Learn a simple melody and take in a little info about what a 'key' is. You can learn the melody and have a friend strum the rhythm. Or, do it the other way around!
Taught by David Isaacs in Beginner Guitar With David Isaacs seriesLength: 18:07Difficulty: 1.0 of 5
Whether you've never played before, or your coming back to guitar after brief startup attempt, you'll find everything you need to get going in this series. David uses real musical examples to teach even the most basic concepts and techniques.
Lesson 1
Don't get stuck learning chords, scales and theory with nowhere to apply the things you work on. Take the "David Isaacs" approach and learn the guitar by using real music. You'll be playing along with...
Length: 2:32 Difficulty: 0.5 FREELesson 2
Tune up, learn your way around your guitar, and explore a simple, musical picking exercise to help you learn the string names. You'll be playing right out of the gate!
Length: 22:20 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 3
Learn hand position, posture and see how to set up your playing for success when it comes to your fret hand. Dave goes in depth with his discussion and demonstration of hand mechanics. Don't miss this...
Length: 16:10 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 4
Learn the E7 minor and Am chords and then immediately put them to use with a simple song. Play along to the provided backing track and feel like you're part of the band...It's only your 4th lesson! Keep...
Length: 15:32 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 5
Power chords are some of the most simple and ubiquitous tools for playing and making great songs. Learn the most basic shapes and put them to use right here! Dave also discusses the beginnings of strumming...
Length: 12:21 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 6
Learn a simple melody and take in a little info about what a 'key' is. You can learn the melody and have a friend strum the rhythm. Or, do it the other way around!
Length: 18:07 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 7
These simple, musical tools can take you a long way. Use your index and middle fingers to play a simple Am chord and a simple E chord. You'll also learn how to read chord charts and play through another...
Length: 16:46 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 8
You will be introduced to a simple A minor scale and then learn a song that helps you get your new scale under your finger tips!
Length: 12:08 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 9
Do you ever feel like you are wearing mittens while you are trying to practice your guitar playing? If you have ever experienced this sensation, this lesson is for you!
Length: 11:04 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
You'll be introduced to the C Major scale and then you'll be able to put it to use over a soothing acoustic guitar rhythm bed. Have fun!
Length: 10:37 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Here you'll get to spend some time applying some fundamental chord shapes. Dave shows how to switch between these two chords seamlessly and, as usual, has a creative example ready to go so you can put...
Length: 18:39 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 12
I know what you're thinking..."I just learned these!" Well, you did learn a C chord and a G chord, but this lesson goes over ways to play these chords together in a chord progression that REALLY sounds...
Length: 11:06 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 13
You've probably heard it before, but most songs out there can really be played with just 3 or 4 chords. In this lesson, Dave gives you the tools to play most of the songs you know and love!
Length: 14:04 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 14
We're moving into some new territory with this series now. You'll now be focusing more and more on material that you can play in a band setting. Up until now, you've been applying the basics to real music,...
Length: 24:54 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 15
Learn about the blues form and strum along with a cool, laid back, bluesy track. You'll be able to take the material in this lesson a long way down the road! Don't forget to have fun with it now though...
Length: 12:03 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 16
Learn the C major pentatonic scale and put it to good use over a catchy tune! You'll be surprised how simple this is and how very musical you can be with just 5 notes arranged in a musically interesting...
Length: 8:38 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 17
The mighty and intimidating F chord is one that most beginners see as a major hurdle in learning the basic chords on the guitar. Dave offers some ways to make the F chord more approachable. Once you examine...
Length: 15:35 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 18
Work on precision with your picking hand and more finger independence with your fretting hand using a soothing practice track called "Chimes". You'll get a good taste of combining melody and rhythm playing...
Length: 15:34 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 19
Dave works you through eight different strumming variations, discusses how to feel the groove while keeping the rhythm, and shows you how to take a handful of examples and create any strum pattern you...
Length: 14:18 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 20
Look at the C major scale once again. This time however, you'll get to complete the first position C major pattern. You'll play every note within reach of your first 4 frets. You'll also learn a catchy...
Length: 16:28 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
Work in the Am, Dm, and Em chords and play them in a melancholy, yet soothing example. You'll also get to work on your basic strumming.
Length: 12:18 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 22
Learn the E minor pentatonic scale with a small position shift that will get you out of the open position and moving around the neck a little bit. This is where it really starts to feel like you are owning...
Length: 13:53 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 23
Earlier in the series, we explored the C major scale. In this lesson, the A minor will get some love. Learn the basic open position and use it in a new melody.
Length: 15:43 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 24
Back to some chords now. In case you couldn't tell from the title, we'll be focusing on 7th chords for this lesson. You learned A7 a while back, and now you'll learn E7 and B7.
Length: 13:32 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 25
Take a moment to pat yourself on the back! You've covered a lot of ground so far! You've been playing real music now for some time, and in this lesson, we're going to learn a walking blues line. What is...
Length: 10:50 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 26
Chords that don't have any open strings in them AND chords whose open strings fit comfortably within the chord all called "moveable chords". Learn how to play a couple chords up the neck.
Length: 15:31 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 27
In this lesson, you'll take another big step forward when it comes to working outside of the open position. You'll feel like doing some jamming too!
Length: 8:44 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 28
There are eight more strum patterns for you to dig into in this lesson. This time, they are a bit trickier. Follow along with the rhythm charts and take each example in chunks if needed. Combine them with...
Length: 19:33 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 29
You knew it was coming! This is the lesson where we stop dancing around full fingered moveable chords and dive head first into the most common barre chord shapes. They're not as bad as you may be fearing....
Length: 19:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 30
As the musical examples continue to distance themselves from that stereotypical beginner sound, Dave works through this track with a simple, moving melody inside a blues progression.
Length: 14:47 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 31
Some of you may have been waiting for this one! Now we'll focus on some improvisation...Some lead playing. It's not about knowing all the scales or trying to be fancy. It is about using what you know...
Length: 12:45 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 32
Learn how to create motion and percussive interest with your strumming. If you look at and listen to how drummers accent general grooves, there is a lot of insight there in to how to make your rhythm playing...
Length: 17:29 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 33
Learn B minor chord and continue developing your feel and grooviness when it comes to strumming. Be sure that you are combing over older lessons as well so that you can incorporate many ideas into what...
Length: 21:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 34
Develop precision in your picking. Learn when it's best to use alternate picking. Get comfortable with a few exercises and then apply the technique in a musical context!
Length: 20:26 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 35
We're going to continue with rhythm playing and 16th note strumming, but this time we're going to touch on some laid back bluegrass playing. This is another simple style of playing to add to your arsenal.
Length: 10:06 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 36
Learn a few more barre chord forms and get more advanced with your strumming. As you've come to know and love with these lessons, you'll have a chance to learn a new song!
Length: 13:51 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 37
You've made it a long way if you've made it to the end of this series! In this final lesson of Mr. Isaacs beginner course, you'll spend some dedicated time moving both major and minor barre chord formations...
Length: 21:58 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
About David Isaacs
View Full Biography
Nashville-based Dave Isaacs has made a name for himself as one of Music City's top guitar instructors, working with both professional and aspiring songwriters and artists at his Music Row teaching studio. He is also an instructor in the music department at Tennessee State University and is the coordinator and artistic director of the annual TSU Guitar Summit.
A seasoned performer as well, Dave has released eight independent CDs and gigs steadily as a solo artist, bandleader, and sideman. He continues to write, record, and perform as well as arranging and producing projects for other artists.
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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.This is a Great lesson, Thank you so much it wonderful the hints and things as you explain the guitar.
Hi David. Coming back to beginners to learn how to read music as it relates to the guitar. This is a great lesson for recognising the notes on the staff and finding them on the guitar. Thanks!
A really good lesson! I love the twangy gunslinger atmosphere. And I am now the proud owner of a metronome. David is an excellent teacher.
I cant be understanding tab. No idea what notes are being played and when?!
Check out this lesson, it will help you out with the basics of tab: http://members.jamplay.com/guitar/phase-1/lesson/1296-reading-tablature
This lesson is helping me with timing. The intro to the idea of key and returning home was put nicely. Thanks.
agree that highlighting the actual notes on the tab as the instructor plays would assint embedding the info in my cortex!
All though I am a intermediate to advanced player my technical skill in terms of theory has always been wanting as I am completely self taught so With the lessons on theory I'm starting from scratch. The only thing I could offer to improve the lessons is to perhaps highlight the notes on the tab as the instructor plays them making it much easier especially for beginners to follow along.
Further comment from kara.renshaw 12/16/15 ... where do you find the tabs pdf to print? Can't find it on screen.
Look under "Supplemental". There you will see a PDF icon. That's what you are looking for.
I got my 4 year old to complete this lesson with me. Amazing, he was soo exited! Thanks so much David!
Fun lesson! Thanks, David.
when the tracking bar is exposed at the bottom of the music it covers the tablithure and I can't see it but I want the bar exposed with my pointer on the pause button so I can stop at ant moment, but then I can't read the numbers on the lines witch are behind the tracking line!!!
So on this one the backing track and play along are reversed (again). Are you going to a perfect record??
when I complete a lesson it says I am 100 percent complete then when I check it says I am not . this seems to happen with everylesson
OMG! - as the trendy people say. I've just had a bit of a Eureka moment with this lesson. I followed David's tip on getting more twang & actually picked as close to the bridge as I could get & suddenly it was beginning to sound like a 'Clint Eastwood' spaghetti western! Then I strummed the chords in the same style & the sound was amazing - I love it! I think this Twang Primero piece is one I will work on. Thank you.
easy to follow! Thanks :)I need to print the tabs pdf though as trying to scroll down onto the next page and keep in time with the backing music is impossible :)
I think it would be helpful if when I pause I could see the whole tab.
While practicing this Twang Primero i've noticed that the play along track works out to about 90-bpm and the music sheet says 60-bpm. Just and FYI
Thanks for the twang tip!
I was able to complete this lesson. Thank you! Excellent instruction and pace.
So I'm loving the lessons but I'm having trouble playing these single notes without looking either at the fret board or the strings and the pick. Should I stay on these lessons until I can do it perfectly? I am itching to get further on!
Move on, but keep practicing the exercises daily until they feel comfortable. The idea is you take some skills you REALLY can't play, and practice those, and then work on the things that need touched up, and last practice a few things you already know / have fun with.
how can you print the tabs as a sheet? this is awesome thanks.
Thanks, Dave. I never quite understood dotted notes until now. Counting to 1 2 3 on the half notes was something I hadn't seen until now.