The Practical Guide to Modern Music Theory for Guitarists: The complete guide to music theory from a guitarist's point of view

by Joseph Alexander

Learn guitar theory - The simple way, musical wayThird Edition

Are you sick and tired of guitar theory being taught in overly complicated language? Are you looking to become a better musician and guitar player?Do you want to discover creative guitar soloing and songwriting approaches?Do you want to understand & use guitar scales, guitar modes and arpeggios?Do you want a complete guitar theory method that takes you from zero to hero in simple steps? Master, hear and play music theory for guitarThe Practical Guide to Modern Music Theory for Guitar is different. Instead of boring and meaningless guitar theory essays, it makes music come alive. In fact, you’ll quickly learn to play the theory you’re being taught. 

Go from meaningless information to stunning guitar solos and songwriting.Guitarists are often guilty of 'collecting' musical theory without taking the time to learn to apply the information on their instrument. Modern Music Theory for Guitarists combines cutting edge, up to date musical information with over 200 exercises and examples to help you internalise and master the most important concepts in modern guitar playing. There are also bespoke, professional backing tracks from Guitar Techniques Magazine's Quist

Here’s what you’ll to construct major and minor guitar scales How to harmonise a scale and use chords to write songsThe complete guide to naming chords on guitar (know your C9 from your Cadd9!)A breakdown of every important type of chord, and where they come fromHow to write chord progressions to create great songsHow to change key smoothly (modulation) and how to use guitar chord qualities to make your music creative and uniqueDiscover how to form guitar modes… and how to use them in your solos. Discover the secret of triads, arpeggios and pentatonic scales you can use to create rich-sounding solos that’ll amaze your friends A complete deconstruction of all the 3-note, 4-note and 5-note soloing approaches hidden in every scaleBonus hundreds of guitar licks demonstrate every single concept

Bonus Professional backing tracks to help you practise every guitar scale

Bonus The complete guide to Roman numeral notation for short hand song writing on guitar

Bonus A ‘cheat sheet' of the most common soloing approaches to save you hours in the practice room

Bonus 200 audio tracks to download so you can hear every single guitar theory concept in action

Learn the guitar theory… then use it!There are so many sources of information out there these days it's hard to know where to begin and what's important when it comes to applying music theory to the guitar. This book has been designed to take you on a journey from essential first principles through to complex, exciting musical ideas while all the time teaching you the musical application of each concept. 

Essential guitar knowledge and musical guitar skillsThe Complete Guide to Modern Music Theory begins with the formation of the Major scale and builds steadily from the concepts taught in the first few chapters to help you master, hear and apply all the essential theory used today.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Reference

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2013

Reviews

[Carlos Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a concise view of the major scale, along with its modes. It has several tips on how to write for each mode with recommendations the author uses.
While the book might be catalogued as simple, all that it contained made sense to me, as I needed to understand things at such level.
Definitely worth if you are confused about basic concepts of the modes, as the examples clear a lot of questions.

[Chris Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic treatment of soloing in modal progressions

Excellent material for writing solo compositions in modal settings. Certainly stimulates the creative juices. Part Two of this book, in particular, provides food for many years of study and application of modes. Beautifully written! One of Alexander's best works.

[TJ Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an experienced guitar player looking for some fundamental music theory elucidation, this helped greatly. Kudos!

[Dad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was ok not very well written.

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! No guitar player should be without it! I have been playing guitar for 20 years and had not been exposed to many of the things explained in this book. I've been looking for a book like this for years and am glad I found it.

I feel that the text is written in a concise, simple way, which lends itself to easily be followed and learned from.

The first half of the book focuses on general guitar theory. Alexander introduces you to ideas to help you understand the concepts that follow after. It is more theory in nature.

The second part of the book deals with each of the musical modes, explaining how to play them and what ideas work well within the confines of that musical mode.

I think some readers will find themselves being like me, and getting a little lost in the second half of the book. However, the second half of the book contains key practice structures that aid any musician in expanding their horizons.

I would highly recommend this book to all guitar players seeking to further their understanding and playing abilities.