Guitar Crash Course - Lesson 1 - Getting Set Up

This lesson covers a brief introduction to the guitar:

1. Parts of the Guitar

2. How to hold the guitar.

3. How your hands work.

4. Practice striking notes.

Crash Course for new guitar players.

Guitar crash course outline

What would a crash course in guitar include? 

First, it would describe how a guitar is typically constructed: the parts of the guitar.

Second, it would explain what the frets do: how they are related to other instruments, like the piano. Some really basic music theory.

Third, it would explain the proper technique for fingering the strings.

Fourth, it would explain the proper way to strike the strings with your fingers or with a pick.

Fifth, it would outline how the guitar is tuned, and why, and have you learn the string names.

Sixth, it would explain where to find some important reference points on the fretboard: the most important notes, other than the open string notes. Such as G, C, and D.

Seventh, it would explain how to play some basic major scales, most likely starting with G, C and D.

Eighth, it would have you work on a few simple tunes such as Ode to Joy, Three Blind Mice, Twinkle Twinkle.

Ninth, it would introduce you to some basic chords, first in two and three string versions, then in 4 string versions.

Tenth, it would introduce some songs that can be played with one and two chords.

Believer practice track

Here's a practice track for the smash 2017 hit "Believer" by Imagine Dragons. Believer practice track

Fender vs Gibson

Here's an older article (2015) addressing this perennial question: Fender vs. Gibson

Have You Ever Seen The Rain practice track

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" was written by John Fogerty and released as a single in 1971 from the album Pendulum (1970) by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Fogerty was reflecting on the band's conflicts that had arisen from their rapid rise to stardom. In an interview he stated that the song was written about the fact that they were on the top of the charts, and had surpassed all of their wildest expectations of fame and fortune. They were rich and famous, but somehow all of the members of the band at the time were depressed and unhappy. Thus the line "Have you ever seen the rain, coming down on a sunny day."

 CCR had a brilliant and extremely short lifespan with most of their memorable work being done between 1969 and 1970. But many of their songs are classics that live on because they are beautifully simple.

See more variations of Have You Ever Seen The Rain practice track.

Home on the Range Practice Track

"Home on the Range" is regarded by many as the unofficial anthem of the American west and has actually been adopted as the state song of Kansas.

The song is based on a poem written by Dr. Brewster Higley in 1871. He had moved to Kansas under he Homestead Act, and was so inspired by his new surroundings that he wrote the poem in praise of the setting.

It was put to music a bit later by Daniel E. Kelley, and published to sheet music in 1925. The most famous version was recorded by Bing Crosby in 1933, and the song eventually became a kind of western hymn.

An animated Disney film by the same name was released in 2004.

This practice arrangement of "Home on the Range" is available in several keys, and is a great practice track for new guitar players.

Greensleeves Practice Track

"Greensleeves" is an ancient English ballad that first appeared in published form in around the 1580s.

Many have claimedf that Greensleeves was composed by Henry VIII for his lover and future queen consort Anne Boleyn. Boleyn allegedly rejected King Henry's attempts to seduce her, and this rejection may be referred to in the song when the writer's love "cast me off discourteously". However, the Italian style of composition used in the song did not reach England until after Henry's death, making it more likely to be Elizabethan in origin.

Many Christians know the tune as "What Child is This?", a popular Christmas hymn.

The Greensleeves practice track has a melody line in various keys, with piano and bass guitar accompaniment.