Music Theory For Guitar | 3 | Intervals
Added 2020-06-24 03:09:10 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
This is the third installment of my formal Music Theory For Guitar course. We get into what intervals are and how they are named. Check out the PDF attached below with a review section. Play along with some tracks on "Interval Practice 1." I also have "Interval Practice 2" coming later this weekend.
Check out this cool Online guitar interval quiz for practice recognizing interval shapes on the guitar.
Have a question? Ask on the weekly live Q&A, called Office Hours. Also, check out Practice Thoughts if you need help figuring out how to practice.
Here are the practice sections for this lesson:
Check out the community forum post about this specific lesson to ask questions, post pictures or audio, or to see what other people are saying about this lesson.
Lessons in this Series:
Music Theory for Guitar | 1 | Major Scales
Music Theory for Guitar | 2 | Minor Scales
Music Theory for Guitar | 3 | Intervals (current lesson)
Music Theory for Guitar | 4 | Circle of Fifths
Music Theory for Guitar | 5 | Major Triads
Music Theory for Guitar | 6 | Minor Triads
Music Theory for Guitar | 7 | Diminished & Augmented Triads
Once you're done with this series, you'll know enough to move on to:
Music Theory Monday & CAGED System Basics
Other helpful links:
Scott's Recommended Lesson Plan
Searchable Lesson Archive
How to Join the Community Forum
Scott's Jam Tracks
Scott's Main YouTube Channel
Comments
EADGCF. Its used by a amazing fusion guitar player named Tom Quayle. Hes the only one that I know myself and im sure there are a lot more players that use it!
Billy Pecoroni
2024-01-13 19:37:02 +0000 UTCIs there a tuning where all strings are a perfect 4th Interval?
Hazaldo _107
2023-11-16 13:42:04 +0000 UTCHi Wayne! Are you still enjoying your time here? Feel free to ask a question on the upcoming Office Hours post
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-11-08 20:11:18 +0000 UTChttps://www.patreon.com/posts/octave-shapes-38380886 Sometimes the search function doesn't work very well
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-11-08 20:10:42 +0000 UTCScott, I am on the interval lesson and don't see the the octave shapes you mention in this lesson. Is it named something different? LMK
Ty Eden
2023-11-08 18:43:16 +0000 UTCHi Scott! I'm nearly brand new to playing guitar. I've tried in the past but didn't have the right study material such as what you're putting out here! Thank you!! I appreciate your patience and effort in creating these awesome study and practice material. You're an excellent teacher. I'll be sure to ask questions as they come up. Hard to have questions when I don't know anything yet. I can tell you these practices cause me to memorize where keys are on the neck, which I think is really cool! Eager to learn more! I practice a good couple hours a day. I can't get enough.
Wayne Swan
2023-07-20 04:28:18 +0000 UTCI happened to try it at the wrong moment a few days in a row so I thought it was a permanent issue, but today, at this moment, it works just fine! Thanks for responding, you're the best!
Andrew Adair
2023-05-15 16:59:33 +0000 UTCHey Andrew - are you still having issues? Sometimes this will happen for Patrons for a few hours
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-05-15 16:57:26 +0000 UTCI'm having trouble with this video lesson and its corresponding practice sessions being "unavailable because of privacy settings". I remember seeing someone else make this comment at some point but I'm not sure what the solution was. Thanks for any insight! :)
Andrew Adair
2023-05-14 03:02:33 +0000 UTCThanks for the clarification.
Joe
2023-03-22 22:21:00 +0000 UTCJoe - great question. Divorce the concept from the scale and think of intervals as distinct measurements. A whole step is always a whole step. A minor third is always a minor third. You're basically asking me if two feet is always two feet, or if the measurement changes based on wether you're on the 1st floor or in the basement. It's always two feet. 3 half steps always a m3 and 4 half steps always a M3
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-03-22 22:14:40 +0000 UTCSo does the half step count apply to both a major and minor scale? In particular, do 3 half steps on either a major or minor scale = m3? 4 half steps on either scale = M3? ...
Joe
2023-03-21 22:41:12 +0000 UTCAs you work your way through Music Theory Monday, I think you'll see that it's more useful to think "I'm adding the 7th to the chord" rather than "I'm adding an E to an F Major chord" As a side note, adding E to an F Major triad results in an FMaj7, and adding Eb instead results in an F7. Two different kinds of chords, Major 7 and Dominant 7. MTM will help this make sense.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-09-09 15:43:29 +0000 UTCI am interested to know how my brain should be translating the fretboard whilst playing. Lets say I am playing an F chord and I want to include an extra E note in there, to make an F7 chord. Should my brain be saying "Let's add a major seventh to it", or should it be saying "Let's add an E note to it"? I feel as though it should be the first, but I find it difficult to work out which intervals are actually in key without looking at the scale. Is it common practice to look at the scale first to work it out, and remembering it is just something that takes time? Or is there a quick way of remembering which intervals are going to be in key?
Richard Stapleton
2022-09-09 08:37:08 +0000 UTCNoah! Intervals can cross many strings, but you can get an octave by spanning four strings edit: four OR three - depends on which strings - get that scratch paper out or check out this link to fiddle around a bit more for yourself: https://www.scottpauljohnson.com/scratch-paper
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-08-13 02:49:03 +0000 UTCCan intervals go across more than three strings?
Noah Smith
2022-08-12 20:28:26 +0000 UTCyeah! I think it's either thirds or sixths. Can't remember exactly at the moment.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-08-03 22:20:30 +0000 UTCI haven't figured the exact sequence yet but "Brown eyed Girl" - Van Morrison intro is nothing but interval practice. Kool!
Larry Furber
2022-08-03 04:11:10 +0000 UTCWhat I find so appealing about the tritone is that it is exactly half way between the root and its octave. And on the other hand the perfect fourth above the root is a perfect fifth below the octave and vice-versa.
Timm Delfs
2022-06-22 20:28:53 +0000 UTCThanks!!
Karl Rainer
2022-05-19 16:24:34 +0000 UTCHi Karl! Here you go: https://www.scottpauljohnson.com/patreon-content-blog/2020/6/22/octave-shapes?rq=octave
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-05-19 15:10:23 +0000 UTCMaybe I missed something obvious, but you mentioned a video on octave shapes and I can’t seem to find it. Could you send that link? Very helpful videos though!
Karl Rainer
2022-05-19 02:52:18 +0000 UTCOoo - - I could word that better. I think what I was attempting to convey (and what I'll likely do a better job to convey in an updated PDF) is this: Both scales share 4th, 5th and octave. And compared to a Major Scale, a minor scale has a flat 3rd, flat 6 and flat 7th. The intervals in a major key would be major 7th, major 6th, and major third and in a minor key they would be minor 7th, minor 6th, and minor 3rd. The one weird outlier is the 2nd, because both scales naturally contain a major 2nd interval. So all the other notes int he scale either have a static sounding name (like perfect 5th, perfect 4th) or a name thats easy to remember based on the major or minor scale (maj 6th, min 6th, etc. The 2nd is the only one where both major and minor scales contain a maj 2nd. You're not missing anything! Good catch. And I'll try to make that clearer in a future version. Thanks for being here.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-03-07 14:44:27 +0000 UTCI'm confused by page one of the pdf on intervals. It says that the major and minor scales have in common the 4th, 5th, and octave but I see that they also share the 2nd - or in the case of a C scale, they both share a D note. What am I missing?
Michael Stevulak
2022-03-06 23:29:57 +0000 UTCThanks Scott a little more time spent thinking and playing has cleared things up
Phil Butler
2022-02-17 18:31:24 +0000 UTCFor now, I think it's more useful to understand the concepts. If you find in future lessons that you need to brush up, you can come back and work on intervals a little more, but it's ok to move ahead to see the context a little more clearly. As for counting them, there are shapes that will always be the same for each interval depending on what string you start on.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-02-17 16:09:55 +0000 UTCHi Scott, i am a bit new to this and made it through Major and Minor scales no problem. But intervals are a bit foggy. Should the shapes in Practice Session 2 be memorised or is there an easier way to count them rather than keep going back to the root?
Phil Butler
2022-02-17 07:02:44 +0000 UTCSo I assume when you go through all of the notes like minor seconds Major seconds minor 3rds etc you are really showing the entire Chromatic scale right?
Michael Fox
2022-02-05 02:32:03 +0000 UTCIt is not always in reference to the root! I think you'll see what I mean in the triads lesson!
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-02-04 23:21:47 +0000 UTCQuick question. It seems whenever intervals are talked about it is always the distance between the root and the other notes of the scale. Is it always in reference to the root?
Michael Fox
2022-02-04 17:46:41 +0000 UTCI meant the higher E, but nvm i forgot from E to B it's a P4 and not a Maj3.
Micael Pinheiro
2022-01-25 23:47:24 +0000 UTCHello Scott, can you explain what i´m missing here: if you play first fret of lower E string and second fret of the G string, when i count the half steps i get 7 but this interval is somehow a min6 and not a P5.
Micael Pinheiro
2022-01-25 21:30:08 +0000 UTCOn the lesson archive, search for "octave shapes" - this concept is connected to the CAGED system in a cool way too. You can count up, but you'll ALWAYS end up with the same shapes all over the neck.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-01-11 18:49:14 +0000 UTCHey! Thats an awesome observation! That stuff really is everywhere once you learn how to listen for it.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-01-11 08:06:58 +0000 UTCModest Mouse - Dramamine I've been playing that song for like 2 years and just after this lesson realized the kind of looping run through the background of that whole song plays across an Octave (4th string G to 6th string G) and is a descending m3, M3, M3, M7 (low G)-> M3, repeat (it makes sense in my head). I'm sure that stuff is everywhere once you know to look for it but fun to actually connect the dots on something you already know.
Mike M
2022-01-09 19:15:42 +0000 UTCThis was so useful for me. My brain is stuck on what you said about the G and B being a M3 apart rather than a P4. Trying to rectify that with chord shapes / intervals is blowing my mind. It just seems like that would throw off the entire major and minor scale formulas (WWHWWWH, WHWWHWW) once you get to those strings. I'm sure I'm just thinking about it the wrong way. But is there a simple explanation somewhere to clarify that for me?
Ben Murray
2022-01-06 16:28:38 +0000 UTCThis lesson was very helpful! I was practicing the blues scale today thinking “how did someone just come up with a scale that automatically sounds bluesy?” Your descriptions of the different intervals helps demystify that a little bit. Thanks for the awesome content!
Cameron Still
2021-12-04 00:05:22 +0000 UTCGloria! If this one feels tough, no need for perfection before moving on. You can always come back to it after you gain a little more context in future lessons.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-09-12 21:31:36 +0000 UTCI have some work to do on this. I’m definitely not giving up.
Gloria Stout
2021-09-12 21:00:10 +0000 UTCThank you Scot, and one more question about couting steps. There are a lot of F on 6 strings, if i want to count the intervals of F note on a random string to the next one’s F, i can count steps linearly, but what about the other trings? I will have to count steps of every string or there’s another way to do it? Does the question make sense? Thank you
Hiep
2021-09-04 16:34:39 +0000 UTCThe practice videos help a ton! But you can also move on if you get the ideas and feel like you can recall the intervals with a little work. No need to have it perfect.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-09-02 15:58:49 +0000 UTCOnce you get through this series, check out "CAGED System Basics." That will help get a good mindset around this stuff. Sometimes intervals are too abstract when they aren't attached to a whole network of shapes, which I think you'll see more clearly in that lessons. Are you using this lesson plan: https://www.scottpauljohnson.com/scotts-recommended-lesson-plan
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-09-02 15:57:04 +0000 UTCI understand the concept, but I don’t have it memorized. Is memorization key at this point or will that come later with more repetition? I haven’t don’t the practice videos yet, I’m assuming that helps tremendously.
Mathias Olson
2021-09-02 15:54:56 +0000 UTCit takes practice! But you can move on to the next lesson once you feel like you're understanding the concepts.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-09-02 15:53:09 +0000 UTCI thought I understood, then I took the online quiz and failed miserably. Time to watch again.
Mathias Olson
2021-09-02 14:33:45 +0000 UTCFirst, thank you Scott for the very interesting lessions. Second, I have a question, from the lession I knew that all the strings are tuned a P4 apart except for G&B strings. And I can find specific shapes across the fingerboard, such as a P4 from G will always be on the same fret on the A. In short, I can see the patterns from 4 lowest strings E,A,D,G. But since the G&B strings are exception, is there any patterns or shapes on the G,B,high E?
Hiep
2021-09-02 11:09:21 +0000 UTCPractice Link 1 takes you to the patreon home page for me :(
Michael
2021-03-19 02:26:50 +0000 UTCI had the same question.
Goncalo Veiga
2021-03-10 20:19:44 +0000 UTCooo thanks I'll fix that right now
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-03-10 18:18:33 +0000 UTCPractice 1 link here goes to the wrong location - it takes you to Lesson 7 practice
Jon Slater
2021-03-10 01:07:26 +0000 UTCAny response? I believe you are correct.
Rusty Farrell
2021-02-23 22:30:23 +0000 UTCThat's what I was taught.
ken roberts
2021-02-13 09:45:30 +0000 UTCQuestion about the pdf. There is written, "If you play an open A and then play F on the 8th fret", you say that's a minor 3rd but isn't that a minor 6th ?
Andy
2021-01-11 16:17:27 +0000 UTCKind of nice the "Tritone Monkey Devil History". It's awesome! I can tell that between beers in a bar and people will think that I'am a cool guy! Interesting...
DeDé
2021-01-07 18:36:32 +0000 UTCI love you bro, thanks so much for creating this space. You are the best teacher I ever met.
Ismael Soruco Illanes
2020-10-29 07:31:22 +0000 UTCGot it. Thanks, Scott.
Konstantin
2020-09-03 09:52:31 +0000 UTCIts a MIDI Pickup, which I use mainly for making Tabs, but it can be used like a MIDI keyboard, triggering different sounds inside a computer. Pretty cool
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-09-02 19:59:05 +0000 UTCWow. I am sorry for off-topic but this question has been bothering me for long time. I see your strat with interesting pickup near bridge. Why do you use it ? And how does it call ? Also, I saw it in the following video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEj7en2l7g It seems the man even combines the signal from original pickup and additional one. Am I right ?
Konstantin
2020-09-02 19:04:56 +0000 UTCNice work Scott! It seems that you're finding your Patreon groove rather well. Keep it up!
Maxim K
2020-08-12 19:09:01 +0000 UTCRight? So fun
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-08-10 02:22:31 +0000 UTCThe quiz is strangely addicting! Noticed recognition improvement in minutes!!
Park Burford
2020-08-10 01:51:16 +0000 UTCThanks! Great lesson
ANDREA HANDLER
2020-08-03 15:05:03 +0000 UTCThank you SPJ!
Victor Parreiral Xavier
2020-06-30 21:00:13 +0000 UTC
