Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Guitar 7

CHAPTER 1: Guitar Basics: The Parts of a Guitar and How It Makes Music 9

CHAPTER 2: How to Tune Your Guitar 17

CHAPTER 3: Preparing to Play: Holding the Guitar and Reading Guitar Notation 25

Part 2: Ready to Play: The Basics 37

CHAPTER 4: The Best Way to Begin: Strumming Chords 39

CHAPTER 5: Playing Melodies — without Reading Music! 59

CHAPTER 6: Adding Some Spice with 7th Chords 69

Part 3: Beyond the Basics: Starting to Sound Cool 85

CHAPTER 7: Making Things Smooth by Playing in Position 87

CHAPTER 8: Doubling Up with Double-Stops 97

CHAPTER 9: Stretching Out: Barre Chords 105

CHAPTER 10: Special Articulation: Making the Guitar Talk 129

Part 4: A Pile of Styles 157

CHAPTER 11: Ready to Rock: Rock Guitar Basics 159

CHAPTER 12: Bluer Than Blue: Blues Guitar Basics 187

CHAPTER 13: Around the Campfire: Folk Guitar Basics 211

CHAPTER 14: Maestro, If You Please: Classical Guitar Basics 237

CHAPTER 15: Sunglasses and Berets: Jazz Guitar Basics 255

Part 5: A Guitar of Your Own 269

CHAPTER 16: Shopping for a Guitar 271

CHAPTER 17: Eyeing Guitar Amps, Effects, Cases, and Accessories 287

CHAPTER 18: Changing Your Strings 303

CHAPTER 19: Guitar Wellness: Basic Maintenance 317

Part 6: The Part of Tens 333

CHAPTER 20: Ten (Or So) Guitarists You Should Know 335

CHAPTER 21: Ten Great Songs for Beginning Guitarists 339

Part 7: Appendixes 343

APPENDIX A: How to Read Music 345

APPENDIX B: 96 Common Chords 355

APPENDIX C: How to Use the Website 359

Index 373

About the Author

Mark Phillips is a former director of music at Cherry Lane Music, where he edited or arranged the songbooks of such artists as John Denver, Van Halen, Guns N??? Roses, and Metallica.

Jon Chappell is a multistyle guitarist, arranger, and former editor-in-chief of Guitar magazine.