Every Sunday I write about things I learned the previous week. I try to do at least one deep dive on something I'm trying to learn and write it in my own words. Then I usually share some other random tidbits I picked up last this week.

Deep Dive

Guitar

The scale pattern I shared last week was just for major scales. Minor scales follow a similar pattern of:

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Triads

A triad is a three note combination that makes up chords and are built off of the scales:

• Major Chords: Root Note + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th (Frets: 0, 4, 7)
• Minor Chords: Root Note + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th (Frets: 0, 3, 7)
• Sus2 Chords: Root Note + Major 2nd + Perfect 5th (Frets: 0, 2, 7)
• Sus4 Chords: Root Note + Perfect 4th + Perfect 5th (Frets: 0, 5, 7)
• Diminished Chords: Root Note + Minor 3rd + Lowered 5th (Frets: 0, 3, 6)
• Augmented Chords: Root Note + Major 3rd + Raised 5th (Frets: 0, 4, 8)

Notice how the majority of these is just a change to the "middle" note. This is seen easily with the E and Em chords:

The only difference between the major and minor chord is that the 4th string is a G# in the major and an open G in the minor. So, that middle note in a major chord is a Major 3rd (G#) and in the E minor it's a Minor 3rd (G). In this particular case that is simply putting your finger down on the first fret of the G string for the major and leaving it open for the minor.

I'm still working on understanding harmonizing and the I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii° notation. Not ready to write that in my own words yet.

Progress Recordings

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Other Stuff

Misc

• The Ancient Greek concept of Thumos
• AI agents are editing wikipedia
• The Theory of Constraints
• Over The Garden Wall - I'm watching this with my 9-year-old (we're only about halfway through as of this writing) and it's so weird, quirky, funny, and just the perfect amount of creepy. We're really enjoying it so far

AI Disclosure

• I used AI to help build the html and css for the guitar chord diagrams in this post.
• I didn't mention it last week, but I'm using Claude to assist me in learning guitar: putting together weekly practice plans, explaining theory concepts, and answering questions I have.