Guitar Theory

Do you love sitting at home playing guitar, but find yourself playing the same old things over and over without making much progress? When other musicians invite you to jam, do you worry that you won’t be able to keep up? Are you a veteran guitarist who has played for years, but you’re embarrassed to admit you have no idea what you’re doing? If you want to take your guitar playing to the next level, compose songs like you hear on the radio, and improvise your own music, then you need Fretboard Theory. Fretboard Theory by Desi Serna teaches music theory for guitar including scales, chords, progressions, modes and more. The hands-on approach to theory shows you how music "works" on the guitar fretboard by visualizing shapes and patterns and how they connect to make music. Content includes: * Learn pentatonic and major scale patterns as used to play melodies, riffs, solos, and bass lines * Move beyond basic chords and common barre chords by playing the types of chord inversions and chord voicings used by music's most famous players * Chart guitar chord progressions and play by numbers like the pros * Identify correct scales to play over chords and progressions so you can improvise at will * Create new sounds with music modes and get to know Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian * Add variety to your playing by using intervals such as thirds, fourths, and sixths * Increase your chord vocabulary by using added chord tones and extensions to play chord types such as major 7, minor 7, sus2, sus4, add9, and more * Learn how all the different aspects of music fit together to make a great song * See how theory relates to popular styles of music and familiar songs Fretboard Theory will have you mastering music like a pro easier and faster than you ever thought possible. Plus, it's the ONLY GUITAR THEORY RESOURCE in the world that includes important details to hundreds of popular songs. You learn how to play in the style of pop, rock, acoustic, blues, and more! This guitar instruction is perfect whether you want to jam, compose or just understand the music you play better. The material is suitable for both acoustic and electric guitar, plus it features many references to bass. Level: Recommended for intermediate level players on up. Video Fretboard Theory is also available as a 21-hour video series that is sold separately on the author's GuitarMusicTheory.com website. Visit the website and sign up for email lessons to sample the footage. Fretboard Theory Volume II When you're ready to take your playing to the next level, get the second book in the series, Fretboard Theory Volume II, which is also available as a 12-hour video series.

(Guitar Educational). Experience must-know music knowledge and wisdom through the highly focused lens of legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. This full-color instructional book written by Vai himself features in-depth discussions of the music theory fundamentals that every aspiring (and veteran) guitar player should know, packed with practical exercises, diagrams, tips, inspiring ideas and concepts, practice methods, and ways of looking at music that you may have never considered. Topics covered include: academic vs. experiential learning * reading and writing music * key signatures * chord scales * rhythm basics * guitar harmonics * modes * and much more.

Serious about jamming, understanding, and creating guitar-driven music? Easy. With an approachable and engaging style, Guitar Theory For Dummies goes beyond guitar basics, presenting the guidance intermediate to advanced players need to improve their improvisational and compositional skills. Plus, with access to audio tracks and video instruction online you can master the concepts and techniques covered in the book. Key content coverage includes: pentatonic and major scale patterns; the CAGED chord system, chord progressions, and playing by numbers; roots, keys, and applying scales, plus modes and modal scales; intervals and chord extensions; popular song references and theory applications that help you understand how to play popular music and contemporary guitar styles, and create music of your own. This title also features companion audio tracks and video content hosted online at Dummies.com The expert instruction and easy-to-digest information provides comprehensive guidance on how to apply music theory concepts to fretted instruments If you already have a handle on the basics and want to know more about the building blocks and theory behind guitar music, Guitar Theory For Dummies has you covered.

(Guitar Method). Guitarists of all levels will find a wealth of practical music knowledge in this special book. Veteran guitarist and author Tom Kolb dispels the mysteries of music theory using plain and simple terms and diagrams. The included audio provides 94 tracks of music examples, scales, modes, chords, ear training, and much more!

Unlock essential guitar theory to boost your ability and confidence as a guitarist. Easy language. Music reading not required! (includes audio lessons - see inside book for details) Inside the 12 chapters of this guitar theory book you’ll learn about intervals, triads, major and minor keys, chord sequences - and understand how to apply them to your playing, improvising and songwriting. I’ll use diagrams and simple, non-intimidating language to teach you in minutes, things which confuse some guitarists for years. This guitar music theory book is for you if: - You want to boost your music theory knowledge so you can become the guitar player you really want to be - You’re a singer songwriter who needs to learn about chords, keys and chord progressions in order to write great songs (like you hear on recordings!) - You want to learn music theory but are unsure where to start - You’re a student who needs a crash course in music theory essentials to prepare for college auditions, entrance exams etc - You’re a beginner who wants to easily learn how music works as you take your first steps in learning to play guitar so you can avoid confusion, improve faster and learn more easily - You feel confused and intimidated by the ‘jargon’ you hear other musicians or YouTube teachers use - You ‘kind of’ understand theory… but you’re not really sure how well! What will this book teach you about? In the 12 lessons you’ll find super clear explanations, practical examples and quiz questions on: - The Musical Alphabet (the only 12 notes used in all music!) - Tones and Semitones - The Major Scale (learn what it actually is…) - Major and Minor Triads (as used in most pop, country, rock and folk music) - Major Scale Intervals (major 3rds, perfect 4ths...what are they?) - Chromatic Intervals (discover what weird names like diminished and augmented really mean) - Major Keys (Parts 1 & 2) - Chord Progressions (start writing pro sounding chord sequences and songs of your own) - Pentatonic Scales (the most common guitar scales ever…) - The Natural Minor Scale (essential for minor key soloing in rock, pop and other styles) - Minor Key Basics (learn the secrets of awesome minor key songs and chord sequences) How will you learn and remember all this? Easy! Each chapter introduces a new element of guitar theory. You get a clear but detailed explanation of the concept and multiple examples/practical exercises, FAQs and more to drive your understanding home. Test yourself using the quiz questions at the end of each chapter (answers supplied). To help you play certain practical examples there is also an appendix of common open chord shapes and barre chords at the back of the book. Plus, every chapter is also available to you as an audio file so you can immerse yourself in guitar theory whilst at the gym or walking the dog! You'll find details for these in the book. You Can Do This … and without all the bull! 'No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists' will make your journey as a guitarist much more enjoyable and way less confusing than mine has been! As a self-taught 18 year old guitarist, it literally took me years to figure this stuff out. I’ve taught the material in this book to thousands of musicians around the world both in person and via my website, and I can tell you this: Learning about music theory doesn’t need to be scary, confusing, difficult or something that you avoid doing because you don’t know where to start. It's time to become the guitar player you know you could be!

Make your guitar sing with insight on music theory brings your instrument to life There’s a universe of incredible music living in your guitar. You just need to discover how to let it out. In Guitar Theory For Dummies, expert guitarist and instructor Desi Serna walks you through the music theory concepts you need to understand to expand your musical horizons. From deciphering the mysteries of the fretboard to adapting chord progressions to a song’s key, you’ll master techniques that will help you move past simple, three-chord songs to more complex and creative pieces. Build on your existing knowledge of open and barre chords and simple progressions with practical instruction that demystifies scales and chord voicings and shows you how to bring them together to create impressive music. You can also jump over to dummies.com to hear audio samples of the examples featured in the book. You’ll also learn: How chords, keys, and scales are built and how they interact with one another Powerful concepts, like intervals, chord extensions, modes and modal scales, that grant access to a world of musical possibilities How popular songs apply elements of guitar theory and how you can apply the same techniques Free yourself from the confines of tab sheets and simple chords and start enjoying all the musical potential of your guitar. Guitar Theory For Dummies is for anyone who wants to unlock the next stage of their musical journey.

Master Fundamental Theory Skills and Take your Guitar Playing to the Next Level Music theory can be an extremely complicated subject. The fact is, we don't need to know half of it; so why over-complicate things? This book is about the building blocks of music theory and how it applies to the guitar. It will teach you the things that matter; the stuff that's really worth knowing if you want to take your guitar skills to the next level. There's nothing wrong with learning advanced music theory. Most of us, however, don't care too much about it, or have much need for it. It's all very well knowing everything about counterpoint, parallel movement, submediants, doppio movimento etc., but for the typical guitarist, unless you are serious about composing by formula, reading music, or just like sounding clever; it's not going to suddenly make you a better musician. Guitar Theory will show you how to make sense of the fundamentals; the stuff that matters. Things that will help you figure out chords and scales without needing to resort to diagrams; understanding how and why chords belong to a particular key and how to recognise when they do; scale numbering and making scale choices for guitar soloing; why scales and chords go together? ... all of the things that will help you understand music better and be able to make sense of the lingo when reading, or watching, other guitar tutorials and videos. This book makes no attempt at teaching advanced music theory which can take many years to master. It does however give you a head start by spending more time breaking down the basics instead of trying to stuff three years of serious study into less than a few hundred pages. Once you understand the basics, the rest will make much more sense. The music theory building blocks will teach you: What the major scale is and why it is important. How scales are constructed and numbered. Intervals: Minor thirds, flat sevenths, augmented fifths etc. What it all means. How chords are constructed from scales. Chords and key. Why certain chords belong to a particular key. The Roman numeral system and why it's so useful. Minor scale types and their differences explained. The Circle of fifths: Is it really that useful? Modes explained. How can seven scales contain all the same notes, yet be different? Scales and soloing: How to choose scales to play over different chord progressions. Scales and soloing is more of a bonus section. This subject alone can be huge so I've broke it down and condensed it. This is your crash course on one of the most common questions I get asked: "What scale do I use for my guitar solo?" This section will give you an understanding of how to look at various chord progressions and choose the right scale or other soloing ideas. This book does not teach you how to read music and no music notation is included or explained. It's just the building blocks of music theory and how everything pieces together. Some Tab is included so you should know how to read basic guitar tablature. The content moves from beginner to advanced intermediate. Although much of the content is suitable for beginners, as the book progresses it leads more towards advanced ideas and some playing and listening experience is expected. The more you play, the more it will make sense. Audio Downloads Audio examples and jam tracks for the book content are available for download and can be played on your computer or uploaded to any MP3 compatible device. Just go to the link included in the book and grab the MP3s. No email address or signup required.

(Instructional). This book is a complete compilation of scales, modes, exotic scales, and theory. It covers the most common and exotic scales, theory on how they're constructed and practical applications. No prior music theory is necessary since every section is broken down and explained very clearly.