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Guitar Rut Busters: Essential Theory

A step-by-step guide to essential fretboard patterns and music theory: radically improve your confidence and gain new insight into your playing.

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Does any of this sound familiar?

Playing the same things over and over.Every time you grab your guitar you play the same chord progressions and licks that you’ve had on loop for the last 6 months (or more!).

Losing your motivation.You’re a self-taught guitarist without the help of a teacher to guide you in the right direction.

Getting lost at the first mention of a minor 3rd? Flinching at the first sign of any technical terminology, thinking "it’s not for me”.

Paralysis at the prospect of jamming with friends. Unable to come up with an interesting chord progression or anything resembling a guitar solo.

Frustrated by all the conflicting information.Wasting time in a YouTube black hole watching lesson after lesson, thinking you’re progressing but not actually applying any of it in your own playing.


Sound like you? Then you've come to the right place!

Imagine if you could do the following:

  • Master the fretboard and have the notes down cold;
  • Create melodies that sound awesome because you knowing exactly which notes will work over any chord or progression;
  • Know instinctively which chords work well together (and why) to begin creating your own progressions and songs;
  • Learn songs by ear with a solid understanding of what chords and notes you can expect to find in any given piece of music;
  • Feel confident in your playing and jam sessions and be able to communicate your ideas to other musicians; and
  • Recognise why a piece of music makes you feel a certain way.

"Ry has a very relaxed, yet thorough teaching manner/skill, and his lessons are set at a pace that allows you to fully absorb their extremely accurate content. I am confident that anyone taking this course will definitely, and comfortably further their own level of guitar knowledge and ability, and will reap dividends from its content … I certainly did"

- Phil James, The Guitar Asylum Facebook Group

This course is the first step in getting you to all of these things.


But do you need music theory?


Simply put, yes you do! Music theory is not about learning rules or restricting yourself creatively. Music theory is about figuring out what makes music work!


There are lots of ‘light-bulb’ moments in store for you, I promise!

Your Instructor


Ry Naylor
Ry Naylor

Hey, I'm Ry Naylor and I am a British guitar instructor and professional transcriber based in Toulouse, France, with over twenty years of experience.

I am passionate about enlightening my students’ understanding of what they play through the application of music theory in a clear, concise and fun way.

This approach is behind my hugely successful Instagram account with over 26,000 followers, and my YouTube channel with over 24,000 subscribers and more than 2.6 MILLION views.


What’s included in the course?


  • Lifetime access to all the modules, and free updates to the course

  • Over 3 hours of in-depth video lessons with accompanying tab and on-screen fretboard diagrams

  • Support and feedback in our private Facebook Group

  • A comprehensive, 123-page PDF course workbook covering all the content

This course is not open for enrollment.

"I started with Ry’s fretboard knowledge eBook which he offered for free, and decided to sign up for ‘Guitar Rut Busters: Essential Theory’. What I found was a great course that teaches you the absolute basics of music theory, building a solid foundation for further learning.

Ry is not like other music teachers, he presents all the information in a clear and approachable manner. The interface is very clean and user friendly.

You can tell Ry wants everyone to be able to make music."

- Claudio Luis Vergara

Class Curriculum


  Building a Solid Foundation
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  Expanding upon the Essentials
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  Fretboard Mastery
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  The creation of melody from the Major Scale
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  Demystifying Key Signatures
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  Building Chords and Defining Keys
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  Creating Chord Progressions
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  Exploring in the Dark - The Minor Scale
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  The Power of Fives - Pentatonic Scales
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  An Introduction to Arpeggios
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  Bring all your Knowledge Together
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Who is Essential Theory for?

  • Late beginner/early intermediate players with limited understanding of the music theory.
  • Players who are keen to get under the hood and figure out the inner workings of music.
  • Players who want to grow as musicians.

Who is Essential Theory NOT for?

  • Intermediate to advanced players who have their fretboard memorised and can reel off the intervals of the Phrygian dominant
  • Hobbying guitarists that aren’t interested in taking their playing to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions


How long do I have access to the course?
Forever! Sign up for Essential Theory once and you'll have lifetime access to the course materials, which will be continuously reviewed and updated.
How will I access the course?
You get instant access to the ENTIRE course (videos and pdf manual) once you sign up.
What format is the course content delivered in?
The course is predominantly video, with an accompanying pdf manual that reviews and further develops the lesson content.
Can I download the videos?
The course videos can be streamed in web browsers or using the Teachable iOS app. The teaching content (pdfs) are downloadable, but not the videos (to protect them from being posted anywhere else).
Could I just find this information for free online?
You could, but it would take you a long time to get it in any sort of order that makes sense. Cherry picking content from YouTube and other sites doesn’t really get you on a clear path. With my teaching experience, I know exactly what you need to learn and in what order you need to learn it.
Is it really worth it?
Absolutely! There is SO much to learn in this course that would take weeks to cover with a private teacher. You’re getting it all for the price of a couple of lessons. You can be learning at your own pace from the comfort of your own home. You will have permanent access to me as well to ask any questions, as well as exclusive access to our Facebook group to share your experience.
Do you offer any refunds or guarantees?
If you are in any way unsatisfied with your purchase, let me know in the first 30 days and I will give you a full refund. 30 days?! Yep. I’m that confident that you’re going to love what I have to share with you!

Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) nailed it when he said:

"You practise technique to get your fingers to go where you want them to go.

You practise theory to understand where they can go and why."


This course is not open for enrollment.