What is Guitar Theory?

Do you have a hard time learning songs, remembering their parts, and understanding their
Are you stuck in a rut trying to compose your own music?
Would you like to be able to spontaneously improvise and jam?
How many times have you learned something new on the guitar without quite knowing wha
Have you noticed that many of the guitar instructional materials on the market feature lesso
Without knowing how music works you are going to struggle with everything you do on guit

Music Theory
Generally speaking, music theory is the study of music, its elements, and its workings. It’s

Guitar Theory
While music theory pertains to music in general, guitar theory pertains to the guitar specifi
You won’t get far on guitar without learning chord shapes, scale patterns, chord progressio
Many players who don’t understand the inter-workings of music are limited in their ability to
So, what does guitar theory do? Guitar theory will explain what musical elements are, what
In music, knowing how the pieces fit together makes all the difference. The benefits of guit

Guitar Scale Theory

In music, a scale is a series of notes played in ascending and descending fashion. Scales

or blues sound depending on how it’s applied. Try playing through these notes one at a time from lo

Guitar Chord Theory

In music, a chord is a group of notes that ring together in harmony. One of the first things t
Chord theory is the study of how chords are built and how different chords relate to one an
Chord theory also involves the study of chord progressions, which are the ways chords are
 and understanding their structures?

ithout quite knowing what to do with it?

n the market feature lessons that teach you the “what” but not always the “why” and “how”?
everything you do on guitar. Music theory provides you with the knowledge and know-how to bring a

nts, and its workings. It’s the way you analyze, classify, and compose music and the elements of mu

tains to the guitar specifically. Typically, this includes only those aspects of music that enable guitar
atterns, chord progressions, note positions, and intervals. You won’t accomplish much if you don’t u
e limited in their ability to apply what they know. For example, a student might learn a new scale pat
usical elements are, what they do, and how they fit together. For example, a new chord shape might
nce. The benefits of guitar theory include equipping yourself to play songs, compose your own mus

cending fashion. Scales are used to play melodies, riffs, solos, and bass lines. Scale notes make pa

otes one at a time from lowest pitched note to highest pitched note, then reverse your direction.

. One of the first things that beginning guitarists learn is how to finger a basic chord shape and strum
nt chords relate to one another. This includes knowing basic chord structure, the difference between
are the ways chords are put together to form a series of chord changes. As chords change they de
hy” and “how”?
and know-how to bring all the elements of music together so that you can make music work for you

c and the elements of music. In the traditional sense, music theory also relates to the way that music

music that enable guitarists to find their way around the fretboard, play music, and compose.
plish much if you don’t understand keys, modes, harmony, chord relationships, and scale applicatio
ght learn a new scale pattern from a scale book or a new chord shape from a chord chart but have n
new chord shape might be seen as an extension of a common barre chord. Wherever this common
compose your own music, and improvise.

es. Scale notes make patterns on the fretboard, which guitarists finger and pick position to position.

verse your direction.

sic chord shape and strum across a group of strings. Chords are usually at the base of every song a
, the difference between major and minor, the use of added chord tones and extensions, and the co
s chords change they determine the music’s movement and a song’s structure. Composing a chord
make music work for you and have complete control over what you play.

tes to the way that music is notated, the way music is performed, and the interrelationship between

sic, and compose.

hips, and scale applications. Without some understanding of rhythm and without developing techniqu
a chord chart but have no idea where it fits into songs. Without knowledge of how something functio
d. Wherever this common barre chord is played the new shape can be substituted for a new sound.

pick position to position. Successfully using scales requires more than simply memorizing their patt

the base of every song and help to establish the tonality of a piece of music.
nd extensions, and the concept of voice leading. Guitarists make use of fragmented chord shapes, c
ure. Composing a chord progression requires you to understand relationships between chords and
nterrelationship between the two. You could say that music theory is the mechanics of music both w

hout developing technique your playing will never take shape.

of how something functions it’s pretty much useless.
tituted for a new sound. A scale pattern might fit together with a specific chord progression. Each tim

ply memorizing their patterns, and this is where music theory, or in this case, scale theory , comes i

gmented chord shapes, chord inversions, and chord voicings, and it all stems from their knowledge o
ps between chords and concepts involving the way chords lead to and pass from one another. How
 chanics of music both written and played.

ord progression. Each time this progression is used the scale tones can add melody and harmony.

e, scale theory , comes into play. Have you ever seen a guitarist learn the basic chord changes to a

ms from their knowledge of chord construction. While simply memorizing chord fingerings is a suitabl
s from one another. How is it that some guitar players seem to know what’s coming next in a song e
d melody and harmony.

basic chord changes to a piece of music and then instantly begin improvising using scales? A skilled

ord fingerings is a suitable way to initially get started with playing guitar, getting to know chord theory
coming next in a song even when it’s their first time through it? Because chord progressions typica
g using scales? A skilled guitarist knows how scales relate to chords and can combine the two on-t

ting to know chord theory is how you develop a working knowledge of music and become proficient
hord progressions typically follow predictable patterns with their movements based on familiar scale
an combine the two on-the-fly. Different types of scales produce different types of sounds from majo

c and become proficient as a player. One of the best ways to learn how chords are formed on the fre
s based on familiar scale structures and simple number systems. You get to know guitar chord progr
ypes of sounds from major to minor, from pop to blues. A versatile guitarist understands how scale m

ords are formed on the fretboard is to study the guitar-specific CAGED system.
o know guitar chord progressions and playing by numbers by working with the chords produced by th
understands how scale modes work and knows what’s appropriate in any situation.

he chords produced by the major scale and its seven scale degrees.