Guitar All-in-One For Dummies Book + Online Video and Audio Instruction

A one-stop resource to the essentials of owning and playing the guitar 

If you’ve just bought a guitar, or you’ve had one for a while, you probably know it takes some time and effort to learn how to play the popular instrument. There’s so much to know about owning, maintaining, and playing a guitar. Where do you even begin? 

In Guitar All-in-One For Dummies, a team of expert guitarists and music teachers shows you the essentials you need to know about owning and playing a guitar. From picking your first notes to exploring music theory and composition, maintaining your gear, and diving into the specifics of genres like blues and rock, this book is a comprehensive and practical goldmine of indispensable info. 

Created for the budding guitarist who wants all their lessons and advice in one place, the book will show you how to: 

• Maintain, tune, and string your guitar, as well as decipher music notation and guitar tablature  
• Understand guitar theory, sounds and techniques to help you learn new songs and add your style to classic tunes 
• Practice several popular genres of guitar music, including blues, rock, and classical 
• Access accompanying online video and audio instructional resources that demonstrate the lessons you find in the book 

Perfect for guitar players at any skill level, Guitar All-in-One For Dummies is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to get the most out of their own guitar and make great music. 

This All-in-One guide includes content from Jon Chappell, a guitarist, composer, author, and magazine editor; Mark Phillips, a guitarist, arranger, and editor; Desi Serna, a guitar guru and music theory expert; and Hal Leonard Corporation, a renowned U.S. music publishing company.

Introduction 1

Book 1: Guitar 101 5

Chapter 1: Guitar Anatomy and Tuning 7

Chapter 2: Getting Ready to Play 21

Chapter 3: Buying and Stringing a Guitar 33

Chapter 4: Deciphering Music Notation and Tablature 61

Book 2: Sounds and Techniques 75

Chapter 1: Basic Major and Minor Chords 77

Chapter 2: Adding Spice: Basic 7th Chords 95

Chapter 3: Power Chords and Barre Chords 109

Chapter 4: Right-Hand Rhythm Guitar Techniques 123

Chapter 5: Playing Melodies in Position and in Double-Stops 145

Book 3: Getting to Know Guitar Theory 161

Chapter 1: Navigating the Fretboard and Building Triads 163

Chapter 2: Getting to Know the CAGED System 187

Chapter 3: Playing Snazzier Chords with Chord Tones and Extensions 209

Chapter 4: Playing Chord Progressions by Numbers   227

Chapter 5: Identifying Tonics, Keys, and Modes 239

Chapter 6: Dominant Function and Voice Leading 271

Book 4: Rock Guitar 283

Chapter 1: I Know, It’s Only Rock Guitar, but I Like It 285

Chapter 2: Playing Lead 301

Chapter 3: Groovin’ on Riffs 323

Chapter 4: Going Up the Neck and Playing the Fancy Stuff 333

Chapter 5: The Care and Feeding of Your Electric Guitar 355

Book 5: Blues Guitar 377

Chapter 1: Introducing the Blues and Playing Blues Rhythm 379

Chapter 2: Blues Progressions, Song Forms, and Moves 405

Chapter 3: Musical Riffs: Bedrock of the Blues 427

Book 6: Classical Guitar 443

Chapter 1: Introducing the Classical Guitar 445

Chapter 2: Playing Easy Pieces in Open Position 467

Chapter 3: Combining Arpeggios and Melody 481

Book 7: Exercises: Practice, Practice, Practice 501

Chapter 1: Putting the Major Scales to Use in Your Playing 503

Chapter 2: Adding Major Scale Sequences to Your Repertoire 515

Chapter 3: Tackling the Three Minor Scales 529

Chapter 4: Building Finger Independence with Chord Exercises 557

Appendix A: 96 Common Chords 581

Appendix B: Accessing the Video Clips and Audio Tracks 585

Index 593

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.