Beginner
Beginner: 12 weeks
From reading tab to barre chords and your first pentatonic licks, three or four short sessions a week.
Week 1: Read tab and warm up
3 sessions
Week 1: Read tab and warm up
3 sessionsSession 130 min
- Read: Reading tab8 min
- Read: Chromatic warm-up8 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab60 bpm · 7 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up60 bpm · 7 min
Session 221 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab65 bpm · 7 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up65 bpm · 7 min
- 4-3-2-1 back downChromatic warm-up65 bpm · 7 min
Session 321 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab70 bpm · 7 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up70 bpm · 7 min
- 4-3-2-1 back downChromatic warm-up70 bpm · 7 min
Week 2: Play in time with the click
3 sessions
Week 2: Play in time with the click
3 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Counting and the click8 min
- Read: Fretting-hand spider8 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up80 bpm · 5 min
- One note per clickCounting and the click60 bpm · 7 min
- Two notes per clickCounting and the click60 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab80 bpm · 5 min
- Notes and restsCounting and the click65 bpm · 7 min
- Fingers 1-3 and 2-4Fretting-hand spider60 bpm · 7 min
- One note per clickCounting and the click70 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up80 bpm · 5 min
- Two notes per clickCounting and the click75 bpm · 7 min
- Spider across string pairsFretting-hand spider65 bpm · 7 min
- Notes and restsCounting and the click70 bpm · 7 min
Week 3: Your first open chords
3 sessions
Week 3: Your first open chords
3 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: E minor and A minor8 min
- Read: A, D and E major8 min
- Spider across string pairsFretting-hand spider75 bpm · 5 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor50 bpm · 7 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor50 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- 4-3-2-1 back downChromatic warm-up80 bpm · 5 min
- A-D-A-EA, D and E major60 bpm · 7 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor60 bpm · 7 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor60 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- Spider across string pairsFretting-hand spider75 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through A, D and EA, D and E major65 bpm · 7 min
- A-D-A-EA, D and E major65 bpm · 7 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor65 bpm · 7 min
Week 4: C, G and faster changes
4 sessions
Week 4: C, G and faster changes
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: C and G8 min
- Read: One-minute changes8 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor75 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through C and GC and G50 bpm · 7 min
- G-C-G-DC and G50 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Fingers 1-3 and 2-4Fretting-hand spider75 bpm · 5 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes60 bpm · 7 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes45 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through C and GC and G55 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor75 bpm · 5 min
- G-C-G-DC and G65 bpm · 7 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes65 bpm · 7 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes65 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Fingers 1-3 and 2-4Fretting-hand spider75 bpm · 5 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes60 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through C and GC and G70 bpm · 7 min
- G-C-G-DC and G70 bpm · 7 min
Week 5: Strum in time
4 sessions
Week 5: Strum in time
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Quarter-note downstrokes8 min
- Read: Eighth-note strums8 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes85 bpm · 5 min
- Steady EmQuarter-note downstrokes65 bpm · 7 min
- Rest on beat 4Quarter-note downstrokes65 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes80 bpm · 5 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums70 bpm · 7 min
- Steady EmQuarter-note downstrokes70 bpm · 7 min
- Rest on beat 4Quarter-note downstrokes70 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes85 bpm · 5 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums75 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums75 bpm · 7 min
- Steady EmQuarter-note downstrokes75 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes80 bpm · 5 min
- Rest on beat 4Quarter-note downstrokes85 bpm · 7 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums85 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums85 bpm · 7 min
Week 6: Alternate picking
4 sessions
Week 6: Alternate picking
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Alternate picking8 min
- Read: String changes in triplets8 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up85 bpm · 5 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking60 bpm · 7 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking50 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums90 bpm · 5 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking70 bpm · 7 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking55 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 up and downString changes in triplets65 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up85 bpm · 5 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking75 bpm · 7 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking65 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 up and downString changes in triplets70 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums90 bpm · 5 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking85 bpm · 7 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking70 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 up and downString changes in triplets75 bpm · 7 min
Week 7: Power chords
4 sessions
Week 7: Power chords
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Two-note power chords8 min
- Read: Moving shapes8 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking95 bpm · 5 min
- E5 and A5 on open stringsTwo-note power chords60 bpm · 7 min
- G5 and A5 on the low ETwo-note power chords60 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes85 bpm · 5 min
- Root on E and AMoving shapes70 bpm · 7 min
- Chugs and chords in E minorMoving shapes80 bpm · 7 min
- E5 and A5 on open stringsTwo-note power chords70 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking95 bpm · 5 min
- G5 and A5 on the low ETwo-note power chords75 bpm · 7 min
- Up and down the low EMoving shapes75 bpm · 7 min
- Root on E and AMoving shapes75 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes85 bpm · 5 min
- Chugs and chords in E minorMoving shapes100 bpm · 7 min
- E5 and A5 on open stringsTwo-note power chords90 bpm · 7 min
- G5 and A5 on the low ETwo-note power chords85 bpm · 7 min
Week 8: Palm muting and string skipping
4 sessions
Week 8: Palm muting and string skipping
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Palm muting8 min
- Read: String skipping8 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking80 bpm · 5 min
- Steady muted eighthsPalm muting70 bpm · 7 min
- Muted riff in E minorPalm muting70 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Up and down the low EMoving shapes95 bpm · 5 min
- Sixteenth-note chugPalm muting55 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 with skipsString skipping65 bpm · 7 min
- Steady muted eighthsPalm muting80 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking80 bpm · 5 min
- Muted riff in E minorPalm muting85 bpm · 7 min
- Skip one string, octavesString skipping75 bpm · 7 min
- Sixteenth-note chugPalm muting65 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Up and down the low EMoving shapes95 bpm · 5 min
- Box 1 with skipsString skipping80 bpm · 7 min
- Steady muted eighthsPalm muting95 bpm · 7 min
- Muted riff in E minorPalm muting95 bpm · 7 min
Week 9: Octaves and sixteenth strums
4 sessions
Week 9: Octaves and sixteenth strums
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Octaves8 min
- Read: Sixteenths and accents8 min
- Fingers 1-3 and 2-4Fretting-hand spider80 bpm · 5 min
- Octaves from the low EOctaves60 bpm · 7 min
- Chords on 1 and 3, chucks on 2 and 4Sixteenths and accents50 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Steady muted eighthsPalm muting110 bpm · 5 min
- 3-3-2 accentsSixteenths and accents55 bpm · 7 min
- A melody in octavesOctaves65 bpm · 7 min
- Sixteenths with spaceSixteenths and accents55 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- Fingers 1-3 and 2-4Fretting-hand spider80 bpm · 5 min
- Octaves from the low EOctaves75 bpm · 7 min
- Chords on 1 and 3, chucks on 2 and 4Sixteenths and accents65 bpm · 7 min
- Octaves from the A stringOctaves75 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Steady muted eighthsPalm muting110 bpm · 5 min
- 3-3-2 accentsSixteenths and accents70 bpm · 7 min
- A melody in octavesOctaves80 bpm · 7 min
- Sixteenths with spaceSixteenths and accents65 bpm · 7 min
Week 10: Barre chords
4 sessions
Week 10: Barre chords
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: E-shape barre8 min
- Read: A-shape barre8 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes95 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through FE-shape barre50 bpm · 7 min
- A-G-F-GE-shape barre50 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums95 bpm · 5 min
- G-C-D with two shapesA-shape barre55 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through FE-shape barre55 bpm · 7 min
- A-G-F-GE-shape barre55 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes95 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through BA-shape barre65 bpm · 7 min
- G-C-D with two shapesA-shape barre65 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through FE-shape barre65 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums95 bpm · 5 min
- A-G-F-GE-shape barre70 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through BA-shape barre70 bpm · 7 min
- G-C-D with two shapesA-shape barre70 bpm · 7 min
Week 11: Minor barres and your first pentatonic box
4 sessions
Week 11: Minor barres and your first pentatonic box
4 sessionsSession 135 min
- Read: Minor barres and changes8 min
- Read: Box 18 min
- A-G-F-GE-shape barre80 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through Am and EmMinor barres and changes50 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 up and downBox 160 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking95 bpm · 5 min
- A first box 1 phraseBox 165 bpm · 7 min
- Am-C-G-DmMinor barres and changes60 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through Am and EmMinor barres and changes55 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- A-G-F-GE-shape barre80 bpm · 5 min
- Box 1 up and downBox 170 bpm · 7 min
- Am-Dm-EmMinor barres and changes65 bpm · 7 min
- A first box 1 phraseBox 175 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Two per note, eighthsAlternate picking95 bpm · 5 min
- Am-C-G-DmMinor barres and changes75 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through Am and EmMinor barres and changes70 bpm · 7 min
- Box 1 up and downBox 175 bpm · 7 min
Week 12: Review: everything at target tempo
4 sessions
Week 12: Review: everything at target tempo
4 sessionsSession 126 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up90 bpm · 5 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes70 bpm · 7 min
- Chugs and chords in E minorMoving shapes110 bpm · 7 min
- Am-C-G-DmMinor barres and changes85 bpm · 7 min
Session 226 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking90 bpm · 5 min
- A first box 1 phraseBox 190 bpm · 7 min
- A melody in octavesOctaves90 bpm · 7 min
- 3-3-2 accentsSixteenths and accents80 bpm · 7 min
Session 326 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up90 bpm · 5 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes75 bpm · 7 min
- Chugs and chords in E minorMoving shapes125 bpm · 7 min
- Am-C-G-DmMinor barres and changes95 bpm · 7 min
Session 426 min
- Four per noteAlternate picking90 bpm · 5 min
- A first box 1 phraseBox 1100 bpm · 7 min
- A melody in octavesOctaves100 bpm · 7 min
- 3-3-2 accentsSixteenths and accents85 bpm · 7 min