Best way to learn theory?

[Wesdutchmaster]

I am a decent guitar player I'd say. I gig, people enjoy it and usually think I have been playing a lot longer than the 4 years that I have. BUT I have no idea about time sigs, notes, modulation, patterns, etc. It might looks like I really do, but I don't. I just play. I would LOVE to know all of these things though as I feel it would make a me a much better player and perhaps also would make some things easier for me.

any suggestions on how to learn theory in the most efficient/effective way?

[grock]

it is honestly just a bunch of memorization. i started by just noticing little things that are common in music. like how EAB chords all show up in songs together. or how GCD are all together.

then i took a theory class and really learned how to read music. i can't site read but i can figure out notes and stuff when i have too.

i learned C scale and how to build the triads in the C scale. like Major is CDEFGABC. and chords are I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, viidim. (lowercase is minor, Uppercase is Major) so C chords are C Dm Em F G Am Bdim.

once you know how to build chords you can find them all over the fretboard.

now i combine my chords and scales and i know where resolution is with the chords and can solo with the scales. it is also good cuz you know which notes you can play out of the key by using VofV's and other substitutions (VofV is where you play the Fifth chord in the scale of the Fifth chord in the original scale. it often changes a minor chord to major for a second and adds some dissonance and color to a solo.) the hardest part is all the memorizing.

i must say taking a class was the way to go for me. it forced me to memorize those scales and how to read music because i had a grade dependent on it.

hope this helps some.

[Wesdutchmaster]

thanks!

yeah with those scales>>I have no idea about scales. I do know how to play chords everywhere across my guitar luckily though. And I can solo but only on the highest 3 strings :p