THEORY OF WESTERN MUSIC

Scale
Guitar scales are organized sequences of notes played in an ascending or descending order that help you build
finger strength and dexterity. Practicing guitar scales also make you more familiar with the notes on your fret
board, develop your musical ear and provide a framework for creating melodies for your own original songs.

What exercises should I begin with?

Before we begin, it's important to do a warm up. You wouldn't run an entire
marathon without doing some stretches or get your heart rate up first! Same goes for
guitarists.

A great exercise for beginning guitarists is the 1-2-3-4 exercise. This is a notorious
exercise that guitarists ranging from skilled to beginner add to their daily routine.

What's the 1-2-3-4 exercise?

Start out by putting your first finger on the high E-string on the 1st fret with a down stroke. Then while staying
on the high E, place your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret and do an up stroke. Next you'll use your 3rd finger on the
3rd fret with a down stroke. Finally, use the pinky or 4th finger on the 4th fret and do an up stroke. Keep your
fingers on that same string but place the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th frets with your remaining fingers. Your strumming
hand will be doing an alternating down, up picking stroke.

What is octave in a guitar?

The distance between the first and eighth note is called an octave. This octave distance can be broken down
into 12 semitones (on a guitar, each fret is one semitone.) ... Octave Pattern: The shape created on the
fretboard when you locate a note and find its closest octave on another string.

Name and Numbering the Strings

The first string is the thinnest string, and you’ll count the strings in order, so the thickest string is your sixth
string. Like the numbering system for the strings, learning the names is a bit counterintuitive because most
people learn the strings from the sixth string to the first string. (PTO)

The name of the thickest string, the sixth string, is E. Moving on, the fifth string is A, fourth is D, third is G,
second is B, and then the first string is E.
Parts of the Guitar

Guitars are made up of tone woods, strings, hardware (metal and plastic), and electronics — all working
together to create a music machine. Every guitar is a little different, but there are three fundamental parts —
the headstock, the neck, and the body. In this article, we’ll examine and explain all three parts and their
components.
 Chapter -1
C Major Scale
Like all scales on the guitar, the C major scale consists of different finger positions. ... There is a
different scale position for each of the notes in the C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, and B). Each note of
the scale has its own position. In this lesson, we'll cover six C major scale positions.

C Major Scale Positions

Like all scales on the guitar, the C major scale consists of different finger positions. In order to play the scale,
you’ll build up finger dexterity to breeze through touching your fingers to the right frets in order to play a C
major scale.

There is a different scale position for each of the notes in the C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, and B). Each note
of the scale has its own position.

1. Open Position

When playing C major in the open position, you’ll keep your fingers confined to the first three frets.

Use your index finger to play the notes on the first fret, your middle finger for notes on the second fret,

and your ring finger for notes on the third fret.

2. 1st Position

C major in 1st position adds in the fourth fret. You can see the notes you’ll play in this position in the
diagram below.
3. 4th Position

Playing C major in the 4th position will require more finger

movement, but learning this position will allow you to improvise
and play notes up and down the guitar neck! In 4th position, you’ll
use your index finger to play notes incorporating the fifth fret; you’ll
use your middle finger to play the notes on the sixth fret, your ring
finger to play the notes on the seventh fret, and lastly, your pinkie
to play the notes on the eighth fret.

To play the notes on the third string, you’ll need to shift your
fingers. Move your index finger to the fourth fret to play the B note
and use your middle finger to play the C note on the fifth fret. You’ll
play the D note on the seventh fret with your pinky. Then, shift your
index finger back to the fifth fret on the first and second strings.

4. 7th Position

Playing C major in 7th position uses the seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th fret. While this sounds like
you’ll incorporate a lot of new frets, this position actually requires less shifting around compared to 4th
position.

5. 8th Position
When playing the C scale in the 8th position you’ll use the 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, and 13th frets. ( you should find
by your own)

6. 12th Position
In 12th position, you’ll use the first four fingers to play the notes on the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th
frets as shown below. . (You should find by your own)
Lead
Lead which means the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within
a song structure. The lead is the featured guitar, which usually plays single-note-based lines or double-stops.

We have studied two songs with guitar lead, those are given below:

1. Bless the Lord oh my soul

2. Sthothiram yesu natha

C Major’s Relation Chords

C majors relative chords are C Major, F major and G major

C Major F Major G Major

C Major’s Accidental Chords

Pattern 1 Pattern 2
C major C major
E minor E minor
F major A minor
D minor F major
G major G major
G7 C major
C major

Diagrams for the chords

E minor D minor G7 A minor

Strumming

4/4 Rhythm
If you’re just beginning, the first exercise you should practice is to do a down-strum on each beat (or quarter note).
So, the strumming pattern would look like this:
1 2 3 4 ,...
d d d d ,...
Try changing chords every measure, or after every four down-strums. If you have to pause to change chords, that’s
ok – just keep practicing and eventually your chord changes will happen in time.
The next pattern you might try looks like this:
1 2 3 4 ,...
d udud udu dd,...

6/8 Rhythm

1 2 3 4 5 6
d d d u d d -> Try changing chords every measure

C major song exercises

1. Song – Thirukarathaal thangi

Scale : C major | Strumming Pattern - d udud udu dd | Timing Signature – 4/4

C A Dm
தி�க்கரத்தால் தாங்கி என்ைன
thirukkaraththal thangki ennai
G C
தி�ச்சித்தம் ேபால் நடத்தி�ேம
thirussiththam pOl nataththitumE
Am F C Am
�யவன் ைகய�ல் கள�மண் நான்
kuyavan kaiyil kaLimaN nan
Dm G C
அ�தின�ம் வைனந்தி�ேம
anuthinamum vanainthitumE
C7 F C Am
�யவன் ைகய�ல் கள�மண் நான்
kuyavan kaiyil kaLimaN nan
Dm G C
அ�தின�ம் வைனந்தி�ேம
anuthinamum vanainthitumE
2. Song – All To Jesus I surrender
Scale : C major | Strumming Pattern - d udud udu dd | Timing Signature – 4/4

C F G C
All to Jesus I surrender
Am F G C
All to Him I freely give
C F G C
I will ever love and trust him,
Am F G C
In His presence daily live

CHORUS:
Am Dm G C
I surrender all, I surrender all
C Am F C G
All to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender
C
all.

C F G C
All to Jesus I surrender,
Am F G C
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
C F G Em
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Am F G C
Truly know that Thou art mine.

CHORUS:
Am Dm G C
I surrender all, I surrender all
C Am F C G
All to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender
C
all.
3. SONG – 10000 Reasons

Scale : C major | Strumming Pattern - d udud udu dd | Timing Signature – 4/4

INTRO

F.-.C..|..G.-.Am..|..F.-.C..|..Gsus.-.G

CHORUS

F C G Am
Bless the Lord oh my soul oh my soul

F C Gsus- G
Worship His Holy name

F Am F G Am
Sing like never before oh my soul

F G C
I'll worship Your Holy name

VERSE.1

F C G Am
The sun comes up it's a new day dawning
F C G Am
it’s time to sing your song again
F C G Am
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
F C G C
Let me be singing when the evening comes
4. Song – Um azakana kangal
Scale : C major | Strumming Pattern - d udud udu dd | Timing Signature – 4/4
C Em
உம் அழகான கண்கள் என்ைன
um azhakana kaNkaL ennai
F G
கண்டதாேல
kaNtathalE
C Em
��ந்த ெதன்� நிைனத்த நான்
mutintha thenRu ninaiththa nan
Dm C
உய�ர் வாழ்கின்ேறன்
uyir vazhkinREn
C Dm
யா�ம் அறியாத என்ைன
yarum aRiyatha ennai
Em Dm
நன்றாய் அறிந்�
nanRay aRinthu
F Dm G
ேத� வந்த நல்ல ேநசேர
thEti vantha nalla nEsarE

(...உம் அழகான
...um azhakana)

C Dm
�க்கி எறிப்பட்ட என்ைன
thUkki eRippatta ennai
Em Dm
ேவண்�ெமன்� ெசால்லி
vENtumenRu solli
F Dm G
ேசர்த்�க் ெகாண்ட நல்ல ேநசேர
sErththuk koNta nalla nEsarE

(...உம் அழகான
...um azhakana)

C Dm
ஒன்�மில்லாத என்ைன
onRumillatha ennai
. Em Dm
உம் கா�ண்யத்தாேல
um karuNyaththalE
F Dm G
உயர்த்தி ைவத்த நல்ல ேநசேர
uyarththi vaiththa nalla nEsarE

(...உம் அழகான
...um azhakana