ACOUSTIC GUITAR IN 20 WEEKS: Basic Acoustic Guitar

Guide with 20 Lessons

By Kimie Kim
Acoustic Guitar in 20 Weeks / 1st edition: May 01, 2013 / Author: Inkuk Kimie Kim / Copy editor:
Sam Berg / Illustrator: Bohee Jang / Contact information: Jazzistik Records, B1, 504-33 YeonNamDong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul 121-240 South Korea Tel. +82 10 9950 5930 http://infiniteloopjazz.com
Email: kimieblues@yahoo.com
All Videos of Demonstration http://www.youtube.com/kimiekimkimie
Thank you for purchasing this book. Your feedback on Amazon.com would be a great help to my
work. If you have any questions, please email me kimieblues@yahoo.com.

About the Author

Kimie Kim was born in 1975 in Jeju, Korea. He moved to Los Angeles to attend Musicians Institute
at age 19. Being exposed to jazz festivals in the United States and Canada, he left for Austria to attend
The Vienna Conservatory, where he studied with Christian Havel. He worked as Editor-in-Chief of
GuitarLab Magazine upon his return to Korea. He is currently a member of Infinite Loop, The Seoul
Jazz Big Band and Band Lake Crow. His new recording Free Play with band Infinite Loop is out
for 2013.
http://www.facebook.com/infiniteloopjazz
kimieblues@yahoo.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Week 1 Open String Techniques
Week 2 Find the Notes on the Fingerboard

Week 3 Basics on Triad Chords

Week 4 Chord and Arpeggios
Week 5 Major Scale
Week 6 Use of the Suspended Chord
Week 7 Playing the Barre Chords
Week 8 Use of the Add9 Chords
Week 9 Play the Blues
Week 10 Blues Turnaround
Week 11 Diatonic Harmony
Week 12 Canon in D Major
Week 13 Play the Melodies
Week 14 Ode to Joy, Beethoven
Week 15 Play the Familiar Sound
Week 16 Play the Familiar Sound (Part 2)
Week 17 Lagrima by Francisco Trrega
Week 18 Lagrima (Part 2)
Week 19 Spanish Romance, Anonymous
Week 20 Spanish Romance (Part 2)

Week 1 Open String Techniques

Video Link http://youtu.be/PSAGwYb-4tM
Ex. 1 [TRACK 01]

These tabs show both guitar strings and frets. The top line of the tab is the 1st string which is thinnest
and has the highest pitch, and lowest line is the 6th string which is thickest and the lowest pitch.
It is just like what you see when you hold the guitar for playing. From the 6th (thickest) string to the
1st (thinnest) string the notes are as follows: E, A, D, G, B, and E. Remember these open string notes
for tuning.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 02]

This is the traditional tuning method for guitar. You can tune by comparing the notes between the
strings.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 03]

Open string playing. Play in quarter notes with down picking or thumb. Try to play with foot counting
one two three four, one two three four etc. It goes from low 6th string to high 1st string.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 04]

This example is the open string picking exercise with 8th notes. If you play with a pick, play with
alternating picking (down, up, down, up, etc.). You play two notes on each beat or count.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 05]

This is the chromatic exercise with alternate picking. Play with your index finger for 1st fret, middle
finger for 2nd fret, ring finger for 3rd fret, and the little finger for 4th fret.

Ex. 6 [TRACK 06]

Connect from Ex. 5, Fingering from the little finger to index finger. Practice this chromatic method up
to 12th fret and move back to 1st fret.

Ex. 7 [TRACK 07]

This exercise is the chromatic fingering practice with one note per picking. Keep the alternate
picking.

Week 2 Find the Notes on the Fingerboard

Video Link http://youtu.be/O4pN_Bt1pcw
Ex. 1 [TRACK 08]
Memorize the notes of a 6th string and a 5th string. Spell the note names out when you hit the notes.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 09]

Find the notes of 5th string.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 10]

Amazing Grace, John Newton (1779)
We are going to play this tune on the 5th and 6th strings only. Instead of guitar tabs, try to find the
notes using standard notation.

Week 3 Basics on Triad Chords

Video Link http://youtu.be/ndKx_7gOkHY
Ex. 1 [TRACK 11]
Lets try the basic chords. Make sure each string is ringing. You can play using your thumb or a pick.
The G major chord has two fingerings; you can play whichever you prefer. The starting bass notes

(lowest notes) are the roots of the each chord.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 12]

Changing chords is one of hardest skills for beginners. Practice on a slow tempo and gradually work
up to faster tempos.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 13]

Play these chord changes with arpeggio playing. An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a
chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously.
If you use fingers for this arpeggio, use your thumb for the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings, index finger for the
3rd string, middle finger for the 2nd string, and little finger for the 1st string.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 14]

Lets play this chord progression with strumming patterns. Patterns are simply 4 beat with quarter
notes. This chord progression has a similar sound of the song Knockin on Heavens Door by Bob
Dylan.

Week 4 Chord and Arpeggios

Video Link http://youtu.be/vncxXTeGg8c
Ex. 1 [TRACK 15]
Here are more major chords on open position. Play with your thumb or a pick. The starting note is the
root of the each chord. B major chord requires a barre technique that takes time to master.
An index finger for the 1st and 5th strings, a middle finger for the 4th string, a ring finger for the 3rd
string, and a little finger for the 2nd string. For the B major, you can use a ring finger bar for the 2nd,
3rd, and 4th strings together alternatively.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 16]

Play this chord progression in tempo. Practice on slow tempos and build up the tempos gradually.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 17]

Pay attention to the fingers on each string. 5th and 6th strings should be played with the thumb.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 18]

These are same chords above but playing on different strings. About the right hand fingering, use an
index finger for the 4th string, a middle finger for the 3rd string and a ring finger for the 2nd string.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 19]

4 beat strumming on E major key chord progression. Play with the metronome for the better results.

Week 5 Major Scale

Video Link http://youtu.be/ueDxkrTU-Gs
Ex. 1 [TRACK 20]
C major scale on open position. Spell out the notes you are playing.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 21]

Upper octave of C major scale on open position.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 22]

Bingo, English Traditional.
This tab is for reference only. Try to memorize the notes on open position.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 23]

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, English Lullaby.

Week 6 Use of the Suspended Chord

Video Link http://youtu.be/6wvS9TufAU8
Ex. 1 [TRACK 24]
A suspended 4th chord (Sus4) has a 4th interval note and suspended 2nd chord (Sus2) has a 2nd
interval note instead of 3rd.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 25]

This chord progression shows how to use the suspended chords with 8-beat strumming patterns. Play
with down picking only.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 26]

Lets try using the capo. Mount the capo on 2nd fret. With capo on 2nd fret the key changes to B
automatically, even if you play the same chords. This progression has a similar sound to the song
Yellow by Coldplay.

Week 7 Playing the Barre Chords

Video Link http://youtu.be/6wvS9TufAU8
Ex. 1 [TRACK 27]
F major is the one of most common barre chords. This chord has a 6th string root, so if you play using
the same shape on 8th fret, it will be a C major chord.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 28]

Barre chord with 5th string root.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 29]

The 2nd chord shape below is the electric guitar players favorite fingering for E major. Many
electric guitar players use a ring finger bar for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings on major chords. With this
ring finger fingering you have to give up the 1st string because physical limitations of the fingers.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 30]

The advantage of barre chords is that you can control the length of the chord by using a muting
technique. This chord progression has a similar sound of the song Im Yours by Jason Mraz. Listen
the original song and try to emulate the rhythms using barre chords to mute the strings.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 31]

Here is another example of suspended chords. You may play with a finger-picking. This chord
progression has a similar sound to Radiohead's Creep.

Week 8 Use of the Add9 Chords

Video Link http://youtu.be/Oo56TOXHvtc
Ex. 1 [TRACK 32]
If you add a 2nd interval to the major triad, the chord turns an add9 (add2) chord. The add9 chord has
a major 3rd interval which a suspended chord doesnt have.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 33]

If you add a major 7th interval to the major triad, the chord turns into a major7 chord. This example
demonstrates the major7 and sus2 chord with a 6th string root.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 34]

Cadd9 chord progression with 4 beat strumming patterns.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 35]

The 16 beat strumming patterns are added on beat 4.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 36]

8 beat strumming pattern with 16 beat variations on the last beat.

Ex. 6 [TRACK 37]

The strumming pattern with syncopated rhythms

Ex. 7 [TRACK 38]

This is a good example of the chord progression using sus4 and sus2 chords. This progression is
similar to Fake Plastic Tress by Radiohead.

Week 9 Play the Blues

Video Link http://youtu.be/A92jLb71ZTs
Ex. 1 [TRACK 39]
E Blues chord progression. Make sure all the chords are dominant chords.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 40]

This is an E shuffle blues. You can hear this kind of rhythm from many blues greats like Muddy
Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 41]

The quick-change of the blues has the IV7 chord on the 2nd bar. Example 2 shows the slow-change of
blues progression.

Week 10 Blues Turnaround

Video Link http://youtu.be/6RWpInlGpMY
Ex. 1 [TRACK 42]
This example is a bass movement of Texas style blues. Play with down picking. Listen to Pride &
Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan for reference.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 43]

You can add the turnaround from the 11th bar of the blues progression.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 44]

Descending turnaround. Apply this turnaround to Example 2.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 45]

Turnaround using triplets.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 46]

Another triplet turnaround. Use finger picking on the 1st string.

Ex. 6 [TRACK 47]

You will need to use the pick and finger picking for this example. Use a pick for the 3rd string and
your finger for the 1st string.

Week 11 Diatonic Harmony

Video Link http://youtu.be/9ifqDzBSD9s
Ex. 1 [TRACK 48]
C major scale on open position.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 49]

7 diatonic triads in the key of C major.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 50]

Diatonic chords on open position in the key of C major.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 51]

Diatonic chords on open position in the key of A major.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 52]

Diatonic chords on open position in the key of G major.

Ex. 6 [TRACK 53]

I VI II V Chord progression in the key of C major.

Ex. 7 [TRACK 54]

I VI II V Chord progression in the key of A major.

Ex. 8 [TRACK 55]

I VI II V Chord progression in the key of G major.

Week 12 Canon in D Major

Video Link http://youtu.be/oE4sd_TlSBg
Ex. 1 [TRACK 56]
This chord progression is a famous classical piece: Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbel.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 57]

Canon with arpeggio playing.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 58]

Canon with descending arpeggio.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 59]

Play with Capo on 2nd fret. While you play with C key fingering, the notes are actually in key of D.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 60]

Canon with a descending arpeggio. Play with the capo on 2nd fret.

Week 13 Play the Melodies

Video Link http://youtu.be/hfcT9HZos-4
Ex. 1 [TRACK 61]
C major scale on 2nd pattern. Play with the alternate picking.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 62]

Air on the G String by J.S. Bach

Ex. 3 [TRACK 63]

Greensleeves Traditional

Week 14 Ode to Joy, Beethoven

Video Link http://youtu.be/JXuh1VNETNw
Ex. 1 [TRACK 64]
C major scale on pattern 3.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 65]

Ode to Joy from Ninth Symphony (1824), Ludwig van Beethoven

Ex. 3 [TRACK 66]

Ode to Joy on higher octave.

Week 15 Play the Familiar Sound

Video Link http://youtu.be/vJVtKNb6DcM
Ex. 1 [TRACK 67]
This progression has a similar sound of the song Whats Up by 4 Non Blondes.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 68]

Simple I IV Chord progression in the key of C.

Ex. 3 [TRACK 69]

Added tension before the chord change.

Ex. 4 [TRACK 70]

Piano style arpeggio rhythm arrangement. This progression has a similar sound to Imagine by John
Lennon.

Ex. 5 [TRACK 71]

Acoustic guitar arrangement on the chord progression of Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix

Week 16 Play the Familiar Sound (Part 2)

Video Link http://youtu.be/04PcV1O4A5E
Ex. 1 [TRACK 72]
Similar arpeggio playing to If by Bread.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 73]

Bar chord paying with staccato rhythm. This progression has a similar sound to Lucky by Jason
Mraz.

Week 17 Lagrima by Francisco Trrega

Video Link http://youtu.be/0aF88ttSSns
Ex. 1 [TRACK 74]
This is a beautiful piece of Spanish classical guitar by Francisco Trrega (21 Nov. 1852 15 Dec.
1909). When you play this kind of finger picking, use your ring finger for the 1st string, middle finger
for the 2nd string, and index finger for 3rd string. There is the left hand barre fingering on 9th, 7th, and
2nd frets.

Week 18 Lagrima (Part 2)

Video Link http://youtu.be/7vEY-RGjzwY
Ex. 1 [TRACK 75]
This is the 2nd part of Lagrima. It has been changed to the minor key. Watch the video example for
the fingering. The total arrangement is A (Week 17) A B (Week 18) A.

Ex. 2 [TRACK 76]

Week 19 Spanish Romance, Anonymous

Video Link http://youtu.be/R0cIWLgkHIA
Ex. 1 [TRACK 77]

This is the one of the most well known pieces of Spanish classical guitar. It starts in E minor and
changes to E major. There is barre fingering throughout the song: a 5th fret barre at bar 7 and a 7th
fret barre at bar 9.

Week 20 Spanish Romance (Part 2)

Video Link http://youtu.be/zAewg2fW3KM
Ex. 1 [TRACK 78]
This is 2nd part of Spanish Romance. It changes to E major and requires more stretching fingers for
the left hand fingering. From bar 19 you need play using barre chords. Watch the videos provided for
the exact fingering.
The form of the tune is A (Week 19) B (Week20) A (Week19). This tune is a one of the hardest
for acoustic players, you need to be patient.