Fretboard Harmony

Fretboard Harmony

by Bruce Bishop

Fretboard Harmony by Bruce Bishop is a book that provides an approach to modern harmonic relationships that is unique to the guitar, creating the foundation necessary for a complete understanding of music theory as it relates to the guitar fingerboard. Designed for the elementary and intermediate player, this book does not require the ability to sight-read.

The book is divided into two sections: text and workbook. The text section is presented with a minimum of verbiage, the workbook section is comprised of simple exercises designed to promote assimilation and utilization of the information provided in the text.

Topics covered: Sharps, flats and enharmonics; symmetrical scales and technique exercises; the five pentatonic scale patterns; the “relative minor” relationship; pattern movements within I, IV, V progressions; intervals and their symbols; the fretboard geometry of intervals; the major scale and its role in present-day music; chords, chord progressions and chord substitutions; chord inversions; 15 common major-scale-type chord progressions; 45 real-world, useable chords diagrammed and explained; the five major scale patterns; root positions of the five major scale patterns; detailed presentations and analyses of three songs; the “D” tuning, with diagrams of 40 practical chords; line progressions, diagrammed and explained; passing chords, ascending and descending; contrasting major and minor keys; understanding minor progressions; and commonly used chord types in minor progressions.

It is recommended that players practice and study at least one hour per day to reap the maximum benefits from this book.

If you use this book, a contribution of $20 would be appreciated. You can pay with a credit card or PayPal by clicking on the button below.

PDF of complete text (without sound files)

Each link below leads to one portion of the text. Most of these have the option of playing audio files of Bruce Bishop explaining the material on a particular page. You start these audio explanations by clicking on a speaker icon like the one below. The sound files will not play in all browsers. They are most likely to play in Safari on MACs and Internet Explorer for PCs. If the files are going to play, when you click on the speaker icon. it will open a control panel for the sound. If the PDF files open in your browser instead of the Acrobat Reader, you may need to download the files and open them in Acrobat to hear the sound files.