Brett Gregory Guitar Studio Private guitar lessons in Pleasanton since 1997
 
 
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Curriculum
Brett Gregory Guitar Studio
My full curriculum takes about 4 years and contains about 100 songs, which are divided into 10 different training sections. (listed below)

The guitar is just a hard instrument. A cat will listen to a guy that is playing and think he can do that, but he won't study on how long that cat's been playing. Then he gets discouraged because he can't even get two notes out. Then he says he'll struggle with it himself, and maybe he'll find out in six months that he still can't make a line, then he feels like he's a dumb cat. But when you find guitar players that are playing, you'll find out that at one time they never cared if they never played, they were going to keep on until they did. After a period of time the beginning player will hear a little difference in his playing, and that little inspiration is enough to go further, and the first thing you know you won't back out. The biggest problem is getting started. -Wes Montgomery
Mission Statement: TO PROVIDE COMPETENT INSTRUCTION ON THE FUNDAMENTALS OF GUITAR PLAYING. EMPHASIS IS PRIMARILY ON TECHNIQUE AND SKILL IN ORDER TO BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION OF GUITAR AND MUSIC KNOWLEDGE.

In order to teach these fundamental techniques and skills, I have chosen different songs that best demonstrate those ideas. You should understand, however, that every single song that is listed below has been altered or modified in some way, by me, for teaching purposes. In the early stages of the curriculum, the songs have been greatly simplified so that they are easier to play (sometimes I use only portions of the songs in order to really help the student focus on a particular technique). As the student's abilities increase, the songs are presented with less modification because the student is capable of handling a more challenging song. Towards the last half of the curriculum, the songs are presented in much greater detail and sometimes I even increase the level of difficulty, by adding in some of the bass or melody line to the original guitar part.

My only focus as a guitar instructor is to use the songs listed below, as tools and exercises, to teach you how to play the guitar well, and give you the best musical foundation possible in the shortest amount of time.

My main goal for my students who complete the entire curriculum is not to have merely taught you how to play the 100 plus songs listed here, but instead, to have used these songs as a way to teach you the techniques and skills that you need in order to be a versatile and competent guitar player. Once you have these skills and techniques, you will be able to learn thousands of songs of your own choosing and be able to pursue whatever musical goal you set your sights on.
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Section One: First 12 Songs
1. I Can’t Quit You Baby – Otis Rush 
2. Day Tripper - The Beatles
3. Even The Losers – Tom Petty
4. Knockin' On Heavens Door - Bob Dylan
5. Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers 
6. Should I Stay Or Should I Go? – The Clash
7. Take It Easy – The Eagles
8. Ride On – AC/DC
9. Nobody Knows You– Eric Clapton
10. House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
11. Folsum Prison Blues – Johnny Cash 
12. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
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Section Two: Scales
Lesson: Pentatonic Minor & Major Scales / Improvising

Section Three: Bar Chords
13. Key to the Highway - BB King/Clapton
14. Keep Your Hands to Yourself -
Georgia Satellites
15. Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
16. All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan
17. Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen
18. Bad Moon Rising - CCR
19. Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
20. Cant Buy Me Love - The Beatles
21. Lyin' Eyes - Eagles
22. RunAround Sue - Dion
23. Mabellene - Chuck Berry
24. Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
25. Jail House Rock - Elvis
26. Revolution #1 - Beatles
27. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
28. Hotel California - Eagles
29. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
30. Sister GoldenHair -
America
31. One Love - Bob Marley
32. Cant Get Enough - Bad Company
33. If I Fell - The Beatles
33. Nowhere Man - The Beatles
34. Something - The Beatles
35. Yesterday - The Beatles

Section Four: Blues and more
36. Before You Accuse Me - Eric Clapton
37. Standing At The Crossroads - Elmore James
38. They're Red Hot - Robert Johnson
39. Life By The Drop - Stevie Ray Vaughan
40. The Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King
41. Shake Rattle & Roll - Big Joe Turner
42. I'm Tore Down - Eric Clapton
43. Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
44. That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
45. Hey Hey - Big Bill Broonzy
46. Hide Away - Freddy King

Section Five: Bass & Melody Lines
47. Thats All Right - Elvis
48. Twenty Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran
49. Tear in my Beer - Hank Williams Sr.
50. Give Back My Heart - Lyle Lovett
51. I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
52. The Joker - The Steve Miller Band
53. Tequila
Sunrise - The Eagles
54. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
55. Green Sleeves - Trad.
56. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
57. I've Just Seen A Face - The Beatles

Section Six: Chords Etc...
58. Blue Moon Of Kentucky – Bill Monroe
59. Sweet Baby James – James Taylor
60. Stawberry Wine – Deana Carter
61. Sleep Walk – Santo & Johnny
62. Walkin in Memphis – Marc Cohn
63. Squeeze Box – The Who
64. Roxanne - Police
65. Pinball Wizard – The Who
66. Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
67. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat
68. Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
69. Right On The Money – Alan Jackson
70. Handle with Care – Travelling Wilburys
71. All My Loving – The Beatles
72. Dust in the Wind -
Kansas
73. Black Bird – The Beatles
74. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin
75. Julia – The Beatles
76. Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
77. Etude in C – Fernando Sor
78. Bewildered – Notting Hillbillies
79. San Tropez – Pink Floyd
80. Don't Fence Me In - Cole Porter
81. PS I Love You - Mel Torme
82. Stray Cat Strut – The Stray Cats
83. Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
84. Ain’t Misbehavin – Fats Waller
85. Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington
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Section Seven: Music Theory - Part One

Section Eight: Lead Section
Day Tripper
Folsum Prison Blues
The Thrill is Gone
Take it Easy
Twenty Flight Rock
Sleep Walk
Stray Cat Strut
Before You Accuse Me
Johnny B. Goode
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Stairway To Heaven
Keep Your Hands To Yourself
Hotel California
86Sweet Home Alabama - Full Song
87 House is Rockin - SRV - Full Song

Section Nine: Music Theory Part Two

Section Ten: (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) Music History 1990 --> 1920
88. Tears in the Rain – Satriani
89. Sweet Child o Mine - GnR
90. Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
91. Enter Sandman – Metallica
92. Eugenes Trick Bag - Steve Vai
93. Lenny – SRV
94. Crazy Train – Ozzy
95. Dee – Randy Rhoads
96. Back in Black – AC/DC
97. MidSummers Daydream – Rik Emmett
98. Fantasy Serenade – Rik Emmett
99. Sultans Of Swing – Mark Knopfler
100. Eruption – Eddie Van Halen
101. Is there Anybody Out There – Pink Floyd
102. Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix
103. Classical Gas – Mason Williams
104. Accustomed To Her Face – Wes Montgomery
105. Dust My Blues – Elmore James
106. Main Street Break Down - Chet Atkins
107. Cannon Ball Rag – Merle Travis
108. Solo Flight – Charlie Christian
109. Sweet Home Chicago – Robert Johnson
110. Purcell's Prelude - Segovia
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I am constantly changing and updating my lesson plan in a continual effort to become a better player and more effective teacher but the preceeding list should give you a good idea of what to expect. I have found the proceeding list will take somewhere around 4+ years to complete. That is a rough estimate because everyone learns at their own pace.

Not everyone wants to go thru my entire lesson plan. To those who want the basic fundamentals, I would recommend going thru my first three sections. For a complete beginner, the first three sections usually take about 18 months.
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