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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

About Beginner Rock Guitar Lessons with Kevin Barry


Discover the electrifying world of rock guitar with the Beginner Rock Guitar Lessons by ArtistWorks, led by the seasoned guitarist, Kevin Barry. This course is an ideal introduction for beginners and budding rockstars, delivering an engaging and immersive online experience to hone your guitar skills.

Kevin Barry, a virtuoso in rock guitar, takes you on a step-by-step journey into the fundamentals of rock guitar playing. From power chords and riffs to iconic rock solos, Kevin's extensive experience in the genre ensures you're learning from a true expert.

Key features of this course include:

  • Step-by-Step Lessons: Uncover the unique elements of rock guitar, starting from basic chords to advanced techniques that define the rock sound, all at a comfortable and comprehensible pace.
  • HD Video Tutorials: Access a rich library of high-definition video lessons, offering precise, detailed demonstrations. Pause, replay, and learn at your own speed.
  • Diverse Rock Song Library: Practice your newly acquired skills with an array of rock classics and modern hits, spanning the broad spectrum of the genre.
  • Supplementary Resources: Utilize an array of downloadable materials like tab sheets, chord diagrams, and practice tracks that complement the video lessons and deepen your understanding.
  • Active Online Community: Connect with a global community of aspiring rock guitarists, sharing experiences, challenges, and triumphs as you navigate the course together.

The Beginner Rock Guitar Lessons with Kevin Barry offer a dynamic and comprehensive introduction to the world of rock guitar. Enroll today to unleash your inner rockstar and embark on your journey to rock guitar mastery with ArtistWorks.

What You'll Learn


What makes these rock guitar lessons truly unique is that this is the only place online preserving the playing and teaching legacy of Kevin Barry through the library of videos submitted by students using the ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning® platform. Kevin reviewed each submission and recorded a video response, offering specific guidance to the student to take their guitar playing to the next level. All students can access the Video Exchange library and watch these interactions with Kevin.

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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Introduction

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
  • Music Theory Workshop
  • Worldwide Community of Music Lovers
  • Online guitar lessons at your own pace
  • Specifically geared to adult beginners
  • Easy Guitar Lessons & Tunes

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