Theory for the Contemporary Guitarist

Course details

Learn music theory as it applies to the modern electric and acoustic guitar. In this course, adapted from Guy Capuzzo's popular book, Theory for the Contemporary Guitarist, you can learn to read standard music notation, understand the major and minor scales, and identify intervals—the distance between two notes on your guitar. Instructor Tom Dempsey also introduces chord theory and alternate minor scales and modes. Plus, learn techniques for soloing over 12-bar blues progressions. These lessons are valuable for guitarists of all levels, as well as any musician who wants to boost their understanding of musical theory.

Topics include:
Measures
Time signatures
Sharp and flat scales
Minor scale and keys
Intervals and interval inversion
Triads
7th chords
Harmonic and melodic minor scale
Modes of the major scale
12-bar blues

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Theory for the contemporary guitarist

1. Standard Music Notation

02 - Notes on the staff
03 - Accidentals
04 - Enharmonic equivalents
05 - Measures
06 - Note values
07 - Time signatures
08 - Ties
09 - Dots
10 - Rest values

2. Major Scale

11 - The major scale
12 - Sharp scales
13 - Flat scales
14 - Keys and key signatures
15 - Cycle of 4ths and 5ths

3. Minor Scale and Keys

16 - Relative minor keys
17 - Natural minor scale
18 - Parallel minor keys

4. Intervals

19 - Intervals
20 - Major and perfect intervals
21 - Minor, diminished, and augmented intervals
22 - Simple intervals
23 - Interval inversion

5. Chord Theory

24 - Triads
25 - Major triads
26 - Minor triads
27 - Diminished triads
28 - Augmented triads
29 - Inverting triads
30 - Slash chord notation
31 - Diatonic triads in major keys
32 - Diatonic triads in minor keys
33 - 7th chords
34 - Major 7th chords
35 - Minor 7th chords
36 - Dominant 7th chords
37 - Minor 7b5 chords
38 - Inverting 7th chords
39 - Diatonic 7th chords in major keys
40 - Diatonic 7th chords in minor keys

6. Other Minor Scales

41 - Harmonic minor scale
42 - Harmonic minor diatonic triads and 7th chords
43 - Melodic minor scale
44 - Melodic minor diatonic triads and 7th chords

7. Modes of the Major Scale

45 - Modes of the major scale
46 - Ionian mode
47 - Dorian mode
48 - Phrygian mode
49 - Lydian mode
50 - Mixolydian mode
51 - Aeolian mode
52 - Locrian mode

8. The 12-Bar Blues

53 - The 12-bar blues progression
54 - Soloing over the blues - Mixolydian approach
55 - Soloing over the blues - Dorian approach

Conclusion

56 - Conclusion and credits