The first part of this edition teaches a very specific portion of music theory with the goal of providing a thorough foundation for building chords and arpeggios. The second part reveals the unique fingerboard patterns arising from the nature of the guitar's six-string tuning and applies these essential patterns to teaching every aspect of building chords and arpeggios for the guitar. Clear illustrations are abundant throughout this text, making its wealth of information easier to learn and apply. This book is accessible to those who have never learned to read music notation, presenting ideas that anyone can understand and utilize. Self-tests are featured at the end of each chapter facilitating complete and thorough comprehension. Even though this text accelerates rapidly through intermediate and advanced levels, it will also benefit the beginner with no previous musical experience.

Preface

I. Theory

1. The Musical Alphabet
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Answers
2. The Major Scale and Intervals
Intervals
Interval Inversions
Major Scales
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3. Chord Construction
Chord Basics
Chord Inversions
7th Chords
9th, 11th, and 13th Chords
Suspended Chords
Chords with Added Tones
Altered Chords
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Answers

II. The Guitar

4. Essential Fingerboard Patterns
Unison Patterns
Octave Patterns
Horizontal Transposition
Vertical Transposition
Octave Regions
Major Scale Patterns
Intervallic Patterns
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Answers
5. Chord Arpeggios
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6. Guitar Chords
Chord Voicing
String Groupings and Chord Families
Chord Plurality
Tritone Chord Relationships
Chord Synonyms
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Answers
7. Advanced Chord Construction Concepts
Poly-chords
Quartal Chords
Secundal Chords
Pandiatonicism
Compound Chords
Chords Derived from Scales
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Appendix 1
Guitar Fingerboard Diagrams and Basic Terminology
Appendix 2
A Method for Tuning the Guitar
Appendix 3
Major Scale Patterns
Appendix 4
Some Basic Arpeggio Patterns
Appendix 5
Some Basic Chord Forms
Appendix 6
Some Chord "Maps"
Appendix 7
Blank Diagrams