As you already know, guitar is a difficult instrument to learn and there are many method books which attempt to make learning guitar more easy.
However, most begin with TAB or staff-notes, which dosen't help much when you want a simple understanding of the construction and relationships of scales, arpeggios and chords.
Therefore, Guitar EncycloMedia does not use TAB or staff-notes to present music on the guitar, but rather only uses letters and numbers.

The following is a short introduction to this simple "letter and number" concept used through out both Guitar and Bass EncycloMedia.

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If you are "overwhelmed" - you're making it too hard!  Here's what I mean.

It's true, Guitar EncycloMedia contains a vast amount of information and
we can't learn it "all at once".  It takes time - for all of us.  However, there is a
simple way to get through the GEM and not be "overwhelmed".

Guitar players use the word "overwhelmed" a lot.   Every time we open up that
big fat "chord dictionary" or "scale encycloPedia" and look at all those chords,  
scales and arpeggios - we get overwhelmed!  But remember, we are only
"overwhelmed" if we think that we must learn "everything at once".  We know
that this is not what happens, and in fact, just the opposite occurs - we learn
"one thing at a time".  

What follows is an analogy that will lead us from the complex to the simple -
from the "forest to the trees".  The forest and the trees will help us understand
this "overwhelming" feeling and enable us to "see" the simple within the complex.  

You know the cliche, you can't see the forest because of all the trees.  In this
case, the "forest" is Guitar EncycloMedia and the "trees" are all the chords,
scales, arpeggios and other ideas found in the GEM.  
Now here's the truth.  The entire forest (what you are now seeing as
overwhelming) is really created from only two trees!  I'll say that again.  The
forest begins with only two trees!  You wouldn't call two trees a forest would you?

So, what are the "two musical trees" that can create an entire forest?  Simply
stated, tree one is 7 letters and tree two is 7 numbers.

I know, it's hard to believe, but from only these two trees (letters and numbers)
comes all the other trees (chords, scales and arpeggios) of the "forest".
Knowing that the entire forest is really only two trees "in combination" should
already help you feel less "overwhelmed".   In other words, by realizing that the
"forest" is simply the combination of "two trees" (letters and numbers), your
feelings of being confused and overwhelmed by the forest has now been
replaced with the clarity and understanding that there are only two trees!

This brings us to Guitar EncycloMedia (the forest) and its trees (the chords,
scales, arpeggios and other ideas).

On page 1 of the GEM are the 7 letters on all six strings.  All six strings is a
"forest", so, lets just learn the letters on only one "tree" (string 6).  In other words,
even though there are six strings to learn, that would overwhelm us if we tried to learn
them "all at once", so, get your set of Fretboard Flashcards and learn 7 letters
(A B C D E F G) on only one string, string 6.  Now that's not overwhelming!

After you know the 7 letters on string 6, turn to page 37 of the GEM and see the
7 major scale forms.  All 7 major scale forms is the "forest", so, let's just learn
one "tree" (form "circle six-two).  In other words, even though there are 7 forms
of the major scale to learn, that would "overwhelm" us if we tried to learn them
"all at once", so, get your copy of Guitar EncycloMedia, turn to the bottom of
page 33 and learn 7 numbers (called tones or scale degrees) in two octaves
(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15) in only one form "circle six-two" (left hand
finger two, on string 6).

At this point  we can identify the "key", which is the letter of tone 1. 
For example, if the letter "A" is tone 1, then your'e in the key of A.  It's that simple.

Remember, any sound on your guitar may be symbolized as a letter and a tone number.
Let's begin by "spellinng" a simple song using tone numbers.
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is spelled: 1 1 5 5 6 6 5, 4 4 3 3 2 2 1.  5 5 4 4 3 3 2,
5 5 4 4 3 3 2. 1 1 5 5 6 6 5, 4 4 3 3 2 2 1.
Don't forget to place your left hand finger two, on the letter of tone 1.
 
Not only can we spell Twinkle, but we can also "spell" chords, scales,
arpeggios and and all other song in letters and numbers as well!  
Chapter 8 of Guitar Fretboard Facts (Tone Songs) presents this idea in much greater detail.

Well, there you have it.  With only two trees (letters and numbers) you can
"spell and play" the entire forest (all the chord, scale, arpeggio and song "trees")
that are found in the Guitar EncycloMedia "forest".  

Congratulations, you are overwhelmed no more!

In closing, be patient and take your time, music and guitar will always be
there for you...and so will I.  Hope this helps. 

Be sure to keep in touch and let me know how you are progressing, and if you have any further comments, questions or suggestions - just ask.

Sincerely,
Mike Overly