This arpeggio exercise is very enjoyable to play. It has a dark and mysterious tonal quality. This exercise is great practice for both hands.
Taught by David MacKenzie in Basic Electric Guitar seriesLength: 9:12Difficulty: 1.0 of 5
In his Phase 1 series, David MacKenzie will walk you through the basics of rock guitar.
Lesson 1
David discusses the parts of the guitar. He also gives you some basic techniques to get you started.
Length: 31:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
In this lesson, David introduces basic power chords. Great fun for beginners!
Length: 10:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 3
David introduces some basic chords and chord progressions.
Length: 14:15 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 4
David provides a brief explanation of what notes, chords, power chords, and arpeggios are.
Length: 8:12 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 5
This lesson is all about increasing your speed and coordination. David demonstrates basic picking exercises.
Length: 14:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 6
David MacKenzie presents a mysterious sounding chord exercise. This exerices is designed to improve right hand technique.
Length: 9:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 7
In this short lesson David talks about practice, discipline, and how you should apply yourself when learning and mastering the guitar.
Length: 6:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 8
Double stops can bring new life to your rhythm and lead playing. David provides a short tutorial on what double stops are and how they can be used.
Length: 7:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 9
David covers the basic major chord shapes. Every guitarist must learn these basic chords.
Length: 18:29 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
David MacKenzie walks you through the basic minor chords. Expand your knowledge of chords with this fun-filled lesson.
Length: 8:15 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Major scales are an essential component of all styles of music. They can also be used as a great way to orient yourself with the fretboard.
Length: 32:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 12
David MacKenzie explains how to practice the major scales along with a fun backing track.
Length: 11:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 13
David MacKenzie proceeds to an in-depth discussion of the minor scales.
Length: 15:36 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 14
David MacKenzie shows you how to play the natural minor scale over a rockin' JamTrack.
Length: 6:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 15
David demonstrates an excellent one-string exercise in this lesson. This exercise will improve your dexterity and knowledge of the fretboard.
Length: 16:48 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 16
Hammer-ons and pull-offs are techniques that enable you to play with a smooth, legato feel.
Length: 8:27 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 17
David MacKenzie gives a crash course on bending in this lesson. Bends can add a lot of soul to your playing.
Length: 16:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 18
David MacKenzie teaches two rock licks inspired by Yngwie Malmsteen and Kirk Hammett of Metallica.
Length: 12:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 19
David returns to the world of hammer-ons with a fun new exercise. This lesson includes a JamTrack.
Length: 13:56 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 20
David returns to the world of pull-offs with a new exercise. This lesson includes a backing track.
Length: 12:50 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
David MacKenzie returns to bending technique in this lesson. This lesson features a backing track that is designed for bending practice.
Length: 12:18 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 22
Integrating vibrato into your guitar playing is a great way to add emotion and soul. David MacKenzie explains the basics of vibrato in this lesson.
Length: 9:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 23
David MacKenzie introduces the pentatonic scale.
Length: 5:48 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 24
David MacKenzie introduces the minor pentatonic scale in this lesson.
Length: 4:38 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 25
David MacKenzie explains a two octave pattern of the major scale.
Length: 11:31 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 26
David MacKenzie introduces a two octave natural minor scale pattern.
Length: 12:20 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 27
David teaches a two octave pattern of the major pentatonic scale.
Length: 6:30 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 28
David MacKenzie teaches a two octave version of the minor pentatonic scale.
Length: 9:20 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 29
David MacKenzie teaches several licks based on common arpeggio patterns. This lesson also includes a backing track to jam with.
Length: 20:40 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 30
David MacKenzie introduces some important rhythm basics in this lesson. This lesson also includes a backing track exercise.
Length: 14:55 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 31
David MacKenzie explains various power chord voicings. By simply moving a finger or two, new power chords can be formed.
Length: 18:43 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 32
David MacKenzie introduces some new amazing licks.
Length: 29:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 33
David MacKenzie introduces the tapping technique and teaches a fun exercise. This lesson includes a backing track.
Length: 22:44 Difficulty: 2.5 FREELesson 34
David MacKenzie teaches another amazing tapping exercise.
Length: 13:07 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 35
The third tapping lesson elaborates on the previous lesson by adding open strings.
Length: 12:59 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 36
The fourth lesson in Dave's tapping series deals with a monster diminished lick.
Length: 11:02 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 37
In lesson five of his tapping mini-series, DMac provides backing tracks that you can tap over.
Length: 8:04 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 38
In lesson 38, DMac demonstrates some tremolo techniques to add to your repertoire.
Length: 13:54 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 39
DMac returns to his tapping instruction with more advanced techniques.
Length: 19:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 40
In lesson 40, DMac teaches you how to play various D chords all the way up the neck.
Length: 9:20 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 41
In lesson 41, David discusses the octave and its uses while playing.
Length: 17:09 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
About David MacKenzie
View Full Biography
Dave MacKenzie has been playing guitar for 30 of his 45 years on this earth. Starting back when he was 14 years old, Dave picked up the guitar and started to learn from his oldest brother, who had played some guitar as well. Dave was hooked, and couldn't learn fast enough! Everything from the Beatles, Chicago, Ted Nugent, The Eagles, you name it, Dave was trying to play it.
Then as with a lot of players out there, Eddie Van Halen came along and changed the way guitar was played! Dave has been influenced by anyone he has heard play guitar, literally! Always keeping an open mind and a humbleness about him has helped him to keep learning new things on, and about the guitar.
Dave has mostly played in top 40 rock, country, and pop bands. He is most recently playing guitar and keyboards in a 80's metal band called Open Fire. They have opened for Warrant, Firehouse, Winger, and LA Guns
within the 3 and a half years they have been together, and are now jumping into original music.
Dave believes you should have internal motivation, and passion to play guitar, and most definitely, it should be fun!
As with his playing, Dave will find new ways to show you how to get the most out of your time learning guitar!
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.It's like what they emphasized in typing class: "DON'T look down at your fingers! = learn to place your fingers where they need to be, without needing to look at them!" [Thanks, Dave!!]
thank u I'm a big guitar fan
what's best way to count 11/8 Please.and top lesson Dude :)
You da' MAN! Dmac!
Frickin as-some My Friend !! Love your style and your teaching ability !! You got me excited again about playing !! That's a great quality for our soul !! Thankyou so so much , Aloha David bad ass MacKenzie
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i dont get this at all!
Ibanez 420..2008 YES THE FINGER POSTION ON THE VIDEO AND THE CHORD TAB ARE 2 DIFFERENT POSITIONS. HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED SINCE 2008? LESSON 6 SCENE 2
wait on the part where he slides with the c/g up 2 frets ,is the name changed or something?and what is that usefull for?thanks
It becomes a D when moved to the 5th fret ( the root is 5th string a ' D' ) it can be used in the same way as David has shown as an appreggio to give some color & a different voicing than a usual open D.as can be heard i think through Dave's playing into's , bridges & fills can be made from this type of chord structure in a song.
Hey Dave, having some trouble with alternate picking on this exercise. But I'm doing it over and over. I'm strumming the three chords, so that my hand gets used to the positioning. Then I'm arpeggiating them alternating the stroke for each string as i go up and down at least three times. Then back to strum pattern the back to arpeggio. Hopefully this will help me slay that alternate picking dragon! Thanks!
Spent this past week with this exercise. Painful on the fingers at first but alas they are finally starting to to toughen up. I will continue with this exercise as I feel its been a tremendous help. Thanks Dave!
i find it easier to use my 4th finger on the 6th string and my third finger on the 5th...is it ok to do this or should i stick to the fingering it shows me to do?
thats probably personal preference for you tammy. if it works for you, go for it!
is it just me or is the chord diagrams different by a fret then Dave's finger position on the video?...
I think the chord diagrams ARE different than the tab. for D. I use the the finger according to tab, but I agree with you. It isn't just you.
Hi Dave, Can you clarify the use of the pinky finger? The supplemental says never use it, but you recommend it. What do you think?
That's personal preference, the writeups are actually done by Matt and not Dave so he often puts his take on things as well, so take both pieces of advice to mind and play what works the best for you.
Somebody mentioned Emadd9. Is that the name of the first chord here? Was it said somewhere in the video and I missed it?
It is the first chord in the progression. Check the supplemental content for finger and the C/G chords.
Really good lesson. It has a nice melody to it, I like that mystery melody.
I only have one problem, I have small weak hands so on the C/G, I am having to press so hard with my ring and pinky finger, it's hard to get the first and middle finger to make the strings ring out! I guess I just need to work on it.
This lesson was really good because I was able to incorporate this chord structure with chords I learned. the melody is nice. Thanks David.
I think the chord chart is different in the video than what dave is fingering
This should have been fixed! Let me look into this, thank you.
wow... I'm amazed. I was strummin the chords trying the left-hand changes... and I was wondering how come it didn't look unfamiliar... till I realised... hey!!! These are just the chords for one of my favorite songs!!! just use a Em7 instead of Emadd9 and you get Rosemary by suzanne vega!!! same chords and same position... just fingerpick it!!! This is wonderful, because I had the tabs but I had never figured how to name the last chord! besides, great lessons Dave,I'm going a bit back to the basics just to review my technique, and you're always worth listening to!!!!
Wow... tough getting each string to ring true on these chords. I guess I just didn't care before and that is why I built a lot of bad habits (time to get rid of those). I feel like I'm wound around my guitar neck trying to get these chords right without any dampening... looks like I'll be on this lesson awhile!
hang in there! you'll get it!!!
David, on the video in the chord diagram you are using four frets and different position of your left hand on the guitar
Great lesson Dave, I'm really enjoying playing with these new chords. One question though, regarding using the right hand pinky. In the video you suggest resting it against the guitar body to help with positioning, and this is what I have always done as I find it helps me get just the right depth of pick against the string. But the supplemental content says you should never anchor your pinky this way as it can be restrictive. What are your thoughts on this?
thanks for the lesson, but i was wondering is there other exercises that will help me , I have short fat fingers and having trouble getting the correct position for some of the chords,,,,
it is interesting that you say that, i think i have short reach and dexterity as well. i do get frustrated too! case in point: joe satriani's "tears in the rain". the first chord is a killer with a fret in between each finger(3 finger chord). kinda of a huge C chord shape. i really have to work at it. try moving your fretting hand elbow in and outwards. it helps extend reach with chords sometimes. but warm up high on the neck first then work your way down. your ligaments and tendons/muscles need to warm up! let me know how that goes.
thank you for looking at the lesson. hope it helps you progress!
Thanks for the lesson - the chords sound really good! :jamfest: