Guitar Theory Knowledge
In-depth guides built for guitarists. No fluff — just the theory you actually need, explained in terms that make sense on the fretboard.
Not sure where to start?
Follow the guided Learning Path — these lessons sequenced from beginner to advanced, with your progress tracked.
Foundations
The Circle of Fifths
One diagram. Every key. Understand how all 12 keys relate, read key signatures at a glance, and build better chord progressions.
Understanding Intervals
Every chord and scale is built from intervals. Learn all 13 — from minor 2nd to perfect octave — and unlock the ability to construct any sound by ear.
How Chords Are Built
Triads, 7th chords, extensions — decoded. See exactly which intervals stack to create every chord quality and why each one has its emotional character.
Chord Progressions
Roman numerals, harmonic function, and the progressions that power thousands of songs. Learn to build and analyse chord sequences in any key.
Functional Harmony
Why V resolves to I, what makes a ii–V–I so compelling, borrowed chords, secondary dominants — the mechanics of tension and resolution explained.
The Nashville Number System
How session pros chart songs by number instead of chord name, so a whole progression transposes to any key instantly. Roman numerals for the bandstand.
Modulation & Key Changes
How songs change key without sounding wrong — pivot chords, moving to the dominant or relative key, and the dramatic whole-step lift. With live before/after audio.
Scales & Modes
The 7 Modes Explained
Ionian through Locrian — what each mode actually sounds like, how the intervals differ, and when to use each one over a chord progression.
Pentatonic Scales
The backbone of rock, blues, and country guitar. Learn all 5 box patterns, the major/minor relationship, and how to connect positions across the neck.
Guitar-Specific
Triads & Inversions
The three-note chords behind all harmony, and how flipping their bass note creates inversions. Compact fretboard shapes for the top three strings, with audio for every key.
Arpeggios
Chords played one note at a time — the bridge from rhythm to lead. Major, minor and 7th arpeggio shapes with ascending, descending and up-down playback.
The CAGED System
Five open chord shapes that repeat all the way up the neck. Master CAGED and you can play any chord or scale in any position, anywhere on the fretboard.
Blues Theory
Dominant 7ths everywhere, the 12-bar form, and the blue note. Understand the theory behind the most influential sound in modern guitar.
Practice & Skills
Ear Training
Theory you can hear. Interactive interval and chord-quality trainers with real guitar audio — build the relative pitch that lets you learn songs by ear and improvise with intent.
Rhythm & Counting
Make timing visible. Watch the counting (“1 e & a”) light up in time, tap the rhythm for a timing grade, build your own bars, and tap a groove to have it notated — quarters through sixteenths, triplets, dotted notes and compound meters.