Guitar Theory
Guitar basics for beginnersGuitar Notes
Guitar Notes for Right and Left handed guitarists - all the notes on the first 12 frets of a guitar.
- The correlation between notes and frets - every fret is equivalent to 1 semitone with the length of the string determining the pitch.
- Fret Markers or Inlays - positioning on the fretboard and how useful they are for navigating your way around the guitar.
- determining notes on a guitar by knowing the notes on the 6th string (bottom E - fattest string) using the 5554 rule
- determining notes on a guitar by knowing the open string notes - E A D G B e
How to build guitar chords
Building Chords - Chord construction using Scales and Formulas- Scale degrees with names given to every note in relation to the tonic or first note of each scale
- The importance of knowing your Major Scales when building chords
- Building chords using chord formulas, e.g., a major chord uses the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of its respective major scale therefore the formula for a major scale = 1, 3, 5
- chord formulas for all types of chords including triads and a multitude of chord extensions using 4,5,6,7 notes
- examples of how to build chords
Transpose Chords
Transposing chords, notes and keys.- How to transpose using simple rules
- Examples using a song segment with chords and lyrics
- Transposition Chart with examples and free download
Guitar Chords in Written / Tab Form
Writing Guitar Chords - Alternative way of writing a guitar chord using segments for strings and numbers which represent the fret played on each individual segment/string, e.g., x02210- the order of segments/guitar strings
- numbers and symbols representing each segment
- examples of written chords and how to write chords which use double-digits for each segment
Guitar Strings
6 and 12 string guitar- the names of each string on a 6 string guitar
- the names of each string on a 12 string guitar and how each string is pitched within each pair
- wound strings and the different types of materials used and why
- different types of wound strings
- typical guitar string gauges
Tuning the Guitar
Guitar Tuning - A variety of ways to tune your guitar- the importance of tuning your guitar to concert pitch
- using a piano or keyboard to tune your guitar
- tuning with guitar pitch pipes
- electronic tuners
- relative tuning using the most common method... every guitarist needs to learn this method
- tuning tips
The Capo
Main uses and advantages.- Enabling easier chord shapes
- Changing the key of a song
- Adding interest to a song
