Lately, I find myself teaching different aspects of theory to guitar students. I decided to list them in a blog entry. By no means do I know every single aspect cold. However to keep improving, I recommend that students check this list out.

 

1.) Play all major, minor, augmented and diminished triads in inversion on all string groups as well as close together and spread apart. Ex: close = | c, e, g | e, g, c | g, c, e | spread = | c, g, e | e, c, g | g, e, c |

 

2.) Play all different types of seventh chords in inversion on all string groups and in different voicings.

 

3.) Play all different types of hybrid chords (triad with one foreign bass note) in inversion on all string groups and in different voicings. Ex: G/C (voiced C, G, B, D). These chords yield interesting sounds. Guitarist and pedagogue Mick Goodrick covers this in an informative book entitled, The Advancing Guitarist (affiliate link).

 

4.) Know how to harmonize scales diatonically using quartal harmony as well as other combinations of clusters and triads. Know how to harmonize scales non-diatonically too, i.e: parallel movement.

 

5.) Play all known chords with alternate fingerings.

 

6.) Voicelead chords through common progressions in all 12 keys.

 

7.) Practice smooth voiceleading with few jumps between voices. Keep in mind parallel, similar, contrary, and oblique motions.

 

8.) Use chords in multiple contexts. A CMaj7 voiced g, c, e, b can also work as an Amin7 voicing without the root. To find out more about this concept, visit my Voicing Applications article for supplemental information.

 

9.) Know multiple ways to play the same melody. Know how to play the same melody in different ranges. Know how to voice chords under the melody (chord melody).

 

10.) Know all major and minor scales in 12 keys, plus their derivative modes. Also don’t forget pentatonic, diminished, whole-tone, and other scales. Know how to play these scales multiple ways.

 

11.) Know how scales and chords work together. If a C Major scale is harmonized in triads diatonically, it yields: C, Dmin, Emin, F, G, Amin, Bdim, C.

 

12.) Try different sequences when practicing scales. Ex: Group of 3 in C Major: C, D, E, D, E, F, E, F, G, etc. Groups of 4, 5, 6, and more are possible too. Practice leaps as well (C, A, D, B, etc).

 

13.) Develop a musical vocabulary.

 

14.) Don’t forget about harmonics, bending, sliding, vibrato, legato playing (hammer-on, pull-of) and strumming in different parts of the guitar for different articulations and timbres.

 

15.) Study both guitar picking and fingerstyle.

 

16.) Barre with all four fingers. Play half barres. Play collapsed barres. Do not apply un-needed pressure.

 

17.) Play through exercises varying the rhythm. Also, vary playing dead center, behind or ahead of the metronome.

 

18.) Be able to sight-read in the open position and in other positions.

 

19.) Know each note on the guitar cold.

 

20.) Practice away from the guitar.

 

21.) Develop your ear. Hear what you play in your head. Work on developing relative to perfect pitch.

 

22.) Tone – it isn’t just your amp setting. Roughly, 95% comes from the fingers and 5% will come from the amplifier. Ever notice the best guitar players can make a $5 guitar sound like a $5,000 guitar?

 

23.) Don’t forget to play and study repertoire.

 

24.) When playing, forget about all of this and play the music that you imagine inside your head.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

I listed these items in macro, but studying each one turns into micro. In order to keep your sanity, just remember studying music is a lifelong process. Furthermore, take what you need at the time and revisit these items when you feel ready.