Table of Contents

Introduction 1


Part I: Getting Started with Guitar Theory 5


Chapter 1: Guitar Theory in a Nutshell 7


Chapter 2: Navigating the Fretboard Like a Pro 15


Part II: Working with Chords from the Ground Up 33


Chapter 3: Harmonizing the Major Scale to Form Triads and Chords
35


Chapter 4: Forming Chord Shapes with the CAGED System 41


Chapter 5: Adding Chord Tones and Extensions to Chords 71


Part III: Getting to Know Keys, Modes, and Chord Progressions
91


Chapter 6: Playing Chord Progressions by Numbers 93


Chapter 7: Knowing Music Inside Out: Identifying Tonics, Keys,
and Modes 103


Chapter 8: Following Key Changes 129


Chapter 9: Dominant Function and Voice Leading 143


Chapter 10: Filling the Gaps with Passing Chords 153


Part IV: Playing Guitar Scales 165


Chapter 11: Preparing for Riffs and Solos with the Pentatonic
Scale 167


Chapter 12: Playing Music?s Primary Melody Maker: The
Major Scale 187


Chapter 13: Playing in Modes and Using Modal Scale Patterns
205


Chapter 14: Exploring New Patterns with the Harmonic Minor Scale
225


Chapter 15: Playing the Blues 239


Part V: Part of Tens 251


Chapter 16: Ten Guitar Songs Worth Learning 253


Chapter 17: Ten Sample Scale Applications 265


Chapter 18: Tens Ways to Put Theory into Practice 269


Appendix: Audio Tracks and Video Clips 273


Index 277

About the Author

Desi Serna , hailed as a music theory expert by Rolling Stone magazine, is a guitar player and teacher with over 10,000 hours of experience providing private guitar lessons and classes. He owns and operates one of the most popular guitar theory sites on the web, guitar-music-theory.com.