PRACTICE & TRAINING

Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h525aGEf1ag
By Andrew Wasson
Visit: www.creativeguitarstudio.com

SECTION ONE:
How to Develop a Personalized Curriculum for Advanced Guitar...
DISCIPLINE, TIME AND INTENSE PRACTICE ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS:

Most guitar players will reach a point with their guitar skills where they feel that their basic
technical level has progressed way past their knowledge of, “Guitar Theory,” and “Music
Theory.” At this point, a guitarist will need to start forming a plan that is both based upon an
academic approach, and that blends several other aspects of technique, styles and theory.

This will mean that players will need to seek out a custom guitar curriculum that will move
them along in a ‘chapter by chapter’ approach through material. YouTube videos are good, but
they tend to be far too random. Getting a private teacher can also be nice, but if there isn’t a
program to follow with the teacher, the weekly lessons will again end up as too random.

By the end of this manuscript /lesson plan, some students will review all of the points herein
and perhaps feel like several of these ideas are not relevant for them. And, perhaps for some,
(at the particular time & place that a student might be at), all of these points might not be right
for a player to organize into a serious study plan. However, I guarantee that if an individual
can, over time, properly organize all of these points into a very serious study plan, (either on
their own, or with a very competent guitar teacher), the end results will be phenomenal.

I must also mention that along with each of the steps given here, it also goes without saying
that other areas, [such as; guitar technique, learning songs (transcription) and studying solos,
(the study of improvisation)], should still be done alongside the concepts outlined herein.

Keep in mind, that a huge amount of personal discipline is required to be able to stick with any
comprehensive course. In this lesson, I can give guitar players an outline, however it will be up
to the individual to put the information into a disciplined daily routine for the results.

© Creative Guitar Studio 2014

 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
Page (2)

SECTION TWO:
STEP ONE: Memorizing the Notes on the Neck...

Practice taking one tonal note name across the entire span of the neck. Cover all regions from
1st position to past the 12th fret completing a full octave range horizontally. Learn the various
octave shapes for the positions of a single tonal name along the full length of the neck. Once
there is a familiarity with every one of the octave layouts, turn on a metronome and practice all
of the shapes until they become well memorized and natural feeling to play.

Example #1). Practice playing through each “C” tone octave shape given below.

W W W W
(C)

1
I 44 WW W
W
W
W
W W
W
W W W
8 8
T 1 13 13
5 5 5
A 10 10 10
B 3 3
8 8
15

WW e WW
C Cm C Cm C Cm C Cm C Cm

W WW WW W WW
4 W W W
W e W
W W
W e W W
W e W
W W
I 4 WWW W WW W WW WW WW W WW
thee WWentire span of theW guitarW neck. W the beginning.
W
The
5 next
(C)stage of study is to become familiar with all of the major and minor chord voicings
4 W
found across
W
I 4mustW to moveWon to learning; W W
Keep
W
in mind
W
that this is only
W W
W W
1
One augmented, diminished, seventh chord types, extensions and
eventually altered chords, plus as many inversions as possible. 8 It will
8 very likely
12 take 11months
T
(maybe 1
even 1
a couple 5
of years) to45 complete
8 5 a study
8 8 8 8
out13there.13
T 1 0 0 5 5 8 of all of9the harmony
8 1312 1213
A 2 15 5 5 5 5 10 10 10 10
5 5
A
B 3 3 3 3 10 10 10 10 10
8 neck8 coverage 8 of Major
8 & Minor triads 15
B
Example3 #2). Practice
3 playing through the full
8 8
below.

WW e WW
C Cm C Cm C Cm C Cm C Cm

WW W
WW e WW WW e WW WW e WWW WW WW
5
I 44 WW
WW
W
e WWW WW WW WW WW WW WW

8 8 12 11
T 1 1 5 4 5 8 8 8 13 13
0 0 5 5 5 8 9 8 12 12
A 2 1 5 5 5 5 10 10 10 10
B 3 3 3 3
8 8
10
8
10
8

© Creative Guitar Studio 2014

 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
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SECTION THREE:
STEP TWO: Memorizing All of the Musical Key Signatures...

By moving in vertical and diagonal ways across the neck the sharp & flat keys can be studied
and memorized
(C)
by their movements upon the instrument. (F)
By moving in a perfect
(G)
5th (the shape

4 V V V all
g of ourV flat V V V V
of a common power-chord), we have the movement strategy for developing the jumps through
I4 V V V V V V V V e V V V V V V V V
V VkeyV signatures.
1all of our sharp key signatures. By moving in a perfect 4th, we can learn keys.
Begin by posting a list of all ofV the Practice moving from one key to the next
calling out each of the keys. Call out the number of sharps or flats found within the keys as well.
T time, the details of every key will become committed to memory.
Over 7 9 10 9 11 12
A 7 9 10 7 8 10 9 10 12
B
Example 8 Make a10
#3). study of how7 4th 8 10& 5th intervals 8 can
10 move across the10 12
guitar neck.
` ` `
8 8 8 10

g gg
(F) (B ) (G) (D) (B ) (E ) (D) (A)

Ie W W ee W W
W W
5

W W
T
A 8
B 8
3
5
6
6
10
12

4th 5th 4th 5th

Another excellent way of getting a handle on the memorization of key signatures, (as well as,
how they work across the guitar neck), is through mapping out 4th and 5th intervals tied to
major scales. Performing a one octave major scale while calling out the notes of the specific
scale tones is excellent work. Use a chart of the key signatures, and move in 4th intervals for all
of the flat keys. Then move in 5th intervals for all of the sharp keys. Say each note out loud.

Example #4). Practice jumping in 4th’s and 5th’s to different sharp & flat key major scales.
(C) (F) (G)

I 44 V V V V V V e V V V V V V V g V V V V V V V V
1
V V V V V V V
T
7 9 10 9 11 12
A 7 9 10 7 8 10 9 10 12
B 8 10 7 8 10 8 10 10 12

` ` `
8 8 8 10
4th 5th b

g gg
(F) (B ) (G) “C” Major
(D) Scale (B )Up a 4th to“B
(E )” Major Scale (D) Up a 5th to“G”
(A) Major Scale

Ie W W ee W W
W W
5

W W
T
A 8
B 8
3
5
6 2014
6
10
12
© Creative Guitar Studio
 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
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SECTION FOUR:
STEP THREE: The Study of Fingerboard Harmony...

An excellent way for studying basic harmony on the guitar neck is to start by practicing 3-note
triad shapes along the fingerboard. In the example below, I have started with the popular chord
shape of, “F Major,” (in the first position). All of the chords found within the key of, “F Major,” are
then played as a harmonized chord scale. Each shape is manageable and other keys can be
studied later on by switching the position of the root chord. To help with committing the chords
of each key to memory, say every chord out loud while practicing along the neck.

Example #5). Practice playing through this 4th string key of, “F Major,” harmonized chord-scale.
`
VVV ee VV VVV
F Gm Am B C Dm E° F

VVV VVV VVV V

1
Ie 44 VVV VVV

T 1 3 5 6 8 10 11 13
2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14
A 3 5 7 8 10 12 14 15
B
`
B` V V V V ee V V V V V
F Gm Am B C Dm E° F

4 V Dm V
V V V V V V V V
V V VV V V VVV V VVV Vee VVVV
IeV of4 fingerboard VVV V
F Gm Am C E° F

4
4
V V V V
Ie 4 VVVarpeggios
VV VV V V
To
1
take this study harmony one step further, try performing the chords as their
associated off of every scale degree. Move away from strumming chords, and
instead, performT the chord tones individually as single-note arpeggios. A harmonized, “F Major”
5 each7 harmonic 9 10 single-string
12 arpeggios.
14 12 15 12 14 17
scale
T is outlined
1 A below.
3
Perform
35 7 76 5 8 88 7 10
degree as
10 118 12 1312 10 14 14 12 15 15 14 15
A 2
3
B 35 5
7
7
8
9
10
10
12
12
14
14
15
B
Example #6). Practice playing through the key of, “F,” single-string style arpeggios below
`
V ee V V
V V V V V
F Gm Am B C Dm E° F

4
Ie 44 V V V V V V V V
V
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

T
5 7 9 10 12 14 12 15 12 14 17
A 3 7 7 5 8 8 7 10 10 8 12 12 10 14 14 12 15 15 14 15
B

© Creative Guitar Studio 2014

 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
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SECTION FIVE:
STEP FOUR: The Study of Advanced Rhythmic Concepts...
Rhythmic ability, (for both having a solid feel, and for being able to develop excellent groove),
is one of the most important areas in our set of skills as guitarists. In the next exercise, I run
through a practice example of moving through the most popular rhythmic durations. I need to
stress the importance of doing this in time with a metronome. Pay close attention to the beat.
This study moves from Quarter-note, to Eighth-note, to Eighth-note triplet and finishes upon the
Sixteenth-note. Try the example below as; Clapping, Picking a single-note and as Strumming.

Example #7). Practice going through this rhythm example, (try both clapping and playing).

2
&4        
3 3

More involved rhythmic patterns can be a lot of fun to both compose and perform over chord
changes. In the next example, I will be taking a chord progression in the key of, “D Major,” and
applying several different rhythmic ideas throughout each of the measures.
Even though a lot of guitar players may find the next example somewhat challenging to
play through, as a teacher, I would still consider a rhythm strumming pattern like this one an
Intermediate level rhythm pattern. I would expect my own personal students to be able to
develop a lot more complex rhythm patterns, (well past the playing level of this groove).
Example #8). Practice playing through the chord progression below. Use the indicated rhythm.

F #m
4
D A Bm G A

& 4 .  |              |
J

Blues Guitar Styles Masterclass

A Comprehensive Guide to Blues Guitar

© Creative Guitar Studio 2014

 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
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SECTION SIX:
STEP FIVE: Practicing Advanced Styles of Music (Jazz)...
For musicians with little to no Jazz experience, the study of Jazz music is best done slowly,
in stages, over time. Jazz has several common technical, and theoretical concepts applied to
both it’s melodic ideas and to it’s harmony. Once these ideas are practiced so that they become
second nature, our ability to expand upon them in other ways will lead us into more complex
ideas. An excellent area to start from, when it comes to Jazz studies, is, “Rhythm Guitar.” in my
next example I have a common group of chord changes you might find in any number of popular
jazz pieces. The progression uses; “Maj. 7,” “Min. 7,” and “Dom. 7” chords from the key of, “D
Major.”
Example #9). Practice playing through the, “I, VI, II, V,” jazz /seventh chord changes below.

4
D maj7 B m7 E m7 A7

&4             

The next example covers the playing of a jazz influenced melody line over the set of chord
changes from the last example. Pay attention to how the melody line evolves measure by
measure over the chord changes. Not all of the scale tones are from the key of, “D Major.”
Passing tones are used to bring in other scale tones found within the key. Working on this
concept will tap a musicians creativity and their knowledge of many levels of music theory.

Example #10). Practice playing the key of, “D Major,” jazz influenced melody line below.

œ œ b œ œ œ# œn œ œ œ
D maj7 B m7 E m7 A7
# œ œ
4 œ œ # œ œ œœ œœ œ # œ
&4 œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ
#œ œ

© Creative Guitar Studio 2014

 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
Page (7) - Video Opening Guitar Jam
Grey Clouds
A Intro
by Andrew Wasson
P = 92
Em7 Gmaj7 Am7 Bm7 Em7 Gmaj7 Am7 Bm7

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 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
Song Title - Artist Page 2 of 3
- Video Opening Guitar Jam Page (8)

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 Ultimate Guide for Practicing Guitar
Page (9) - Video Opening Guitar Jam
Song Title - Artist Page 3 of 3

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Gmaj7 Fmaj7 Cmaj7 G

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Thank you for your donations & Generous Support - Andrew Wasson

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