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2 NOTICE: You Do NOT Have the Right to Reprint or Resell this Document! You Also MAY NOT Give Away, Sell or Share the Content Herein If you obtained this from anywhere other than a Kerry "2 Smooth" website you have a pirated copy. Help stop Internet crime by reporting this to support@kerry2smooth.com Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 1

5 THE GUITAR- COMPONENTS OF THE GUITAR There are three main types of guitars, the steel-string acoustic, the nylon string or classical guitar, and the electric guitar. They all have the same main parts. The picture below is an electric guitar. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 4

6 Tuning Keys These are used to tune your guitar. On a properly setup guitar you would turn these clockwise to raise the pitch and anti-clockwise to lower it. Head The head is the name for the piece of wood from the nut upwards, and exists really to locate the tuning mechanisms. Nut This is a piece if plastic or metal that has grooves for all the strings to go through. It acts as an anchor for the strings vibrations, but allows the string to move through it to allow tuning. Frets The frets are pieces of skinny metal that run across the fretboard at regular spacing determined by the length of the neck. Neck The neck is the name for the piece of wood that holds the frets, from the body of the guitar at one end, up to the nut at the other. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 5

7 Fretboard This is the name for the combination of the top part of the neck and the frets. It is the place where all the fingering happens, and is usually laid out as 22 or 24 frets. 24 Strings A regular guitar has six strings. They go from thin to thick. The exact size is the guitar owner s choice. When going from one size set of strings to another the guitar might need to be set up by a guitar tech because of the various ways that the strings affect the guitar. Strap Button The strap button is a metal protrusion that you hook your strap onto so you can play while standing. There are two - the one shown, and another on the bottom of the guitar. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 6

8 Scratch Plate (Pickguard) Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One The scratch plate is usually a piece of plastic. It exists to cover up some of the electronics of the guitar and to protect the finish of the guitar from over enthusiastic pick movements. Pickups The pickups exist to convert the vibrations of the string into an electrical signal. Having more than one pickup gives the guitar greater versatility because you get different sound depending where exactly on the string you place the pick up. Nearer to the neck gives a fuller more bass heavy sound, nearer to the bridge gives you a more trebly and cutting sound. Tremolo Bar The tremolo mechanism consists of a movable arm and a pivot point for the bridge. There are many different types of pickups, thus each with their own sound. Moving the tremolo arm will raise or lower the pitch of all the strings at once, and is used to give a vibrato type of effect. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 7

9 Selector Switch The selector switch determines which pickups are currently active. Most guitars with 3 pickups have a 5-way selector switch allowing you to make two pickups active at a time to blend the tone. Volume Knob This controls the overall output level of the guitar. Some guitars have just one volume control; others might have one volume control for each pickup. Tone Knobs Controls the treble and bass output of the guitar. The effectiveness of tone controls varies across guitars, some make little difference, some guitars will have one overall tone control, others will have multiple controls. Output Jack This is where the electrical output of the guitar appears. Take a jack lead-- plug one end in here, and the other end into your amplifier. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 8

Bridge The bridge overall is the mechanism that holds the strings in place at the bottom of the guitar. A little more complex than the nut, it allows a couple of different types of adjustment.

10 Bridge The bridge overall is the mechanism that holds the strings in place at the bottom of the guitar. A little more complex than the nut, it allows a couple of different types of adjustment. HOLDING THE GUITAR Sitting position Sit down on a chair, put your two feet on the floor and keep your back straight. Put the waist of the guitar on your right leg (if you re right-handed) and hold the back of the guitar against your stomach and chest. Keep the neck of the guitar horizontal to the floor. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 9

Don t use the left hand to support the neck from leaning down towards the floor, instead let your upper right armrest on the upper part of the guitar body to avoid this.

11 Don t use the left hand to support the neck from leaning down towards the floor, instead let your upper right armrest on the upper part of the guitar body to avoid this. Make sure all this feels comfortable. Standing Position If you have a strap for your guitar then the standing positioning will be best for you. When you stand, you don t want your guitar hang too low. The body of the guitar remains at a comfortable height for strumming/picking. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 10

Key things to note here: Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One Don't loosen the strap too much. If the guitar gets too low (i.e. down at your knees) you will have problems wrapping your fingers around the neck properly to play chords.

12 Key things to note here: Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One Don't loosen the strap too much. If the guitar gets too low (i.e. down at your knees) you will have problems wrapping your fingers around the neck properly to play chords. Do not hunch. Still make sure your forearm is square on and angled out towards the top corner of your guitar (not back behind you) so it can pivot smoothly over the strings. How to Hold a Pick The main thing to remember when holding the pick is not to hold it too firmly. It needs to flex over the strings with ease. Holding the pick between the tips of your index finger and thumb is the best way to achieve this. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 11

13 THE STRINGS ON THE GUITAR It's a very important to know the note names of the open strings on your guitar. There are six strings on the guitar and they are numbered from first to sixth starting on the smallest string and counting up to the biggest string. The diagram below shows the strings on the guitar and also the letter that correspond to each string. THE TYPES OF STRINGS The strings on your electric has a major impact on its sound and playability. Each, when properly tuned, will exert a different tension on the guitar's neck and if you jump to another size you'll probably need to adjust the truss Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 12

rod and get used to the new action of the fingerboard. As a beginner, the standard string I recommend is the 10 or 9 gauges string or less (the gauge is the thickness of the string).

14 rod and get used to the new action of the fingerboard. As a beginner, the standard string I recommend is the 10 or 9 gauges string or less (the gauge is the thickness of the string). There are a lot of brands of strings available but the one I recommend is the D'Addario Strings. These strings will gives you the clarity and the exact sound you want. AMPLIFICATION Guitar amps might seem complicated, but they re really just a lot of simple electronics wired together, and it doesn t take too long to fully understand what s going on in there. There are numerous options depending on size, sound, amplifier technology, and configuration. Amplifiers can be categorized into several types: tube, solid-state, hybrid, digital modeling, and acoustic amps. Each type of guitar amp has different functions, as well as pros and cons, so choosing one depends on what kind of sound and style the buyer is interested in. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 13

15 KNOWING YOUR FRETBOARD Visualizing, learning, mastering and knowing the guitar fretboard can seem like a daunting task. If you focus on memorizing the 6th and 5th string notes, you can learn the others by using patterns. There are 12 notes on the fretboard: A A#/BbB C C#/DbD D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab 1st string - High E string (Thinnest string) 2nd string - B string 3rd string - G string 4th string - D string 5th string - A string 6th string - Low E string (Thickest string) Learning the notes on the 6th and 5 th strings should be the first step in mapping out the fretboard. This will give you the frame of reference needed to work out the other strings and fully leverage the principles that I teach for learning barre chords, playing any chord across the fretboard and chord substitution. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 14

The first dot is on the 3rd fret, the second dot is on the 5th fret, the third dot is on the 7th fret and so

16 Also, there are dots on the face of the guitar fretboard. Each dot, represents the different frets on the guitar, look below. The first dot is on the 3rd fret, the second dot is on the 5th fret, the third dot is on the 7th fret and so on all the way up the fretboard. Most guitars will have these dots, but some may not. The dots are also at times located on the top edge of the fretboard. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 15

TUNING THE GUITAR A guitar needs should always be tuned before you play. Tuning the guitar involves tightening or loosening the strings to raise or lower the pitch to match a constant pitch.

17 TUNING THE GUITAR A guitar needs should always be tuned before you play. Tuning the guitar involves tightening or loosening the strings to raise or lower the pitch to match a constant pitch. The guitar can be tuned by using an electronic tuner, or you can tune by ear using the other strings of the guitar, or you can tune to a keyboard. When you re just starting out, I recommend using a tuner. Over time, your ear will be trained well enough that you can tune by ear. TUNING WITH AN ELECTRIC TUNER Many electric tuners come with a built in microphone for use with an acoustic guitar. If you are using an electric guitar you can plug your instrument cable directly into the tuner. According to the directions of your specific tuner, it will display whether you need to tighten or loosen the string in order to be in tune. Electric tuners are an easy to use, fast, and accurate way to tune your guitar. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 16

19 INTRODUCTION Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One Before I explain the basic chords you should focus on, it s important to understand how to read the chord diagrams that I use. If you watch my YouTube videos, you already know that I use chord diagrams to help you learn the chords I use. GUITAR CHORD DIAGRAMS Using chord diagrams is one of the ways musicians communicate their musical ideas. There are several songs that can be played by learning some few guitar chords. Using chord diagrams is a good way to l earn and study new chords. A chord diagram is basically a graphic that shows you where to place your fingers on the fretboard in order to make a specific chord. You aren t bound by the law to use the exact fingers in the diagrams, however, they re usually the most common way to structure the chords. I myself don t always follow the standard way to form a chord, so it s okay if you deviate from the diagrams. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 18

20 Note : Some also use tabular (aka tabs). I generally don t like to teach using tabs because I want you to use your ear to learn new ideas. It s very easy to become solely dependant upon using tabs. UNDERSTANDING THE FRETBOARD The fretboard consist of six vertical lines, which represent the strings of the guitar ( E.A.D.G.B.E ). The far left string represents the low E and the far right string represents the high E. Frets are shown by horizontal lines. Since chord diagrams do not show the entire fretboard, the fret numbers are placed next to frets to indicate the location on the fretboard. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 19

21 THE IMPORTANCE OF SHAPES / PATTERNS The more simple you can make something, the easier it is to duplicate. That s really my approach to playing guitar. You ll always hear me say that! That s why I don t focus on information that s not practical. If you think in terms of patterns and shapes, you ve won half the battle in becoming limitless. What do I mean by patterns and shapes? Well, instead of trying to memorize every chord there is, if you learn the notes on the 5th and 6th strings of the guitar (I give you a diagram in the BASICS section), then you can play in ANY key. That s the secret! So, now we re going to learn the core shapes you should learn - for ALL LEVELS. MAJOR AND MINOR CHORDS (BEGINNER LEVEL) Following are diagrams of R&B chord diagrams. But we should still start with major and minor chords. I didn t really discuss these chords in the video, because I wanted to focus on the common R&B chords, but the major and minor chords are good to know. This is also a good time to probably mention that many times, when I say minor chord I m typically Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 20

22 referring to the minor 7 chord, and also, when I say major chord, I m usually referring to the major 7. Again, that s because we don t use the major and minor chords much in R&B. The major chords are denoted with the abbreviation "Maj", while minor chords are denoted with "m", thus A Maj means the A Major chord and Am means the A minor chord. Major chords are considered happy chords because they have a bright sound. Minor chords have a sad sound. Now let s take a look at the chord diagrams for major and minor chords. MAJOR CHORD SHAPES (BEGINNERS) Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 21

26 BEGINNER S LEVEL EXERCISE: Practice in the key of C using the 5th string. Go to the I, ii, iii, & IV. The I and IV will always be a Major 7 shape. The ii & ii will always be the minor 7 chords. As you play, call out the names of the shapes. The distance from I to ii is 2 fret. The distance from the ii and iii is 2 frets. From the iii to the IV is one fret. For the 6th string, let s go with the key of G so you re in the same area. Again, go to the I, ii, iii, and IV. This will help you learn the number system and a little bit of theory. Refer to the Theory Section (BONUS) in the back for more information. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 25

29 DOMINANT SEVENTH CHORD SHAPES (INTERMEDIATE) INTERMEDIATE EXERCISE Create a catchy chord progression. In the key of G, go to the ii, iii, Sus4 to Dominant 7. Use the minor 11 shape for the ii and iii. Next, you can do the same exercise, interchanging the minor 11 with the minor 7 chord. You can loop it, speed it up or slow it down. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 28

30 DIMINISHED CHORD SHAPES - DIM7 (ADVANCED) Think of a diminished chord as a passing chord to fill up space within a song. It can work between the ii and iii chords. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 29

31 ADVANCED LEVEL EXERCISE: Use the 2 diminished shapes. Create a vibe and practice using both shapes. You ll begin to develop muscle memory and experiment with your ear, where the chords work. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 30

33 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MINOR 7 SHAPE If you study how I play, you ll begin to realize that a lot of the riffs I use are based on using the minor 7 shape. So, if I am in the key of C, I ll use the Am7 pentatonic shape. Then, the riffs I use, I ll use notes based on the A minor pentatonic shape. NUGGET: BE AS SOULFUL AS POSSIBLE Beginners, pick out single notes. Create a small melody within a chord progression. I demonstrate how to do this in the video. You ll notice that I just don t stay within the first position of the minor pentatonic scale. I m also playing the same notes within the scales, but outside of the first shape. In fact, they are either octaves or part of the other shapes of the minor pentatonic. Following, is a diagram of the minor pentatonic scale, but extended. For Intermediates, since you already should know the scale, you can incorporate techniques such as palm muting. You should also work on double stop moves. I also demonstrate an exercise you can do to practice double stops. Applying these techniques can change the dynamics of a song. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 32

34 Advanced players, you can do more with your licks by recycling licks by using octaves. I give an example in the video of what you can practice. There s even a walkup I do that you should learn. If you re having trouble, you can slow down the video to learn. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 33

36 IMPORTANCE OF COUNTING Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One The main point for all levels is to recognize it s important for you to get used to counting. Don t rely on the drummer. Learning how to count helps you know when to transition between chords. Move your feet and/or head to help you. That s why using the metronome is key. HOW TO USE A METRONOME WHEN PRACTICING You first of all set the metronome at the speed you want to practice. Always remember not to set a metronome slower than 60 bpm (beats per minute). It s impossible for a beginner to keep an even beat at a slower pace because you re just too new to the idea. However, a good position to start with chord changes is playing chords at a rate of 70 bpm. Your ear has the advantage of hearing a usable tempo, and your hand gets to work at a slower pace. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 35

37 TIPS IN USING A METRONOME Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One Play moderately slow, then build upon it. Not excessively slow, but moderately slow. How fast that is exactly depends on the rhythm or song you are playing. Find the trouble Spot when practicing. Music is never of equal difficulty throughout. There will be easier areas and harder areas. As you raise the tempo, you will notice certain problem spots and "stress points" begin to appear. The metronome's unforgiving nature helps you identify these spots. Now perfect what you are playing. Note that perfect playing doesn t mean you should overplay in terms of raising the tempo. However perfect playing is to repeat the correct motions over and over. Playing too fast with lots of mistakes is counterproductive. Thus, playing it perfectly 100 times at gradually increasing speed is the best. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 36

38 PRACTICE ROUTINES BONUS A guitar practice routine is the most effective way to become limitless. There are no shortcuts. No matter what style of music you play, or your experience level, organized practice time helps you grow as a player. Find time to sit down and work out a routine, and then spend time each day practicing, even if it s 15 minutes a day. 1. Understand how to play the major scale. Take the scale from one position to the next position. The more you can do this the easier it will be for you to remember that chord. 2. Also when practicing, call out the numbers out loud ( ). This makes it easy to remember. 3. When learn the notes on the guitar, you create flash cards. It makes the learning process easier. 4. Always practice using a metronome to stay in beat. 5. Practice a chord progression in multiple keys (I - II - III - IV). 6. Spend time playing rhythm guitar. Because this is going to take you to the next level. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 37

40 THE NUMBER SYSTEM Becoming Limitless R&B Guitar Video One When you play with other musicians, it s not uncommon for someone to say, We re going to play in the key of C. Let s play the vi, V, iii, IV. Understanding what this means allows you to play in any key. In music, you ll find that most use Roman numerals, with upper case for Major chords, and lower case for minor chords. The number system is based off the major scale. There are 7 notes in the major scale. Each note is given a number. It sounds like Do-Re-Mi-Fa- Sol-La- Ti- Do, where Do is I, Re is ii and so on. The last Do is the same as the 1st, so essentially, it s the I. And each note is associated with a number. Memorize this: The I, IV, V are ALWAYS going to be Major. The ii, iii, vi are ALWAYS going to be minor. Technically, the vii is diminished, but in R&B we can use a minor. THIS NEVER CHANGES. Looking at the major scale, if you know how to play it on your guitar, and you ve memorized what number goes with what chord type, you re in great shape. You ll begin to see relationships of where chords reside with respect to the numbers. For example, if you know where the I is of any key is on the 5th string, you will learn over time that the vi of that key can be found on the 6th string, 2 frets to the right. There are other shortcuts you ll Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 39

41 learn that ll help you navigate with more ease across the fretboard that you ll begin to notice with more practice and over time. So, I think including the major scale shape will help you see what I m referring to. Let s look at the major scale shape - with the root on both the 6th string and the 5th string: Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 40

42 CONCLUSION There s a lot of information in Video one and also here, so use this as a reference. Don t feel overwhelmed. I wanted to try and accommodate as many as I could. Start at whatever level you are. Have fun and practice. You will see progress. Post your comments / questions in the chat box and I ll do my best to answer as many as I can. Copyright. kerry2smooth.com. All Rights Reserved 41

Beginner Guitar Theory: The Essentials

Beginner Guitar Theory: The Essentials By: Kevin Depew For: RLG Members Beginner Guitar Theory - The Essentials Relax and Learn Guitar s theory of learning guitar: There are 2 sets of skills: Physical