Not For Beginners

Before I share the juicy details about this amazing program, you need to understand that it's not for beginners.

Fretboard Theory is for intermediate to advanced level guitarists who have no trouble playing complete songs using open chords, power chords, and barre chords.

If you still need to get your general playing skills in order, click here to enroll in a course appropriate for your level.

Fretboard Theory Volume 1

1. Chapter 1: Notes on the Fretboard
   You move all over the fretboard in Fretboard Theory. You need to be familiar with certain notes in order to follow along. But, you don’t need to memorize all the notes on the neck or anything crazy like that. In Chapter 1, I show you which notes you need to know and how to easily remember them.
2. Chapter 2: Pentatonic Scale
   The pentatonic scale is one of the most widely used scales. It’s used for playing melodies, riffs, solos, and basslines. Think “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix and “Breakdown” by Tom Petty just to name a few examples. In Chapter 2, I show you how to use the pentatonic scale across the whole fretboard and in all keys. You get to know its two different tonalities, major and minor, as well as the version known as the “blues scale.” I provide lists of songs that feature prominent pentatonic riffs and solos so you can connect what you learn to something familiar. I go over the rules of application so you can get busy improvising over songs and jam tracks.
3. Chapter 3: CAGED Chord System
   Have you ever watched a guitarist play chords all over the fretboard using shapes you don’t recognize and wondered how he knows where to go and what to play? In Chapter 3, I show you the five basic chord forms that naturally occur on guitar on how these forms get used in different ways all around the neck. You use the system to play arpeggios, chord inversions, and various chord voicings. You see how players such as Eddie Van Halen, Keith Richards, and John Frusciante use the CAGED system to create catchy chord riffs and iconic songs.
4. Chapter 4: Minor CAGED and Connecting CAGED with Pentatonic
   Since CAGED chord forms and pentatonic scale patterns play such a big role in how guitar music is played, I dedicate extra time in Chapter 4 to go over additional details about their usage. You get to know how scale patterns and chord shapes fit together so you always know what’s under your fingers in any given position.
5. Chapter 5: Major Scale
   Major scale patterns are also used to play melodies, riffs, solos, and basslines. Major scale patterns are more complicated than pentatonic scale patterns. In Chapter 5, you explore the different ways the major scale is played so you can settle on the patterns you find the most comfortable to play. The song lists I provide show you which familiar songs feature major scale guitar parts. You learn how to bring the patterns to life so you don't sound like you're just playing up and down scales.
6. Chapter 6: Chord Progressions and Playing by Numbers
   Can you play a “1 4 5” or “1 6 2 5” chord progression? You will after completing Chapter 6. Numbered chord progressions are based on the harmonized major scale, which is one of the most important concepts in all of music. In this chapter, you see how the notes of the major scale get stacked to form chords, and how those chords create numbered patterns on the fretboard. These numbered patterns become the basis for most of the songs you play. The patterns are also how you know which chords go together.
7. Chapter 7: Roots, Keys, and Applying Scales
   By the time you reach Chapter 7 in the first level of Fretboard Theory, you’re already playing over songs and jam tracks using scale patterns. But to make sure you know what to do in every situation, I take extra time in this chapter to walk you through different scenarios so you know how to find your bearings instantly no matter the song.
8. Chapter 8: Modes
   There is no other topic that causes more confusion than modes. In Chapter 8, the confusion ends. I explain the modal concept in simple terms and show you how everything is in a mode. You’ll see exactly how modes get used in familiar songs by artists such as Bob Marley, Santana, Fleetwood Mac, Guns N’ Roses, and Grateful Dead. This information will broaden your understanding of how music is composed and provide you with ideas to make your own compositions sound light, dark, exotic, and jazzy.
9. Chapter 9: Using Intervals
   Playing in 3rds, playing in 6ths, playing in 10ths… does this mean anything to you? Well, it will when you finish Chapter 9. You’ll also understand what’s going on in songs such as "Brown Eyed Girl,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and "Blackbird."
10. Chapter 10: Added Chord Tones and Extensions
    This chapter addresses the meaning of all those little numbers you see in chord names like Gmaj7, Am7, and Dsus2. You move beyond basic major and minor chords to play chords with more depth and color. Unlike most lessons on this topic, you get to know how these fancy chords fit into specific songs. I make reference to the music of Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Police, and more.

TESTIMONIALS