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Here is the latest blog entry from our talented guitar teacher Jason, covering his thoughts on Music Theory:

I'm pretty excited about some of the response I've been getting from my students about questions they have about Music Theory.  Some of my students are in college, some of them are looking for the lost art of grimoire, and some just wanna know how a chord is built.  I'm finishing up some touches on a book that I've been making and am pleased that my ability to make it has been solely on the requests of those that had the balls to question.

Why Music Theory? 

Music Theory doesn't really have a beginning in my opinion.  It is what it is and I don't abide by it.  I'm also not a hypocrite so let me give you some thoughts on how to know the rules and then break the rules. 

Things to know: Circle of Fifths… a basic diagram of the universe that is music.  Also known as the cycle of 4ths.  It's a circle that can help you determine the Major and minor key signatures and see how they relate to each other.

Modal Scales: Ionian/Dorian/Phrygian/Lydian/Mixolydian/Aeolian/Locrian….. all the same thing.  Ex: CDEFGABC, DEFGABCD, EFGABCDE, FGABCDEF, GABCDEFG, ABCDEFGA, BCDEFGAB.  But is that it?  No, you need to learn the interval structure as well.  W=whole step, H=half step Ex: WWHWWWH, WHWWWHW, HWWWHWW, WWWHWWH, WWHWWHW, WHWWHWW, HWWHWWW.  But is that it? No, now you need to be able to transpose those into all other keys.  Take the same intervalic structure and apply it to the Circle of Fifths in any Key to check out the magic.

Minor Scales: Aeolian is another term for minor, but there are two that you can meld w/the minor to form some almost european metal sound called the Harmonic Minor…. (looks like a minor scale 'sept the 2nd to last note is sharped in a Major fashion) And the Melodic Minor (looks like a Major Scale except the 1st 3 notes look like a regular minor scale ascending/descend just like a regular minor scale)

Chord Theory: Major (1,3,5) Minor or - (1,b3,5) Delta or "triangle" (1357) 7th (1235b7) Augmented or = (13#5) Delta 9 (13579) Know it to the point where you can just say…"so what" and mean it.

Relative Minor: Built on the 6th degree of the root or "1" tone.

The "5" Em minor pentatonic or G Major box patterns: Fun little thing to know before you can think outside the box is to learn the box you wanna think out of.  Move your box shape back three frets and you've uncovered E major or C#minor.

Arpeggios: Just chopped up chords played in a sequence that can be as little as say 3 notes up to 12 notes or more.  Typically you just need to know how far you need to reach to get a solid grasp when really your just playing (CEGCEGCEGCEGCEG) or (AC#EAC#EAC#EAC#E)

Composition:  I wouldn't be in the postion I am today if I didn't write all this down.  Start writing immediatly or you're just blowin' smoke.  Well, not really… but if you wanna understand what the heck you just played or what you're playing… jot it down/put it in ink/immortalize that sucker. Know what a G clef is know that an F clef is for bass, think above and below the ledger lines, understand the rhythm structures.  Write your own TAB.

Harmony: A lot of really great bands have 2 guitar players…those that don't often have a doubled guitar of themselves going while they lead.  Learn to build doubled guitar parts or add a bass part.  Add a vocal melody and you're good.  4 part harmony right there.

Chord progressions: I IV V, basic blues… everything else is out the door.

Now what?  "So what" man… don't quit, be yourself, and remember that everything I just mentioned is just a bunch of… well, second thought.  Study it, then play a few power chords of your own to create what you can call yours.

Rock,

Jason M