A music theory reference guide for guitar

113 Pages·2011·12.56 MB·English

A music theory reference guide for guitar:

A Method For Learning Scales, Modes, Chord Structure, Mode-Chord
Relationships, And Key Signatures For The Guitar.

By Bob Prong

© 2011 Bob Prong
A music theory reference guide for guitar:

A Method For Learning Scales, Modes, Chord Structure, Mode-Chord
Relationships, And Key Signatures For The Guitar.

Pre-requisites:

This method assumes that you already understand the concepts of scales, bar chords, modes and the
names of notes on the guitar. You should have knowledge of some bar chords and at least a couple
scales in order to have a foundation for learning the ideas I am presenting here. You should also have
a basic understanding of modes. If you don’t understand these then watch Mike’s rock guitar power
videos about these topic before you begin working through this method.

Preface:

This method is about derivation not memorization. I show you how to derive the tones that make up
every scale, mode and chord based on simple concepts. I cover every concept in the accompanying
video with some information that is difficult to put into words so be sure to watch that as you work
through the book.

I’ve put this together to serve as good as a reference source as it is a method. It’s a great reference
source for deciding which modes to use when improvising over just about every chord progression.
We don’t cover the topic of any improvising techniques, as that is not the goal here, but you can apply
the knowledge of mode-chord relationships to what you learn from other sources that focus on that.

Don’t feel like you need to memorize every shape. Don’t feel like you need to master one shape or
chord before you move on to the next. As you work your way through it the memorization will take
care of itself. Your fingers will “know” where to go based on repetition that leads to intuition.

I have included divided it into sections including overviews of modes, scales and key signatures so
that you can use them as references as you work through understanding their relationships. My
explanations are thorough but brief and to the point so again I urge you to work through the other
Rock Guitar Power pre-requisites before beginning this method so that you can get a good foundation
to prepare you for the ideas presented here.

I like to call this the “meat minus the fat” of music theory for guitar. Many music theory texts
bombard you with big words that are never defined and pages of verbal explanations with no
definition or clear direction. These have the tendency to leave students bored or confused. If you
have become frustrated with methods like that then I ask you to give this one a try. I have deliberately
kept verbal explanations to a minimum and never use some term or big word without an immediate
explanation that everyone can understand. If a concept is difficult or confusing to put into words it is
clearly demonstrated in the video to help you grasp it. In other words I’ve tried to keep this as to the
point and down to earth as possible.

Lets get started!
Sections:
1. Review of Modal Theory and Other Scales
2. Review of Key Signatures
3. Review of Notes On The Guitar
4. Overview Of Scale And Chord Shapes Used
5. Mode/Scale-Chord Relationships
6. Deriving “Jazz” Chords
7. Mapping The Fretboard
8. The Harmonized Scale
9. Inversions
10. Deriving “Slash Chords”
11. Creating Chords Based On Note Names
12. Chord Progressions
13. Chord Substitutions
14. Ideas For Improvisation & Soloing
15. Reference Sheet Of Useful Chords
16. Reference Sheet Of Chord Symbols And Characteristics
17. Reference Sheet Of Key Signatures
18. Conclusions
Sections:
1. Review of Modal Theory and Other Scales
2. Review of Key Signatures
3. Review of Notes On The Guitar
4. Overview Of Scale And Chord Shapes Used
5. Mode/Scale-Chord Relationships
6. Deriving “Jazz” Chords
7. Mapping The Fretboard
8. The Harmonized Scale
9. Inversions
10. Deriving “Slash Chords”
11. Appying Notes To Scales Degrees
12. Chord Progressions
13. Chord Substitutions
14. Choosing Scales For Improvisation
14. Reference Sheet Of Useful Chords Derived From Fretboad Maps
15. Reference Sheet Of Chord Symbols And Characteristics
16. Reference Sheet Of Key Signatures
16. Conclusions
The Major Modes

Heres’s the only interval pattern you need to memorize for major modes:

Ionian (Major) Mode 1 - W W H W W W H
Scale Degreees - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (8)
(9) (11) (13)

Intervals and scale degrees can be derived as follows:

We use this interval pattern to derive the other 6 modes scale degrees:

The pattern shifts to the left for each mode, as do the intervals
between the degrees.

2 – Dorian - W H W W W H W
1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) (13)

3 – Phrygian - H W W W H W W
1 b 2 b3 4 5 b6 b 7 (8)
(b9) (11) (b13)

4 - Lydian – W W W H W W H
1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 (8)
(9) (#11) (13)

5 - Mixolydian - W W H W W H W
1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) ( 13)

6 - Aeolian- W H W W H W W
1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) (b13)

7 - Locrian - H W W H W W W
1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) (b13)
Deriving chord structure for each mode:

These can be derived by through the relevant tones needed to create a chord.
(See chord reference section if you need more explanation on chord structures.)

For example:

Ionian (Major) Mode 1 - W H W W W W H
Scale Degreees - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (8)
(9) (11) (13)

Chord Tones: R 3 5 7 9 11,
The Chord Structure is: maj13(11)
Common Chords are: Maj7,6, 6/9,Maj6, Maj9

Therefore the chord structures for the other 6 modes can be derived as follows:

2-Dorian:
Chord Tones - R b3 5 b7 9 11 13
Chord Structure - m11(13)
Common Chords are: m7, m11

3 - Phrygian:
Chord Tones - R b3 5 b7 b9 11 b13
Chord Structure - m11(b9, b13)
Common Chords are: m7, m7b9, m11b9

4 – Lydian:
Chord Tones - R 3 5 7 9 #11 13
Chord Structure - maj13(#11)
Common Chords are: maj7(#11), Maj7(#11), Maj9(#11)

5 - Mixolydian
Chord Tones - R 3 5 b7 9 11 13
Chord Structure - 13
Common Chords are: 7, 9, 13

6 – Aeolian:
Chord Tones - R b3 5 b7 9 11 b13
Chord Structure - m11(b13)
Common Chords are: m7, m11, m7(b13), m7(b6)

7 Locrian:
Chord Tones - R b3 b5 b7 b9 11 b13
Chord Structure - m11 b5(b13)
Common Chords are: 7b5, m11b5
Melodic Minor Modes

Heres’s the only interval pattern you need to memorize for melodic minor modes:

Melodic Minor Mode 1 - W H W W W W H
Scale Degreees - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 (8)
(9) (11) (13)

Intervals and scale degrees can be derived as follows:

We use this interval pattern to derive the other 6 modes scale degrees:

The pattern shifts to the left for each mode, as do the intervals
between the degrees.

2 - Phrygian Nat 6 or Dorian b2 - H W W W W H W
1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 (8)
(b9) (11) (13)

3 - Lydian #5 - W W W W H W H
1 2 3 # 4 #5 6 7 (8)
(9) (#11) (13)

4 - Lydian Dominant Scale – W W W H W H W
(Lydian b7 or Mixolydian #4) 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7 (8)
(9) (#11) (13)

5 - Mixolydian b6 or - W W H W H W W
Aeolian Nat 3 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) (b13)

6 - Locrian Nat 2 - W H W H W W W
or Aeolian b5 1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 (8)
(9) (11) (b13)

7 - Altered Scale (Locrian b4) - H W H W W W W
1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 (8)
(9) (b11) (b13)
Deriving chord structure for each mode:

These can be derived by through the relevant tones needed to create a chord.
(See chord reference section if you need more explanation on chord structures.)

For example:

Melodic Minor Mode 1 - W H W W W W H
Scale Degreees - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 (8)
(9) (11) (13)

Based on these scale degreees: R b3 5 7 9 11,
The Chord Structure is: min/Maj7 (9, 11,13)
Common Chords Are: mMaj7, mMaj9, mMaj6, -Maj7, -M11

Therefore the chord structures for the other 6 modes can be derived as follows:

2-Phrygian Nat 6 or Dorian b2:
Scale Degrees: R b3 5 b7 b9 11 13
Chord Structure - m7 (b9), 7sus (b9, #9, 13)
Common Chords are: m11 (b9), m7 (b9), 7sus (alt)

3 - Lydian #5:
Scale Degrees: R 3 #5 7 9 #11 13
Chord Structure - maj7 (#11, #5, 13)
Common Chords are: maj7 (#5), augMaj7, +Maj7

4 - Lydian Dominant Scale (Lydian b7 or Mixolydian #4)
Scale Degrees - R 3 5 b7 9 #11 13
Chord Structure - 7 (9, #11, 13)
Common Chords are: 7#11, 9#11, 13#11

5 - Mixolydian b6 or Aeolian Nat 3
Scale Degrees - R 3 5 b7 9 11 b13
Chord Structure - 7 (9, 11, b13)
Common Chords are: 7 (b13), 9 (b13), 7sus (b13), 9sus (b13)

6 - Locrian Nat 2 or Aeolian b5
Scale Degrees: R b3 b5 b7 9 11 b13
Chord Structure - m7b5 (9, 11, b13)
Common Chords are: m7b5 (Nat 9), m7b5 (Nat 2)

7 – Altered Scale (Locrian b4)
Scale Degrees: R 3 #5 b7 b9 #9 #11
Chord Structure - 7 (b9, #9, b5, #5) or 7 (b9, #9, #11, #5)
Common Chords are: 7alt, 7 (b9, b13), 7 (b9, b5), 7 (#9, b13), 7 (#9, b5)
Deriving Pentatonic Scales:

The pentatonic is actually a DERIVATIVE of the major scale

For example: the major scale (Ionian) in the key of c:

Notes: C D E F G A B (C)
Scale Degrees : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (8)

The pentatonic major in the key of C is a subset containing 5 notes:

Notes: C D G A E
Scale Degrees 1 2 5 6 3
Therefore c major pentatonic is a SUBSET of c major.

Why these five tones?
th
The tones are chosen using 5 intervals in the major scale, just follow the musical
alphabet…

Notes: C G D A E
Intervals: 5 tones 5 tones 5 tones 5 tones

Arrange them into one scale and you get: C D E G A

How and where do I play the pentatonic scale on the guitar?
There are five practical pentatonic patterns found on the guitar.

Why does the pentatonic scale work over I-IV-V progressions so well? (a I – IV – V
progression is the most common progression found in rock.)

The tones found in a pentatonic scale are COMMON to each chord.

For example lets take the 3 scales in the key of c that make up the I-IV-V progression:

C: C D E F G A B C
F: F G A Bb C D E F
G: G A B C D E F# G

Thus, The 5 tones in the pentatonic: C D E G A are common to each scale.

Tones that my “clash” or cause dissonance (sound out of tune) are eliminated. These are
F# and Bb. ( 7 in G, 4 in F )

The five tones that are left will sound good “no matter what”. So just go ahead and play
them as much as you want and you will never hit a bad note.
Deriving Pentatonic Minor

To derive pentatonic minor use the same method regaring relative keys you learned in the
key signatures section, except now you’re only working with 5 notes.

We know that minor (Aeolian) is relative to major (Ionian)

So now you take the notes from the major scale:

Notes: C D E G A
Scale Degrees 1 2 3 5 6

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And start on the 6 degree, which is A

What you get is:
Notes: A C D E G
Scale Degrees: 1 b3 4 5 b7

So the pentatonic minor is a derivative of the melodic minor scale.

Now lets take the common progression Am-G-F

Am = A B C D E F G
G = G A B C D E F#
F = F G A Bb C D E

Here we have eliminated the notes: B, F, F# and Bb, the tones that would clash if we
were to use them to improvise.

Again we are left with five tones that are left will sound good “no matter what”.

On the next page we’ll look at the 5 practical scale fingerings that you can use to play the
pentatonic scale effectively.

Take a look at the pentatonic scale patterns on the next page. I’ve labeled
the MAJOR roots. To make them minor just move the root to the relative
minor, like we just did to derive the minor pentatonic from the major.