Beat 1 = loud click · other beats = soft · chord changes on beat 1
Theory
Circle of fifths · keys · diatonic chords
Tap a key to explore it
C
C Major
Relative minor: A minor
Diatonic chords — chords that naturally belong in this key
Common progressions in this key
What is the Circle of Fifths?
Each key around the circle is a perfect fifth apart. Moving clockwise adds a sharp to the key signature. Moving anti-clockwise adds a flat.
Keys next to each other share most of their notes — which is why chord progressions that move around the circle sound smooth and natural.
The inner ring shows relative minors — every major key shares all its notes with a minor key a minor third below.
Why does this matter for licks?
When you know the key of a song, you know every chord that belongs there. That means you can use one scale shape over the whole song — not just individual chord tones.
Tap any key above to see exactly which chords belong to it, and which scale covers them all.
Song Analysis
Paste chords · get key, scales & lick ideas
Paste tab or chord chart — just the chord names are fine
Quick examples
Pop minor
Pop major
Hotel California
A minor diatonic
With borrowed chord
Techniques
How to play every essential technique
Amp Settings
Dialled-in tones for every style
Choose your style
Playing over a specific chord type?
Chord Diagrams
Fingering positions for every chord
How to read these diagrams
Each column = a string (low E to high e, left to right). Each row = a fret. ● = fret this string
× = don't play
○ = play open.
Numbers show suggested fingering (1=index, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky).
Practice Routine
Structured sessions for your level & time
Your level
Time available
Gear Guide
Strings · picks · what actually matters
Strings
Picks
Find Mine
Tell me about your playing
What style do you mainly play?
Rock / Metal
Blues
Country
Jazz / Clean
Acoustic
Mixed / All
How long have you been playing?
Under 1 year
1–3 years
3+ years
How does bending feel on your current strings?
Really hard / painful
About right
Too easy / floppy
Do you pick hard or light?
Heavy attack
Medium
Light / fingerstyle
Ear Training
Hear intervals · identify by sound
Intervals
Chord Quality
Relative Pitch
0
streak
Best 0
?
Press play to hear the interval
▶
?
Major, Minor, Dom7 or Minor7 — listen and decide
▶
Listen to the root note, then the mystery note
?
What scale degree is it?
Root
Note
Press Play, listen carefully, then choose. The interval plays twice — root first, then the second note. Train your ear to recognise each sound independently of the notes.
What are intervals?
The distance between two notes. An octave is 12 semitones. A perfect fifth is 7. Each interval has a distinct sound — once you recognise them by ear, you can work out melodies without a reference.
This is the skill that separates players who need tab from players who can learn by listening.
Fix It
Diagnose your problems · get specific drills
What area is the problem in?
Choose your problem
Capo Calculator
Any fret · see your real key
Capo position
Shape
Sounds like
Relative minor
Scale
How to use this
Put your capo on a fret, then tap that fret number above. The table shows what each open chord shape now sounds like in real pitch.
Example: Capo 2, play a G shape — it sounds like A major. Play an Em shape — sounds like F#m.
Why does this matter? If a song is in A but you want to use open G shapes, capo 2 gives you both. Tap any row to load that key into the Theory tab.
Pentatonic Boxes
All 5 positions · any root · major or minor
Minor Pentatonic
Major Pentatonic
How the 5 boxes connect
The five positions cover the entire neck — they all use the same notes, just starting from a different position. Box 1 connects to Box 2 at the top, Box 2 connects to Box 3, and so on.
Most players learn Box 1 and stay there. Learning all five and connecting them turns the whole neck into one continuous scale rather than five isolated boxes.
The CAGED connection shows which chord shape each box derives from — a useful way to remember where you are on the neck.
Why the pentatonic works
The minor pentatonic has 5 notes: root, minor 3rd, 4th, 5th, minor 7th. These are all notes that sit comfortably in most rock and blues contexts because:
• No major 7th — avoids the dreamy, unresolved sound • No major 2nd or 6th — avoids notes that clash with minor chords • The 4th and 5th are neutral — they work over any chord
The result is a 5-note vocabulary with almost no wrong notes. That's why it's the first scale every rock and blues player learns.
Scales
Every scale · full neck · intervals shown
Full neck
One box
Intervals
Progressions
20 essential progressions every guitarist needs
Metronome
Standalone click · tap tempo · subdivisions
72
BPM
60 — Slow
72 — Ballad
80 — Mid
90 — Rock
100 — Upbeat
120 — Fast
140 — Very fast
Time Signature
2/4
4/4
3/4
6/8
5/4
7/8
Subdivision
Quarter
8th notes
Triplets
16th notes
Accent Pattern
Beat 1
Backbeat 2&4
All beats
No accent
The most important practice tool there is. If you only use one thing in Fretwise, use this.