Music is constructed of 12 notes which contain 7 letters.
The 12 notes are A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D
D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab. Letters separated by slash are the same tone. The term for these examples is
“Enharmonic”. They are simply notes that have the same pitch that can be called two different names.
A “Chromatic” scale is when you play all 12 notes in order starting from any point. Imagine playing any
key on a piano, followed by playing each key up in order totaling 12. A “interval” is the musical space
between two notes. When playing Chromatically, the distance between the notes would be called a
“semi tone” or more commonly used “Half Step”
Example, the notes A and Bb are a half step apart while A and B are a whole step
The Note Location Exercise shows where each note is on all six strings between 1 st fret and 12th fret.
Major Scale Construction
A “Major Scale” is a very important scale in music containing a series of whole steps and half steps. The
Formula for creating any of the 12 major scales is below. Root = Key W = Whole step H = Half Step
Root W W H W W W H
When starting this formula from the note G, It would generate the 7 notes below. These 7 notes
are “Diatonic” to the key of G. Diatonic is a term meaning “in the key” of.
G Major Scale G A B C D E F#
I have included the G major scales on the Five In Position Major Scale worksheet
Pentatonic Scale – The Pentatonic is a five note scale containing the 1 2 3 5 and 6 th degree of the
Major Scale. It is a highly utilized scale used in Blues, Jazz, Country, Rock, amongst many more styles. I
have included the five in position Diatonic Pentatonic Shapes on the worksheet Pentatonic Scales
“Harmony” is the act of hearing or playing two or more notes simultaneously. “Tertian” Harmony is the
basis for all Western Music.
Tertian Harmony - Harmony which is based upon the interval of the third.
“Triads” are 3 note Chords built in thirds. I have constructed the Diatonic Triads
in G major below in all inversions. The 7 notes of the major scale are used to
create 7 chords.
Triads
Root Position 1st Inversion 2nd Inversion
GBD BDG DGB
ACE CEA EAC
BDF# DF#B F#BD
CEG EGC GCE
DF#A F#AD F#AD
EGB GBD BEG
F#AC ACF# CAF#
Whenever creating diatonic triad chords, you will get the quality of chord for each degree of chord scale.
I Major G Major
ii Minor A Minor
iii Minor B Minor
IV Major C Major
V Major D Major
Vii Minor E Minor
Vii Diminished F#o (Diminished)
I have all triads located on string set 4,3,2 on the worksheet Diatonic Triads. I have also included a
worksheet labeled Diatonic Triads Exercise
Arpeggios – Notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending
When adding another 3rd from the major scale we get 4 note chords known as “7 th Chords”
There are four types of seventh chords
1. Major7
2. Dominant7
3. Minor7
4. Minor7b5 (Minor 7 flat 5)
I have included the notes of each diatonic 7 th chord and in inversion.
7th Chords
Root Position 1st Inversion 2nd Inversion
GBDF# BDF#G DF#GB
ACEG CEGA EGAC
BDF#A DF#AB F#ABD
CEGB EGBC GBCE
DF#AC F#ACD F#ACD
EGBD GBDE BDEG
F#ACE ACEF# CEAF#
To make 7th Chords drop 2 voicings, 2nd highest note of each chord and “drop” to make it bottom
voice. Example GBDF# would turn into DGBF#. Play voicings on string set 4321 as shown in examples.
Create drop 3 Voicings by dropping 3 rd highest tone to the bottom. GBDF# becomes BGDF#. Play
voicings on string set 6, 4, 3, 2.
If you look at these 7th chords from a parallel point a view, you would get the following
Gmaj7 G B D F# = 1 3 5 7 of Major scale
G7 (Dominate) G B D F = 1 3 5 b7
GMin7 G Bb D F = 1 b3 5 b7
Gmin7b5 G Bb Db F = 1 b3 b5 b7
In this order, each chord only changes by one half step. I have provided examples using Drop 2 chords
and Drop 3 7th Chords
