⁿd 1st
The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 etc are called FRETS.
Each String and each Fret have their own unique sound. As I said before, always starting from Below, the bottom String is called your 1st string also called the ‘E’ string or the ‘E open note’. The ‘B’ is the 2nd string or your ‘B’ open note, and so on.
Yes the bottom 1st string and top 6th string have the same names ‘E’, also called the Bottom ‘E’ (higher open sounding string) and the Top ‘E’ (lower open sounding string).
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Don’t turn this page till you get this Right...
Your
Instrument Q
Tunning the Guitar If your guitar is not tuned, you cannot play it. So how do we tune a guitar?
Like I said in the 1st page the guitar has 6 strings, each with it’s own unique sound (E, B, G, D, A, E) The fastest way is -
Getting yourself a Guitar tuner. To duplicate the sound of each string from a Piano. Playing the guitar regularly will make you tone conscious. Eventually the sound of how each string sounds will stick in your head. But it will take some time.
The Strum
Making the Guitar Talk Get yourself a guitar that suits you. (guitars come in different sizes) You’ve got to cut your nails really short because you have to hold down each note on the strings �irmly with the tips of your �ingers. Hold the guitar gently, do not grip it, you’ve got to relax, so that you can move easily up and down the Fret Board. Sit in a very relaxed and comfortable position. Take good care of your instrument.
Your Right hand thumb strums the guitar strings. You have an Up and Down stroke. For the Down stroke use the bottom side of your thumb and for the Up stroke use the nail of your thumb. You have to touch every string on the way Down and the same applies to the Up stroke. Strum the guitar gently with feel and it will make better music. You can also use a ‘Plectrum’
The mordern ‘Classical Guitar’ took it’s present form in the year 1850 by Antonio Torres (Spain) The earliest four string instrument was called the ‘Cittara’ later called the ‘Quitarra’ in the 16th century. Antonio Torres altered the size, body, strings and sound of the instrument and it remains unchanged and unchallenged till this day.
Musicians have their own special language, and a strict code. In the music code there are 8 Notes - A B C D E F G A When you reach ‘G’ there is NO ‘I’ ‘J’ ‘K’. If you start with ‘A’, you end with ‘A’ (8 Notes only). And if you start with ‘B’, you end with ‘B’. (B C D E F G A B)
Notes that matter Q How do we �ind 8 Notes on the guitar ?
E
Lets start with the top 6th (open ‘E’) String. Play the open ‘E’ (stroking the ‘E’ string with your right thumb) and that’s your 1st Note, then the ‘F’- your 2nd Note. Keep doing the same thing till you reach the last 8th note ‘E’ and that’s 8 Notes on the 6th ‘E’ String. To start hold the guitar gently and press the string with your left hand. Use any �inger for the moment but try �lexing all the 4 �ingers. D
C
1st note
A
B
G
F#
F
E E A
D G
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
G
F
E
D
C
E
1
Now the 5th ‘A’ String A
B
1st note E
A A
B
D G
12
“
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
“
4
3
2
1
Now here’s something to think about...
If you’ve noticed the ‘E’ and ‘F’ and the ‘B’ and ‘C’ Notes are the only Notes that stick too close. They are what we will call Best Friends. They will always stick together no matter where you play them on the guitar.
B E
Q Do you think you can �igure the rest of the Notes on the other strings?
Complete this... 14
13
12
G ?
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11
10
9
C
?
? ? ?
E
Frets 8
7
6
G
A G ?
?
?
5
?
? ? ?
4
B
3
2
?
E
? ?
If you don’t get this right, turn back to the previous page. If you get it right “cheers”
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?
1
E
A
D
? ?
G B E
e
The �irst electric guitar was manufactured by Adolph Rickenbacker in the 1930’s. The electric guitar was known as the “Hollow Body” and is still popular today. The electric “Solid body” was introduced by musician and inventor “Les Paul” in 1941. During the 1950’s Gibson introduced the “Les Paul” to the world. The Gibson Les Paul remains the most popular guitar of all time.
Sharps & Flats Before we get into Sharps and Flats, lets talk about the 2 Best Friends. (Read very slowly)
1st Best Friends ‘E’ and ‘F’ ‘E’ has No Sharp - if the ‘E’ moves up, it becomes an ‘F’ ‘F’ has no Flat - if the ‘F’ moves behind, it becomes an ‘E’ But the ‘F’ can have a and the ‘E’ can have a (as explained in the diagram on the right)
2nd Best Friends ‘B’ and ‘C’ ‘B’ has no Sharp - if the ‘B’ moves up it becomes a ‘C’ ‘C’ has no Flat - if the ‘C’ moves behind it becomes a ‘B’ But the ‘C’ can have a and the ‘B’ can have a (as explained in the diagram on the right)
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That’s the Code. No questions Asked Don’t panic it’s in the Diagram, just take it slow.
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Sharps & Flats run in opposite direction Sharps (Sharps mean one fret higher)
In Sharps you slide your �inger one Fret ahead. Sharps start from the 1st Fret. Going higher.
Lets start with the 6th ‘E’ open string
MOVING FORWARD
Best Friends
E
12
E
D#
11
E
D
10
D
C#
9
D
B
C
8
7
B
C
MOVING BACKWARD
Best Friends
A#
6
B
A
5
A
G#
4
A
G
3
G
F#
2
G
E E
F
1st A note
D
1
G B
E E
F
Flats (Flats mean one fret lower)
In Flats you slide your �inger one Fret behind. Flats start from the 12th Fret. Going lower. So the 11th Fret becomes a ‘E’ �lat keep going down the 9th Fret becomes ‘D’ �lat.
Remember... The ‘C’ has no �lat & the ‘B’ has no sharp The ‘F’ has no �lat & the ‘E’ has no sharp This remains the same with all the other strings.
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If you have a problem its only because the Best Friends have their own Code
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The Sound of Music
M
The Music Code is made up of Notes, Scales and Chords... You’ve already learnt the Notes so let’s do a Scale.
SoDoe
e
La
Do R Te Me eFa Doe
La
RM
Do e
DoeSo LaRe T e e F Te a La e Me
M e e
e
The Scale 8 Notes that makes a Scale. We call it...
Doe - Re - Me - Fa - So - La - Te - Doe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Always 8 Notes, but this time it starts with Doe and ends with Doe
Q How do we play a Scale on the Guitar using Notes ?
Let’s start again with the 6th open ‘E’ String. Again reminding you that ‘E’ is the 1st open Note (Doe) 4
G# 3rd Me 6th La
3
2
F# 2nd Re 5th So
8th Doe
1
7th Te
1st note
E 1st Doe
A
D
4th Fa
G
B
A
Doe is the 1st note. Re the 2nd note. Me the 3rd. Fa the 4th note (open ‘A’ String). So the 5th note. La the 6th note. Te the 7th note. Doe the 8th note.
This is what the ‘Doe Re Me’ Scale sound like on ‘E’ Play each note slowly so that the Scale sticks in your head. This Scale can also be used as a practice lesson to losen up your wrist and harden your �ingers (all 4 �ingers). Let the thumb slide easily on the back of the fret board. If you don’t play this right it’s because your Guitar is not tuned or you are gripping the Guitar wrongly (go back to know your instrument)
Majors & Minors We have dealt with Notes.. Let’s move to Chords... A group of Notes form a Chord..
Chords.. An ‘A major’ is simply called ‘A’ or a ‘E major’ is simply called ‘E’ or even a ‘D# major’ called ‘D#’
A Minor Chord is just a matter of shifting one �inger from a Major Chord position to modify the sound/tone of a Major Chord. A song can be made up of both Major and Minor Chords.
Let’s start with a simple ‘A major’ or ‘A’
The numbers in the circle is the Finger Position. 1 means use the tip of your 1st �inger, 2 the 2nd �inger and so on. Make sure your �inger or �ingers hold only the allotted string. Press the strings hard enough to get a clear sound. Strum all the strings from the top ‘E’ string slowly so you can hear every string clearly. Do not put your �ingers on the fret but on the wood of the fret board. Position your left thumb in a comfortable position so you can apply enough pressure from the back of the Fret Board.
4
3
2
1
D
1
G
2
3
4
3
2
E A B E
1
2
3 4
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On the next page are very important Chords you have to learn
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‘A’ major can also be played using your 2nd, 3rd & 4th �inger.
E A
D G B E
JUST PLAY
4
Major Chord Chart A major 3
2
2
3
4
4
3
2
2
E major 3
2
3
4
1
C major 3
2
G major 3
2
3
2
1
1
G B E 1
1
1
1
1
4
E A
D
E A
4
3
4
D G B
D G B E
E A
D G B E
3
4
2
1
2
E A
D G B
1
D major 3
3
E
E A
B major
2
3
1
G B E
2
2
2
E A
D
1
F major 3
E
1
E A
D 1
G B E
Hold both strings with 1st �lat �inger
Minor Chord Chart 4
A minor 3
2
3
5
4
3
4
2
4
C minor 3
2
2
1
1 1
4
E A
D G
4
B E
3
4
E A
B minor 3
2 3
B E
1
E minor 3
3
2
2
3
1
4
E A G B E
2
2
2
3
D
E A G B E
1
F minor 3
1
D
D minor
D G
2
1
E A
D 1 1
1
G B E
E A
D G B
E Hold all three strings with 1st �lat �inger 5
3
4
G minor 3
1
2
1
Hold all three strings with 1st �lat �inger
E A
D G B E
Eric Patrick Clapton Born : 30 March 1945, England
Rock’ n’ roll/ Blues. Always uses a Fender guitar and is an all time great musician. For more information log on to www.ericclapton.com
In the late 1940’s an inventor named “Leo
Fender” came up with a ‘Solid Body’ of his own called the “Broadcaster”
“Stratocaster”
later called the . The Stratocaster is the second most popular guitar in the world only to Les Paul.
Tempo Tempo very simply means Timing. All songs and tunes have a certain Tempo which controls the �low of music. There are different Tempos. Let’s deal with the most important ones.
4 4
3 4
2 4 that’s the way its written.
Its called very simply a four four or a three four or a two four.
4 4 is called a Common time signature. It simply means play 4 beats.
3 is a Waltz timing. It means play 3 beats. 4 2 is Marching timing. It means play 2 beats. 4 4
Lets start with the 4 and use the ‘A’ chord
(remember Mr. ‘A major’???) if in doubt refer to majors & minors chord chart.
Down strokes only. (stroking from top ‘E’ to bottom ‘E’ playing the ‘A’ chord using your right thumb)
3
Now the 4 2 Down strokes 1 Up stroke
1
2
3
All Down strokes
1
2
3
2
4
And the 4 1 Down stroke 1 Up stroke
1
2
And that’s Strumming and Timing. It’s time we learnt a simple song using Chords, Strokes and Tempo.
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You can improvise at your will and fancy. Keep experimenting.
Happy Birthday Played in ‘A major’ using ‘D major’ and ‘E major’ Lets play this song using the Down Stroke only
Just play one Stroke when you see the Chords. Don’t rush the song. Play it slow!
A
E
E
A
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
A
A
E
A
Happy Birthday to you
D
(one stroke each)
E
A
A
From Old Friends and New
From Good Friends that’s True
May Good Luck be With You
And Happiness Too
D
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A
E
When you feel you have played this correctly, you can then experiment by using all the Time Signatures and the Down and UP strokes. There are no hard and fast rules in strumming techniques. Play/Strum your Guitar however you see �it and whatever makes you comfortable. But Timing/Rhythm and the �low of Music stays strict.
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Johnny Allen Hendrix
Born : 27 November 1942, Seattle, Washington, USA. Known to the world as
“Jimi Hendrix” He has
left his mark on the Rock’
n ‘Roll Hall of Fame, and is known as “The Ultimate Guitar Player” of all the time.
Died : 18 September 1970.
Some Chords you will need...
Bflat 4
3
2
A⁷th 4
E⁷th 4
3
4 3
4
F⁷th 4
4
3
3
E A
4
D
2
3
1
1
C⁷th
1 2
1
1
2
3
2
2
2
B E
D⁷th 4
3
D
2
3
3
4
G
E A
3
G
1
1
1
E A
4
D G B
E A G B E
1 2
3 3
3
2
2
E A
D
1
1
1
G B E
E A
D G B E
E A
D 1
E
D 1
G⁷th
1
2
2
B E
2
G B E
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Well my Friends I can keep going on, but for now this is good enough. Play your Guitar well and See You On Stage.
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Book Design by Flying Cursor www.�lyingcursor.com