Guitar Beginners
1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist
with free audio files, MIDI files and video available online in our member’s area.
1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist
Whether you watched the video above or not the Bottom Line… this book is unique. You will find no other book that presents so much information in such a clear and accessible way. Whether you learn best by reading notation, reading diagrams, watching videos or listening to audio this method has it all.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Have you want an in-depth, concise guitar method from a teacher with over 30 years of experience?
- Want to learn some classic rock and folk chord progressions that sound great and aren’t your typical campfire tunes?
- Do you want get started right away playing music but also want to see the bigger picture by learning about the building blocks of music?
- Want to learn some tricks to memorizing chords, scales and rhythms quicker so you are ready to play with others?
- Do you want video files so you can see how to play each exercise correctly?
- Want MP3 files at multiple tempos so you can hear how to play each exercise correctly?
- Do you want to make sure you are physically playing the guitar correctly so you develop good technique?
- Having problems strumming and playing chords at the same time?
- Do the chords you play never sound quite right because of unwanted muting of notes?
- Want a method that is great for a total beginner but also supply you with additional material to inspire you and make you reach for the next level?
If the answer is YES then 1st Steps for the Beginning Guitarist is exactly what you have been looking for.
- But why? Why is this book so different?
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- Most importantly it gives guitar beginners a way to get help if you run into trouble. With any book what are you going to do if you don’t understand something and get stuck? If you don’t get the answer your either going to have to guess what is the right thing to do or in the worse case you just give up. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN!
- It covers many things that most beginning methods think is unimportant… but really are crucial to your success.
- It supplies you with tons of help files to get you through the rough patches and answer those lingering questions.
- It gives you a range of options to play through each exercises. From super simple for the total beginner to highly complex for the intermediate to advanced beginner. This gives you more value and it gives you a wider range of expression when you play music. Don’t get stuck with only one way to play something it gets BORING!!!
1st Steps for the Beginning Guitarist… is different. All guitar beginners no matter what you problem is, can get answers and you will find that a whole member’s area has been created to help you get those answers along with the added bonus of a sending the author an email to get help.
Help is an Email Away
Mr. Arnold is famous for his in-depth email communications with students. More importantly 100’s of videos and MP3s have been created to help you through any problems. What if you are having problems playing chords so they sound good or you can’t get your strumming and your chords to sync up. You need more than just an email, you need someone to show you through videos and audio files how to get past your problem. This is exactly what you get with 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist This is distance learning in hyperdrive. Years of questions have created a resource second to none to help you get on track!
We also highly recommend that you also work with the Guitar Technique and Physiology Course so that you start off learning with the proper technique. This course gives you a comprehensive approach to playing guitar.
What is inside 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist?
- 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist.. provides detailed information for guitar beginners on following topics:
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- Care of the Guitar.
- Holding the Guitar with multiple pictures and videos.
- How to use a Guitar Pick with multiple pictures and videos.
- Tuning the Guitar with multiple mp3 help files.
- Notes found on the Guitar including a chart showing all notes on the guitar.
- Music theory written in simple terms with videos to clarify each subject.
- A detailed section on rhythm in simple terms with videos and MP3s to help you hear the rhythms.
- All the chords you need to know and secret ways to memorize these chords fast
- 10 of the most important scales used in modern music with easy to read fingerings
- 10 Ultra Hip Chord Progressions to apply the new chords you have learned.
- All the chords you need to play all of your favorite songs.
Example of Chords Found in 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist
The example below shows you how chords are presented in the 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist Course.
Chords are presented as “Open Voicings.”
But also as “Barre Chords.”
Some of the key points are:
- You get a diagram of the chord.
- The notes in the chord are clearly spelled out.
- Information on common problems found with each chord. There are also videos showing these problems and how to fix them.
- Chord progressions are presented in the back of the book to help you apply chords.
Member’s Area Packed with Additional Help Files
OK so you have a problem where a video or an audio file or an additional PDF would help you understand something better. Where are you going to get that information? The MEMBER’S AREA to the rescue!
- The Member’s Area is your key to success. It gives all guitar beginners:
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- Videos covering every aspect of the book from music theory to chord progressions to how to best play chords to make them sound good.
- Additional ways to play each chord progressions so you can have options depending on the style you like the most
- Help files on every subject so if you get stuck you have video, MP3s, PDFs and midifiles to help you get back on track.
- Other helpful videos like how to change strings on an acoustic guitar.
- Additional information on how to start improvising from the ground up for guitar beginners.
- Jam Tracks to help you apply the scales for guitar beginners.
Let’s look at some examples of guitar beginners files found in the member’s area.
Both Open and Barre Positions for Major, Minor, and Dominant Chords with videos showing common problems student have in playing these chords.
Video Example
Below is a video showing you some of the common problems found with a E Major Chord.
Example of a Chord Progression Found in 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist
10 graduated chord progressions to apply newly learned chords with 30 MP3s links per chord progression. These MP3s allow the student to hear the chord progression and slowly develop speed and dexterity. Each chord progression contains 3 different strumming styles using the hard rock, rock, folk, blues and country styles.
Chord Progressions Help You Apply Chords
The example below shows you how chord progressions are presented in the 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist Course.
Some of the key points are:
- You get a diagram of the chord of each chord found in the chord progression.
- The notes in the chord are clearly spelled out.
- 3 Levels of strumming are presented so that you can slowly develop coordination with both hands
- MP3’s of the chord progressions are presented so that you can hear each example.
MP3 Examples of the Above Chord Progression:
Here are examples of MP3s that can be played or downloaded to help you learn each chord progression.
If you are just getting started here is an extremely slow example of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” This will help you to develop your time and give you the extra time to finger each chord.
Here is a faster example of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” As you get faster at changing chords you can play with the faster MP3s for this chord progression
Now you can graduate to playing the chords once per bar rather than once every two bars.
Then speed up the chords once every bar.
Once you have mastered these two easier rhythms you can start working on the final rhythm for the song.
Then finally you can speed up your chord progression with the final rhythm
There are 8 MP3s for each level and an extremely slow version so no matter where you are at with your playing you can find a comfortable level to start. This will really help you to master your coordination of both hands when playing chords.
- 10 of the most important scales are included with fingerings. These scale include:
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- Major
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Aeolian
- Locrian
- Major Pentatonic
- Minor Pentatonic
- Blues
Example of Scales Found in 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist
The example below shows you how scales are presented in the 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist Course.
Some of the key points are:
- You can read the scale in two ways: Use the string, finger and fret markings or read on the treble clef.
- Each scale is presented with 3 notes on every string. This will help a student to not get stuck in position playing. It also facilitates playing the scales linearly up the neck in the future.
- The chord that works over each scale is presented in the upper left corner.
- MP3 chord vamps are downloadable from the muse-eek.com member’s area so that you can apply each scale to a real musical situation.
- It is highly recommended that you practice the scales with the MetroDrone® to help you hear the correct key center as you practice scales. It’s a great way to practice because you are doing ear training and developing your time simultaneously.
So what are people saying and how to they feel about working with 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist?
- What people are saying:
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- Gee… Where do I start… I was one of those guitar beginners. Purchased about 5 different methods before I found 1st Steps. The audio, video and midi files were a game changer. Well organized with songs I wasn’t embarrassed to play for people. Member’s area has alternative way of playing progressions so it really helped me to understand what people like Jimi Hendrix are doing when they add in all those cool fills around the chord progressions. Also Mr. Arnold has presented a path to great musicianship through his other guitar books, music theory, rhythm and ear training so I had one source for all my needs. I also could get help if I had problems by contacting Bruce via email so this was a win win for me … W. George
- Played guitar back in my teens and now I’m back at it after 40 years. Better late than never I say! I wanted to do it right this time. This book really gave me the big picture. Chords, scales, rhythm, music theory all jammed into one book with enough help files on-line to answer any question I ran into. I also really enjoyed my continuing email volleys with Mr. Arnold. You know this guy is real. I was so blown over I was going to buy a slew of his books. He recommended I NOT do that and only buy what I need as I needed it. Who does that? Finally someone who cares about my progress over making a buck!…. A. Anderson
- I contacted Mr. Arnold for recommendations on how to start with his books. Even though I had played for a few years I was surprised that he recommended 1st Steps (thought I was more advanced :) ) Well he was right I needed to fill in some gaps in my learning that 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist… supplied. As Mr. Arnold said, “The gaps you have in your playing skills and your knowledge of music can many times be what is holding you back from becoming a great musician.” I’ve graduated to Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume One now and really feel my playing coming together. By the way get his ear training stuff really turned it all around for me. Don’t go anywhere without it :) …. D. Dickeys
If you are one of the many guitar beginners you can reach your goals. Keep yourself on track. Get an answer to any question that pops up. Learn some great music and have people turning their heads when you start to play.
Get 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist and get on the path to playing music
Status: In stock, physical book ships in 24 hours. Digital book is available for immediate access.
- Additional Edition Information
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- Digital Download IBSN: 978-1-59489-778-8
- Ipad and iphone edition: Apple ibookstore IBSN: 978-1-59489-711-5 ipad and iphone edition: Please check the apple ibookstore for the new edition of this book with over 450 links to HD videos and audio files. Keep working while your on the road.
- 69 pages and a massive quantity of online audio and videos aids via our member’s area.
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