• Guitar Theory in Depth
  • Guitar Theory
  • Guitar Tools
  • Ask Alex!
  • Guitar Store
  •  
  • RSS
  • RSS
  • RSS
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Guitar Theory, or Music?

What's all this guitar theory nonsense about, you ask... you care about the music, don't you?

I care about music. A lot.
In fact, I love it passionately. I just happen to play guitar.

I believe in freedom, freedom to create. If some rule makes no sense to me, I disregard it: I believe that less is more.

What I've always wanted, ever since I started playing, is less fingering patterns, more music.

As I said, I care about music, I just happen to play guitar: I care about the fretboard only inasmuch as it is the musical interface I happen to know best.

So I've spent years thinking of ways to bridge the gap between musical ideas and the guitar fretboard. Years taking notes, making diagrams. Trying desperately to connect the dots.

The results of all that thinking I've put together as a series of books, and this guitar theoy website... I'm confident that this will help you bridge the gap between your ideas and the fretboard.

Is this for you?

Guitar Theory in Depth and these books are not for everyone. If you're happy just to play from tab and learn from chord bibles, then this isn't the place for you. If you're OK with just a bunch of fingering boxes to learn your scales, look for them elsewhere.

If, however, you want to understand, so you can have more choices available, so you can create, then this is the place for you. It's all about freedom, style.

It's not about the theory; theory is just a means (to an amply justifiable end).

If you're the kind of person who likes to know what they're doing, who likes to have all the options available, who likes to be in control, then, boy, is this for you!




Should you care?

The fretboard is a hindrance whenever you have to think about it. It stands right in the way, between you and your music. Freedom from the fretboard, freedom from having to even think about it, means more music.

I don't care what style of music you play on guitar. The rules of the game are still the same. And there is no way you're going to make something worth listening to if you don't know the rules, so you can start breaking them.

I've done all the thinking for you. Uncovered the rules of the game. So you can break free. Free from the fretboard. Free to make music, free to play.

What's with all the theory?

It's not about guitar theory; theory is just a means.

But theory is practical. At least in music it is.

If you can bridge theory and practice you will be one of the select few who know what they are doing on the fretboard. You'd be surprised how few really do, at any level!

Alex Cortés, founder
guitar-theory-in-depth.com

PS. Be sure to join my mailing list for cool free guitar theory stuff!

Alex Cortés

Why guitar theory?!

Why should you spend your precious time
trying to master the guitar fretboard & guitar theory
if this is -or seems to be- such a hassle?!



(and it doesn't have to be impossible)

If you've ever given learning the guitar fretboard a serious attempt, you will have often wondered why learning it inside out is -or seems to be- such a hassle. Regardless of your present level as a guitarist. Regardless of whether you play flamenco, jazz, rock, or whatever.

Every piano player, by contrast, learns all the notes on his instrument during the first lessons he receives, if not the very first. From then on he develops a deep musical understanding, reinforced by the visual and tactile elements of his instrument, from the piano itself:

"Why can't it be the same for me?!" complains every guitarist.

Yet, the opposite is true of guitarists and the guitar. Those who do learn all the notes on the fretboard do so by rote. They memorize innumerable combinations of fingering patterns, with no underlying system to tie it all together -from every angle.

So far, there has been no system that will allow guitarists to integrate all aspects of musical knowledge into a meaningful whole...

.....much less a system that is practical, and not a quagmire of fixed fingering patterns and box diagrams.

...a music theory system that will therefore allow you, the guitarist, to calmly and systematically explore all the possibilities within the guitar, while unlocking your creativity.


Until now...

fretboard essentials

Guitar Theory in Depth.com will guide you step by step
-in an entirely new way-
to full mastery of the guitar fretboard!

Hi Alex,
Your chord and triad diagrams are great.

I've got a bunch of books, but your diagrams are the clearest thing I've seen.
Thanks for the great site and material and openness to sharing!

Sigfried Gold, USA
What do you have to say?











Guitar Theory Secrets
Grab our free eZine to recieve awesome tips and more:
Guitar Theory Secrets

name

e-mail




I don't spam. Your e-mail is secure.











I like your writing: a lot for my brain to wrap around. Quite helpful!

Dave, USA
What do you have to say?












Subscribe to
GTiD

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Newsgator
Subscribe with Bloglines

What is RSS?


Guitar Theory in Depth

| Alex Cortés | Contact me | the 'Zine | News Blog |


Copyright © 2008-2010, Guitar-Theory-in-Depth.com, All rights reserved