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Music Theory Map Instructions

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186 views3 pages

Music Theory Map Instructions

Uploaded by

musiciohan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Music Theory Map

Know What to Learn

Tommaso Zillio – musictheoryforguitar.com

How to Use the Map


1. The map shows the concepts in Music Theory in a roughly increasing order of com-
plexity from left to right (i.e. items on the left are more basic than items on the right
of the map).

2. The arrows indicate that the order that the concepts should be learned. For instance
on the left of the map, you should learn the notes on the 6th string before learning
the pentatonic scales.

3. Some items in the map have these labels: Improviser, Sessionman, Songwriter, Per-
former. This identify these items as GOALS for this kind of musician, as described
in this article:
http://musictheoryforguitar.com/learningmusictheoryintherightorder.html
You need to identify your goals before being able to use the map. The Sessionman
and the Performer can optionally study the goals of the Improviser ONLY once they
have completed their own goals.

4. In some cases I have provided some links for you to help you learn the concepts
indicated in the map. Links are indicated in the map with a grey background and
the symbol ”HTM” on them. To visit the link, click on the ”HTM” symbol, and your
browser will open on the correct webpage.

5. Every concept can be studied at 3 different levels, in that order:

(a) Theoretical knowledge: when you understand what the concept is about and
can use it in simple cases.
(b) Fretboard: when you understand how to apply this concept on the guitar fret-
board.
(c) Ear Training: when you know the sound relative to this concept before playing.

For instance, here are these three levels for the item “Triads”:

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c Mastery Solutions, Inc. www.musictheoryforguitar.com 1
(a) Theoretical knowledge: you know what a triad is; the difference between ma-
jor, minor, augmented, and diminished triads; how to find the notes contained
in every triad.
(b) Fretboard: you know the shapes of the triads on the fretboard, and you can
find them in a reasonable time.
(c) Ear Training: you know how a major triad sound different than, say, a minor
triad before playing them.

You DON’T need to have studied a concept in all three ways before moving, but
make sure to DO study on the guitar fretboard and to ear training on concepts you
already know in a theoretical way.

6. Print the map. Color the items you are already familiar with. Now look at your
goals (as shown by the labels at point 3). Mark with another color the path you
need to do to arrive at your goals from what you already know.

7. Follow your personalized path in the order indicated by the arrows.

2 Guitar
c Mastery Solutions, Inc. www.musictheoryforguitar.com
About the Author

Tommaso is a prog rock/metal guitarist,


composer, and teacher based in Edmonton, AB,
Canada. He has been playing guitar since 1992,
on and off stage, both solo and with a variety of
bands. In 2009 he released, together with other
13 artists, the compilation CD “Under the Same
Sky”, distributed worldwide in 10.000 copies.

Tommaso is a proud endorser of AMT Elec-


tronics, the best distortion pedals on the planet.
His choice pedals are the SS-20 and the DT-2.

Tommaso’s influences are very varied, ex-


pressing the love of music that transcends gen-
era and instruments. Some of his favorite mu-
sicians are: Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, Joe
Satriani, Andy Timmons, Mike Oldfield, Jean-
Michel Jarre, Deine Lakaien, Litfiba, Nightwish,
Astor Piazzolla, Hans Zimmer.

Tommaso is a graduate of Tom Hesss Mu-


sic Careers Mentoring Program and Elite Guitar
Teachers Inner Circle.

For more information about Tommaso visit his website at:


http://www.tommasozillio.com.
Tommaso can be contacted at: Tommaso@musictheoryforguitar.com

This eBook is under international copyright protection. It cannot be copied, sold,


rented, loaned, or distributed in any way whatsoever, without written consent of Gui-
tar Mastery Solutions, Inc.

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c Mastery Solutions, Inc. www.musictheoryforguitar.com 3

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