Hey & welcome to GT! Glad you are working through the fundamentals courses!

Originally Posted by: C.tascioneOk so I started Core 2 and the first lesson totally lost me with the...
1 half step is a minor second or flat
2 half steps is a second
3 half steps is a minor or third flat
Etc....

Do I need to commit this to memory?

No, you don't have to memorize all that in order to go forward! :) This tutorial is just an introduction to the idea of intervals. I'm showing you how the guitar works.

As a beginner the only info you need to go forward are these main points:

1. We measure distances in music as intervals. From one note to another note is some distance that we call an interval.

2. The basic intervals (or units) that we use to measure the distance between any two notes is a half step (a distance of one fret) and a whole step (a distance of two frets).

3. As we go up the frets, we shorten the length of the string and that raises the pitch of the notes that are played.

And that it! :)

Now to get more specific! I start with intervals because they are the foundation of music theory. As you go forward, we will apply this info about intervals to learn that that scale and chords are formed from certain combinations of intervals. Intervals are how we measure distances in music. Intervals are why sounds happen that we can use to make music.

I start the intervals tutorials & the scales tutorial by showing all the notes on one string. This is to show the student that there is a distance between each note.

Each fret is a specific, unique distance from the open string note. Each is labelled as a certain interval & unique sound. However, since we can play the same note in more than one place on the guitar, then I show how to find some of those intervals by moving to a different string, instead of merely up & down one string.

When you get to the scale tutorials, I show how to use the idea of intervals to play a certain group of notes in order to make the very important sound of a major scale! Again, I start by showing all the notes on one string, then I show how to play those same notes by moving to a different strings.

So, don't worry about memorizing all that info at first. If you keep going forward through the courses you will eventually get a chance to memorize them one at a time. And more importantly, use them to make music!

Hope this helps. Please ask more if necessary & best of success!