Guitar Lesson Book

Learn to Play the Guitar

By Michael E. Roman

Instructor: Mr. Roman Playing the guitar is an amazing skill. Keep in mind that great guitar players spend countless hours and years becoming great. It does not happen in the first month or year of playing.

You should use your class time to the fullest advantage. This means you should begin practicing as soon as you arrive each class period. You should practice each song until you master it. You know a song is mastered when you can play it rhythmically and without error 4-5 times in a row. All of this practice will help you become a good guitar player.

Good luck and have fun!

Name________________________

Positions When Playing the Guitar

1

Do you think you would laugh if you saw a professional basketball player shooting a basketball from his waist? I think I would. If a player used that position to shoot, his shots would be blocked quite easily.

The short example above illustrates the point that in any activity the positions you use can be extremely important. This is definitely true for the guitar.

Below you will find a picture showing you the correct position for your hands when you are playing the guitar. You will also find a picture representing the fretboard of the guitar, the part of the guitar where you place your fingers.

Frets These lines represent the strings of the guitar. The arrow points to the 1st string, or high E string.

Fingers are curved.

Thumb should be kept straight.

E

A

D

G

B

E

These lines represent the frets of the guitar. The frets are the thin metal bars that you find going across the neck of the guitar. The arrow points to the first fret. **Please keep track of these positions as you are playing. Part of your evaluations will be how well you control your fingers as you play. Š 2007 Michael E. Roman

Guitar Songs in Tablature

3

**Tablature is a system of notating music that uses numbers to represent the fret where a finger should be placed to make the correct sound.

M.E.R.

Twinkle, Twinkle- A melody by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

** For these exercises, use your middle finger to play each note. Remember to support with your thumb.

Fine

T A B

0

0

7

7

9

9

7

5

5

4

2

4

2

0

D.C. al Fine 7

7

5

5

4

4

2

7

7

5

5

4

4

2

James Bond Theme

2

3

4

3

0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0

2

0

2

1

4

3

0 3 3 3 3 2 2 2

G Scale- One Octave 0

3

3

0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0

0 3 3 3 3 2 2 2

0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0

0 3 3 3 3 2 0

**For this exercise, use the same finger as is indicated by the fret number.

0

2

3

3

2

0

3

1

Before moving on, rate yourself on these three things, 4 being the best: 1. I am using the correct body and hand positions 1 2 3 4 2. I am keeping a steady beat 1 2 3 4 3. I am playing as beautifully as I can, without any buzzes or other extra noises 1 Š2007

0

2

3

2

4

0

4

Write Your Own Song with Tablature Use the tablature lines below to create your own song.

Remember, the numbers you write correspond to the fret you want pressed down. Please include a title for your song. (title)______________________________ E B G D A E

T A B

Š2007 Michael E. Roman

M.E.R

5

Music Theory Basics We will use the basics to learn how to read music for the guitar.

READING NOTES:

M.E.R.

The notes on the lines of the staff make this phrase:

Every Guitar Beginner Does Fine

&c

œ E

œ G

œ

œ

B

D

œ

œ

F

D

The notes on the spaces spell FACE.

4 &4 œ

œ

œ

F

A

C

œ B

œ

œ

E

E

œ

œ

G

Œ

Ó

E

œ

œ

C

A

œ F

BASIC RHYTHMS

œ c &

œ

œ

œ

1

2

3

4

Quarter notes get 1 beat each.

∑

1

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 &4 Eighth notes get 1/2 a beat each.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

˙

&

©2007

∑

˙

Half-notes get 2 beats each.

2

3

4

A whole note gets 4 beats.

w 1

2

3

4

6

Theory Classwork Directions: Label the notes below. Write the letter name on the blank line.

&c œ

Ex. 1

___

4œ &4 ___

œ

œ

œ

œ

___

___

œ

___

___

œ

œ

œ

œ

___

___

___

___

Directions: Draw a shape around the half notes.

œ œ œ c &

Ex. 2

œ

œ

___

___

œ

œ

œ

___

___

___

˙

Directions: Draw a shape around the eighth notes.

œ œ œ œ œ c &

Ex. 4

œ œ

˙

œ œ Œ

œ

©2007

œ

œ

___

Directions: Draw a shape around the quarter notes.

œ 4 &4

Ex. 3

˙

œ

˙

œ œ œ

œ œ

` _ ` _

7

Notes on the First String 1st string

M.E.R.

0 E is open

E is played on the 1st open string. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ c 1& F

1

is played on the 1st string, 1st fret.

4œ œ ˙ 2&4

œ œ ˙

Play F and E together.

œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ 3&c

G

is played on the 1st string, 3rd fret.

4œ œ œ œ 4 &4

˙

_` ˙

3

˙

˙

w

F- Use the first finger to play F.

˙

œ œ œ œ ˙

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ G- Use the third finger to play G.

œ œ œ œ

w

Playing the First œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ 5&c Play E, F, and G in the same song.

©2007

8

Music Theory Basics Review and Practice Use your new knowledge to complete the exercises below.

Draw a shape around the half notes.

œ œ c œ &

Ex. 5

˙

œ

˙

Draw a shape around the quarter notes.

Ex. 6

&

œ

œ

Draw a shape around the eighth notes.

œ œ œ œ œ &

Ex. 7

œ œ œ

˙

œ œ Œ œ

œ

œ œ

˙

œ œ

Ex. 8 Draw a rhythm tree.

Plan a skit to demonstrate to the class what the different rhythms are. | or | Write your explanation here: __________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ©2007

9

` _ ` _ _`

Notes on the Second String 2nd String

0 B is open.

B is played on the 2nd open string.

6 &c œ œ œ œ

˙

string, 1st fret.

œ œ

˙

D is played on the 2nd string, 3rd fret.

œ œ œ c & 8

œ

œ œ œ œ

˙

1

C is played on the 2nd 44 œ œ & 7

M.E.R.

˙

˙

˙

˙

C- Use the first finger to play C.

œ œ œ œ

3

˙

˙

˙

D- Use the third finger to play D.

œ œ œ

œ

˙

˙

œ œ œ œ

˙

˙

Play B, C, and D in the same song.

Playing the Second

Play B, C, D, E, F, and G in the same song.

Playing the First and Second

4œ œ œ œ & 4 9

˙

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ 10 & c

˙

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ©2007

©.

What is a Dotted Note?

10

When you add a dot to a note, the dot increases the value of the note by half of the original value. A quarter note with a dot would receive 1 1/2 beats (1 beat + 1/2 beat = 1 1/2 beats).

Play the example below:

Dotted Quarter Notes Introduction and Eighth Note Review

œ œ.

J

œ œ.

J

11 & œ .

œ œ.

J

œ

œ J ˙

œ

œ.

œ ˙ J

Now play Love Me Tender, paying close attention to the dotted quarter notes.

This song also has two eighth notes. Can you find them and circle them?

Love Me Tender- notes include B,C,D,E,F,G œ œ

œ œ œ 4 œ b 12 & 4 Love me

&b œ

œ

ten - der,

œ

You have made

˙

Love me sweet,

œ. œ œ œ J

˙

Ne - ver let

go

me

œ

œ œ ˙

œ.

œ œ œ J

˙

my

life com - plete,

And

I love you

so.

˙ -

-

Ó

Check Your Playing Before moving on, rate yourself on these three things, 4 being the best: 1. I am using the correct body and hand positions 1 2 3 4 2. I am keeping a steady beat 1 2 3 4 3. I am playing as beautifully as I can, without any buzzes or other extra noises 1 2 3 4 Bonus: Explain to your neighber dotted notes. | or | Plan a skit with your neighbor to explain dotted notes. ©2007

11

Music Theory Basics Review and Practice Use your new knowledge to complete the exercises below.

READING NOTES: Fill in the blank. The notes on the lines of the staff make this phrase:

____________________________________________ Fill in the blank. The notes on the spaces spell ___________.

Directions: Label the notes.

&c œ

Ex. 9

___

&œ ___

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

œ

œ

___

___

œ

___

œ

___

___

&œ ___

Œ

˙ I

___

œ

˙ ___

R

œ ___

___

œ

œ ___

___

___

R

©2007

N

___

œ

___

___

˙

Œ

___

Ó

œ

˙

œ

Directions: Finish these words by labeling the notes.

4 &4 ˙

Ex. 10

œ

Œ

˙

___

œ ___

I

œ ___

___

œ ___

œ ___

` _ ` _

12

Notes on the Third String 3rd String

0

G is played on the 3rd open string.

A is played on the 3rd

2

string, 2nd fret.

14 & œ &

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

G's Parade

œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ

13 & c œ œ œ œ

œ œ

œ

œ

œ

˙

˙

A- Use the second finger to play A.

Quest for A

œ

œ

M.E.R.

G is open.

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

U

˙

˙

Bonus:What do you think the sign on this note means?

Let's play a song that uses all the notes and rhythms we have learned so far

15 & &

œ œ œ. œ œ œ.

Singing Silent Praises œ ˙ J

œ œ œ œ

˙

œ œ œ œ œ J ©2007

œ œ œ œ

˙

˙ w

13

F# and "Owl in the Air" MER If we learn one new note, F sharp, then we can play this hummable tune.

F# is played on the first string, second fret.

` _

2 Use the second finger to play F#.

Owl in the Air Guitar

# 3 & 4œ Em

3

&

Em

# œ.

œ J

œ.

œ œ J

œ

Em

œ

©2007

Em

˙

œ

œ œ

``` _ ``` _ Em

14

Let's Play Chords A chord is three or more notes strummed at the same time

M.E.R.

Em is played on the top three open strings.

For this example, you strum once for each quarter note rhythm marking written on the staff.

Em

&c Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û G7

1 G7 is played with your first finger on the first fret, on the first string.

4Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û &4 G7

Let's combine G7 and Em. Strum quarter notes as evenly as you can.

The melody written on the staff below is for a partner to play.

Back and Forth œ œ ˙ c œ œ œ œ & G7

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Em

Em

©2007

G7

15

`` _ ``` _

Let's Play More Chords

C

A chord is three or more notes strummed at the same time

M.E.R.

1

C is played with your first finger on the first fret of the second string. Remember, strum one downstroke for each quarter note rhythm marking on the staff.

C

&c Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Am

0

1

2

Am is played with your first finger on the first fret of the second string, and your second finger on the second fret of the third string.

& 44 Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Am

* Let's combine C, Em, Am, and G7. Strum quarter notes as evenly as you can. The melody written on the staff below is for a partner to play.

Bring them Back C

Am

Em

G7

C

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w .. œ œ œ &c œ œ ©2007

What do you think the ^ new symbol at the end of the song means?

16

Write Your Own Songs Name___________________________

Use the space provided below to write you own songs using the notes and rythms you have learned so far. Make sure each measure has the correct (4) number of beats.

Title__________________________________

&c & Title__________________________________

4 &4 & Š2007