A First Course for Classroom Guitar
Beginning Guitar Complete 2nd Edition
This fun and engaging 46 lesson, blended learning classroom guitar course is a paced to be taught over two semesters. The curriculum is standards based and also includes lessons on core creative skills including composing chord progressions and beginning improvisation.


What's Included:
Click on the tabs below to learn more about what the CMI blended learning course for intermediate guitar has to offer. To fully experience and appreciate everything that is included you should really click here to start your 60-day free trial.
Subscription
- 11-month subscription to the Consonus Online Learning Site with related online course content.
- Every exercise, solo, and ensemble piece is presented in its own review and/or practice video, demonstrated by the author and utilizing rhythmic audio backing to develop student timing and ensemble playing skills.
- Online content mirrors the Course Lesson Plans and Student Workbook. Non-lesson related videos cover topics such as stringing and care for the guitar.
Instructor Development & Teaching Aids
- Full Lesson Plans
- Videos suitable for classroom demonstration and instruction
- Supplemental teacher training videos which will help you get your class started right and progressing with topics including:
- How to teach a blended learning course;
- Layered learning techniques for differentiated learning;
- Ensemble rehearsal techniques and more.
The curricula begins with foundation skills including single note playing, basic strum patterns, open position chords, reading rhythmic notation and tablature. Tablature is used as a means to initially teach 2 of the 3 components of reading which are reading measured music, and rhythms. The transition to reading standard notation is a natural progression and actually occurs more easily when tablature is taught first. Another important reason for teaching tablature is that it allows students to play music that would otherwise be too advanced to read including ensemble parts and solo pieces outside of the open position. As the course progresses more advanced chord forms, strums, rhythms, and standard notation are introduced. Music theory is approached through the cycle of 4ths in the form of a chord clock that illustrates the concept of diatonic harmony and chord progressions. Guitar-istic techniques such as hammer ons and pull off are presented as well. The accompaniment sequence is tought beginning with strum patterns and concludes with alternating bass which sets the stage for finger picking patterns and classical guitar technique in Guitar Fundamentals – Intermediate Course. Finally the course concludes with level appropriate approach to improvisation with begins with the pentatonic scale applied to the blues progress, and then utilizes chord target tones, rhythmic motives, and call and response techniques to bring structure to students soloing. The supplied skill videos and audio tracks make it painless for teachers to present these skills in class, as well as fun for students practice improvisation on their own. Beginning Guitar Complete was written to take advantage of the power of blended learning and the Online Learning Site as a tool to deliver customized instruction to students of different levels. In classroom guitar this is a critical need as guitar classes attract “beginners” in a wide range of levels. Consonus addresses that disparity by providing a layered learning component of skill lessons that can be assigned to those students who are too advanced for the basic course material. This alternate lesson material is only available in the online portions of the course and truly makes Consonus Blended Learning Courseware unique in the field. Here’s the table of contents for the course:

The Beginning Guitar Complete course has 18 guitar ensembles in a variety of styles. Every ensemble has a playalong track for the entire ensemble or with one of every part removed so students can practice along at home or in the classroom.
01. First Time Around | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
02. Spanish Trio | |
03. A Minor Thing | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
04. A New Day | |
05. 6 Spanish Strings | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
06. Greensleeves | |
07. Moonset | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
08. In the Mirror | |
09. Puerto Escondido | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
10. Blues for Four | |
11. Hang Loose | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
12. Late Winter | |
13. Up All Night | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
14. Hidden Passage | |
15. Greensleeves 2 | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
16. Swing It | |
17. Groovin’ | Register for a Free Trial to hear this track. |
18. Klezmer |
Purchase Options
For Classroom Teachers
Classroom Guitar Books
Beginning Guitar Complete
Individual course workbooks for students and teachers.
$15