music theory

Latest about music theory

Decoding the notes between the notes – the ultimate guide to microtonal guitar

By Matt McCracken Published

Ready for a math and history lesson? We break down microtonal music’s mind-bending tones for the modern guitar player

Techniques
Jason Richardson
The realization that ended Jason Richardson’s obsession with music theory

By Michael Astley-Brown Published

The ex-All That Remains shredder shares his journey from marking his music theory classmates’ papers to realizing that sometimes you just need to play what sounds good

Guitarists
Tommy Emmanuel playing guitar in front of a turquoise background
How Tommy Emmanuel deals with his lack of music theory – and when it lets him down

By Phil Weller Published

Guitarists regularly debate whether theory is a must-have or should have, and the renowned acoustic guitarist and Berklee tutor has revealed his own experiences on the matter

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Guitarists
Jason Richardson, member of the American heavy metal band All That Remains, performs during the opening act for Megadeth 'Destroy All Enemies' Tour at the Toyota Music Factory
Jason Richardson gives his take on the timeless ‘music theory versus ear training’ debate

By Janelle Borg Published

Is music theory necessary to write guitar solos that stand the test of time? All That Remains' lead guitarist weighs in...

Guitarists
Theory for Rock & Pop Musicians, Volumes 1 & 2
Industry expert and YouTuber Adam Saunders launches new books to break down the barriers of music theory to make songwriting simple

By Guitar World Staff Published

Sponsored by Trinity College London Press

Designed to make mastering music theory easy and enjoyable, the two-book series turns complex ideas into simple, practical knowledge that can be applied to any style of playing

Books
A black-and-white image of Paul McCartney and John Lennon in striped suits, sharing the mic at Olympia Stadium, 1966.
It worked for the Beatles on Yesterday – add intrigue to your songs and solos with the melodic minor scale

By Simon Barnard Published

Get to grips with this invaluable and interesting addition to the songwriter's vocabulary used by Paul McCartney and jazzers alike

Lessons
Dr Molly Miller plays a Taylor electric guitar
Triads are unsung heroes of guitar – here is how you can use the CAGED system to master them

By Molly Miller Published

Dr Molly Miller breaks down the three-note formula behind triads and explains how you can use them anywhere across the fretboard

Lessons
Dr Molly Miller
You don’t need to bury your head in books to decipher the secrets of the fretboard – you can learn the CAGED guitar system in just 10 minutes

By Molly Miller Published

If the CAGED system is your roadmap to fretboard freedom, then this lesson is a GPS-guided tour – and it will blow your mind how easy it is

Lessons
Josh Smith
Why diminished phrases can be your secret weapon in a blues chord progression

By Josh Smith Published

Josh Smith offers a road map for harmonically interesting blues guitar playing, offering fresh ideas for connecting notes between chords

Chords
Man playing electric guitar
How to create melodies that connect relative major and minor chords

By Andy Aledort Published

Pull solo ideas from both sides of the happy/sad spectrum of tonality

Chords
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