Essential Music Theory
Please bear with us as we update all the Essential Theory lessons for a better learning experience. Each updated lesson is identified by "ET" in the title.
ET01. C Major Scale
ET02. Major Scale in a Different Key - F Major Scale
ET03. Roman Numerals in Music
ET04. Dorian Scale
ET05. Mixolydian Scale
ET06. Aeolian Scale
ET07. Lydian Scale
ET08. Phrygian Scale
ET09. Locrian Scale
ET10. Major Pentatonic Scale
10. Minor Pentatonic
11. Minor Triads
12. Diatonic Triads
13. Diatonic 7th Chords
14. Locrian Mode [Deleted and replaced by ET09]
15. Harmonic Minor
16. Melodic Minor
17. Lydian b7 Scale
18. Altered Scale
19. Mixolydian (b9) (b13)
20. Whole Tone Scale
21. Diminished Scale
22. Diminished 7th Arpeggio
23. Diminished Scale Half-Step Whole Step
24. Diminished Triad
25. Augmented Triads
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ET01 C Major Scale
C Major Scale. Learning the elements of a Major scale, starting with C Major: degree, whole step and half step. Intervals and ear training exercises. Playing the C Major scale in four positions. Guitar: Fender ’65 Mustang. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amp...
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ET02 Major Scale in a Different Key - F Major Scale
Major Scale in a Different Key – F Major Scale. Note, degree, whole step and half step. Intervals and ear training exercises. Playing the F Major scale in four positions. Guitar: Gibson ’61 Les Paul SG Standard. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Prov...
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ET03 Roman Numerals
Roman Numerals. Understanding the Roman Numeral system in music. Basic Blues (One, Four, Five) and One, Six, Two, Five progressions in C Major and G Major. Guitar: Ibanez AZES31. D’Addario EPN110 (.010-.046) Strings. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy TF ...
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ET04 Dorian Scale
Learn the Dorian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the C Dorian scale in four positions. Play C Major and C Dorian scales over chord changes. PRS (2018) Silver Sky. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy TF S...
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ET05 Mixolydian Scale
Learn the Mixolydian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the G Mixolydian scale in four positions. Exercise: play G Mixolydian and C Mixolydian scales over chord changes. Fender Bruno Mars Stratocaster. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. Pr...
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ET06 Aeolian Scale
Learn the Aeolian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the A Aeolian scale in four positions. Listen to the Aeolian sound with Santana chords. Guitar: Gibson ’59 Les Paul Standard (2023), Dirty Lemon finish, Murphy Lab Ultralight Aged. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Fender P...
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ET07 Lydian Scale
Learn the Lydian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the C Lydian scale in four positions. Listen to the Lydian sound with a rock groove and a pop progression. Guitar: Ibanez AZ2203N. D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. Providence E205TF Cab...
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ET08 Phrygian Scale
Learn the Phrygian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the C Phrygian scale in four positions. Listen to the Phrygian sound with soulful and jazzy progressions. Kanji (2023) Gold Hard Tail (Maple/Ash). D’Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. Pro...
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ET09 Locrian Scale
Learn the Locrian scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the C Locrian scale in four positions. Listen to the Locrian sound with a chord progression. Guitar: Fender (1957) Musicmaster. D’Addario EPN115 (.011-.048) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. Providence E205TF Cabl...
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ET10 Major Pentatonic Scale
Learn the Major Pentatonic scale with the one-string, one-finger method. Learn the C Major Pentatonic scale in four positions. Listen to the Major Pentatonic sound with a chord progression. Guitar: Gibson (1967) ES-335. D’Addario EPN110 (.010-.045) Strings. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. P...
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Theory 10 Minor Pentatonic
Minor Pentatonic Scales. Learn the A minor pentatonic scale, by note and degree, and understand its relationship to the A minor scale. Learn the C minor pentatonic scale, by note and degree. Gibson (1967) ES-335. Lehle P-Split. 2 Fender Pro Reverb Amps. D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signatur...
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Theory 11 Minor Triads
Minor triads. Learn the relationship between major and minor triads. Learn C minor triads and F minor triads. Play the chord changes of a famous tune, using only triads. Improvise by following the triads. Gibson 2002 Les Paul R9. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickb...
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Theory 12 Diatonic Triads
Learn diatonic triads in C Major. Then learn these triads in Bb Major, F Major and G Major. Once you are comfortable with the first two segments of this lesson, learn to use diatonic triads when improvising in D Dorian and G Mixolydian. Ibanez AZ 2204 Custom. Lehle P-Split High-Impedance Signal S...
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Theory 13 Diatonic 7th Chords
Four-Note 7th Chords: Diatonic 7th Chords. Learn to play diatonic 7th chords in C Major, Bb Major, G Major and F Major. Guitar: Gibson 2002 Les Paul R9. Lehle P-Split High Impedance Signal Splitter. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signature. BOSS RC-1 Loop Station.
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Theory 15 Harmonic Minor
Harmonic Minor. Learn the Harmonic minor scale by degree, and understand the sound and feel as Tomo plays over ii V i backing tracks in A minor and D minor. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Lehle P-Split High-Impedance Signal Splitter. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Si...
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Theory 16 Melodic Minor
Melodic Minor. Learn the Melodic minor scale by degree, and understand the sound and feel as Tomo plays over two backing tracks. Kanji TF Signature. Lehle P-Split High-Impedance Signal Splitter. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signature Pick. BOSS RC-3 Loop Station.
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Theory 17 Lydian b7
Learn the Lydian b7 scale, also known as Mixolydian #11, the 4th mode of the melodic minor scale, by degree, and the sound and feel of this scale over chord changes. Learn to hear/recognize the elements of this scale in "Crossing" by Tomo Fujita. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Lehle P-Split High-Imp...
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Theory 18 Altered Scale
Altered Scale, also known as Super Locrian, the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale: learn this scale by degree, and its sound and feel over chord changes. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Lehle P-Split High-Impedance Signal Splitter. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Sign...
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Theory 19 Mixolydian b9 b13
Learn the Mixolydian (b9) (b13) scale, also known as Phrygian Dominant, the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale, by degree, and learn the sound and feel over chord changes. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Lehle P-Split High-Impedance Signal Splitter. Fender Pro Reverb (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy...
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Theory 20 Whole Tone Scale
Learn the Whole Tone Scale, as well as the sound and feel of this scale over bluesy chord changes and a funky groove. When learning from this and all other Guitar Wisdom videos, please remember that the "bottom" note in a chord is the note with the lowest pitch, and the "top" note is the one with...
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Theory 21 Diminished Scale
Learn the Diminished Scale, together with the sound and feel of this scale over chord changes. Ibanez AZ Custom. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signature. BOSS RC-3 Loop Station with BOSS Katana 50 Amp.
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Theory 22 Diminished 7th Arpeggio
Learn Diminished 7th Arpeggios by degree, sound and feel. Learn how to apply them in a jazzy A Blues musical example. Ibanez AZ Custom. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signature. BOSS RC-3 Loop Station with BOSS Katana 50 Amp.
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Theory 23 Diminished Scale Half-Step Whole Step
Diminished Scale: Half-Step, Whole Step (also known as Symmetric Diminished). Learn this scale by degree, sound and feel. Learn how to apply it in a Funky Groove musical example. Guitar: Ibanez AZ Custom. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signature. BOS...
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Theory 24 Diminished Triad
Learn diminished triads by degree, sound and feel, understanding the relationship between minor triads and diminished triads. Learn how to apply diminished triads in a musical example. Guitar: Ibanez AZ Custom. Lehle P-Split. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario Strings. Pickboy 1 mm TF Signatur...