Hi There!

Welcome to DGP. I'm just getting started with the site, so expect lots more content being added day by day.

NEW as of October, 2011:
• "Isn't She Lovely" (Stevie Wonder) (intermediate) lesson, with chords, lyrics, solo guitar version, plus a backing track to practice along with!

Feel free to poke around the various lessons, songs and theory PDFs. If you benefit from something here and you have a few bucks you can spare, I'd very much appreciate your contribution (click the Donate button; it's easy to use your credit card).

There are lots of guitar sites out there, so how is this one different? Well, you won't find any thrash metal or "How many notes can you play in one second?," lessons, for one. You will find plenty of classic pop, rock, blues and jazz though, like Beatles, Clapton, Sting, Eagles, CCR and more.

While being able to read music is great, most of the musicians I grew up listening to don't read music, and being able to read certainly isn't necessary to become a good player. So, I don't use traditional written music much. I do use TAB though, and chord diagrams, etc. As I often say, “Music is something you hear; not see.” Seems obvious, doesn't it?

Another thing I often say is, “If you can’t sing it, you can’t play it.” What I mean is, to play something on the guitar, you usually ought to be able to sing it; if not out loud, then at least in your head. The best players "sing through their instrument."

I also emphasize the blues and improvisation. When you think about it, all music was originally improvised. The blues is the basis for much of pop, rock and jazz music. With a few exceptions, if a song doesn't have at least a little blues in it, I'm usually not interested.

Music is "the universal language," and a gift from the universe. Learning to be a musician is to let the universe sing through you!

If you have some feedback on any of my lessons, etc., or you'd like to request a lesson on a certain song or topic, please let me know.

Enjoy!

--Dave