Arabic (for Notes)	Roman (for Chords)	Note Interval		Chord Interval Name
Arabic (for Notes)	Roman (for Chords)	Name	Abbreviation	Chord Interval Name
1	I	root	P1	tonic
^#1 / ^b2	^#I / ^bII	minor second	m2
2	II	major second	M2	supertonic
^#2 / ^b3	^#II / ^bIII	minor third	m3
3	III	major third	M3	mediant
4	IV	perfect forth	P4	subdominant
^#4 / ^b5	^#IV / ^bV	augmented forth / tritone	π
5	V	perfect fifth	P5	dominant
^#5 / ^b6	^#V / ^bVI	minor sixth	m6
6	VI	major sixth	M6	submediant
^#6 / ^b7	^#VI / ^bVII	minor seventh	m7
7	VII	major seventh	M7	leading tone

Scale Correspondence

Notice that the notes of the C chromatic scale match the sharps of the Roman/Arabic numeral systems exactly:

Arabic

^#1

Roman

#II

III

#IV

#VI

VII

C Scale

Other Terms

halfstep/semitone: interval of 1/12 of an octave

step/tone: interval of a 2^nd(two halfsteps)

skip: interval of a 3^rd (four halfsteps) or more

Chapter 2: Scales (with Guitar Scale Charts)

Diagrams inspired by Dan Smith’s Theory Page: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~desmith/guitar/

Blues Scale

Derived from the minor pentatonic scale. The b3 note is called the blue note. It is played somewhere between a b3 and a 3 (approximate this on a guitar by bending the string).

Scale Notes: 1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7

Harmonic Minor Scale

Works well in minor key vamps— a minor chord played over a long period of time. Sounds middle-eastern.

Scale Notes: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7

Chapter 3: Chord Composition

Optional… ()

Also known as… []

	Example (w/ Symbol)	Notes	Guitar Fingering (example; lowest fret is 1^st fret)
	Example (w/ Symbol)	Notes	Root 6	Root 5
Major	C	1, 3, 5	133211	x13331
Minor	Cm	1, b3, 5	133111	x13321
Diminished	C^o	1, b3, b5	1231x1	x1232x
Augmented	G⁺	1, 3, #5	7654xx (root 4)

Suspended 2^nd	Csus2	1, 2, 5		x13311
Suspended 4^th	Csus4	1, 4, 5	133311	x13341
Suspended 7^th	Csus7	1, 4, 5, b7	131311	x13141
5^th [Power]	C5	1, 5	133xxx	x133xx
(Major) 6^th	C6 [Cmaj6]	1, 3, 5, 6	133231	x13333
Minor 6^th	Cm6	1, b3, 5, 6	133131

(Dominant) 7^th	C7	1, 3, 5, b7	131211,131231	x13131
Minor 7^th	Cm7	1, b3, 5, b7	131111	x13121
Major 7^th	Cmaj7	1, 3, 5, 7	132211	x13231
Diminished 7^th	C^o7	1, b3, b5, bb7[6]
Half-Diminished 7^th	C^ø7 [Cm7b5]	1, b3, b5, b7	1211xx	x1212x

(Dominant) 9^th	C9	1, 3, 5, b7, 9	2121xx	x21222
Major 9^th	Cmaj9	1, 3, 5, 7, 9[2]
Minor 9^th	Cm9	1, b3, 5, b7, 9[2]
13^th	C13	1,(3),5,b7,(9),(11), 13	1x123x

Chapter 4: Keys

Major

Easiest open string guitar keys are C, G, D, A, and E.

Diatonic Chords: I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VII^o

(Diatonic chords are chords consisting of notes in the key.)

Compatible Scales: Major

Major Pentatonic

Minor (Songwriting)

Diatonic Chords: Im II^oIII IVm V\Vm VI VII \ VII^o

Compatible Scales: Natural Minor

Minor Pentatonic

Natural Minor

Not easy for songwriting.

Diatonic Chords: Im II^o III IVm Vm VI VII

Compatible Scales: Natural Minor

Minor Pentatonic

Harmonic Minor

Diatonic Chords: Im II^o III⁺ IVm V VI #VII^o

Compatible Scales: Harmonic Minor

Minor Pentatonic

Melodic Minor

Diatonic Chords: Im IIm III⁺ IV V #VI^o #VII^o

Compatible Scales: Melodic Minor

Chapter 5: Chord Progressions and Songwriting

Adding Movement to a Progression

End phrases on a chord other than the tonic.
End on the dominant to add tension that helps keep the song going.
The second to last chord of a phrase can be used as a pivot chord. Then the last chord of the phrase can be the dominant of the dominant (the major second).

Non-Harmonic Tones

Non-harmonic tones are notes occurring in a chord progression to add movement to the progression.

passing tone: approached by a step and then continues by a step in the same direction; occurs on a non-accented beat between two chords

accented passing tone: passing tone occurring on an accented beat; played as part of the second chord, and then replaced the missing note of the chord on a non-accented beat

neighboring tone: approached by a step and returns by a step to the original note

escape tone: approached by a step and then continues by a skip in the opposite direction; always occurs on a non-accented beat

appoggiatura (App.): approached by a skip and then continues by a step in the opposite direction; always accented, occurring with the second chord

anticipation (Ant.): approached by a step and then continues with the same note; always unaccented

retardation (Ret.): approached by the same note and then steps upward; always accented, occurring with the second chord

suspension (Sus.): approached by the same note and then steps downward; always accented, occurring with the second chord

Modulation

Songs can change keys for choruses and verses. If the chord progression stays the same for a verse, but the key changes, it is a bridge.

A powerful modulation technique is to use a major key for a verse or chorus and modulate to its relative minor key. The relative minor for a major key is three semitones lower than the major key. The relative major key for a minor key is three semitones higher than the minor key.

If the same chord occurs in both keys, it can be used to gradually switch between the two keys.

Phrase Resolution

Also called cadence, this is the way a progression or phrase ends. Should occur on the first beat of a measure, and should be the lowest pitch of the note played by the rhythm guitar.

perfect authentic: V to I, Im; total finality

imperfect authentic [minor keys only]: VII^o, VII to Im; total finality

deceptive: V to IV, IVm; used in place of authentic cadence

plagal: IV, IVm to I, Im; near finality

plagal descendent: IV, IVm to bIV to I, Im; near finality

imperfect (or half): I, II, IV, VI to V; sounds incomplete

interrupted: V to any other chord; premature end

Chapter 6: Circle of Fifths

The circle of fifths is constructed by derived by moving around the chromatic scale by fifths.

Sharps and Flats

The circle of fifths can be used to determine how many sharps or flats are in each key.

	Flats							Sharps
number	6	5	4	3	2	1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
key	Gb	Db	Ab	Eb	Bb	F	C	G	D	A	E	B	F#

Relative Notation

If the circle of fifths is written out in relative notation, it can be used to construct chord progressions. Using the following chart, any progression from right to left sounds pleasing:

III

VII

#IV

#II

#VI

Some progressions sound especially good and are important to music. IIm-V-I is very important to Jazz.

Use in Modulation

It is easiest to modulate keys (for instance, between a verse and a chorus) if keys adjacent on the circle of fifths are used. The further apart that the keys are on the circle, the less chords they have in common.

Interesting Facts About the Circle

Choose any letter on the circle as the tonic (1^st). To the right of the tonic is the dominant (5^th), and to the left is the subdominant (4^th).
Choose any seven adjacent notes. These can be arranged to form the major scale.
Choose any five adjacent notes. These can be arranged to form a pentatonic scale.
Choose any note. The note directly across from it is the tritone (augmented 4^th).

Chapter 7: Improvisation

Although this section’s topic is improvisation, much of this information also applies to non-improvised solos as well, since they are basically just planned improvisations.

Choosing a Scale

Melodic Improvisation

Scale is chosen based on the key of the current chord progression. If the chord progression is in the key of E-major, the major or major pentatonic scales would be good choices.

Chordal Improvisation / “Playing the Changes” (Jazz)

The scale is based on the chord currently being played. If the chord is an F minor, any scale which includes the F minor chord’s notes can be played along with it. So in the case of F minor, good scales would be F minor, E major, or D major, among many others.

Modal Improvisation (Jazz)

Usually there are only a few chords in modal songs and to make the improvisation interesting, the soloist will change scales and modes multiple times during one chord.

Scales Over Chords (Jazz)

When playing different scales over each chord, these scales are the most common choices.

Appropriate Scales to Play Over Common Chords (C used for example)
Chord	Scales (most common listed first)
C, Cmaj7, Cmaj9	C major scale C lydian mode C major pentatonic
Cm, Cm7, Cm9	C dorian mode C minor pentatonic scale / blues scale C minor scale
C, C7, C9	C mixolydian mode C minor pentatonic scale / blues scale C major pentatonic scale

Modes (Jazz)

Using the major scale as the basis, 7 modes can be created. Each mode begins on a scale degree. The modes are named as follows:

Major Scale Degree (start at this number above)	Mode Name	“Major” or “Minor”	Notes (using the mode’s root)
1	Ionian	Major	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
2	Dorian	Minor	1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7
3	Phrygian	Minor	1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
4	Lydian	Major	1, 2, 3, 4#, 5, 6, 7
5	Mixolydian	Major	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7
6	Aeolian	Minor	1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
7	Locrian	Minor	1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7

Creating an Improvisation

Improvising is more than just randomly playing notes in a scale. The following are techniques to make your improvisation sound better:

Patterns (Jazz) / Licks (Rock)

Short phrases practiced beforehand. Patterns can help the piece sound better, but don’t just string them together.

Out of Scale Notes

Occasional notes not in the scale make the solo more interesting.

Quotes

“Paraphrasing” other solos by using recognizable portions of them in your own. Sometimes humorous if the source of the quote is very unexpected in its context.

Chapter 8: Common Progressions

Blues Progressions

Blues Intro

Usually placed at the beginning of a song.

V – IV – I – V

Eight-Bar Blues

I – V7 – IV7 – IV7

I – V7 – I / IV7 – I / IV7

Twelve-Bar Blues

Standard blues song structure, also used, with modifications, in jazz.

One version:

I – I – I – I

IV – IV – I – I

V7 – IV – I – I

Another version:

I – IV – I – I

IV – IV – I – I

V7 – IV – I – I

Sixteen-Bar Blues

I – I – I – I

IV – IV – I – I

V7 – IV – I – V7

Jazz Progressions

“The” Jazz Progression

This progression is very important to jazz, and is based on the circle of fifths (see Chapter 6: above).

IIm – V – I

Note: Resolving on the tonic (I) is optional.

Twelve-Bar Major Jazz/Blues

Standard Type:

I7 – IV7 – I7 – I7

IV7 – IV7 – I7 – VI7

IIm7 – V7 – I7 – V7

Variation (common in bebop; contains many circle progressions):

I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 I7

IV7 – IV^o – I7 – IIIm7b5 VI7

IIm7 – V7 – I7 VI7 – IIm7 V7

“Rhythm Changes” AABA Jazz Form

This jazz form consists of four parts of 8 bars each. Each part follows either the “A” form or the “B” form:

“A” Part (or verse): I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IV / #IV – V7 – I

“B” Part (or bridge): III – III – VI – VI – II – II – V7 – V7

This is then put together in the order ABAA to form:

I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IV / #IV – V7 – I

III – III – VI – VI – II – II – V7 – V7

I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IIm7 / V7 – I – IV / #IV – V7 – I

To improvise over this form, a melodic improvisation (same scale throughout the progression) based on the key of the progression can be used for all the “A” parts (blues scale will work well here). During the “B” parts, it is best to do chordal improvisation (use a different scale for each chord). Again, blues scale will work well.

Twelve-Bar Minor Jazz/Blues

In the harmonic minor scale. Features the circle of fifths IIm-V-I progression in the 9^th to 11^th bars.

Im – IVm – Im – Im

IVm – #IVm – Im – Im

IIm7 – V7 – Im/IVm – Im/V7

Chapter 9: Common Song Structures

Blues

Intro
Body (twelve-bar blues, or some other blues progression)
Outro

Jazz

Each time through the progression is called a chorus.

Intro (establishes the mood)
Head or Theme (the main melody; possibly repeated)
Solo Section (instrumentalists take turns improvising on the melody and/or chord progression; each may take multiple choruses)
Head Out (the main melody restated)
Coda or Tag (ending)

The theme’s form can take different forms. Some common forms for the theme include:

ü blues forms (twelve bar blues, etc.)

ü “rhythm changes” AABA form

Popular Music

Each verse and chorus in four lines.

· Intro (based on verse, one instrument performing lead)

· Verse 1

· Verse 2

· Chorus

· Verse 3

· Chorus

· Solo (based on scale of verse)

· Bridge (modulation left or right on the circle of fifths of the verse)

· Chorus

· Outro (Based on chorus, one instrument performing lead)