Desi Serna

Do you love sitting at home playing guitar, but find yourself playing the same old things over and over without making much progress? When other musicians invite you to jam, do you worry that you won’t be able to keep up? Are you a veteran guitarist who has played for years, but you’re embarrassed to admit you have no idea what you’re doing? If you want to take your guitar playing to the next level, compose songs like you hear on the radio, and improvise your own music, then you need Fretboard Theory. Fretboard Theory by Desi Serna teaches music theory for guitar including scales, chords, progressions, modes and more. The hands-on approach to theory shows you how music "works" on the guitar fretboard by visualizing shapes and patterns and how they connect to make music. Content includes: * Learn pentatonic and major scale patterns as used to play melodies, riffs, solos, and bass lines * Move beyond basic chords and common barre chords by playing the types of chord inversions and chord voicings used by music's most famous players * Chart guitar chord progressions and play by numbers like the pros * Identify correct scales to play over chords and progressions so you can improvise at will * Create new sounds with music modes and get to know Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian * Add variety to your playing by using intervals such as thirds, fourths, and sixths * Increase your chord vocabulary by using added chord tones and extensions to play chord types such as major 7, minor 7, sus2, sus4, add9, and more * Learn how all the different aspects of music fit together to make a great song * See how theory relates to popular styles of music and familiar songs Fretboard Theory will have you mastering music like a pro easier and faster than you ever thought possible. Plus, it's the ONLY GUITAR THEORY RESOURCE in the world that includes important details to hundreds of popular songs. You learn how to play in the style of pop, rock, acoustic, blues, and more! This guitar instruction is perfect whether you want to jam, compose or just understand the music you play better. The material is suitable for both acoustic and electric guitar, plus it features many references to bass. Level: Recommended for intermediate level players on up. Video Fretboard Theory is also available as a 21-hour video series that is sold separately on the author's GuitarMusicTheory.com website. Visit the website and sign up for email lessons to sample the footage. Fretboard Theory Volume II When you're ready to take your playing to the next level, get the second book in the series, Fretboard Theory Volume II, which is also available as a 12-hour video series.

Guitar Chords, Scales, Progressions, Modes, and More!

Fretboard Theory

Serious about jamming, understanding, and creating guitar-driven music? Easy. With an approachable and engaging style, Guitar Theory For Dummies goes beyond guitar basics, presenting the guidance intermediate to advanced players need to improve their improvisational and compositional skills. Plus, with access to audio tracks and video instruction online you can master the concepts and techniques covered in the book. Key content coverage includes: pentatonic and major scale patterns; the CAGED chord system, chord progressions, and playing by numbers; roots, keys, and applying scales, plus modes and modal scales; intervals and chord extensions; popular song references and theory applications that help you understand how to play popular music and contemporary guitar styles, and create music of your own. This title also features companion audio tracks and video content hosted online at Dummies.com The expert instruction and easy-to-digest information provides comprehensive guidance on how to apply music theory concepts to fretted instruments If you already have a handle on the basics and want to know more about the building blocks and theory behind guitar music, Guitar Theory For Dummies has you covered.

Book + Online Video & Audio Instruction

Guitar Theory For Dummies

Hal Leonard Corporation

Mark Phillips

Jon Chappell

Make your music come alive with this indispensable guitar guide There's no denying that guitar players have cachet. The guitar is an ever-present part of our collective musical heritage, and the sound can be sensual, aggressive, or a million things in between. Whether you're hoping to conquer Free Bird, Bourée, or Bolero Mallorquin, you need to learn to walk before you can run. Even once you can run, you need something to help you clear hurdles along the way. That's where Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, comes in. It's your complete compendium of guitar instruction, written in clear, concise For Dummies style. It covers everything from positioning and basic chords to guitar theory and playing styles, and even includes maintenance advice to keep your instrument sounding great. It's an amazing resource for newbies and veterans alike, and offers you the opportunity to stretch beyond your usual genre. Forge the sound of rock, blues, classical, and more Understand the music theory behind guitar mastery Express yourself through your own compositions Perform practice exercises for muscle memory and dexterity Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, includes access to audio tracks and instructional videos to guide you through the lessons and inspire you to play often, which is the number-one key to success. You get advice and instruction from some of the most respected guitar teachers in the business, plus online resources, for less than the cost of a single lesson. Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is the key to bringing your music to life.

Book + Online Video and Audio Instruction

Guitar All-in-One For Dummies

Guitar Picking Mechanics equips you to use a standard guitar pick (a.k.a. flatpick or plectrum) to play popular styles of music as proficiently as possible. Through a series of exercises, you are trained to use the proper techniques needed to play common guitar parts. You also discover techniques that make an immediate difference in how well you pick, so you see fast results. In order to learn the most practical skills, you play examples composed in the style of familiar songs. You even unleash your creativity by applying your newfound skills to your own improvisations and compositions. Your path to picking improvement involves the development and application of the following techniques: Alternate picking Changing strings on downstrokes Downstroke sweep picking Downstroke economy picking Upstroke string changes, sweep picking, and economy picking Pick slanting Inside and outside picking Playing melodic patterns (a.k.a. "scale sequences") Crosspicking After completing Guitar Picking Mechanics, you will be able to pick more quickly, more accurately, and more comfortably. You will know how to compose fluid lead lines around efficient mechanics. Most importantly, you will discover which picking techniques work best for you so you can play to your strengths. Guitar Picking Mechanics is not just about technique—it is about your artistic expression and style. The program’s goals are for you to explore options, develop new skills, break through barriers, and make progress so that your guitar playing becomes something you can be proud of. :) The Guitar Picking Mechanics book includes: 100 pages of instruction 84 Notation Figures with Tablature 74 Audio Tracks Are you ready to make your picking problems a thing of the past? Do you want to see how changing your approach to picking can help you progress faster than you thought possible? Get your copy of Guitar Picking Mechanics today! Requirements Guitar Picking Mechanics is not a beginner guitar program. In order to take full advantage of this instruction, you should already be playing at an intermediate level. Your skills should include being able to play pentatonic scale and three-notes-per-string scale patterns. Guitar Picking Mechanics works on either an acoustic or electric guitar. Both right-handed and left-handed guitar players can follow the lessons. Audio Tracks Once you have your book, follow the instructions to download all the audio tracks. If you would prefer to have the audio tracks on CD, purchase the CD as well, which is listed and sold separately on Amazon. Book Formats Amazon sells paperbacks and Kindles. PDF eBooks are sold at the author’s website. Visit http://GuitarMusicTheory.com/pick for more information.

Techniques & Exercises for Increasing Your Accuracy, Speed, & Comfort (Book + Online Audio)

Guitar Picking Mechanics

Fretboard Theory by Desi Serna teaches music theory for guitar including scales, chords, progressions, modes and more. Hands-on approach to theory gives you total command of the fretboard and music's most critical elements by visualizing shapes, patterns and how they connect. ?Content includes: * How to learn and practice Pentatonic and Major scale patterns * Guitar CAGED system including chord inversions and arpeggio patterns * Guitar chord progressions and playing by numbers (as used with the Nashville Number System). * Roots, keys and applying scales * Understanding music modes and modal scales such as Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian * Playing and using intervals including thirds, fifths and sixths * Adding chord tones and extensions such as "add 9," "suspended 4," and "major 7" Not only does Fretboard Theory teach music theory in a refreshing new manner, but it takes things a step farther by associating everything to your favorite songs. This is the ONLY GUITAR THEORY RESOURCE that includes important details to hundreds of popular songs. Pop, rock, acoustic, blues, metal and more! ??This new generation of guitar instruction is perfect whether you want to jam, compose or just understand the music you play better. The material is suitable for both acoustic and electric guitar, plus it features many references to bass. Also available on DVD Four chapters of Fretboard Theoryare available on DVD. These video programs, which are sold separately, include: Getting Started with the Pentatonic Scale DVD CAGED Template Chord System DVD Guitar Chord Progressions and Playing By Numbers DVD Guitar Modes - The Modal Scales of Popular Music DVD Fretboard Theory Volume II When you're ready to take your playing to the next level, get the second book in the series,Fretboard Theory Volume II.

Book two in the Fretboard Theory series picks up where the first volume leaves off and takes your guitar playing and musical knowledge to a whole new level. You learn advanced applications and new musical concepts. There is information for rhythm guitarists, lead guitarists, improvisers, and composers. Each chapter focuses on applications found in popular music and includes familiar song references. * Gain new perspective on keys and tonalities so that you have total control over the music you play * Get to know scale formulas and new number systems so you know music from the inside out * Push to and resolve on chords using dominant function and voice leading * Change keys, borrow chords, and mix modes in order to add more variety to your chord progressions * Get jazzy by using chromatic, diminished, and augmented passing chords * Become a more proficient lead guitarist by narrowing your focus to the scale patterns preferred by the pros * Make your lead lines more melodic and give them more direction with chord tone soloing * Create new sounds and new chord progressions with the harmonic minor scale * Add more depth and dimension to your playing by using pedal point and pedal tones Video Fretboard Theory Volume II is also available as a 12-hour video series that is sold separately on the author's GuitarMusicTheory.com website. Visit the website and sign up for email lessons to sample the footage. Level: Recommended for intermediate level players on up who have already completed the first volume of Fretboard Theory.

Book two in the Fretboard Theory series featuring music theory for guitar

Fretboard Theory Volume II

With an approachable and engaging style, Guitar Rhythm and Technique For Dummies breaks down the basics of reading, counting, strumming, and picking rhythms on guitar. You get to know the basics of notation including time signatures, bars, beats, and rests. You play examples of eighth and sixteenth note rhythms, including common strum patterns heard in popular music. You follow a step-by-step process to improve your rhythm, feel, and timing. Additionally, you work with physical aspects of guitar playing including techniques for both your right and left hands. Key content coverage includes: Strum patterns; articulations such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, and vibrato; picking techniques such as flat picking, finger picking, hybrid picking, muting, pinch harmonics, double stops, dive bombing, and tapping; styles such as pop, rock, blues, folk, and funk. Guitar Rhythm and Technique For Dummies presents the guidance beginning to advanced players need to improve their musical timing and skills. Plus, with access to audio tracks and video instruction online you can master the concepts and techniques covered in the book.

Guitar Rhythm & Technique For Dummies, Book + Online Video & Audio Instruction

A one-stop resource to the essentials of owning and playing the guitar If you’ve just bought a guitar, or you’ve had one for a while, you probably know it takes some time and effort to learn how to play the popular instrument. There’s so much to know about owning, maintaining, and playing a guitar. Where do you even begin? In Guitar All-in-One For Dummies, a team of expert guitarists and music teachers shows you the essentials you need to know about owning and playing a guitar. From picking your first notes to exploring music theory and composition, maintaining your gear, and diving into the specifics of genres like blues and rock, this book is a comprehensive and practical goldmine of indispensable info. Created for the budding guitarist who wants all their lessons and advice in one place, the book will show you how to: Maintain, tune, and string your guitar, as well as decipher music notation and guitar tablature Understand guitar theory, sounds and techniques to help you learn new songs and add your style to classic tunes Practice several popular genres of guitar music, including blues, rock, and classical Access accompanying online video and audio instructional resources that demonstrate the lessons you find in the book Perfect for guitar players at any skill level, Guitar All-in-One For Dummies is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to get the most out of their own guitar and make great music.

Desi Serna

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