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The Complete 99 Decisions Guitar Program
The 99 Decisions Guitar Course |
de·ci·sion
diˈsiZHən/
noun
noun: decision; plural noun: decisions / verb: decide, to decide
1. a conclusion or resolution in the mind as a result of consideration.
The 99 Decisions Guitar Course is a collection of 99 individual video lessons that have been designed to take you from a complete beginner to a fully-functioning guitar player.
Each lesson represents a choice on your part to apply yourself towards the goal of learning to play music... while having fun!
The lesson videos, ranging from 2 to 18 minutes, make for over 8 hours of instruction & cover all the musicianship skills that you need to play the music that you love… in any style or genre.
Using large & easy to read graphics, each lesson's diagrams appears on-screen as it is taught. And the PDF booklet included with the program makes it easy to review the material anytime, anywhere.
The course is self-paced. You move on to the next lesson when you feel you are ready. You can also work on more than one lesson at a time, or skip around.
The 99 Decisions Guitar Program isn't just for beginners. Experienced guitar players can expand their musicianship skills & increase their knowledge by focusing on lessons covering the specific areas that they need to improve. There is an integrated concordance & index that will help you create your own personal guitar agenda.
Etudes |
é·tude
āˈt(y)o͞od/
noun
noun: étude; plural noun: études
1. a short musical composition (song) designed as
an exercise to improve the technique or demonstrate the skill of the player.
The best way to become an accomplished guitarist is to learn complete songs. Apply the skills you have learned in the 99 Decision Guitar Program with a series of original etudes. Designed to accelerate your growth in becoming a functioning musician, they are included in your 99 Decisions membership.
Start with the five Etudes- Strumming Etude, Barre Chord Etude, Blues Etude, Fingerpicking Etude & Pop Etude. More will be added regularly.
Bonus Lessons |
bo·nus
ˈbōnəs/
noun
noun: bonus; plural noun: bonuses
1. something given in addition to what is usual or expected
2. a reward for good performance.
The bonus lessons complement the 99 Decision Guitar Course. They're designed to broaden & deepen your musicianship skills, taking your guitar playing to the next level. Each extensive bonus lesson focuses on a specific topic: advanced chord technique, building rhythm skills, beyond the basic chords & ways to play scales.
Soon, you’ll be sounding like the guitar players you admire, playing the music you love.
The program currently includes four in-depth bonus lessons. The bonus lessons range from 40 minutes to over an hour. More will be added regularly.
The Fulfillment Factor |
ful·fill·ment
fulˈfilmənt/
noun
noun: fulfillment
1. satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing
one's abilities or character.
Progressing on the guitar is about more than just getting your finger on the correct string & fret, or strumming the correct pattern. It is about the integration of Mind, Body & Spirit.
The Fulfillment Factor video discussions address subjects critical to becoming a well-rounded & confident musician. Topics include maintaining an effective attitude, staying goal oriented, keeping your body relaxed, building hand & finger strength, stretching, staying positive & motivated and more.
The program includes seven video discussions with more to be added regularly.
Blog |
blog
bläg/
noun
noun: blog; plural noun: blogs
1. a personal website or web page on which an individual records
opinions, links to other sites, etc. on a regular basis.
Regular weekly blog posts by 99 Decisions instructor Matthew Von Doran cover a wide variety of topics about the guitar & how to play it. Each week, Matthew will share helpful insights & techniques to accelerate your progress.
Community |
com·mu·ni·ty
kəˈmyo͞onədē/
noun
noun: community; plural noun: communities
1. a group of people having a particular characteristic in common.
synonyms: brotherhood, sisterhood, fraternity, sorority, congregation
The 99 Decisions Course
Decision 1 - Learn the parts of the guitar
Decision 2 - Learn how everything is numbered
Decision 3 - Learn to tune the guitar
Decision 4 - Learn your first chord on the guitar: C Major
Decision 5 - Learn two new chords: A Minor & D Major
Decision 6 - Learn two new chords: G Major & A Major
Decision 7 - Learn about basic strumming technique with Preparatory Strumming Exercise #1
Decision 8 - Learn three new chords: E Major, E Minor & E Dominant 7th
Decision 9 - Develop technique with “Lift & Replace”
Decision 10 - Learn two new chords: D Minor & A Dominant 7
Decision 11 - Learn how to transition from one chord to another
Decision 12 - Learn two more chord transitions
Decision 13 - Learn even more chord transitions
Decision 14 - Learn about basic strumming technique with Preparatory Strumming Exercise #2
Decision 15 - Learn to play barre chords: F Major, F Minor & G Minor
Decision 16 - Learn to play certain chords with different fingerings
Decision 17 - Learn yet another chord transition
Decision 18 - Learn how to play chord transitions in time
Decision 19 - Learn about music notation for chord progressions
Decision 20 - Learn a chord progression
Decision 21 - Learn another chord progression
Decision 22 - Learn a chord progression where chords last for only two beats
Decision 23 - Learn a chord progression with four different chords in it
Decision 24 - Learn the basics of strumming technique: tempo
Decision 25 - Learn the basics of strumming technique: dynamics
Decision 26 - Learn the basics of strumming technique: foot tapping & accents
Decision 27 - Learn your first strum pattern
Decision 28 - Learn another strum pattern
Decision 29 - Learn yet another strum pattern
Decision 30 - Learn two more strum patterns
Decision 31 - Learn about strumming accuracy
Decision 32 - Learn yet even two more strum patterns
Decision 33 - Learn to put it all together: chord progressions & strumming patterns
Decision 34 - Learn some more chord progressions & strumming patterns
Decision 35 - Learn the note names on the 6th string
Decision 36 - Be introduced to 16th note strumming
Decision 37 - Learn two 16th note strum patterns
Decision 38 - Learn two more 16th note strum patterns
Decision 39 - Learn how to combine 16th note strum patterns with the chord progressions
Decision 40 - Learn how to create your own chord progressions & strumming patterns
Decision 41 - Learn the note names on the 5th string (and a little bit of music theory)
Decision 42 - Get introduced to fingerpicking
Decision 43 - Learn some fingerpicking patterns
Decision 44 - Learn some fingerpicking string set variations
Decision 45 - Learn to fingerpick a chord progression
Decision 46 - Learn a chord progression fingerpicking variation
Decision 47 - Learn how to create longer fingerpicking patterns
Decision 48 - Confidently know the fret numbers
Decision 49 - Learn some more dominant 7th chords
Decision 50 - Learn to play two chord progressions that use dominant 7th chords
Decision 51 - Learn to play a full barre chord: major
Decision 52 - Learn to play two more barre chords: minor & dominant 7th
Decision 53 - Start to develop right hand picking technique: picking one note at a time
Decision 54 - Learn the “Percussive Muted Strum”
Decision 55 - Learn another major barre chord
Decision 56 - Learn another minor & dominant 7th barre chord
Decision 57 - Learn some more music theory: sharps & flats
Decision 58 - Learn how to identify barre chords
Decision 59 - Learn how to use barre chords in chord progressions
Decision 60 - Learn Right Hand Picking Exercise #1
Decision 61 - Learn Right Hand Picking Exercise #2 & #3
Decision 62 - Learn the Pseudo-Chromatic Exercise
Decision 63 - Learn the note names on the 4th, 3rd, 2nd & 1st string
Decision 64 - Learn to play hammer ons
Decision 65 - Learn to play pull offs
Decision 66 - Learn about slash chords
Decision 67 - Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #1
Decision 68 - Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #2
Decision 69 - Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #3
Decision 70 - Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #4
Decision 71 - Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #5
Decision 72 - Learn about tonic shapes
Decision 73 - Learn to play hammer ons & pull offs with groups of three fingers
Decision 74 - Learn how to play power chords
Decision 75 - Learn how to play slides
Decision 76 - Learn how to combine hammer ons & pull offs
Decision 77 - Learn how to bend strings
Decision 78 - Learn how to use hammer ons & pull offs with the Minor Pentatonic Scale Patterns (as well as explore some new fingerings)
Decision 79 - Learn how to transpose scales with Transposition Drill #1
Decision 80 - Learn about vibrato
Decision 81 - Learn to play a Blues rhythm riff
Decision 82 - Learn to play a riff based on Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #1
Decision 83 - Learn to play a riff based on Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #2
Decision 84 - Learn to play a riff based on Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #3
Decision 85 - Learn to play a riff based on Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #4
Decision 86 - Learn to play a riff based on Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern #5
Decision 87 - Learn to play a Jazz chord progression
Decision 88 - Learn to play a Jazz Blues chord progression
Decision 89 - Learn the Major Scale Pattern #1
Decision 90 - Learn the Major Scale Pattern #2
Decision 91 - Learn the Major Scale Pattern #3
Decision 92 - Learn the Major Scale Pattern #4
Decision 93 - Learn the Major Scale Pattern #5
Decision 94 - Learn Transposition Drill #2
Decision 95 - Learn to play a riff based on Major Scale Pattern #1
Decision 96 - Learn to play a riff based on Major Scale Pattern #2
Decision 97 - Learn to play a riff based on Major Scale Pattern #3
Decision 98 - Learn to play a riff based on Major Scale Pattern #4
Decision 99 - Learn to play a riff based on Major Scale Pattern #5
FAQ
Do I have to finish all 99 lessons before I can play music on the guitar?
Absolutely not!
99 Decisions is designed to get you to where you can play basic rhythm guitar in about third of the way through. At this point, you could start playing any song that utilizes the techniques of playing chord progressions & strumming. How fast you get to this point depends on how much time you put in practicing the material in the lessons. The Etudes are songs that you can jump right into if you want. You’ll know if you are ready for them right away.
Do I have to do all 99 lessons in sequence?
Although this course is designed to be approached in a linear manner, it is also scalable... meaning the you can jump around & find lessons that focus on a particular aspect of guitar playing that you want to learn & practice. That way you can tailor it to your specific needs. There is a concordance/index in the back of the work book that group the Decisions by topic, as well as a general index.
Does 99 Decisions teach how to play acoustic or electric guitar?
Both! You can play everything in the lessons on either kind of guitar.
Is 99 Decision for beginners only?
No. The great thing about the 99 Decisions guitar method is that it benefits players of all levels of ability. Although the lessons are designed to take you from complete beginner level to intermediate/advanced level, many guitarists benefit from finding specific 99 Decision lessons that focus on musicianship skills that they need to learn or improve.
What musical styles are covered in 99 Decisions?
Most of the musicianship skills that are addressed 99 Decisions are fundamental to all musical styles- Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Bluegrass... even Classical. It is always beneficial to lay a strong foundation when learning an instrument. That way, you can pursue learning the details of any kind of music.
What age level is the 99 Decisions designed for?
This course is appropriate for almost any age. Younger children would need to be assisted by an adult, who could actually learn the guitar along with the child.
Do I need to learn to read music in order to learn to play the guitar?
No. The 99 Decisions course uses standard chord diagrams, neck diagrams and tablature to demonstrate the chord & scale vocabulary and musical examples. Plus, all lesson examples are demonstrated in the videos.
How does the subscription system work?
For a one-time fee, you will have access to all video content, as well as any live online webinars. New content is added regularly.
Can I download the videos, backing tracks, and the workbook?
You have 24 hour access to all lessons & content on the website but you cannot download any of the videos. You, can, however, download the PDFs & the backing tracks. Email us if you need any assistance.
How does the money back guarantee work?
Our goal is for you to be 100% satisfied with The 99 Decisions Guitar Program. If you are unhappy for any reason, simply contact us for a prompt refund.
Matthew Von Doran
Matthew Von Doran is an artist, musician, performer & educator with a vast background in the music industry. He has been assisting people in achieving their goals for over three decades. He has a strong passion for teaching guitar & is dedicated to helping students learn to play music & have fun in the process.
With over 30 years of music teaching experience, Matthew has created hundreds of personal curriculums for students seeking to grow as musicians. Matthew also helps people develop their life skills- mental focus, goal oriented processes, effective mindset, time management, total body awareness & cognition.
“Learning music is not just about the guitar, it involves building confidence, strengthening intuition & finding the center of your passion.”
Matthew Von Doran’s career as a performer & educator includes:
~ Over 35 years of guitar instruction with individuals, clinics, universities & camps around the world
~ Ten years as an instructor at the Grammy Foundation’s Summer Music Camp in Los Angeles, California
~ Released the acclaimed Modern Jazz album of original compositions, In This Present Moment, featuring Jimmy Haslip, Peter Erskine, Larry Goldings, Bob Sheppard, James Genus, Terri Lyne Carrington, & more.
~ Held teaching residencies for The Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in Saint Louis, Missouri
~ Extensive recording session work for countless artists
~ A world tour with La Quinta Estacion, winner of the 2010 Grammy for Best Latin Pop album
Acknowledgments |
Matthew Von Doran is endorsed by the following companies:
- Godin Guitars
- Mesa Boogie Amplifiers
- Tom Anderson Guitars
- Elixir Strings
- Line 6
- Levy's Leathers
Matthew would like to extend a special thank you to the Sheldon Theater in Saint Louis Missouri, for their support & encouragement.
Also, one more huge thank you to Lab 1500 in Saint Louis for their positive energy & help.