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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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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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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