Classic Rock Guitar Unleashed (2017)

Rhythm Lessons 1-5

In the rhythm section, the first 5 lessons are all about rhythm - how to understand it, how to count it, and how to play it.

There are dozens of examples covering all the basics like quarter notes, 1/8th notes, and triplets, all the way up to more advanced 1/16th note counting and 12/8 time in addition to common time.

You'll learn straight and swing feels, and you'll play many examples that will sound an awful lot like popular songs you know by heart.


Rhythm Lessons 6 and 7

In Lesson 6 we'll cover power chords in all their glory, and add to that in lesson 7 with palm muting and a bunch of rock riffs on the heavier side.


Rhythm Lesson 8

Lesson 8 is all open position power chords and a bunch of killer AC/DC and Zeppelin style riffs.


Rhythm Lesson 9

Now because Classic Rock owes it's soul to the blues, we spend Lesson 9 talking about that blues influence and we go through a bunch of blues based rock riffs. Real world examples of this are too many to count, but I think you'll quickly recognize how these work when you need them.


Rhythm Lessons 10 and 11

In Lesson 10 I'll show you my foolproof method for learning the names of every single note on your guitar in just a few minutes a day. And then we'll put that to use in Lesson 11 where we'll cover all the moveable chord shapes.

You'll see pretty quickly that with just a few shapes and knowing the names of the notes on your guitar you'll be able to play pretty much any chord you'll ever need.


Rhythm Lesson 12

Lesson 12 is one of my personal favorites and it 's where we get into partial chords, and other embellishments like the Rolling Stones Move and suspended chords as used by everyone from Tom Petty to Eddie Van Halen.


Rhythm Lessons 13 and 14

In lessons 13 and 14 we'll handle the softer side of classic rock with lessons in arpeggios and fingerstyle riffs. These are the kind of ideas used in songs like "Dust In The Wind," "Simple Man," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Landslide," and dozens more.


Lead Lessons 1-4

We'll first cover all the fundamentals of soloing including bends, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and the minor pentatonic scale in both a "box 1" way and with "extensions" to add a little bit more fretboard.

We'll also talk about some important ways to practice your scales so that you'll really know them when you need them instead of guessing. You'll learn about "melodic sequences" and the value of applying the rhythms you learned in the rhythm section to your lead playing.


Lead Lesson 5, Solo 1

This is a Jimmy Page style solo over the "Stairway" changes. This 1 set of chord changes (a "chord progression") forms the backdrop for hundreds (if not thousands) of classic rock songs so learning how it works is essential.

Of course, I'll walk you through it note for note and break it up into 5 individual licks that you can use in your own solos whenever you want.


Lead Lesson 6

In lesson 6 we'll talk about "the blue note" and how to turn your minor pentatonic scale into a minor blues scale, including the extensions.


Lead Lesson 7

Here is where we'll talk about moving the minor pentatonic and blues scales to any key, anywhere on the guitar fretboard. You'll see quickly just how easy it is to change keys at the drop of a hat.


Lead Lesson 8, Solo 2

Solo 2 is in the style of Angus Young over a "Back In Black" style chord progression (which is, again, a very common chord progression used in many songs.)

The focus of this solo is adding the bluesier elements of classic and hard rock to your solos, and soloing in a new key.


Lead Lesson 9

In lesson 9 we'll cover the rest of boxes 2 and 5, as well as 3 and 4 to connect the entire fretboard for soloing. You'll see how the minor pentatonic and minor blues "boxes" connect to create a roadmap of scale tones across the whole guitar for you.

We'll also look at another "root-centric" layout that many classic rock guitar players, as well as blues-rock players, use as much as 90% of the time.


Lead Lesson 10, Solo 3

Solo 3 is in the style of David Gilmour as he might approach a tune like "Comfortably Numb." The chord progression is actually similar to Solo 1 (see, I told you it comes up a lot) but at this slow tempo it gives us a chance to cover how to count and play sextuplets.

You've likely never heard of sextuplets, but I can promise that you'll love their sound. If you've ever wanted to play faster blues/rock likes like these, this is how it's done (just ask Joe Bonamassa, Billy Gibbons, or Richie Blackmore.)


Lead Lesson 11

Lesson 11 is everything you wanted to know about harmonics and more!

From natural harmonics to 2-hand tapped harmonics to "squeals" that will make Billy Gibbons and Zakk Wylde jealous.


Lead Lesson 12, Solo 4

Speaking of Billy Gibbons, it wouldn't be right to show you how to do those pinch harmonics and not give you a chance to use them!

So solo 4 is in the style of the good Reverend from Texas and I'm pretty sure you'll recognize what song it would work over.


Lead Lesson 13, Solo 5

For solo 5, I like to say that it's a melting pot of influences. It's similar to what Mike McCready would play back in the early 1990's, but the licks come right out of the early to mid 1970s.

There are licks stolen from Jimi Hendrix, Ace Frehley, and Robbie Krieger (among others) masterfully put together into a really fantastic solo (one of Guitar Player magazine's best of all time as I recall.)


Lead Lesson 14

In Lesson 14 I'll show you all you need to know about the major pentatonic and major blues scales, and how to take what you already know to make it work for you without learning any new patterns.

But in addition to that I'll cover one of my favorite patterns, the "3+2" pattern that you'll see comes up in a lot in solos that use the major pentatonic or major blues sounds (The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and the list goes on and on.)


Lead Lesson 15, Solo 6

I've always been somewhat mesmerized by George Harrison's solo in "Let It Be" by the Beatles, and it turns out to be the perfect setting for really demonstrating just how great the major pentatonic sound can be.

Plus, I added in a few other fun little things made famous by that Jimi Hendrix guy that you might recognize.


Lead Lessons 16 and 17, Solos 7 and 8

The last 2 solos really showcase the sound of combining the major and minor pentatonic and blues sounds. From the Skynyrd-esque quality of solo 7 to the more AC/DC type sound of solo 8, I'll give you a dozen different ideas on how these 2 sounds combine to form the core essence of the classic rock soloing sound.

By the time we're done you'll really have an understanding of how the 2 sounds work together, when you can change between them, and why. Plus you'll have a bunch of great new licks.
Note By Note, Step By Step

For every example and every lick of every solo I'll break it down for you note by note using my new on-screen tab where all you have to do is follow the red dot through the music.

Not only does this keep you from having to go back and look through the manual (though, you certainly can if you prefer,) but it allows you to see where I am and to be able to confirm for yourself that you're doing it right.

It'll amaze how much "musical knowledge" you'll pick up through the process of following along with me, instead of digging around for yourself.