Guitar Lessons - zero 2 hero - Christmas Songs - Part 2

zero 2 hero - Christmas Songs - Part 2 – Stand-Alone or Continuation? It works as both!

Following the same proven formula as in Part 1, you will learn to play the following favourite Christmas songs: White Christmas, The First Noel and Auld Lang Syne

zero 2 hero - Christmas Songs - Part 2 - enables Non-Music Reading Guitarists to play Christmas song melodies as beautiful guitar instrumental pieces. This course takes a quick and simple one or two string approach, unlike other courses that just teach fingerings that are impossible to play, use sheet music, complex timings and take years to learn.

Course Preview

Check out the preview videos to give you an idea of how the course works. You will also see videos of me mixing all the techniques from simple one line parts to various chord inversions to come up with an unrehearsed, in the moment version of the tunes, camera running and me just jamming. Just because these are familiar tunes does not mean that you cannot put your own stamp on them. That is one of the joys of playing tunes as guitar instrumentals.  It is YOUR instrumental after all. And remember, YOUR imagination is your best friend.

"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."

- Albert Einstein

I Am A Beginner

You will begin with the tune “Happy Birthday To You” to get you up-to-speed with all the basics that you will need. You will learn the melody on one string. Next you will add a Simple Bass Note. That is your first simple Solo Instrumental Piece. It really is as simple as all that. Now you are ready to perform in public.

The next stage is to add another note to the melody. This becomes an harmonised 2 note melody. Then we add bass and we have a full chordal sounding version of Happy Birthday.

And because I believe in having fun as you learn, there is a fantastic dexterity challenge at the end of the section too! Be the Guitar Hero, learn it. Then, impress and challenge your guitar playing friends to play your cool version of Happy Birthday!

Learn By Doing

You play along WITH each video. This is not a course where you watch me demonstrate each technique and then you try to figure out what I just did and decipher it. You play ALONG WITH ME. I break each section down into tiny pieces and we play them together, bar by bar, as we learn the whole tune. So you are going to have to work – but not too hard. It’s only a few notes at a time after all! And, I try to make sure that we have fun while doing so.

After all, it is learning by doing.

To Go Fast, Go Slow

This is a comprehensive course that is nearly 5 and a half hours long. The good news is that you do not have to finish the course to start using what you learn straight away. In fact, the best way to use this course is to go slowly.

The course is taught in a slow, deliberate yet dynamic fashion. You play everything a note at a time, each one building on what came before. How far you choose to go with it is up to you.

You can choose to learn the melody and use it as a solo piece when playing with friends. Or add some bass notes and play it as a beautiful simple instrumental. Add harmonised notes and sound like two instruments at the same time. Add bass and chordal ideas and play a more complex arrangement. Or take bits of each section and come up with your own unique, instrumental version of each tune. How far you go and how quickly you go is up to you.

I Cannot Read Music

You do not have to be able to read music to learn how to play instrumentals on your guitar. Also, the videos are very clear, shot from two points of view. Everything is broken down clearly. And slowly.

All examples taught are notated in TAB. There are pdf files for you to download and keep.

This All Sounds Complicated To Me

I understand your fear. I want you to imagine how you felt just before you learned your first ever guitar chord.

Imagine how you feel about the same chord Now.

Learning to play instrumentals is no more difficult than learning your first chord.

Using this course, it becomes a simple skill that any guitar player at any level can learn.

It is as simple as learning your first chord.

I Don’t Have Time?

Everyone has time to learn a few notes on a few strings. Surely it is worth the effort to be the player that you know you can be?

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it.

The time will pass anyway."

- Earl Nightingale

Love Your Audience and Be Remembered.

Why not create timeless memories this Christmas for your friends and family by using what you learn from this course? Create dynamic introductions, interludes and endings to your playing. No longer be the same as all those other guitar players who just bang out a few chords.

Instead, use your skills in a musical manner. Use them throughout your playing to add depth, colour and shade. Use the runs, licks and chords effectively to increase tension. Then release it with the next run. Bring the listener with you.

Make this Christmas stand out from the other years and, be remembered.

Sounds Like Hard Work

There is an awful lot of very good information in these lessons. This information can be applied to many of the other tunes which you already play. The songs are deliberately chosen for 2 reasons; they are popular tunes and the techniques required are timeless and can be easily transferred to many other songs and styles of music.

Even though you will only play these songs once a year, you will very quickly learn some lick, chord inversion or run that you will find an immediate use for. This is what I call “the gold dust,” the nuggets that are contained within the course that will transform your playing.

Final Words

Imagine yourself the next time you pick up your guitar. As you smile to yourself, your fingers gracefully glide up the neck, on one string. Your thumb instinctively adds an occasional bass note. You have just played your first guitar instrumental piece. With such simple playing you will have the power to captivate your listeners and lead them on a musical journey through the story of the song.

It really is as simple or as difficult as that. So what are you waiting for? Go on. Get this course now. And be remembered as the great guitar player that you are meant to be.

Create meaningful experiences and you will make this Christmas and all your Christmases, special.

COURSE BREAKDOWN – SONG BY SONG

The First Noel

This course starts away back in 1833. In they Key of G.

We are in the key of G taking advantage of the all the open strings that the chord of G itself affords us. In this tune we leave these strings ring out creating a nice, airy, angelic sound to fit the sentiments of the tune. The techniques in this tune will strengthen and stretch your fingers as we make use of a finger-per-fret around the fretboard. You will also make extensive use of alternate picking. So be prepared to have some fun and get practise at some vital techniques that will help make you a better guitarist.

Next you will add bass notes. For this tune you will play some simple but effective runs and patterns up and down the fretboard. But do not worry. They only use 2 fingers to great effect. Some of these will be to outline the chords. Others will imply the chord by harmonising the melody. Implying chords means that your listener hears the implied note in their heads at the same time as the actual harmonised note that you play. This can be used to add great emotion to a slow tune, thereby creating meaningful experiences for your listeners. This section alone will allow you to play a beautiful instrumental version of the tune.

Following that, you will learn to play a version of the melody where you add an harmonised note. Most of the harmonies used will be in thirds. This expands the sound even further. Within this section you will hear some familiar harmonies which you may find useful in other tunes that you already know. This provides you with a second version of the tune that can straight away be used as another solo instrumental version.

Finally, you will add bass notes to the harmonised notes and create a fuller sounding instrumental version of the tune. I go into a bit of a deep dive on this one where I explore everything from a simple bass line, one note melody to full alternative chords. This is where you are encouraged to take bits from all versions and put together your own version based on your own style of playing. Be inspired by those whose playing inspires you. Mostly, be creative using the skills you have learned and let your imagination run free.

White Christmas

This time we are in 1942. And, in the key of A.

Firstly, you will learn the melody. Not too difficult to play as it sticks to the first three strings and the first five frets.

Then we add bass notes. There is a lot to get your teeth into here. You will play simple bass notes followed by ascending and descending runs. Then there is a simple D bass note with the option to stretch and imply an augmented chord. That is before you finish in the traditional manner. All of this you will learn note for note and slowly, as you play along with the lesson. You will end up with your first instrumental version of everyone’s favourite Christmas tune.

Following that, you will learn to play a version of the melody where you add an harmonised note. Within this section you will hear some familiar harmonies which you may find useful in other tunes that you already know. You will learn to add vibrato to your playing to add emotion and forward motion to your playing. This provides you with a second version of the tune that can straight away be used as another solo instrumental version.

The final part is where we add bass and chordal ideas. In the chorus section you will explore some very nice intervals (notes played together in harmony) up and down the neck of the guitar. These provide movement and propel the tune forward. These are beautiful intervals that I would encourage every player to use in their own playing, no matter what style of music you play. Again, lots for you to take away and use!

Auld Lang Syne

We move to 1788 for the lyrics and 1799 for the tune. And switch to the key of D.

Firstly we learn the melody. Here you will have lots of opportunity to further strengthen your pinkie finger. This tune will have you playing a finger per fret and consolidating your alternate picking. With the right use of vibrato, by the end of this section you have learned the melody, which you could play as a slow, melancholy, very emotional version of the tune that would captivate the hearts of anyone hearing it.

In the next section you will add a very straight forward bass line so as not to detract from the beauty of the melody. And by careful use of harmonising the bass you avoid unnecessary stretches. By leaving the bass note ring for as long as possible you will add even more atmosphere to the tune.

Following that, you will learn to play a version of the melody where you add harmonised notes. This is a busy version as the melody moves along quite quickly. However, by using logical fingering and keeping the pairs of notes close to each other you will enjoy playing this as much as people enjoy singing along. This provides you with a second version of the tune that can straight away be used as another solo instrumental version.

Finally, you add bass to the harmony and you have a beautiful chordal instrumental version. For this you will make a lot of use of the harmonised version that you learned in the previous section. You will explore many alternative ways of making this tune your own by mixing optional chord voicings, vibratos, slowing down and speeding up to create light and shade and motion and emotion. Enjoy.