I created a guitar curriculum after 20 years of playing guitar and teaching private lessons for over 12 years. I used the courses in group classes in churches in East and North Texas for years and now I’m making it available to you. This curriculum will help you learn how to play the guitar, regardless of where you are in your learning.
The Problem With Learning Guitar
I’ve found SO MANY guitarists or ASPIRING guitarists who get bad training or direction as they’re learning to play. As a result, many ‘guitarists’
- Can’t ‘practice perfectly’ because they don’t know how. Instead they have to kill old habits. (HARD TO DO!)
- Don’t have a good understanding for becoming a musician. Most learn some chords and some songs but don’t have the foundation to create their own unique chords, use a capo, or understand chord theory.
These two problems are the reason most guitarists never develop their craft to the point that it becomes more intuitive, where they can ‘communicate’ with the instrument. I’m after this holistic understanding of the instrument, for me and for you, where it becomes not just a craft, but a skill.
The Solution to Learning Guitar
I’ve created a guitar curriculum that takes a student from never playing guitar (beginner), through intermediate steps, and to the foundation of an advanced player. You can’t master your genre/style preference until you understand the foundational building blocks and start with the correct habits!
I am giving you the best technique training and understanding of music that I learned myself, and have taught in private lessons and in group classes for many years. Infact, I was so committed to organizing and effectively communicating the best course of guitar training for my students, that I have been tweaking it in my classroom to perfection for years until it was digestible and learn-able for everyone. Repeat: This is a proven formula that has worked extremely well to teach the foundation for each level of guitar: beginner, intermediate, and advanced! It is so good and thorough, that I have taught others my method to teach on their own and THEY have told me how good the course is, to help them with their own learning gaps, and to teach their students. Don’t believe me, read other testimonials.
Why You Don’t Need My Course
You know, we have the internet. You can certainly watch a bazillion other Youtube guitar lessons. Heck, all of my courses are laid out for you in small snippets on YouTube. Yes, all of my material is available for free in smaller, 3 to 4 minute videos, right now on Youtube and each one, available through this site. But, I would bet, you will get lost, distracted, by all of the other videos you could be watching to learn what you think you need to learn, 99% of them, not really what you need. What you need is specific focus on practicing with the right techniques and methods to get to that next level of skill. You need a specific, tried and true method to follow that helps you with perfect practice and focus. This requires you to use a multi-sensory approach to help you digest the information and memorize it for your use. And, it requires your full attention. If you agree, here’s what I can offer you.
My ‘Offline’ Paid Course(s)
Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Foundational guitar in a step by step offline format where you own a professional quality workbook, videos, and audio mp3’s for practicing.
Jump to:
Beginner Guitar 101
Intermediate Guitar 201
Advanced Guitar 301
Testimonials
Beginner Guitar 101 Course Overview
What You’ll Learn in Beginner Guitar 101 Course
- Have the coordination, muscle memory, and hand strength to play common
chords, strumming patterns, and songs. - Develop good habits for continual growth and improvement.
- Understand a foundation of music and guitar on which to build.
- First steps to learning how to understand the guitar neck.
- 14 Common Guitar Chords
- 4 Beginner Songs (Christian Hymns)
- 6 Strum Patterns
Buy the Beginner Curriculum Now – $50 + shipping
What you’ll get:
- Beginner 101 Guitar Lesson DVD videos – nine sessions total!
- Beginner 101 Chord Drills and Songs Audio CD
- Beginner 101 Class Workbook
In order to become a great player, it’s crucial to learn through seeing, hearing, and writing. The workbook will be a resource you will revisit for years to come!
Beginner Guitar 101 Lessons
Beginner Week 1 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Mission and Goals of Beginner Guitar Lesson Course
Part 2 – How to Hold the Guitar and Tune Strings
Part 3 – Correct Hand Position and How to Read a Chord Chart
Part 4 – Learn First Guitar Chord 4-string G
Part 5- 4-String C and Em chords and Goals for Week 1
Beginner Week 2 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Last Week’s Beginner Chords
Part 2 – Melody, Harmony, Major and Minor Chords, and Music Notation
Part 3 – Play Straight Down Strum Pattern and D chord
Part 4 – Learn How to Play A Major Chord
Part 5 – Play Chord Drills #1 – 2 for Week 2
Part 6 – Play Chord Drills #3—5 for Week 2
Part 7 – Play Chord Drills #6 – 8 for Week 2
Part 8 – Practice Goals for Week 2 Acoustic Guitar Lesson
Beginner Week 3 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review D Chord and New Waltz Strum Pattern
Part 2 – Down-Up Strum Pattern and New Chords C and A Minor
Part 3 – Practice Chord Drills 1 – 4
Part 4 – Practice Chord Drills #5—7
Part 5 – Chord Drill #8 and Practice Goals for Week 3
Beginner Week 4 Video Lessons
Part 1 – 3-Step Strum Pattern and Chords E and 6-string G
Part 2 – Chord Drills #1 – 4 with E and G Major
Part 3 – Learn First Song When I Survey Wondrous Cross and Practice Goals
Beginner Week 5 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with E and G Major Chords
Part 2 – Major Scale Study
Part 3 – Chord Families
Part 4 – Learn Suspended Chords Dsus, Esus, and Asus
Part 5- Four-Step Strum Pattern and Suspended Chord Drill Practice #1 – 2
Part 6 – Suspended Chord Drill Practice #3 – 4 and Practice Goals
Beginner Week 6 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review Suspended Chords Dsus, Esus, Asus
Part 2 – Review Major Scale Study Takeaways from Last Week
Part 3 – Multi-4 Strum Pattern and New Chord 4-string Bm
Part 4 – Chord Drills 1 – 4 Focusing on 4-string B minor
Part 5 – Learn ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God’ song on guitar
Part 6 – Practice Goals for Bm 4-string Barre Chord and Multi Strum Pattern Week
Beginner Week 7 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Warmup for Week 7 Lesson with a Review of Last Week’s 4-string Bm
Part 2 – Learn Foundational Chord Types – Major, Minor, Diminished, and Augmented Part 3 – Learn E7 and D7 Guitar Chords
Part 4 – Mix and Match Beginner Strum Pattern Chord Drills
Part 5 – Learn new song – It Is Well With My Soul
Part 6 Practice Goals for Week 7 Lesson
Beginner Week 8 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with E7 and D7 Chords from Week 7
Part 2 – Learn D Minor New Chord
Part 3 – 6 string B Minor – First full Barre Chord
Part 4 – Mix and Match Chord Drills with B Minor
Part 5 – Chord Drills Mix and Match #5 – 8 – Harder for Beginner
Part 6 – Learn song Amazing Grace
Part 7 – Practice Goals for Final Beginner Guitar Lesson
Beginner Week 9 Video Lessons (Extra Lesson to Know How to String Guitar)
Part 1 – How to String Your Acoustic Guitar
Part 2 – How to String Your Acoustic Guitar (continued)
Intermediate Guitar 201 Course Overview
What You’ll Learn in Intermediate Guitar 201 Curriculum
This course builds on the foundation of music and guitar started in Beginner 101. It is the second course in the three course series intended for the budding guitarist. After the eight weeks you will:
- Be able to play common chords of most contemporary songs.
- Understand how to make chords, find chords to any song you hear, and transpose songs and chords to different keys.
- Know music focal points.
- Be playing common strumming patterns in the key of C, D, E, G, and A.
NOTE: All songs learned are Christian hymns.
Buy the Intermediate Curriculum Now – $50 + shipping
What you’ll get:
- Intermediate 201 Guitar Lesson DVD’s – eight sessions total!
- Intermediate 201 Chord Drills and Songs Audio CD
- Intermediate 201 Class Workbook
In order to become a great player, it’s crucial to learn through seeing, hearing, and writing. The workbook will be a resource you will revisit for years to come!
Intermediate Guitar 201 Lessons
Intermediate Week 1 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Mission and Goals of Intermediate Guitar Course Lessons
Part 2 – Review Basic Theory Learned in Beginner Guitar Course
Part 3 – Learn to Play A2, B/E and C#m Chords in key of E
Part 4 – Learn the Cut-Half Strum Pattern and Practice Chord Drills #1 – 2
Part 5 – Practice Chord Drills #3 – 4 for Week 1
Part 6 – Practice Chord Drills #5 – 6 for Week 1
Part 7 – Practice Chord Drills #7 – 8 for Week 1
Part 8 – Practice Goals for Week 1
Intermediate Week 2 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 1 Intermediate Chords A2, B/E and C#m
Part 2 – Pop Quiz to Review Beginner Course Theory.
Part 3 – Learn New ‘Sliding’ Chords F#m, A, and B Chords
Part 4 – Learn New Wk 2.1 Strum Pattern on Guitar
Part 5- Learn New Wk 2.1 Strum Pattern on Guitar
Part 6 – Practice Chord Drills #1 – 4 with 2.1 Strum Pattern and New Chords F#m, A, and B Major
Part 7 – Practice All Down Strum Pattern Chord Drills 5 – 8 with New Chords F#m, A, and B
Part 8 – Learn All Creatures of Our God and King song
Part 9 – Practice Goals for Week 2 Strum Patterns and F#m, A, and B Chords
Intermediate Week 3 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 2 Chords F#m, A, and B and Strum Patterns
Part 2 – Learn Major Chord Family and Friends
Part 3 – Learn New Chords G Aug, F# Dim, G/C Chords
Part 4 – Learn to Play Two Strum Patterns – Week 3.1 and 3.2
Part 5 – Chord Drills #1 – 4 for New Chords G Aug, F# Dim, and G/C
Part 6 – Learn Amazing Grace hymn song in G
Intermediate Week 4 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 3 Chords G Aug, F# Dim, G/C Chords
Part 2 – Learn First Barre Chord – F Major Barre Chord
Part 3 – Learn Two New Strum Patterns for Week 4
Part 4 – Chord Drills 1 – 4 with new F Barre Chord
Part 5 – Chord Drills 5-8 with new F Barre Chord
Part 6 – Learn All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name song
Intermediate Week 5 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Last Week’s F Barre Chord and Wk 4.1 Strum Pattern
Part 2 – Learn Barre Chord Patterns E, A, Em and Am and Root Notes
Part 3 – Practice Identifying E, A, Em, and Am Barre Chord Positions
Part 4 – Identify and Practice Barre Chords with Chord Drills 1 – 7
Part 5 – New Strum Pattern and Regular (Non-Barre Chord) Chord Drills 5-8
Part 6 – Practice Goals with Barre Chord Positions, New Strum Pattern, and Chord Drills
Intermediate Week 6 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Learn Barre Chord Families Using Root Notes
Part 2 – Three Tips to Determine the Key of Any Song
Part 3 – Chords A7 and G7, Wk 6 Strum Pattern, and Chord Drills #1 – 4
Part 4 – Barre Chord Plug and Play – Identify them and then Play Chord Drills #5 – 8
Part 5 – Practice Goals for Barre Chord Families, Determine Key to Song, A7 and G7 Chords, and New Strum Pattern
Intermediate Week 7 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with A7 and G7 Chords and Barre Chord Families
Part 2 – Introduction to Bass Line Walkdown Basics
Part 3 – Learn Bass Line Walkdown Chords in G
Part 4 – New Week 7 Strum Pattern
Part 5 – Practice Chord Drills 1 – 4
Part 6 – Learn Praise to the Lord the Almighty song
Part 7 – Practice Goals for Week 7 Lesson
Intermediate Week 8 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 7 Bass Line in G and Strum Pattern
Part 2 – Try Transposing with this Key Signature Scenario
Part 3 – Learn to Play Chords E2 and A Major 7
Part 4 – Strum Pattern and Chord Drills #1 – 4 with New Chords E2 and A Major 7
Part 5 – Mix and Match Chord Drills #5 – 8 with Various Intermediate Strum Patterns
Part 6 – Learn to Play Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus song
Part 7 – Practice Goals for Transposing Key, E2, A Maj 7, Strum Pattern, Chord Drills, and Song
Advanced Guitar 301 Course Overview
What You’ll Learn in Advanced Guitar 301 Curriculum
This eight-week course is the third of a three course series bringing a student from never playing to know the advanced level of music and guitar. After the eight week course you will:
- Learn colorful “off” chords and the structure for finding your own.
- Know how to use a capo while maintaining the same key, regardless of it’s position.
- Be able to interpret and communicate chord types and how they work together to make music.
- Grasp the basics of the styles of fingerpicking, flatpicking, jazz, blues, and rock.
- Master your first three scales and learn the practicing techniques for improving in accuracy and speed.
NOTE: All songs learned are Christian hymns.
Buy the Advanced Curriculum Now – $50 + shipping
What you’ll get:
- Advanced 301 Guitar Lesson DVD’s – eight sessions total!
- Advanced 301 Chord Drills and Songs Audio CD
- Advanced 301 Class Workbook
In order to become a great player, it’s crucial to learn through seeing, hearing, and writing. The workbook will be a resource you will revisit for years to come!
Advanced Guitar 301 Lessons
Advanced Week 1 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Mission and Goals of Advanced 301 Guitar Course
Part 2 – Review Theory Learned in Beginner and Intermediate Courses
Part 3 – Learn to Play a Major 2 in Any Key – Example in E and New Chords F# Major and F#7add11
Part 4 – Learn 16th Note Strum Pattern
Part 5 – Chord Drills #1 – 4 Practicing F#7add11 or Major II variation
Part 6 – Learn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross song hymn with Major II chord
Part 7 – Practice Goals for Week 1 – Major II in E, 16th Note Strum Pattern, Chord
Advanced Week 2 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 1 Chords Major 2, F# Major, F#7add11
Part 2 – How to Barre Any Chord to Find New Chord Positions
Part 3 – Learn How to Use a Capo
Part 4 – Capo Position Chart for key of D
Part 5 – Learn Rock Intervals
Part 6 – Chord Drills #1 for Capo and Drill #2 – 4 Rock Intervals
Part 7 – Practice Goals for Capo and Rock Intervals Lesson
Advanced Week 3 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review Playing Capo D Chord in C Position Before New Lesson
Part 2 – Capo Scenario Pop Quiz Acoustic Lesson
Part 3 – Learn Jazzy Chords G Major 7, C Major 7, A minor 7, and D11
Part 4 – Jazz Emphasis Strum Pattern with ‘Silent’ and ‘Chop’ Notes
Part 5 – Chord Drills #1 – 4 for Jazzy Chords
Part 6 – Practice Goals for Jazzy Chords and Capo Week
Advanced Week 4 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Last Week’s Jazzy Chords and Strum
Part 2 – Extended Chord Types Theory Lesson
Part 3 – New Chords G7#5 and B7
Part 4 – Chord Drills #1 – 4 for New Chords G7#5 and B7
Part 5 – Practice Goals for Extended Chords Theory and New Chords G7#5 and B7
Advanced Week 5 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Review and Warmup with Week 4 Chords G7#5 and B7
Part 2 – Learn to Play G Major, Pentatonic, and Blues and E Relative Minor Scales
Part 3 – Play G Major, Pentatonic, and Blues Scales in One Position
Part 4 – Play E Minor (G Relative Minor), Minor Pentatonic, and Minor Blues Scales
Part 5 – Learn 12 Bar Blues Basics and Chords E, A, and D
Part 6 – Practice 12 Bar Blues Chord Drills #1 – 2
Part 7 – Practice Major, Pentatonic, and Blues Scales with Chord Drills #3—5
Part 8 – Practice Goals Improving Scale Playing and 12 Bar Blues Lesson
Advanced Week 6 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Learning to Fingerpick and Correct Finger Position
Part 2 – Learn First Three Fingerstyle Picking Patterns
Part 3 – Fingerstyle Pattern Chord Drills Practice 1 – 6
Part 4 – Learn Hymn Doxology with First Fingerstyle Pattern
Part 5 – Practice Goals for This Week’s Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Advanced Week 7 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Learn Flatpicking Technique Intro and First 3 Picking Patterns
Part 2 – Practice Chord Drills #1 – 6 with First Three Flatpicking Patterns
Part 3 – Learn Hymn Jesus Paid it All with Second Picking Pattern
Part 4 – Practice Goals for Flatpicking Lesson
Advanced Week 8 Video Lessons
Part 1 – Play Major Scales in Every Position and Soloing Basics
Part 2 – Bluegrass Country Strum and Alternate Bass Notes
Part 3 – Alternate Bass Note Strumming Pattern Chord Drills 1 – 4
Part 4 – Learn A Mighty Fortress is Our God hymn with a ‘Country’ Feel
Part 5 – Practice Goals for Scales in Any Key and Country Strum Lesson & What to
Do Now That You’re Finished!
Testimonials – What People Are Saying!
Matt Robb – Minister of Instrumental Music, Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler, TX
“The Ignite guitar curriculum is an excellent resource for students young and old to learn to play the guitar. Scott has created a step by step method based on his teaching experience for communicating not only the basics, but some of the more challenging guitar concepts as well. I have personally seen the success of group classes within the church and believe this is one of the best ways for introducing people to playing the guitar. His curriculum is a terrific value and I highly recommend it!”
Michael Hatley – Guitarist, Writer, and Singer, Richardson, TX
“I began learning to play the guitar in 1969 off of a chord chart on the back page of the music for the church folk musical Tell It Like It Is by Ralph Carmichael (which included the song “Pass It On”). That began a lifetime of singing, writing, recording and playing. After 42 years I consider myself a fairly accomplished musician. Even so, to my surprise, before finishing the Beginner Ignite guitar instruction book I learned something new. From the first page to the last Ignite has something for the aspiring beginner who has never picked up a guitar as well as the accomplished player. By explaining the why as well as the how, guitar students of all levels receive an understanding of structure, form and theory while teaching in the simplest, easiest way I have seen. Ignite is a modern update and improvement of the Mel Bay books I grew up with.”