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Instruments > Guitar > Beginners Guide to Rock Guitar

Beginner
Rock Guitar Lessons

Learn how to play your favorite rock ‘n’ roll classics on guitar right here! Start your musical journey by learning basic guitar chords, picking and strumming techniques, and beginner music theory through classic rock songs you know and love. These adult beginner guitar lessons will teach you everything needed to pick up your guitar, plug in, and jam along to your favorite rock classics.

Easy Rock Guitar SongsBeginner Guitar Chords + Licks

Guitar Tab + Play-Along TracksBasic Music Theory

Beginners Guide to Rock Guitar

What You'll Learn


What ultimately sets these beginner guitar lessons apart from other offerings is the ability to submit a video for review using the ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning® platform. Kevin reviews each submission and records a video response- just for you! You'll learn how to play guitar at your own pace, but guidance is at your fingertips. Progress checkpoint videos help you gauge your progress too.

Top Quality Beginner Rock Guitar Lessons

  • 100s of guitar lessons at your own pace
  • Specifically geared to adult beginners
  • Easy Guitar Lessons & Tunes

About Kevin Barry


As an associate professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Kevin Barry has taught hundreds of students, from first-time learners to experienced professionals, how to play the guitar and improve their skills. Kevin’s detailed yet approachable method of teaching deeply emphasizes an exploration of the fretboard, right-hand picking and strumming techniques, left-hand fingering and chord structure methods, single-line melody licks, soloing, music theory, and beyond. Kevin has spent decades as both a touring and session guitarist and has supported artists on stage, such as Sara Mclachlan, David Crosby, Bonnie Raitt, and more. In the studio, Kevin has recorded with legendary artists like Roseanne Cash, Ray Lamontagne, Duke Levine, Susan Tedeschi, and beyond. Like most of Berklee’s world-class faculty, Kevin calls Boston, MA his home and has been teaching the “Beginner’s Guide to Rock Guitar” course as part of our Adult Beginner series at ArtistWorks since December 2021.


Beginner's Guide to Rock Guitar Lessons


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Section 1

Getting Ready to Play
Learn Your First Chord - A Major
Learn Your Second Chord - E Major
Introduction to Rhythm
Changing Chords in Rhythm
"Tulsa Time"
Section 1 Checkpoint

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Section 2

Learn Your Third Chord - D Major
The E, A, D Chord Family
Suspended "Sus" Chords
Getting a Clean Sound
Notes & Combinations of Notes
"Satisfaction"
"Wild Thing"
Section 2 Checkpoint

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Section 3

The G Major Chord
The C Major Chord
The F Major Chord
The G, C, F Chord Family
"Free Falling"
Basic Palm Muting
Basic Left Hand Muting
"Twist and Shout"
F, C & G Rock Rhythm Exercise
"Hound Dog"
The B Major Chord: The Onramp to Power Chords
"All Apologies"
Section 3 Checkpoint

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Section 4

Introduction to the Major Scale
Major vs. Minor - What is a Minor Chord?
The A Minor Chord
"Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
The E Minor Chord
The D Minor Chord
The Am, Em, Dm Chord Family
B Minor & C Minor - "Non-Barre" Forms
Section 4 Checkpoint

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Section 5

Introduction to Barre Chords
Major Barre Chords - The E Shape (6th String Root)
Major Barre Chords - The A Shape (5th String Root)
Minor Barre Chords - The E Shape (6th String Root)
Minor Barre Chords - The A Shape (5th String Root)
"Hey Joe" - Barre Chord Exercise
Power Chords
Connecting Chords with Melodic Channels
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Power Chord Shifting Exercise
Using a Capo
Section 5 Checkpoint

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Section 6

The G Major Scale
The C Major Scale
The G Major Scale - Alternate Picking Exercise
The C Major Scale - Alternate Picking Exercise
G Major "Moveable" Scale Pattern
Section 6 Checkpoint 1
The Major Pentatonic Scale
The Minor Pentatonic Scale
Arpeggios
Connecting Chords with Arpeggios
"Everybody Hurts" - Using Arpeggios
Section 6 Checkpoint 2

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Section 7

"Sus" Chord Practice Exercise - The G, C, F Chord Family
"Sus" Chord Practice Exercise - The E, A, D Chord Family
Melodic Embellishments - The G, C, F Chord Family
Melodic Embellishments - The Em, Am, Dm Chord Family
Hammer-Ons
Pull-Offs
Combining Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs - Practice Exercise
Slides
Basic String Bending
Basic Vibrato
Harmonics
The B7 Chord - Introduction to Dominant 7th Chords
"Rumble"
Section 7 Checkpoint

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Section 8

Introduction to the Blues - The Blues and Rock Connection
The Blues Scale
"Sunshine of Your Love"
The Shuffle Rhythm Feel
The 12 Bar Blues Progression
The Boogie-Woogie Shuffle - Version 1
The Boogie-Woogie Shuffle - Version 2
Blues Turnarounds & Tag Endings
The Dominant 9th Chord
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
Section 8 Checkpoint

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Start Here

Welcome to the Course
How to Get Started
The Lesson Layout
Video Exchanges

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Guitar Basics

Standard Tuning Techniques
Playing Posture
Basic Right Hand Technique
Tuning Reference Alternate Picking Exercise
Basic Left Hand Technique
Practicing with a Metronome

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What's In This Plan:


  • Unlimited Access to Lessons
  • Sample Video Exchanges
  • 1 Video Submission to Teacher
  • Music Theory Workshop

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