Level 0 1. Learn how to hold the guitar & pick 2. Learn the different parts of the guitar 3. Learn basic strumming, such as up and down strums 4. Learn how to pick & fret single notes 5. Learn the names of all six strings 6. Learn basic guitar maintenance, namely how to tune your guitar 7. Learn what a note is, and which notes make up a chord 8. Learn what a key is 9. Learn basic intervals, namely what is a half step versus a whole step Level 1 1. Play basic open chords: E, Eminor, A, A minor, G, C, D 2. Strum in time, count, play different note values 3. Do some very basic guitar maintenance namely how to change your strings 4. Recommended songs to learn: (basic strumming, or one-string songs) For What Its Worth: Buffalo Springfield Wagon Wheel: Darius Rucker Smoke on the Water: Deep Purple Seven Nation Army: White Stripes Iron Man: Black Sabbath Level 2 1. Learn Right Hand technique of all alternate picking 2. First Position Pentatonic Scale -> Minor Pentatonic Scale 3. Learn all notes of Fretboard up to the 5th Fret 4. Learn what syncopation is, how to count different beat subdivisions 5. Recommended songs to learn: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd Running Down a Dream - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers House of the Rising Sun - The Animals Highway to Hell - AC/DC Hurt - Johnny Cash Level 3 1. Second Position Pentatonic Scale - Major Pentatonic Scale 2. Barre Chords - F Major, B Minor- Leading to playing barre chords with 5th & 6th String roots 3. Minor and Major versions of those barre chords 4. Know all the notes on the fretboard 5. Start Soloing over backing tracks (good one - “now you shred”) Samples to solo over: Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits Layla - Eric Clapton Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Level 4 1. Learn all 5 positions of the pentatonic scale (Just 3 new ones) 2. Learn Major and Minor Diatonic Scale 3. Learn to play Seventh Chords -> Major, Minor, Dominant & Half-Diminished 4. Play all seventh chords with roots on the fifth & sixth strings 5. Play with Bends, Vibrato, Hammer-ons & pull-offs 6. Natural & Pinch harmonics 7. Music Theory: How to build Scales, Triads 8. Learn how sevenths apply to Triads 9: Recommended: (people often) Get a Guitar Instructor at this level Level 4.5 1. Learn to Harmonize the minor scale 2. Harmonize the Major Scale - Core Word Scale, order of the Triads 3. Learn the Nashville Number System *Extremely Important* 4. Familiarize yourself with really common chord progressions 5. Learn the functions of different chords Level 5 1. Learn the Modes 2. Learn all the Intervals 3. Learn the CAGED system 4. Learn the arpeggios within the CAGED system 5. Learn to identify triads within the CAGED arpeggios 6. Learn Major seventh, Minor seventh, Dominant seventh, Half diminished arpeggios with fifth and sixth string roots 7. Add the seventh to your CAGED arpeggios 8. Learn the theory behind the Modes 9. Learn how chord tones can be used in a solo or melody to accentuate chords already in the song 10. Learn about Compound Time Signatures Level 6 1. Understand Chord Extensions beyond the seventh 2. Focus on learning how to add ninth, eleventh & thirteenth to your chords -> *Heavy Jazz Concept* 3. Learn the Melodic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios 4. Learn the Harmonic minor scale, as well as its modes and arpeggios 5. Learn this one very important mode of the harmonic minor scale: the diminished scale 6. Lessons often stopped at this level

@lieutenantdan1413

10 ай бұрын

Thank God I found this. Copy and paste into notes, and now I have a checklist. By the power of autism, I will become a mediocre guitarist in a decade!

@wanderingtogether5751

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much

@nora-ms3sw

9 ай бұрын

omg u are an angel

@lekirenamsembilan5912

9 ай бұрын

Legend

@jacobherrera7172

9 ай бұрын

Thankyou

Drinking game: take a drink every time he raises one eyebrow

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Look pal people are gonna die if they play that game

@tealhoodie4463

11 ай бұрын

😂

@FrankCosbyNo-Relation

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickens lol great video tho, it's definitely going to help me 👍

@damiansaucedo9951

11 ай бұрын

I died. Please remember me.

@hugonascimentobr

11 ай бұрын

Hahehea thaat waasz veri eaziy…

I nearly fell out of my chair after realizing this is a new and small channel. The depth of explanation and production quality is insane. Keep it up and your channel will grow tremendously!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! I really appreciate the watch and the kind comment!

@paralandsillia2057

10 ай бұрын

Bro me too! If you didnt write this comment I'd thought he has lik 500k subs or smth

@SmokeandSpirit

10 ай бұрын

Also worth considering, perhaps you can get enough enjoyment and be able to compose songs before reaching phase four. So depending on what you want out of Guitar and what your individual needs are, you may be just fine by that point. Of course you'll probably always get a craving for learning something new from time to time. Can't just noodle on scales forever. Then again learning is inevitable. 😂

@LaxBoi54

3 ай бұрын

Just started aka day 2 ( my fingers are still hurting from last night) some of my favorite songs were in the first 4 levels I AM SO EXCITED TO PLAY AGAIN

I’ve been playing random songs I liked on guitar for a good couple years, but never felt like I could say I was making any substantial progress. I REALLY like having a checkpoint kind of system I can look at to know what to learn, so this is awesome - and the storyline you threaded through the video is super fun.

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! I’m glad you’re getting value out of the video!

@jasonsworld333

10 ай бұрын

I was stuck there for a long time. I learned CAGED, and barres and it's helped me learn a lot of the fretboard. I'm at level 4 now. I'm 34 and have played on and off since 16.

@TGuitar5

9 ай бұрын

I have the same! I play very long but is still don’t feel a lot of progress. I have played a lot of songs and hope I will grow fast this year!

@hannah3970

6 ай бұрын

same!! I’ve been “playing” acoustic for 4-5 years, but only learning basic chord progressions, picking/strumming patterns, etc. I’m only now feeling called to learn it seriously and dive all the way in. I’m so excited and also saddened that I have gone this long without fully trying- but no better time to start than now! Getting an electric for Christmas and cannot wait.

Step 1: Buy a guitar Step 2: Give up because it's too hard Step 3: Get a bass Step 4: Pretend that bass is as cool as guitar

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I have no comment because all the bass players I know are jacked. I…love…bass 🙂

@chrisparker5796

Ай бұрын

That is what i did...

@itsyaboichilde5397

25 күн бұрын

bass IS cool

@FrankCosbyNo-Relation

25 күн бұрын

@@itsyaboichilde5397 Yes, I own two myself, cliff burton is my favorite musician 😎🤘

So basically you’re telling me I’ve been at level 0 for the past decade…thanks for summing up in a concise video the level of progression.

After years of trying to learn guitar, you've shown me I was jumping around all over the place with what I was learning. No wonder I felt like I was hitting walls. I'm hopeful again man, thank you for this

@StLSonata

11 ай бұрын

Hitting walls is just a part of it, dude. Keep pushing, and it's okay to take breaks.

Dude, this is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. There’s so much information online it’s overwhelming. I don’t know where I should be, what I should be learning, what I should know and might still have yet to learn. Having a comprehensive checklist like this helps so much and gives me actual, tangible tasks and goals to focus on so I can really get started on my journey learning this instrument. Thank you!

@Topsealguy

8 ай бұрын

Nobody cares

@Kaloffee

8 ай бұрын

@@Topsealguy yea ur right I’m sorry

@Alyxlightqxstar

8 ай бұрын

Good luck!

@thebloo12

7 ай бұрын

​@@Topsealguyi do.

@georgestanley8837

6 ай бұрын

@@Topsealguy Go away

Nah bro, would've never believed you have just 500 subs💀 that storytelling, that editing, that amount of work in this video is really something different. Good job, mate! You've honestly earned yourself a new sub and definitely, not even close to the last. Thank you for your service!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks man! I’m glad you got value out of the video, and the encouraging comment is really appreciated

@fox-school-of-music

11 ай бұрын

Only 500 subs last week? Almost 6k now!

@johncohrs

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickensI like the video too, but your barre chord joke was ironic considering all the misspelled words in this video.

@michaeljimenez239

9 ай бұрын

@@fox-school-of-music one month later and we are at 13.6k

@satombff6010

Ай бұрын

​@@fox-school-of-music It's 60k now.

You know you've been consuming guitar content wrong when you've learned something mentioned from every level :'') Thanks for such a guide!! This is super helpful :))

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I'm glad that the video helped! Thanks for watching!

@editorrbr2107

11 ай бұрын

Same. LOL. Turns out you cannot teach yourself by reading guitar world

as a beginner w severe anxiety who worries about missing things and knows shit about music, id like to THANK YOU for this. its insane how this knowledge is rare to see freely online

@ZyroPapuchon18

2 ай бұрын

JESUS CHRIST died for you on a cross for our sins. 3 days after his death he resurrected and is The LIVING GOD. Repent from your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior in a prayer and also ask for the HOLY SPIRIT to come into you in that same prayer as well and have FAITH in CHRIST. You could come to Jesus Christ as you are, but once you accept Him, you have to become new, change, and be born again, and turn away from all wicked ways. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God Bless You. JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK SOON.

@Russell-vq6ux

Ай бұрын

​@@ZyroPapuchon18Has he ever played guitar?

@jing_497

Ай бұрын

​@@ZyroPapuchon18Did you take your meds? Need some pills pal?

Beginner: How to hold the guitar How to hold the pick Parts of the guitar Names of all strings + Up strums and down strums How to fret a single note How to pick a single note How to tune the guitar: What is a note? How many notes are there? What is a Chord What is a key? What is a half step? What is a whole step? Level 1: Basic open chords: E, E Minor A, A Minor. G, C, D How to strum in time. Count/Play note values How to change strings Songs: For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield Wagon Wheel - Darius Rucker Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple Seven nation army - The White Stripes Iron Man - Black Sabbath Level 2: Alternate Picking 1st Position Pentatonic Scale (Minor Pentatonic Scale) All notes up to the 5th Fret What is syncopation? How to count beat subdivisions Songs: Sweet home Alabama: - Lynyrd Skynyrd Running Down A Dream - Tom Pretty House of the rising sun - The Animals Highway to hell - Ac/Dc Hurt - Johnny Cash Level 3: 2nd Position Pentatonic Scale (Major Pentatonic Scale Bar/Barre Chords (F major, B minor) Play Barre Chords with 5th and 6th string roots (Minor and Major) Learn all the notes on the fretboard Solo over backing tracks Songs: Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits Layla - God And The Dominos Wish you were here - Pinky Floyd Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Level 4: All 5 Positions Of The Pentatonic Scale Major and Minor Diatonic Scales How to play 7th chords Bends Vibrato Hammer-ons Pull offs Natural Harmonics Pinch Harmonics How to build a major scale How to Build a Triad How do 7ths relate to Triads How to Harmonize The Major Scale The Nashville Number system Chord Progressions Functions of Chords Recommended to get a guitar teacher at this point Songs: Any song. If your level isn't high enough. Get better. Level 5: Learn the modes (FOCUS HARD) Learn all the Intervals Learn the caged systems Arpejios in the caged shapes Learn to identify triads in the caged system Mode Theory Chord tone soloing Compound time signature

@MrGordonFreeManChannel

10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@lepi_fe3781

10 ай бұрын

Here, you dropped your crown 👑

@cyndaquilist

10 ай бұрын

Just commenting so I can come back to this post

@jontaetodd3628

10 ай бұрын

@@cyndaquilist facts

@martyngriffiths2791

10 ай бұрын

Awesome work

Being a guitarist for almost 15 years now, I gonna use your convincing approach as a check list to fill the knowledge gaps I’ve always been living with. Good job 👏 Your effort is highly appreciated.

@MH-kd6fd

11 ай бұрын

I’m in the same boat & couldn’t agree more. This video will definitely help me fill in my learning gaps. Thank you for taking the time to share this. Greatly appreciated!!

@pierreblenderbuss9807

11 ай бұрын

Yup same!

@thebloo12

7 ай бұрын

5 years but same

being a self taught guitarist, this is exactly the kind of information i was looking for: an order to know what to learn or to know where you'd place techniques in a categorization of levels and skill mastery. Now i know where to start. Thank you so much and i wish you all the best for the growth of this channel

As an instructor myself this video is so incredible! I’ll definitely be sharing it with prospective students and people just generally interested in learning ⚡️

2 weeks in to learning and I didn't really have any solid goals set for myself. I appreciate your insight and will try and build a curriculum for myself based off this video, thanks!

Bro that storytelling! Loved your dramatic intro. And the little jokes. And camerawork&lighting. I hope your channel keeps growing! Don't forget to buy enough bags to store money in.

@kevinnickens

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! This is super kind and inspiring!

@vadusha

Жыл бұрын

@@kevinnickens What camera/lens are you using for so much blur in the background?

@kevinnickens

Жыл бұрын

@@vadusha my camera is the Canon RP. The features are fine, not incredible by today’s standards but it gets the job done. It’s full frame so that really helps with the blur and the overall look. The lens for most of the shots is a Canon 50mm 1.8. The real secret though is the fact that I’m shooting with plenty of stuff in the room behind me. It doesn’t look like it, but I’m maybe 10 feet from the back wall. I have some Christmas lights on my balcony that I turn on and they blur really nicely, it kinda draws your attention to the blur.

@vadusha

Жыл бұрын

@@kevinnickens Oh, that explains much. Thanks a plenty!

i have been playing guitar for almost 5-6 years now and im at level 4 now. i was very confused about what to do next as i can play a lot of things at this point and most videos here have been aimed at a level that doesnt challenge me anymore. thank you so much for providing me a checklist!!! it has renewed my passion to learn more!! YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB!!

Thank you. This is exactly the sort of information that I should have been told decades ago. I've since gotten myself past the wall, but have to congratulate you on not only sharing this but doing it in such a clever and insightful way.

This is probably the best guitar learning video I’ve ever seen, I’m self taught, but had no idea what to learn next. This video is going to help me so much in my journey. Like, I had never thought to learn the notes up to the fifth fret.

This is awesome. I had a great guitar player as an instructor but he let me lead the lessons so I know bits of levels 0 to 4 but have gaps in each. This helped me understand those gaps and shaped my path forward.

I have been looking everywhere to see if I could find a clear roadmap of things I could learn since I've reached a plateau in my playing, but still feel as if I'm not quite where I want to be yet. This video has come in just at the right time, as I started playing guitar less and less due to my frustrations. Thank you dude, I think you might have saved my guitar journey :)

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Dang man that’s so cool, I’m really glad I could help. Push through the plateau, it’ll be worth it. And spoiler alert, there’s gonna be many more plateaus throughout your guitar journey, but you’re facing the big one right now. The upside is that it’s so fun when you do finally overcome it and start progressing again. Also, your profile picture is amazing

@jermyc7982

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickens Thanks for the encouragement!

THANK YOU! I’ve always been told to just play guitar more and I’ll “figure it out” but I finally feel like the questions I’ve always had are being answered. Your videos are EXACTLY what I didn’t know I needed and it’s unlocking the magic of music for me. I’m so grateful! You’re making a difference man!

Thank you ! I agree with you about the importance of guitar lesson structure. Your time and sharing your talents is greatly appreciated by many.

I'm a beginner, but I started with learning how to change my strings (after buying a used guitar with two strings missing). 😊 This is the best guitar instruction channel that I have found: concise, logical, and you have a great sense of humour. 👍🎸

Dude, thank you...this is exactly what I needed. I started about 18 months ago and on your scale I'd probably land on the line inbetween 2 and 3, but I've been stuck in a groove and wondering where I need to go next. Also production on this is very good, WAY above 448 followers... this channel will rocket 🚀

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think you’re right on track for 18 months. Keep going!

@editorrbr2107

11 ай бұрын

That follower account tripled in the last 24 hours. Deservedly.

You rule man! im sort of a beginner and i've been looking for this exact video for over a year now. Turns out i know a couple concepts from advanced levels but i still lacked fundamentals on previous levels, so that's why my guitar playing is all over the place. Thank you so much for this!

Great informative video to help this 51 year old who is 1 year and 4 months in playing the guitar 🎸 make sense of it all. I’m proud of my progress as I’m probably at stage 3 ready to enter stage 4. There are definitely a few things that I’ve yet to master at the previous levels and a few things at higher levels I’ve already grasped. 👍🏾

Ive been stuck in level 2-3 for 2 years now since im incredibly inconsistent and i never know what songs to play or what to learn next. Thank you for making this video, this makes me want to play the guitar again ❤

This is the video I have been looking for for years, I have been stuck at around the 4th/5th level for a good 3-4 years with no idea what to learn next. There is just a sea of information out there and this video has given me a map to work with. Thank you for all the effort you put into this video and sharing your knowledge simply because you want to see others succeed.

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! Level 4/5 is a really fun place to be at with your playing, learning how to harmonize the major scale was one of my favorite “big jumps forward” on guitar. Keep me up to date with your progress!

I just found this video and I thinks it's exactly what I need. It has made me self reflect and realise that since I began teaching myself guitar over 20 years ago, I have never really progressed past level 1 truly but have learnt bits and pieces from levels 2 through 4 or 5 over the years. I think this is really going to help me fill some gaps and who knows I may just get to level 2 🤣 thanks so much. Subscribed.

Kevin, I'm a self-taught guitar player and I've been playing on and off for over a decade. Everywhere I looked online, it was just lessons in categories. You've organized everything brilliantly. This video is my curriculum to fill in the gaps in my playing!

I've felt pretty stuck for some months, and I've just been learning new things here and there, and this roadmap is definitely helpful, I've totally gotten a little bit of every level, I'm coming up on my second year playing, and I'm coming up on about a level three, so that's pretty comforting that I'm still progressing. Will totally check in on this video periodically to see where I'm at and if I hit another brick wall where I need to go next. Thanks man =] peace and love, hope ur channel continues to grow.

the quality of the video is absolutely stunning! Amazing job dude, your channel deserves a lot more

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I appreciate it!

Finally! This is the content I've been searching for! 2 years ago I started learning the guitar. I used paid online platforms and I learned the basics: open chords, strumming patterns, pentatonic scale, etc. I felt I knew enough to move on. But I had no idea what to do! I had no clear idea what to practice and where to find the resources. I subscribed to Patreons of good guitar teachers, but their content is clearly above my current skills. Your video helped me to identify where I am and what are the gaps I need to work on! Thanks a ton!

this is genuinely the most helpful video on the steps of guitar. everything else is too broad. i really love how you did this thank you

Thank you so much for this, ive felt lost for my entire guitar journey and this short video has helped immensely. Thank you again. You've earned a sub.

Pls like this comment remind me to practice

@anayraj3315

3 күн бұрын

Pratcir

@maiqtheliar3496

Күн бұрын

Practice

This is so extremely helpful! So much information out there makes it really confusing but the way you put it makes it seems so much more easier to know where to start

I watched this video a while ago and couldn’t find it again. I’ve been finding and learning songs and different habits over the past 8-9 years and I think I’m decent enough to have fun, but it’s nice to know the gaps in my knowledge and where I can fill in some of those holes. I know a little from every level but I wanna get all the basics second nature. It’s really hard sometimes to know what you don’t know. Thanks for this, everyone appreciates you.

Kevin my friend. This is one of the most important videos in my life. Thank you. I have been trying to play guitar since 2015. Just not been able to focus. I got my shit together last year and just practiced random stuff. I developed a relationship with the guitar first. Just playing whatever. A haphazard manner of learning lol just mixing all the 6 levels. But now I can follow this beautiful roadmap. Great job man, I subbed. Will check out your other stuff. Thank god for the Internet and people like you!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! This is so kind, I’m glad you got value out of the video

Fantastic video! Two points. First, I want to emphasize the last point on level 6. I think it’s really important that people pick a genre, pick a lane so to speak. In general, this roadmap helps to distill the millions of learning options into a linear path. It minimizes the noise so that people can focus on one thing at a time. So to this end, I think the final point is really key. You have to specialize or else you will never be a master. SRV was a blues player primarily. That’s where he chose to singularly specialize himself. Name a great guitarist and you will see this is a consistent truth. That doesn’t mean that if you pick jazz, you can’t circle back and play some metal. SRV was starting to get funky and jazzy before his untimely death, for example. But I think that at this stage, people should stick with a single genre and do their best to master it. Another thing: write and record songs. In fact, I think that at levels 4, 5, and 6 you should record, mix, and master an entire project, utilizing all of your acquired technique and theory to that point. Almost like a thesis or capstone. For reference, I would place myself firmly at the beginning of level six, still figuring out where I want to specialize. and I have two large recording projects completed. It’s great to look back on, and it’s reassuring whenever I cringe at a musical choice, because this tells me that I have actually gotten better. But above all, I learned a ton making those albums, and I love them. Even if they are amateurish.

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for the thoughtful comment! I agree that the biggest problem guitar players face is noise and distractions, so a clear path like this can be really useful. And you’re totally right about writing and recording. I’ll have to include that in future versions of the list. Thanks so much for the feedback!

@bingusbingus7860

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickens ​​⁠​⁠​⁠ Of course, thanks for a great video, I’m sure it’ll help a ton of people. For what it’s worth, I have chosen to go the route of The Blues. Starting with a deep dive into Freddie King’s work. Cheers, man!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

@@bingusbingus7860 I’m a blues guy myself, love Freddie King

You are awesome bro! I have been confused for so long but you gave me incredible clarity. Keeping shining and I pray for your continuing success! Cheers.

I've been playing guitar for 35 years, and I still love watching tutorial videos. No matter how much you know, you can always learn more.

Love this video! Can’t wait for the series!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks babe!

I've been feeling pretty lost recently with all of this, i have ideas on what i need to do and what i want to do but you've really helped conceptualize it and i appreciate that a lot, thank you for making this video :)

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for your kind comment! Getting such a positive response is super encouraging

@Fafa_Sauce

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickens ofc bro, keep doing what you're doing, quality content.

@supersonicstrat

11 ай бұрын

I just never learned music theory, I just learned chords and tabs

@Fafa_Sauce

11 ай бұрын

@@supersonicstrat you should, it helps a ton.

I’ve been trying to find a video like this! My dad gave me a guitar a couple weeks ago and I’ve been wanting to learn to play for a long time, this makes me feel less overwhelmed thank you!

Thank you so much. This means the world to me, to have found this. Zooming out and understanding what is necessary to where you are at in your playing is wisdom applied. Thank you so much Kevin. All the best.

Dude I appreciate you and this video so much. I feel like I have sifted thru hours upon hours of BS to finally just get a simple, concise list of what I need to learn and the proper order/layout to get where I want to be in regards to learning to slay on my super sick axe of shredding and sometimes country pickin. Thank you so much!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! I'm glad the list could help. It's cool to hear that this helped you stop sifting through BS and just get your guitar in your hands. Also, great profile picture

You're on a path to greatness my friend!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! That’s really kind and I really appreciate the encouragement!

honestly man i was very sceptical when i saw the title but you nailed it. this is exactly the order i’d recommend learning things in. the only thing that i might add would be a real focus on aural training - but i suppose this is pretty well implied by learning intervals. great video man!

You are an absolute legend man. Im in the 4-6 levels with plenty of rescources and no idea what to learn next. This will give me a path thank you!

Liked the video, gotta say that chord tone soloing and even the CAGED system are not hard concepts to learn and should be applied earlier on, like level 3. You truly never look back after learning these frameworks and they can elevate any beginner to intermediate

I rarely comment, but as an aspiring instructor, this was very helpful. I'm level 5 moving smoothly through to 6 thanks to Rick Beato, Jack Gardiner and Tom Quayle. I've been looking for a way to start giving back and I finally feel like I have something to offer to other aspiring guitarists. I've been trying to formulate a simple outline like this myself, but like you said, that's hours and hours of content. This will expedite my organization process significantly. Thanks for posting and keep up the good work! - Trevor

@loafofbread481

4 ай бұрын

How long have you been playing the guitar for?

@KiplingCreations

4 ай бұрын

@@loafofbread481 Going on 20 years! Do you play?

Thanks for your video. There is so much unstructured material on the internet that overwhelms the beginner to the point of abandoning... A video like this works great as a roadmap. I´ve been in Level 1 for several years on and off. I´m motivated to start again and follow your levels. Keep the good work!

This is one of the most useful videos on all of KZread, now I know what I need to start regularly practicing.

Thank you for making this! About a month after I started learning theory and the guitar(together, cause all the videos said people slack on theory - btw, I love it and don't find it boring at all), I've noticed a lack of structured information on how to actually progress. I was even planning on making such a video if I reached the point where I feel I know enough to actually attempt it, but I'm so happy someone beat me to it, and did so in such a precise and articulate manner. You did a truly fantastic job!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for the comment! Yeah I personally love music theory, besides the practical benefits, it’s just interesting. And it’s a fun way to learn about music even if I don’t have a guitar in my hands right then

Hello Kevin! I'm lurking around late beginner-intermediate boundary and this concise curriculum-like guide provided me a much needed roadmap. Thank you, and wish you the best on your KZread journey! I'd like to ask a little question: I really liked the song recommendation sections. I get that it really becomes personal after a certain point but could you maybe inclined to give song recommendations for further Levels you described from your own perspective? Like explaining the techniques or chord progressions involved and how they may relate to the Level in question? Not like full on playalong tutorials but more like a bite-sized analyses to what to look for in a given song that you've picked. I dunno hopefully I was able to make sense not a native English speaker :)

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I have this exact video already planned. Stay tuned for it! And you did great for a non English speaker, I couldn’t even tell

Dude, this is exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, and being so comedic through it!! CHEERS!

this is exactly what i needed, having tasks laid out for me is exactly how i learn, thank you for making this!

i feel like i’m technically at level 3 because with my theory background i’m solid on keys and the staff, rhythms and etc as well as compound time signatures, extended chords and other advanced theory, but i’m at 3-4 when it comes to applying it to the guitar and committing it to muscle memory. im working on it though, and it’s been validating to feel like i’m finally becoming an intermediate player even though i’ve only been playing for a year and some change. gotta keep telling myself by the time like 5-10 years go by i’ll be leagues ahead of what i first set out to learn 🤞🏽

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

You’re right! Keep at it and you’ll be a face melting guitar god in no time

why does this guy have no subs or views? This video was edited to perfection and really helped me out!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I’m glad the video helped!

I’ve literally been trying to figure this out for about 2 or 3 yrs. Thank you for your honesty.

yk, this vid is really helpful thank you so much! Im teaching my self to play guitar, i started last year and made the mistake by starting to learn songs without doing basic stuff, so now that i've found ur video, im gonna start back to day 0 and follow all steps!

I'm a super beginner in music and playing in guitar so half the things he's talking about I literally have no idea😭

@TheRustDominatorTN

24 күн бұрын

I'm with you 😆

Don't tell me what to do. Thanks.

@kantairs4824

2 ай бұрын

Pooja what is this behaviour?

@slipperybutters5174

2 ай бұрын

Why click on the video then 💀

@tvhead4402

2 ай бұрын

​@@slipperybutters5174He's being sarcastic

@vivek_music

2 ай бұрын

​@@kantairs4824Pooja???😂

@LoudPxckk

2 ай бұрын

I’m cryin

This is a video that needs to be shown to all guitar players wanting to learn in an effective manner. Thank you so much for this, I have been totally lost on what the hell to learn for the past couple years. Just stuck in a loop of playing songs that I enjoy from all my favorite bands, and not really making any progress. You're awesome dude!

Kevin, you are right in your introduction about the merry-go-round of trying to organize how to learn the guitar in what order. I have already watched a couple more of your videos, and each one gave me needed tools to work with. But this video in particular is what every future guitarist needs to know and thanks to you ,now I do,thank you so much.I am a subscriber. See you in the next video.

I am beyond thankful for this. I'm unbelievably comfortable on acoustic but every time I try to play electric it's like I have absolutely no idea what instrument I'm holding. This checklist is unbelievable. Let's get it

@kevinnickens

6 ай бұрын

Let’s get it!

The analytical person in me is always asking, "Where do I start and in what order do I progress?" Thank you, this video is immensely helpful. I am watching this video as a level one player.

@kevinnickens

7 ай бұрын

Good luck practicing!

This is gold. Thank you for taking the time to make this video! Cheers!

Bro, your generosity is overflowing. I love how you explained that you want to help others by making this in-depth knowledge so accessible. You’re an amazing human; because of you, I get to progress. Thank you!

@kevinnickens

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate that!

level 7: you can finally play guitar hero expert charts (the hardest challenge of them all)

Was looking for something like this when I was starting to re-learn the guitar 4 months ago - A simple and concise 'fundamentals roadmap'. I kept wondering why such clear guitar roadmap by concept isn't available. I enrolled in a lot of courses that supposedly teaches from the ground up (both free and paid). In the end, I had to stitch multiple sources just the same as browsing youtube videos to understand the topics. Hate it when the instructors say that there isn't a single roadmap and 'it depends on your goal'. Point was, the 'fundamentals' is supposed to be the same regardless of the goal because it's all the same instrument - the guitar. Contrary to my experience, this video only mentions that after* giving all the must-learn guitar topics at level 1-5. --- I made my own roadmap back then based on extensive googling and reddit rabbit hole. Started with CAGED, 5 pentatonic & diatonic patterns, Modes and Intervals. Soon realized that these are way difficult to put into context musically at my level and eventually worked my way backwards - wasted a lot of practice time. I wish I started by studying all about chords, progressions, functions, formulas and triads - just as you have stated in this video. That 4 months of 6 hours daily robotic, mechanical, scalar, shape-oriented, monkey-see monkey-do practice sessions now only made sense when I recently focused on chords and triads. That goes for both my musical approach and fretboard visualization. I can also finally hear and differentiate some intervals and at most 3 modes of the major scale - because of practicing chord progressions. I hope more new guitar learners find this video. I will be sharing this in all latest reddit and quora 'guitar roadmap' threads I could find. Thank you for making this!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching, commenting, and sharing the video! I really can't ask for much more lol. I'm glad this helped. I've always agreed with you that the fundamentals should be the same no matter what the goal is. You're right that an incredibly important part of learning is putting these concepts into musical context, so I've got some lesson videos coming that focus on songs that demonstrate concepts. Thanks again for the support!

Kevin - I'm a lyricist just learning an Epiphone LP long after retirement. It's scary, but your videos make it seem possible. Great first lesson and follow up. Thanks.

I have thought this exact same thing! I’ve been self teaching through the internet, & had this exact experience. At one point, I knew most chords, (open& barr), and could play lots of songs, and some soloing, but didn’t know what any of the different notes were in different positions.

Before my sickness takes over my body, I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Thank you for this! I hope your channel grows even more.

@natalieanne5241

11 ай бұрын

Idk what you’re going through but I send you all the love and wish you everything that’s best

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

I’m sorry to hear that you’re sick. I hope that guitar can bring you joy and it’s an honor to be even a small part of that

Keep making more. Im serious, don't stop. - Lucas Tractorfuel

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Mr. Tractorfuel

This is exactly what I want, as a self-learner I'm always wanting an index towards "on which level should I do what things" stuff, you just save my day. Thank you!

@kevinnickens

9 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Man, I love this! I have to say being a level 3 guitar player, I am at the point of finally looking at paying for actual lessons after nearly 25 years of playing. I never really knew what was supposed to come next and spent many years stagnant with my progression. This video explained a well thought-out progression for anyone looking to learn guitar. I wish I had something like this years ago.

Dude... this helps so much. Thank you for making this easily accessible for us!

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

You’re welcome! Yeah man I wish this info was more available, it’s useful to literally anyone who plays guitar at any level, I’m kinda surprised that no other guitar educator makes this available. Thanks for commenting!

This is great advise however I feel that a lot of importance is put on a lot of theory concepts at the beginning for lower levels. Yes you can reach greater heights in the long run with these concepts but it is important to also try to play what you like and have fun with it. Especially when starting out the entrypoint can seem big and having something to play or progress in that you can see/hear (playing some random pop tune) will really help you not lose interest. I feel this is really important; guitar has a lot to study but it is also meant to be fun.

@kevinnickens

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah maybe you’re right, I might have to adjust for future versions. One of the hardest parts of the list was trying to figure out where the theory should go in relation to songs and techniques

@Surf_Cat

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinnickens It is a good list. It's always hard to make such a deep and broad topic accessible. The points you mentioned are great for bigger picture goals.

im really glad i found this video. Cant wait to work through these starting at the beginning. I havent picked up my guitar in like 3 years and its time to reclaim the progress i've lost.

I LOVE the way you explain things dude! Thanks a bunch for this, I've been playing for about a year but I'm just getting to level two now

I will come back to this comment every time I start new level.

@kevinnickens

4 ай бұрын

Keep us updated

@ralfssavielis

3 ай бұрын

i'm also gonna try this, someone please like my comment

@leokhorn

Ай бұрын

Did you ever start?

@adityapatil761

11 күн бұрын

@@leokhornlol i dont think so it doesnt take 3 months to do the first level

The way I memorized my strings was like this: Top string E - EAT Next string B - BROKEN Next string G - GLASS Next string D - DON'T Next string A - ASK Bottom string E - EAT And you put it together like this: Eat Broken Glass! Don't Ask, Eat! E B G D A E Pretty catchy, yes? Logical, no? I think Spock would approve.

@kevinnickens

3 ай бұрын

That’s pretty good

Absolutely love this video, I'm currently trying to learn guitar and I've attempted so many times but I've never been taught most of the things in level 0 so I'm hoping that that's going to push me in the right direction

This is honestly the best step by step guide I’ve seen. Thank you!

What things can I learn that are guitar specific for people that already play instruments? For context, I've been playing piano and violin for over a decade already, so starting out has been really weird for me since I already know a lot about things like music theory and don't know much about technique and stuff, so I'd say I'm around 3 (even though I'm starting bar chords).

Bro literally said: 🧐

This is exactly what I’ve been looking all over KZread for!

Thanks a lot Kevin! I started learning guitar in 2020 and was consistent for first 18 months, I could see my progress and knew where I was going. But after that came a point where I couldn't understand what should I learn next. The clear lacking was a roadmap on which I could rely so that I can improve my playing. I looked around on KZread and various other websites but couldn't find a CLEAR ROADMAP. I am really grateful that you made a video on this topic explaining everything clearly. I really appreciate you taking out time to do this and hope you'll be making such theory videos in the future for our better understanding of the instrument. Thanks a lot!

Nice video, but an american telling how to pronounce, c'mon!

@kevinnickens

9 ай бұрын

Haha! I did not know the controversy I was asking for 😂

Thanks for this video. I am a beginner (midway through level 1 by your system) and spent the first month bouncing between a few of the well-know YT instructors. They're all good, but I wasn't really making any progress until I tried Justin and found that his ability to quickly get me into practice routines that were fun and felt like I was actually PLAYING something really clicked with me. Once I get the week's lesson about licked, I pick around and watch other videos on things that may be a bit beyond where I am now, but are fun to try. I found your combination of great information, transparency, and humor really engaging so I immediately subscribed. I will definitely check out your Level 1 style topics and see what additional tips/tricks/methods I might find there. Thanks again!

This is what I was looking for! You nailed it and saved many many people like you explained and experienced yourself! This is true of a gem

Really appreciate you making this video. I’ve been playing on and off for like 3 years now and always found the lack of direction to be my main obstacle while learning. It’s actually crazy how after 3 years of trying to learn guitar online that this is the only video that wasn’t just a glorified advertisement. For this I cannot thank you enough

bro has no right being so funny. amazing content. just bought my third or fourth guitar. always ended up dropping and selling it. but i just love music so much that i CANNOT give up. i’ll keep trying.

This has to be the best video on how to progress on all of KZread and beyond. Thank you for posting this. It was super helpful.

this video is AMAZINGLY helpful and made me actually realize that I was much further than I thought! It also helped progress much faster only in a matter of days, as I already understood some of the basics and now knew what music theory to catch up on. Thank you so much for making this, I'm seeing myself constantly referencing this video (which I already am lol) because this kind of curriculum is just extremly useful and takes a lot of the confusion off the process of how to learn guitar and where to start. It's super well made, thank you!!

thank you so much! I really needed this guidance. It's one of the most helpful videos I've seen in awhile.