HOW TO VISUALIZE CHORDS & SCALES: A simple, step-by-step method

How does the quirky tuning of the G and B strings affect scales and chords? Learn to traverse "the warp" and use the circle of fifths to navigate the fretboard with 80% less memorization. See how it applies to triads, the pentatonic scale, and soloing in the blues.

[Errata: The E major triad is mistakenly labeled as an F major triad at around 3:00. Also, in the circle-of-fifths section, there are 4 step sizes that visit all 12 notes, not 3 as stated (1, 5, 7, and 11 semitones).]

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► Recommended video viewing order:

Individual videos:

► Keywords: guitar lesson, music theory, circle of fifths, circle of fourths, pentatonic scales, triads, blues soloing

► Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Movable Shapes
00:50 - Old-school tuning
02:04 - "The Warp"
02:45 - Moving Triads
03:15 - The Circle of 4ths/5ths
05:05 - Moving Pentatonics
06:05 - The Infinite Fretboard
06:52 - Moving the Blues

► Thanks again to Dave DiCenso, Jeff Gilman, and Jake Shapiro for the intro/exit music "Sea Horses" from the Kilgore Trout Sessions.

[fretscience]

If you're new to the channel, I'd like to offer a warm welcome!
🎸🧪🤘

[ruedihuber]

80+ years old and I get these insights now, after too many years with understanding the theory but not how to put it into practice. Better late then.... THANKS

[boriskrasnov]

The animations and diagrams are exactly what my brain needed for it to finally to click after YEARS of not getting it. I just needed an engineer to explain music theory to me. I’m so blown away I spent $30 for all of the cheat sheets on his site, glad I did.

[danielsalas]

The shifting concept accross the different forms of the penta is a real revelation !

[henrymartinez]

Best explanation I have ever seen about how to use patterns and scales, everything started clicking!

[jwilder]

This was more useful than 99% of all YouTube videos about the fretboard

[randomdude]

I was jaded with all the tutorial videos with clickbait titles, everything is easiest, fastest, bestest ... But this one is truly the best, liked and subscribed

[anonymus]

This is the first comment I've ever written simply because you changed my (guitar) life. I couldn't memorise the patterns for over a month, but it just clicked with the video. Thank you so much!!!

[mrb.]

Can't thank the YouTube algorithm enough for washing this into my feed. Can't thank you guys enough for providing one of the biggest eye-openers in the last few years to me. Very well explained and visualised. All of a sudden I can map my way on the fretboard without knowing anything about boxes or positions. This literally brings it all together and is all you need. Big thumbs up!

[AirPHX]

Teaching is a art form and not everyone can do it.
This guy and channel is by far the absolute best and clearest guitar teacher on YouTube. You have successfully taken the mystery out the guitar fretboard. Thank you so much for making these videos and blog posts. You have made a huge difference in my understanding of the guitar already. Keep up the great work!!!

[johnmitchelljr]

Nothing greater than a great teacher. You are a great teacher. Thank you for sharing.

[Claudio.forte.t]

I am an IT guy and I knew there was a logical way to understand frets disposition. You are the first one who revealed it an explained it so beautifully. Thank you so much. Looking forward new videos.

[frankbrannen]

Best explanation of Pentatonics and the whole fretboard on YouTube. Everything makes so much more sense now

[everettkight]

Using the Circle of 4ths to memorize the fretboard is the most amazing, elegant, and simple trick that I can't believe I'm only now hearing for the first time. It made clear in 10 seconds what 10 years of playing somehow failed to. Well done man, and please keep up the good work!

[awittypilot]

While looking for the "AHA" moment I'v learned a lot. This is one of those moments for me. Putting down the scale patterns and shifting the neck UNDER it opened my eyes to whole new idea. This will help to visualize the whole fretboard. It won't make my fingers move any quicker or instantly improve my creativity but it will sure give me something totally new to work with. Thanks for the great idea! I'll bet my solos will get better

[matthewg]

This clicked for me for the first time last year and i have never seen someone explain it on youtube so clearly. Once i realized the tuning system was like "software" for guitar, you load up a tuning system and that produces all the shapes of chords/scales everything made sense. Thanks for this, going to be showing this to anyone that wants to start learning guitar.

[wagonet]

Honestly mind blown 🤯. I just realized I need to find more content in this visual manner. Such a clear explanation of something that felt too mysterious for a non music person

[ChanokchaiChauychoo]

Your content is easiest to digest. It take genius to do that. You are phenomenal

[gridlock]

The final chapter of this video is perhaps the most useful tip I’ve seen in 15 years of playing guitar. Should be mandatory education for the primary school kids who think blues is boring/basic (that was me!)… it turns that simplicity into a tool for mastery of the fretboard. Bravo on this explanation

[thoughtprovoking]

I can't thank you enough for this. I already understood the circle of 5ths on the fretboard but I didn't mentally connect the pentatonic positions relative to the circle of fifths. This is gold! 👍