Learn to Play the Guitar

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
1301 Students

Master basic guitar skills and become the musician you've always wanted to be.

Learn to play guitar, and become the musician you've always wanted to be! In these fun and informative lessons, you'll build basic guitar skills step-by-step with the help of hands-on exercises, audio and video recordings, and detailed illustrations.

First, you'll get to know all the parts of your guitar, from frets to strings, and learn how to tune your instrument. After that, you'll explore the fundamentals of music notation and find out how to produce clear, beautiful notes and chords. You'll also discover how to control your rhythm, tempo, and volume, and how to express yourself artistically. The classical guitar skills you'll master in this course will allow you to play any style of music, from hard rock to country-and-western.

And that's not all! Good guitar players know that the secret to making beautiful music is to practice, practice, practiceâ€”so that's what you'll do. You'll make rapid progress as you follow a carefully planned practice schedule that reinforces each new skill you learn.

Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate student, this course will take your musical talent to the next level. By the time you're finished, you'll be well on your way to becoming a skilled guitar player.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

In your first lesson, we'll talk about the fundamentals for making music with a guitar. You'll get to know your instrument, realize the benefits of the proper playing position, explore methods for tuning, and discover how to achieve the correct right-hand position. You'll also learn a few playing techniques for producing clear, beautiful notes. This is the first step toward becoming a guitar player. By the end of the lesson, you'll be sitting comfortably and playing notes on your guitar!

Want your guitar to sound as beautiful as it looks? In this lesson, you'll learn basic techniques for creating beautiful-sounding notes when you play. We'll be talking about basic music notation and rhythmic note values—and I'll teach you how to interpret these rhythmic note values so you can play your music in rhythm. By the end of this lesson, you'll be reading and playing guitar music!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to identify bass and treble string notes on the music staff, and I'll teach you the concept of arpeggios for finger picking the bass and treble strings. We'll explore how to play simple music studies in rhythm, and we'll discuss how to recognize new music notations and rhythmic values. Of course, you'll have multiple opportunities to apply these new understandings throughout this lesson, and you'll continue to develop your overall proficiency.

You've got the right hand down. Now it's time to learn about your left hand. In this lesson, I'll teach you how to establish the correct left-hand position and the details that go into pressing your left-hand fingers against the strings. You'll also learn to identify the E1 string notes on the music staff and you'll begin playing simple exercises that include open strings. I'll also introduce you to stretching exercises that will enhance the range of motion in your fingers. And we'll discuss a few new music notations and terms!

In this lesson, you'll discover new notes on your B2 string, and you'll explore the details that go into creating harmony between the B2 and E1 string notes. I'll show you how to combine your newfound notes together with open strings to play more complex music, allowing you to improve your skill level. You'll also learn about the musical term legato, the facing repeat sign for music with multiple endings. And you'll discover a new time signature, the concept of the pick-up note.

Today, we'll begin by focusing on the G3 string. You'll learn notes on the G3 string, be able to identify their location on the music staff, and then practice creating harmony between all three treble string notes to play more beautiful music. You'll learn about rests and their corresponding symbols, find out about music in two voices, and discover techniques that will allow you to gain more control over the way your music sounds.

We're going to discuss accidentals (sharps and flats) in music today. You'll learn to identify their symbols and apply them to play more interesting and beautiful music. You'll also learn about sixteenth notes and the associated rest symbol, and I'll give you an exercise so you can apply this rhythmic value. We'll conclude the lesson by examining a scale and discussing why scales are important to your development as a guitarist.

This is where things begin to get exciting! In this lesson, we'll examine techniques for playing two notes together. You'll discover a new time signature and various ways of playing this rhythm in music. You'll learn how to use guide and pivot fingers to create smooth chord transitions. And you'll continue to build on your skills by learning new music and right-hand exercises.

We're going to discuss open string equivalents today, and you'll learn to identify their location on the music staff and on the fret board. We'll also take a look at a few new notes, and you'll discover other possible ways of playing two notes together to further understand the value of playing with correct right-hand fingering. We'll examine how to read other repeat markings and signs that direct you through the music. And finally, we'll conclude with a technical exercise to help build coordination and develop stretch range in your fingers!

Today, you'll learn more about tempo and how it's used to create musical expression. You'll continue to build on your understanding of correct left- and right-hand fingering, we'll examine triplets, and you'll learn how to count and play this new rhythm in various time signatures. We're also going to discuss volume in this lesson, and you'll experience how to use volume to add expression to your music. And, of course, you'll continue to develop your overall coordination. See you on the inside!

In today's lesson, you'll learn about dynamic markings so that you can further express your music. We'll examine the technique for playing three notes together, and you'll continue to build on your understanding of correct right-hand fingering. You'll also discover ways to minimize unwanted sounds that naturally occur when you're playing, and you'll practice a new exercise that will help to increase your skill level.

In your final lesson, I'll introduce you to dynamic tempo terms that will help you artistically express your music. You'll find out how accenting notes can define the melody and reveal other hidden voices in the music to add nuance and interest. You'll discover how to play four notes together, and we'll discuss techniques for strumming through the strings so you can finish a song with flare. I'll also leave you with a final song that incorporates many of the terms and techniques you've learned in this course so you can continue practicing and improving your skills!

Edward Burns

Edward Burns, a university graduate in classical guitar performance, has a gift for helping students discover their inner guitarist. A “born musician,” Edward has an extensive musical background as a professional performer, instructor, composer, a... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

You've exceeded my expectations! I've really enjoyed this class. I didn't realize that so much could be offered online. The video demonstrations made it all possible.

Verified Student

I was energized by the course content and the easy going style and humor of Edward Burns. He brought the course to life and made the course a terrific experience. This is the best online course I ever took. If you ever offer a next level of guitar playing, count me in. Thank you.

Verified Student

I loved Mr. Burns writing style and presentation of this course. I was wondering how a guitar course would be effectively taught online and found that this format worked. I really enjoyed the notes of encouragement as well. I thought that there was a lot of material covered for an introductory course. I’ve had folk guitar training in the past as well as many years in singing groups, so I was very familiar with much the material beforehand but was looking for a course specifically in classical guitar…It was perfect for me…Thank you!

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Learn to Play the Guitar you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Learn to Play the Guitar

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Medical Transcription

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$389

AUD

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$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
5295 Students

Learn how to transcribe the medical reports most often used in healthcare today, and discover how to get started and advance as a medical transcriptionist.

Take your first step toward a lucrative career as a medical transcriptionist! In this course, you'll learn how to transcribe the most common medical reports used in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We'll review a lot of the grammar you might have forgotten since high school and apply it to the reports. This knowledge will help prepare you to work almost anywhere in the medical field—doctors' offices, clinics, public health facilities, and hospitals. With this foundation, you'll be set to advance your education so you can work as a subcontractor for a company that outsources transcription, or you can eventually even take on your own clients—all from the comfort of your own home.

We'll go through each of the nine main report types—their formatting requirements, the components of each one, and how they are used in the clinical setting. We'll review grammar points in every lesson, pointing out important elements that will make your reports perfect. You'll also gain important clinical knowledge of major disease processes that are essential to enhance your skill as a medical documentation specialist.

Along the way, we'll download a free transcriber that you'll use to listen to dictation, and we'll cover how to use it to produce the reports in your word processor. These hands-on exercises will give you the practice you'll need to determine if this field is for you. We'll also go through the options you'll have now and in the future by developing the skills of a medical transcriptionist. By the end of this course, you'll know the basic report types, have clinical knowledge of major diseases, be able to correct grammar from dictated reports on the fly, and know the next steps you'll need to take!

In this first lesson, we'll look at the history of medical transcription as a career. You'll find out how the field has evolved into its modern form, and you'll explore the various skills and aptitudes that you'll need to succeed as a professional medical transcriptionist. You'll examine the type of work MTs produce, and we'll take a look at the MT's job today, where you might work, and what might be in store in the future for those working in this career field.

We'll start today by discussing the MT's tools of the trade. We'll review a few of the reference books and discuss the types of Web sites that MTs use for research. Then we'll take a look at the hardware and software that today's MTs use on the job. I'll talk you through downloading the free software we'll use in this course, and then we'll go through a quick tour on how to use it. By the end of this lesson, you'll be sitting at your computer, listening to a real medical dictation audio file and looking at the Express Scribe software on your screen. As you listen to the medical report, you'll practice starting, pausing, and rewinding the audio as you tap away on the keyboard.

There are nine report types that medical professionals use most often in both hospitals and clinics. So in this lesson we'll go over a variety of examples of real medical reports. We'll also do a quick review of medical correspondence. Medical letters aren't much different from traditional letters, but since you might not have typed a traditional letter in a while, you might need a refresher. We'll finish the lesson with some specific tips about pathology reports and how to handle numbers and measurements. Then you'll practice transcribing a medical letter and a pathology report.

We'll spend this lesson going over how to listen most effectively, discussing the difference between hearing and active listening. We'll also touch on many of the issues that keep voice recognition systems from replacing humans, including homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms. Then we'll discuss how you can use phonetics and vowel sounds (as well as a few other tricks!) to help you figure out a word or phrase in a muddled recording. Then we'll talk a bit about the radiology department and radiology reports, and we'll finish up by practicing transcribing one in today's assignment.

Today we're going to talk about some subjects that might make you cringe a little: grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. But I promise this will be a painless, maybe even enjoyable, journey through some of the basic principles of writing that will help you become a better MT. Then, in our Practice Corner, we'll talk a little more about SOAP notes and then turn our attention to infectious diseases and medications. You'll also have the chance to transcribe a SOAP note and a radiology report in the assignment that accompanies the lesson.

We'll continue our examination of writing in this lesson by talking about style from the MT's perspective. When you're transcribing, you must follow editorial directions in spelling, capitalization, and typographical display. And it's those directions that are the style MTs need to be concerned about. I think you'll be surprised at how many different ways you can treat a single word. Should it be capitalized or lowercased? Should you abbreviate it, or should you spell it out? Should your numbers be in digit form or word form? These are the issues we'll be covering in this lesson. Finally, in our Practice Corner, we'll focus on the H&P report, and you'll have the chance to practice transcribing one.

No matter what you transcribe, one thing is a given: Medical terminology will be a huge part of it. That's what we'll be focusing on today. One thing to remember is that dictators aren't perfect. They might say one word when they actually mean another. Or they might say a word that has a sound-alike word, like cystitome and cystotome. If you have a good understanding of medical terminology, you can pinpoint the correct word to make sure your transcription is accurate. Then, in our Practice Corner, I'll review the basic nature of heart disease and its treatment. We'll also take a close look at another common disease: diabetes.

A critical component of the MT's work is the way you put your reports together. So in this lesson, we'll talk about how to break up your reports into sections with headings, subheadings, special line spacing, page breaks, and other formatting niceties. We'll also take a closer look at ways you can make your work easier by using word processing shortcuts, AutoText, macros, and templates. Mastering them will make you a faster and more efficient MT! In the Practice Corner, we'll focus on surgical reports. Surgical terminology is important to know, and it's also fascinating to take an inside look at what goes on in the operating room. The assignment for this lesson will include a surgical report to help you put to work all the new knowledge you've gained.

Another essential step in transcription is editing and proofreading your work. And that's what we'll concentrate on today. I'll start off by sharing some editing do's and don'ts as well as what to look for when you're proofreading. In our Practice Corner, we'll be covering a disease process that has, in some way, touched virtually everyone: cancer. Once you have an overview of cancer, we'll work on the consultation report. Physicians often ask specialists to further evaluate their patients, especially cancer patients. So this is a common report that you're likely to transcribe regularly. The assignment for this lesson includes a consult report to transcribe, and you'll also get to practice proofreading.

So far we've focused on the mechanical elements of medical transcription. But there is still a lot you need to know about clinical issues. So this will be a completely clinical lesson. We'll talk about classification systems and their transcription foibles. And now that you have the bones of grammar and style down, we're going to talk about some real bones. We'll begin by discussing information on fractures and spine levels. Finally, in our Practice Corner, we'll discuss discharge and death summaries. They are very similar reports, but we'll take a look at some of their subtle differences.

This lesson will be similar to the last in that it covers lots of clinical issues. It won't all be clinical, however. There are a few miscellaneous things that I want to make sure I share with you. They don't really fit into neat categories, so I've put them all here. Once we finish with these miscellaneous items, we'll jump back into some clinical issues. We'll be talking specifically about infections. Then we'll turn our attention to smaller parts of the body—cells and blood. Then, in our Practice Corner, you'll see how everything you've learned can come together in an autopsy report. This is probably the longest, most comprehensive report you'll ever come across. And, of course, you'll have the chance to transcribe an autopsy report in the assignment!

By now you have the tools and the knowledge you need to dip your toe into the waters of medical transcription. But we still have a couple of big questions to answer. How do you manage your workload? Also, how do you establish yourself as a medical transcriptionist? And do you need more training? Today we'll discuss all the different ways you can work—everything from being an independent contractor all the way up to consultant work. We'll talk about additional training as well. Then we'll take a peek at some of the events on the horizon, and you'll see why this is an exciting time to enter the transcription field. For our final Practice Corner, we'll look at the Health Story Project. It's an initiative to develop standards for integrating narrative reports (like the ones you've been transcribing) into the electronic medical record in a meaningful way—giving them the ability to be searched and to extrapolate data like we have never been able to do before.

Jennifer Della'Zanna

Jennifer Della'Zanna graduated from Albright College in Reading, PA with a Bachelor of Arts degree. With 15 years' experience in the health care industry, she has worked as a medical transcriptionist, receptionist, medical assistant, practice admi... Read more

Read Jennifer Della'Zanna's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

I have been transcribing workers' compensation medical-legal reports for years. This course was an eye opener into what I lacked, what is missing in my reports, and my level of competence. I got busy and copied mountains of pertinent information to be studied again and again at my leisure so I can upgrade my skills. I have had a secret desire to work as a transcriptionist for a hospital or the County Medical Bureau, but I am
nowhere near prepared. This course was of immense value in helping me assess my current level of competence. I plan to practice transcribing reports over and over again. Thanks so much for the templates. I cannot express enough how valuable this course was for me.

Verified Student

This course exceeded my expectations. It was everything I was looking for and more. A++ for the instructor. I completed the Medical Secretary Training ( a 9-month course) at a technical college ~ 20 years ago and wanted to see how the industry changed, brush up my skills and decide if this was a career for me. Jennifer is so pleasantly willing to present a vast of array of resources, details, nuances, considerations, and experiences. I have taken a few on-line courses and this by far was the best one.

Verified Student

This course gave me information that I did not know even though I've been a medical transcriptionist for almost 9 years. I always learned something new in each lesson and was very informative. The resources given to you for future reference are very useful as well. I enjoyed taking this refresher course and would definitely recommend it to friends and family.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Medical Transcription you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now