The Guitar Resource

A lot of guitar players first learning music theory and scales find it hard to remember notes from the scales and chords they are learning. Forget about remembering the notes of complex modes and chords, even remembering the notes of major and minor scales and chords can be tough.

A helpful way for me to remember chord and scale notes is to create note cards. I do one note card for each major scale (so there are a total of 12 cards). I put the cards in the order of the Circle of Fifths. On each card I have the major scale really big across the top of the card. Then I number each note as follows: 1, 2/9, 3, 4/11, 5, 6/13, 7. The reason I give certain notes two numbers is because it will help me remember their extension names as well. Then I also circle the notes 1, 3, 5, 7. So now I can visually see what the essential chord tones are (I put the numbers below each note).

Now I start writing out common chord names and their notes. So for example on the C major card I would write:

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Now that you know how to build a basic chord and how to build a 7th chord we are going to talk a little bit about adding chord extensions to your chords.

What is a chord extension?
A chord extension is a basic chord with extra notes added on to give the chord a more complex sound. Think of it like a painting: A painting of a tree may look nice. But if the artist adds in other details like birds on the branches, drops of rain dripping off leaves, and flowers at the base of the trunk, then the painting starts to come alive with color and reality. Chord extensions are like the colorful details in a painting that will give your chords extra life and texture.

How to create a chord extension
There are many different chord extensions. But knowing some basic principals of chord extensions will allow you to learn them much quicker and build them on your own.

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When you solo your lines should be an extension of what you here in your head. The better you get at guitar, the less you will have to think about what to play and the more you play what you feel. Getting to that level of guitar playing takes some time and practice. But one of the ways you can speed up the process is by training your inner ear to recognize the sounds in your head, and training your fingers to execute those sounds on guitar.

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Wes Montgomery is one of the most, if not the most, famous jazz guitar players in history. He was a true pioneer of jazz guitar. Even if you do not like jazz music, it is hard not to appreciate his mastery of the guitar. Here is a great video of Wes Montgomery performing “Full House” in 1965. Take note of Wes’s great sense of rhythm and his use of octaves (which has become his signature technique of his).

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Guitar solos can get boring when they only use one rhythm. One way to spice up your solos is to play different rhythms while in your guitar solo and improvisation. This is a great exercise to help you learn to switch rhythms while playing lead guitar.

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When you talk to someone you communicate different messages based on the volume of your voice, you should also be communicating on guitar by varying your dynamics when you play. When you are communicating your musical ideas you have to keep in mind all aspects of that communication. That includes notes, rhythm and dynamics. Just about all guitar players use the first in that list, many use the second, but too few pay real attention to their dynamics.

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Many things about playing guitar are glamorous. Knowing the circle of fifth's is not one of those things. Maybe that’s why so many guitar players overlook it. But the circle of 5th's can provide you with a wealth of information that will help your playing in so many places. Before we take a look at the circle of fifths, here is what you can get out of knowing it:

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