Lesson Two – Course Introduction
Course Objectives:
1. Learn Basic Theory
2. Learn Chords
3. Learn Notes and Music Notation
4. Learn Praise and Worship Songs
Lesson Two Instruction
Guitar Playing Styles
- Accompaniment
Guitarist plays basic chords, singer(s) provide the melody. Guitarist can strum, pluck, or arpeggiate the chords. - Rhythm
Guitarist provides the rhythm for the song. Some liken the rhythm guitar part to the snare drum. Often a bass guitar provides the bass note. Singers or a lead instrument provides the melody. - Riffs
Similar to rhythm guitar, guitarist plays a recurring theme using single notes and/or chords, often power chords. - Lead
Guitarist plays melody or single notes that hint at the song’s melody. Lead playing may also include solos/breaks. - Solo Guitar
Guitarist plays melody and harmony using a combination of chords, played with a pick or fingerstyle. - Chord Melody
Similar or identical to solo guitar, complex chords provide the full harmonic structure of the song. - Classical Guitar
Guitarist plays a classical repertoire that is similar to solo/chord melody guitar but almost invariably fingerstyle. - Fingerstyle
Guitarist uses multiple fingers on right-hand to play single note and harmony parts. - Slide Guitar
Guitarist uses a glass or metal tube on left-hand to “finger” the notes.
Acoustic Guitar Types
- Nylon string, often referred to as a classical guitar. There are many types designed for specific purposes.
- Steel string acoustic. Many shapes and styles.
String Names – Notes on the Open Strings
E A D G B E (Low to High, 6th string to 1st string)
(Memory Tip: Eden’s Adam Did Good Before Eve, Eat All Dead Gophers Before Easter, Eat A Dandy Good Breakfast Early)
Strings are usually named from the top down. In standard tuning they are, E-A-D-G-B-E.
The strings are numbered 1 to 6, counting from bottom to top. Thus, the top string, the low E is the sixth string. The next string is A, the fifth string and so on.
Guitar Open Notes on the Musical Staff
The following image shows the relationship between the six open notes on the guitar and their position on the music staff:
Lesson Two Chords
G Major Scale (G A B C D E F# G)
I Chord: G (G B D)
IV Chord: C (C E G)
V Chord: D7 (D F# A C) or D (D F# A)
C Major Scale (C D E F G A B)
I Chord: C (C E G)
IV Chord: F (F A C)
V Chord: G7 (G B D F) or G (G B D)
Click Here for the chord diagrams and more.
Forming Chords
As the class progresses from week to week, we will spend some time to learn how to form chords. There are many reasons why you should know how to form chords. For instance, knowing how to form chords will enable you to determine the chords to play for a song from the hymn book.
The first principle to learn is that most chords consist of three or four notes. That’s it. Just three or four notes. The notes of a major chord (e.g., C, D, G, and F) are derived from the root, third, and fifth notes of the chord’s scale. Thus, the C major chord consists of the notes: C E G. The D major chord consists of D F# A. The G major chord consists of G B D. The following image shows how the C major scale is numbered. Note that C is the root or the 1st note, E is the 3rd note, and G is the 5th note. Thus the notes C, E, and G produce the C major chord.
The following image shows the first two measures of Jesus Loves Me. It is in the key of C.
The notes of the first beat are: G, E, G, and C. Thus this is the C chord. The notes of the second and third beats are: E, C, G, and C. Thus this is the C chord. The notes of the fourth beat are: D, B, G, and G. Thus this is the G chord.
What is the chord of the 2nd measure, 1st beat? __________
What is the chord of the 2nd measure, 2nd and 3rd beats? __________
We will continue this very important topic in later lessons.
Lesson Two Song
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