The Guitar Dictionary - Lesson 1 - Language
Hi there!
Welcome to the Guitar Dictionary! If you're here, I assume you've watched the first video. If not, I’ve linked it below for easy access.
This lesson is broken down into three steps, with step 3 being a significant leap forward. Don’t worry about memorizing step 3 just yet—that’s not the goal right now. Instead, we’re focusing on building a foundational understanding of music theory. The aim is to recognize that each note has a unique relationship with every other note and to explore the patterns that help us identify them.
We’re starting to develop the "language" of intervals on the guitar. This shared language will make it easier to discuss and understand musical concepts as we progress. For now, a great first step is learning (and memorizing) the major scale in position one. The more we work through these ideas together, the more this language will become second nature. Over time, we’ll also explore other intervals and patterns.
Remember, this is a gradual process—there’s no rush. Slow and steady wins the race!
Now that I’m sure you’ve watched the video here is some extra work and content to look through from episode 1.
I’m very aware it is going to take some time to remember all of these intervals, it took me years. That being said I’ve got some recommendations.
Step 1
Learn this major scale shape, have it locked in and memorized. We want to start remembering all of these intervals in relation to the ‘1’ notes.
The best way to practice this is to say the numbers out loud as you play through the scale. It’s not glamorous practice, but if you’re serious about learning the guitar it’s a great starting point.
Step 2
Once you have memorized all the major intervals, it's time to focus on the flat intervals. Although these can be trickier to remember, I find that referring back to the major scale provides a helpful guide for identifying their positions. Below is a diagram of the major scale in first position, along with the corresponding intervals located near that major scale position.
Step 3
Yes, this is the final step, but it’s important to recognize that you won’t be able to remember all of these intervals in just one lesson. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Mastering these intervals will require time and practice, along with further exploration of different scales and shapes. I wanted to share this information to provide clarity on our direction.
The diagram below illustrates all the intervals on the guitar from various positions. Your '1' note can be located on any string, and the intervals surrounding it will morph depending on its position. Typically, these intervals maintain a consistent distance from one another; however, keep in mind that the G to B strings are tuned differently from the others, which alters the shapes by a fret.
Thanks for making it this far and checking this out! I want to stress that this final step, like step 2, won’t be learned overnight. However, the goal is to start grasping basic intervals and understanding the concepts we’ll build on in future lessons. In those lessons, I’ll continue to explain things using the language we’re developing together.
