Music Theory for Guitarists - Level 1: Building Chords and Scales

Ever wonder what exactly is a chord or how do we come up with the names of chords? Maybe you’ve asked yourself how do I figure out what the notes are in a chord? Or perhaps you came up with a new chord that you have never played and want to know what to call it? If you’ve ever pondered these questions then this is the video for you. In this lesson we go over how chords are built from the ground up. In order to explain this thoroughly we start with a discussion about intervals and scales.

I’m a firm believer in learning theory as it is the single greatest tool in my musical arsenal. It has made my brain think faster and more efficiently which has made my fingers faster, my mind more creative, and has also given me an ability to express and explain myself to other musicians in a clear and concise way.

I have tried to present the concepts in this video in a simple manner using many visual aids such as keyboard and fretboard diagrams. There are also exercises associated with the lesson so you can practice your theory skills.

The PDF associated with the lesson can be downloaded for free using this link or by clicking the image below.