>>NEWS FLASH!  FJi is now offering a 4-week intensive course on these subjects!  Get more information on the Course here.

“Theory*” is such a scary word for some.  “Mechanics” has way less fright factor… it is simply “the way things work” … musically speaking… explained in a clear and easy to understand, no-nonsense way as possible!

*The word theory, to me, means an unproven concept or belief… which makes no sense when applied to music, does it?  Though the philosophy of music is opinion and theory, the mechanics of music work in set ways.  Plain and, in general, pretty simple.  Your beliefs and feelings about music might be more in the theoretical realms, but not mechanics.  We’ll cover that stuff elsewhere.

Topics to be covered: (I’ll update the links to these lessons as I upload and edit them!).

>Chord Speller – Learn how to quickly and easily spell chords on the fly!
>natural notes
>Why Major is MAJOR (a BIG deal)!
>1/2 & whole steps
>intervals
>tonic
>The Note Number System
>Drone strings
>triads
>diatonic triads
>chord symbols
>modes
>pentatonic scales
>chord number system & I – IV – V
>key signatures
>time signature
>the golden rule of all music notation & theory – What’s it FOR?
>A417 – Is Today’s Standard Pitch correct?
>Fiddler’s Tab
>Harmonica Tricks for Violin – thinking in a different key
>9ths, 11ths &13ths – Second Octave Intervals

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Here an auto generated list of every post that has the Music Mechanics category assigned to it!  They might not all be lessons that are directly Music Mechanics or Music Theory, but have at least some element where these subjects are addressed or further experienced.

• Don’t beat up your improvising!
• Jamming Level 1B amendment
• Standard Pitch – Does it REALLY Matter?
• Double Stop Tutorial – iFiddle Magazine Column
• iFiddle Mag Sit-In Situation Column
• Swamp Fiddle for iFiddle Magazine
• Moonlight Drive Jam Track
• iFiddle Mag Chord Basics Lesson
• Cool Grapelli ii-V Trick
• Ear Training Foundations
• Experience Path – Three Cajun-Zydeco Tunes
• Modern Bluegrass Player Path
• MM101-A417 – Is Standard Pitch Correct?
• MM101-Chromatic exercises and lines
• MM101-Why Major Scales are “MAJOR”
• Circle of Fifths explained
• Circle of Fifths Loop Track
• Taking it Outside in Jazz
• iFiddle 2 – Scales, Arpeggios & Practice
• Music Mechanics – Learning Path
• Gigger Level Learning Path
• V7b9 Chord Substitution
• Modes lessons updated for AAP members
• Relative major of minor pentatonic
• Blues Scale Anatomy
• Music Mechanics 101 Course Homework Student Blog
• Chromatic exercises and lines
• My Path Suggested Learning Studies
• FJi Courses
• FJi Music Mechanics 101 Course
• All Major Pentatonic Approach
• Major to Blues scale conversion – Cool EZ fingering trick!
• Rhythm Changes – the standard of Jazz
• Fake Books – what are they?
• Tennessee Waltz – classic hit from 1950
• No Exit Strategy – Conflation CD Lesson
• Second Octave Intervals – 9ths, 11ths &13ths
• Cheater’s instant back-up tater-ing – how to
• Fiddle Jam – preparation – what you’ll need to know
• Harmonica Tricks for Violin – thinking in a different key
• Non-Readers Info Page
• Reading standard “staff” notation
• Rhythm Reading
• Autumn Leaves – Jazz Standard
• Music Mechanics Lesson List
• Red Haired Boy
• The Joy of Awareness – G.F. Perry tune
• Modes
• Weeblo’s Wooble jazz tune
• Juke Gypsy – G.F. Perry tune
• Tri-Tone Substitutions
• Bone Bossa by G. F. Perry
• It’s Time to Go jazz tune by G. F. Perry
• Boozoo – traditional cajun/zydeco tune
• THE lick?
• Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
• Half & whole steps – explained & put to use
• Arpeggio Training
• Moods of the Modes
• Tatering Level 2 – – adding double “drone” strings
• Tatering level 3 – chord tone double stops
• Tatering level 1 – play the name of each chord
• Tater Section
• Musical Priest – Irish/Celtic tune
• Riff Master Pro software discount for FJI members!
• iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – I Progression Studies
• III7-VI7-II7-V7-I Exercises
• Slur Exercises – Essential Elements Book 1 Pg. 29
• Mr. Sandman
• My Blue Heaven
• Hungaria
• Limehouse Blues
• Stompin’ at Decca
• Melodie Au Crepuscule
• I’ll See You In My Dreams
• Babik
• Bossa Dorado
• Django’s Castle
• Daphne
• Douce Ambiance
• Noto Swing
• Swing De Paris
• Bellville
• Sheik of Araby
• Swing Gitan
• Coquette
• Micro
• Undecided
• Nuages – famed Django ballad
• All of Me
• Cello & Viola – fingering conversion charts
• LeLuppe Bonzino – Gypsy Tune
• Sweet Sustenance – Gypsy Tune
• Fully Diminished 7th Studies
• A417 – Is Standard Pitch Correct?
• Fiddler’s Tab
• Octave Science
• What is a Beat?
• It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it ain’t got that swing)
• Beethoven Minuet in G
• I – IV – V Chord Number System
• Why Major Scales are “MAJOR”
• Note Number System
• Shave Endings
• Acadian Two-Step
• EZ-Chord Speller System
• Wit & Wisdom “MARY and the RHYTHM KINGS”
• Blackberry Blossom
• Music Mechanics & Theory
• Loop Tracks
• Clinch Mountain Back-Step
• That Fiddle Sound
• Gigger Level