Acoustic Guitar Lesson Plan 5

Welcome to Lesson 5! Today’s Focus:

1. Review of Previous Lessons – Refresh your skills and reinforce core concepts.
2. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" – Practicing the song and improving
strumming.
3. Strumming and Picking Exercises – Strengthen rhythm and picking accuracy.
4. Intervals – Understanding thirds and applying them on the guitar.
5. Scales – Learning major and minor scales, with an intro to harmonic and melodic
minor scales.
6. Triads – Exploring major and minor triads.
7. Harmonizing the Scale – Using open strings chords to make a chord progression with
C major scale.

1. Review of Previous Lessons

Let’s quickly review core concepts we’ve covered in previous lessons to ensure you’re
comfortable with them.

Essential Skills:

 Basic Chords: Make sure you’re comfortable with major and minor open chords
(e.g., G, C, D, E, Am, Em).
 Chord Transitions: Focus on smooth, quick transitions between chords without
pausing.

Exercise 2: Basic Picking Patterns

 Fingerstyle basics: review of “Nothing else Matter”, and some practicing to separate
Thumb and Index
 Try alternating between plucking the bass note and strumming the chord lightly
with your fingers.
2. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin’" Practice
Key tips:

 Strumming Pattern: Use 4A.

 Dynamics: Emphasize different beats in the measure to add a “walking” feel. Try
accenting the downstrokes for a stronger sense of rhythm.

Exercise 3: Strumming Variations

 Practice playing the song at a slow pace, then increase speed.

 Experiment with dynamics by alternating between louder and softer strums.

3. Strumming and Picking Exercises

1. Review from the beginning and application of the strumming to the ppicking
patterns

4. Intervals – Thirds

What Are Intervals?

An interval is the distance between two notes. Today, we’re focusing on the 3rd interval:

 Major 3rd: Two notes that are four half steps apart (e.g., C to E).
 Minor 3rd: Two notes that are three half steps apart (e.g., C to E♭).

Exercise 6: Finding Thirds

1. Start on any note (e.g., C on the 3rd fret, 5th string).

2. Practice finding major and minor thirds on other strings and with different notes.
5. Scales – Major, Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor

Major Scale

 Pattern: Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

 Example in C Major: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

Natural Minor Scale

 Pattern: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole

 Example in A Minor: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A

Harmonic Minor Scale (Introduction)

 Pattern: Same as natural minor but with a raised 7th note.

 Example in A Harmonic Minor: A - B - C - D - E - F - G# - A

Melodic Minor Scale (Introduction)

 Pattern: Ascending, similar to major but with a flat 3rd; Descending, like natural
minor.
 Example in A Melodic Minor Ascending: A - B - C - D - E - F# - G# - A

Exercise 7: Scale Practice

 Play each scale on one string, listening carefully to the different sounds.
 Try them in first position once you’re comfortable.

6. Triads – Major and Minor

What Are Triads?

Triads are three-note chords made from stacking intervals of thirds:

 Major Triad: Root, Major 3rd, and Perfect 5th (e.g., C - E - G).
 Minor Triad: Root, Minor 3rd, and Perfect 5th (e.g., C - E♭ - G).

Exercise 8: Finding Triads on the Guitar

1. Pick a simple chord/ triad (C , D -, E -, F, G, A-, Bdim).

2. Break down the chord into its triad notes (C - E - G).
7. Harmonizing the Scale Using Open Strings Chords

Exercise 9: Harmonizing with Open Strings Chords

1. Use C Major scale to harmonize

2. Play the sequence of chords

Practice Plan

Here’s a summary of what to work on:

1. Song Practice: Play through “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” with focus on
smooth transitions and steady rhythm.
2. Review Exercises: Chord transitions, picking patterns, and strumming variations.
3. Intervals: Find major and minor thirds on the fretboard.
4. Scales: Practice C Major, A Minor, A Harmonic Minor, and A Melodic Minor.
5. Triads: Locate and play major and minor triads.
6. Harmonization with Open Strings Chords: Learn the progression

Questions?

Feel free to ask any questions about today’s material. Keep practicing, and remember, each
lesson builds on the last. Enjoy the music! 🎸