USER GUIDE TO THE CHANNEL
Welcome to THE GUITAR PRACTICE by Guy Pople of Lytham St Annes Guitar Shop. This is an educational resource for practising guitarists. The overall focus is to help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to become a confident creative player.
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To find the 500+ lessons, head to the ARCHIVE using this direct link https://lsaguitarshop.substack.com/archive and use the SEARCH function to find specific lessons from the lesson index below. Just choose a topic and a number e.g. TECHNIQUE 85 will take you to a lesson on harmonics.
TECHNIQUE: Number of lessons = 138
The Rudiments
Position Playing
Fingers & Pick Switch Trick
Finger Flexibility
Fingertip Proximity
Note Locations
Muted Picking
Pick Location
Counting Groups
Alternate Picking
Strumming 1
Strumming 2
Strumming 3 - Reggae
Fingerpicking 1
Fingerpicking 2
Fingerpicking 3
Fingerpicking 4 & 5
Fingerpicking 6
Fingerpicking 7
Fingerpicking 8 - Blues
Fingerpicking 9 - Blues 2
Fingerpicking 10 - Blues 3
Fingerpicking 11
Hybrid Picking 1
Hybrid Picking 2
Moving Shapes 1
Independence 1
Independence 2
Independence 3
Harmonics 1
Chord Bass Lines
Decorate Chords
Timing & Counting
Hammer-On Pull-off 1
Hammer-On Pull-off 2
Hammer-On Pull-off 3
Hammer-On Pull-off 4
Turns 1
Turns 2 - repetitive
Turns 3 - compound
Turns 4
Tapping 1
Metalwork 1
Metalwork 2
Metalwork 3
Metalwork 4
Metalwork 5
48a = Sweeps 1, 48b = Sweeps 2
Fingerpicking 12 - Spanish
Fingerpicking 13 - Jazz 1
Fingerpicking 14 - Jazz 2
Hammer-On Pull-off 5
Hammer-On Pull-off 6
Moving Shapes 2
Strumming 3 - Funk
Tapping 2
Turns 5 - mixed
Independence 4
Harmonics 1
Sweeps 3
Metalwork 6 - essentials
Turns 7
Metalwork 7
Alternate & Sweep Picking - with The Animals
Metalwork 8 - mutes
Metalwork 8 - downstrokes with James
Strumming 6 - with Page
Strumming 7 - with Page
Fingerpicking 15
Metalwork 10 - switching gears
…
Alternate Picking - with Yorke
Strumming 8 - with Gilmour
Volume Swells
Metalwork 11 - atonal
Tapping 3
…
Fingerpicking, Hammers & Independence
Metalwork 12 - power chord fingers
Fingerpicking Chords with extras
Alternate Picking
Fingerpicking 16 - the 4th
Artificial Harmonics and Taps
Group of 7, Accenting, Mutes
Harmonics 3
Mobile Picking hand
Common Fingers
Sweeps 4
Picking Adjacent Strings
Switching between Hammer/Pulls and Picking
Thumb Position for Stretching
Creating Drama
Turns 8
Alternate Picking - with Accents, Mutes, Tension & Release and Time Changes
Turns 9
Palm Muting with Group of 7s and 9s
Picking Location and Tone
Independence 5 - Focussed Pairs
Fingerpicking 17 - Blues 4
Chord Changing Tips
Fingerpicking 18 - Multiple Finger Groups
Picking - Switching Gears & Accents
Fingerpicking 19 - Reggae 1
Fingerpicking 20 - Reggae 2
Turns 10
Turns 11
Independence 6
Switching from Strumming to Picking
Switching between Fingerpicking and Strumming
Hammering, Pulling and Tapping with E Major
Turns 12 - matched Picking
Independence 7 - Chord Changes and Hammers
Fingerpicking 21 - Spanish 2
Picking strategies
Fingerpicking 22 - Blues 5 with rhythmic independence
Fingerpicking 23 - Harmonics, Open Strings & Arching
Fingerpicking 24 - Rolls & Independence
Alternate Picking - 3rd Chord Scale, Open strings, Arching & Accents
Up Close - Chord Changing
Fingerpicking 25 - Minor Blues Scale & Dorian Mode, Shuffle, Time Change, Improv
Finger Flexibility and Chord Changes
Fingerpicking 26 - thinking in three parts
Harmonics 4 - Beyond the Board
Fingerpicking 27 - 3 parts with Contra Motion
Playing in 5s with Hybrid & Fingerpicking
Integrating Alternate Picking and Sweeping
Fingerpicking 28 - Percussion
Strumming - Reggae 2
Turns 13
Dampening, Muting & Shielding
Alternate Picking - Accented 7/8
Fingerpicking 30 - up close
Sweeps 5 - up close to Economy Picking
Tapping 4 - up close
Up Close - Chord Changes
Up Close - Strumming
Pick Attack
Sweeps 6
CHORDS: Number of lessons = 76
Open A, D, E (majors & minors)
Open C, G major
Open C, A , G, E, D dom 7
Preparing for Bar Chords
The CAGED System 1
Chord Scale 1 - D or Bm
Chord Scale 2 - D or C#m
Chord Scale 3 - F or Dm
Chord Scale 4 - Eb or Cm
Chord Scale 5 - 4ths & 11ths
Chord Scale 6 - 6ths & 13ths
Chord Scale 7 - 7ths
Chord Scale 8 - 9ths & 2nds
Chord Scale 10 - 13ths
Chord Scale 11 - Chord Substitutions
Chord Scale 12 - Major Triads
Enhancements 1 - Open Em
Enhancements 2 - Open Am
Enhancements 3 - Open C
Enhancements 4 - Open D
Building 1 - Interval Formulae
The Dim 7
The Sus 2 and Add 2
Bars with Open Strings
Common Fingers 1
…
Polychords
Triad Mining
Inversion 1
Inversions 2
CAGED 2 - Dom 7
Enhancements 5 - open Dm
Enhancements 6 - open A
Enhancements 7 - open E
Chord Melody
Enhancements 8 - Bars 1
Maj 7 #11
Dom 7 #5 #9
Chord Scale 13 - 7ths with Voice Leading
Don’t Fear The Name
Hidden Jems
Enhancements - Bars 2
Enhancements - Bars 3
Common Fingers 2
Min 9th in action
Enhancements - Bars 4
Aug dom 7
Using Mods - Invert, Shuffle, Bar…
Building 2
Min 7 b5 b9 add 11
Chord Melody 1
Classic Progressions 1 - Moonlight
Chord Melody 2
Chord Melody 3
Chord Melody 4
Chord Melody 5
Chord Scale 13 - 9ths
Building 3
Chord Scale 14 - 9ths
Diminished Returns
Chord Scale 15 - single position, common voice, changing with mute
Chord Scale 16 - 7ths, Open String Variants, Fingerpicking
Chord Scale 17 - 3rds over 3rds in 3rds
Chord Scale 18 - 7ths - C#m with technique
Using Classic Charts for chord changing, building and arrangement exercise
Building 4 - Upper Register, Open Strings & Common Tone
Song Analysis - Perfect day - Key Changes
Building 5 - Shorter’s ESP workout
CAGED 3 - the system in action
A Common Upper Voice
Re-voicing with Pink Floyd
Chord Scale 19 - 7ths with Contra Motion
ARPEGGIOS: Number of lessons = 28
‘Harp-Like’ Chords
Triad Shapes with 2, 4, 6, 7
Minors
CAGED Dm - Interlocking Shapes
CAGED Majors add 9
Single-String plus Extras
Major 6ths
CAGED Minor b6th
CAGED Minor 7ths Position-Shifting
Converting 7ths and Beyond
Major 7 # 11
Change the Fingering & Discover New Shapes
Circular Shapes
Min7 b9 with Improv
Dom 7 with Extensions
CAGED Min7 b5
Improv with Looping
Maj 13 #11 - Lydian in 3rds
Min 7 with Scales & Technique
CAGED Minors with Extensions
Distribute Notes & Transform to Chord
Inverting & Suspending
Outlining & Progressions
SCALES: Number of lessons = 27
Chromatic, Major, Major Blues, Minor, Minor Blues
The Single Stringdom
CAGED Majors - Interconnecting Shapes
Minors
Blues with Inversions
Major Scale with Modes
Improv
Three Octave Shapes with Position-Shifting
Harmonised - 3rds
Dorian #4
Ionian #4, #5
Minor with Contra-Motion
Mixolydian
THEORY: Number of lessons = 57
The Rudiments
Developing a Key
Key Signatures
Intervals
Intonation
Altered Tunings 1
Timing
Mining for Chords
Improv 1
Creativity
Consolidating Shapes
Barry Harris Lessons
Juxtapositon
Loose Threads
(and 16.) Coltrane’s Giant Steps
..
Contra-Motion
Altered Tunings 2
Improv 2 - Jump Off A Chord
Improv 3 - Chromatic Notes
Shine A Light
Improv 4 - 12 notes over 1 chord
Improv 5 - Modes
Improv 6 - Refining Ideas
List of Keys & Tasks
Improv 7 - Juxtaposing Scales
Same Notes, Different Groove
Improv 8 - Relative Chromatics
Altered Tunings 3
C-flat and the Double-flat 7ths
Unusual Times
Scale names 2
Improv 9 - Pentatonics plus one
Chord Substitutions 1 - Extensions
Chord Substitutions 2 - Nested Triads
Chord Substitutions 3 - Common Voices
Chord Substitutions 4 - Pivot Chords 1
Chord Substitutions 5 - Pivot Chords 2
Interval Training for Chord building - all positions
Improv 10 - The Holdsworthian Method
Improv 11 - Outside the Box
Chord Substitutions 6
A Summary of the Basics
The Locrians
Building ‘Like-Minded’ Chords
Note Names, Frequencies & Taste
The Harmonic Series
Inversions
Chord Naming 2 - Confusion
Chord Naming 3
5/8 with a maj7 #11
Twin Guitar Harmony Basics with a Looper
Chord Naming 4a
Scale Names 3 - Modes
Chord Naming 4b
Counterpoint & Contra-motion
Analyse to Accompany
PRACTISING: Number of lessons = 28
Warmup
The Checklist
Make It Count
Stuck In a Rut 1
Wear and Tear
Combining Sections
Classic Tracks & Chords
Improv with Rhythm & Lead
Stuck In A Rut 2
CAGED?
Combining Fingerstyle, Sight-Reading, Chord-building and Arranging from a Chart
Alternate & Hybrid-Picking, Stretching, Moving Bass Lines, Chords and Scales
Combining Scale shapes, Arpeggio, Chord and Improv
Chord, Scale, Extension and Improv
New Chord Shapes from New Scale Shapes
Reading Intervals and Chords
The Mode, Arpeggio, Chord and Theory Quartet
The Pacemaker
Phrase Training with David Gilmour
Shapes - What’s Next?
Music Notation - What’s Next?
Theory - What’s Next?
Technique - What’s Next?
Illusions
Challenges
Identifying the Mode & Key of a Chord
Clefs & 13th Arpeggios
Using a Looper
NOTATION: Number of lessons = 34
The Dots
Scores 1
Multiple Locations
PIMA
Counting 1
Route Markers
Accidentals 1
Figured Bass
Scores 2
Accidentals 2
Non-English Terms
Pedal Point
Accidentals 3
Tapping Rhythms
Counting 2
Beams and 3, 6, 9/8 time
Reading Chords 1
Reading Chords 2
Staff/Fretboard Orienteering
Scores 3 and Chord Arrangement
Dynamics
Learn from Bach
Triplet Crotchets and More
DemiHemiSemis
Tapping Rhythms and Independence
What is the Key?
Tapping Rhythms
Open Strings Reference & Curiosities
Tempo
Polymeter & Polyrhythm
Bach Loops
Where & When?
Melodic Minor
Student Toolkit
COOL PARTS: Number of lessons = 23
Page - Babe
Murray & Smith - Phantom
DiMeola - Sundance
Lennon & McCartney - I Want You
Uli -Sails
Rhodes - Diary
Prince - Doves
Buckley - Grace
Jimi - Little Wing
Gilmour - Hey You
Berry - Johnny
Slash - Sweet
Friedman - Holy
Stravinsky - Rites
Sting - Various
Bach - Toccata
Knopfler - Wild 1 (Search for A&R 17 to get part 2 of this)
Norman - 007
Anon - West Bank
Clapton - Tears
Hank - Apache
Frusciante - Road
Green - Oh Well
7str: Number of lessons = 20
Technique
The Whole-Tone 1
Major Blues
The Whole-Half 1
The Whole-Half 2
Dorian & Blues
The Whole-Tone 2
Phrygian maj 3
More Diminished
Ionian #5
Extending the 6str Scales
The Whole-Half 3
Arpeggios - 2, 4, 6..
4oct Locrian maj 6
Arpeggios - Dim 7
Arpeggios - min7 b9
Arpeggios - mai 7 #11
Arpeggios - aug
Arpeggios - min (maj 7)
Arpeggios - Interlocking maj 7
GEAR: Number of lessons = 28
Guitar Maintenance
FX - Dirt
Do You Need A Setup?
Chasing Tone
Illusions
FX - Loopers
Modifications
7 Strings 1
5 String Bass
Fretless Bass
String lore
Removing Bridge Pins
Removing Bridge Pins 2
Multi-Scale Bridges & Fanned Frets
One Person’s Junk, Classic Guitars and Deceased Estates
Tying Knots
Baritone Guitar
Locking Tuners
Troubleshooting Noise
…
Refurb & Setup
Plectrum Material & Strumming Tone
Speaker Cab Tone
Strandberg Boden 6 Std into PRS Mt15 and Vox Ac10
7strings 2
Book-matched & 1pc Tops
The Stradivarius
12str Guitar
MISCELLANEOUS (MISC): Number of lessons = 21
Guitar Evolution
Cyberband
Preparing to Gig
Books, Websites, Podcasts, Videos
Vox 1
Vox 2
Preparing to Record
Pick Location, Harmonic Series, Timbre
Common Terms
Vox 3
The Common Denominator
Preparing To Teach
Sustenance
Rock Guitar Lineage of the Britain
Music Subscription Services
AI
Pyschacoustics
Hand Anatomy
Mousike
Reference Players
AI 2
MUSIC PRODUCTION: Number of lessons = 18
Conducting with Automation
Editing
Melodyne
File Management, Backups etc
Editing with Tempo Changes
Managing DAW Resources
Audio Nip & Tuck
Multipresser Automation
Conducting with Automation
Joining Audio
Removing Pops with Automation
Copying Automation
Workflow with Screensets
Manipulating Space
Shortcuts
Articulating Strings
The Click
Tidy Up
I also routinely revisit earlier articles to update anything which I feel has evolved and also reorder the lessons within a section to help the overall arc.
I recommend you make a note of which lessons which you need to return to regularly e.g. THEORY 1 has all the basics and THEORY 2 is about building out a Key - both have months of work to explore.
The lessons are meant to be mostly independent activities but there are themes e.g. type in CHORD SCALES and you’ll find many examples because these are excellent prep for both playing, understanding and creating song arrangements. Type in IMPROV and you’ll find a wide range of related articles.
If you are local to Lytham St Annes Guitar Shop then I can be booked for hourly face-to-face sessions from 530-630 Mon to Sat.
If you are remote and want to book a similar session using Skype or similar then you can do so by contacting via the shop’s website www.lsaguitars.com.
I recommend you access the archive via a laptop, Tablet or Desktop because the videos and lesson detail will require too much zooming back & forth on a phone.
The basic skills required to play the guitar to any decent standard are particularly hard because your hands and mind are not prepared for the time and persistent effort it takes to produce even the semblance of a musical sound. It doesn’t help that the experts make it look easy and nobody can see the thousands of hours they put in to get there. Instead of dwelling on this though, rather work patiently on all the myriad elements of the craft and art until you experience the pleasure of stringing something together that sounds like a bit of music.
Below is a diagram of the fretboard - print it out and leave it within eyesight where you practise. Look up from time to time to see what the notes are called that you are playing or reading about. Become familiar saying both names of the # and b notes. THEORY 1 will answer your questions.
Regards,
Guy Pople
Lytham St Annes Guitar Shop
PS: Originally this archive was largely text and images. It was destined to be published as a book and Carl Verheyen kindly wrote this as a forward. Over the course of this process the WWW opened up with the possibility of including video, so the book was shelved. In case you don’t know who Carl is, he is one of the modern guitar luminaries who makes all styles look easy but also has professional reading and theory chops. You can find a chat & jam with him on Tim Pierce’s YT channel or check out his book Studio City, which collects his monthly articles written about his work as a top session guitarist. His own music is also available on all networks.
Introduction by Carl Verheyen
"Many of us picked up the guitar after being inspired by a band, an album or sometimes just a song. After a lot of listening to our favourite players and a lot of practising we found we could actually play with a certain degree of proficiency. The only problem with this self-taught approach is that eventually one hits a brick wall. Without a fundamental knowledge of harmony and chord scale theory, a player is only capable of the simplest form of improvising. Once the harmony gets a little more complex with key changes and modulations, the self-taught guitarist is stranded, unable to navigate through the 'keys of the moment.'
The songwriter, too, is at a great disadvantage without the tools needed to musically move between keys for the chorus or verses. A standard is a standard because its harmony works and stands the test of time. The great songwriters through the ages, from Lennon and McCartney to Brian Wilson, Paul Simon, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and many others have possessed a deep understanding of harmony. Their songs have survived over the decades and are being performed somewhere in the world right now. It’s an amazing revelation when you find out where chords come from, how they relate to each other and how to create and play over harmonically rich progressions. It’s a long overdue book you hold in your hands.
Guy has made this important information available to guitarists in a simple format for guitarists of all levels to understand. I’m quite sure that at some point as you work through this book, the clouds will part, a beam of light will shine down upon you and you will shout A-HA! Now I get it! Good luck with your music"
Carl Verheyen
www.carlverheyen.com