Guitar Theory by zerohour
Guitar Theory by zerohour
Here are a few fundamentals you will need to know before reading any
further.
Half step: The distance between any two notes that are ONE fret apart
Example - C to C, C to D, D to D
All half steps.
Whole step: The distance between any two notes that are TWO frets apart.
Example - C to D, D to E, E to F
All whole steps.
Sharp: This symbol indicates raising a note by one half stepone fret.
Flatb: This symbol indicates the lowering of a note by one Half step
one fret.
The musical alpabet: In music we deal with SEVEN natural letters
A B C D E F G and five accidental letters indicated by a sharp
or a flat b. A or Bb, C or Db, D or Eb, F or Gb, G or Ab
The entire alphabet in order:
A, A or Bb, B, C, C or Db, D or Eb, E, F, F or Gb, G, G or Ab, A
repeat
Note: Theres no sharp or flat between B-C and E-F.
If you dont understand why, just take it as fact.
Scales will be charted in standard tab format.
Example:
e-------------------------------4-5--------------------
B---------------------------5-7------------------------
G--------------------4-6-7-----------------------------
D-------------4-6-7------------------------------------
A-------4-5-7------------------------------------------
E--5-7-------------------------------------------------
The Major Scale:
The major scale is the mother of all scales. Pentatic, Blues, Minor,
et cetera WILL be contructed using the Major scale of the same name
as a reference. eg. C pentatonic will be constructed from C major,
A blues will be constructed from A major.
How to build a major scale.
w whole
h half. w w h w w w h
C D E F G A B C
Scale degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8octave
The first degree of any scale is ually refered to as the root, or tonal
center. The number under each letter represents the scale degree
of that note.
Example: The 3 under E means that E is the third scale degree in C major.
The 6 under A means that A is the sixth scale degree in C major.
Now play the C major scale.
e-------------------
B-------------------
G-------------------
D-----------6-8-9---
A-----6-7-9---------
E-7-9---------------
The Major scale is a seven note scale The eighth note is an octave of the root
first note. Octave means the same note played eight scale degrees lower
or high, depending on the situation.
Each note in the major scale is either half or a whole step apart.
To build a major scale remember this:
whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
For reference, Ive included a chart of all the major scale keys:
C - C D E F G A B C
G - G A B C D E F G
D - D E F G A B C D
A - A B C D E F G A
E - E F G A B C D E
B - B C D E F G A B
F - F G A B C D E F
C - C D E F G A B C
F - F G A Bb C D E F
Bb - Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Eb - Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
Ab - Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Db - Db Eb F GB Ab Bb C Db
Gb - Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F
Major, Minor, Pentatonic.
All the scales from henceforth will be built using A as the root.
Example - Major Scale: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Example - Minor Pentatonic Scale: A C D E G A
Formula: 1 b3 4 5 b7 8
So A Minor Pentatonic means the same thing as A mjor, only
without the 2nd and 6th notes and with a flat 3rd and 7th.
Major Scale: A B C D E F G A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
e------------------------------2-4-5---
B------------------------2-4-5---------
G------------------1-2-4---------------
D--------------2-4---------------------
A-------2-4-5--------------------------
E-2-4-5--------------------------------
This scale generally used more often in Jazz and Country
The major scale works over a major chord, major7th chord, power
chord of the same name, generally.
Natural Minor Scale:
By flatting the 3rd, 6th, 7th notes of any Major scale by half a step
you have the Natural Minor scale. The natural minor scale works over
a minor chord, minor 7th or power chord of the same name.
Every major scale has a Relative Minor scale within, the Relative
Minor contains the same notes as its Major, except that it starts
and ends on the 6th degree of the Major scale
Example: C Major - C D E F G A B C
Formula - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Example: G Major - G A B C D E F G
Formula - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The Sixth note in G Major is E, tha means E is the Relative MinorNatural
Minor of G major. E Relative MinorE F G A B C D E
Example:
e------------------------------3-5-----
B------------------------3-5-6---------
G------------------2-4-5---------------
D------------2-3-5---------------------
A------2-3-5---------------------------
E--3-5---------------------------------
Major Pentatonic:
By deleting the 4th and 7th notes of any Major scale, you have the Major
pentatonic scale. The Major Pentatonic scale is similar to the major
scale in its application county, country-rock generally favor this scale.
Notes: The name pentatonic is derived from penta, meaning 5 in
greek and tonic, meaning tone. So the pentatonic scale is a five
tone scale. A Major pentatonic only has five different notes - A
B C E F. All other notes are repeated an octave higher.
Example:
e---------------------2-5--------------
B-----------------2-5------------------
G-------------2-4----------------------
D---------2-4--------------------------
A-----2-4------------------------------
E-2-5----------------------------------
Minor Pentatonic:
By flatting the 3rd and 7th notes of any Major Scale by a half step
and deleting the 2nd and 6th notes, you have the Minor Pentatonic
Players like Malmsteen, Rhoads, Van Halen, Clapton, Hendrix, Hammett
use minor pentatonic.
Example: A C D E G A
Formula: 1 b3 4 5 b7 8
Example:
e---------------------3-5--------------
B-----------------3-5------------------
G-------------2-5----------------------
D---------2-5--------------------------
A-----3-5------------------------------
E-3-5----------------------------------
Blues Scale:
The blues scale is exactly the same as minor pentatonic except one note
is added. That extra note i called the flatted fifth b5. Commonly
known as the blues note. The addition of this note creates a tension
or unresolved sound. Usually this note is played as a passing tone one
note to another such as the 5th to the 4th degree.
Example: A C D Eb E G A
Formula: 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8
Example:
e---------------------------3-5--------
B---------------------3-4-5------------
G-----------------2-5------------------
D-------------2-5----------------------
A-------3-5-6--------------------------
E--3-5---------------------------------
Modes:
This is a tricky subject to some people. Summarized, a mode is just
an inversion of the major scale an inversion is rearranging
the order of notes Below is the C major scale and the mode names
corresponding with each scale degree:
C D E F G A B C
Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian Ionian
Tip: If a mode works over a major or minor chord is easy, just look
at the third scale degree, if the third note is flatteda flat sign
before it, then the mode works over a minor chord. If its natural
it works for a major chord.
Since Ionian is the first mode and starts and ends of the first note
of the Major scale, the ionian mode is simply just the major scale.
The second mode is dorian, it starts ont he second note in the Major
scale. Play the major scale beginning and ending on D.
The Dorian Mode looks like this:
Example: D E F G A B C D
Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8
The third mode is Phrygian and starts and ends on the third note in the
Major scale. This means you play C Major scale beginning and ending on
E. The Phrygian Mode looks like this:
Example: E F G A B C D E
Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
The same process is used to complete the rest of the modes.
Noice seven modes, one for each note of the major scale.
I will not include tablatures of each mode, Youve got to do that for
yourself.
Ionian: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Dorian: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8
Tip: Flat the 3rd and 7th notes of any major scale to get the dorian
mode
Phrygian: A Bb C D E F G A
Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
Tip: Flat the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes of any major scale to get
the Phrygian Mode.
Lydian: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tip: Sharp the 4th note of any major scale to get the Lydian Mode.
Mixolydian: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 8
Tip: By flatting the 7th note of any major scale by half a step you
have the Mixolydian mode.
Aeolian: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
Tip: By flatting the 3rd, 6th and 7th notes of any major scale
you have the Aeolian mode.
Locrian: A Bb C D Eb F G A
Formula: 1 b2 b3 5 b5 b6 b7 8
Tip: By flatting the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th notes of any major
scale by a halfstep, you have the locrian mode.
Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales:
Harmonic Minor: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 8
Tip: By flatting the 3rd and 6th notes of any major
scale by half a step you have the Harmonic Minor
Melodic Minor: A B C D E F G A
Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8
Tip: By flatting the 3rd note of any major scale by half a
step you have the Melodic Minor
Diminished and Whole Tone Scales:
Diminshed Scale: A B C D Eb F F G A
Formula: 1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 6 7 8
Tip: The Diminshed scale has eight different notes
Diminished works well over major chord, or power chord,
but start the diminished scale one half step higher
than the root of the chord.
Example: For a A power chord, play A Diminished
For a B Dominant 7th chord, play C Diminished
The Diminshed scale works over a diminished
chord of the same name.
Example:
e--------------------------------4-5-7-
B--------------------------4-6-7-------
G--------------------4-5-7-------------
D--------------4-6-7-------------------
A--------5-6-8-------------------------
E--5-7-8-------------------------------