♪
Fret
Logic
Fretboard
Practice
Shapes
Glossary
Roadmap
Learn
EN
Auto
Glossary
Every music theory term explained. Tap a term to expand it.
All (41)
Analysis (3)
Arpeggios (3)
Chords (11)
Fundamentals (4)
Guitar (7)
Harmony (7)
Improvisation (1)
Intervals (6)
Practice (1)
Scales (7)
Technique (3)
Theory (3)
Note
A single musical pitch.
Fundamentals
▼
Semitone (Half Step)
The smallest interval in Western music — one fret on guitar.
Fundamentals
Intervals
▼
Whole Step (Tone)
An interval of two semitones — two frets on guitar.
Fundamentals
Intervals
▼
Octave
The same note at a higher or lower pitch — 12 semitones apart.
Fundamentals
Intervals
▼
Interval
The distance between two notes, measured in semitones.
Intervals
▼
Third
An interval spanning 3 or 4 semitones. The building block of chords.
Intervals
Chords
▼
Fifth
An interval of 7 semitones. Gives chords stability and power.
Intervals
Chords
▼
Scale
An ordered set of notes that defines a musical key.
Scales
▼
Major Scale
The 'ruler' of music theory — all other scales and intervals are measured against it.
Scales
▼
Minor Scale (Natural)
A scale with a darker, sadder quality than major.
Scales
▼
Pentatonic Scale
A 5-note scale — the most used scale for guitar soloing.
Scales
▼
Blues Scale
The minor pentatonic with an added ♭5 'blue note.'
Scales
▼
Mode
A scale pattern starting from a different degree of the major scale.
Scales
▼
Key
The 'home base' of a piece of music — which scale its melody and chords come from.
Harmony
▼
Diatonic
Notes or chords that belong naturally to the current key.
Harmony
▼
Chromatic
Notes outside the current key — creates tension and color.
Harmony
▼
Relative Minor
The minor key that shares all the same notes as a major key.
Harmony
▼
Chord
Three or more notes played together.
Chords
▼
Root
The note a chord is built from — its foundation and name.
Chords
▼
Triad
A three-note chord: Root, 3rd, and 5th.
Chords
▼
Seventh Chord
A four-note chord: triad + 7th.
Chords
▼
Inversion
A chord with a note other than the root as the lowest note.
Chords
▼
Voicing
The specific arrangement of a chord's notes on the fretboard.
Chords
Guitar
▼
Power Chord
A two-note 'chord' using just the Root and 5th.
Chords
Guitar
▼
Roman Numeral Analysis
A system for labeling chords by their position in a key.
Analysis
Harmony
▼
Scale Degree
A note's position within a scale, numbered 1 through 7.
Analysis
Scales
▼
Chord Tone
A note that belongs to the current chord.
Analysis
Improvisation
▼
Arpeggio
The notes of a chord played one at a time instead of strummed together.
Arpeggios
▼
Arpeggio Shape
A specific fingering pattern for playing an arpeggio on the fretboard.
Arpeggios
Guitar
▼
CAGED System
5 movable chord/scale shapes based on open chord forms: C, A, G, E, D.
Guitar
Chords
▼
Circle of Fifths
A diagram showing all 12 keys arranged by the interval of a fifth.
Harmony
Theory
▼
Circle of Thirds
The musical alphabet arranged in ascending thirds: A-C-E-G-B-D-F-A...
Theory
▼
Barre Chord
A chord shape where one finger presses across all (or most) strings.
Guitar
Chords
▼
Tuning
The pitch assigned to each open string.
Guitar
▼
Fret
A metal strip on the guitar neck that divides it into semitone intervals.
Guitar
▼
Alternate Picking
Strict down-up-down-up pick motion regardless of string changes.
Technique
▼
Economy Picking
Picking that follows the direction of string changes for efficiency.
Technique
▼
Sweep Picking
A continuous pick motion across multiple strings — used for fast arpeggios.
Technique
Arpeggios
▼
Chord Progression
A sequence of chords that forms the harmonic structure of a song.
Harmony
▼
Transposition
Moving a musical idea to a different key while keeping the same intervals.
Theory
▼
Metronome
A device that clicks at a steady tempo to help you practice timing.
Practice
▼