The Base Block: What It Is and How It Works

The Base Block is Guitar Trainer's first exercise block and the entry point for any student, regardless of their level. It contains 1,356 exercises: 113 exercises for each of the 12 notes of the chromatic scale.

Why You Should Always Start with the Base Block

Even if you're an intermediate or advanced guitarist, the Base Block is the right place to start on Guitar Trainer. Not because the first exercises are hard, but because the progression is designed to build from a solid foundation. Skipping this stage means skipping the groundwork. And even the most accessible exercises can become challenging simply by increasing the tempo of the backing track.

How the Exercises Are Organized

The exercises increase in difficulty gradually. Each lesson sets the stage for the next, with no sudden jumps.

Every exercise exists in all 12 notes. Exercise 1 in C (C1), for example, has its equivalent in G, D, E, A, Bb, and every other note of the chromatic scale. The technical concept is exactly the same in each case — only the root note changes.

The Three Paths Forward

From each lesson, the system suggests three possible ways to continue:

• Vertical movement: move to the next exercise on the same note. For example, C1 → C2.
• Movement by fifths: move to the equivalent exercise on the note a fifth above. For example, C1 → G1.
• Movement by fourths: move to the equivalent exercise on the note a fourth above. For example, C1 → F1.

All three paths are valid. The choice depends on whether you want to deepen a concept by working it across all keys, or move on to new concepts within the same note.

A Logic That Repeats Across All Blocks

This way of organizing exercises isn't unique to the Base Block. All Guitar Trainer blocks follow a similar logic: exercises with a clear thematic focus, organized from easier to harder and spread across different notes or keys. When you reach a new block, the structure will feel familiar.

Related Resources

Access the Base Block directly at guitartrainer.academy.

Related post: How the Exercise Blocks Are Organized.