Music Theory - Hal Leonard Guitar Method by Tom Kolb | Step-by-Step Guitar Theory Guide for Beginners and Intermediate Players | Include 94 Audio Tracks | Learn Scales, Chords, Modes, and Ear Training Paperback – May 1, 2005

I love this book by Tom Kolb. It is 104 pages jam-packed with the most important elements of music theory for guitar, including chord construction, chord progressions, and scale patterns for any key. I would recommend that EVERY guitar player study this book after completing six to twelve months of beginner guitar lessons. Knowing what is in this book can help you become a real musician.This is not an instruction book for the absolute beginner. The beginning student will (I think) require considerably more explanation. However, for any level of guitar player, this would be a great reference to use when taking lessons with a music teacher. If you already play another musical instrument, then go ahead and jump into Tom Kolb's book immediately - - - it will probably be the quickest method to transfer your existing knowledge to guitar.If you are trying to teach yourself, then you will benefit by studying the basics of music theory before you use this book. I recommend The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory, 2nd Edition. After you finish a basic music theory book, then you should have not have any problems following the Tom Kolb Music Theory book.The book is very well organized and the content is presented effectively. While a music staff is consistently used throughout the book, neck diagrams or tab representations are also used to represent notes and chords. Therefore, even if you cannot read sheet music, you can use this book.Features I particularly appreciate include:- Pattern training neck diagrams for the following: (1) major scales; (2) minor scales; (3) minor pentatonic scale; (4) major pentatonic scale; (5) modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian); and (6) arpeggios.- Single-page tables for the following: (1) formulas (notes) for 39 chords types; (2) chords for each of the twelve major keys; (3) chords for each of the twelve minor keys; (4) minor seventh chords for each of the twelve minor keys.- Quizzes with answers in the back of the book.Believe me, this book is worth the price just to have a concise reference with the neck diagrams and the tables listed above.The book includes the Circle of Fifths (which is great); but it should do a better job explaining to the new guitarist how to APPLY the Circle of Fifths to one's guitar playing.Table of Contents: The Fretboard; Theory Basics; Scales and Key Signatures; Intervals; Triads; Harmonizing the Major Scale; Chord Construction; Harmonizing the Minor Scale; Determining Key Centers; Blues Harmony and Pentatonic Scales; Modes and Modal Harmony; Other Scales and Modes, Chord/Scale Relationships, Arpeggios; Chord Substitution and Reharmonization.I wish they would sell this book without the CD (with ear training and demonstration tracks). According the back jacket of the book, the book by itself is only 40 percent of the cost of the package. There is one great feature of the audio CD: the guitar part is balanced hard-right, so if you adjust the balance entirely to the left the guitar part is eliminated, allowing you to play the guitar part yourself.

I don't think this book is suitable for the absolute beginning guitarist, who has no prior knowledge of music. The very basics should be gotten if possible from a teacher or at least in an intro to music class.However, guitarists persistently put off learning music theory and it slows their development, often fatally (I'm speaking about myself here, up to a point, and I know many others are in the same boat). I'm talking about more than an ability to read at least a certain amount of music. I'm talking about knowing something about how music is put together and why it sounds like it does. And for the guitarist, I'm especially talking about understanding the construction of chords, the ideas behind harmony, etc.This book gives you what you need as a guitarist. It's not the typical music theory book that explains everything in terms of a piano. The examples use a guitar. The content is useful to the guitarist--- and I say that because even though there are many genres of guitar music, as different as night and day (heavy metal vs. classical is a nice example) the underlying theory is the same. You need to know scale construction, intervals, triads, all the good stuff of which music is made. You'll get it in this book if you're willing to do some work.Now, the book is fairly spare and if you want a very deep understanding you'll need one of those weighty theory books. That's up to you. But I can say my study of this book paid off from day one and I expect it to continue to do so. There's half a dozen 'aha' moments in every section.So take it seriously. You can't be a real musician without knowing some music. If you've been playing for six months or more, you're ready. Don't put music theory aside forever. Get your hands on the only theory book I've ever seen that is aimed at guitarists, put in the work, and reap the benefits.

I'm an intermediate beginner, or beginner intermediate, somewhere between them. This book seems well written so far Into 3 chapters.However:This book will not read on Kindle Cloud!Also the Audio files link's in the book will not open in my Lenovo Android Tablet with Android 8!I'm starting to get frustrated with some of the content on Kindle, there is often a problem, either these, or a book will have horrible grammar or many errors.This book doesn't appear to have many errors and it is well written, so why did they ruin it with blocking the cloud reader and blocking the audio files. I want my money's worth!i would recommend this book because even though it starts off with a fast pace and learning curve as far as the quizzes, you will learn things that other books overlook. He gets right to the point without a lot of verbal nonsense, but it is a pleasant read.I have no ding on the book, but Amazon please fix those two problems! I have to use the cloud because I practice in front of my tower computer and not being able to listen to the audio files is irritating.Also, please note that I have to use the cloud reader, I cannot use the PC App because I don't use that virus infested, buggy, unstable, update when you don't want to, OS called Windows. I use Linux only, and have done so for 3 and a half years now. Amazon needs to support Linux! And the writer should insist on making the sound files available to all people.I'm changing this to 4 stars rather than 3 because it might not be the fault of the writer that it cannot be read on the cloud reader. I am VERY disappointed about that. Not everyone has a tablet or uses a tablet when studying music, I NEED TO USE MY COMPUTER!!!The book deserves 5 stars but hasn't earned it because, despite you paying for it, you aren't given it except on certain systems. Fix this!!!