Did you purchase an old version of Fretboard Theory and are you wondering what has changed in the latest version? If yes, then I explain everything that has been recently added to the Fretboard Theory series and how you can–as an existing customer–complete your collection at a discounted rate.
2005: Fretboard Theory
The red book, Fretboard Theory, was first released in 2005 and although I have released a few revisions since then, these revisions only included correcting a few typos and updating a few URLs. Other than that, the content has not changed and you don’t need to replace any early edition of the book you may have.
2006-2007: Four DVDs
A year after releasing the Fretboard Theory book I began releasing DVDs based on chapters from the book. These DVDs included:
- Getting Started with the Pentatonic Scale DVD
- CAGED Template Chord System DVD
- Guitar Chord Progressions and Playing by Numbers DVD
- Guitar Modes – The Modal Scales of Popular Music DVD
These video programs, which total 9 hours in length, provide video instruction for only Fretboard Theory chapters 2, 3, 6, and 8. For several years, I sold Fretboard Theory packages that included the red book and four DVDs. It looked like this:
2013-2014: Fretboard Theory Volume II
In 2013, I released a new book called Fretboard Theory Volume II. At nearly 200 pages, it picks up where the first book leaves off and introduces additional topics that are critical to understanding guitar music at a higher level.
Within a year of releasing Fretboard Theory Volume II, I finished work on a series of videos related to the book, but I did something different this time… Instead of selecting only a few chapters from the book to cover on DVD like I did with the first volume, I filmed video instruction for the entire book following its contents chapter by chapter. This video instruction totaled 12 hours in length and was sold as an 8-disc DVD set along with the purple level two book. The bundles used to look like this:
2016: Fretboard Theory Vol1 Completed
After selling a complete video series for Fretboard Theory Volume II for a while, many of my customers requested that I offer video instruction on all of the missing first level book chapters too.
So, in 2016 I released five new video programs that cover all the previously missing Fretboard Theory Volume I chapters including:
- Ch. 4: Minor CAGED System and Combining Chord Forms with Pentatonic Patterns (130 min.)
Learn how to convert all the major CAGED chord forms to minor, and learn how to combine chord forms with pentatonic scale patterns so that you can jump into a scale pattern from any chord shape on the fretboard. - Ch. 5: Major Scale Patterns (158 min.)
I walk you through all the major scale patterns in the book, plus add three-notes-per-strings patterns and chop-building melodic patterns (a.k.a. picking sequences). You see how to finger, transpose, and practice the patterns using backing tracks. I provide links to good songs to learn. - Ch. 7: Apply Scales and Chords to Progressions (90 min.)
Play along with me as I demonstrate how to choose scales to fit with chords and progressions. Hear the difference between how the pentatonic and major scales sound. - Ch. 9: Music Intervals For Guitar (125 min.)
Play in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths. See which familiar songs feature intervals and add new sounds to your riffs and solos. - Ch. 10: Add Chord Tones and Extensions to Chords (201 min.)
Move beyond basic major and minor chords to play chords with more depth and color. Learn what all those little numbers next to chord names mean and play in the style of many familiar songs. Add chord tones and extensions to all CAGED chord forms.
This 2016 video footage totals 12 hours in length. When combined with the original 9 hours of Fretboard Theory 1 video instruction, the whole first level now totals 21 hours. This brings the total length of video for both Fretboard Theory volumes to 33 hours!
As I went back and revisited the first volume of Fretboard Theory and planned its new videos, I decided to go beyond the book by adding more information and more examples, which is why the first level video series is now so long, but nobody’s complaining. In fact, the response has been great and everyone tells me how much seeing and hearing everything in action helps to put all the book’s content into better perspective.
2016: Video Streaming Added to New Member Area
Also new in 2016 was a rebuilt area of my website where video customers can log in to stream the videos online or download them for offline use. But in 2018, I moved the entire Fretboard Theory video series to Gumroad, which is a hosted service that replaces my member area.
2016: Everything Released on DVD
Also in 2016, I made all Fretboard Theory 1 and 2 videos–both old and new–available on DVD. But I have since discontinued DVDs, because it’s 2018 and no one is buying DVDs anymore. Instead, everyone wants instant access to video downloads and streams.
2018-2019: Oldest Video Footage Updated
In 2018 and 2019 I re-filmed the following Fretboard Theory video chapters:
- Chapter 1: Notes On the Fretboard
- Chapter 2: Pentatonic Scale Patterns
- Chapter 3: CAGED System Chords
- Chapter 6: Chord Progressions and Playing by Numbers
- Chapter 8: Modes
These updated videos include instruction that is very similar to the old videos. The only difference is that the audio and video quality is greatly improved and I embedded all needed figures directly in the video. If you have already completed the older versions of these video programs, you do not need to complete the instruction again in its new form, unless you think you could benefit from a refresher course. Your call.
(2018 also saw the release of my video course, Guitar Picking Mechanics, but this is not part of Fretboard Theory. Guitar Picking Mechanics is sold separately.)
2018-2019: Member Area Moved
In 2018 I began selling the Fretboard Theory video series on a hosted platform called Gumroad in order to move away from the member area on my website.
In 2019 I began selling Fretboard Theory on Teachable. This is the platform I intend to stick with moving forward.
Today: What Do You Need to Buy?
So the big question is… What do you need to buy in order to complete your Fretboard Theory video collection so you don’t miss out on any instruction you need? If you’ve purchased a previous version of Fretboard Theory, then review the history above, make note of what you have and what you don’t have, then send me a message through my contact form and tell me what you need. I’ll follow up with a special link so you can complete your collection and get access to everything on the latest platform at a discounted rate. 😉
If You’re New to Fretboard Theory
If you’re new and want to learn more about Fretboard Theory, enroll in this free introductory guitar theory course.
FREE Music Theory