Free Guitar Basics Course

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• Introduction
• Guitar anatomy
• Guitar accessories
• Practicing
• Practice log
• Repertoire
• Listening
• Beginning music theory
• Tuning
• Finger names
• Hand position
• Notation
• Chords to get you started
• Tablature
• Power chords
• Chord transitions
• Easy songs to learn
• Rhythmic notation
• The blues shuffle
• Intro to pentatonics
• Open chords
• Intro to barre chords

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• Next Course: 2. Technique, Reading, & Theory

Hand position

Playing with proper hand position is important to avoid injury and to play as effeciently as possible. As a general rule, place your thumb in the center of the back of the neck in line with your second finger. Imagine holding a tennis ball in your left hand with curved fingers. Play on the tips of your fingers and aim to keep a gap between your palm and the side of the neck. Notice the angle of the fingers in the images: the index finger points slightly to the thumb side, the index finger slightly less to the thumb side, and the ring finger and pinky point in the opposite direction.

Back: Finger numbers & guitar directions Next: Notation