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Your hands know the way. Teach them one step at a time.

Get comfortable with your instrument, learn the first shapes, then bring them together in time.

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Three Points of Contact

0 of 3 free lessons marked ready · 3 min next session

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Your progress is saved in this browser. Each saved result identifies its evidence: your own assessment, a visual reading check, or a microphone exercise. You can revisit any available lesson.

The first module is free, matching the iOS sampler. Other modules are previews on the web while purchase access is being connected. An iOS purchase does not unlock web lessons yet.

Your first A/D routine

Seven familiar blocks, 21 suggested minutes. Prepare with instruction, then tune, work on shapes, change chords, and play songs.

Open practice routine

Sound Check

Guitar in tune, hands in place, one clean note you can repeat

3 modulesFirst module free

Hold, Fret, Pick

Practice goal: Find and repeat the six open-string pitches

3 lessons
  1. 1Three Points of ContactLearn · Self-assessment3 min
  2. 2Six Open StringsPractice · Microphone exercise4 min
  3. 3Checkpoint: Six Open StringsCheckpoint · Self-assessment4 min

Tune It Yourself

Practice goal: Tune and recheck all six strings at a comfortable pace

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1What In Tune Actually MeansLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Tuner Target PracticePractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Six Strings in TuneCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Read the Page

Practice goal: Identify eight of ten notated shapes and positions correctly

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Tab, Boxes, and SlashesLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Name the ShapePractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Eight of Ten ReadsCheckpoint · Reading checkPreview

Two Chords, First Study

Learn A and D, count your changes, and play an original two-chord study

4 modulesCurriculum preview

D and A

Practice goal: Build D and A and check their sounding strings deliberately

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1D, Then ALearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Check D, Then APractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Check Both ChordsCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

The Change

Practice goal: Practice silent anchor movement and record your own sixty-second A/D change count

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Keep One Finger in PlaceLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Count Your One-Minute ChangesPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Your One-Minute CountCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Down on the Beat

Practice goal: Play an original sixteen-bar study and check sixty-four quarter-note attacks across sixteen bars at eighty BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Four Beats, One DownstrokeLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2First Light: An Original A/D StudyPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Sixteen Bars at EightyCheckpoint · Microphone exercisePreview

First Riff

Practice goal: Play a single-string riff at ninety BPM, three clean passes of three

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1A Riff Is a Melody You Can HoldLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2One String, Four NotesPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Three Clean Passes at NinetyCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

The Open Eight

Eight open chords, a capo, and any three-chord song you like

5 modulesCurriculum preview

Minor Colors

Practice goal: Produce any of eight chord shapes on demand within three seconds

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Why Minor Sounds Like ThatLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Three Minors on CuePractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Eight Shapes, Three Seconds EachCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

E, C and G

Practice goal: Play the full open eight cleanly, every string ringing

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Stretch ChordsLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Four-Chord SongSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: The Open Eight, CleanCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Up and Down

Practice goal: Hold the universal strumming pattern for twenty-four bars at ninety BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Hand Never StopsLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Ghost StrumsPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Twenty-Four Bars at NinetyCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Capo and Keys

Practice goal: Play the same song in three different keys using a capo

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Same Shapes, New KeyLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Three Keys, One SongPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: One Song, Three KeysCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Three-Four and Six-Eight

Practice goal: Switch between meters mid-song without a stumble

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Counting in ThreesLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Six-Eight BalladSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Meter Switch, No StumbleCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

The First Scale

Single notes, alternate picking, and the shape every solo starts from

5 modulesCurriculum preview

Box One

Practice goal: Play minor pentatonic box one up and down at eighty BPM, two clean passes

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Five Notes That Always WorkLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Box One, Up and DownPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Two Clean Passes at EightyCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Alternate Picking

Practice goal: Play eighth notes at one hundred BPM at ninety-five percent accuracy

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Down-Up Is Not OptionalLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Metronome Ladder, Sixty to One HundredPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Eighths at One HundredCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

Practice goal: Play clean legato pairs across three strings at eighty BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Notes Without PickingLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Legato Pairs, Three StringsPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Clean Legato at EightyCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Eighths and Palm Mute

Practice goal: Hold twenty-four bars of palm-muted eighths at one hundred BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Where the Edge of the Hand GoesLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Palm-Muted Rock SongSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Twenty-Four Bars at One HundredCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Fingers, Not Pick

Practice goal: Play sixteen bars of alternating-bass fingerstyle without stopping

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Thumb Keeps TimeLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Alternating BassPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Sixteen Bars, No StopCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Barre Line

The chord that stops most players, the blues form, and your first solo

6 modulesCurriculum preview

The F Problem

Practice goal: Enter and exit a clean partial F barre four times in a row

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Barre Is Leverage, Not StrengthLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Partial F, In and OutPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Four Clean EntriesCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Power Chords

Practice goal: Play a power-chord riff at one hundred and ten BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Two Notes, No QualityLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Power-Chord Riff SongSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Riff at One Hundred and TenCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Twelve Bars

Practice goal: Play three choruses of the twelve-bar form from memory, no chart

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Form You Already KnowLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Call the ChangesPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Three Choruses From MemoryCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

First Solo

Practice goal: Improvise four bars in key over the blues form without stopping

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Four Bars Is a SentenceLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2One Phrase, Three AnswersPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Four Bars, In Key, No StopCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Bend and Vibrato

Practice goal: Bend a semitone to within twenty cents of target, three attempts of four

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Pitch You Control After the PickLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Bend to TargetPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Semitone Within Twenty CentsCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Triads and Chords in Keys

Practice goal: Name and play the one, four, five and six chords in three keys

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Every Chord Is Three NotesLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2One, Four, Five, SixPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Three Keys, Named and PlayedCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Whole Neck

Barre shapes everywhere, the major scale in five positions, eight bars of your own

6 modulesCurriculum preview

Full Barre, E Shape

Practice goal: Play E-shape barre major and minor cleanly at five positions

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1One Shape, Twelve ChordsLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Five Positions, CleanPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Major and Minor at Five PositionsCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Full Barre, A Shape

Practice goal: Play a one-four-five progression using both barre shapes

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Second Movable ShapeLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Barre-Chord Song, Both ShapesSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: One-Four-Five, Both ShapesCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

The Major Scale, Five Positions

Practice goal: Connect three adjacent scale positions at one hundred BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Neck Is One ScaleLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Connect Three PositionsPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Three Positions at One HundredCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Eight Bars

Practice goal: Improvise eight bars landing chord tones on the changes

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Phrasing Over the ChangesLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Target the ThirdPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Eight Bars, Chord Tones LandedCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Steal It By Ear

Practice goal: Transcribe a four-bar phrase from audio at ninety percent accuracy

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Hear It, Hum It, Find ItLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Four Notes From AudioPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Four Bars TranscribedCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Rhythm Vocabulary

Practice goal: Hold a syncopated sixteenth pattern for twenty-four bars at one hundred BPM

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Sixteenths and the Space BetweenLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Syncopated Groove SongSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Twenty-Four Bars at One HundredCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Signature

Style, tone, and three songs you can play for anyone

6 modulesCurriculum preview

Funk

Practice goal: Hold a one-chord funk groove for thirty-two bars

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1The Groove Is the MuteLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Sixteenth ScratchPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Thirty-Two Bars, One ChordCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Blues Beyond Box One

Practice goal: Improvise twelve bars moving through three scale positions

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Five Boxes, One ScaleLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Cross the BoxesPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Twelve Bars, Three PositionsCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Jazz Doorway

Practice goal: Comp a thirty-two bar standard form from memory

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Sevenths Change EverythingLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Two-Five-One CompingSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: A Standard Form From MemoryCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Extensions and Alterations

Practice goal: Reharmonise a progression and play it in time

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Colour Beyond the SeventhLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Ninths and ThirteenthsPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Reharmonised and PlayedCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Tone and Effects

Practice goal: Switch between two tones inside one song, in time

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Gain Staging in One MinuteLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Clean to Dirty Inside a SongPractice · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Two Tones, One SongCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview

Your Set

Practice goal: Play an unbroken three-song set, start to finish

3 lessonsPreview
  1. 1Sequencing Three SongsLearn · Self-assessmentPreview
  2. 2Set Rehearsal, Full TakesSong · Self-assessmentPreview
  3. 3Checkpoint: Three-Song Set, UnbrokenCheckpoint · Self-assessmentPreview