Absolute Beginners
Guitar Course
Learn Guitar from the Very Beginning
Learning guitar doesn’t have to mean bouncing between random YouTube videos, apps, and exercises without knowing what to practice next.
The Absolute Beginners Guitar Course was created for first-time players, as well as guitarists who want to fill in gaps in their fundamental technique. Nashville guitar instructor Shane Lamb takes you through the essential skills of playing guitar in an organized, linear course that builds from one concept to the next.
You’ll learn how to read tablature and chord diagrams, play common chords and progressions, develop better picking and strumming technique, understand rhythm, and apply those skills to real songs.
Why Start with a Structured Beginner Guitar Course?
One of the hardest parts of learning guitar on your own is knowing what to practice and in what order.
A video on chords might assume you already understand rhythm. A song tutorial might use techniques you haven’t learned yet. Before long, it can feel like you’re collecting disconnected pieces instead of actually progressing.
This course gives you a clear path through the fundamentals. Each lesson builds on skills introduced earlier, helping you develop your technique, coordination, rhythm, and musical understanding step by step.
Instead of wondering what to work on next, you can focus on learning, practicing, and making music.
What You’ll Learn in This Course
Guitar Fundamentals
Learn how to hold the guitar and pick comfortably, use a capo, tune your guitar with a tuner and by ear, and read guitar tablature and chord diagrams.
Chords & Progressions
Learn 18 common open-position chords and practice 10 chord progressions organized around chords that frequently appear together in songs.
Rhythm & Strumming
Learn how to count and subdivide rhythms in 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 6/8, and 12/8, and work through 19 common strumming patterns found across thousands of songs.
Picking & Coordination
Develop alternate-picking technique along with left- and right-hand strength, coordination, and independence through focused exercises.
Songs, Riffs & the Blues
Put the fundamentals into practice by learning songs, recognizable riffs, and a basic blues riff in E.
Practice & Musicianship
Learn how to break challenging passages into manageable sections, practice more intentionally, recognize chord relationships by ear, and begin reading Nashville Number System charts.
What’s Included?
The Absolute Beginners Guitar Course includes approximately four hours of instruction across 43 videos, along with PDFs, diagrams, exercises, and song materials. You’ll get:
- 12 videos covering open-position chord progressions
- 8 song PDFs with accompanying instructional videos, tips, and strumming patterns
- 4 videos focused on developing left- and right-hand independence
- Instruction on hand position, picking, strumming, and chord transitions
- A daily practice routine to help you organize your practice time
- An introduction to the Nashville Number System and using number charts for songs
The course is designed to give you both the individual skills you need and a practical way to put them together.
Learn from Nashville Guitar Instructor Shane Lamb
Shane Lamb has spent more than 25 years helping guitar students develop their skills and become more confident musicians.
His teaching focuses on clear explanations, practical exercises, and helping students understand how individual skills connect. Rather than simply memorizing chord shapes or copying songs, students learn how to practice effectively and build skills they can continue using as they progress.
Whether you study online or take private guitar lessons in Nashville, the goal is the same: to help you become a more capable, independent guitarist.
Who This Course Is For
This course is ideal if you:
- Have never played guitar before
- Recently purchased your first guitar
- Have played before but feel like you missed some important fundamentals
- Struggle with chord changes, rhythm, picking, or coordination
- Want an organized alternative to random online lessons
- Want to understand what you’re playing rather than simply memorize songs
- Prefer learning at your own pace
- Want a stronger foundation for learning the music you enjoy
No previous musical experience is required.
How the Course Builds Your Guitar Foundation
Start with the Basics
Learn how to hold, tune, and play the guitar comfortably while developing good habits from the beginning.
Build Your Technique
Work on picking, strumming, hand position, finger independence, and coordination between your left and right hands.
Learn Essential Chords
Build a vocabulary of 18 common open-position chords and develop smoother, more confident chord transitions.
Develop Your Rhythm
Learn how to count, subdivide, and play common rhythms and strumming patterns across multiple time signatures.
Apply What You Learn
Use songs, riffs, blues, and chord progressions to turn individual techniques into practical playing skills.
Learn How to Practice
Develop a more organized approach to practicing, working through difficult sections, and continuing to learn new music on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Learning Guitar with a Clear Plan
Learning guitar becomes much easier when you know what to practice and how each new skill connects to the next.
The Absolute Beginners Guitar Course gives you an organized path through chords, rhythm, picking, technique, songs, and essential musicianship without requiring any previous experience.
If you’re ready to stop piecing lessons together and start building a solid guitar foundation, this is the place to begin.
