Grasp the essentials needed to begin playing acoustic or electric guitar. You'll learn an easy approach to get you playing quickly, through a combination of exploring the instrument, performance technique, and basic music theory.
Guitar for Beginners
Guitar for Beginners
This course is part of multiple programs.
Instructor: Thaddeus Hogarth
310,515 already enrolled
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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8
(2,257 reviews)
8 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course
What you'll learn
Identify string names and numbers and read music notation, tablature, chord block diagrams, and fretboard maps
Practice picking, finger picking, and strumming patterns
Play various chords including major and minor triads, open, barre, and pose chords
Read and play a lead sheet
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
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Assessments
26 assignments
Taught in English
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There are 7 modules in this course
Welcome to Guitar for Beginners! Before you begin the course, we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your Berklee massive online course.
What's included
3 readings1 assignment
In this first lesson, we will take things slow. We will focus on how to choose the right guitar for you and what accessories are essential for any guitar player. We'll also learn the parts of the guitar and get you comfortable with your instrument.
What's included
7 videos4 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt
In this lesson, you will learn how to tune and you will start playing your instrument from the ground up! Be patient and remember: focus on being accurate and play in consistent time with your metronome. These things are far more important than playing with speed.
What's included
7 videos6 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt
While you don’t need to be an expert on music theory to play guitar, it is important to know the basic building blocks of music. With this understanding, music will no longer be shrouded in mystery or complexity. This lesson presents fundamental musical ideas in a fun, non-intimidating way.
What's included
4 videos2 readings5 assignments1 discussion prompt
In this lesson, you will dig into scales. Don’t be intimidated. Some of you may have heard of, or practiced, scales. It might have been during piano lessons. Most likely it wasn’t very exciting for you. Hopefully you'll find the approach to scales in lesson 4 much easier and even fun.
What's included
6 videos3 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt
In this lesson, you will use all of the skills you’ve gained from the previous lessons to build the foundation of harmony. You will play certain scale notes at the same time to create chords. Let's look at why chords sound like they do, how to build them, how to easily play chords in open position, and how to play chords that you can move all around the neck.
What's included
6 videos1 reading4 assignments1 discussion prompt
Now that you have the "science" of the guitar in your fingers, you will learn a couple of songs. You will do this by using melody (from the scales) and harmony (from the chords) we have learned. You will also learn an essential scale for playing melodies and soloing.
What's included
6 videos1 reading4 assignments1 peer review
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.8 (242 ratings)Offered by
Explore more from Music and Art
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Learner reviews
4.8
2,257 reviews
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1.90%
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Showing 3 of 2257
RC
5
Reviewed on May 29, 2020
Very impressed in particular with the pace and technical depth of the instructor's videos that taught me how and why the scales and chords are constructed, rather than just having us memorise them.
JV
5
Reviewed on May 30, 2020
It is very explicative and involving. Access to a community with other guitar learners helps you to overcome the difficulties. I would like to have closer contact with the professor.
NP
5
Reviewed on Sep 17, 2015
loved it, I took guitar lessons when I was a kid and hated it. this course made it fun! it took the mystery out of it so I can see the big picture and got me playing the guitar
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Frequently asked questions
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:
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