The Fastest, Easiest Way to Play

All Your Favorite Songs On the Guitar

by Claude Johnson
Dedicated To You
This e-boo is dedi!ated to you, "y #ello$ guitar enthusiast, and % thin it $ill be
es&e!ially hel&#ul i# you are ne$ to the guitar' (y na"e is Claude Johnson and %)ve
been a serious student o# the guitar sin!e *++*' % &ut this e-boo together to hel&
eli"inate !on#usion about the guitar learning &ro!ess and hel& you learn the guitar as
#ast as &ossible'
,elieve it or not, the &ro!ess o# learning guitar is very very si"&le' -o$ever, si"&li!ity
does not "ean the sa"e thing as .easy/' There is a di##eren!e bet$een sill and
no$ledge' Yet, by understanding the &ro!ess, $e do eli"inate !on#usion, build
!on#iden!e, and "ae &rogress'
The Basketball Analogy
0et "e give you an analogy' 0et)s say you are &ra!ti!ing thro$ing #ree-thro$s on the
basetball !ourt' 1o$, %)" not an e2&ert on basetball, but there)s only a #e$ things to
really no$ $hen it !o"es to shooting #ree-thro$s' 3don)t tilt to the side, bend your
nees, ai" #or 4ust above the ri", et!5' Yet, reading and no$ing these things does not
by itsel# hel& you to "ae "ore shots' You have to get out there and P6ACT%CE'
On!e you no$ ho$ to &ra!ti!e, all it taes is a little !o""it"ent and dedi!ation, $hi!h
allo$s you to engage in the &ro!ess o# repetition' %t is this &ro!ess o# re&eating the sa"e
thing over and over, that builds sill' 7on)t #orget, guitar %S a &hysi!al a!tivity, even
though $e are not literally running around' So, it does tae ti"e #or the body and
s&e!i#i!ally the nervous and "us!le syste"s to ada&t and let you build the sills you
need'
Fortunately, &laying guitar is a lot easier than thro$ing a basetball ball into a hoo&'
Even &ro#essional b-ballers only "ae 89 to :9; o# their #ree-thro$s' Yet, on!e you
learn to &lay a .G/ !hord on the guitar, you)ll &lay it &er#e!tly ++'+; o# the ti"e, no
&roble"'
Basic Mastery Vs. Advanced Mastery
1o$, don)t get "e $rong, A7<A1CE7 guitar &laying does have so"e dee& !hallenges
that you !an &ursue, and it !an start to be!o"e a lot "ore !o"&le2' -o$ever, i# you 4ust
$ant to be!o"e a res&e!table &layer and have the ability to &lay all your #avorite songs,
$e !an 4ust ee& it si"&le and learn the basi!s' This should be your goal in the
beginning' There)s absolutely no &oint in trying to run be#ore $e !an $al'
%t is said that the guitar is one o# the easiest things to learn and one o# the toughest to
"aster' And $e aren)t taling about "astering everything' Yes, i# you
$ant to be!o"e a virtuoso, it is a "u!h longer road' ,ut again, $e aren)t taling about
that' We are taling about "astering the basi!s, #ols'
A Sequential Learning Process
So, let)s get s&e!i#i! no$, and tal about e2a!tly $hat $e need to learn to start &laying
all o# our #avorite songs on the guitar' As % see it, there)s only three basi! ste&s'
*' 0earn to Play Guitar Chords
=' 0earn to Play Chord Progressions
>' 0earn to Play Co"&lete Songs
Were you e2&e!ting that it)s "ore !o"&le2 than that? %t)s really not' % thin a good
tea!her "aes .di##i!ult/ things si"&le, and that)s $hat %)" trying to do here' So, $e are
really taling about a ste&-by-ste&, se@uential learning &ro!ess' We #irst learn the
!hords, then $e learn &rogressions, then $e #inally learn !o"&lete songs'
%n other $ords, you !an)t learn to &lay !hord &rogressions until you !an &lay your
basi! !hordsA $e have to go ste&-by-ste&'
But Beore !e "et Started...
,ut be#ore $e even get started learning a !hord, let)s tal about your guitar' You $ant to
have a ni!e sounding instru"ent' %# you)re using a dusty old guitar #ro" the base"ent,
that "ay or "ay not have intonation &roble"s, don)t e2&e!t it to sound good' You $ant
an instru"ent that is not da"aged in any $ay' %# you do have an old instru"ent, you !an
tae it to the lo!al "usi! sho& and see $hat they say about it)s !ondition'
%# you)re buying a ne$ instru"ent, you don)t ne!essarily have to s&end a lot o# "oney' %t
also doesn)t really "atter $hether you start on the ele!tri! or the a!ousti!' Ea!h have
their o$n !hallenges' The ele!tri! is &hysi!ally easier be!ause you don)t have to &ush
do$n as hard on the strings' -o$ever, it is "ore di##i!ult to get a good tone out o#
be!ause there)s lots o# settings on the guitar and the a"&li#ier'
%t really de&ends on your tastes, but i# % had to re!o""end one, %)d say start on the
a!ousti! guitar be!ause its easier to get a good tone out o# it'
When guitar &layers tal about .tone/, they are re#erring to the a!tual sound !o"ing out
o# your instru"ent' This is very i"&ortant' Why? ,e!ause you !an be the best guitarist
in the $orld, but i# your tone is bad, its going to sound bad' The a!tual tone that you get
is a big !o"&onent in sounding good' That doesn)t "ean you have to go out and buy a
B=999 guitar' Fortunately, today it is "ore a##ordable than ever to get a de!ent sounding
guitar, but you should be a$are o# this'
Another very i"&ortant &art o# your tone is your guitar strings' (ae sure you have
#resh strings' Changing your strings o#ten !an be a &ain in the arse, but its $orth it' Old
strings lose their intonation and start sounding bad' % $ould suggest !hanging your
strings "aybe on!e every C to : $ees or so, de&ending on ho$ "u!h you &lay'
"etting in Tune
When you &lay, "ae sure that you)re in tune as $ell' Get an ele!troni! tuner or &it!h
&i&e' A &it!h &i&e #or!es you to use your ear to hel& tune, $hile an ele!troni! tuner taes
the hu"an #a!tor out o# the e@uation' The ele!troni! tuner "ethod o# tuning is the best
in the beginning be!ause it taes the guess$or a$ay, and you D1OW you)re in tune'
A#ter you get a little e2&erien!e, its good to use a &it!h &i&e be!ause it $ill hel& your
ear'
,e#ore tuning your guitar, you should no$ the na"es o# the notes on the o&en guitar
strings' Fro" the highest note 3"ost treble5 to the lo$est note 3"ost bass5 , the guitar
strings areE
So"eti"es, guitarists are !on#used by the ter"s F0OW and -%G-F $hen re#erring to
strings and notes' The F0OWF E is the heaviest string, the "ost FbassF sounding note on
the guitar' Even though the lo$ E is the FhighestF in &hysi!al lo!ation - it is !loser to the
!eiling $hile the high E is a!tually Flo$erF , !losest to the #loor'
7on)t get !on#used' 0o$ "eans lo$ #re@uen!y'
Please be !are#ul i# you)re ne$ to this' Too "u!h tension !an be dangerous to the guitar
ne!, so "ae sure you have the right strings on your guitar, "ae sure you)re tuning to
the right &it!h, and !he! $ith your lo!al "usi! store i# you)re in doubt'
#olding the "uitar
%# you)ve got an a!ousti! guitar, sit do$n in a !o"#ortable !hair and rest the guitar in
your la& $ith the body o# the guitar !lose to you' The ne! o# the guitar should be
&ointing to$ard your le#t' %# you have an ele!tri!, you "ay !hoose to stand u& and &lay
$ith a stra&' %# you do, don)t hang the guitar too lo$ so its di##i!ult to &lay'
With your le#t hand, you !an hold do$n so"e o# the strings on the #retboard, and $ith
the right hand , you !an use a guitar &i! to &lay the strings'
To hold the &i!, you gras& it #ir"ly 3but $ithout e2!essive tension5 bet$een your
thu"b and #irst #inger'
The s"all &ie!es o# "etal running u& and do$n the ne! o# the guitar are !alled frets.
When guitarists taling about &laying so"ething .At the 8
th
#ret/, #or e2a"&le, $hat
they really "ean is to &la!e your #inger on the #retboard 4ust behind the 8
th
#ret, but not
tou!hing it' There)s usually == or =C #rets on an ele!tri! guitar and "aybe *8 #rets or so
on an a!ousti!'
The lo$est #ret you !an &lay is the #irst #ret' O# !ourse, you !an also &lay a string
$ithout #retting it at all' This is !alled &laying the string .o&en/'
Your $irst %hord& ' (inor
1o$ that you no$ $hat the na"es o# the strings are, and $hat the #rets are, you should
be able to &lay your #irst !hordE E "inor' Pla!e your "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret 34ust
behind the #ret5 on the A string, and your ring #inder on the =
nd
#ret on the 7 string' Then
use your &i! to stru" all G strings'
%# you)re going to be a guitarist, you have to get used to reading !hord diagra"s'
-ere)s the E "inor sho$n in a diagra"E
E "inor
0et)s e2a"ine this diagra"' The #irst thing that)s i"&ortant to no$ is that the lo$ E
string is sho$n on the le#t, and the high E string is on the right' %"agine a guitar is
&la!ed &ro&&ed u& against the $all, #a!ing you' Well, the lo$ E string $ould be on the
le#t side, $ouldn)t it? So, this is the sa"e layout #or the !hord diagra"s'
You $ill see a #e$ red !ir!les and a #e$ red solid dots' These are not usually dra$n in
redA % 4ust did that so the &i!ture is easier to see'
The solid dots are $here to &la!e your #ingers' 1oti!e the =
nd
#ret on the A string and 7
string have dots' The !ir!les above the other strings indi!ate that the string is to be
&layed o&en' %n this !ase, $e are &laying all G strings' %# a string is not to be &layed,
there is usually an .2/ above the string, or nothing at all'
%o((on Mistakes
%# you !an &lay an E "inor !hord su!!ess#ully, then you are $ell on your $ay' %# you
did, give yoursel# a $ell-deserved &at on the ba!' %# it doesn)t sound good, then you
"ay be "aing one o# several !o""on "istaes'
(istae H*E Your guitar is broen or not in tune'
This is an obvious one, but should be "entioned' You !an)t e2&e!t to sound good i#
you)re out o# tune or i# your guitar itsel# has an intonation &roble" or #ret buII going on'
(istae H=E You are not &ressing do$n hard enough $ith your #ingers'
Guitarists $ho have been &laying #or a little $hile "ae it loo easy, and it 7OES
be!o"e easy a#ter a bit' ,ut in the beginning, you "ay not be used to the &ressure that
is needed to &ush do$n hard on the #retboard'
(istae H>E You are "u##ling the other strings'
O, so you are &laying the notes !orre!tly that you are #retting, but are the other strings
that are su&&osed to be ringing o&en a!tually ringing !learly? You "ay be "uting the"
a!!identally $ith your le#t hand &al"'
These are the three biggest "istaes'
%orrecting Your Mistakes
First o# all, ho$ do you really no$ i# you)re &laying the !hord !orre!tly? The best $ay
is to do $hat % !all a .ring test/, and that "eans to &lay ea!h string individual and "ae
sure it is sounding good' When all the strings are sounding good, then the !hord as a
$hole $ill sound good'
Also, i# you are "u##ling the strings, a good te!hni@ue to do is to really ar!h your ar"
a$ay #ro" the guitar in $hat % !all the .bo$ling ball/ gri&' %"agine you are holding a
bo$ling ball' 1oti!e the $ay the entire ar" is !urved' You $ant a ni!e !urvature o# the
ar" so that the &al" doesn)t "u##le the other strings'
Also, $hen you are &laying the !hord, you $ant to use a ni!e .do$nstroe/ $ith the
right hand' Start by &laying the lo$ E and !ontinue all the $ay through the high E $ith
one solid "otion'
Your "rab)bag o %hords
6e"e"ber, $e are learning ste& by ste& here' So i# you aren)t !o"&letely !o"#ortable
&laying the E "inor !hord, % $ould suggest not going any #urther in this e-boo'
%nstead, $oring on &laying the E "inor !hord' -ey, i# you !an)t "aster a single !hord,
you)re not ready to !ontinue'
7on)t $orry i# it tae you a little $hile to get it' Just ee& $oring on it, and get that #irst
!hord under your belt'
You should learn the #ollo$ing !hordsE
*' E "inor'
We 4ust learned this one'
=' G (a4orE
Pla!e your "iddle #inger on the >
rd
#ret lo$ E string, your #irst #inger on the =
nd
#ret on
the A string, and your ring #inger on the >
rd
#ret high E string' Then, &lay all G strings'
This is slightly "ore di##i!ult than the E "inor !hord'
>' C (a4orE
Pla!e your ring #inger on the >
rd
#ret A string, your "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret 7 string,
and your #irst #inger on the #irst #ret , string' This !hord is di##erent than the G "a4or
and E "inor !hords be!ause you are O10Y &laying the to& J strings' 7o not &lay the
lo$ E here' Start your &i! on the A string and stru" do$n' 1oti!e the K on the !hord
diagra" that indi!ates you shouldn)t &lay the lo$ E'
C' 7 "a4orE
Pla!e your #irst #inger on the =
nd
#ret G string, your ring #inger on the >
rd
#ret , string,
and the "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret high E string' The 7 string rings o&en and the A
string and lo$ E string are not &layed'
J' E "a4orE
This is very si"ilar to the E "inor, but you are adding one "ore #inger'
Pla!e your "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret on the A string, your ring #inder on the =
nd
#ret
on the 7 string, and add the #irst #inger to the #irst #ret G string'
G' A "a4or
The di##i!ulty level rises slightly again, so "ae sure you !an &lay the &revious !hords
be#ore trying the A "a4or !hord'
There)s t$o $ays to #inger this !hord' The #irst $ay , is to &la!e your #irst #inger on the
=
nd
#ret 7 string, the "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret G string, and the ring #inger on the =
nd
#ret , string'
The se!ond "ore !o""on $ay, 3but &ossibly slightly "ore di##i!ult #or the beginner5 is
to use your #irst #inger to hold do$n all three notes'
On this !hord, the A string and high E are ringing o&en and the lo$ E is not &layed'
8' A "inor
Pla!e your "iddle #inger on the =
nd
#ret 7 string, ring #inger on the =
nd
#ret G string, and
#irst #inger on the #irst #ret , string' On this !hord, the A string and high E are ringing
o&en and the lo$ E is not &layed'
This !o"&letes your beginning !hord grab bag' With these 8 !hords, you are $ell on
your $ay to "astering the guitar' Sure, there are other !hords you need to no$, but #or
no$, #o!us on "astering these'
Learning to S*itch Bet*een %hords
Can you &lay all 8 o# the !hords % sho$ed you above? %# so, !ongratsL You)re "aing
e2!ellent &rogress and you)re ready #or the ne2t ste&' %# not, &lease "aster those 8
!hords be#ore !ontinuing'
1o$, the ne2t ste& is to learn to s$it!h bet$een the !hords @ui!ly, al"ost instantly'
This $ill be hard to do at #irst, but be!o"es easy a#ter so"e &ra!ti!e' 7o not $orry
about the rhyth" #or no$' Just learn to s$it!h ba! and #orth @ui!ly bet$een any o#
the !hords'
%hord Progressions
1o$ that you !an &lay !hords and s$it!h bet$een the" $ith ease, you are ready to start
&laying !hord &rogressions' Your #irst !hord &rogression is E "inor to G' You)ll $ant to
stru" the E "inor !hord C ti"es, $hile !ounting . O1E, TWO, T-6EE, FOM6'/ in a
steady rhyth"'
Then, ee&ing the sa"e rhyth", s$it!h to the G "a4or !hord and !ount .O1E, TWO,
T-6EE, FOM6/ again' Then s$it!h ba! to the E "inor #or another C !ounts, then
ba! to the G, and so on' You are &laying a !hord &rogressionL Woo hooL
This is the basi! idea' On!e you !an do this, you !an add so"e a!!ents to your
stru""ing, so instead o# si"&ly &lay .O1E , TWO, T-6EE, FOM6/, you !an !ount
.O1E and TWO and T-6EE and FOM6 and/'
On the .ands/, you !an stru" ba!$ards, bringing your &i! u& #ro" the high E string
and brushing it a!ross the strings to$ard the lo$ E string' This is !alled an u&stroe'
So your stru""ing &attern be!o"es .do$nstroe, u&stroe, do$nstroe, u&stsroe/
Dee& in "ind you dont have to ne!essarily hit all the strings o# the !hord on the
u&stroe' This is !alled the &artial u&stroe te!hni@ue' Just do $hat sounds natural, and
#ollo$ your ear and your inner rhyth", but use the !ounting as a guide to ee& you on
tra!'
More %hord Progressions
O, so no$ that you have so"e !hords do$n, you need to learn several !hord
&rogressions' This is really the ne2t ste&' 6e"e"ber, $e said that "astering
the basi!s o# guitar involves learning !hords, &rogressions, and then songs?
Well, $e have already a!!o"&lished &art *, so no$ $e are onto the se!ond &art, $hi!h is
learning the &rogressions'
Again, % $ould lie to stress here that you should tae your ti"e and learn ea!h
&rogression and "aster it'

*' E "inor N G "a4or N E "inor N G "a4or
This is the one $e 4ust learned' You !an a!tually try this one $ith a .O1E TWO/ !ount
instead o# a a #ull O1E TWO T-6EE FOM6' This !hord &rogression is used by
1irvana in .About a Girl/'
=' E "a4or N A "a4or N E "a4or N A "a4or
This is a si"&le &rogression no$n as the .% %</ &rogression, $hi!h you !an build on
later to &lay all inds o# songs'
>' E "inor N A "inor N E "inor N A "inor
-ere is a "inor !hord &rogression used in ,ob (arley)s tune .so "u!h trouble/
C' G "a4or N 7 "a4or N C "a4or N C "a4or
This is a !ool !hord &rogression, very si"ilar to the one used in .Dno!ing on
-eaven)s 7oor/ by ,ob 7ylan'
J' G "a4or N C "a4or N 7 "a4or N 7 "a4or
-ere)s another &rogression using the sa"e !hords, but in a di##erent order' 6eally, all the
&o&ular songs use all the sa"e !hords, 4ust re-arranged in a di##erent $ay'
G' E "inor N C "a4or N 7 "a4or N G "a4or
This &rogression is used in 1eil Young)s song .-eart o# Gold/'
8' G "a4or N C "a4or N 7 "a4or N C "a4or'
This last &rogression is si"ilar to the one used in Steve (iller)s .The Joer/'
So, try out these !hord &rogressions' % thin you $ill #ind that they are not that hard to
&lay' You !an ho&e#ully see your guitar sills !o"ing together by no$'
'+,anding Your %hordal -no*ledge
There)s "ore !hords to learn' S&e!i#i!ally, barre !hords , .7o"8/ ."inor8/ and
."a4or8/ !hords' ,ut, don)t $orry about these #or no$' You $ill learn these "ore
advan!ed !hords soon'
% $ant you to be a$are o# the"' ,ut no$, let)s tal about the ne2t ste&'
Learning %o(,lete Songs
What is a song really? A song is "ade u& o# several se!tions, and ea!h se!tion is really a
!hord &rogression' For e2a"&le, a song "ay have a verse se!tion, a !horus se!tion,
&erha&s a .bridge/ se!tion, &ossibly an intro se!tion, et!'
%n addition to ea!h se!tion that is !o"&osed o# a !hordal &rogression, there is usually a
"elody that is &layed over the !hords' (ost o#ten, the "elody is a vo!al "elody' %t is
the inter&layOhar"ony bet$een the vo!al "elody and the underlying !hords that gives a
song its re!ogniIable, uni@ue @uality'
So, ho$ do $e learn songs? First, $e should have a re!ording o# the song and listen to
it, in order to #a"iliariIe ourselves $ith that song, i# $e have not already'
1e2t, $e have to identi#y the !hords o# the song' This is done by buying a boo #ro"
the "usi! store on the s&e!i#i! songs $e $ant to learn, or "u!h "ore !hea&ly, by doing
a google sear!h on the song title and .guitar tab/ or .guitar !hord/ ne2t to it' We !an
#ind "ost &o&ular songs have already been studied and the !hords "ade &ubli!ly
available to all'
The third ste& is to listen !are#ully to the song and &i! $hi!h &arts $e are going to &lay
and $hi!h &arts $e are going to leave out' For e2a"&le, a song "ay have a long
instru"ental introdu!tion that doesn)t "ae sense #or us to try to &lay' Dee& in "ind that
$hen are $e are starting to &lay songs on our o$n, on the guitar, $e are so"e$hat
li"ited and so not every &art o# every song is going to "ae sense' We have to use a
little !o""on sense and &i! and !hoose $hi!h &arts "ae sense , based on the song
and our !urrent sill level'
A#ter !hoosing the &arts $e $ant to in!lude in our o$n arrange"ent, $e then learn the
!hord &rogression o# ea!h se!tion se&arately and "ae sure $e !an "aster ea!h &art'
The ne2t ste& is to learn to sing 3at least on a basi! level5 the "elody' 6e"e"ber, a song
!onsists not "erely o# !hord &rogressions, but also o# vo!al "elodies' So, to 4ust &lay
the !hords $ithout the vo!al "elody is not really going to !a&ture the essen!e o# the
song'
O#ten, it is the vo!als $hi!h are the "ost &ro"inent and re!ogniIable &art o# the song,
and the !hords are really 4ust ba!ing that u&' 7on)t $orry i# you)re not a good vo!alist'
That hardly "atters $hen you 4ust $ant to &lay your songs in a !asual setting' You)ll
#ind you are &robably better than you thought' Plus, $hen it !o"es ti"e to &er#or" in a
real setting, you !an #ind a vo!alist'
(ae sure you &rint out a !o&y o# the lyri!s and "e"oriIe the"' That)s o#ten $here
&eo&le get stu! on songs P they learn the !hord &rogressions and then #orget the vo!alsL
Sure, "e"oriIing the lyri!s is another ste&, but you)d be a"aIed ho$ &o$er#ul that is,
to a!tually no$ all the $ords to the song' Then, a si"&le !hord &rogression !o"es to
li#e, al"ost lie "agi!'
The .lti(ate Beginner "uitar %ourse
% &ut together several videos #or you to learn this &ro!ess o# song learning as #ast and as
easy as &ossible' % a!tually !reated an online !ourse that % !all .The Mlti"ate ,eginner
Guitar Course/, and the &ur&ose is to tea!h you ho$ to &lay all your #avorite songs
@ui!ly and easily'
O# !ourse, the "aterial &resented in this e-boo so #ar $ill give you a great #oundation,
but inside the online !ourse, $e go dee& $ith e2a"&les and a!tually learn ho$ to &lay
8J &o&ular songs'
% also de"onstrate #or you all o# the things %)ve been taling about here, and also tal
about ,arre !hords, &i!ing &atterns, and other i"&ortant guitar to&i!s' Dee& an eye on
your inbo2, be!ause %)ll be sending you so"e !ool video !li&s that $ill hel& you to better
understand the "aterial &resented here'
% also "ade the online !ourse !o"&letely a##ordable, so that you !an learn ho$ to &lay
the guitar &ro&erly and save a #ortune on &rivate guitar lessons' %n addition, it !o"es
$ith a generous "oney-ba! guarantee'
You !an !he! it out hereE
$$$'ulti"atebeginnerguitar'!o"O"ain'&h&
And you !an order your !o&y hereE
$$$'ulti"atebeginnerguitar'!o"Oorder&age'&h&

%onclusion
0earning the guitar is a se@uential, ste&-by-ste& &ro!ess' First $e learn !hords, then $e
learn !hord &rogressions, then $e &lay !o"&lete songs' The real ey is not to get
overloaded $ith in#or"ation, and that)s $hat %)ve tried to a!!o"&lish in this eboo'
You !an &o$er#ully get started 4ust learning 8 basi! !hords, and 8 basi! !hord
&rogressions, and you are $ell on your $ay to learning !o"&lete songs' To a!tually
learn !o"&lete songs is hard to tea!h in an eboo #or"at ho$ever, so that)s $hy %)ve
!reated !ool online videos that are going to hel& you rea!h your goals'
%)d lie to than you #or do$nloading this e-boo, and % strongly en!ourage you to &i!
u& a !o&y o# the Mlti"ate ,eginner Guitar Course'
$$$'ulti"atebeginnerguitar'!o"Oorder&age'&h&
%t)s loads o# #un and you)ll be &laying your #avorite songs in no ti"e'
Claude Johnson