Level 0 1. Learn how to hold the guitar & pick 2. Learn the different parts of the guitar 3. Learn basic strumming, such as up and down strums 4. Learn how to pick & fret single notes 5. Learn the names of all six strings 6. Learn basic guitar maintenance, namely how to tune your guitar 7. Learn what a note is, and which notes make up a chord 8. Learn what a key is 9. Learn basic intervals, namely what is a half step versus a whole step Level 1 1. Play basic open chords: E, Eminor, A, A minor, G, C, D 2. Strum in time, count, play different note values 3. Do some very basic guitar maintenance namely how to change your strings 4. Recommended songs to learn: (basic strumming, or one-string songs) For What Its Worth: Buffalo Springfield Wagon Wheel: Darius Rucker Smoke on the Water: Deep Purple Seven Nation Army: White Stripes Iron Man: Black Sabbath Level 2 1. Learn Right Hand technique of all alternate picking 2. First Position Pentatonic Scale -> Minor Pentatonic Scale 3. Learn all notes of Fretboard up to the 5th Fret 4. Learn what syncopation is, how to count different beat subdivisions 5. Recommended songs to learn: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd Running Down a Dream - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers House of the Rising Sun - The Animals Highway to Hell - AC/DC Hurt - Johnny Cash Level 3 1. Second Position Pentatonic Scale - Major Pentatonic Scale 2. Barre Chords - F Major, B Minor- Leading to playing barre chords with 5th & 6th String roots 3. Minor and Major versions of those barre chords 4. Know all the notes on the fretboard 5. Start Soloing over backing tracks (good one - “now you shred”) Samples to solo over: Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits Layla - Eric Clapton Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Level 4 1. Learn all 5 positions of the pentatonic scale (Just 3 new ones) 2. Learn Major and Minor Diatonic Scale 3. Learn to play Seventh Chords -> Major, Minor, Dominant & Half-Diminished 4. Play all seventh chords with roots on the fifth & sixth strings 5. Play with Bends, Vibrato, Hammer-ons & pull-offs 6. Natural & Pinch harmonics 7. Music Theory: How to build Scales, Triads 8. Learn how sevenths apply to Triads 9: Recommended: (people often) Get a Guitar Instructor at this level Level 4.5 1. Learn to Harmonize the minor scale 2. Harmonize the Major Scale - Core Word Scale, order of the Triads 3. Learn the Nashville Number System *Extremely Important* 4. Familiarize yourself with really common chord progressions 5. Learn the functions of different chords Level 5 1. Learn the Modes 2. Learn all the Intervals 3. Learn the CAGED system 4. Learn the arpeggios within the CAGED system 5. Learn to identify triads within the CAGED arpeggios 6. Learn Major seventh, Minor seventh, Dominant seventh, Half diminished arpeggios with fifth and sixth string roots 7. Add the seventh to your CAGED arpeggios 8. Learn the theory behind the Modes 9. Learn how chord tones can be used in a solo or melody to accentuate chords already in the song 10. Learn about Compound Time Signatures Level 6 1. Understand Chord Extensions beyond the seventh 2. Focus on learning how to add ninth, eleventh & thirteenth to your chords -> *Heavy Jazz Concept* 3. Learn the Melodic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios 4. Learn the Harmonic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios 5. Learn this one very important mode of the harmonic minor scale: the diminished scale 6. Lessons often stopped at this level
as a beginner w severe anxiety who worries about missing things and knows shit about music, id like to THANK YOU for this. its insane how this knowledge is rare to see freely online
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I’ve been playing random songs I liked on guitar for a good couple years, but never felt like I could say I was making any substantial progress. I REALLY like having a checkpoint kind of system I can look at to know what to learn, so this is awesome - and the storyline you threaded through the video is super fun.
I was stuck there for a long time. I learned CAGED, and barres and it's helped me learn a lot of the fretboard. I'm at level 4 now. I'm 34 and have played on and off since 16.
same!! I’ve been “playing” acoustic for 4-5 years, but only learning basic chord progressions, picking/strumming patterns, etc. I’m only now feeling called to learn it seriously and dive all the way in. I’m so excited and also saddened that I have gone this long without fully trying- but no better time to start than now! Getting an electric for Christmas and cannot wait.
I nearly fell out of my chair after realizing this is a new and small channel. The depth of explanation and production quality is insane. Keep it up and your channel will grow tremendously!
Also worth considering, perhaps you can get enough enjoyment and be able to compose songs before reaching phase four. So depending on what you want out of Guitar and what your individual needs are, you may be just fine by that point. Of course you'll probably always get a craving for learning something new from time to time. Can't just noodle on scales forever. Then again learning is inevitable. 😂
Just started aka day 2 ( my fingers are still hurting from last night) some of my favorite songs were in the first 4 levels I AM SO EXCITED TO PLAY AGAIN
Dude, this is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. There’s so much information online it’s overwhelming. I don’t know where I should be, what I should be learning, what I should know and might still have yet to learn. Having a comprehensive checklist like this helps so much and gives me actual, tangible tasks and goals to focus on so I can really get started on my journey learning this instrument. Thank you!
After years of trying to learn guitar, you've shown me I was jumping around all over the place with what I was learning. No wonder I felt like I was hitting walls. I'm hopeful again man, thank you for this
being a self taught guitarist, this is exactly the kind of information i was looking for: an order to know what to learn or to know where you'd place techniques in a categorization of levels and skill mastery. Now i know where to start. Thank you so much and i wish you all the best for the growth of this channel
Nah bro, would've never believed you have just 500 subs💀 that storytelling, that editing, that amount of work in this video is really something different. Good job, mate! You've honestly earned yourself a new sub and definitely, not even close to the last. Thank you for your service!
Being a guitarist for almost 15 years now, I gonna use your convincing approach as a check list to fill the knowledge gaps I’ve always been living with. Good job 👏 Your effort is highly appreciated.
I’m in the same boat & couldn’t agree more. This video will definitely help me fill in my learning gaps. Thank you for taking the time to share this. Greatly appreciated!!
Beginner: How to hold the guitar How to hold the pick Parts of the guitar Names of all strings + Up strums and down strums How to fret a single note How to pick a single note How to tune the guitar: What is a note? How many notes are there? What is a Chord What is a key? What is a half step? What is a whole step? Level 1: Basic open chords: E, E Minor A, A Minor. G, C, D How to strum in time. Count/Play note values How to change strings Songs: For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield Wagon Wheel - Darius Rucker Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple Seven nation army - The White Stripes Iron Man - Black Sabbath Level 2: Alternate Picking 1st Position Pentatonic Scale (Minor Pentatonic Scale) All notes up to the 5th Fret What is syncopation? How to count beat subdivisions Songs: Sweet home Alabama: - Lynyrd Skynyrd Running Down A Dream - Tom Pretty House of the rising sun - The Animals Highway to hell - Ac/Dc Hurt - Johnny Cash Level 3: 2nd Position Pentatonic Scale (Major Pentatonic Scale Bar/Barre Chords (F major, B minor) Play Barre Chords with 5th and 6th string roots (Minor and Major) Learn all the notes on the fretboard Solo over backing tracks Songs: Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits Layla - God And The Dominos Wish you were here - Pinky Floyd Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Level 4: All 5 Positions Of The Pentatonic Scale Major and Minor Diatonic Scales How to play 7th chords Bends Vibrato Hammer-ons Pull offs Natural Harmonics Pinch Harmonics How to build a major scale How to Build a Triad How do 7ths relate to Triads How to Harmonize The Major Scale The Nashville Number system Chord Progressions Functions of Chords Recommended to get a guitar teacher at this point Songs: Any song. If your level isn't high enough. Get better. Level 5: Learn the modes (FOCUS HARD) Learn all the Intervals Learn the caged systems Arpejios in the caged shapes Learn to identify triads in the caged system Mode Theory Chord tone soloing Compound time signature
i have been playing guitar for almost 5-6 years now and im at level 4 now. i was very confused about what to do next as i can play a lot of things at this point and most videos here have been aimed at a level that doesnt challenge me anymore. thank you so much for providing me a checklist!!! it has renewed my passion to learn more!! YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB!!
You know you've been consuming guitar content wrong when you've learned something mentioned from every level :'') Thanks for such a guide!! This is super helpful :))
As an instructor myself this video is so incredible! I’ll definitely be sharing it with prospective students and people just generally interested in learning ⚡️
I have been looking everywhere to see if I could find a clear roadmap of things I could learn since I've reached a plateau in my playing, but still feel as if I'm not quite where I want to be yet. This video has come in just at the right time, as I started playing guitar less and less due to my frustrations. Thank you dude, I think you might have saved my guitar journey :)
Dang man that’s so cool, I’m really glad I could help. Push through the plateau, it’ll be worth it. And spoiler alert, there’s gonna be many more plateaus throughout your guitar journey, but you’re facing the big one right now. The upside is that it’s so fun when you do finally overcome it and start progressing again. Also, your profile picture is amazing
THANK YOU! I’ve always been told to just play guitar more and I’ll “figure it out” but I finally feel like the questions I’ve always had are being answered. Your videos are EXACTLY what I didn’t know I needed and it’s unlocking the magic of music for me. I’m so grateful! You’re making a difference man!
This is the video I have been looking for for years, I have been stuck at around the 4th/5th level for a good 3-4 years with no idea what to learn next. There is just a sea of information out there and this video has given me a map to work with. Thank you for all the effort you put into this video and sharing your knowledge simply because you want to see others succeed.
Thanks for watching! Level 4/5 is a really fun place to be at with your playing, learning how to harmonize the major scale was one of my favorite “big jumps forward” on guitar. Keep me up to date with your progress!
I always have my sunglasses on, i love when they say take your glasses off and you can see better, then i show them they are prescription… And they should worry more about themselves.
Bro that storytelling! Loved your dramatic intro. And the little jokes. And camerawork&lighting. I hope your channel keeps growing! Don't forget to buy enough bags to store money in.
@@vadusha my camera is the Canon RP. The features are fine, not incredible by today’s standards but it gets the job done. It’s full frame so that really helps with the blur and the overall look. The lens for most of the shots is a Canon 50mm 1.8. The real secret though is the fact that I’m shooting with plenty of stuff in the room behind me. It doesn’t look like it, but I’m maybe 10 feet from the back wall. I have some Christmas lights on my balcony that I turn on and they blur really nicely, it kinda draws your attention to the blur.
This is probably the best guitar learning video I’ve ever seen, I’m self taught, but had no idea what to learn next. This video is going to help me so much in my journey. Like, I had never thought to learn the notes up to the fifth fret.
This is awesome. I had a great guitar player as an instructor but he let me lead the lessons so I know bits of levels 0 to 4 but have gaps in each. This helped me understand those gaps and shaped my path forward.
Mans just impressed me with the usage of “Marquee Problem” had to google that and what a great way to talk about the looming/overhanging issue everyone faces. Much like “an elephant in the room” it just creates a better visual when you understand it.
Dude, thank you...this is exactly what I needed. I started about 18 months ago and on your scale I'd probably land on the line inbetween 2 and 3, but I've been stuck in a groove and wondering where I need to go next. Also production on this is very good, WAY above 448 followers... this channel will rocket 🚀
Best advice I ever had was discovered on my own. Become better at one thing that most people can't do. One skill that seperates you from the norm. Master it. Doing this... enables you to create a system of learning. Guitar works amazing for this. Not only did I "persevere" but I also opened up doorways in my mind to endless possibilities and the URGE to learn things I use to scoff at in the past *cough* math *cough* Don't give up... it's easily said... but if you are passionate about playing guitar, you won't think twice about this when the thought intrudes your mind! Start slow. Do not force anything. Allow it to become easier for yourself before you move on.
I actually really like this advice. If you pick one aspect of your playing that you want to be a wizard at, you’ll do great. If you decide that you’re going to be the awesome rhythm guy or the speed guy, then the rest of your playing will improve as well
Fantastic video! Two points. First, I want to emphasize the last point on level 6. I think it’s really important that people pick a genre, pick a lane so to speak. In general, this roadmap helps to distill the millions of learning options into a linear path. It minimizes the noise so that people can focus on one thing at a time. So to this end, I think the final point is really key. You have to specialize or else you will never be a master. SRV was a blues player primarily. That’s where he chose to singularly specialize himself. Name a great guitarist and you will see this is a consistent truth. That doesn’t mean that if you pick jazz, you can’t circle back and play some metal. SRV was starting to get funky and jazzy before his untimely death, for example. But I think that at this stage, people should stick with a single genre and do their best to master it. Another thing: write and record songs. In fact, I think that at levels 4, 5, and 6 you should record, mix, and master an entire project, utilizing all of your acquired technique and theory to that point. Almost like a thesis or capstone. For reference, I would place myself firmly at the beginning of level six, still figuring out where I want to specialize. and I have two large recording projects completed. It’s great to look back on, and it’s reassuring whenever I cringe at a musical choice, because this tells me that I have actually gotten better. But above all, I learned a ton making those albums, and I love them. Even if they are amateurish.
Thanks for watching and for the thoughtful comment! I agree that the biggest problem guitar players face is noise and distractions, so a clear path like this can be really useful. And you’re totally right about writing and recording. I’ll have to include that in future versions of the list. Thanks so much for the feedback!
@@kevinnickens Of course, thanks for a great video, I’m sure it’ll help a ton of people. For what it’s worth, I have chosen to go the route of The Blues. Starting with a deep dive into Freddie King’s work. Cheers, man!
I am a firm believer that people need to learn how to play something fun as quickly as possible. That way, they can start enjoying the guitar as soon as possible. That gives them the encouragement to continue practicing and learning more. Everyone I know who quit didn't follow that advice, and everyone I know who kept playing did follow that advice. I strongly recommend learning three chords as quickly as possible in order to start playing some of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of "I, IV, V" songs. G C D, or C F G are common ones to start with. And, it's OK to use an "easy" form of those chords. My next recommendation is make yourself work on something to improve your playing before allowing yourself to play a song for fun. That way, you keep getting better *and* you enjoy playing.
Kevin, you are right in your introduction about the merry-go-round of trying to organize how to learn the guitar in what order. I have already watched a couple more of your videos, and each one gave me needed tools to work with. But this video in particular is what every future guitarist needs to know and thanks to you ,now I do,thank you so much.I am a subscriber. See you in the next video.
2 weeks in to learning and I didn't really have any solid goals set for myself. I appreciate your insight and will try and build a curriculum for myself based off this video, thanks!
Liked the video, gotta say that chord tone soloing and even the CAGED system are not hard concepts to learn and should be applied earlier on, like level 3. You truly never look back after learning these frameworks and they can elevate any beginner to intermediate
Yeah, you’re right. Seven basic corns. I’ve been playing guitar for several years. More than likely longer than you’ve been alive if you’re over 50 you got me beat I’m 71 years old and the advice I can give to beginners is never forget the basics don’t backslide on them. You will need them. It’s very essential to go over them again. I’m not much of a person to play by ear. I don’t feel it’s accurate enough and you can’t hear all of the notes in a song anyway to play it correctly so I started reading music. I have been reading music for over 40 years. And I love him if you can’t learn by ear, please learn how to read music. You will go along way. I did I wound up to be a solo instrumental guitarist. I love it and I wouldn’t take nothing for it. Don’t quit. Don’t give up keep playing, and you will learn and love it, thanks for the video. It’s a good education for everybody. Who wants to play a guitar. Have a great day.😄❤️🎸🎼🎶🎵☮️
honestly man i was very sceptical when i saw the title but you nailed it. this is exactly the order i’d recommend learning things in. the only thing that i might add would be a real focus on aural training - but i suppose this is pretty well implied by learning intervals. great video man!
Kevin, oh my gosh. You are a brilliant soul. Thank you. I have no music talent, but I just dusted off my old guitar that I bought but never played. I found a pick, and strung a cord and watched a video. Great start. Thank you.
Kevin my friend. This is one of the most important videos in my life. Thank you. I have been trying to play guitar since 2015. Just not been able to focus. I got my shit together last year and just practiced random stuff. I developed a relationship with the guitar first. Just playing whatever. A haphazard manner of learning lol just mixing all the 6 levels. But now I can follow this beautiful roadmap. Great job man, I subbed. Will check out your other stuff. Thank god for the Internet and people like you!
This is exactly what I want, as a self-learner I'm always wanting an index towards "on which level should I do what things" stuff, you just save my day. Thank you!
I rarely comment, but as an aspiring instructor, this was very helpful. I'm level 5 moving smoothly through to 6 thanks to Rick Beato, Jack Gardiner and Tom Quayle. I've been looking for a way to start giving back and I finally feel like I have something to offer to other aspiring guitarists. I've been trying to formulate a simple outline like this myself, but like you said, that's hours and hours of content. This will expedite my organization process significantly. Thanks for posting and keep up the good work! - Trevor
Bro, your generosity is overflowing. I love how you explained that you want to help others by making this in-depth knowledge so accessible. You’re an amazing human; because of you, I get to progress. Thank you!
The analytical person in me is always asking, "Where do I start and in what order do I progress?" Thank you, this video is immensely helpful. I am watching this video as a level one player.
Finally! This is the content I've been searching for! 2 years ago I started learning the guitar. I used paid online platforms and I learned the basics: open chords, strumming patterns, pentatonic scale, etc. I felt I knew enough to move on. But I had no idea what to do! I had no clear idea what to practice and where to find the resources. I subscribed to Patreons of good guitar teachers, but their content is clearly above my current skills. Your video helped me to identify where I am and what are the gaps I need to work on! Thanks a ton!
Thank you. This is exactly the sort of information that I should have been told decades ago. I've since gotten myself past the wall, but have to congratulate you on not only sharing this but doing it in such a clever and insightful way.
Ive been trying to learn to play guitar on and off for years. Finally ive decided im going to practice everyday even for a few minutes but i had no clue where to start. I typed in the title of this video word for word and it will more than likely be on of the biggest helps on the start to me becoming a real guitarist. Thanks dude. You da man.
Thank you for making this! About a month after I started learning theory and the guitar(together, cause all the videos said people slack on theory - btw, I love it and don't find it boring at all), I've noticed a lack of structured information on how to actually progress. I was even planning on making such a video if I reached the point where I feel I know enough to actually attempt it, but I'm so happy someone beat me to it, and did so in such a precise and articulate manner. You did a truly fantastic job!
Thanks for watching and for the comment! Yeah I personally love music theory, besides the practical benefits, it’s just interesting. And it’s a fun way to learn about music even if I don’t have a guitar in my hands right then
Subscribed , Thanks Made a few notes for myself as well from this video : -Note -How many Notes are there ? -Chords -Key -Basics of intervals -Count music -Alternate picking -Pentatonic scales (minor , major) (all 5 positions ) -Remember all notes on fretboard -Syncopation -How to count beat subdivision -Diatonic Scales (major , minor ) -7th chords (major min Dom half diminished) -How to build a scale -How to build a triad -How 7th applies to triads -How to harmonize a scale -Nashville number system -Common chord progressions -Chord functions -Modes + Theory -Intervals -Caged system -Caged arpeggios -Triads within Caged shapes -Maj7 , min7 , Dom7 , half diminished7 arpeggios (with 5th and 6th string notes) -Adding 7th to Caged arpeggios -Chord tone soloing -Compound time signatures -9ths 11ths 13ths -Melodic minor scales , modes , arpeggios -Harmonic minor scales , Modes ,arpeggios -Diminished scales
You are awesome bro! I have been confused for so long but you gave me incredible clarity. Keeping shining and I pray for your continuing success! Cheers.
Thanks for your video. There is so much unstructured material on the internet that overwhelms the beginner to the point of abandoning... A video like this works great as a roadmap. I´ve been in Level 1 for several years on and off. I´m motivated to start again and follow your levels. Keep the good work!
bro has no right being so funny. amazing content. just bought my third or fourth guitar. always ended up dropping and selling it. but i just love music so much that i CANNOT give up. i’ll keep trying.
i feel like i’m technically at level 3 because with my theory background i’m solid on keys and the staff, rhythms and etc as well as compound time signatures, extended chords and other advanced theory, but i’m at 3-4 when it comes to applying it to the guitar and committing it to muscle memory. im working on it though, and it’s been validating to feel like i’m finally becoming an intermediate player even though i’ve only been playing for a year and some change. gotta keep telling myself by the time like 5-10 years go by i’ll be leagues ahead of what i first set out to learn 🤞🏽
I am starting again after 15 years not playing...I am 36 now and was so confused with all the data online... it all makes perfect sence now. Will hit you up on the progress for sure. Thank again man
yk, this vid is really helpful thank you so much! Im teaching my self to play guitar, i started last year and made the mistake by starting to learn songs without doing basic stuff, so now that i've found ur video, im gonna start back to day 0 and follow all steps!
I've felt pretty stuck for some months, and I've just been learning new things here and there, and this roadmap is definitely helpful, I've totally gotten a little bit of every level, I'm coming up on my second year playing, and I'm coming up on about a level three, so that's pretty comforting that I'm still progressing. Will totally check in on this video periodically to see where I'm at and if I hit another brick wall where I need to go next. Thanks man =] peace and love, hope ur channel continues to grow.
This video reminded me why i love being self taught. Just do what you enjoy man, for me that was just playing songs i like and the rest came with time, not once did i sit and learn any theory
I've been feeling pretty lost recently with all of this, i have ideas on what i need to do and what i want to do but you've really helped conceptualize it and i appreciate that a lot, thank you for making this video :)
Ive been stuck in level 2-3 for 2 years now since im incredibly inconsistent and i never know what songs to play or what to learn next. Thank you for making this video, this makes me want to play the guitar again ❤
I love this! Totally how my brain works after two cups strong espresso. I watched it and reminded about 7 times and wrote down most of the study you mentioned. Now I have my meat and potatoes for the next 6 months of study .🌹🎼🪽Thank You.
I am beyond thankful for this. I'm unbelievably comfortable on acoustic but every time I try to play electric it's like I have absolutely no idea what instrument I'm holding. This checklist is unbelievable. Let's get it
Was looking for something like this when I was starting to re-learn the guitar 4 months ago - A simple and concise 'fundamentals roadmap'. I kept wondering why such clear guitar roadmap by concept isn't available. I enrolled in a lot of courses that supposedly teaches from the ground up (both free and paid). In the end, I had to stitch multiple sources just the same as browsing youtube videos to understand the topics. Hate it when the instructors say that there isn't a single roadmap and 'it depends on your goal'. Point was, the 'fundamentals' is supposed to be the same regardless of the goal because it's all the same instrument - the guitar. Contrary to my experience, this video only mentions that after* giving all the must-learn guitar topics at level 1-5. --- I made my own roadmap back then based on extensive googling and reddit rabbit hole. Started with CAGED, 5 pentatonic & diatonic patterns, Modes and Intervals. Soon realized that these are way difficult to put into context musically at my level and eventually worked my way backwards - wasted a lot of practice time. I wish I started by studying all about chords, progressions, functions, formulas and triads - just as you have stated in this video. That 4 months of 6 hours daily robotic, mechanical, scalar, shape-oriented, monkey-see monkey-do practice sessions now only made sense when I recently focused on chords and triads. That goes for both my musical approach and fretboard visualization. I can also finally hear and differentiate some intervals and at most 3 modes of the major scale - because of practicing chord progressions. I hope more new guitar learners find this video. I will be sharing this in all latest reddit and quora 'guitar roadmap' threads I could find. Thank you for making this!
Thanks for watching, commenting, and sharing the video! I really can't ask for much more lol. I'm glad this helped. I've always agreed with you that the fundamentals should be the same no matter what the goal is. You're right that an incredibly important part of learning is putting these concepts into musical context, so I've got some lesson videos coming that focus on songs that demonstrate concepts. Thanks again for the support!
i just found your channel and i've been playing on and off again for a while. i can play open chords and the A shape and E shape bar chords and sing good but not good at picking or soloing. i can play the basic scales and some pentatonic scales but don't really know how to use them. i play lefthanded and have a small collection of guitars. i find watching a righty play is like looking into a mirror and it looks correct to me so it helps me in learning. i'm gonna go through some of your videos and try to get more serious about it. i'm 73 yrs old and like folk, rock, old time classic country, jazz and american popular song.
I'm a beginner, but I started with learning how to change my strings (after buying a used guitar with two strings missing). 😊 This is the best guitar instruction channel that I have found: concise, logical, and you have a great sense of humour. 👍🎸
Hey Kevin, I have to agree with all the other comments here that you are doing something very special on youtube and it is something that no other guitar teacher has done AFAIK. Like all of the other thousands of wanna-be guitar players wandering around in the guitar desert on youtube trying to figure out how to play the fricken guitar no one has laid out a plan for WHAT a player should learn and WHEN they should learn it, I would like to see you expand on that in the future. Kudos to you!! RUclips is an incredible learning tool that we are all lucky to have but it is currently just bits and pieces that everyone is trying to make some order of and the quality of the teachers vary considerably. My guitar journey began in 1977 and I am a solid 4.5 level player who is trying to get into a solid level 5. Your video quality is excellent, your teaching style is clear, concise and simple yet you cover the topics throughly. I have up-voted and subbed, will be watching you!
Dude I appreciate you and this video so much. I feel like I have sifted thru hours upon hours of BS to finally just get a simple, concise list of what I need to learn and the proper order/layout to get where I want to be in regards to learning to slay on my super sick axe of shredding and sometimes country pickin. Thank you so much!
Thanks! I'm glad the list could help. It's cool to hear that this helped you stop sifting through BS and just get your guitar in your hands. Also, great profile picture
Hello Kevin! I'm lurking around late beginner-intermediate boundary and this concise curriculum-like guide provided me a much needed roadmap. Thank you, and wish you the best on your RUclips journey! I'd like to ask a little question: I really liked the song recommendation sections. I get that it really becomes personal after a certain point but could you maybe inclined to give song recommendations for further Levels you described from your own perspective? Like explaining the techniques or chord progressions involved and how they may relate to the Level in question? Not like full on playalong tutorials but more like a bite-sized analyses to what to look for in a given song that you've picked. I dunno hopefully I was able to make sense not a native English speaker :)
I have thought this exact same thing! I’ve been self teaching through the internet, & had this exact experience. At one point, I knew most chords, (open& barr), and could play lots of songs, and some soloing, but didn’t know what any of the different notes were in different positions.
The way I memorized my strings was like this: Top string E - EAT Next string B - BROKEN Next string G - GLASS Next string D - DON'T Next string A - ASK Bottom string E - EAT And you put it together like this: Eat Broken Glass! Don't Ask, Eat! E B G D A E Pretty catchy, yes? Logical, no? I think Spock would approve.
Algorithm-greasing comment, to help grow your channel. Brilliant info and so nicely presented. Took me 29 years of playing, practicing, and performing (badly) to realize only a portion of this stuff and I still play everyday! One thing you mention that I found so useful and saw immediate results was playing in time. I did it by using a loop pedal, so I could practice both my chord changes and then my solos directly afterwards/during and just to have fun, too. Realizing how hard it can be to sound in any way decent sure is highlighted by using a loop pedal and not a backing track. Teaches you real quick how to improve your timing and smoothen out your playing.
Thank you so much for this, ive felt lost for my entire guitar journey and this short video has helped immensely. Thank you again. You've earned a sub.
Thanks for this video. I am a beginner (midway through level 1 by your system) and spent the first month bouncing between a few of the well-know YT instructors. They're all good, but I wasn't really making any progress until I tried Justin and found that his ability to quickly get me into practice routines that were fun and felt like I was actually PLAYING something really clicked with me. Once I get the week's lesson about licked, I pick around and watch other videos on things that may be a bit beyond where I am now, but are fun to try. I found your combination of great information, transparency, and humor really engaging so I immediately subscribed. I will definitely check out your Level 1 style topics and see what additional tips/tricks/methods I might find there. Thanks again!
I just found this video and I thinks it's exactly what I need. It has made me self reflect and realise that since I began teaching myself guitar over 20 years ago, I have never really progressed past level 1 truly but have learnt bits and pieces from levels 2 through 4 or 5 over the years. I think this is really going to help me fill some gaps and who knows I may just get to level 2 🤣 thanks so much. Subscribed.
Kevin - I'm a lyricist just learning an Epiphone LP long after retirement. It's scary, but your videos make it seem possible. Great first lesson and follow up. Thanks.
I nearly fell out of my chair after realizing this is a new and small channel. The depth of explanation and production quality is insane. Keep it up and your channel will grow tremendously!
2:56 Level 2: • Alternate picking • 1st position pentatonic scale • All notes on fretboard up to 5th fret • Syncopation and counting subdivisions Songs: • Sweet home Alabama - Leonard skynard • Running down a dream - Tom Petty • House of the rising sun - The Animals • Highway to hell - ACDC • Hurt - Johnny Cash
technically challenging songs is a great milestone. I'd say tackling something like 40 Oz, Eruption, Playing god, or even Cliffs of Dover is a good step to classify your self as an advanced guitar player
You’re welcome! Yeah man I wish this info was more available, it’s useful to literally anyone who plays guitar at any level, I’m kinda surprised that no other guitar educator makes this available. Thanks for commenting!
Ok man. 3:48 and you got another sub. I'm 60 and "starry-eyed" and my wife is same over keyboards. Love your information, delivery, and taste in tunes. Thanks for a great time.
What things can I learn that are guitar specific for people that already play instruments? For context, I've been playing piano and violin for over a decade already, so starting out has been really weird for me since I already know a lot about things like music theory and don't know much about technique and stuff, so I'd say I'm around 3 (even though I'm starting bar chords).
I watched this video a while ago and couldn’t find it again. I’ve been finding and learning songs and different habits over the past 8-9 years and I think I’m decent enough to have fun, but it’s nice to know the gaps in my knowledge and where I can fill in some of those holes. I know a little from every level but I wanna get all the basics second nature. It’s really hard sometimes to know what you don’t know. Thanks for this, everyone appreciates you.
17 years of playing. Recording. And all the rest of it. I’m still going back to basics. This is all because at this moment I have no amp with me and all my guitars are stored away. I’m just looking for my guitar fix man. And this video is gonna help hahah. While I have nothing I aim to gain something. Always look at the basics even if you think you are seasoned. Because once the arthritis sets in from 15 hour shifts of hard graft you’re (I’m) gonna need to re learn a whole ton of stuff. Thank you for the video brother x
i’ve been playing guitar for 10 years, and after hitting level 4, i didn’t know how to progress anymore. this video has been a lifeline back to learning again. thank you so much dude!
Level 0
1. Learn how to hold the guitar & pick
2. Learn the different parts of the guitar
3. Learn basic strumming, such as up and down strums
4. Learn how to pick & fret single notes
5. Learn the names of all six strings
6. Learn basic guitar maintenance, namely how to tune your guitar
7. Learn what a note is, and which notes make up a chord
8. Learn what a key is
9. Learn basic intervals, namely what is a half step versus a whole step
Level 1
1. Play basic open chords: E, Eminor, A, A minor, G, C, D
2. Strum in time, count, play different note values
3. Do some very basic guitar maintenance namely how to change your strings
4. Recommended songs to learn: (basic strumming, or one-string songs)
For What Its Worth: Buffalo Springfield
Wagon Wheel: Darius Rucker
Smoke on the Water: Deep Purple
Seven Nation Army: White Stripes
Iron Man: Black Sabbath
Level 2
1. Learn Right Hand technique of all alternate picking
2. First Position Pentatonic Scale -> Minor Pentatonic Scale
3. Learn all notes of Fretboard up to the 5th Fret
4. Learn what syncopation is, how to count different beat subdivisions
5. Recommended songs to learn:
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Running Down a Dream - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Level 3
1. Second Position Pentatonic Scale - Major Pentatonic Scale
2. Barre Chords - F Major, B Minor- Leading to playing barre chords with 5th & 6th String roots
3. Minor and Major versions of those barre chords
4. Know all the notes on the fretboard
5. Start Soloing over backing tracks (good one - “now you shred”)
Samples to solo over:
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
Layla - Eric Clapton
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
Level 4
1. Learn all 5 positions of the pentatonic scale (Just 3 new ones)
2. Learn Major and Minor Diatonic Scale
3. Learn to play Seventh Chords -> Major, Minor, Dominant & Half-Diminished
4. Play all seventh chords with roots on the fifth & sixth strings
5. Play with Bends, Vibrato, Hammer-ons & pull-offs
6. Natural & Pinch harmonics
7. Music Theory: How to build Scales, Triads
8. Learn how sevenths apply to Triads
9: Recommended: (people often) Get a Guitar Instructor at this level
Level 4.5
1. Learn to Harmonize the minor scale
2. Harmonize the Major Scale - Core Word Scale, order of the Triads
3. Learn the Nashville Number System *Extremely Important*
4. Familiarize yourself with really common chord progressions
5. Learn the functions of different chords
Level 5
1. Learn the Modes
2. Learn all the Intervals
3. Learn the CAGED system
4. Learn the arpeggios within the CAGED system
5. Learn to identify triads within the CAGED arpeggios
6. Learn Major seventh, Minor seventh, Dominant seventh, Half diminished arpeggios with fifth and sixth string roots
7. Add the seventh to your CAGED arpeggios
8. Learn the theory behind the Modes
9. Learn how chord tones can be used in a solo or melody to accentuate chords already in the song
10. Learn about Compound Time Signatures
Level 6
1. Understand Chord Extensions beyond the seventh
2. Focus on learning how to add ninth, eleventh & thirteenth to your chords -> *Heavy Jazz Concept*
3. Learn the Melodic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios
4. Learn the Harmonic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios
5. Learn this one very important mode of the harmonic minor scale: the diminished scale
6. Lessons often stopped at this level
Thank God I found this. Copy and paste into notes, and now I have a checklist. By the power of autism, I will become a mediocre guitarist in a decade!
Thank you so much
omg u are an angel
Legend
Thankyou
as a beginner w severe anxiety who worries about missing things and knows shit about music, id like to THANK YOU for this. its insane how this knowledge is rare to see freely online
JESUS CHRIST died for you on a cross for our sins. 3 days after his death he resurrected and is The LIVING GOD. Repent from your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior in a prayer and also ask for the HOLY SPIRIT to come into you in that same prayer as well and have FAITH in CHRIST. You could come to Jesus Christ as you are, but once you accept Him, you have to become new, change, and be born again, and turn away from all wicked ways. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God Bless You. JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK SOON.
@@ZyroPapuchon18Has he ever played guitar?
@@ZyroPapuchon18Did you take your meds? Need some pills pal?
He shredded for our sins @@Russell-vq6ux
omg frr. i learned chords and was like okay, how should i move from here
I’ve been playing random songs I liked on guitar for a good couple years, but never felt like I could say I was making any substantial progress. I REALLY like having a checkpoint kind of system I can look at to know what to learn, so this is awesome - and the storyline you threaded through the video is super fun.
Thanks! I’m glad you’re getting value out of the video!
I was stuck there for a long time. I learned CAGED, and barres and it's helped me learn a lot of the fretboard. I'm at level 4 now. I'm 34 and have played on and off since 16.
I have the same! I play very long but is still don’t feel a lot of progress. I have played a lot of songs and hope I will grow fast this year!
same!! I’ve been “playing” acoustic for 4-5 years, but only learning basic chord progressions, picking/strumming patterns, etc. I’m only now feeling called to learn it seriously and dive all the way in. I’m so excited and also saddened that I have gone this long without fully trying- but no better time to start than now! Getting an electric for Christmas and cannot wait.
So basically you’re telling me I’ve been at level 0 for the past decade…thanks for summing up in a concise video the level of progression.
its ok you improved in your own way
I nearly fell out of my chair after realizing this is a new and small channel. The depth of explanation and production quality is insane. Keep it up and your channel will grow tremendously!
Thanks! I really appreciate the watch and the kind comment!
Bro me too! If you didnt write this comment I'd thought he has lik 500k subs or smth
Also worth considering, perhaps you can get enough enjoyment and be able to compose songs before reaching phase four. So depending on what you want out of Guitar and what your individual needs are, you may be just fine by that point.
Of course you'll probably always get a craving for learning something new from time to time. Can't just noodle on scales forever. Then again learning is inevitable. 😂
Just started aka day 2 ( my fingers are still hurting from last night) some of my favorite songs were in the first 4 levels I AM SO EXCITED TO PLAY AGAIN
Dude, this is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. There’s so much information online it’s overwhelming. I don’t know where I should be, what I should be learning, what I should know and might still have yet to learn. Having a comprehensive checklist like this helps so much and gives me actual, tangible tasks and goals to focus on so I can really get started on my journey learning this instrument. Thank you!
Nobody cares
@@Topsealguy yea ur right I’m sorry
Good luck!
@@Topsealguyi do.
@@Topsealguy
Go away
After years of trying to learn guitar, you've shown me I was jumping around all over the place with what I was learning. No wonder I felt like I was hitting walls. I'm hopeful again man, thank you for this
Hitting walls is just a part of it, dude. Keep pushing, and it's okay to take breaks.
being a self taught guitarist, this is exactly the kind of information i was looking for: an order to know what to learn or to know where you'd place techniques in a categorization of levels and skill mastery. Now i know where to start. Thank you so much and i wish you all the best for the growth of this channel
Nah bro, would've never believed you have just 500 subs💀 that storytelling, that editing, that amount of work in this video is really something different. Good job, mate! You've honestly earned yourself a new sub and definitely, not even close to the last. Thank you for your service!
Thanks man! I’m glad you got value out of the video, and the encouraging comment is really appreciated
Only 500 subs last week? Almost 6k now!
@@kevinnickensI like the video too, but your barre chord joke was ironic considering all the misspelled words in this video.
@@fox-school-of-music one month later and we are at 13.6k
@@fox-school-of-music It's 60k now.
Being a guitarist for almost 15 years now, I gonna use your convincing approach as a check list to fill the knowledge gaps I’ve always been living with.
Good job 👏
Your effort is highly appreciated.
I’m in the same boat & couldn’t agree more. This video will definitely help me fill in my learning gaps. Thank you for taking the time to share this. Greatly appreciated!!
Yup same!
5 years but same
Drinking game: take a drink every time he raises one eyebrow
Look pal people are gonna die if they play that game
😂
@@kevinnickens lol great video tho, it's definitely going to help me 👍
I died. Please remember me.
Hahehea thaat waasz veri eaziy…
Beginner:
How to hold the guitar
How to hold the pick
Parts of the guitar
Names of all strings + Up strums and down strums
How to fret a single note
How to pick a single note
How to tune the guitar:
What is a note? How many notes are there?
What is a Chord What is a key?
What is a half step?
What is a whole step?
Level 1:
Basic open chords: E, E Minor A, A Minor. G, C, D
How to strum in time.
Count/Play note values
How to change strings
Songs:
For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield
Wagon Wheel - Darius Rucker
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Seven nation army - The White Stripes
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Level 2:
Alternate Picking
1st Position Pentatonic Scale (Minor Pentatonic Scale)
All notes up to the 5th Fret
What is syncopation? How to count beat subdivisions
Songs:
Sweet home Alabama: - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Running Down A Dream - Tom Pretty
House of the rising sun - The Animals
Highway to hell - Ac/Dc
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Level 3:
2nd Position Pentatonic Scale (Major Pentatonic Scale
Bar/Barre Chords (F major, B minor)
Play Barre Chords with 5th and 6th string roots (Minor and Major)
Learn all the notes on the fretboard
Solo over backing tracks
Songs:
Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
Layla - God And The Dominos
Wish you were here - Pinky Floyd
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
Level 4:
All 5 Positions Of The Pentatonic Scale
Major and Minor Diatonic Scales
How to play 7th chords
Bends
Vibrato
Hammer-ons
Pull offs
Natural Harmonics
Pinch Harmonics
How to build a major scale
How to Build a Triad
How do 7ths relate to Triads
How to Harmonize The Major Scale
The Nashville Number system
Chord Progressions
Functions of Chords
Recommended to get a guitar teacher at this point
Songs:
Any song. If your level isn't high enough. Get better.
Level 5:
Learn the modes (FOCUS HARD)
Learn all the Intervals
Learn the caged systems
Arpejios in the caged shapes
Learn to identify triads in the caged system
Mode Theory
Chord tone soloing
Compound time signature
Thanks!
Here, you dropped your crown 👑
Just commenting so I can come back to this post
@@cyndaquilist facts
Awesome work
Step 1: Buy a guitar
Step 2: Give up because it's too hard
Step 3: Get a bass
Step 4: Pretend that bass is as cool as guitar
I have no comment because all the bass players I know are jacked. I…love…bass 🙂
That is what i did...
bass IS cool
@@itsyaboichilde5397
Yes, I own two myself, cliff burton is my favorite musician 😎🤘
Started with a bass and never learned it now I have an electric guitar still haven’t learned it 😔
i have been playing guitar for almost 5-6 years now and im at level 4 now. i was very confused about what to do next as i can play a lot of things at this point and most videos here have been aimed at a level that doesnt challenge me anymore. thank you so much for providing me a checklist!!! it has renewed my passion to learn more!! YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB!!
You know you've been consuming guitar content wrong when you've learned something mentioned from every level :'') Thanks for such a guide!! This is super helpful :))
I'm glad that the video helped! Thanks for watching!
Same. LOL.
Turns out you cannot teach yourself by reading guitar world
As an instructor myself this video is so incredible! I’ll definitely be sharing it with prospective students and people just generally interested in learning ⚡️
I have been looking everywhere to see if I could find a clear roadmap of things I could learn since I've reached a plateau in my playing, but still feel as if I'm not quite where I want to be yet. This video has come in just at the right time, as I started playing guitar less and less due to my frustrations. Thank you dude, I think you might have saved my guitar journey :)
Dang man that’s so cool, I’m really glad I could help. Push through the plateau, it’ll be worth it. And spoiler alert, there’s gonna be many more plateaus throughout your guitar journey, but you’re facing the big one right now. The upside is that it’s so fun when you do finally overcome it and start progressing again. Also, your profile picture is amazing
@@kevinnickens Thanks for the encouragement!
THANK YOU! I’ve always been told to just play guitar more and I’ll “figure it out” but I finally feel like the questions I’ve always had are being answered. Your videos are EXACTLY what I didn’t know I needed and it’s unlocking the magic of music for me. I’m so grateful! You’re making a difference man!
This is the video I have been looking for for years, I have been stuck at around the 4th/5th level for a good 3-4 years with no idea what to learn next. There is just a sea of information out there and this video has given me a map to work with. Thank you for all the effort you put into this video and sharing your knowledge simply because you want to see others succeed.
Thanks for watching! Level 4/5 is a really fun place to be at with your playing, learning how to harmonize the major scale was one of my favorite “big jumps forward” on guitar. Keep me up to date with your progress!
I always have my sunglasses on, i love when they say take your glasses off and you can see better, then i show them they are prescription… And they should worry more about themselves.
Bro that storytelling! Loved your dramatic intro. And the little jokes. And camerawork&lighting. I hope your channel keeps growing! Don't forget to buy enough bags to store money in.
Thanks! This is super kind and inspiring!
@@kevinnickens What camera/lens are you using for so much blur in the background?
@@vadusha my camera is the Canon RP. The features are fine, not incredible by today’s standards but it gets the job done. It’s full frame so that really helps with the blur and the overall look. The lens for most of the shots is a Canon 50mm 1.8. The real secret though is the fact that I’m shooting with plenty of stuff in the room behind me. It doesn’t look like it, but I’m maybe 10 feet from the back wall. I have some Christmas lights on my balcony that I turn on and they blur really nicely, it kinda draws your attention to the blur.
@@kevinnickens Oh, that explains much. Thanks a plenty!
This is probably the best guitar learning video I’ve ever seen, I’m self taught, but had no idea what to learn next. This video is going to help me so much in my journey. Like, I had never thought to learn the notes up to the fifth fret.
This is awesome. I had a great guitar player as an instructor but he let me lead the lessons so I know bits of levels 0 to 4 but have gaps in each. This helped me understand those gaps and shaped my path forward.
Mans just impressed me with the usage of “Marquee Problem” had to google that and what a great way to talk about the looming/overhanging issue everyone faces. Much like “an elephant in the room” it just creates a better visual when you understand it.
I’m on a mission to improve the vocabulary of the guitar playing community
@@kevinnickens I salute you good sir. 🫡
Dude, thank you...this is exactly what I needed. I started about 18 months ago and on your scale I'd probably land on the line inbetween 2 and 3, but I've been stuck in a groove and wondering where I need to go next. Also production on this is very good, WAY above 448 followers... this channel will rocket 🚀
Thanks for watching! I think you’re right on track for 18 months. Keep going!
That follower account tripled in the last 24 hours. Deservedly.
this is genuinely the most helpful video on the steps of guitar. everything else is too broad. i really love how you did this thank you
Best advice I ever had was discovered on my own.
Become better at one thing that most people can't do. One skill that seperates you from the norm. Master it.
Doing this... enables you to create a system of learning. Guitar works amazing for this.
Not only did I "persevere" but I also opened up doorways in my mind to endless possibilities and the URGE to learn things I use to scoff at in the past *cough* math *cough*
Don't give up... it's easily said... but if you are passionate about playing guitar, you won't think twice about this when the thought intrudes your mind!
Start slow. Do not force anything. Allow it to become easier for yourself before you move on.
I actually really like this advice. If you pick one aspect of your playing that you want to be a wizard at, you’ll do great. If you decide that you’re going to be the awesome rhythm guy or the speed guy, then the rest of your playing will improve as well
Fantastic video! Two points.
First, I want to emphasize the last point on level 6. I think it’s really important that people pick a genre, pick a lane so to speak. In general, this roadmap helps to distill the millions of learning options into a linear path. It minimizes the noise so that people can focus on one thing at a time. So to this end, I think the final point is really key. You have to specialize or else you will never be a master. SRV was a blues player primarily. That’s where he chose to singularly specialize himself. Name a great guitarist and you will see this is a consistent truth. That doesn’t mean that if you pick jazz, you can’t circle back and play some metal. SRV was starting to get funky and jazzy before his untimely death, for example. But I think that at this stage, people should stick with a single genre and do their best to master it.
Another thing: write and record songs. In fact, I think that at levels 4, 5, and 6 you should record, mix, and master an entire project, utilizing all of your acquired technique and theory to that point. Almost like a thesis or capstone. For reference, I would place myself firmly at the beginning of level six, still figuring out where I want to specialize. and I have two large recording projects completed. It’s great to look back on, and it’s reassuring whenever I cringe at a musical choice, because this tells me that I have actually gotten better. But above all, I learned a ton making those albums, and I love them. Even if they are amateurish.
Thanks for watching and for the thoughtful comment! I agree that the biggest problem guitar players face is noise and distractions, so a clear path like this can be really useful. And you’re totally right about writing and recording. I’ll have to include that in future versions of the list. Thanks so much for the feedback!
@@kevinnickens Of course, thanks for a great video, I’m sure it’ll help a ton of people. For what it’s worth, I have chosen to go the route of The Blues. Starting with a deep dive into Freddie King’s work. Cheers, man!
@@bingusbingus7860 I’m a blues guy myself, love Freddie King
I am a firm believer that people need to learn how to play something fun as quickly as possible. That way, they can start enjoying the guitar as soon as possible. That gives them the encouragement to continue practicing and learning more. Everyone I know who quit didn't follow that advice, and everyone I know who kept playing did follow that advice.
I strongly recommend learning three chords as quickly as possible in order to start playing some of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of "I, IV, V" songs. G C D, or C F G are common ones to start with. And, it's OK to use an "easy" form of those chords.
My next recommendation is make yourself work on something to improve your playing before allowing yourself to play a song for fun. That way, you keep getting better *and* you enjoy playing.
Kevin, you are right in your introduction about the merry-go-round of trying to organize how to learn the guitar in what order. I have already watched a couple more of your videos, and each one gave me needed tools to work with. But this video in particular is what every future guitarist needs to know and thanks to you ,now I do,thank you so much.I am a subscriber. See you in the next video.
I've been playing guitar for 35 years, and I still love watching tutorial videos. No matter how much you know, you can always learn more.
2 weeks in to learning and I didn't really have any solid goals set for myself. I appreciate your insight and will try and build a curriculum for myself based off this video, thanks!
This is THE BEST Guitar instructional channel on You Tube!!! Thanks!!!
Liked the video, gotta say that chord tone soloing and even the CAGED system are not hard concepts to learn and should be applied earlier on, like level 3. You truly never look back after learning these frameworks and they can elevate any beginner to intermediate
Yeah, you’re right. Seven basic corns. I’ve been playing guitar for several years. More than likely longer than you’ve been alive if you’re over 50 you got me beat I’m 71 years old and the advice I can give to beginners is never forget the basics don’t backslide on them. You will need them. It’s very essential to go over them again. I’m not much of a person to play by ear. I don’t feel it’s accurate enough and you can’t hear all of the notes in a song anyway to play it correctly so I started reading music. I have been reading music for over 40 years. And I love him if you can’t learn by ear, please learn how to read music. You will go along way. I did I wound up to be a solo instrumental guitarist. I love it and I wouldn’t take nothing for it. Don’t quit. Don’t give up keep playing, and you will learn and love it, thanks for the video. It’s a good education for everybody. Who wants to play a guitar. Have a great day.😄❤️🎸🎼🎶🎵☮️
honestly man i was very sceptical when i saw the title but you nailed it. this is exactly the order i’d recommend learning things in. the only thing that i might add would be a real focus on aural training - but i suppose this is pretty well implied by learning intervals. great video man!
Kevin, oh my gosh. You are a brilliant soul. Thank you. I have no music talent, but I just dusted off my old guitar that I bought but never played. I found a pick, and strung a cord and watched a video. Great start. Thank you.
Carry on, best wishes
- From far away in this world
Kevin my friend. This is one of the most important videos in my life. Thank you. I have been trying to play guitar since 2015. Just not been able to focus. I got my shit together last year and just practiced random stuff. I developed a relationship with the guitar first. Just playing whatever. A haphazard manner of learning lol just mixing all the 6 levels. But now I can follow this beautiful roadmap. Great job man, I subbed. Will check out your other stuff. Thank god for the Internet and people like you!
Thanks! This is so kind, I’m glad you got value out of the video
This is exactly what I want, as a self-learner I'm always wanting an index towards "on which level should I do what things" stuff, you just save my day. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I rarely comment, but as an aspiring instructor, this was very helpful. I'm level 5 moving smoothly through to 6 thanks to Rick Beato, Jack Gardiner and Tom Quayle. I've been looking for a way to start giving back and I finally feel like I have something to offer to other aspiring guitarists. I've been trying to formulate a simple outline like this myself, but like you said, that's hours and hours of content. This will expedite my organization process significantly.
Thanks for posting and keep up the good work!
- Trevor
How long have you been playing the guitar for?
@@loafofbread481 Going on 20 years! Do you play?
Bro, your generosity is overflowing. I love how you explained that you want to help others by making this in-depth knowledge so accessible. You’re an amazing human; because of you, I get to progress. Thank you!
I appreciate that!
The analytical person in me is always asking, "Where do I start and in what order do I progress?" Thank you, this video is immensely helpful. I am watching this video as a level one player.
Good luck practicing!
Finally! This is the content I've been searching for! 2 years ago I started learning the guitar. I used paid online platforms and I learned the basics: open chords, strumming patterns, pentatonic scale, etc. I felt I knew enough to move on. But I had no idea what to do! I had no clear idea what to practice and where to find the resources. I subscribed to Patreons of good guitar teachers, but their content is clearly above my current skills. Your video helped me to identify where I am and what are the gaps I need to work on! Thanks a ton!
Thank you. This is exactly the sort of information that I should have been told decades ago. I've since gotten myself past the wall, but have to congratulate you on not only sharing this but doing it in such a clever and insightful way.
Ive been trying to learn to play guitar on and off for years. Finally ive decided im going to practice everyday even for a few minutes but i had no clue where to start. I typed in the title of this video word for word and it will more than likely be on of the biggest helps on the start to me becoming a real guitarist. Thanks dude. You da man.
Glad it helped!
Thank you for making this! About a month after I started learning theory and the guitar(together, cause all the videos said people slack on theory - btw, I love it and don't find it boring at all), I've noticed a lack of structured information on how to actually progress. I was even planning on making such a video if I reached the point where I feel I know enough to actually attempt it, but I'm so happy someone beat me to it, and did so in such a precise and articulate manner. You did a truly fantastic job!
Thanks for watching and for the comment! Yeah I personally love music theory, besides the practical benefits, it’s just interesting. And it’s a fun way to learn about music even if I don’t have a guitar in my hands right then
Subscribed , Thanks
Made a few notes for myself as well from this video :
-Note
-How many Notes are there ?
-Chords
-Key
-Basics of intervals
-Count music
-Alternate picking
-Pentatonic scales (minor , major) (all 5 positions )
-Remember all notes on fretboard
-Syncopation
-How to count beat subdivision
-Diatonic Scales (major , minor )
-7th chords (major min Dom half diminished)
-How to build a scale
-How to build a triad
-How 7th applies to triads
-How to harmonize a scale
-Nashville number system
-Common chord progressions
-Chord functions
-Modes + Theory
-Intervals
-Caged system
-Caged arpeggios
-Triads within Caged shapes
-Maj7 , min7 , Dom7 , half diminished7 arpeggios (with 5th and 6th string notes)
-Adding 7th to Caged arpeggios
-Chord tone soloing
-Compound time signatures
-9ths 11ths 13ths
-Melodic minor scales , modes , arpeggios
-Harmonic minor scales , Modes ,arpeggios
-Diminished scales
You are awesome bro! I have been confused for so long but you gave me incredible clarity. Keeping shining and I pray for your continuing success! Cheers.
Thanks for your video. There is so much unstructured material on the internet that overwhelms the beginner to the point of abandoning... A video like this works great as a roadmap. I´ve been in Level 1 for several years on and off. I´m motivated to start again and follow your levels. Keep the good work!
You're on a path to greatness my friend!
Thanks! That’s really kind and I really appreciate the encouragement!
bro has no right being so funny.
amazing content. just bought my third or fourth guitar. always ended up dropping and selling it. but i just love music so much that i CANNOT give up. i’ll keep trying.
i feel like i’m technically at level 3 because with my theory background i’m solid on keys and the staff, rhythms and etc as well as compound time signatures, extended chords and other advanced theory, but i’m at 3-4 when it comes to applying it to the guitar and committing it to muscle memory. im working on it though, and it’s been validating to feel like i’m finally becoming an intermediate player even though i’ve only been playing for a year and some change. gotta keep telling myself by the time like 5-10 years go by i’ll be leagues ahead of what i first set out to learn 🤞🏽
You’re right! Keep at it and you’ll be a face melting guitar god in no time
I am starting again after 15 years not playing...I am 36 now and was so confused with all the data online... it all makes perfect sence now. Will hit you up on the progress for sure. Thank again man
Dude, this is exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, and being so comedic through it!! CHEERS!
yk, this vid is really helpful thank you so much! Im teaching my self to play guitar, i started last year and made the mistake by starting to learn songs without doing basic stuff, so now that i've found ur video, im gonna start back to day 0 and follow all steps!
I've felt pretty stuck for some months, and I've just been learning new things here and there, and this roadmap is definitely helpful, I've totally gotten a little bit of every level, I'm coming up on my second year playing, and I'm coming up on about a level three, so that's pretty comforting that I'm still progressing.
Will totally check in on this video periodically to see where I'm at and if I hit another brick wall where I need to go next.
Thanks man =] peace and love, hope ur channel continues to grow.
This video reminded me why i love being self taught. Just do what you enjoy man, for me that was just playing songs i like and the rest came with time, not once did i sit and learn any theory
I've been feeling pretty lost recently with all of this, i have ideas on what i need to do and what i want to do but you've really helped conceptualize it and i appreciate that a lot, thank you for making this video :)
Thanks for your kind comment! Getting such a positive response is super encouraging
@@kevinnickens ofc bro, keep doing what you're doing, quality content.
I just never learned music theory, I just learned chords and tabs
@@supersonicstrat you should, it helps a ton.
My friend, I’m sure you are a great guitar player but you might be an even better RUclipsr. Great work.
Ive been stuck in level 2-3 for 2 years now since im incredibly inconsistent and i never know what songs to play or what to learn next. Thank you for making this video, this makes me want to play the guitar again ❤
I love this! Totally how my brain works after two cups strong espresso. I watched it and reminded about 7 times and wrote down most of the study you mentioned. Now I have my meat and potatoes for the next 6 months of study .🌹🎼🪽Thank You.
As a "Level 0," thank you so much for this. It's great to have structure of where to start.
I am beyond thankful for this. I'm unbelievably comfortable on acoustic but every time I try to play electric it's like I have absolutely no idea what instrument I'm holding. This checklist is unbelievable. Let's get it
Let’s get it!
This roadmap is something I didn’t know I needed. I wish I had found something like this in middle school
Was looking for something like this when I was starting to re-learn the guitar 4 months ago - A simple and concise 'fundamentals roadmap'.
I kept wondering why such clear guitar roadmap by concept isn't available. I enrolled in a lot of courses that supposedly teaches from the ground up (both free and paid). In the end, I had to stitch multiple sources just the same as browsing youtube videos to understand the topics.
Hate it when the instructors say that there isn't a single roadmap and 'it depends on your goal'. Point was, the 'fundamentals' is supposed to be the same regardless of the goal because it's all the same instrument - the guitar. Contrary to my experience, this video only mentions that after* giving all the must-learn guitar topics at level 1-5.
---
I made my own roadmap back then based on extensive googling and reddit rabbit hole. Started with CAGED, 5 pentatonic & diatonic patterns, Modes and Intervals. Soon realized that these are way difficult to put into context musically at my level and eventually worked my way backwards - wasted a lot of practice time. I wish I started by studying all about chords, progressions, functions, formulas and triads - just as you have stated in this video.
That 4 months of 6 hours daily robotic, mechanical, scalar, shape-oriented, monkey-see monkey-do practice sessions now only made sense when I recently focused on chords and triads. That goes for both my musical approach and fretboard visualization. I can also finally hear and differentiate some intervals and at most 3 modes of the major scale - because of practicing chord progressions.
I hope more new guitar learners find this video.
I will be sharing this in all latest reddit and quora 'guitar roadmap' threads I could find. Thank you for making this!
Thanks for watching, commenting, and sharing the video! I really can't ask for much more lol. I'm glad this helped. I've always agreed with you that the fundamentals should be the same no matter what the goal is. You're right that an incredibly important part of learning is putting these concepts into musical context, so I've got some lesson videos coming that focus on songs that demonstrate concepts. Thanks again for the support!
i just found your channel and i've been playing on and off again for a while. i can play open chords and the A shape and E shape bar chords and sing good but not good at picking or soloing. i can play the basic scales and some pentatonic scales but don't really know how to use them. i play lefthanded and have a small collection of guitars. i find watching a righty play is like looking into a mirror and it looks correct to me so it helps me in learning. i'm gonna go through some of your videos and try to get more serious about it. i'm 73 yrs old and like folk, rock, old time classic country, jazz and american popular song.
I'm a beginner, but I started with learning how to change my strings (after buying a used guitar with two strings missing). 😊 This is the best guitar instruction channel that I have found: concise, logical, and you have a great sense of humour. 👍🎸
Hey Kevin, I have to agree with all the other comments here that you are doing something very special on youtube and it is something that no other guitar teacher has done AFAIK. Like all of the other thousands of wanna-be guitar players wandering around in the guitar desert on youtube trying to figure out how to play the fricken guitar no one has laid out a plan for WHAT a player should learn and WHEN they should learn it, I would like to see you expand on that in the future. Kudos to you!!
RUclips is an incredible learning tool that we are all lucky to have but it is currently just bits and pieces that everyone is trying to make some order of and the quality of the teachers vary considerably.
My guitar journey began in 1977 and I am a solid 4.5 level player who is trying to get into a solid level 5. Your video quality is excellent, your teaching style is clear, concise and simple yet you cover the topics throughly. I have up-voted and subbed, will be watching you!
Thanks! I really appreciate this comment!
Dude I appreciate you and this video so much. I feel like I have sifted thru hours upon hours of BS to finally just get a simple, concise list of what I need to learn and the proper order/layout to get where I want to be in regards to learning to slay on my super sick axe of shredding and sometimes country pickin. Thank you so much!
Thanks! I'm glad the list could help. It's cool to hear that this helped you stop sifting through BS and just get your guitar in your hands. Also, great profile picture
This is the most useful guitar video on the internet
Hello Kevin! I'm lurking around late beginner-intermediate boundary and this concise curriculum-like guide provided me a much needed roadmap. Thank you, and wish you the best on your RUclips journey!
I'd like to ask a little question: I really liked the song recommendation sections. I get that it really becomes personal after a certain point but could you maybe inclined to give song recommendations for further Levels you described from your own perspective? Like explaining the techniques or chord progressions involved and how they may relate to the Level in question? Not like full on playalong tutorials but more like a bite-sized analyses to what to look for in a given song that you've picked. I dunno hopefully I was able to make sense not a native English speaker :)
I have this exact video already planned. Stay tuned for it! And you did great for a non English speaker, I couldn’t even tell
YOU'RE A GOD LITERALLY
I just got my guitar and was completely lost, tsm ❤
Love this video! Can’t wait for the series!
Thanks babe!
I have thought this exact same thing! I’ve been self teaching through the internet, & had this exact experience. At one point, I knew most chords, (open& barr), and could play lots of songs, and some soloing, but didn’t know what any of the different notes were in different positions.
The way I memorized my strings was like this:
Top string E -
EAT
Next string B -
BROKEN
Next string G -
GLASS
Next string D -
DON'T
Next string A -
ASK
Bottom string E -
EAT
And you put it together like this:
Eat Broken Glass! Don't Ask, Eat!
E
B
G
D
A
E
Pretty catchy, yes? Logical, no?
I think Spock would approve.
That’s pretty good
Algorithm-greasing comment, to help grow your channel. Brilliant info and so nicely presented. Took me 29 years of playing, practicing, and performing (badly) to realize only a portion of this stuff and I still play everyday! One thing you mention that I found so useful and saw immediate results was playing in time. I did it by using a loop pedal, so I could practice both my chord changes and then my solos directly afterwards/during and just to have fun, too. Realizing how hard it can be to sound in any way decent sure is highlighted by using a loop pedal and not a backing track. Teaches you real quick how to improve your timing and smoothen out your playing.
Thank you so much for this, ive felt lost for my entire guitar journey and this short video has helped immensely. Thank you again. You've earned a sub.
Thanks for this video. I am a beginner (midway through level 1 by your system) and spent the first month bouncing between a few of the well-know YT instructors. They're all good, but I wasn't really making any progress until I tried Justin and found that his ability to quickly get me into practice routines that were fun and felt like I was actually PLAYING something really clicked with me. Once I get the week's lesson about licked, I pick around and watch other videos on things that may be a bit beyond where I am now, but are fun to try. I found your combination of great information, transparency, and humor really engaging so I immediately subscribed. I will definitely check out your Level 1 style topics and see what additional tips/tricks/methods I might find there. Thanks again!
I will come back to this comment every time I start new level.
Keep us updated
i'm also gonna try this, someone please like my comment
Did you ever start?
@@leokhornlol i dont think so it doesnt take 3 months to do the first level
I just found this video and I thinks it's exactly what I need. It has made me self reflect and realise that since I began teaching myself guitar over 20 years ago, I have never really progressed past level 1 truly but have learnt bits and pieces from levels 2 through 4 or 5 over the years. I think this is really going to help me fill some gaps and who knows I may just get to level 2 🤣 thanks so much. Subscribed.
Before my sickness takes over my body, I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Thank you for this! I hope your channel grows even more.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re sick. I hope that guitar can bring you joy and it’s an honor to be even a small part of that
Kevin - I'm a lyricist just learning an Epiphone LP long after retirement. It's scary, but your videos make it seem possible. Great first lesson and follow up. Thanks.
level 7: you can finally play guitar hero expert charts (the hardest challenge of them all)
I nearly fell out of my chair after realizing this is a new and small channel. The depth of explanation and production quality is insane. Keep it up and your channel will grow tremendously!
Nice Channel, Kevin ❤
I'm a super beginner in music and playing in guitar so half the things he's talking about I literally have no idea😭
I'm with you 😆
Thanks!
Thank you!
Pls like this comment remind me to practice
Pratcir
Practice
PRACTICEEEEEE 🤬🎸
Practirs
Get to work. ;)
2:56
Level 2:
• Alternate picking
• 1st position pentatonic scale
• All notes on fretboard up to 5th fret
• Syncopation and counting subdivisions
Songs:
• Sweet home Alabama - Leonard skynard
• Running down a dream - Tom Petty
• House of the rising sun - The Animals
• Highway to hell - ACDC
• Hurt - Johnny Cash
Bro literally said: 🧐
technically challenging songs is a great milestone. I'd say tackling something like 40 Oz, Eruption, Playing god, or even Cliffs of Dover is a good step to classify your self as an advanced guitar player
Easy agree here. Good song choices
Dude... this helps so much. Thank you for making this easily accessible for us!
You’re welcome! Yeah man I wish this info was more available, it’s useful to literally anyone who plays guitar at any level, I’m kinda surprised that no other guitar educator makes this available. Thanks for commenting!
Ok man. 3:48 and you got another sub. I'm 60 and "starry-eyed" and my wife is same over keyboards. Love your information, delivery, and taste in tunes. Thanks for a great time.
What things can I learn that are guitar specific for people that already play instruments? For context, I've been playing piano and violin for over a decade already, so starting out has been really weird for me since I already know a lot about things like music theory and don't know much about technique and stuff, so I'd say I'm around 3 (even though I'm starting bar chords).
I watched this video a while ago and couldn’t find it again. I’ve been finding and learning songs and different habits over the past 8-9 years and I think I’m decent enough to have fun, but it’s nice to know the gaps in my knowledge and where I can fill in some of those holes. I know a little from every level but I wanna get all the basics second nature. It’s really hard sometimes to know what you don’t know. Thanks for this, everyone appreciates you.
Don't tell me what to do. Thanks.
Pooja what is this behaviour?
Why click on the video then 💀
@@slipperybutters5174He's being sarcastic
@@kantairs4824Pooja???😂
I’m cryin
17 years of playing. Recording. And all the rest of it. I’m still going back to basics. This is all because at this moment I have no amp with me and all my guitars are stored away. I’m just looking for my guitar fix man. And this video is gonna help hahah. While I have nothing I aim to gain something. Always look at the basics even if you think you are seasoned. Because once the arthritis sets in from 15 hour shifts of hard graft you’re (I’m) gonna need to re learn a whole ton of stuff. Thank you for the video brother x
you look like ed sheeran if he was a person
@@jdawg6939 excellent comment
i’ve been playing guitar for 10 years, and after hitting level 4, i didn’t know how to progress anymore. this video has been a lifeline back to learning again. thank you so much dude!
Nice video, but an american telling how to pronounce, c'mon!
Haha! I did not know the controversy I was asking for 😂