The Problem Isn’t Theory — It’s the Order
Most players analyse music backwards.
They begin with:
chord labels
local progressions
isolated harmonic details
But music doesn’t work that way.
Composers think structurally first — and performers should too.
A Clear, Top-Down Framework for Analysing Any Piece
This Analysis Guide gives you a practical, repeatable method for analysing repertoire in the right order:
Start with the big picture
Form, sections, tonal areas, and overall structureThen look at phrase structure
Periods, sentences, cadences, and how ideas are shapedFinally, examine harmony
Chords understood in context, not isolation
By reversing the usual approach, theory stops feeling abstract and starts explaining what you’re actually playing.
Why This Changes Everything
Using this framework helps you:
apply theory directly to real pieces
understand structure more quickly
memorise music more easily
make clearer interpretive decisions
practise with greater purpose
Instead of asking “what chords are here?”, you start asking
“what role does this section play in the piece?”
That’s when analysis becomes musical.
Who This Is For
Guitarists who’ve learned theory but struggle to apply it
Players who feel stuck analysing repertoire they’re already practising
Teachers looking for a clearer way to teach analysis
Musicians who want analysis to support performance, not replace it
What You’ll Get
A clear, step-by-step analysis framework
A top-down way of thinking you can reuse on any piece
A bridge between theory knowledge and real music
No busywork.
No over-analysis.
Just a way to make sense of music more clearly.