Guitar Theory For Dummies E-Book

Desi Serna

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 405

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

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.

Leseprobe

Guitar Theory For Dummies®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Media and software compilation copyright © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013944338

ISBN 978-1-118-64677-9 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-64687-8 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-64693-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-64703-5 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Guitar Theory For Dummies®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/guitartheory to view this book's cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Icons Used in This Book

Beyond the Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting Started with Guitar Theory

Chapter 1: Guitar Theory in a Nutshell

Why Learn Guitar Theory?

Navigating the Fretboard

Seeing the fretboard as a grid

Viewing neck diagrams

Reading guitar tablature

Playing Scales

Pentatonic scale

Major scale

Modes

Harmonic minor scale

Working with Chords

CAGED chord system

Adding chord tones and extensions

Passing chords

Charting chord progressions

Testing Your Guitar Theory Knowledge

Chapter 2: Navigating the Fretboard Like a Pro

Tracing Everything Back to Strings 6 and 5

Moving between pitches with whole steps and half steps

Naming the pitches between natural notes: Sharps and flats

Grouping notes

Tracking Notes and Playing Songs with Octaves

Shaping octaves with your 1st finger on strings 6 and 5

Shaping octaves with your 1st finger on strings 4 and 3

Shaping octaves that are three strings apart

Repeating octaves beyond the 12th fret

Measuring the Space between Pitches with Intervals

Playing intervals 1 through 7

Filling in the gaps with flats and sharps

Part II: Working with Chords from the Ground Up

Chapter 3: Harmonizing the Major Scale to Form Triads and Chords

Building Triads and Chords

Major triad: Building from the 1st scale degree of the major scale

Minor triad: Building from the 2nd scale degree of the major scale

Playing through the Seven Triads of the Major Scale

Playing the Chord Sequence of the Major Scale

Chapter 4: Forming Chord Shapes with the CAGED System

Making Chord Inversions and Chord Voicings

Using the C Form

Using the C form as a moveable barre chord

Playing a C form arpeggio pattern

Playing C form chord voicings

Using the A Form

Using the G Form

Using the E Form

Using the D Form

Connecting the Five CAGED Forms

Starting on C

Starting on A

Starting on G

Starting on E

Starting on D

Sample CAGED Chord Changes

Playing Minor CAGED Forms

Playing the C minor form

Playing the A minor form

Playing the G minor form

Playing the E minor form

Playing the D minor form

Connecting the Five Minor CAGED Forms

Minor CAGED Chord Changes

Chapter 5: Adding Chord Tones and Extensions to Chords

About Chord Tones and Extensions

Adding 7ths to the Major Scale Chords

Playing major and minor 7th chords

Playing dominant 7th chords

Playing minor 7th flat 5 chords

Working with 2nds and 9ths

Sus2 chords

Add9 chords

Minor chords with 2nds and 9ths

9th chords

Working with 4ths and 11ths

Sus4 chords

Add4 chords

Playing 6th Chords and Blues Shuffles

Adding Harmony with Pedal Point

Playing Pedal Tones with Two Guitars

Part III: Getting to Know Keys, Modes, and Chord Progressions

Chapter 6: Playing Chord Progressions by Numbers

Drawing Chord Progressions from the Major Scale

Using Roman Numerals to Represent Chords

Visualizing Numbers on the Fretboard

Transposing to New Keys

Playing Common Chord Progressions

Playing I-IV-V chord progressions

Playing major chord progressions

Adding minor chords ii, iii, and vi

Playing minor chord progressions

Starting Numbers on the 5th String

Playing Chord Progressions with Open Chords

Chapter 7: Knowing Music Inside Out: Identifying Tonics, Keys, and Modes

Understanding the Relationship between Major and Minor Scales

Numbering the Relative Minor

Accounting for any interval changes

Looking at a few minor key song examples

Identifying the Modes of the Major Scale

Ionian (I)

Dorian (ii)

Phrygian (iii)

Lydian (IV)

Mixolydian (V)

Aeolian (vi)

Locrian (viif5)

Key Signatures and Common Discrepancies

Looking past the key signature to figure out a song’s mode

Considering some common discrepancies in music notation

Comparing Scale Formulas and Structures

Chapter 8: Following Key Changes

Getting to Know Key Changes by Switching Tonics within a Scale

Switching between relative major and minor

Switching between other scale degrees

Transposing a Progression

Changing Key and Progression

Using Modal Interchange and Borrowed Chords

Playing modal interchanges

Playing minor modal interchanges

Using the Circle of Fifths for Circle Progressions

Applying the same circle to fourths

Seeing circle progressions in action

Chapter 9: Dominant Function and Voice Leading

Chord Function and the Dominant Chord

Leading with the leading tone

Tension rises with a tritone

Playing songs with dominant function

Secondary Dominants

Drawing attention to some common secondary dominants

Thinking of secondary dominants as mini key changes

Songs that use secondary dominants

Voice Leading

Chapter 10: Filling the Gaps with Passing Chords

Getting to Know Chromatic Passing Chords

Passing chords in blues

We gonna get funky

Chromatic ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Getting to Know Diminished Chords

Fingering diminished chord shapes

Playing diminished 7th chord inversions

Using diminished 7ths as passing chords

Substituting diminished 7th chords for dominant 7th chords

Playing Augmented Chords

Playing augmented chord inversions

Using augmented chords for dominant function

Using augmented chords in voice leading

Part IV: Playing Guitar Scales

Chapter 11: Preparing for Riffs and Solos with the Pentatonic Scale

Getting to Know the Pentatonic Scale

Covering the Fretboard with the Pentatonic Scale

Starting with pattern 1

Playing pentatonic pattern 2

Playing pentatonic pattern 3

Playing pentatonic pattern 4

Finishing up with pentatonic pattern 5

Connecting all the patterns

Using the Pentatonic Scale as Major and Minor

Playing the Pentatonic Scale in Other Keys

Playing in F minor and Af

Playing in Fs minor and A major

Playing in G minor and Bf major

Playing in Gs minor and B major and other keys

Playing in A minor and C major

Applying the Pentatonic Scale

Chapter 12: Playing Music’s Primary Melody Maker: The Major Scale

Getting Familiar with the Major Scale

Playing the Major Scale as Five Smaller Patterns

Breaking down the G major scale

Focusing on fingering

Connecting the five patterns to cover the whole fretboard

Practicing the Major Scale without Getting Bored

Playing along with accompaniment

Adding minor notes and patterns

Transposing the major scale to new keys

Applying the Major Scale

Playing Three-Notes-Per-String Patterns

Chapter 13: Playing in Modes and Using Modal Scale Patterns

Understanding Modes

Knowing how modal sounds are made

Remembering that modes are more than just patterns or starting positions

Playing Ionian Mode

Seeing and hearing Ionian mode in action

Using Ionian mode with the pentatonic scale

Playing Dorian Mode

Getting the Dorian details

Using Dorian mode with the pentatonic scale

Playing Phrygian Mode

Playing Lydian Mode

Playing Mixolydian Mode

Playing Aeolian Mode

Chapter 14: Exploring New Patterns with the Harmonic Minor Scale

Getting to Know the Harmonic Minor Scale

Raising the 7th scale degree

Identifying some harmonic minor chord progressions

Using Harmonic Minor within a Pentatonic Pattern

Adding a raised 7th to the pentatonic

Outlining the V7 chord

Completing the harmonic minor scale

Covering the Fretboard with Harmonic Minor Scale Patterns

Picking out patterns

Focusing on fingering

Practice, practice, practice!

Transposing the harmonic minor scale to new keys

Playing in a Harmonic Minor Mode

Getting to Know the Melodic Minor Scale

Using Harmonic Minor in Dorian Mode

Chapter 15: Playing the Blues

Recognizing Blues Elements in Popular Music

Playing Over a Blues V7 Chord

Playing the dominant scale

Using the major and minor pentatonic

Mixing up the scale options

Tackling Whole Chord Progressions with the Twelve-Bar Blues

Switching dominant scales

Sticking with minor pentatonic

Using a major pentatonic scale

Changing pentatonic scales on each chord

Playing the Blues Scale

Part V: Part of Tens

Chapter 16: Ten Guitar Songs Worth Learning

“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd

“La Bamba” by Los Lobos

“Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp

“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison

“With or Without You” by U2

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

“Smooth” by Santana

“Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream

“Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry

“Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms

Chapter 17: Ten Sample Scale Applications

G-Em-C-D

E-B-Csm-A

E-D-A-E

D-C-G-D

Am-G-F

Am-D

Am-Bm

Em-D-C-B7

Fs-B-Cs

E5-D5

Chapter 18: Tens Ways to Put Theory into Practice

Learn and Analyze Songs

Play Along with Songs

Record and Listen to Yourself

Become a Super Looper

Play with Others

Play Out

Practice a Little and Play a Lot

Study More Music Theory Resources

Set Reasonable, Realistic Goals

Have a Good Time All the Time

Appendix: Audio Tracks and Video Clips

About the Author

Cheat Sheet

Connect with Dummies

End User License Agreement

Introduction

Music theory is the study of how music works. Guitar theory focuses on understanding music from a guitar player’s perspective. Makes sense, right? With a good working knowledge of guitar theory, including the use of scales, chords, progressions, modes, and more, you can easily figure out why a song is put together the way it is and how you can improvise and compose your own music.

About This Book

This book aims to explain how you can play popular music on the guitar fretboard, as well as why certain elements of music go together the way they do. Specifically, it covers what types of scale patterns guitarists use and how they form chords, assemble chord progressions, and apply modes.

Note: By popular music, I mean the types of songs you regularly hear on Top 40 and classic rock radio stations, including music by Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Guns N’ Roses, Dave Matthews Band, and U2, just to name a few. Throughout this book, you discover important details of songs like “Johnny B. Goode,” “Purple Haze,” “Tears in Heaven,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “With or Without You,” and many more.

Instead of taking a traditional approach to music theory, which usually emphasizes reading and writing standard musical notation, this book takes a hands-on approach that emphasizes playing on the guitar fretboard and using guitar tablature and neck diagrams. For example, it shows you how to play scale patterns used for riffing and jamming guitar music, as well as how to build the same chord shapes on the fretboard that famous guitarists use. It also shows you how to play through common chord progressions that you hear in the most popular radio hits. Perhaps most importantly, though, it explains how all these components work together.

With the primary focus being on scales, chords, and progressions, this book doesn’t cover much in the way of note reading, rhythm, and technique. It also doesn’t teach many of the classic music theory terms and concepts that are normally part of a formal music curriculum. So although you may not be able to pass a music theory exam at a music school after reading this book, you will know how familiar guitar songs are put together and how you can compose and improvise songs on your own.

Rhythm and technique are very important to good guitar playing, but these topics fall outside the scope of this book. If you’re new to guitar, you can train your fingers to become a lean, mean guitar-playing machine by working with Guitar For Dummies,Guitar Exercises For Dummies, Rock Guitar For Dummies, Blues Guitar For Dummies, and Classical Guitar For Dummies (all written by Mark Phillips and/or Jon Chappell and published by Wiley). You can also learn about basic rhythms by working with a beginner-level note-reading course like Mel Bay’s Modern Guitar Method, Hal Leonard Guitar Method, or anything else that is similar.

Here’s what sets this book apart from other guitar resource materials:

The practicality and efficiency of the content: If you don’t need to know a certain topic or technique to play guitar and understand popular music, I don’t present it here. On the flip side, I cover many concepts that don’t typically show up in traditional music theory courses but that are important for guitar players to learn.

The number of familiar song references: Say goodbye to learning abstract ideas without knowing how they apply to the music you know and love! I refer to some of the most popular songs and famous guitarists of all time in the pages that follow.

As you work your way through this book, keep in mind that sidebars and Technical Stuff icons are skippable. A few other things to note are

All the information applies to both acoustic and electric guitar unless otherwise noted.

I use six-string guitars and standard tuning in all examples and figures unless otherwise noted.

You can apply much of the information in the book to bass guitar, too.

I use a right-hander’s perspective throughout the book.

You have to look up and practice popular song references on your own. I don’t include the music here.

Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending that the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you have it easy — just click the web address to go directly to the web page.

Foolish Assumptions

Before you dive in, I need to make one thing clear right now: This book is not for beginners! It’s for guitar players who already know the basics and can play but who want to take their knowledge and skills to the next level. Perhaps you’ve been playing for years but have never really understood what you’re doing. Whatever the case may be, to get the full benefit of this book, you need to know and be able to play and read the following:

Open chords and open chord songs

Power chords and power chord songs

Barre chords and barre chord songs

Some melodies, riffs, and simple solos

Guitar tab and neck diagrams

You don’t need to be an expert on these concepts; you just need a working knowledge of them. You don’t have to know how to read standard musical notation, either, because tablature is the preferred notation method here. If you still need to learn the basics and acquire the skills I list here, I suggest you start with Guitar For Dummies, by Mark Phillips and Jon Chappell (Wiley).

Icons Used in This Book

In order to highlight different types of information, I’ve marked certain paragraphs with the following icons:

This icon points out tips, tricks, shortcuts, and more that make your life as a guitar player a little easier.

This icon points out especially important concepts that you don’t want to miss or forget.

This icon highlights technical information (go figure!) that you can skip if you’re short on time (or if you just want to focus on the need-to-know stuff).

This icon points out the audio tracks and video clips I’ve recorded to illustrate various scales, patterns, and so on throughout the book.

Beyond the Book

As if all the great information in this book weren’t enough, you can go beyond the book for even more!

I've recorded numerous audio tracks and video clips so that you can view and listen to various scale patterns, chord progressions, and more throughout the book. Go to www.dummies.com/go/guitartheory to access these files.

Also be sure to check out the free Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/guitartheory for all sorts of super-handy info, including a fretboard diagram showing notes along the 6th and 5th strings, sample major scale patterns, a chart of Roman numerals and the scale degrees and major/minor chord qualities they represent, and mode names.

Where to Go from Here

As with all For Dummies books, you don’t have to read this book from beginning to end. You can certainly try starting anywhere you like. However, because musical concepts build on top of one another, you won’t be able to fit all the pieces together and see the big picture until after you’ve completed most of the chapters. That being said, I suggest starting with Chapters 1 and 2 in Part I. From there you can decide whether you want to focus more on chords or scales. If you’re primarily a rhythm guitar player, you may find Parts II and III the most useful. If you’re primarily a lead guitarist, you may want to focus on Part IV.

As you work through this book, work with each concept one at a time. Take breaks from the text to practice and rehearse what you read about. Your goal is to commit every skill to both your mental memory and your hand memory before reading on and playing more. You may learn some concepts after only a few minutes of practice; others may take hours. Take as much time as you need to practice playing and rehearsing the topics I cover here. This isn’t a race. Enjoy the process and make everything stick — that is, work with the concepts until they become a permanent part of your playing.

Remember: It's not enough to play a new chord shape or scale pattern off a page in this book. You need to play each shape or pattern in context (that is, in actual songs) to really understand what to do with it. That's why I reference so many songs throughout this book. You don't need to look up and learn every single song I mention, but try to play through a few examples every time you learn a new concept. You don't have to learn every song in its entirety, either. If I reference a song because it features a guitar riff using a particular scale, then just focus on playing that riff. If my focus is on the chord progression, then just play through the chord changes. (If you're not sure where to find the music for a given song referenced in the text, check out www.musicnotes.com, www.sheetmusicplus.com, or www.musicdispatch.com.)

Part I

Getting Started with Guitar Theory

For Dummies can help you get started with lots of subjects. Visit www.­dummies.com to learn more and do more with For Dummies.

In this part . . .

  Discover exactly what guitar theory is and why it’s so valuable to learn. See how focusing on elements of popular music and familiar songs can help you better apply theory to your own music. Prepare yourself to play scales, chords, progressions, modes, and more.

  Get familiar with a guitarist’s perspective and a hands-on approach to music theory. See how the fretboard is a grid and get to know the basic concepts, such as intervals, whole steps, half steps, flats, and sharps, that all guitarists use to find their way around the fretboard. Visualize shapes and patterns on the neck. Explore the benefits of using guitar tablature and neck diagrams over standard musical notation.

Chapter 1

Guitar Theory in a Nutshell

In This Chapter

Understanding why guitar theory is important

Getting to know the fretboard with the help of guitar tabs and neck diagrams