When taking a trip we make plans. We spread out a map and chart out a path that helps us reach our destination. Learning a musical instrument is also like any craft. To do a job well, the craftsman needs the correct tools. This website gives you a map and the tools to reach your destination and hone your craft as a musician.
With this website, you’ll learn the essentials such as scales, chords, and arpeggios. But more than that, you’ll learn how they relate to one another and how they are used to make music. The worksheets on this site are a culmination of Brian Turner’s studies that have resulted from over 30 years of teaching thousands of private guitar students. You’ll learn not only how to play scales, chords, and arpeggios but you’ll learn the theory behind constructing them. For example, after studying the lessons, you’ll understand what the m7b5 in Cm7b5 means. You’ll be able to construct the arpeggio and chord because you’ll understand music theory. What you won’t find is thousands of chords such as you see in chord encyclopedias. Music is a language. To think we can learn a language by simply looking through an encyclopedia in a foreign language is absurd. Scales, chords, and arpeggios like words in any language must be understood in proper context. Also, you won’t find countless scales that you will not use. Instead, you will find the essential scales that you need to be the musician you desire to be.
Becoming a Guitarist: Evolution of Resources Since the 1960s
Guitar Method Reviews
Beginner
How to practice guitar
Important tips for developing good guitar technique from the beginning
Easy guitar chords and how to use a capo
Basic guitar chords and chord progressions in the key of C
Learning the notes on the guitar neck.
My first two chords
Page 79 ex. 10 How To Play Guitar
Videos of exercises 1-10 How To Play Guitar
Intermediate - Advanced
Chords and interval maps in all twelve keys
A methodical system for learning movable barre chords in every key
Major barre chords
Minor barre chords
Dominant 7 barre chords
Minor 7 barre chords
Major 7 Barre chords
Barre chords in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 1: Barre chords in the key of C with the root note on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 2: Barre chords in the key of C with the root note on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 3: Barre chords in the key of C with the root note on the 4th string
Guitar Lesson 4: The I, IV, V chord progression using barre chords in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 5: The I, ii, V chord progression using barre chords in the key of C
Essential guitar chords for jazz
Guitar Lesson 1: Essential guitar chords for Jazz part 1
Guitar Lesson 2: Essential guitar chords for Jazz part 2
Guitar Lesson 3: Essential guitar chords for Jazz part 3
Guitar Lesson 4: Essential guitar chords for Jazz part 4
Guitar Lesson 5: Essential guitar chords for Jazz part 5
Triads
Guitar Lesson 1: Introduction to triads
Guitar Lesson 2: Triads using the 1st set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 3: Chord progressions using the 1st set of triads in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 4: Triads using the 2nd set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 5: Chord progressions using the 2nd set of triads in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 6: Triads using the 3rd set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 7: Chord progressions using the 3rd set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 8: Triads using the 4th set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 9: Chord progressions using the 4th set of strings in the key of C
Guitar Lesson 10: Review of C triads
Guitar Lesson 11: Review of Dm triads
Guitar Lesson 12: Review of Em triads
Guitar Lesson 13: Review of F triads
Guitar Lesson 14: Review of G triads
Guitar Lesson 15: Review of Am triads
Guitar Lesson 16: Review of Bdim triads
Guitar Lesson 17: Augmented triads (raising the 5th interval a semi-tone to get the #5)
Guitar Lesson 18: Major 6 triads (raising the 5th interval a whole tone to get the 6)
Guitar Lesson 19: Dominant 7 triads (raising the 5th interval 1 1/2 tones to get the b7)
Guitar Lesson 20: Major 7 triads (raising the 5th interval 2 whole tones to get the 7)
Guitar Lesson 21: Major 7 triads (lowering the 1st interval a semi-tone to get a 7)
Guitar Lesson 22: Dominant 7 triads (lowering the 1st interval a whole tone to get a b7)
Guitar Lesson 23: Major 6 triads (lowering the 1st interval 1 1/2 tones to get the 6)
Guitar Lesson 24: Combining voicing of the C Major 7 triads
Guitar Lesson 25: Combining voicings of the Dominant 7 triads
Guitar Lesson 26: Combining voicings of the Major 6 triads
Chord comping blues and jazz in the key of G
Guitar Lesson 1: Chords that function as G7
Guitar Lesson 2: Chords that function as C7
Guitar Lesson 3: Chords that function as D7
Guitar Lesson 4: 12 bar blues in G using essential dominant 7 and dominant 9 chords
Diminished chords
Guitar Lesson 1: How to use the diminished 7 chord
Chords in Context
In exercise 3-12 the chords should be studied by columns (north to south and south to north) and rows (west to east and east to west).
4. Minor chords using the first set of four strings.
5. Dominant seventh chords using the first set of four strings.
6. Minor seventh chords using the first set of four strings.
7. Major seventh chords using the first set of four strings:
8. Major triads: a triad is the smallest chord. It contains three intervals.
Scales
Blues and major pentatonic scales every key
Diatonic modes (scales) in all every key
Tools for the serious guitar student
Roots on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 1: Introduction
Guitar Lesson 2: The major chord, scale, and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 3: The minor chord, scales, and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 4: The dominant 7 chord, scale, and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 5: The major 7 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 6: The minor 7 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 7: The major 6 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 8: The minor 6 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 9: The augmented chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 10: The diminished 7 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 11: The half diminished chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 12: The dominant 9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 13: The dominant 7#9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 14: The dominant 7b9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 15: The dominant 13 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 6th string
Guitar Lesson 16: The sus 4, sus 2, and add 9 chords with the root on the 6th string
Roots on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 17: The major chord, scale, and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 18: The minor chord, scale, and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 19: The dominant 7 chord, scale, and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 20: The major 7 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 21: The minor 7chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 22: The major 6 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 23: The minor 6 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 24: The augmented chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 25: The diminished 7 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 26: The half diminished chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 27: The dominant 9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 28: The dominant 7#9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 29: The dominant 7b9 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 30: The dominant 13 chord and arpeggio with the root on the 5th string
Guitar Lesson 31: The sus 4, sus 2, and add 9 chords with the root on the 6th string
Lesson Worksheets
Blues scales (five patterns in the key of Em and Am)
Chord formulas and nomenclature
Cycle of fifths part 1
Cycle of fifths part 2
Diatonic scales (modes in the key of C and G)
Double stops (harmony in 3rds and 6ths)
Harmonized scales (14 chords in every key)
Blues riffs from Dr. Briantine's Method
01 tuning for the audios (standard pitch A440)
Amazing Grace (notation, tab, chords, chord melody, and lyrics)
02 Amazing Grace (audio, beginner slow tempo)
03 Amazing Grace audio, (beginner normal tempo)
04 Amazing Grace (audio intermediate slow)
05 Amazing Grace (audio, intermediate normal)
Auld Lang Syne (notation, tab, chords, chord melody, and lyrics)
06 Auld Lang Syne (beginner slow)
07 Auld Lang Syne (beginner normal)
08 Auld Lang Syne (intermediate slow)
09 Auld Lang Syne (intermediate normal)
Aura Lee (notation, tab, chords, chord melody, and lyrics)
12 Aura Lee (intermediate slow)
13 Aura Lee (intermediate normal)
Brian Boru's March (notation, tab, chords, chord melody, and lyrics)
14 Brian Boru's March (beginner slow)
15 Brian Boru's March (beginner normal)
16 Brian Boru's March (intermediate slow)
17 Brian Boru's March (intermediate normal)
Greensleeves (What Child is This?) (notation, tab, chords, chord melody, and lyrics)
19 Greensleeves (beginner slow)
20 Greensleeves (beginner normal)
21 Greensleeves (intermediate slow)
22 Greensleeves (intermediate normal)
House of the Rising Sun (notation, tab, chords, and lyrics)
23 House of the Rising Sun (normal)
Red Wing (notation, tab, chords, and lyrics)
31 Red Wing (intermediate normal)
Scarborough Fair (notation, tab, chords, and lyrics)
32 Scarborough Fair (beginner slow)
33 Scarborough Fair (beginner normal)
34 Scarborough Fair (intermediate slow)
35 Scarborough Fair (intermediate normal)
Wild Wood Flower (notation, tab, chords, and lyrics)
36 Wild Wood Flower (beginner slow)
37 Wild Wood Flower (beginner normal)
38 Wild wood flower (slow tempo)
39 Wild wood flower (normal tempo)
Blackberry Blossom (intermediate to advanced written in guitar tab and chord diagrams)
Blackberry Blossom (advanced written in notation and chord diagrams)
Greensleeves (beginner written in notation with lyrics and chord diagrams)
Greensleeves (beginner written in tab with lyrics and chord diagrams)
Greensleeves (intermediate chord solo written in standard notation and chord diagrams)
Greensleeves (intermediate chord solo written in tab and chord diagrams)
Red Wing (beginner to intermediate melody written in tab and chord diagrams)
Sweet Georgia Brown (intermediate to advanced melody and accompaniment written in tab and chord diagrams)
House Of The Rising Sun (beginner melody and accompaniment written in tab and chord diagrams)
Christmas songs and the history of Christmas.
Mandolin Songs in Tab and Traditional Notation
(Special thanks to transcriber Rupert Cullum.)
I've Got Rhythm
Silent Night
St. James Infirmary
Mandolin Lessons
Lead in F (intermediate written in standard notation only)
To access some of the worksheets and songs below, you'll need to download the Sebelius Scorch plug in. It's free and easy to download. With Scorch you can hear, change the tempo, and change the key of the tunes.
Scorch runs correctly in Firefox 5, provided you set it to run in 32-bit mode. Scorch does not run in Safari (version 5.1 or later), Google Chrome or Opera on Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
Improvising and playing lead guitar
Introduction:: How to improvise on guitar
Guitar Lesson 1: The major scale
Guitar Lesson 2: The triad and the arpeggios
Guitar Lesson 3: Essential scales
Guitar Lesson 4: The thought process
Guitar Lesson 5: Change running
Guitar Lesson 6: Picking technique
Guitar Lesson 7: Adding a blue note
Guitar Lesson 8: The major 6 arpeggio
Guitar Lesson 9: The major pentatonic scale
Guitar Lesson 10: The dominant 7 arpeggio
Guitar Lesson 11: The hybrid
Guitar Lesson 12: Emphasizing the b3 (blue note) to the major 3
Guitar Lesson 13: Emphasizing the 6 to the b7 (blue note)
Guitar Lesson 14: Variation of the hybrid part 1
Guitar Lesson 15: Variation of the hybrid part 2
Guitar Lesson 16: Variation of the hybrid part 3
Guitar Lesson 17: Variation of the hybrid part 4
Guitar Lesson 18: Variation of the hybrid part 5
Guitar Lesson 19: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of C in the 1st position
Guitar Lesson 20: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of Db in the 1st position
Guitar Lesson 21: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of D in the 2nd position
Guitar Lesson 22: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of Eb in the 3rd position
Guitar Lesson 23: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of E in the 4th position
Guitar Lesson 24: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of F in the 5th position
Guitar Lesson 25: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of Gb in the 6th position
Guitar Lesson 26: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of G in the 7th position
Guitar Lesson 27: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of Ab in the 8th position
Guitar Lesson 28: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of A in the 9th position
Guitar Lesson 29: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of Bb in the 10th position
Guitar Lesson 30: The hybrid over the I, IV, V progression in the key of B in the 11th position
Guitar Lesson 31: The cycle of keys
Guitar Lesson 32: Change running counter clockwise through the cycle of keys
Cripple Creek (guitar)
Contact Brian:
e-mail: brian@guitarlessonsbybrian.com
Phone 281-354-4456
Business hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
