Part 1: Turning Tones into Notes
What Guitar Theory Is … and Is Not
Guitar Theory Isn’t Separate from Music Theory
Guitar Theory Isn’t the Antithesis of Creativity
Guitar Theory Isn’t Just for Lead Guitar Players
Guitar Theory Isn’t Just for Guitars
Starting with a Point of Reference
Finding Notes on the First Five Frets
Choosing Other Reference Points
A Very Brief Guide to Music Notation
Tips on Reading Any Kind of Music
Part 2: Turning Notes into Scales, Intervals, and Chords
Creating Specific Major Scales
Playing the 12 Major Scales in Open Position
Giving Degrees to the Major Scale
Turning Degrees into Intervals
Finding Intervals on Your Fretboard
Fifths: Perfect, Augmented, and Diminished
Major Sevenths and Minor Sevenths
6 Two Kinds of Thirds Equals Four Basic Chords
From Notes to Intervals to Chords
Constructing Chords from the Major Scale
Basic Open-Position Major Chords
Basic Open-Position Minor, Augmented, and Diminished Chords
Constructing Chords from Thirds
7 Filling In All the Other Chords
Diminished Sevenths and Half-Diminished Sevenths
Extending Chords Beyond the Octave
Turning the Major Scale into Seven Diatonic Triads
Charting Out Diatonic Chords in Any Key
The Pattern of Diatonic Chords
A Diatonic Chart for Every Key
Part 3: Turning Chords into Chord Shapes
9 Converting Open Chord Shapes into Barre Chords
The Guitar Theory Behind Barre Chords
Sevenths, Minors, and Minor Sevenths in the E-Shape
Sevenths, Minors, and Minor Sevenths in the A Shape
“Cheating” on the C-Shaped Barre
Turning Chord Shapes into “CAGED”
Shifting Through All Five CAGED Patterns
11 The Logic of Chord Progressions
Common Diatonic Chord Progressions
“Borrowing” Chords from Other Keys
Common Progressions Involving Nondiatonic Chords
12 The Challenge of Minor Chord Progressions
A Relative Minor for Every Major
The Three Possible Minor Scales
Creating Diatonic Chords with Minor Scales
Diatonic Chords for the Natural Minor Scale
Diatonic Chords for the Harmonic Minor Scale
Diatonic Chords for the Melodic Minor Scale
Common Chord Progressions in Minor Keys
Modulating Between Major and Minor Keys
13 Making Fretboard Theory Practical
Rethinking Chords from the Top Down
Visualizing “I – IV – V” on the Fretboard
Adding the Diatonic Chords to Your Map
Part 4: Turning the Major Scale into Many Different Scales
14 The Guitarist’s Favorite Scale
Introducing the Pentatonic Scale
One Advantage of the Pentatonic Scale
Laying Out the Five Pentatonic Positions
Connecting the Pentatonic Positions
Finding Each Mode on the Fretboard
Separating Modes into Major from Minor
16 Getting the Blues with Minor Scales
Bringing the Three Minor Scales to Your Fretboard
Finding the Blues in Blue Notes
Blue Notes for Three Chords from One Scale
All Three Blue Notes in One Scale
17 Putting Scales and Chords Together
Visualizing Scales and Chords Together
Finding Scales in Chord Progressions
Backing Tracks for Soloing Practice
Part 5: Turning Guitar Theory into Guitar Magic
18 The Philosophies of Guitar Accompaniment
Mixing and Matching in Group Play
Turning Your Single Guitar into a Trio
19 Making Passes and Substitutions
Using Slash Chords to Create Passing Bass Lines
How Slash Chords and Bass Lines Create Chord Progressions
Using Slash Chords to Stay in Place
Augmented and Diminished Chords in Passing
20 Putting Open Strings into Play
Refiguring Chords with Open Strings
Harmony Pairs on the B and G Strings
Harmony Pairs on the High E and B Strings
Harmony Pairs on Nonadjacent Strings
Harmony Pairs on the High E and G Strings
Harmony Pairs on the B and D Strings
Harmony Pairs on the B and A Strings
Harmony Pairs on the G and Low E Strings
Practicing Harmony Pairs in Specific Keys
22 Beyond Basic E and A Shapes
Playing All the E Major Diatonic Chords
Concentrating Around the Fifth Fret
Additional Chord Ideas for E and A
23 Beyond Basic C, G, and D Chord Shapes
Combining C Shapes with Open Strings
Combining G Shapes with Open Strings
Combining D Shapes with Open Strings
Soloing Based on Harmony Pairs
Distinguishing Dissonance and Embellishment
Sample Soloing with Harmony Pairs
Further Exploring the “Guitar” Aspect of Guitar Theory