Let's start right from the beginning!
What are the notes called? How many are there? Where are they on the guitar? What do they sound like?
You' ll find everything you need to get you started in these 2 videos. Watch them first
You' ll find everything you need to get you started in these 2 videos. Watch them first
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| PART 2 - Chromatic Exercises (TAB) |
Why is chord theory so important?
"Creativity is intelligence having fun" - Albert Einstein
I see the main goal of learning any instrument as becoming independent enough to take control of your own learning and the freedom to be creative. You can do so much by reading tabs, learning famous songs and even writing music by what sounds good alone but at some point you are going to face questions and hurdles that are best answered by understanding how notes interact and harmonise together.
It's worth mentioning that none of the members of The Beatles could read or write music but don't let that be an excuse. You will benefit greatly by making this guide part of your regular practice
Follow these 8 steps, do the homework and apply the knowledge in any way that works for you. There are no videos and only a few chord diagrams in this guide. This gives you the opportunity to create them yourself and really understand the theory behind what your fretting hand is actually doing.
I see the main goal of learning any instrument as becoming independent enough to take control of your own learning and the freedom to be creative. You can do so much by reading tabs, learning famous songs and even writing music by what sounds good alone but at some point you are going to face questions and hurdles that are best answered by understanding how notes interact and harmonise together.
It's worth mentioning that none of the members of The Beatles could read or write music but don't let that be an excuse. You will benefit greatly by making this guide part of your regular practice
Follow these 8 steps, do the homework and apply the knowledge in any way that works for you. There are no videos and only a few chord diagrams in this guide. This gives you the opportunity to create them yourself and really understand the theory behind what your fretting hand is actually doing.
Step 1 - Building The Major Scale
| CHORD THEORY - STEP 1 |
Hopefully you already know all of the 12 notes (white and black keys on the piano) A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# and where to find them on the guitar neck. (to my students: We already looked at this in lesson 5 and 6 of the Beginner Course but it doesn't hurt to do it again).
HOMEWORK #1
Print and fill out this chart with the correct sequence of notes using the formula
TONE / TONE / SEMITONE / TONE / TONE / TONE / SEMITONE
TONE / TONE / SEMITONE / TONE / TONE / TONE / SEMITONE
Once you have successfully filled out the empty spaces in this chart you should move onto step 2.
Don't worry about memorising the notes on the fretboard just yet. That comes with time anyway.
Don't worry about memorising the notes on the fretboard just yet. That comes with time anyway.
Step 2 - The ROOT, 3rd and 5th
| CHORD THEORY - STEP 2 |
The ROOT is another name for the first note in the scale.
Ok, so you have your completed chart in front of you and everything is correct? Compare yours to the one below and be sure to correct any mistakes.
Where you see Bb in the key of F you may have written A#. They are the same note but you want to try to avoid having 2 notes in the same scale with the same letter.
Ok, so you have your completed chart in front of you and everything is correct? Compare yours to the one below and be sure to correct any mistakes.
Where you see Bb in the key of F you may have written A#. They are the same note but you want to try to avoid having 2 notes in the same scale with the same letter.
HOMEWORK #2
At this point it is important to memorise the 'spelling' of each major chord.
A = A C# E,
B = B D# F# and so on...
Doing this will help you A LOT as you move on the next steps.
A = A C# E,
B = B D# F# and so on...
Doing this will help you A LOT as you move on the next steps.
Step 3 - Building Major Chords
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Now lets put your knowledge to a practical test.
HOMEWORK #3
Print out this sheet below and use it to write out where you find certain notes. You can use the major chord shapes below to help you too. I've done C Major again so you can see how to do the others
Step 4 - Flattening the 3rd
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If you haven't completed step 3 you are doing yourself an injustice by moving forward. It is very important that each step is clear before moving to the next. I can give you the answers but it is much more important that you find them for yourself. If you have finished the sheet above then use this completed one below to compare and see how well you did.
If you need more time stop scrolling
are you sure?....
Ok then :)
If you need more time stop scrolling
are you sure?....
Ok then :)
Hopefully, yours is pretty much exactly the same. Print this one out if you like and put it on your wall for reference. The next aspect of chord theory involves changing one of the notes of the Major chords.
By 'flattening' the 3rd we get minor chords.
By 'flattening' the 3rd we get minor chords.
HOMEWORK #4
Start with each major chord, identify which one of your fingers is holding down the 3rd, flatten it and then compare what you have now with these chord shapes below. Try to memorise where the 3rd is in every chord.
Step 5 - Triads
| CHORD THEORY - STEP 5 |
As we have seen, we can manipulate the 3rd note to get either a major or a minor chord.
The 5th note can also be manipulated, i.e., we can make it flat (1 semitone lower), sharp (1 semitone higher), or natural.
This gives us a total of six variations on each chord.
Why don't you ever sharpen the 3rd? I hear you ask. Because it would become a 4th, and that's for another lesson.
Why don't you ever sharpen the 3rd? I hear you ask. Because it would become a 4th, and that's for another lesson.
Remember how the 7th chord of each major scale is diminished? Now you know how to build it!
HOMEWORK #5
Here are a few examples for you in the diagram below. Eventually you will be able to play all variations but for now can you work out how to play these 3 chords?
Bm(b5) / Caug / A(b5)
Bm(b5) / Caug / A(b5)
Step 6 - Harmonising The Major Scale
| CHORD THEORY - STEP 6 |
Let's recap with all the CHORD FORMULAS so far
MAJOR - R 3 5
MINOR - R b3 5
DIMINISHED - R b3 b5
AUGMENTED - R 3 #5
FLAT5 - R 3 b5
So by now you should be able to know the root 3rd and 5th of any major chord, and you should hypothetically be able to play a Bm(b5) or a Caug without the need for a chord diagram. As I said before, you may not encounter all these chords very often but they are important to understand.
Are you ready for the next step?
MAJOR - R 3 5
MINOR - R b3 5
DIMINISHED - R b3 b5
AUGMENTED - R 3 #5
FLAT5 - R 3 b5
So by now you should be able to know the root 3rd and 5th of any major chord, and you should hypothetically be able to play a Bm(b5) or a Caug without the need for a chord diagram. As I said before, you may not encounter all these chords very often but they are important to understand.
Are you ready for the next step?
If you look at the vertical combinations, you will see that the first column of notes create the C Major Chord. The next column of notes creates the Dm chord and so on...
If you take any major scale and harmonise it you will always end up with the same order of chord types. It will always be MAJOR, minor, minor, MAJOR, MAJOR, minor, diminished.
Here are the chords for each natural key. You should make sure you are able to play them all (some of them will be barre chords). Once you play them in order you should hear they work as a kind of scale but in chords.
If you take any major scale and harmonise it you will always end up with the same order of chord types. It will always be MAJOR, minor, minor, MAJOR, MAJOR, minor, diminished.
Here are the chords for each natural key. You should make sure you are able to play them all (some of them will be barre chords). Once you play them in order you should hear they work as a kind of scale but in chords.
HOMEWORK #6
Here are the chords for each key
A / Bm / C#m / D / E / F#m / G#dim
B / C#m / D#m / E / F# / G#m / A#dim
C / D / Em / F / G / Am / Bdim
D / Em / F#m / G / A / Bm / C#dim
E / F#m / G#m / A / B / C#m / D#dim
F / Gm / Am / Bb / C / Dm / Edim
G / Am / Bm / C / D / Em / F#dim
Using this chart make sure you can play all of these chords. A lot of them repeat (Am appears 3 times for example)
You should know most of them already but the ones you may not know are usually played as barre chords. If you are new to barre chords don't be disheartened if you cannot play them straight away... it will take some practice.
These are the barre chords that appear in this chart.
Bb / B / Bm / C#m / D#m / F# / F#m / Gm / G#m
A / Bm / C#m / D / E / F#m / G#dim
B / C#m / D#m / E / F# / G#m / A#dim
C / D / Em / F / G / Am / Bdim
D / Em / F#m / G / A / Bm / C#dim
E / F#m / G#m / A / B / C#m / D#dim
F / Gm / Am / Bb / C / Dm / Edim
G / Am / Bm / C / D / Em / F#dim
Using this chart make sure you can play all of these chords. A lot of them repeat (Am appears 3 times for example)
You should know most of them already but the ones you may not know are usually played as barre chords. If you are new to barre chords don't be disheartened if you cannot play them straight away... it will take some practice.
These are the barre chords that appear in this chart.
Bb / B / Bm / C#m / D#m / F# / F#m / Gm / G#m
Step 7 - Roman Numerals
| CHORD THEORY - STEP 7 |
A student once said to me, "I thought making music was like painting a picture, can you use notes and chords any where you want?"
Well the short answer is YES.... if you want your song to sound awful.
Certain chords work better with others and the notes you use over those chords have to sound nice against them, so generally stay in the same key as the music. Of course there are exceptions but if you want to write music that sounds nice you should start by using the chords in the major key.
Well the short answer is YES.... if you want your song to sound awful.
Certain chords work better with others and the notes you use over those chords have to sound nice against them, so generally stay in the same key as the music. Of course there are exceptions but if you want to write music that sounds nice you should start by using the chords in the major key.
Watch this video to show you just how prevalent the same chords are in pop songs over the years and why maybe you think a lot of songs sound the same.
HOMEWORK #7
Have you ever tried to write a song? Now is your chance.
Come up with a sequence of chords that you personally like the sound of and then work out what the order of Roman Numerals are. If you like playing A / Bm / C#m / A for example you could say it is a I ii iii I progression in the key of A Major. Stay in the same key for now for simplicity
A / Bm / C#m / D / E / F#m / G#dim
B / C#m / D#m / E / F# / G#m / A#dim
C / D / Em / F / G / Am / Bdim
D / Em / F#m / G / A / Bm / C#dim
E / F#m / G#m / A / B / C#m / D#dim
F / Gm / Am / Bb / C / Dm / Edim
G / Am / Bm / C / D / Em / F#dim
Come up with a sequence of chords that you personally like the sound of and then work out what the order of Roman Numerals are. If you like playing A / Bm / C#m / A for example you could say it is a I ii iii I progression in the key of A Major. Stay in the same key for now for simplicity
A / Bm / C#m / D / E / F#m / G#dim
B / C#m / D#m / E / F# / G#m / A#dim
C / D / Em / F / G / Am / Bdim
D / Em / F#m / G / A / Bm / C#dim
E / F#m / G#m / A / B / C#m / D#dim
F / Gm / Am / Bb / C / Dm / Edim
G / Am / Bm / C / D / Em / F#dim
Step 8 - 7th Chords
There are 4 main types of '7' chord. Here are the formulas of how they are built
R 3 5 7 - maj7 (major 7)
R 3 5 b7 - 7 (dominant 7)
R b3 5 7 - m(maj7) (minor major 7)
R b3 5 b7 - m7 (minor 7)
A quick way of remembering the maj7th note of a chord is by just going backwards 1 semitone.
A -> G#
B -> A#
C -> B
D -> C#
E -> D#
F -> E
G -> A#
The 'dominant' 7 (or flat 7) is a tone lower than the root note.
Now, starting with an A major chord, find the A note and flatten it once to G# to create a maj7 chord then flatten it again to G to create an A DOMINANT 7. Then do the same but also with a flattened 3rd this time. You will end up with the chord shapes below
R 3 5 7 - maj7 (major 7)
R 3 5 b7 - 7 (dominant 7)
R b3 5 7 - m(maj7) (minor major 7)
R b3 5 b7 - m7 (minor 7)
A quick way of remembering the maj7th note of a chord is by just going backwards 1 semitone.
A -> G#
B -> A#
C -> B
D -> C#
E -> D#
F -> E
G -> A#
The 'dominant' 7 (or flat 7) is a tone lower than the root note.
Now, starting with an A major chord, find the A note and flatten it once to G# to create a maj7 chord then flatten it again to G to create an A DOMINANT 7. Then do the same but also with a flattened 3rd this time. You will end up with the chord shapes below
HOMEWORK #8
Now you can apply this method to any other chord.
Start with any other major chord and figure out how to play the 4 variations as described above and draw them out. You can always compare your answers when you search for the chords online.
Work out these 4 chords to start with
Gmaj7 / Bm7 / Dm(maj7) / C7
Start with any other major chord and figure out how to play the 4 variations as described above and draw them out. You can always compare your answers when you search for the chords online.
Work out these 4 chords to start with
Gmaj7 / Bm7 / Dm(maj7) / C7
Harmonized Major Scale 7th Chords
Taking what we learned in Step 6 we will now go one step further and harmonise 4 notes together to create a chord scale with 7th chords.
What questions do you have?
It's natural at this point that not absolutely everything will make sense but as you continue learning songs and come across new chord shapes maybe keep this theory in mind. Here are a few questions for you to test your knowledge so far
1 - What are the 4 notes that make a Dm7 chord and how do you play it?
2 - What is a I V vi IV progression in the key of Gb?
3 - What notes are in a Cm7(b5)?
4 - What are all the chords in the key of A? (including the 7th harmony for each)
5 - Can you play all of the chords in the table below?
1 - What are the 4 notes that make a Dm7 chord and how do you play it?
2 - What is a I V vi IV progression in the key of Gb?
3 - What notes are in a Cm7(b5)?
4 - What are all the chords in the key of A? (including the 7th harmony for each)
5 - Can you play all of the chords in the table below?
Quick test to check at what level your basic chord theory lies... Tell me which question you can reach?
1 - What note comes after B?
2 - What note is at fret 4 of string 4?
3 - What 7 notes are in the C major scale?
4 - What 3 notes make the E major chord?
5 - What is the 3rd note of G major?
6 - What is the minor third of B?
7 - What is this chord [F Ab C] ?
8 - What chord type has R 3 and #5?
9 - What is a diminished chord?
10 - What chords are in the harmonised B major scale?
11 - What chords make a I V vi IV progression in the key of F?
12 - Cmaj7 chord contains 4 notes, what are they?
13 - In the key of G major, what chord is the iii in the harmonised major scale 7th chords?
14 - what notes are in a Cm(maj7)b5?
If you have any questions about ANY of these steps please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp or email me@ryaninglis.com.
1 - What note comes after B?
2 - What note is at fret 4 of string 4?
3 - What 7 notes are in the C major scale?
4 - What 3 notes make the E major chord?
5 - What is the 3rd note of G major?
6 - What is the minor third of B?
7 - What is this chord [F Ab C] ?
8 - What chord type has R 3 and #5?
9 - What is a diminished chord?
10 - What chords are in the harmonised B major scale?
11 - What chords make a I V vi IV progression in the key of F?
12 - Cmaj7 chord contains 4 notes, what are they?
13 - In the key of G major, what chord is the iii in the harmonised major scale 7th chords?
14 - what notes are in a Cm(maj7)b5?
If you have any questions about ANY of these steps please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp or email me@ryaninglis.com.
