Music Principles for the Skeptical Guitarist - Volume 1 - The Big Picture

In the First Approach, we see how major and minor chords are grouped into keys (chord families) according to the 1 - 4 - 5 and C-A-G-E-D Systems, with examples from popular music. Topics include the Big Fifteen chords, using the capo, finding the starting note, tuning, the Rhythm Changes and secondary dominant chords.In the Second Approach, we start over from the beginning and fill in the details of how to use Major Scales to generate the five C-A-G-E-D chord families and how all 12 key are related through the Circle of Fifths, the cosmic nutshell of the entire musical universe. Topics include transposing from key to key, dominant seventh chords, triad spellings, the jazz turnaround, back cycling through the Circle, and relative minor keys. Plenty of examples.The First ApproachNotes and pitchesThe layout of the notesTuning the guitarChords and chord qualityThe Big Fifteen chordsPlaying in different keysThe 1-4-5 systemC-A-G-E-D examplesChord FamiliesThe 1 and 5 chordsSongs in different keysThe 1, 4 and 5 chords Songs in different keys"Silent Night" in all 5 keysChoosing the right keyUsing the capoQuiz time for the 1-4-5's Finding the starting noteAdding the Minor chordsSongs in the Keys of G and C"Rhythm Changes" Secondary Dominants Bunches of useful chords (A-G)The Second ApproachThe Chromatic scaleLayout on the neckThe Major scaleThe Key of CScale degrees and other keysThe Key of GWorksheet for Major scalesTraveling by FifthsMajor scale summaryThe flat keysThe fretboard and the keyboardMajor scale exercisesBack to Chord FamiliesThe C Harmonized Diatonic scaleMajor chords versus Minor chordsFour combinations of Thirds OtherChord FamiliesWorksheets for Chord FamiliesC-A-G-E-D Chord Family summary Example: "Morning Has Broken"Full Chord Family summaryTransposition chartDetails of the 1-4-5 relationshipThe Dominant 7th chordOverlapping Chord FamiliesChord substitutionsTriad spellingsMy BioThe Circle of FifthsMore on Secondary DominantsExamples in the Key of CDown by a 5th = up by a 4thBackcycling through all the keysC-A-G-E-D Chord Family examplesMixing in the Minor chordsThe Jazz Turnaround"Morning Has Broken" againYuletide Backcycling in a the C-A-G-E-D keys Starting notesShortcuts in terminologyThe 4th of the 4thMajor 7th and Minor 7th chordsMinor keysC Major versus A MinorThree kinds of Minor scalesCarols in the Keys of Am, Dm, and EmAppendix 1: Why the number "five"?Appendix 2: Key signaturesVolume One in a nutshellOne last quiz Read more