# Learn Guitar — Foundations

> Interactive page: [`foundations.html`](foundations.html)

Know the instrument, tune it, hear the open strings, and meet the **capo** before you stack chords. Built for beginners, intermediates, and advanced players — solo or with a teacher in the room.

Same **Sa** drone as [Singing](/singing/practice.html) — use the practice bar. Shared harmony ideas live on [Piano · circle of fifths](/piano/circle-of-fifths.html). Notes you hear are real guitar samples from the [University of Iowa MIS](samples/guitar/CREDITS.md).

## Parts and hold

A guitar has six **strings**, a **neck** with metal **frets**, and a body. The thickest string is the low **E** (closest to the ceiling when you hold the guitar); the thinnest is the high **e**.

Sit tall. Rest the body on your right thigh (right-handed hold — lefty support comes later). Left hand on the neck; right hand strums or picks over the soundhole (acoustic) or pickups (electric). Any guitar in **standard tuning** works here.

**Sources (two-check):** Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 (sitting position, parts of the guitar) · Berklee practice of naming strings 6→1 as E A D G B E.

## Standard tuning — E A D G B e

v1 stays in **standard EADGBE** only. From low to high: E, A, D, G, B, e. Tune so each open string matches concert pitch. A clip-on tuner is fine; the page’s open-string buttons are a reference, not a replacement for a tuner.

## Open strings on the neck

On the interactive page, click a string at a fret to hear it. Open notes sit left of the nut (unfretted). High **e** is on top — the same orientation as TAB.

Each fret is one half step — the same twelve-note grid as piano. A finger just behind the fret, not on top of the metal, keeps the note clean.

## Capo — teach it early

A **capo** clamps across a fret and shortens every string. Open shapes then sound in a new key. That is how you keep easy chords while matching a singer’s **Sa** or a song that sits too low or high.

- Capo fret 2 + open **G** shapes → music that feels like A major.
- Capo fret 3 + open **G** → like B♭ — useful for many film / folk keys.

Place it just behind the fret, snug but not crushing. If a string buzzes, shift it a millimetre toward the fretwire.

**Sources:** Hal Leonard method (capo to play in other keys with open chords) · common Berklee / teacher practice of matching vocal range without barre chords yet.

## How to read TAB

TAB is six lines — one per string. The **top** line is high **e**, the same way the neck is drawn on this site. A number is a **fret**, not a finger. `0` is open. A lead-sheet under the letters (G | D | Em | C) is the count of the change. Full staff notation waits until a song earns a score.

Open strings, written the TAB way (high e on top):

```
e|--0--
B|--0--
G|--0--
D|--0--
A|--0--
E|--0--
```

When a song page prints TAB, it is showing left-hand seats for a chord, not a melody to copy.

**Sources:** Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 (TAB orientation) · Berklee habit of naming strings 1–6 from high e down on the page.

## Three tracks

- **Beginner** — the 4-week plan below. Tune, open strings, first six chords, downs, then one loop.
- **Intermediate** — skip to Month 2 when the first six ring clean. Sevenths, capo as a key tool, 12-bar, folk bass-strum, Quest on Intermediate.
- **Advanced** — Month 3: barre in time, 16th and mute patterns, 2-beat changes, start/stop silence. Tightness — not jazz, not CAGED.

## 4-week plan

Same idea as Piano’s month plan — one focus a week, not a race. **15–20 minutes a day** is enough if the click is on.

1. **Week 1 — sound (15 min).** Tune. 5 min open strings. 5 min Em and G, one down per click. 5 min [downstrokes](strumming.md).
2. **Week 2 — six chords (20 min).** Add C, D, Am, E on [Open chords](chords.md). Pattern D-DU-UDU. Play the [four-chord loop](songs.md).
3. **Week 3 — songs and capo (20 min).** [Ghar loop](songs.md). Capo fret 2 or 3 to match a singer’s Sa. Add A and Dm. Kids: the two songs on [Kids](kids.md).
4. **Week 4 — stretch (20 min).** Preview F and Bm on [Barre](barre.md). [Chord-change Quest](quest.md). 5 min [chromatic](drills.md) or the [Exercises](exercises.md) left-hand family. Tick the [first-ten checklist](chords.md).

Sources: Hal Leonard Book 1 pacing (chords before barre, capo before new keys) · Berklee “click first” for the right hand.

## Month 2 and 3

Same 15–20 minutes. The click stays.

### Month 2 — intermediate

1. **Sevenths.** G7, D7, C7, E7, A7, B7 on [Open chords](chords.md). A 7th is often one finger lifted or added.
2. **Longer forms.** [12-bar blues](songs.md) and the 50s loop. Capo 2 or 3 as a key change.
3. **Right-hand split.** Boom-chick on [Folk drills](drills-folk.md). D-DU-UDU while the left hand changes.
4. **Check.** [Quest](quest.md) on Intermediate.

### Month 3 — advanced

1. **Barre in time.** F and Bm on the click, then movable I–IV–V on [Barre](barre.md).
2. **Tighter songs.** Blues with 7ths, quick-change 12-bar, four-chord at 2 beats. Mute on 2 and 4.
3. **Stamina and silence.** [Metal](drills-metal.md) start/stop, [Solo](drills-solo.md) bend control.
4. **Teach it.** Walk a beginner through Week 1.

**Sources:** Hal Leonard Book 1 then Book 2 pacing · Berklee guitar-lab habit of one new constraint a week · Carcassi–Sor–Giuliani for the *pima* method on [Classical drills](drills-classical.md).

## What’s next

Beginners start at Open chords. Intermediate players jump to Month 2. Advanced players use Month 3 and the Advanced cards on each page.

Continue: [Open chords](chords.md) · [Kids path](kids.md) · [Resources](resources.md)