(Guitar Educational). Many guitarists spend years, or entire lives, feeling their way around the guitar neck in the dark. But it doesn't have to be that way! Experiencing the freedom that comes with a little theoretical knowledge is not as difficult as it may seem. With Visual Guitar Theory , you'll quickly "connect the dots" by seeing and understanding the shapes and patterns that make music work, with over 500 full-color fretboard diagrams, detailed lessons, quizzes, and an organized, progressive teaching approach. Topics covered include: intervals; building triads; transposing chord shapes; inversions; building scales; and much more.
This book contains concepts of music theory presented in such a way as to be easily understood by guitarists. All of the concepts are presented sequentially in an easy-to-follow format using the guitar fingerboard as the visual tool. Contents include: scales, key signatures, intervals, chord construction and voicing, harmonizing melodies, chord embellishment and substitution, modes, cadences, augmented sixth chords, quartal harmony, and more. Using this book, guitarists will be able to unravel the mysteries of music theory and realize that the concepts are not so mysterious after all.
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.
Do you learn faster by seeing and doing than by wading through tedious instructions? Then pick up a guitar and start strumming! Teach Yourself VISUALLY Guitar shows you the basics—photo by photo and note by note. You begin with basic chords and techniques and progress through suspensions, bass runs, hammer-ons, and barre chords. As you learn to read chord charts, tablature, and lead sheets, you can play any number of songs, from rock to folk to country. The chord chart and scale appendices are ready references for use long after you master the basics. Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review Each skill, chord, or technique is clearly described Detailed color photos demonstrate proper fingering and technique Concise and understandable instructions accompany each photo Helpful tips provide additional guidance
This book is designed to be useful for guitarists at any skill level. Beginners can use it as an introduction to the foundational concepts of the instrument, intermediate players can use it for training and theoretical work, and advanced players can explore the sections on advanced theory, extended technique and the exhaustive tables of melodic and rhythmic possibilities. It is divided into two parts: pitch and rhythm. Part 1 (pitch) begins with the properties of string, harmonics, and tuning systems. It then moves methodically through pitch information, beginning with locating all versions of a single pitch, building pentatonic, heptatonic, and all possible symmetrical scales. This is followed by a study of intervals, with all possible locations of every two pitches, and a long study that moves through every possible fingering of three pitches, with a series of exercises to master triadic syntax. Part 1 closes with a study of four-pitch structures and complete tables that show all possible pitch sets in circular visual notation. Part 2 (rhythm) begins with a complete course in "Symmetrical Picking," a method based on drum rudiments that builds control in the picking hand through an exhaustive variety of movements. The focus of this section is building a strong rhythmic foundation, with a focus on efficiency, accuracy, speed, dynamics, and groove. It is followed by a study of legato playing, working with ornaments and slides. The study of playing with fingers on multiple strings takes up the remainder of the book. This begins with the study of pulse against pulse, playing two simultaneous tempos. The book concludes with a study of polyrhythm, playing one rhythm against another. Plain English is used as much as possible to describe theoretical concepts, and hundreds of illustrations were made for the book as an aid to those who either don't speak English or prefer to think visually. This approach is designed to be inclusive and to promote creative practice. The main idea of the book is described in this passage (page 154): "Even in this small area there is a lot of material, potentially a lifetime of study. The amount of information can feel overwhelming to students at any level. For this reason, the book is designed for self-directed practice, with an emphasis on what the player "could" do, rather than what the player "should" do. The principle is to develop your own learning process, rather than following someone else's. The ability to make choices is essential in finding a personal approach to the instrument. Pick and choose the studies that seem interesting - there should be enough variety to accommodate a wide range of personalities. If any particular concept or exercise has been useful as the starting point for a new creative direction, then the book has done its job. Its purpose is not to push any dogma, method, or style, but to open the door to options for guitarists of any background that are looking for new perspectives.
Alfred's Basic Guitar Method has expanded into a library, including theory, chord study, play-alongs and more. This best-selling method teaches the basics in a logical sequence, with concise and complete information that is easily accessible to students. Numerous chord diagrams and fingering photos help students quickly learn how to read music and play chords. Exciting music arranged in pop, rock, blues, country and folk styles makes learning to play the guitar an enjoyable and life-long reward.
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.
(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.
