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Melody Guitar Book 2: Free Video Lessons

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Click here to order your copy of Melody Guitar 2, and check out the free videos below!

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Melody Guitar Books 1-4 focus on learning to read and play melody lines in standard music notation. Melody Guitar 1 starts you off learning notes on the first three strings and music reading basics. Melody Guitar 2 picks up where Melody Guitar 1 leaves off. You should start with Melody Guitar 1 if you're a new guitarist or if you're just getting into reading standard notation. It's a short book, and it's free! Click here to download Melody Guitar 1 and watch the videos.

 

In Melody Guitar Book 2, you'll learn to read and play notes on strings 4-6 in first position while the melodies gradually become more challenging. You'll also learn how to play minor pentatonic scales, blues scales, and the chromatic scale. Melody Guitar 3 continues where Melody Guitar 2 leaves off, with increasingly complex melodies. Melody Guitar 4 teaches you to read and play melodies all over the fretboard.

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If you're just getting started on guitar, you should also check out my Rhythm Guitar series, which focuses on chords, strumming, and fingerstyle patterns.

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Click here for a list of my other videos, which include easy guitar arrangements, technique lessons, chords, scales, and more.

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Melody Guitar 2 Videos

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Lesson 1: Intro, 1st Space F, Common Time (pages 3-4)
Learn to read and play the 1st space F on the 4th string, review the notes you learned in Melody Guitar 1, review the warm-up from the end of Melody Guitar 1, and learn about Common Time.

Lesson 2: 1st Line E (page 5)
Learn to read and play the 1st line E on the 4th string, and review the notes you've learned so far.

Lesson 3: 2/4 Time (page 6)
Learn to count and play in 2/4 time.

Lesson 4: 8th Notes (pages 7-8)
Learn to count and play 8th notes with alternate picking.

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Lesson 5: 8th Note Drills (page 9)

Single note 8th note drills to nail down your rhythmic subdivision and feel.

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Lesson 6: 8th Note Melodies (page 10)

Now that you've learned to play and count 8th notes, it's time to add them into your melody playing.

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Lesson 7: More 8th Note Melodies (page 11)

More 8th note melody practice.

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Lesson 8: 4th String D (pages 11-12)

Learn to read and play the 4th string D below the staff. Includes a new Speed Booster and an Octave Etude for string skipping practice.

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Lesson 9: 4th String D Melodies (page 13)

Three melodies that include your new 4th string D note.

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Lesson 10: Fermata (page 14)

Learn to follow the fermata (or "hold") marking.

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Lesson 11: Tempo Markings (pages 15-17)

Tempo markings tell you how fast the music should be played.

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Lesson 12: Tempo Change Markings (page 18)

Learn about tempo change markings such as ritardando, accelerando, and rallentando.

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Lesson 13: "A Tempo" Marking (page 19)

The "A Tempo" marking, which is related to the tempo change markings you learned about in the previous lesson.

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Lesson 14: Rests (pages 20-21)

Learn to count rests in your music.

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Lesson 15: Rhythm Drills with Rests (page 22)

Single note rhythm drills to help with counting rests.

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Lesson 16: Melodies with Rests (pages 23-24)

Three new melodies that incorporate the rests you've learned.

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Lesson 17: Scale Charts, Minor Pentatonic Scales (pages 25-26)

Learn how to read a scale chart, a moveable minor pentatonic scale, and the natural note names on the 6th string.

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Lesson 18: 5th String C, C Major Scale (pages 27-28)

Learn to read and play 5th string C. Add the C major scale to your warm-up.

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Lesson 19: Melodies with 5th String C (page 29)

Three new melodies that include the new 5th string C: "Scarborough Fair," "The Blue Bells of Scotland," and "Can Can."

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Lesson 20: Rhythm Drills and Crescendo/Decrescendo Markings (page 30)

Three rhythm drills, plus new dynamics: crescendos and decrescendos.

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Lesson 21: Melodies with Crescendo/Decrescendo (page 31)

The two new melodies in this lesson include the crescendo and decrescendo markings you learned about on page 30.

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Lesson 22: Low B (page 32)

Learn to read and play 5th string B and use it in the C major scale and two melodies.

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Lesson 23: Melodies with 5th String B (pages 33-34)

Learn three melodies that include your new 5th string B.

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Lesson 24: Duet Playing (pages 34-35)

Your introduction to duet playing.

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Lesson 25: More Duets (page 36)

Two more duets: Molly Malone and Sakura.

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Lesson 26: Counting Duet (page 37)

Another duet. This one requires careful counting.

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Lesson 27: 5th String A (page 38)

Learn to read and play low A on the 5th string.

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Lesson 28: Melodies with 5th String A (pages 39-40)

The new melodies in this lesson include "Danny Boy" and "The Volga Boatman."

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Lesson 29: Staccato and Accent Markings (pages 40-41)

Learn about the two most common articulations: accents and staccato markings.

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Lesson 30: Liza Jane Duet (page 42)

This duet includes staccato and accent markings, plus a combined accent/staccato marking.

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Lesson 31: 1st String A (page 43)

Learn to read and play the 1st String A above the music staff.

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Lesson 32: Fingerings (page 44)

Learn about fingerings in your written music and practice following them with "Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Dune" and "The Bamboo Flute."

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Lesson 33: Echo Duet (page 45)

The duet in this lesson requires careful counting!

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Lesson 34: Octave Etude (page 46)

This exercise includes all the notes you've learned to read and play so far and is excellent for practicing string skipping and pick control.

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Lesson 35: Dotted Quarter Notes (pages 47-48)

Learn to play and count dotted quarter + 8th note rhythms.

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Lesson 36: C Scale with Dotted Quarter Notes (page 49)

This C Major Scale etude features dotted quarter + 8th note rhythms. Include this in your warm-up for a few weeks.

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Lesson 37: Dotted Quarter Note Melodies (pages 50-51)

Kumbaya, Blow the Man Down, and Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly.

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Lesson 38: Chromatic Scale (pages 52-53)

Learn how to play the Chromatic Scale, which will then be added to your warm-up.

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Lesson 39: 6th String G (pages 53-54)

Learn how to read and play low G on the 6th string and then use it in "Ode to Joy."

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Lesson 40: I Shall Not Be Moved (page 55)

This melody includes the new low G and some syncopated rhythms.

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Lesson 41: Kitty of Coleraine (page 56)

This is a challenging melody, but you'll learn some tricks to make it easier.

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Lesson 42: D.C. al Fine and D.C. al Coda (pages 57-58)

Learn to follow D.C. al Fine and D.C. al Coda markings.

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Lesson 43: D.S. al Fine and D.S. al Coda (pages 58-59)

Learn to follow D.S. al Fine and D.S. al Coda markings.

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Lesson 44: 8th + Dotted Quarter Note (pages 60-61)

Learn to count and play the 8th note + dotted quarter note rhythm.

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Lesson 45: C Major Scale Etude (page 62)

This C Major Scale Etude focuses on your new 8th + dotted quarter note rhythm.

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Lesson 46: Peace Like a River (page 63)

This new melody includes both the dotted quarter + 8th and the 8th + dotted quarter rhythms.

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Lesson 47: Swing Low (page 64)

This new melody includes both the dotted quarter + 8th and the 8th + dotted quarter rhythms as well as a D.S. al Coda.

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Lesson 48: Low E and F (pages 64-65)

Learn how to read and play low E and low F (the two lowest notes on the guitar), which you'll then play in a new duet.

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Lesson 49: All the Pretty Little Horses Duet (pages 66-67)

This duet includes a D.C. al Coda, and the Guitar 2 part includes most of your newest low notes.

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Lesson 50: Pachelbel Canon Duet (page 68)

The Guitar 2 part in this duet includes your newest notes.

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Lesson 51: Octave Etude (page 69)

This etude includes all the notes you've learned to read so far and is an excellent string skipping exercise.

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Lesson 52: Syncopation (pages 70-71)

Learn to play and count syncopated rhythms in a series of short rhythm drills.

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Lesson 53: Syncopated Melodies (page 72)

Play syncopated rhythms in "Somebody's Knocking at Your Door" and "Shoo Fly."

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Lesson 54: More Syncopated Melodies (page 73)

The new melodies in this lesson are "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "Down by the Riverside."

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Lesson 55: Half Steps and Whole Steps (pages 74-75)

Learn about  half steps and whole steps, apply it to the major scale, and update your daily warm-up.

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Lesson 56: Sharps and Naturals (pages 76-77)

Learn about sharp signs and natural signs, and then play two new melodies with sharps: "Coventry Carol" and "The Oak and the Ash."

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Lesson 57: Etude for Sharps and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (page 78)

More practice in playing sharps with a new song and a new etude.

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Lesson 58: The Water Is Wide Duet (page 79)

This duet includes F#'s and C#'s in both parts.

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Lesson 59: Flats (pages 80-81)

Learn to read and play flats.

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Lesson 60: Flats and Open Strings (pages 82-83)

Learn how to change an open string natural note to a flat.

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Lesson 61: Romance and Greensleeves (page 84)

Two new melodies. "Romance from Lt. Kije Suite" has flats, and "Greensleeves" has sharps.

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Lesson 62: Theme from Polovetzian Dances and Rock (page 85)

The two new melodies in this lesson both include flats. The "Rock" melody is quite syncopated.

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Lesson 63: Hava Nagila (page 86)

The melody in this lesson includes both sharps and flats.

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Lesson 64: Down in the Valley and Wade in the Water (page 87)

"Down in the Valley" includes sharps. "Wade in the Water" includes flats and plenty of syncopation.

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Melody 2 Vids
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