Guitar Music Theory

In episode 125 of the Guitar Music Theory podcast, I welcome back Physiotherapist Mark Tsai to discuss some recent problems I've had with my hands. We talk about how the way you hold your guitar determines the amount of flexion in your wrists which could cause issues that lead to cramping. I play a little bit of the bass line from Journey's "Don't Stop believing" and explain how my hand locked up halfway through the song at a recent gig. We even get off into the weeds a bit and talk about chronic pain and the books of Dr. John Sarno and Alan Gordon that have helped heal so many people. Video https://youtu.be/pA3-aWo13F4 Physiotherapist Mark Tsai https://www.woodbinephysiotherapy.com/ Podcast Ep81 Hand Anatomy with Physiotherapist Mark Tsai https://guitarmusictheory.libsyn.com/ep81-hand-anatomy-with-physiotherapist-mark-tsai Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by John E. Sarno MD https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446557684 The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Pro

Music artist Agent Envy posted a video about my book Fretboard Theory to her TikTok profile that went viral and got a TON of views. She's a guest on this podcast episode and we discuss her music, how learning music theory helps her write songs, and how she built an influential presence on social media. Podcast Video Link https://youtu.be/wo-2lI4O0m0 ***

What’s a circle chord progression? I discuss this composition technique in my latest podcast episode and explain how it relates to the Circle of Fifths used in music. I give you a few examples based on familiar songs and demonstrate how playing the 5th cycle backward creates the circle of 4ths. 

In episode 122 of the Guitar Music Theory podcast, I welcome my friend David Lund to talk about the Line 6 Helix plus answer questions about shopping for a guitar, learning songs, playing modes, and more.

In my latest podcast episode, I discuss the Dadd4add9 chord. This is a complex-sounding chord that is actually very easy to play. Use it to spruce up your playing and make things sound more interesting. It also goes by the name Dadd2add4 and even D11. I explain where its names come from and give you examples of how it's used in familiar songs. The following songs are good examples that use the shape in its entirety as Dadd4add9. "Man on the Moon" REM "Closer to Fine" Indigo Girls "Jumper" Third Eye Blind "Sugar Mountain" Neil Young (tune down whole step) "Engine Driver" The Decemberists These songs omit the E note creating the simpler Dadd4 chord. "Why Georgia" John Mayer "Crossroads" John Mayer "Hysteria" Def Leppard "2000 Miles" The Pretenders "Hosanna" Paul Baloche "Songs She Sang in the Shower" Jason Isbell "#41" Dave Matthews Band "Have a Cigar" Pink Floyd "Bigmouth Strikes Again" The Smiths

In my latest podcast episode, I discuss the top 10 fingerpicking songs you should learn. If you want to develop the fingerpicking techniques commonly used in popular styles of music, these songs are some of the best to learn.

In my latest podcast episode, Matt Reviere and I answer questions about pinch harmonics, thumb placement, hearing protection, pentatonic scales, E flat tuning, and more. Additionally, we get a voicemail message from Dan Daniels who informs me about a problem with the shipping rates on my website.

In my latest podcast episode, I show you an easy way to play the Pink Panther Theme on guitar. This song makes use of the pentatonic scale, blues scale, minor scale, and harmonic minor scale. There's also good use of chromatic half-step movement and a tritone substitution. I also discuss my new Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 USB Audio Interface (Gen 3) and answer a question about when to change guitar strings. ***

In my latest podcast episode, I have another installment of How Does This Song Work featuring "Blackbird" by The Beatles. This song was written, sung, and played by Paul McCartney. It features a combination of finger picking and finger strumming plus compound 3rd intervals, chromatic voice leading, and a key change. I teach these types of composition techniques in my Fretboard Theory books and video courses. Gear used includes a PRS SE Angelus acoustic/electric guitar and a Fishman Aura Spectrum DI.

In Episode 116 of the Guitar Music Theory podcast, I welcome back Carrie Underwood guitarist Matt Reviere. We talk about how Matt got started with playing guitar as a beginner and what he had to do to become good enough to play at a professional level.

In my latest podcast episode, I answer listener questions about fretboard positions, scale patterns, acoustic guitar strings, Carlos Santana guitar tone, ear training, and more plus I share some hate mail. FREE VIDEO COURSE

In my latest podcast episode, I give you 7 ways to improve your guitar playing for songwriting. It's difficult to write songs and perform when your guitar skills are weak or nonexistent. This is especially true for newcomers to the songwriting world who have little to no experience playing an instrument. By following my seven recommendations, you can get your guitar skills in order so that nothing holds you back from writing great-sounding, meaningful music.

In this free guitar lesson, I give you an overview of the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. You get to know the key and chords. You see the scales and modes used to play the main riff and lead guitar solo. You may be surprised to find out that Angus Young and his brother Malcolm managed to use a bit of harmonic minor and mixolydian mode, proving that AC/DC's music is more than just your typical three-chord rock. Most of the rhythm guitar parts played throughout “Thunderstruck” are simple, but there's a lot to learn about tone, technique, and timing. ***

“Please Come Home for Christmas” by The Eagles includes some interesting twists and turns that leave your average guitarist wondering how the seemingly unrelated chords sound so good together. In this free guitar lesson, I explain how the song makes use of composition techniques such as chromatic voice leading and secondary dominants to create a soulful, rhythm and blues, Christmas classic. I explain everything from counting the 12/8 time signature to using the major pentatonic scale featured during the guitar solo. Instead of showing the specific guitar parts played in the song, I give you a general overview of the music by explaining the basic chords, song structure, and music theory. I position the chords in my version a little differently from the recording in order to make it easier for you to see the musical movement on the guitar fretboard. CHORDS AND TABLATURE https://www.guitarmusictheory.com/please-come-home-for-christmas-how-does-this-song-work/ OFFICIAL SHEET MUSIC https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com

Let It Be is known as The Beatles’ breakup record: the one where squabbles among John, Paul, George, and Ringo began to overtake the music, resulting in their darkest, most divisive set of songs. In our season 2 premiere, Paul and Ringo join best-selling author and Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield to take us step-by-step through the making of the album, from the failed back-to-basics concept to the famous 1969 rooftop gig to the bitter feud over producer Phil Spector’s involvement. Listen only on Amazon Music. Listen to Rolling Stone 500: http://wondery.fm/RS500_Music_Theory

In episode 111 of the Guitar Music Theory podcast, I answer questions about major 7 chords, upgrading inexpensive guitars, structuring practice time, and more. *********************

In my latest podcast episode, I talk about the *2nd edition* release of my book, Guitar Theory For Dummies. This book covers scales, chords, progressions, modes, and more for guitar and has been a good-enough seller to warrant a second printing. Yay! This episode is supported in part by Hosa Cables. Visit hosatech.com and use code THEORY30 to get 30% off your next order.

In my latest podcast episode, I examine the song "Wonderwall" by Oasis. This popular guitar song features a challenging syncopated strumming pattern plus makes use of pedal tones and a capo. This episode is supported in part by Hosa Cables. Visit hosatech.com and use code THEORY30 to get 30% off your next order.

In this podcast episode I answer listener questions about finding keys, the construction of the pentatonic scale, how to practice major scale patterns, guidelines for teaching, Family Tradition by Hank Williams Jr., Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms, playing and singing at the same time, and more.

VIEW BEGINNER GUITAR PRIMER HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0941VSZYZ Today, I want to talk about my latest book, Beginner Guitar Primer: Everything You Should Know BEFORE You Begin to Play Guitar. There are a lot of guitar books available to teach you the basics of playing guitar, but there aren’t many to explain what the process is like and how you should get prepared to take your first steps. This is where my book comes in. It’s not a beginner guitar method. Instead, I talk about what you can expect during the learning process, how to get in the right state of mind, and what you need to know about the guitar’s role in music. I also explain how to select the best gear to start with, whether or not you should begin on an acoustic or electric guitar, and whether or not you should read music. People often dive straight into playing guitar without knowing enough about what they’re getting into. As a result, they make mistakes, get confused and frustrated. This hurts their progress and can even cause them to qu