Category: Six String Theory

February 7, 2013

From Major to Minor

by jim — Categories: Beginner, Intermediate, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , , , — Leave a comment

In my series, The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, I covered what I consider to be the absolute, must-know info about music theory. All the good stuff, none of the fluff.

In Part 1, we hit all the fundamentals, such as the musical alphabet, whole-step and half-step intervals, and accidentals. In Part 2, we took that information and used it to construct major scales and understand keys. Finally, in Part 3, we learned to harmonize those same major scales with chords. Armed with this information you could rule the world, or at least your garage band.

Seriously though, if you only knew that much, you’d know more than most guitarists and be able to understand the nuts and bolts of music at a much more satisfactory (to yourself) level.

But the shiny, happy do-re-mi of the major scale is not all there is to music – just ask Yngwie. Sometimes you need a tune that’s moody, dark, sad, even eerie. Those moments require a heaping dose of the minor scale. Continue reading “From Major to Minor” »

January 28, 2013

Guitarist, Know Thy Notes: A “How To” Guide to Mastering the Fretboard, Part 2

by jim — Categories: Beginner, For Lead Guitarists, Intermediate, Six String Theory — Tags: , , — Leave a comment

In our first installment of Guitarist, Know Thy Notes, we covered the all the basics of fretboard organization.

To recap, we started out with a comprehensive review of basic theory, including the musical alphabet, whole steps versus half-steps and accidentals. We also covered the names of the open strings and learned to name the notes along each string, using the fret markers to aid us.

It’s all critical and fundamental information, for sure. But in terms of understanding the fretboard at a pro level, the major takeaway point of that first lesson was the importance of learning the notes on strings 6 and 5 first. This is because those strings provide the starting point from which we can learn notes across the strings.

Being able to navigate the notes across the strings, rather than just along the strings, will enhance our sense of fretboard organization and make us much efficient at finding any note we wish. In Part 2 of our series, we’ll learn how octaves can help us to do just that. Let’s rock, y’all… Continue reading “Guitarist, Know Thy Notes: A “How To” Guide to Mastering the Fretboard, Part 2” »

January 22, 2013

Guitarist, Know Thy Notes: A “How To” Guide to Mastering the Fretboard, Part 1

by jim — Categories: Beginner, For Lead Guitarists, Intermediate, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , — 2 Comments

fretboard

If you asked me to name the single most common problem among guitar students, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second.

After all, I see it every day in my own studio. I also struggled with the same issue myself for a number of years. And if the conversations on the online forums are any indication, it’s the same problem that guitarists seem to have the world over:

Guitar players, as a rule, don’t know the notes on the guitar!

Sound familiar?

This is virtually unheard of on most other instruments, but there’s a good reason why mastering the fretboard is so frustrating for guitarists: It’s extremely complex.

The complexity lies in the layout. And the number of frets. And the tuning of the strings. And the multiple ways you can accomplish the same thing. And the layout. And the…well, you get the idea.

If you’re having trouble navigating the notes on your guitar – if you look at the neck and see a blur of random frets – you are not alone! As a matter of fact, it’s a rarity when I encounter guitar students who can confidently name any note on sight, even when they have some years of playing behind them.

Here’s the cold, hard truth: you will NEVER reach your full potential as a guitarist without being able to unlock the mysteries of the fretboard. But the good news is, the fretboard holds no real “mysteries”. There are strategies to simplifying it and shortcuts we can use. These strategies must be applied consistently, however, to achieve the desired results. And I’m here to tell you that the desired result – fretboard mastery – is a beautiful and empowering thing indeed. Continue reading “Guitarist, Know Thy Notes: A “How To” Guide to Mastering the Fretboard, Part 1” »

February 7, 2012

The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, Part 3

by jim — Categories: Guitar Lessons, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , — 2 Comments

Ben Stein in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

In Part 1 of The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, we covered the foundational elements of music theory: the musical alphabet, the concept of whole steps and half steps, and the use of accidentals (sharps and flats) to fill in the blanks between natural notes.

In Part 2, we used that information to take the next step forward: constructing major scales and understanding keys.

Here in Part 3, we’ll take the final step and use our knowledge of major scales to harmonize them with chords.

This is where music theory really starts to come alive because it gives the musician insight into why certain chords work together to form complementary sounds. You can use this knowledge to empower you to learn songs by ear or to write your own songs. You can also use this knowledge for transposing to other keys, which is essential when applying capo strategies. Rock and roll! Continue reading “The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, Part 3” »

January 26, 2012

The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, Part 2

by jim — Categories: Guitar Lessons, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , — 5 Comments

Math professor

In Part 1 of The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, we covered the foundational elements of music theory: the musical alphabet, the concepts of whole steps and half steps, and the use of accidentals (sharps and flats) to fill in the blanks between natural notes.

In Part 2, we’ll use that information to take the next step forward: constructing major scales and understanding keys.

Major scale construction is one of the most important things you could ever learn in music theory, since EVERYTHING else is built upon this foundational concept. And gaining insight into scales and keys teaches us how notes are related within a musical “family”, and what notes tend to complement each other in melodies, riffs and solos. Let’s get it on! Continue reading “The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need, Part 2” »

November 15, 2011

The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need

by jim — Categories: Beginner, Guitar Lessons, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , , , — 2 Comments

Wacky Professor

“Music theory”.

Just saying the words can make a guitar student’s eyes glaze over, like we’re about to launch into a trigonometry class or something.

Honestly, it’s not all that difficult to understand, if you put a little mental energy into it. And theory is very logical, so the elements tend to build on one another in a clear, sequential manner.

But some folks have such a lack of confidence in their ability to comprehend complexities, that the idea of music theory immediately deflates them.

Never fear! JB is here to simplify and demystify!

Follow along as I take you through the only theory lesson most guitarists will ever need – and I’ll make it fun and easy to understand as a bonus! Continue reading “The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need” »

Jim Bowley is a well-known Bel Air, Maryland based guitar instructor. Jim is respected throughout Harford County, and the MD/DC/PA region, for his guitar teaching technique of tailoring instruction for each student’s skill level — he gives lessons to beginner, intermediate and advanced adults and children.

© 2012 Jim Bowley All rights reserved.
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