This course is part of the How to Play Guitar Specialization

4.7
stars
345 ratings
•
119 reviews

Amanda Monaco

40,686 already enrolled

Offered By

How to Play Guitar SpecializationBerklee College of Music

About this Course

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You’ve got the guitar basics down: You can strum your guitar and play a few of your favorite songs, but you’re ready to take the tunes to the next level. In Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions you’ll expand your knowledge of scales, chord fingerings, and common chord progressions. You’ll also learn important skills for soloing, creating melodies, and adding depth and dimension to your guitar playing. 
This course is not only for the aspiring guitarist who has taken Berklee’s Guitar for Beginners, but also for guitarists who have let their six-string gather dust for too long, and want to brush up on techniques. 

Each lesson covers the four basic aspects you’ll need to sharpen your guitar chops: scales, arpeggios, chord progressions, and rhythm. Amanda’s practical approach to learning these important elements is fun and helps you to use what you’re learning and practicing in a real musical setting. You’ll improve your playing and creativity, whether it be as a singer-songwriter, a guitarist accompanying a singer, or a player in the band. By the end of this course, you’ll be more comfortable playing throughout the neck, and you’ll gain a better understanding of chord structure and how each chord relates to tonal centers or keys. You’ll also be able to solo and improvise by playing simple lead guitar lines based on the minor pentatonic scale. Whether your preference is for acoustic or electric, the curriculum is designed to turn you into a real guitarist.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 4 in the

How to Play Guitar Specialization

Intermediate Level

Learners should complete "Guitar for Beginners" before enrolling in this course.

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish

What you will learn

Play scales in a moveable open position

Identify and play major, minor, diminished, and augmented arpeggios

Add rhythmic timing to arpeggios and strumming to enhance your playing

Skills you will gain

Tablature
Music notation
Guitar scales
Guitar chords
Guitar

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 4 in the

How to Play Guitar Specialization

Intermediate Level

Learners should complete "Guitar for Beginners" before enrolling in this course.

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.83/5 (78 Ratings)

Amanda Monaco

Offered by

Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(3,298 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Welcome to Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions!

Welcome to Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 2 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

3 hours to complete

Scales

In this lesson, we'll be learning and practicing the pentatonic scale. First we'll learn the b3 pentatonic scale, then the b7 pentatonic scale, and then we'll learn how to play the scale on one string. We'll also work on improvising using a single string. Finally, we'll practice playing scales in a moveable open position.

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 24 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes

7 videos

What You'll Learn in this Lesson29s

The b3 Pentatonic Scale3m

The b7 Pentatonic Scale3m

The Major Scale and Improvising On One String3m

The Pentatonic Scale on One String3m

Playing a Scale in a Moveable Open Position5m

Putting It All Together3m

4 readings

Practicing the b3 and the b7 Pentatonic Scales30m

Practicing On One String20m

Join Your Study Group10m

Practicing Scales30m

2 practice exercises

Scales30m

Self Assessment: Practicing Scales30m

Week

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Arpeggios

This lesson, we'll be working with arpeggios, which means playing the notes in a chord one at a time. We'll be learning and practicing major, minor, diminished, and augmented arpeggiated chords.

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 19 min), 7 readings, 2 quizzes

6 videos

What You'll Learn in this Lesson33s

Major Arpeggios3m

Minor Arpeggios3m

Diminished Arpeggios2m

Augmented Arpeggios4m

Putting It All Together3m

7 readings

Practicing Major Arpeggios30m

Practicing Minor Arpeggios30m

Practicing Diminished Arpeggios30m

Practicing Augmented Arpeggios10m

Putting It All Together30m

Join Your Study Group10m

Practicing Arpeggios30m

2 practice exercises

Arpeggios30m

Self Assessment: Practicing Arpeggios30m

Week

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Chords and Progressions

In this lesson, we'll begin practicing chords and popular chord progressions. We'll also begin practicing these progressions with both open and barre chords.

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 28 min), 6 readings, 2 quizzes

6 videos

What You'll Learn in this Lesson43s

I IV V and I V IV3m

I VI II V and I VI IV V4m

I V VI IV3m

The 12 Bar Blues6m

Putting It All Together8m

6 readings

Practicing the I IV V and I V IV Progressions30m

Practicing the I VI II V and I VI IV V Progressions30m

Practicing the I V VI IV Progression30m

Practicing the 12 Bar Blues30m

Join Your Study Group10m

Practicing Chords and Progressions30m

2 practice exercises

Chords and Progressions30m

Self Assessment: Practicing Chords and Progressions30m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Rhythm

In this final lesson, we will focus on arpeggiated chords and playing them in different rhythms. We will also practice blues scales and finally, put all of these aspects together.

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 24 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.7

119 reviews

5 stars
76.30%
4 stars
18.78%
3 stars
2.31%
2 stars
1.73%
1 star
0.86%

TOP REVIEWS FROM GUITAR SCALES AND CHORD PROGRESSIONS

by ADMay 18, 2020

Teaches major and pentatonic scales, arpeggios, chord progression and 12 bar blues. Essential knowledge for beginners. Lectures are nice and easy to follow. Overall a great course for beginners.

by MRAug 16, 2020

Excellent, very helpful, the instructor was fantastic, I learned a lot. Would appreciate more examples of putting it all together. I enjoyed the process, even with my busy schedule.

by SSDec 20, 2021

A great course which has something to offer to guitar players of all levels and this course really provides a strong foundation to your scales and chord progressions and a lot more.

by ICJan 27, 2019

Good beginner/early intermediate course which touches on some typical chord progressions and arpeggios and the ionian major scale (but not inversions or other modes and scales)

View all reviews

About the How to Play Guitar Specialization

Have you always wanted to play the guitar, but never knew where to start? Whether you’re just picking up the guitar for the first time or you just want to brush up on your skills, the Guitar Techniques specialization created by Berklee College of Music will help you practice the techniques you need to bring your playing to the next level. Throughout this 16-week specialization, you’ll lay a firm foundation by learning and practicing major, minor, and pentatonic scales as well as triads and chords. You’ll also practice improvising, writing melodies and licks, and playing through lead sheets. By the end of this specialization, you’ll have learned the skills and confidence to perform your favorite songs in front of an audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Guitar Scales and Chord Progressions