Everyone who learns to play guitar starts with open chords and power chords. Some make it to barre chords, and only a handful go beyond it and actually study music theory. Our reliance on 5 th and 6 th string roots is a handicap in our guitar playing, depriving us of the flexibility to navigate a chord progression in interesting ways. The Guitar Chords in Context Series is an answer to that. This book wasn’t a music theory for guitarists book per se. The first section had a basic explanation of modern music theory and how it relates to the guitar fretboard, but the primary purpose of this book is to serve as a reference. More importantly, we were really impressed by how palatable it made music theory– especially for those who aren’t all that into it, but want to learn to improve their overall musicianship. A lot of beginners find themselves overwhelmed by theory and sight reading, but the Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory really avoided overcomplication, and was really easy to follow. It laid out the concepts gradually with chapter summaries and exercises, too. The early chapters were super simple, but they compounded in complexity as we approached the latter half. Despite that, the book still reconciled modern music theory with practical ways to use it when you play guitar. We thought that the use of chord diagrams and modern tabs made it an excellent resource for players (like us), who can’t sight-read. One of the strengths of the book is the large number of photographs depicting real-life traffic situations from throughout the whole of Sweden – from dense traffic on city streets to narrow country roads.

The pentatonic scale is inescapable, regardless of the genre. Tom Kolb takes the ground-up approach to teach you how to use the five patterns to create memorable solos. Each section had a set of ‘test yourself’ questions with an answer sheet afterward, all of which were a nice way to consolidate learnings to date. The exercises helped us to build key guitar theory skills to start using arpeggios as accompaniment and solos. The book also featured add-ons like chord diagrams, arpeggio patterns, scale patterns, and chord maps. Music doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s influenced by different styles, cultures, instruments, and historical periods. A well-rounded guitar theory book should take a holistic approach to covering various aspects of music beyond just the guitar. The best music theory books should aim to nurture you as a complete musician, not just a guitarist. Final Thoughts on the Best Guitar Music Theory Books No matter how many resources are made available online, there’s still something special about having something tangible like a real book in your hands when you’re trying to learn a new concept and improve your guitar playing.We thought it was very much aimed at budding musicians with little-to-no experience with sight reading and modern music theory. Alpha publishing have been creating such guides for nearly three decades, and we thought that this was plain to see in the clear-cut structure and easy-to-navigate sub-sections. Teddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of Art INVENTORY PRESS/VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM/WILLIAMS COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART/INDEPEND We’re living in the digital age, so of course every imaginable lesson is stashed somewhere online. Unfortunately, so is every possible distraction waiting to ensnare you.

If you’re looking for a great way to improve your music theory knowledge, you won’t want to miss this! ImageThe chords were arranged alphabetically and included power chords, barre chords, broken-set chords, and partial chords. Each chord was accompanied by a clear photograph of the fretting hand playing the chord on a guitar. Learning music theory can take a long time, and not every guitarist will be interested in every aspect of it. Therefore, when choosing a guitar music theory book, it’s essential to consider what specific areas you are keen on exploring. Are you fascinated by the intricacies of chord progressions? Or perhaps you’re more interested in learning how to read music? Maybe you’re captivated by the idea of understanding different guitar techniques and how they contribute to the overall sound of a piece? Choose a guitarist’s music theory book that aligns with your interests. This will make your learning experience more enjoyable and motivating. Seeking Practicality To sum up our review, we thought that the Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory is the best choice out there for newer players. Intermediate players are likely to get along well with Understanding How to Build Guitar Chords and Arpeggios, and experienced players should find that they get a lot out of Guitar Chords in Context. Several books approach these topics with incessant and mind-numbing chord charts, however, we thought that Joseph Alexander’s practical approach was a real breath of fresh air. He outlined the theory of each chord type, which really helped us to understand chord families with roots on different strings. The easy-to-follow format and reference appendix ensured that we never get lost or bored. Each chapter also included a list of dos and don’ts before it encouraged us to put our stamp on the guitar theory we’d already absorbed.