Table of Contents

Learn Guitar the Easy Way

Introduction
Types of Guitars
Parts of the Guitar
Buying the perfect guitar
How to Tune a Guitar
Guitar Accessories
How to play your guitar
How to read chord boxes
The 12 Keys
The Four Chord Special
Transposing with a Capo
The 12 Major Chords
Open Chords
Bar Chords
The Movable Bar Chords
The 12 Major Chords Chord Chart
Chord Variations
Parts of the Movable Chords
Bb Shape Chord Variations
F Shape Chord Variations
Open Chord Variations
The 18 most popular chords
Chord Progressions
Strumming Patterns
Fingerpicking
Bar Chord Tips
Software and Resources
Final Words
 LEARN GUITAR THE EASY
WAY

by Paolo Ocampo

© 2017 Paolo Ocampo. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without
permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Introduction

Have you ever wanted to play the guitar but didn't know where to start?

I know, with so many guitar websites and blogs out there, it's so easy to get
overwhelmed.

I created this book, Learn Guitar the Easy Way to teach everyday people
how to play the guitar. No, I won't be teaching you how to play the Flamenco,
or shred the guitar like Carlos Santana - that would take years, even decades to
master.

What you'll learn is a simpler but equally fun way of playing the guitar - using
simplified guitar chords!

What are guitar chords, you say? Go to the Youtubes and search for [any song
you like] + acoustic cover. See those guys playing the guitar and singing? Yep,
they're using guitar chords.

So if you want to be able to jam with your kids, or your friends, or become the
next Youtube sensation - this book is for you.

Guitar Chords are really super easy to learn - all you need to do is memorize
the 12 Major Chords, that's it. It's actually even easier, because it's really just
seven chords - two of them are movable and can be used to generate the other
chords (more on that later at the Movable Chords section).

From those 12 Major Chords, you can derive many Chord Variations. These
Chord Variations are derived using simple and easy to understand formulas.

With these major chords and its common variations, you can play most of
the songs that you hear on the radio today.

What's more, I'll teach you how to use The Circle of Fifths and Chord
Progressions to predict what chords will be used on any given song. This is
the foundation of learning how to play the guitar by ear.

In this book you'll learn:

How to tune your guitar

How to play the 18 most commonly played chords
What are the 12 Major Keys
How to play the 12 Major Chords using Open and Bar Chords
How to use Movable Chords
How to Transpose Chords
How to spice up Major Chords with Chord Variations
Learn about Chord Progressions
Learn about the Circle of Fifths
Practice with sample songs and video playlists
Guitar playing tips
 Software, Apps and Resources for Learning Guitar

Are you excited yet? Go ahead and dig into this book, spend a few hours
practicing, and impress your girlfriend or boyfriend already!
Types of Guitars

So you may wondering, "What kind of guitar should I get?". (If you already
have one, you can skip to the next section)

For those still thinking, you basically have Four Types of Guitars:

Nylon String Guitars

Steel String Guitars
Electric Guitars
Acoustic Electric Guitars

In general, Nylon Guitars are great for kids because they have softer strings.
Steel String Guitars are great for adults, it sounds better, is easier to play, but
not as easy on your fingers as nylon strings . You can get an Electric Guitar is
you want to play with a band. Acoustic Electric Guitars are great if you want
to play a Steel String Guitar, but want to hook it up on your computer or
iPhone/iPad (using an iRig) for recording and processing.

Below are more details of the pros and cons of each type. (An "action", by the
way, is the distance of the strings from the fretboard. A high action makes the
strings harder to press. A low action is ideal, but not too low to make the
strings prone to a buzzing sound)

Nylon String Guitar (aka Classical Guitar)

Steel String Guitar (aka Acoustic Guitar)
Electric Guitar

Acoustic Electric Guitar

Parts of the Guitar

Now that you have your guitar, let's identify its parts.

The Headstock

The Headstock of a guitar is located in top of the guitar and holds your Tuning
Keys.

The Tuning Keys adjust the pitch of each individual string.

To tune a string, rotate the tuning key:

Clockwise - to lower the pitch

Counterclockwise - to increase the pitch

At the bottom of the headstock is the Nut. The Nut is a thin white plastic strip
that has grooves to hold the strings in place.

The Fretboard

The Fretboard contains individual Frets. Each Fret have less space between
them the farther you go down towards the body of the guitar.

The Frets are numbered 1 thru 12, starting from the headstock.

There are Marker Dots on Frets 3, 7, 9 and 12 to make it easy to find the
Frets. Two dots indicate the 12th Fret.
 The Body

The Body of the guitar contains the Sound Hole and the Bridge.

The Sound Hole projects the sound from the guitar, and the Bridge is where
the strings are connected to.

Inside the Bridge is the Saddle - a white plastic strip similar to the Nut. The
Saddle holds the strings in place.

On some guitars, there will be a Pick Guard which protects the guitar body
from getting scratched by the guitar pick.
Buying the perfect guitar

Finding the Right Guitar Size

One of the key things you need to decide on when buying a guitar is its size.
The guitar has to be comfortable to play with.

There are no hard and fast rules for selecting a guitar size. Some people like
smaller guitars, for example Ed Sheeran uses 3/4 size guitars which are
designed for 8-12 year olds. But he's a tiny man, so that works for him.

The only tip I can give you is to go to a music store and actually try playing the
guitars there. If it feels comfy, go for it.

Or you can get it cheaper online, but make sure that they have a good return
policy.

Having said that, here's a quick guide for guitar sizes:

1/4 Size = 2 to 5 year olds

1/2 Size = 5 to 8 year olds
3/4 Size = 8 to 12 year olds
Full Size = 12 and older

Guitar Body Types

Another thing to look for in a guitar is its Body Type.

The sound projected by the guitar depends on its body type. A bigger body
produces a deeper sound, a bigger bottom produces a deeper base, etc.

Although the exact dimensions for each guitar differs from one manufacturer to
another, in general, they fall under these General Body Types:

Concert Guitars are small body guitars that produce a bright sound and
a punchy mid range. The smaller size is comfortable, and makes these
guitars very playable for smaller musicians.
Grand Concert Guitars are a bit larger, but still produces the same
bright sound and a punchy mid range, only louder.
Auditorium Guitars are mid-sized acoustic guitars. They produce a well
balanced sound.
Grand Auditorium Guitars are slightly bigger, almost as big a large
guitar, but with a smaller waist. This also creates a well balanced sound,
only louder.
Dreadnoughts are large guitars, often with 14 fret necks. Dreadnoughts
create a very powerful, driving sound.
Jumbo Guitars are even bigger, and produce a loud, deep, resonating
sound.
How to Tune a Guitar

The Standard Tuning

There are different types of guitar tunings, but the most commonly used in the
Western world is called the Standard Tuning.
The Standard Tuning tunes the six strings of the guitar as E, A, D, G, B, E
(from the thickest string, to the thinnest).

Why everybody uses this tuning is a verryyy loong story...but if you must, you
can read it here...

bit.ly/standard-tuning

To make things easier, just remember : Every Amateur Does Get Better
Eventually ( yes, this would be you, after you practice what you learn from this
book )

Using a Guitar Tuner

Now it's time to tune your guitar.

The easiest way to tune the guitar is using a Guitar Tuner.

You can get one at Amazon for around $10. The best one is called the Snark
Tuner (bit.ly/snark-guitar-tuner)

To tune your guitar, clip the Snark Tuner on the Headstock. Then adjust the
tuning key for each string until the bar turns green for E, A , D, G, B, E
respectively.

Tuning from a Piano

Don't have 10 bucks, but you have a piano or keyboard lying around?

You're in luck, because you can tune your guitar using the keyboard!

Your keyboard is actually made up of these repeating set of "octaves" (2

black keys, 3 black keys, and a bunch of white keys around them). The image
above show the names of each of these keys.
Using the same principle, just press the corresponding white key for each
guitar string and adjust til they match.

This method is a bit more labor intensive, but you get to save $10.

Online Tuners and Apps

So you say, Paolo, I don't have 10 bucks AND you don't have a piano.

We'll there's good news, you can tune your guitar online!

Yep, just go to:

http://www.jamplay.com/tools/online-guitar-tuner/

Select the Standard Tuning, and tune away!

No computer? No problem.

You can download the following tuners for free:

1. Guitar Tuna for IOS (bit.ly/guitar-tuna)

2. Guitar Tuner Free for Android (bit.ly/guitar-tuna2)

*** Sorry Windows phone users

Guitar Accessories

Sometimes, buying gadgets for your guitar will inspire you to work harder.
I'm kind of like that, so that's the excuse I tell my wife when I buy me some
gadgets...

Here are some guitar goodies that you might enjoy...(at the minimum, you need
to get some guitar picks, and a capo)

Guitar Picks

The easiest and most natural way to strum a guitar is using your thumb.

However, if you practice a lot, you will eventually hurt your thumb. My
advice is to get started using Guitar Picks.
Using guitar picks will feel awkward at first, but it will pay off and save your
thumb in the long run. Hey, if T-Swizzle does it, so must you.

Guitar Pick Holder

A Guitar Pick Holder holds a bunch of guitar picks, and sticks to your
guitar. If you don't want to keep losing your picks, buy this.

The Capo
The Capo (pronounced as K-Po by fancy pants guys, and Kahpo by regular
guys, or vice versa) allows you to adjust the key of a chord easily by
realigning the Guitar Nut to a specific fret.

This allows you to play easy open chords on higher frets (higher keys). More
on that in later chapters. Buy this one, you will thank yourself later.

iRig 2
The iRig 2 (bit.ly/irig-2) allows you to record your guitar to your
Garageband Software or App ( works for IOS and Apple devices only ).

With iRig 2, you can rock on and apply effects to your guitar using the free
Amplitube App.

You can also download guitarless songs from from karaoke-version, load it on
Garageband, and play along!

Once you learn how to play chords using this book - buy this gadget. It's a
LOT of fun.
 Guitar Practice Tool

Need to practice on the go? Get a Guitar Practice Tool.

This tool allows you to create muscle memory, and also hardens your
fingertips. Not as good as practicing on a real guitar, but this one fits in your
pocket.

Finger Gloves
Sometimes you get in a groove, feel like your in the zone, but your fingertips
are really hurting...

Well, it's Finger Gloves to the rescue! It's like the finger version of the
Snuggie..

Aren't those just latex gloves that have been cutout you say? Well, they kinda
are, but they have a textured grip at the ends, so there...

Guitar iPhone Holders

Yep, this one is a bit dorky. But it really is quite cool and handy, once you get
used to it.

Great gadget when you have a hard time remembering song lyrics and
chords.
How to play your guitar

Playing the guitar isn't really rocket science.

And the truth is, everybody has their own style of playing. Some of the
greatest basketball players have poor posture and technique. Bruce Lee
became a legend, not because he followed existing martial arts techniques. But
because his style was "no style". He just used whatever technique he sees fit
for him. That, and also he's as fast as a cat.

So I say, play your guitar however you like. Whatever feels comfortable is the
best way to play. If it feels comfortable, it feels fun. And that's the entire
idea of playing the guitar.

Here, however are a few tips that you might consider:

How to hold the Guitar

When playing the guitar, don't hunch your back. This will help you sing
better.

Position your guitar so that the groove of the guitar body is on the leg of your
strumming side. You can also cross you legs and to the same, if that feels
comfy.

Make sure that your non-strumming hand is not supporting the fretboard. To
test this, let go of the fretboard. If it falls down, then you are not holding the
guitar correctly.

Angle the fretboard slightly towards you. This makes it easier for you to see
the chords you are playing, and lessens the pressure on your wrist too.

How to hold the pick

If you are using a guitar pick, this is how you hold it.

Don't hold it too tight. There should be a little give.

When strumming the guitar, try not to get too tense. Imagine that you a
flicking a booger with your strumming hand.
How to read chord boxes

So here's a little primer on how to read the Chord Boxes used in this book.

Fingers, Frets, and Strings

The Box Layout is like this: The Lowest Line is the thickest string ( Low E
), the Top Line is the thinnest string ( High E )

X - means don't strum the string

O - means it's an open string (chord fingers not touching, but you still strum it)

Th Black Bar on the left is the Nut.

The Number at the bottom is the Fret Number.

Your chord fingers (left hand if your strum on the right) is numbered 1, 2, 3, 4
starting from the pointing finger.

Actual Hand Position

So the Chord Box above should be played like this.

The 12 Keys

Before you start learning to play the guitar, it is important to understand the
concept of keys.

When singing, your comfortable vocal range is normally indicated by your

key.

Basically, there are 12 Keys in music:.

1. C
2. C# (C Sharp)
3. D
4. Eb (E Flat)
5. E
6. F
7. F# (F Sharp)
8. G
9. Ab (A Flat)
10. A
11. Bb (B Flat)
12. B

To understand how keys are named, you need to take a look at piano keys.

The Piano Octave

All piano keyboards are composed of a repeating set of Octaves (2 black
keys, 3 black keys, surrounded by white keys).

The white keys in an octave are called - C, D, E, F, G, A,and B respectively.

The names the black keys are based on the white keys adjacent to it.

If the black key is on the left, it will be a flat key (indicated by a

lowercase b)
If the black key is on the right, it will be a sharp key (indicated by a
hashtag #)

So this means that every black key will have two names - a flat (b) and a
sharp (#). The names of the black keys are interchangeable.

Although you can switch between the two names of the black keys, more often
than not ,you will find that C#, Eb, F#, Ab, and Bb are used for naming the
black keys.

The 12 Keys
So, if we combine the black and white keys, there will be a total of 12 keys
- C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb and B.

Important:
You will need to memorize the names of these 12 keys by heart, because this
is the foundation of playing guitar chords.
The Four Chord Special

Did you know that you can literally play hundreds of songs by learning only
four chords? ( Chords are named like the 12 keys - C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G,
Ab, A, Bb and B )

Yep, for most people these four chords are - G, D, Em, and C.

Note:
A small letter "m" after a chord indicates that its a minor chord - for example
Em is called E Minor. We will discuss more about minor chords in later
chapters.

Here's a Youtube Playlist of songs that you can play with these four chords:

bit.ly/four-chord-songs

So why do so many songs use G, D, Em, and C?

It's because of the concept of chord progressions.

Basically, chord progressions are simple formulas that songwriters use to

find chords that sound well together. We will discuss more about chord
progressions in a later chapter.

Chord Diagram ( G, D, Em, C )

Print the Four Chord Special Chord Chart:

webspicer.com/guitar/four-chord-special.pdf

Practice Song
The chords G, D, Em, and C are the only four chords used by the song
"Superman" by Five for Fighting.

Now play the corresponding chord at the top of the lyric, as you sing the
song.

You can view the complete chord and lyrics here: bit.ly/superman-chord
Transposing with a Capo

For singers who like to sing on a higher key, they can use a capo.

The process of moving the key up or down is call transposition.

For example, the chords G, D, Em, and C is actually a chord progression

from the Key of G.

If you want to sing "Superman" by Five for Fighting on the next higher key,
which is Ab (A Flat), you'll need to play these chords - Ab, Eb, Fm, and C#.
These chords are very hard to play for beginners. To make things easier, you
can use a capo.

By placing a capo on the first fret, we are essentially moving the guitar nut
closer to the body of the guitar. This increases the key of the guitar to the next
higher key.

So instead of playing Ab, Eb, Fm, and C# to sing in the Ab key, just put a capo
on the first fret and play G, D, Em, and C. It will sound like you are playing
Ab, Eb, Fm, and C# .

You can put the capo closer to the body of the guitar to sing even higher.

The Capo
Capo Example
Here's a Youtube video of a guy using the G, D, Em, C pattern with the Capo
on the first fret.

bit.ly/four-chords-capo

This means he's actually playing the chords Ab, Eb, Fm, and C# which are
hard chords to play without a capo.
The 12 Major Chords

Like mentioned in the earlier chapter, guitar chords are named after the 12
keys.

So this means we have 12 Major Chords:.

1. C
2. C# (C Sharp)
3. D
4. Eb (E Flat)
5. E
6. F
7. F# (F Sharp)
8. G
9. Ab (A Flat)
10. A
11. Bb (B Flat)
12. B

Of these 12 Major Chords, 5 are Open Chords, and 7 are Bar Chords.

Open Chords
An Open Chord is a chord where your chord fingers press only one string a
time.

An example of an Open Chord is the E Chord (above).

This is the type of chord that beginners first learn because they are easy to
play.

Bar Chords
A Bar Chord is a chord that uses your pointing finger as a bar that holds
several strings.

An example of an Bar Chord is the B Chord (above).

Playing a bar chord will take a bit of practice, because these chords are prone
to getting a buzzing sound when you don't do it right.
Open Chords

Let's know learn how to play the 5 open chords.

The 5 Open Chords

The 5 Open Chords are C, A, G, E, D.

Hand Position for the Open Chords

Practice the following songs to learn how to play these open chords.

Practice Song for E, A, D Chords

Practice Song for D, A, G Chords
Practice Song for G, D, C Chords
Bar Chords

There are two initial Bar Chords - Bb and F.

And they are based on a A and E Chords.

By moving the A Chord one fret up, we get a Bb Chord (the next higher
chord). Then we just use your index finger to replace the nut.

The same with the E Chord. If we move it one fret up we get an F Chord (the
next higher chord). Again, we just use your index finger to replace the nut.

The diagram below show this concept:

The Bb and F Bar Chords

Practice Song for C and F Chords
Practice Song for C, F, Bb Chords
The Movable Bar Chords

The Bb and F Bar Chords are said to be movable chords.

This is because moving it on the next fret - gives you the next higher chord.

Remember how a capo increases the key of the guitar?

Well, when playing chords, your index finger can actually act as a capo and
also do the same thing.

In the diagram below, you'll see that moving your index finger one fret higher
also increases the chord to the next higher chord.

So for example, the Bb chord is on the first fret. If you move one fret higher,
it will become a B chord. Another fret higher, and it becomes a C chord. And
so on...

The same for the F chord, which is on the first fret. Moving up one fret will
play the F# chord. Moving up another fret plays a G chord. And so on..

The Bb and F Movable Chords

In the diagram above, you'll see that we can actually derive the rest of the 12
Major Chords from the Bb and F Chords.

The rest of the bar chords are:

1. B
2. C#
3. Eb
4. F#
5. Ab

Note:

Notice how the C, D, G, and A Chords can be played as an Open Chord, or a

Bar Chord.

Also notice how the Bb Chord can be played as a Bar Chord on the 1st and
6th Fret.
The 12 Major Chords Chord Chart

Let's now look at the summary of how to play the 12 Major Chords.

Major Chord Diagram

Print The 12 Major Chords Diagram here:

webspicer.com/guitar/12-major-chords.pdf
Chord Variations

All songs can be played using the 12 Major Chords as the foundation.

Although some songs can be played just using these 12 Major Chords, most
songs use these Major Chords PLUS its Chord Variations.

What are Chord Variations?

Chord Variations are Major Chords with additional notes to add mood to the
chord.

A chord variation can make a Major Chord sound gloomy, tense, cool,
jazzy, and so on.

There are 6 common chord variations for each Major Chord :

1. Minor Chords
2. Minor 7th Chords
3. Major 7th Chords
4. 7th Chords
5. 9th Chords
6. Suspended Chords

Many aspiring guitar players get overwhelmed with memorizing these

complex set of chord variations.

But instead of memorizing each chord variation, in this chapter you will learn
how to derive chord variations based on the 12 Major Chords.
There is no need to memorize all the chords variations, just memorize the 12
Major Chords, and the formulas of its Chord Variations.

With this knowledge, you can easily play along any song that you like

Actually, most pop and rock songs will only use the Major Chords plus
Minor Chords, Minor 7th and 7th Chords. So if you're just planning to jam
with these types of music, you can survive by memorizing the formula of those3
chord variations. The rest of the chord variations are usually used by Power
Ballads, Jazz and R&B.
Parts of the Movable Chords

In order to play chord variations, you must first understand the Parts of the
Major Chords.

The Scale of the Key

When you play a Major Chord, you are actually playing the 1st, 3rd, and 5th
notes of the key's scale (let's use the piano keyboard for easier reference).

Every key has a different scale. A scale sounds like Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La,
Ti, Do.

To see all the scales for all the Major Chords, click here :
webspicer.com/piano/major-scales.pdf

Tip:
The guitar scales are very confusing to learn and memorize. If you are a
visual learner, try the Fret Not sticker on Amazon. bit.ly/fret-not
So in the Bb Major Chord, we need to play keys - Bb, D, and F. Let's call it
Low (Bb), Middle (D), and High (F).

Don't worry if this sounds confusing, you don't have to memorize the scales.
All you need to understand is that a Major Chord is composed of a Low,
Middle and High notes.

And to play chord variations, you only need to identify which finger plays the
Low, Middle, and High notes of the 2 Initial Bar Chord Shapes - Bb and F.

Bb Shape Parts

On the Bb Shape:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High Note is played MiddleFinger (2)
 F Shape Parts

On the F Shape:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

2. The Low Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)
3. The High Note is played Ring Finger (3)
Bb Shape Chord Variations

The Bb Shape can have the following Chord Variations:

1. Bbm (B Flat Minor)

2. Bb7 (B Flat 7th)
3. Bbm7 (B Flat Minor 7th)
4. BbM7 (B Flat Major 7th)
5. Bbsus (B Flat Suspended)

The Chord Variation Formulas (Bb Shape)

 The Bb Shape Parts

On the Bb Shape:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

Bb Minor Chord (m)

Formula:

m (Minor) = Middle - 1

Bb 7th Chord (7)

Formula:

7 (7th) = Low - 2

Bb Minor 7th Chord (m7)

Formula:

m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2

Bb Major 7th Chord (M7)

Formula:

M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1

Bb Suspended Chord (sus)

Formula:

sus (Suspended) = Middle + 1

Moving the Chord Variations (Bb Shape)

For the rest of the chords derived from the Bb Shape, you can just do the same.
Just move to the corresponding fret, and apply the finger changes.

In the above example, above, we can play the Bm, Cm, etc. based on the Bbm
chord.
F Shape Chord Variations

The F Shape can have the following Chord Variations:

1. Fm (F Minor)
2. F7 (F 7th)
3. Fm7 (F Minor 7th)
4. FM7 (F Major 7th)
5. Fsus (F Suspended)

The Chord Variation Formulas (F Shape)

 The F Shape Parts

On the F Shape:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

2. The Low Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)
3. The High Note is played Ring Finger (3)

F Minor Chord (m)

Formula:

m (Minor) = Middle + 1

F 7th Chord (7)

Formula:

7 (7th) = Low - 2

F Minor 7th Chord (m7)

Formula:

m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2

F Major 7th Chord (M7)

Formula:

M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1

F Suspended Chord (sus)

Formula:

sus (Suspended) = Middle + 1

Moving the Chord Variations (F Shape)

For the rest of the chords derived from the F Shape, you can just do the same.
Just move to the corresponding fret, and apply the finger changes.

In the above example, above, we can play the F#m, Gm, etc. based on the Fm
chord.
Open Chord Variations

Let's now identify the parts of the Open Chords in order to play its Chord
Variations.

Remember, our Open Chords are C, A, G, E, D.

Here are the Chord Variations that we can do for the Open Chords:

1. m (Minor)
2. m7 (Minor 7th)
3. 7 (7th)
4. M7 (Major 7th)
5. 9 (9th)
6. sus (Suspended)

The Chord Variation Formulas (Open Chords)

The C Chord Parts
The C Chord can be played as an Open Chord (1st Fret), or a Bar Chord
(3rd Fret, based on the Bb Shape).

On the C Chord ( 1st Fret ):

1. The Low Note is played by both the Index Finger(1) and the Ring
Finger (3)
2. The Middle Note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

On the C Chord ( 3rd Fret, Bar Chord based on the Bb Shape ):

1. The Middle Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

Note:
For most of the C Chord Variations, we will be using the Bb Shape Chord
Variation Formulas.
For the C9 Chord, we will be using th Open Chord as the basis.

This is because is is very difficult to apply the formulas for the C Open
Chord.

The C Chord Variations

Formula:

1. m (Minor) = Middle + 1
2. m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2
3. 7 (7th) = Low - 2
4. M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1
5. 9 (9th) = Low + 2
6. sus (Suspended) = Mid + 1

The A Chord Parts

On the A Chord:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

The A Chord Variations

Formula:

1. m (Minor) = Middle + 1
2. m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2
3. 7 (7th) = Low - 2
4. M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1
5. 9 (9th) = Low + 2
6. sus (Suspended) = Mid + 1

The G Chord Parts

Like the C Chord, the G Chord can be played as an Open Chord (2nd Fret),
or a Bar Chord (3rd Fret, based on the F Shape)..

On the G Chord ( 2nd Fret, Open Chord):

1. The Low Note is played by the Middle Finger (2) and Pinkie Finger (4)
2. The Middle Note is played by the IndexFinger (1)

On the G Chord ( 3rd Fret, Bar Chord based on the F Shape):

1. The Middle Note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

2. The Low Note is played by the Pinkie Finger (4)
3. The High note is played by the Ring Finger (3)

We will use the Bar Chord version of the G Chord to derive its chord
variations.

The G Chord Variations

Formula:

1. m (Minor) = Middle + 1
2. m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2
3. 7 (7th) = Low - 2
4. M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1
5. 9 (9th) = Low + 2
6. sus (Suspended) = Mid + 1

The E Chord Parts

On the E Chord:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Index Finger (1)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

The E Chord Variations

Formula:

1. m (Minor) = Middle + 1
2. m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2
3. 7 (7th) = Low - 2
4. M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1
5. 9 (9th) = Low + 2
6. sus (Suspended) = Mid + 1

The D Chord Parts

On the D Chord:

1. The Middle Note is played by the Middle Finger (2)

2. The Low Note is played by the Ring Finger (3)
3. The High note is played by the Index Finger (1)

The D Chord Variations

Formula:

1. m (Minor) = Middle + 1
2. m7 (Minor 7th) = Middle - 1, Low - 2
3. 7 (7th) = Low - 2
4. M7 (Major 7th) = Low - 1
5. 9 (9th) = Low + 2
6. sus (Suspended) = Mid + 1
The 18 most popular chords

Of the many chord variations, the Minor Chord (m) is the most often used.

There is a concept called Pareto's Principle (named after the economist

Vilfredo Pareto) that specifies an unequal relationship between inputs and
outputs. He says that 20% of the invested input is responsible for 80% of the
results obtained. This is also called the 80/20 rule.

This is great for lazy people (like me), because in order to be effective at
anything, you only need to know 20% (the most used parts) of any subject.

The same is true for learning the guitar. In all of music, a vast majority are
using the same 18 chords (out of 2341 playable chords).

Here are The 18 Most Popular Chords:

1. C
2. C#m (C Sharp Minor)
3. D
4. Dm (D Minor)
5. Ebm (E Flat Minor)
6. E
7. Em (E Minor)
8. F
9. F#
10. F#m (F Sharp Minor)
11. G
12. Gm
13. Abm (A Flat Minor)
14. A
15. Am (A Minor)
16. Bb
17. B
18. Bm (B Minor)

Learn these 18 chords, and you will be able to play hundreds of songs.

If you encounter complex variations like Em7, Em9 and so on... just simplify it
to the closest one, in this case Em.

If you encounter inverted variations like D/F# (this means play the D Chord,
but press the F# note at the same time - which is quite hard to play), just play
the first chord, this case the D Chord. For example, if your see C/F, just play
the C Chord.

Unless you are fingerpicking each note, these complex variations can
simplified without the casual listener noticing the change.

Popular Chords Diagram

You can print this out here:

webspicer.com/guitar/18chords.pdf

Practice Songs

I've created a playlist of songs that you practice with (the guy is not me, it's
from a channel called MunsonCovers - he's a fun guy to watch, very laid
back):

bit.ly/easy-chords

Four Chords App

There is a wonderful app called Four Chords available on the Apple and
Google Play Store.

It's like a Karaoke for Guitars, and it only uses the simplified chords, so it's
super easy to play along with. My daughter and I always have a blast using
this app.

bit.ly/four-chords-app
Chord Progressions

What are Chord Progessions?

We already know that we only have 12 chords to play around with - C, C#, D,
Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B.

Although we can mix and match all 12 chords to compose a song, most
songwriters do not randomly use these 12 chords. They follow a logical flow
called a Chord Progression.

A Chord Progession is a formula for getting which chords sound well with
other chords.

Chord Progressions are based on the Key's Major Scale.

A Major Scale sounds like Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do.

Each key has a different major scale.

For example:

C Major Scale = C, D, E, F, G, A, B
D Major Scale = D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E Major Scale = E, F#, Ab, A, B, C#, Eb

and so on...

Click here to see the Major Scale of each key:

webspicer.com/guitar/major-scales.pdf
Learning about Chord Progessions is the first step to learning how to play
songs by ear.

Remember the Four Chord Special? That's actually a Chord Progression

called I-V-vi-IV (one, five, six, four) on the G Major Scale.

How Chord Progressions are written

Chord Progressions use a Roman Numeral Chord Notation:

Capital Roman Numerals = Major Chord
Small Roman Numerals = Minor Chord

The Roman Number corresponds to the number of the note in the Key's
Major Scale.

For example, to get the I-V-vi-IV on the C Major Scale, we need to get the
1st, 5th, 6th, and 4th note (C, G, A, F).

But because the 6th (A) is a small Roman Number (vi), we need to make it a
Minor Chord (Am).

So the I-V-vi-IV progression of the C Major Scale is - C, G, Am, F.

Note:
Chord Progressions are normally played in a normal sequence. But they can
also be played in a different sequence - for example vi-IV-I-V ( Am, F, C, G).

Transposing Chords
Some singers can sing high notes, and some singers can sing low notes.

If you are having a hard time singing songs in the C Major Scale, you can
transpose the song to fit your vocal range.

For example, let's transpose the I-V-vi-IV progression in the key of G.

To Transpose Chords:

1. Get the Major Scale of the key (G Major Scale).

2. Then simply follow the same formula - I-V-vi-IV = G, D, Em, C

Remember these Four Chords (G, D, Em, C)? Yep, its the Four Chord Special.

Using the Chord Progression I-V-vi-IV, we can now transpose the Four Chord
Special in all 12 keys without using a Capo.

Download and Print: The 4 Chord Special in all 12 Keys

webspicer.com/guitar/four-chords.pdf

Now try to sing the following songs on different keys to find your vocal range.

webspicer.com/guitar/four-chord-songs.pdf

Note:
You can also use this online tool to transpose chords - http://tabtuner.com/.

The Circle of Fifths

The Circle of Fifths is a handy tool for finding chords that go well with other
chords.

It is also known as the Circle of Fourths, or the Circle of Keys.

Basically, you pick any chord in the circle, and the chords adjacent to it will
harmonize well with that chord.

For example, if we pick:

C - then F and G chords will harmonize with it

Bb - then Eb and F chords will harmonize with it
D - then A and G chords will harmonize with it.

This is because for any given key, the V and IV notes in its Major Scale
blends really well with the Base Key.

And if you look at the circle, you'll find that the key on the right of the key is
the 5th note of the key's major scale. And on the left is the 4th note of the
key's major scale.

Note:
So in any given chord progression, the 4th and 5th chords are the most likely
to appear together with the Base Chord.

Download and Print: The Circle of Fifths

webspicer.com/guitar/circle-of-fifths.pdf

Finding Minor Chords in the Circle

You can also find Minor Chords in the Circle of Fifths.

Minor Chords that will blend well with the Base Chord can be found at the
Inner Circle of the Circle of Fifths. It will be the three Minor Chords
adjacent to the Base Chord.

For example, if we pick:

C - we get Dm, Am and Em

Bb - we get Cm, Gm and Dm
D - we get Em, Bm and F#m
The reason these minor chords blend well with the base key is because they
are the 2nd, 3rd, 6th chords on that key's Major Scale.

Note:
So after the 4th and 5th chords, the most likely chords to appear in a chord
progression are the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Minor Chords.

The 7th chord is very rarely used in a Chord Progression.

Why use Minor Chords?

The reason that we are using minor keys is that in order to harmonize a key,
all the notes used in a chord should come from the key's Major Scale.

For example, the C Major Scale has all white keys.

We can press the C, F, and G chords (1st, 4th and 5th chords) using all white
keys.

However we cannot create the D, E, and A chords (2nd, 3rd and 6th chords)
because they require black keys .

But if we change these chords to Minor Chords like Dm, Em and Am, then they
will be using all white keys.

For reference:
 1. The Scales of the Major Chords - webspicer.com/guitar/major-scales.pdf
2. The Major Chords Diagram - webspicer.com/guitar/major-chords.pdf

So basically, the idea is that all chord notes played on a chord progression
should belong to the key's major scale. Sorry to use a piano reference on a
guitar book, but its so much easier to explain it this way.

What about the 7th note?

The 7th note is very rarely used in a chord progression. But if it comes up, it
will be in the form of a Diminished Chord.

In the Key of C, the 7th note is a B. Remember that all notes of a Chord
should come from the Key's Major Scale (The C Major Scale has all White
Keys).

The B Chord (B, Eb, F#) contains two Black Keys - Eb and F# . By making it
a Diminished Chord (Mid - 1, High - 1), we can make it use all white keys. So,
Bdim = B, E, and F (all white keys).

So in short, the harmonizing chords for any given key is this:

I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - VIIdim

Note:
Notice that the 2nd, 3rd and 6th chords are minor chords, and the 7th is a
diminished chord.

Download and Print: The Chords of the Major Scales

webspicer.com/guitar/major-scale-chords.pdf

Confused? Don't worry, you don't have to understand this section completely...

The key take away is that most chord progressions are built using the chords
from The Chords of the Major Scales.
The Most Popular Chord Progressions are created by mixing and matching
these chords.

Popular Chord Progressions

Now that you understand how to use the Circle of Fifths, and how Chord
Progressions are derived, you can try out these 7 popular chord progressions:

Note:
Remember that chords progressions are usually played in sequence, but
sometimes the chords used by the progression can mixed and matched
throughout the song.
The following songs use the Chord Progression in either their Verses, or
Chorus.

Instruction: To hear the songs, go to : https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab

and search by song name. Then select Piano on the Radio Button, the Key of
C on the Circle of Fifths, then click Play.

1. I - V - vi - IV (C, G, Am, F)

Time After Time - Cindi Lauper

Complicated - Avril Lavigne
Grenade - Bruno Mars
Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
21 Guns - Green Day
Im’ Yours - Jason Mraz
Paparazzi - Lady Gaga
She will be loved - Maroon 5
Let her go - Passenger
I knew your were trouble - Taylor Swift

2. I-IV-V (C, F, G)

Good Riddance - Green Day

Sugar Sugar - The Archies
Here Comes the Sun - Beatles
Once Upon a Time in Your Wildest Dreams - The Moody Blues
Leaving on a Jetplane - John Denver

3. I - vi - ii - V (C, Am, Dm, G)

Last Christmas - Wham

Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland
This Love - Maroon 5
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
I will - The Beatles
4. I - V - vi - iii (C, G, Am, Em)

Canon in D Major - Johann Pachelbel

Cryin - Aerosmith
Basketcase - Green Day
Firework - Katy Perry
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

5. Vi - V - IV - V (Am, G, F, G)

Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Just Can’t get enough - Black Eyed Peas
My heart will go on - Celine Dion

6. I - vi - IV - V (C, Am, F, G)

I saw the sign - Ace of Base

Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys
Complicated - Avril Lavigne
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Baby - Justin Bieber
Unwell - Matchbox 20
Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
Eternal Flame - The Bangles

7. I-IV (C,F)

I love it - Icona Pop

I melt with you - Modern English
Mama Mia - Abba
Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
Everybody Hurts - REM
Need more chord progressions? Go here :
https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/common-chord-progressions

Play the songs based on your skill level:

https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/difficulties

The Twelve Bar Blues

There is another kind of progression called The 12 Bar Blues. It's an

elongated variation of the I - IV - V Chord Progression.

You play blues like this:

I - Four Counts
IV - Two Counts
I - Two Counts
V - One Count
IV - One Count
I - Two Counts

Songs Using the 12 Bar Blues

Instruction: To hear the songs, go to : https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab

and search by song name. Then select Piano on the Radio Button, the Key of
C on the Circle of Fifths, then click Play.

Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and the Comets

Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
Shake rattle and Roll - Joe Turner
Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman
Strumming Patterns

Strumming Patterns or Rhythm Patterns create a rhythmic groove when

playing guitar chords.

You can change the mood of a song simply by changing the rhythmic pattern

Strumming Patterns for Beginners

Here's a really good strumming tutorial from Howcast channel:

bit.ly/strumming-patterns
Fingerpicking

Fingerpicking allows you to play the individual notes (aka Arpeggio) of a

guitar chord.

This creates a softer backdrop when singing mellow songs.

Fingerpicking Tutorials

Here's a playlist of cool fingerpicking tutorials:

bit.ly/fingerpicking-tutorials
Bar Chord Tips

Bar Chords are notoriously difficult to play, especially for beginners.

The easiest tip I can give you is not to press the strings too hard. And also
place your index finger closer to the edge of the fret, instead of in the middle
of the fret.

Below are other good tips and tricks to help you play Bar Chords better.

Bar Chord Tips and Tricks

Here's a "Bar Chord Tips and Tricks" Youtube Playlist I created for you:

bit.ly/bar-chord-tips
Software and Resources

Chords and Lyrics Websites

You can find a lot of websites that will give you the Chords and Lyrics of
many popular songs.

Here are the Top 6 chord and lyrics websites:

1. E-Chords - www.e-chords.com
2. Chordie - www.chordie.com
3. Ultimate Guitar - www.ultimate-guitar.com
4. AZ Chords - www.azchords.com
5. 911 Tabs - www.911tabs.com
 6. Guitar Tabs - www.guitartabs.cc

Note:
Sometimes the chords on these websites are not 100% accurate. If you feel
that the chord doesn't sound right, use the Circle of Fifths to find out which
chords will blend with the song chords.

And here's a couple of lesser known Chords and Lyrics sites:

Classic Country Lyrics - www.classic-country-song-lyrics.com

PJ's Guitar Chords - www.guitarsongs.info

Using Fakebooks

Fakebooks or Chord Books are books that contain Lyrics and Chords.

Instead of transcribing chords on your own, you can just buy ready made
fakebooks as save yourself some time. And unlike getting the chords and lyrics
online, getting a fakebook assures you that the chords and lyrics would be
100% accurate.

Here are my Top 5 Fakebooks:

The Easy Fakebook - webspicer.com/guitar/fakebook1

The Ultimate Fakebook - webspicer.com/guitar/fakebook2
The Ultimate Pop Rock Fakebook - webspicer.com/guitar/fakebook3
The Classic Rock Fakebook - webspicer.com/guitar/fakebook4
The Ultimate Country Fakebook - webspicer.com/guitar/fakebook5

Smartphone and Tablet Apps

There are also a lot of Mobile Apps that you can use to practice playing
chords. My favorite app so far is called Four Chords. I like it because it only
displays songs that can be played using the Chords in the Major Scale.

Apps that play chords and Lyrics in real time:

Four Chords - webspicer.com/piano/four-chords

Riffstation - webspicer.com/piano/riffstation
Jamn - webspicer.com/piano/jamn

Apps that find the chords and lyrics for you:

Jellynote Guitar Chords - webspicer.com/piano/jellynote

Achording - webspicer.com/piano/achording
 Ultimate Guitar - webspicer.com/piano/ultimate

Apps that you can use to save your own lyrics and chords:

OnSong - webspicer.com/piano/onsong

Online Tools

Here are a couple of cool online tools that will extract the chords for you. Just
find the videos on Youtube and paste it in the web app.
Chordify - chordify.net
Riffstation Online - play.riffstation.com

Chord Extraction Software

Riffstation is a software that automatically extracts the chords from an MP3

file. What's nice about this software is that you can transpose the song to any
key, and even slow it down so you can learn how to play it.

You can download Riffstation here:

https://riffstation.com/
Final Words

Congratulations! You have just learned the secrets of playing the guitar the
easy way.

I hope that you enjoyed reading and learning from this book as much as I
enjoyed writing it . I put a lot of effort to make the book easy to read and be
very informative at the same time.

If you found this book helpful, please leave me a review:

bit.ly/review-learn-guitar

The most important thing you need to do now is to take action. Go get your
guitar and try the exercises that you found in this book. Information is useless if
it is not applied.

Good luck and have fun playing the guitar!

Paolo Ocampo
webspicer.com