Learning to apply the guitar number system to chord progressions will literally kick down the door to mastering the guitar fretboard.

Below is a guitar chord key chart the major and minor keys. A chord key chart outlines the diatonic chords, or the chords that naturally occur in a given key. Chord charts are useful when trying to figure out the key of a song.

In this lesson, we’re going to break down the main riff from Snow (Hey Oh) by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. While it’s known for its level of difficulty what I like so much about it is the cool use of triads to create an uptempo, groovy riff.

Chords within a given key have a function, or role they play within the key. Understanding these chord functions can help you understand why some chord progressions sound good while others sound not so good.

Arpeggios are a great tool to use when soloing over chord changes or adding fills to rhythm sections. However, when and how to apply them can be a little confusing.