Guitar Music Theory Podcast By Desi Serna cover art

Guitar Music Theory

Guitar Music Theory

By: Desi Serna
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This podcast features free audio guitar lessons taught by Desi Serna, author of Fretboard Theory and Guitar Theory For Dummies. Learn how scales, chords, progressions, modes, and more get applied to the fretboard and familiar songs. Hear how to best get your playing skills in order. Begin to improvise and compose. Understand why your favorite songs sound so good. ➝ What do you specifically need to do in order to play guitar better? Visit the GuitarMusicTheory.com website to get FREE custom video instruction calibrated to your current level. Discover how to progressively play and sound better—today, in as little as 33 minutes!© 2025 Desi Serna Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • Ep183 What Is the Pentatonic Scale and Why Every Guitarist Should Master It

    Ep183 What Is the Pentatonic Scale and Why Every Guitarist Should Master It
    Feb 12 2026

    The pentatonic scale is one of the most essential tools in a guitarist's toolkit. In this episode, we break down what the pentatonic scale is, why it shows up in so many styles of music, and why it sounds so natural on the guitar. From Asian music to African drumming and Native American flute traditions, and then from blues and rock to country, pop, funk, and even metal, this simple five-note scale forms the foundation of countless riffs, solos, melodies, and hooks. If you want to improvise with confidence and move freely across the fretboard, mastering the pentatonic scale is a must.

    Lead Guitar Unlocked Book
    https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Guitar-Unlocked-Expressive-Pentatonic/dp/B0FY4XH4TP

    Free Video Course
    https://www.GuitarMusicTheory.com
    Show more Show less
    50 mins
  • Ep182 From Boston to Belmont – Mike Valeras on Guitar Education and Finding Your Lane

    Ep182 From Boston to Belmont – Mike Valeras on Guitar Education and Finding Your Lane
    Jan 23 2026

    In episode 182 of the Guitar Music Theory Podcast, I sit down with Mike Valeras, an adjunct guitar instructor at Belmont University here in Nashville, where he teaches commercial music and improvisation. Mike shares his guitar learning journey, early band experiences, and his formal music education, including earning both a music education degree and a master's degree. We talk about how he made the move from Boston to Nashville and ultimately landed his teaching position at Belmont. Growing up, Huey Lewis and the News was his favorite band, and today Mike is one of the guitarists in The Heart of Rock and Roll, the Huey Lewis and the News tribute band that I occasionally play with as well. It's a great conversation about musicianship, education, and carving out a career in music.

    Free Video Course
    Answer the question on my website to get a free video course calibrated to your current level. https://www.GuitarMusicTheory.com

    New Book: Lead Guitar Unlocked
    Master Expressive Soloing With the Pentatonic Scale. From basic patterns to pro-level phrasing—learn to play licks that speak and solos that sing. https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Guitar-Unlocked-Expressive-Pentatonic/dp/B0FY4XH4TP

    "Migus fa Dingus" by Mike Valeras
    Listen to Mike's music on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/track/0EPzrL1s8Fc1V3OFr6nqYn?si=e1598c276fe54b38
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    1 hr and 33 mins
  • Ep181 Top Hits of 2025 with Lila

    Ep181 Top Hits of 2025 with Lila
    Jan 3 2026

    In this episode of the Guitar Music Theory podcast, Desi is joined by his daughter Lila to look back at some of the biggest pop hits of 2025.

    Together, they explore why these songs connect so strongly with listeners and what guitarists can learn from them. From chord progressions and melodies to groove, phrasing, and feel, this conversation pulls musical ideas out of modern pop songs and translates them into concepts you can apply to guitar.

    Even if pop is not your main genre, these songs offer valuable lessons in simplicity, songwriting, and musical impact. Plus, this episode features a fun and honest father-daughter discussion that gives a fresh perspective on today's music.

    Whether you are curious about current pop trends or looking for new inspiration for your guitar playing, this episode offers insight, analysis, and plenty of takeaways.

    Email Desi
    https://www.guitarmusictheory.com/contact/

    Free Video Course
    https://www.GuitarMusicTheory.com

    New Book: Lead Guitar Unlocked: Master Expressive Soloing With the Pentatonic Scale
    https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Guitar-Unlocked-Expressive-Pentatonic/dp/B0FY4XH4TP

    Backing Tracks
    https://www.karaoke-version.com/
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 29 mins
All stars
Most relevant
years of experience are showing. this is a podcast for chilling out while doing chores etc. awesome insights and easy to follow instructions wit a lot of examples.

great podcast!

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The material in these podcasts is relevant to guitar players of all levels. Theory combined with songs is the best way to learn music and Desi does that with great clarity.

Best Guitar Theory podcast

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I always read the titles to these things and think, do I really care about that? The answer is YES! With Desi it's not just the main subject but all the ancillary info that I find so useful...every time! great job Desi, I really appreciate your work! keep it up, PLEASE KEEP IT UP!

As usual, Excellent Podcast

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Like the narrator comment you can take a two hundred and when you get the money replace the stock tunners with locking ones, and replace the bridge pickup. I also sent two days setting it pickup a set of diamond covered files and really spent time beveling, triming, and taking the edges off the frets to make it like an instrument which had money spent on it.

Cheap Ibenze Too upgraded main guitar.

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