Guitar Training Directory – Section 2: Specific Styles, Techniques & Guitar Types [page 2]

This list is continued from page 1, and focuses on guitar courses that teach specific styles and/or techniques, as well as those that are aimed solely at acoustic and bass guitarists. Prices and other details are correct at the time of writing, but may have changed in the meantime.

You might also be interested in Section 1: General Guitar Lessons, that cover pop/rock styles of acoustic and electric guitar playing. Of these, I recommend Jamorama – a great resource for anyone wanting to learn to play acoustic or electric guitar to an intermediate level.

Guitar Lessons Covering Specific Techniques, Guitar Types and Musical Styles

Metal Guitar Lessons

Burning Metal

Burning Metal is a downloadable course that covers the rhythms and other techniques involved in playing heavy metal guitar. The instruction is text-based, and you also get audio tracks to demonstrate how each example piece should sound, and to jam along with. It is suitable for those without much guitar playing experience, although not absolute beginners, and will also be of interest to more skilled guitarists who want to learn to play in this style. Burning Metal costs $17.97.

Find out more about Burning Metal.

Specific Guitar Techniques

Dream Sounds 4 Guitar

Dream Sounds 4 Guitar is a course that shows you how to get the best possible sound from your guitar playing. It is not a conventional lessons course as such, but instead focuses on the things you should and shouldn’t do to sound professional, as well as cutting lots of time off the normal learning curve. There are lots of bonuses too, including video lessons with associated backing tracks and much more. Dream Sounds 4 Guitar costs $18.95.

Find out more about Dream Sounds 4 Guitar.

Guitar Chord Legend

Guitar Chord Legend is a convenient digital alternative to unwieldly guitar chord books. This software contains diagrams for over 7000 guitar chords, and is searchable, making it very quick and easy to use. It will also play back each chord, so you know exactly how it should sound, and you can save the chords in personalised groups to suit your purposes, as well as printing them out if you prefer. Guitar Chord Legend is available for immediate download, and costs $9.95, but a free trial version is also available.

Find out more about Guitar Chord Legend.

Guitar Methods: Finger Trainer

The Finger Trainer is a software training program that is produced by the same people who are behind the popular Guitar Methods: Lead Guitar Techniques course. It enables you to practice over 100 exercises at varying speeds, and includes backing tracks recorded with a full band, making the learning process a lot more fun. Various techniques and skills are covered, including chords, scales, various picking techniques and more, and there’s a loop function so you can keep going for as long as you like.This software is suitable for guitarists of all skill levels, and is available in two formats: the normal 100 exercise Finger Trainer for $39.95, and the Ultimate Edition (with an additional 200 exercises), for $69.95.

Find out more about Guitar Methods: Finger Trainer.

Guitar Note Mastery

With Guitar Note Mastery, you can easily learn every note on the fretboard, which in turn makes mastering scales, chords, soloing and other aspects of guitar playing much easier. It is created by professional guitarist and teacher Craig Bassett, and the emphasis is on understanding the fretboard patterns and why the notes appear where they do, rather than just blindly memorising it. This is a downloadable ebook, and also includes a bonus Guitar Note Accelerator, to help speed up your progress. Guitar Note Mastery costs $17.

Find out more about Guitar Note Mastery.

Guitar Scale Mastery

Also created by Craig Bassett, Guitar Scale Mastery is created for those who wish to learn and understand scales easily, and to be able to make use of them in a musical manner when playing. The system includes different ways to learn scales, and also puts an emphasis on ear training. This product is not suitable for absolute beginners, as you need to know how to read tab, and to have some basic knowledge of scales and chords. Guitar Scale Mastery is downloadable, and costs $67.

Find out more about Guitar Scale Mastery.

Guitar Scale Power

Guitar Scale Power aims to make it easy to understand how scales, modes and chords are constructed (rather than just memorising them by rote, as so many guitarists do), and how to use them to maximum effect in your music. The tutorials are presented as downloadable PDF files, and also include audio files so you know how each example should sound. Guitar Scale Power is a membership site, and costs $47 for a year’s access.

Find out more about Guitar Scale Power.

Guitar Scales Method

Guitar Scales Method is a downloadable software training tool that helps you to master scales, modes, chords and improvisation. It is suitable for guitarists of all levels, and the precision and speed of your playing should also improve as you continue to use it. Guitar Scales Method costs $49.95.

Find out more about Guitar Scales Method.

GuitarTone – Effects Pedals

Effects pedals are vital tools for more guitarists, but can be expensive. GuitarTone discusses how to create or modify your own pedals, to create great-sounding effects for a fraction of the cost of boutique pedals. There are three downloadable books available: How To Build Your Own Effects Pedals, for beginners ($29.95), How To Modify Guitar Pedals ($34.95), and How To Design, Customize, and Build Effect Pedals, advanced version ($29.95). These titles are also available at a discount to GuitarTone newsletter subscribers.

Find out more about the GuitarTone effects pedals books.

Screamingfingers

David Alexander’s Screamingfingers method teaches speed picking techniques. It is available as a downloadable ebook for $19.95, or on CD for $29.95.

Find out more about Screamingfingers.