G4 GUITAR

G4 GUITAR METHOD Theory Book

Essential music theory for guitar students

MUSIC THEORY

Developed by David Hart with

the support of the
G4 Guitar Network Teachers

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 G4 GUITAR METHOD Theory Book

Theory Basics
Music is essentially a language. Understanding the language of music will help you to learn musical
concepts and communicate more easily with other musicians. The basics of music theory are not
difficult. As little as 20 minutes a week will give you a solid grounding in music theory within 12
months. I suggest you ask your teacher to assist you as this will accelerate your learning. Please refer
to the G4 GUITAR Reading Book for an introduction to the basics of music theory and music
notation before preceding.

Musical alphabet
There are 7 alphabetic letter names. A B C D E F and G

Musical note names (Chromatic scale)

There are 12 notes used in music based on the 7 alphabetic letter names.

1) A 2) A#/Bb 3) B 4) C 5) C#/Db 6) D 7) D#/Eb 8) E 9) F 10) F#/Gb 11) G 12) G#/Ab

The 12 notes are know as the chromatic scale. An easy way to remember the chromatic scale is to
simply say that B & E have no sharps. Please note that B & E can indeed have sharps but a B# and a C
are the same pitch and E# and F are the same pitch. On the guitar you can work out any note simply
by starting on an open note and using the chromatic scale.

Exercise
The open notes on the guitar are E, B, G, D, A, E. Apply the above chromatic scale to each string to
work out where the C note is on each string. Match the notes on your guitar to the notes on a piano/
keyboard.

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Intervals
What is an interval?
An interval is the distance between two notes. Intervals contain two elements. Size and type.

Interval size
The size of an interval is determined by the distance in alphabetic letters between two notes. We
regard the first letter as the 1st. So if A is the 1st then B is a 2nd, C the 3rd etc. Note that when we
play two notes of the same pitch we call the interval unison and when we play the 1st note with the
8th note (same note name but higher pitch) we called it an octave.

Exercise
Write the note on the line for each of the intervals below:

2nd A ___ B ___ D ___ F ___ 4th B ___ C ___ E ___ G ___

3rd A# ___ C# ___ Db ___ F ___ 7th A ___ D ___ F ___ G ___

Interval types
There are 5 interval types. Major, Minor, Augmented, Diminished & Perfect.
Major & Minor intervals apply to 2nds, 3rds, 6ths & 7ths. Perfect, Augmented & Diminished
intervals apply to 4ths, 5ths and Octaves.

Determining the interval type

To determined the interval type you will need to know the distance in semitones between the two
notes. In order of semitone distance they are as follows; Note the red number indicates the
number of semitones. You will also notice some intervals have the same number of semitones.

Unison = 0, minor 2nd = 1, major 2nd = 2, minor 3rd = 3, major 3rd = 4, diminished 4th = 4,
perfect 4th = 5, augmented 4th = 6, diminished 5th = 6, perfect 5th = 7, augmented 5th = 8,
minor 6th = 8, major 6th = 9, minor 7th = 10, major 7th = 11, diminished octave = 11, perfect
octave = 12, augmented octave= 13

Exercise
Write the number of semitones for the following intervals
major 2nd = ___, minor 7th = ___, major 6th = ___, augmented octave= ___,
unison = ___, diminished 5th = ___,

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 G4 GUITAR METHOD Theory Book

The 12 Keys, Major & Minor Scales

What is a key?
A key is made up of seven notes. The seven notes are separated by intervals called tones (two frets)
and semitones (one fret). To understand what a key is let’s revise the chromatic scale first.

The Chromatic Scale

A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab

The notes in a key

To work out any Major key use the following formula: T T S T T T S where T = tone and S =
semitone. Look at the example below. This is the key of C and it has no sharps or flats. Most keys
will use either a combination of naturals and flats or naturals and sharps.

Key of C: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Key of D: D, E , F#, G, A, B, C#, D.

Key of Bb: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb.

Remember
An interval is the alphabetic distance between two notes. You always refer to the interval in terms
of placement in the key. E.g. if A is the 1st then B is the 2nd and C is the 3rd. Even a C# or a Cb
would still be called a 3rd from A.

The Major and Minor scales

Once you know the keys you will also know all the major scales as they are one and the same. To
work out a relative minor scale begin on the 6th note of the key E.g. The 6th of C is A. Begin on
the A as if in the key of C. The formula is; T S T T S T T. We refer to this as the relative minor as
the notes are the same. So C and A minor are relatives. G and E minor are also relatives.

Exercise
Work out the major scale below.
E.g. G Tone A Tone B Semitone C Tone D Tone E Tone F# Semitone G
D major = T___ T___S___ T___T___ T___S___

Work out the minor scale below.

E.g. E Tone F# Semitone G Tone A Tone B Semitone C Tone D Tone G
A minor = T___ S___T___ T___S___ T___T___

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 G4 GUITAR METHOD Theory Book

Circle of 5ths
Memorising the keys is a relatively easy
exercise when you understand the ‘Circle
of 5ths’. The Circle of 5ths just refers to
the pattern used to understand the
relationship between each key. By
moving around the circle you move
around the keys. C has no sharps or flats,
so let’s just consider this the starting
point keeping in mind that no one key is
different or more important than
another.

The sharp keys

Each time you move in a clockwise
direction from C you add one sharp.
Example. The 5th of C is G. C, D, E, F,
G. The key of G has one sharp. The 5th
of G is D. The key of D has two sharps. Refer to the diagram to see all the sharp keys.

The flat keys

With flat keys we move in an anti-clockwise direction. In this case we are moving in 4ths (which is
the opposite to a 5th). A 4th from C is F. C, D, E, F. The key of F has one flat. A 4th from F is Bb
which has 2 flats and so on.

Determining the sharps and flats of a key

Knowing the number of sharps or flats in a key is only the first step. You need to know which notes
are actually sharp, flat or natural. The good news is the accidentals follow the Circle of 5ths pattern.
The key of G has one sharp which is F#. The key of D has two sharps being F# and C#. The key of
A has three sharps being F#, C# and G#. As you can see each new sharp is a 5th above the previous
one. In the case of flats we use 4th intervals so the key of F has one flat being a Bb. The key of Bb
has two flats being Bb and Eb.

Exercises
1. Memorise the circle of 5ths and ask your teacher to test you or try using flash cards.

2. Randomly pick a key and then say or write out the notes in that key. Repeat this exercise until all
keys are memorised to the point of instant recall.

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Chord Theory Basics

All chords are based on triads. There are four triads. Major, Minor, Augmented & Diminished.
Major 1, 3, 5
Minor 1, b3, 5
Augmented 1, 3, #5
Diminished 1, b3, b5

A major triad consists of a major 3rd interval (4 semitones) plus a minor 3rd interval (3 semitones).
A minor triad consists of a minor 3rd interval (3 semitones) plus a major 3rd interval (4 semitones).
An augmented triad consists of a major 3rd interval (4 semitones) plus a major 3rd interval (4
semitones).
A diminished triad consists of a minor 3rd interval (3 semitones) plus a minor 3rd interval (3
semitones).

Memorise the 7 basic triads

1. C-E-G, 2. D-F-A, 3. E-G-B, 4. F-A-C, 5. G-B-D, 6. A-C-E, 7. B-D-F

By applying the above formulas to each triad you now have the building blocks to working out basic
chords. Here are the 7 triads for majors and minors.
Major C-E-G, D-F#-A, E-G#-B, F-A-C, G-B-D, A-C#-E, B-D#-F#
Minor C-Eb-G, D-F-A, E-G-B, F-Ab-C, G-Bb-D, A-C-E, B-D-F#
Augmented C-E-G#, D-F#-A#, E-G#-B#, F-A-C#, G-B-D#, A-C#-E#, B-D#-F##
Diminished C-Eb-Gb, D-F-Ab, E-G-Bb, F-Ab-Cb, G-Bb-Db, A-C-Eb, B-D-F

Exercises
1. Look at the major and minor chords you have learnt so far picking out the triad notes. You will
notice that we often double up on notes in chords. E.g. an open C chord has two C and E notes.
C,E,G,C,E.

2. Work out triads around the guitar. E.g. The root (1st) of the triad on the 6th string, 3rd on the
5th string and the 5th on the 4th string. E.g. A Major A-C#-E. You will find A (the 1st note) on the
5th fret of the 6th string, C# is 4th fret of the 5th string and the E is on the 2nd fret of the 4th string.
Now adjust the notes according the formula to find the minor, augmented and diminished triads.

Last words
By memorising the triads you will be on your way to working out any chord. Memorising triads is not
difficult. You may recall ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit’ & ‘FACE’. Can you see the triads? E.g.
EGB (Every Good Boy). The triad is simply every 2nd letter. A-C-E-G-B-D-F-A. Once you master
triads you can easily learn about 7th chords and other types of embellishments.

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12 Bar Blues
12 bar blues is a standard progression used mostly in blues and rock. In its most basic form you
use three chords from a particular key over 12 bars. The progression usually repeats itself several
times. In the key of C the chords will be C, F and G. These chords are know as 1,4 & 5. C=1,
F=4, G=5. To learn 12 bar blues in any key you should first learn the different keys as explained
above.

The Progression
Here is a basic example of 12 bar blues. The numbers indicate the chord number in the key.

1 / / /, 1 / / /, 1 / / /, 1 / / /,
4 / / /, 4 / / /, 1 / / /, 1 / / /,
5 / / /, 4 / / /, 1 / / /, 5 / / /.
Understanding the keys
To help you gain an understanding we will start by learning 12 bar blues in the keys of C, G & A.
C has no sharps or flats, G has 1 sharp (F#) and A has 3 sharps (F#,C# & G#)

Notes from the key of C are C D E F G A B. So if C=1 then F=4 & G=5.

Notes from the key of G are G A B C D E F#. So if G=1 then C=4 & D=5

Notes from the key of A are A B C# D E F# G#. So if A=1 then D=4 & E=5

Exercises
1. Practice 12 bar blues in the keys C, G and A.
2. Try using the pentatonic scale in the same key to solo over
3. Write out the 12 bar blues progression in the remaining keys. Refer to the Cycle of 5ths above.

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Aural
Aural relates to the ear but in music it refers to your ability to listen to music and understand
what you are hearing so you can then apply this to your instrument, in our case guitar.

Rhythm and Pitch

Aural can be separated into two basic categories. Rhythm and Pitch. When we listen to music we
are always hearing one or both. For example if I sing ‘Happy Birthday’ you need to be able to
identify the rhythm and the pitch simultaneously. For the beginner this can be difficult.
Separating these two elements is the key to developing a good ear. When we break down and
isolate we can identify the different elements clearly. Our brain learns best when we isolate the
elements.

Learn drums
Many guitarists become good at identifying pitch but often neglect rhythm. Just ask any
drummer and this will be their biggest complaint about guitar players. I therefore encourage you
to learn rhythm separately at first. If you are serious about guitar I recommend you also learn
drums as this will isolate rhythm giving you a better understanding of the rhythm.

Exercises
To get started with aural try the following:
Rhythm - Ask a musical friend or your teacher to clap out any of the rhythms from the G4
Rhythm book Lesson 1 and see if you can clap back.
Pitch - Pick a well known tune (E.g. Happy Birthday) and see if you can find the notes on your
guitar.
Songs - Pick any song then try to find the notes on your guitar that sound best. The more you do
this the better you will get at eventually working out songs. Think of a song like a puzzle. You
are trying to find which notes on your guitar match the notes you are hearing in the song. I often
recommend AC/DC as a good starting point because they use standard tunings and their songs
are quite straight forward.

Software
Earmaster is a program that will help you to develop your aural skills. www.earmaster.com

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Teacher Assisted Aural exercises

The following exercises will require your teacher to assist.

T = Teacher S = Student

Melodic
T plays 2 notes. S should say whether the 2 notes are different or the same.
T plays 2 different notes. S needs to say if second note was higher or lower.
T plays 3 notes. S needs to say if notes are moving up, down or staying the same.
T will introduce intervals as appropriate. S needs to identify each new interval correctly.

Harmonic
T plays 2 notes simultaneously. S needs to say if 2 notes are the same or different.
T plays either a major 2nd interval or an octave. S needs to identify correctly.
T will introduce a new interval as appropriate. S needs to identify each new interval correctly.
T will introduce triads (chords) as appropriate. S needs to identify each new triad correctly.

Rhythmic
T will clap out one bar exercises from G4 Guitar Rhythm Book. S needs to clap back correctly.
T will clap out 2 bar exercises. S needs to clap back correctly.
T will clap out 3 or more bar exercises. Student needs to clap back correctly.

Rhythm & Melody

T will play a 3 note melody. S needs to play back both melody and rhythm accurately.
T will play a 4 note melody. S needs to play back accurately.
T will play a 5 note or more melody. S needs to play back accurately.

Rhythm & Chords

T will play a two bar 2 chord pattern. S needs to play back accurately.
T will play a two bar 3 chord pattern. S needs to play back accurately.
T will introduce chords and rhythms as appropriate. S needs to play back accurately.

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Aural reference system

The best way to master aural (ear training) is to use familiar references. For example, Happy
Birthday has a major 2nd interval between -py and Birth. If you are ask to sing a major 2nd just
think of Happy Birthday.

Teacher assisted exercise

Try working out examples from your favourite songs with your teacher.

Examples
Here is a list of examples you may be familiar with:

Unison: C - C Happy Birthday. Hap - py.

Minor 2nd: C - Db Jaws theme.
Major 2nd: C - D Happy Birthday. Hap - py Birth.
Minor 3rd: C - Eb Smoke on the water (Deep Purple).
Major 3rd: C - E The Simpsons theme.
Perfect 4th: C - F Wedding march. Here - comes.
Augmented 4th (Tritone): Simpsons (first note and third note of melody).
Perfect 5th: C - G Twinkle twinkle. Twinkle - twinkle.
Minor 6th: C - Ab: In my life (The Beatles).
Major 6th: C - A Heart of gold (Neil Young). I wanna - live.
Minor 7th: C - Bb: Star Trek Theme (Original version).
Major 7th: C - B Take on me (Aha). Take - on.
Octave: C - C Enter Sandman (Metallica).

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Memorising the key signatures

Knowing every note in every key is helpful when learning music. The following system will make
it relatively quick and easy to learn the key signatures. With a little practice you should be able to
recite the notes of any key without hesitation. Remember this is the first step in understanding
scales, arpeggios, chords etc so it is well worth spending a little time learning the system.

Sharps, flats and naturals

Just to clarify the terminology it is important to understand what sharp, flat and natural mean
when referring to notes.

Sharp # - This raises the note by one semitone or one fret on the guitar.
Flat b - This lowers the note by one semitone or one fret on the guitar.
Natural - The note has no sharp or flat.

Introducing the 15 keys.

There are theoretically more than 15 key signatures but there is no need to learn them because
they are as good as irrelevant. All keys are made up of 7 notes with each note being represented
by the first 7 letters of the alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Every key will have these 7
alphabetic letters but they will differ based on the combination of either sharps or flats. If you are
confused at this point please don't be too concerned. Just follow the steps below and it should
make sense once you are able to see the full picture.

The key of C.
The key of C is the only key that does not possess a sharp # or a flat b note. The remaining 14
keys will include at least one sharp or one flat. The notes in the key of C are simple and are as
follows:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Key of C# and Cb.
It is worth noting that where the key of C has 7 naturals, the key of C# has 7 sharps and the key
of Cb has 7 flats.

Key of C#: C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#.

Key of Cb: Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb.

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The 7 sharp keys

A sharp key will have at least one sharp note. We are going to learn the 7 sharp keys in a two step
process. In Step 1 we will work out how many sharps are in a given key. In Step 2 we will work out
which notes are sharp.

Step 1 - How many sharps? Memorise G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#. To make it easy try using the
following mnemonic:

Go Down And Eat Bananas Freddy (and) Charlie.

Yes its meant to be silly so you remember. The first sharp key is G. This means it has one sharp.
We know this because G is the first letter of the sequence. That means that D will have 2 sharps,
A will have 3 sharps, E will have 4 sharps, B 5 sharps, F# 6 sharps and C# 7 sharps.

Step 2 - Which notes are sharp? Put Freddy and Charlie at the beginning so it reads:

Freddy (and) Charlie Go Down And Eat Bananas.

In the case of the key of G we know from Step 1 it has one sharp and Step 2 tells us the note will
be F#. The 7 notes in the key of G are as follows: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#.

Practice
To get familiar with the process lets apply the two steps to a few more sharp keys.

Key of D. - Step 1. Go Down. D has 2 sharps. Step 2. Freddy Charlie. The 2 sharps are F# and
C#. The 7 notes in the key of D therefore are D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#.

Key of B. - Step 1. Go Down And Eat Bananas. B has 5 sharps. Step 2. Freddy Charlie Go Down
And. The 5 sharp notes are F#, C#, G#, D# and A#. The 7 notes in the key of B are B, C#, D#,
E, F#, G# and A#.

Exercise
Work out the notes in the following keys. A, E, F# and C#.

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The 7 flat keys

A flat key will have at least one flat note. In Step 1 we will work out how many flats are in a given
key. In Step 2 we will work out which notes are flat.

Step 1 - How many flats? Memorise F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb. Try using the following
mnemonic:

Freddy B E A D Goes Camping.

The first flat key is F and is the only flat key that is not a flat note. This means it has one flat. Bb
will have 2 flats, Eb will have 3 flats, Ab will have 4 flats, Db will have 5 flats, Gb will have 6 flats
and Cb will have 7 flats.

Step 2 - Which notes are flat? Use the same pattern except begin from Bb and move F to the end.
The sequence of flats will be Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb.

In the case of the key of F we know from Step 1 it has one flat and Step 2 tells us the note will be
Bb. The 7 notes in the key of F are as follows; F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E.

Practice
To get familiar with the process lets apply the two steps to a few more flat keys.

Key of Eb. - Step 1. Freddy B E. Eb has 3 flats. Step 2. Bb, Eb, Ab. The notes in the key of Eb are
therefore Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D.

Key of Gb. - Step 1. Freddy B E A D Goes. = 6 flats. Step 2. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb. The notes
in the key of Gb are therefore Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F.

Exercise
Work out the notes in the following keys. F, Bb, Ab, Db and Cb.

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Introduction to Modes
Modes are simple in theory but can take a little time to understand. The major scale is the first of
the 7 modes and is known as Ionian. If you were to play for example a C major scale you would
also be playing a C Ionian mode. The 7 mode names are as follows;

1. Ionian 2. Dorian 3. Phrygian 4. Lydian 5. Mixolydian 6. Aeolian 7. Locrian

The second mode, Dorian, simply starts on the second note of the major scale. The Phrygian
starts on the 3rd note of the major scale. The Lydian the 4th note of the major scale, Mixolydian
starts on the 5th, the Aeolian the 6th and the Locrian the 7th.

Lets use the key of C to better understand the modes.

1. C Ionian mode (Same as a C major scale): C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

2. D Dorian mode (starts on the 2nd note of the C major scale): D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
3. E Phrygian mode (starts on the 3rd note of the C major scale): E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E.
4. F Lydian mode (starts on the 4th note of the C major scale): F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F.
5. G Mixolydian mode (starts on the 5th note of the C major scale): G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
6. A Aeolian mode (starts on the 6th note of the C major scale): A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.
7. B Locrian mode (starts on the 7th note of the C major scale): B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

Practice
Begin by learning the modes above that relate to the key of C. This will get your ear familiar with
each mode as well as helping you to learn the shapes. Once you are comfortable with each mode
shape move to a different note using the same shape. For example D Dorian is D to D but if you
take the same shape and start on E it will now be an E Dorian and will relate to the key of D
major. Understanding which modes fit which keys will depend on the notes in the mode and this
will take a little more explanation.

Comments
The above example uses the key of C. The first challenge is to learn each mode associated with
each key. For example if you’re playing a B Phrygian, do you know that it relates to the key of G
major? Once you understand which mode fits with which key theoretically you will have mastered
the modes. Practicing them on guitar then becomes the real challenge.

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Triads
Every key major scale (major key) has 7 notes. When we combine three notes we create triads.
Triads, while in themselves chords, are also the building blocks for more complex chords and
arpeggios. The are 4 basic types of triad. Using your understanding of intervals the 4 triads are as
follows;

Major triad: Major 3rd + minor 3rd. E.g. C, E, G.

Minor triad: Minor 3rd + major 3rd. E.g. C, Eb, G.
Augmented: Major 3rd + Major 3rd. E.g. C, E, G#.
Diminished: Minor 3rd + minor 3rd. E.g. C, Eb, Gb.

If you look closely you will notice that in each case the notes are the 1st, 3rd and 5th letters in C.
i.e C D E F G. We are simply skipping the 2nd and the 4th notes. Every triad therefore contains
the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes.

Steps to working out triads

Step 1. Write down the triad name you want to work out. E.g. C minor.
Step 2. Write down the 3 triad notes. (1st, 3rd & 5th) E.g. C, E, G.
Step 3. Apply the intervals. Minor 3rd (3 semitones) + major 3rd (4 semitones). C, Eb, G.

Let’s take a closer look at the C minor triad using the chromatic scale.

Minor 3rd + Major 3rd

As you can see the minor 3rd is 3 semitones which means the E note is actually Eb. The major
triad is 4 semitones from the Eb which means we finish on the G note.

Exercise
Work out all 4 triads for each of the following. A, D, F & G. 16 triads in total.

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Harmonised Major Scale

We are now going to add a 3rd and 5th to each note of the major scale. This is known as the
harmonised major scale. The note you start on needs to be thought of as the 1st note when
building the triad. We will use the key of C for now.

I. The first note is C so we add the 3rd note E and the 5th note G to form a C major triad
otherwise known as a C chord.
II. The second note of the C scale is D so we add an F and an A note. This forms a D minor triad
or better known as a D minor chord.
III. The third note is E and the triad is E, G, B making an E minor triad (chord).
IV. Forth note is F and the triad is F, A, C making an F major triad (chord).
V. Fifth is G and the triad is G, B, D making an G major triad (chord).
VI. Sixth note is an A and the triad is A, C, E making an A minor triad (chord).
VII. Seventh note is B and the triad is B, D, F making a B diminished triad (chord).

Exercise
Work out the harmonised major scale in all keys.

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An Introduction to the CAGED System

Caged refers to the 5 major open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. The idea is to use the 5 shapes
to master the fretboard. These shapes can then be used to easily find the chords and scales in any
key. To make it easier to understand I have numbered the 5 shapes. The black arrow points to the
root note of each chord.

1. C 2. A 3. G 4. E 5. D

The following diagram applies the 5 shapes in the key of C across the guitar fret board.

Each colour represents the notes of a C chord using each of the 5 shapes. So if I was to ask you to
play a C chord using shape number 2 you would use the A shape in red in the 3rd position. This
now gives you 5 shapes you can apply to any major chord. Once you have memorised the 5 major
chord shapes you can then apply this same concept to other chords and also scales but for now
lets keep it simple and get used to the major chord shapes. The CAGED system can be a little
confusing at first so its best to get your teacher to explain how it works.

Exercise
Work out the 5 positions on the fretboard for all of the major chords. Example if you were to
work out the 5 shapes for an A chord then shape 1. (C shape) would be in the 9th position.

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 G4 GUITAR METHOD Theory Book

Next Step
To take your theory to the next level please speak to your teacher.

Downloads
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additional downloads are as follows;
Practice Log: Fill in your daily practice times.
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Scales: Scales for beginners.
Rhythm: Over 100 exercises to develop your rhythm.
Chord Chart: Diagrams of the most popular guitar chords.
Reading Book: Learn how to read via progressive reading exercises.
Arpeggios: An introduction to arpeggios for beginner guitarists.
Ultimate Song List: A place to list the songs you ultimately hope to learn.

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