SYLLABUS

• Tuning
• Chord diagrams
• Open position chords
• Damping and muting
• Rhythm notation
• Strumming patterns
• How to practice
• Tab notation
• Notes on the guitar
• Music notation
• Finger-picking
• Common chord progressions
• Barre chords
• How to transpose (change the key)

• Power chords
• Palm muting
• 12 bar blues
• Shuffle rhythm
• Alternate picking
• Pentatonic scale, major and minor.
• Blues scale
• Sequences
• Phrasing
• Hammer on and pull off
• Sliding
• Vibrato
• String bending
• Pre bending
• Overbending
• Double-stops
• Natural harmonics
• Pick harmonics
• Choking
• Major scale (ionian mode)
See scales below.
• Natural minor scale (aeolian mode)

Other major scale modes:

• Harmonic minor scale
• Triad arpeggios, major, minor and diminished
• Rhythmic displacement
• Tapping
• Phrygian dominant (spanish flamenco) scale
• 3 note per string scale fingerings
• Circle of 5ths
• Exotic scales and modes

• Intervals
• Harmonising scales
• 3rds and 6ths
• Diatonic 7th chords
• 6th chords
• Chord substitutions
• Swing style comping
• 7th chord inversions
• 7th chord arpeggios
• Playing the changes
• Chord/scale relationships
• Tension and resolution
• Minorising dominants
• Tritone substitution
• Altered dominant chords
• Chromatisism
• Neighbour notes
• Be Bop dominant scale
• Be Bop major scale
• Melodic minor scale
• Lydian dominant scale
• Altered scale
• Diminished scale
• Triad substitution
• Chord melody

Stylistic elements of:

• Blues
• Classic Rock
• Metal
• Thrash
• Punk
• Funk
• Jazz
• Country
• Latin
• Acoustic accompaniment

When thescales listed above are taught, scale fingering patterns are given along with; exercises, usually various sequences, licks that utilise the scale pattern, and a piece to be learned, usually with a play along backing. Which makes the repetition necessary to learn the scales more interesting, musical and fun.

Theory is taught alongside it's practical application. More of a how? when? and where?, to use what you have learned, rather than an intellectual subject in it's own right. For instance, "You can use the 'A' blues scale, when soloing over a blues progression in 'A'", is theory.

Knowing some theory is a good way to put into context the things that you know, so you can build on them. A few 'licks and tricks', really doesn't cut it on the bandstand, and those who think it does are fooling themselves. It's better to have some idea of what you are doing, it can save a lot of embarrasment. However it's also good to keep in mind that the music came first and the theory was developed as a way to understand it, not the other way around.

Unlike a piano, the guitar fretboard is not laid out in an obvious and easily recognisable way. A middle 'C' for instance can be played in many places on a guitar, whereas on a piano it is always in the same place. Just finding your way around the fretboard is probably the greatest obstacle to be overcome when learning to play lead guitar.

I remember from my early playing years, being impressed by guitarists who played all over the neck, and I wondered how on earth they knew where to put their fingers. Everything above the 5th fret was completely unknown territory for me. It was years before I discovered what the secret was.

It isn't really a secret at all, but if nobody tells you, it might as well be. So I'll tell you.

There are 5 (that's right, only 5) static (your left hand stays in the same place on the neck) scale fingerings/positions for any scale on the guitar. What's more, they are closely related to the 'open' chord shapes you probably already know. If you don't know them, learn them first.

The roots (key notes- i.e. 'C' is the root of all C scales, major , minor etc), of these fingerings are always located on the 6th or 5th strings (roots will also occur in other places when you reach the octave), and the scale is played on one side of the root. The root is played by the 3rd or 4th finger when the scale is fingered on the 'nut' side of the root, and by the 1st or 2nd finger when the scale is fingered on the 'bridge' side of the root.

You use 1 finger per fret, most fingerings only cover 4 frets, which is why they are called static or 'in position' fingerings. So if the scale were played on the first 4 frets, your 1st finger would play all the scale notes that occur at the 1st fret, your 2nd finger would play all the scale notes that occur at the 2nd fret etc.

By learning the 5 fingering patterns and relating them to chord shapes you can develop a basic roadmap of the guitar neck. That's not the end of the story, not at all, but it's a giant leap in the right direction.