Dan's Guitar Lessons
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As a rock/blues guitar player in Wilmington, many people have asked for help learning guitar (especially lead).
The purpose of "Dan Wuensch Guitar Lessons", both locally and online, is to teach guitarists how to approach learning so that they can get good fast... without all the unnecessary bullshit.
This site is a 100% free resource, updated with tabs and lessons that can actually help you shred like a rockstar. Have fun.
- Dan
DIFFICULTY: INTRO
LESSON 1 ~ Intro to Guitar
(If you're already playing, disregard the first few lessons)
The standard guitar, traditionally tuned E-B-G-D-A-E, is played using a combination of what is called left-hand techniques (notes fingered on the fretboard) and right-hand (pick striking strings behind the neck).
To develop any kind of skill, you have to learn the hardest part of guitar development, which is just coordinating these two things at the same time. Put simply, a guitarist needs to learn to multi-task.
Starting with the basics... Try sounding the low E (largest) string with your pick. Make sure that your left hand isn't interfering. Next, mute the string with your right hand and move on to the A (2nd largest string) and so on.
LESSON 2 ~ Fretting Notes
Notes played on a guitar are determined for the most part by what your left hand is doing on the fretboard. To "fret" a note is to press down a string with your finger in one of the areas separated by metal wire (frets)
Before going any further, make sure you understand the how the fret system on guitar works.
- Starting with an open string, notes get higher in pitch fret by fret as you ascend to the right.
- If you're having trouble sounding a fretted note, make sure that your hand isn't muting the string in any way and also that you're depressing the string completely into the fret groove.
- Frets are identified by number and string. For example, "3rd fret" means the the third groove on your guitar's neck from the left.
LESSON 3 ~ Picking Notes
Right hand techniques, a.k.a. picking, involve how you sound strings on the guitar using your pick. (Developing good picking is complex and takes time, so for more in-depth info on this ask a friend or guitar expert.) Here are the basics.
To pick a note
- Hold the pick with the thumb, first finger, and optionally middle finger of your right hand.
- Using the wrist, descend and strike the target string on the guitar in the area between the neck and the bridge.
- Be sure to alternate pick (up, down, up) when possible.
LESSON 4 ~ Reading Tabs
Tab, short for tablature, is an easy-to-read sheet music format used by many guitarists.
Understanding tabs is easy since it mimics the actual shape and layout of the guitar fretboard.
Here's an example...
E:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
B: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
G: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
D: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
E: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice how the strings are in are arranged. Tab is just like looking at down at your guitar while playing. Pretty easy right? Tablature is a a non-bullshit way to learn and understand guitar music, which is why it's perfect for this website. Don't fall for the stupidity of standard sheet music...
Second, understand this...
The numbers on tab
represent the fret being depressed (see lesson 2).
I.E. this: "G: 12" would mean to sound the G string with your pick while your
left hand is on the 12th fret of that same string. A "0" means the open string
with no notes fretted.
* RHYTHM: Spacing between numbers in tab indicated speed, or rhythm. Notes spaced closer together on tablature are meant to be played faster with less time in between.
Check this out to get the basic idea of how tab works---
Smoke on the Water melody (Deep Purple)
E:
B:
G:
D:
A:
E: 0 3 5
0 3 6 5
0 3 5 3
0
More advanced info will be provided throughout lessons to come.