By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Identify every note on the fretboard
• Identify major scales/modes, melodic minor scales/modes, harmonic minor scales/modes, and harmonic major scales/modes
• Play with the understanding of the connection of harmony and chord scales
• Compose and improvise both rhythm and lead in tonalities used in the Metal/Prog idioms
• Explain the connection of all triad and 7th arpeggios to the modes
• Develop a never-ending pool of new material for years to come

Syllabus

Lesson 1 Major Scales/Modes

Lesson 2 Five-Note Grouping (Pentatonic Scales)

Lesson 3 Connecting the Major Scales to Other Modes

Lesson 4 The Mixolydian and Lydian Modes

Lesson 5 Time

Lesson 6 Seventh Chord Arpeggios

Lesson 7 Modal Pentatonic Revisited

Lesson 8 Triad Arpeggios

Lesson 9 The Harmonic Minor Scale

Lesson 10 String Skipping Seventh Arpeggio Patterns

Lesson 11 Octave Displacement

Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements 

Completion of Guitar Chords 101 and Guitar Scales 101 or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.

Required Textbook(s)

• None required

Students are required to record video for assignments. You can use your smartphone, digital camera, or webcam to do this. If you do not already have a preferred video software, you can use the built-in recorder tool within your assignment post. You can play the backing track through your speakers as you record and the microphone will pick up both the guitar (acoustic or through an amp) and the track as you play along.

Software Requirements

• Amp simulator software (recommended), such as Guitar Rig, Bias, etc.

Hardware Requirements

• Electric guitar. Check out Reverb for guitar deals*

Instructors

Shaun Michaud

Author

Shaun Michaud is a Berklee grad who has been teaching at the school for more than 16 years. The music he has written has appeared on TV on The History Channel, and in films such as Movie 43, and November Criminals. He has written, recorded, and produced five albums, two of which were released on the Inside Out label. Working as a recording engineer for more than a decade, he has hundreds of recording and mastering credits in the classical music genre for Parma Recordings.

What’s Next?

When taken for credit, Metal Guitar can be applied towards these associated programs:

Associated Certificate Programs

• General Music Studies Professional Certificate
• General Music Studies Advanced Professional Certificate

Associated Degree Major

• Bachelor’s Degree in Guitar