A one-stop resource to the essentials of owning and playing the guitar
If you’ve just bought a guitar, or you’ve had one for a while, you probably know it takes some time and effort to learn how to play the popular instrument. There’s so much to know about owning, maintaining, and playing a guitar. Where do you even begin?
In Guitar All-in-One For Dummies, a team of expert guitarists and music teachers shows you the essentials you need to know about owning and playing a guitar. From picking your first notes to exploring music theory and composition, maintaining your gear, and diving into the specifics of genres like blues and rock, this book is a comprehensive and practical goldmine of indispensable info.
Created for the budding guitarist who wants all their lessons and advice in one place, the book will show you how to:
- Maintain, tune, and string your guitar, as well as decipher music notation and guitar tablature
- Understand guitar theory, sounds and techniques to help you learn new songs and add your style to classic tunes
- Practice several popular genres of guitar music, including blues, rock, and classical
- Access accompanying online video and audio instructional resources that demonstrate the lessons you find in the book
Perfect for guitar players at any skill level, Guitar All-in-One For Dummies is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to get the most out of their own guitar and make great music.
Table of Contents:
Introduction 1
Book 1: Guitar 101 5
Chapter 1: Guitar Anatomy and Tuning 7
Chapter 2: Getting Ready to Play 21
Chapter 3: Buying and Stringing a Guitar 33
Chapter 4: Deciphering Music Notation and Tablature 61
Book 2: Sounds and Techniques 75
Chapter 1: Basic Major and Minor Chords 77
Chapter 2: Adding Spice: Basic 7th Chords 95
Chapter 3: Power Chords and Barre Chords 109
Chapter 4: Right-Hand Rhythm Guitar Techniques 123
Chapter 5: Playing Melodies in Position and in Double-Stops 145
Book 3: Getting to Know Guitar Theory 161
Chapter 1: Navigating the Fretboard and Building Triads 163
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the CAGED System 187
Chapter 3: Playing Snazzier Chords with Chord Tones and Extensions 209
Chapter 4: Playing Chord Progressions by Numbers 227
Chapter 5: Identifying Tonics, Keys, and Modes 239
Chapter 6: Dominant Function and Voice Leading 271
Book 4: Rock Guitar 283
Chapter 1: I Know, It’s Only Rock Guitar, but I Like It 285
Chapter 2: Playing Lead 301
Chapter 3: Groovin’ on Riffs 323
Chapter 4: Going Up the Neck and Playing the Fancy Stuff 333
Chapter 5: The Care and Feeding of Your Electric Guitar 355
Book 5: Blues Guitar 377
Chapter 1: Introducing the Blues and Playing Blues Rhythm 379
Chapter 2: Blues Progressions, Song Forms, and Moves 405
Chapter 3: Musical Riffs: Bedrock of the Blues 427
Book 6: Classical Guitar 443
Chapter 1: Introducing the Classical Guitar 445
Chapter 2: Playing Easy Pieces in Open Position 467
Chapter 3: Combining Arpeggios and Melody 481
Book 7: Exercises: Practice, Practice, Practice 501
Chapter 1: Putting the Major Scales to Use in Your Playing 503
Chapter 2: Adding Major Scale Sequences to Your Repertoire 515
Chapter 3: Tackling the Three Minor Scales 529
Chapter 4: Building Finger Independence with Chord Exercises 557
Appendix A: 96 Common Chords 581
Appendix B: Accessing the Video Clips and Audio Tracks 585
Index 593
