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scales and theory


renablistic

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I'm stuck. For teh past year or so I've been teaching myself gyuitar with no ones's help. And surprisingly, I've gotten really good. But there's a problem... bands... I can seem to play along well when I'm listening to a good band, but when i play and write for myself it sorta isn't perfect. So what i need is help. (and i don't have money for lessons) so if anyone could give me quick lessons on soloing, especially. namely blues solos and Metallicaish stuff. And tabed out scales, and little lessons of theory, stuff like that, i just wanna be able to play with a full band....

Thanks ahead of time!

-John

:D

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I posted this link several times before... but you probably missed it back then when your thinking on the subject was summerized by this:

I love to play the blues, but i hate scales and theory and all that bull crap.

:D

Note that that link is for the theory section of the website. Also note that there is a section on scales. While it'd probably be nice to have a teacher, since you can't afford lessons, use the web (that site is a good starting point.) Peruse that site and ask questions here if you need something explained.

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I would suggest first clearing your mind of the road block of "I have to learn all this stuff or else I'm no good". You really don't have to know everything at once, just take a single step.

You first lesson in soloing is "play one note the right way one time" (Phil Sudo).

Jam to one of your favorite records and just find that one note that fits. Pour your guts into it. Make that one note scream. Make it soft. Play it with a wide vibrato. Slide into it. Bend it. All you have to do is play this one note the right way one time.

Repeat.

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i think hes searching for a quick fix.

here are a couple licks ive picked up that are easy

BTW all of them can be used anywhere on the neck except for where you bend 7 up to 5. if you have strong fingers maybe its a very fast motion.

 

---------------5^(1/2 step)-3------

--------------------------------------5

---------------------------------------

---------------------------------------

---------------------------------------

---------------------------------------

Thats called going down a minor 3rd. very common in the blues.

www.all-guitar-chords.com learn the pent. minor/major/dorian here

another quick lick

---------------------

-----5----------------

----------7(bend full step)

---------------------

---------------------

---------------------

repeat fast.

Another

for srv rockabilly/johnny be goode esque thing

------0------------------

------0------------------ after doing the slide either go to open e or open b

-2/4 (barely touch strings very fast)

another country blues

---------------------

--------------------10

--------7 (h) 9 (bend up full step)(bend down back to 9)

----------------

----------------

----------------

thats all for now. and if you want to play with local bands learn how to play in key. by learning scales.

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i find that petonic scales are really useful for soloing, heck, just start anywhere and pull petonic scale, couple bends, slides it sounds decent!

heres the petonic scale, hopefully:

E-----------------------5-8-------

A------------------5-8------------

D--------------5-7----------------

G----------5-7--------------------

B------5-7-------------------------

E- 5-8-----------------------------

Try that, differrent spots on the fretboard, different tunings, i usually start slide down on the B to about 15 then start the petonic scale there, and bend, slide, hold, stuff like that, it doesnt sound the greatest, and it aint Zakk Wylde or James Hetfield or anything, but its a start!

Curtis

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If you want to be able to move up and down the fretboard without going out of key, learn the various modes and where they are positioned for the key of A minor (or any other key). Once you have memorized the shapes of the modes and where they are positioned for a certain key, moving them for another key is simple - they all stay in the same position relative to eachother - just moved up or down the fretboard.

Do a search on "modes" maybe throw in Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolidian, .... (I'm too tired to remember all of the names right now).

The basic idea is to think of things in terms of shapes instead of memorizing where every note is on the fretboard. It's a great way to get started. Eventually, you should try to learn more theory if you want to be an "accomplished" musician but to learn to solo and have fun playing - learn the modes. It will get you going pretty quickly.

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just to complete out dave's thought its is ionian (major) dorian , phrygian lydian mixolydian, aeolian (natural minor) and locrian. But I think modes might be a little too far ahead of you right now. try learning your minor diatonic and pentatonics in 1 position, Then do 6 positions. then try modes. as a quick reference on one of the scales mentioned, the sequence of intervals for the natural minor (or diatonic minor) is (w= whole step or two frets, h= half step or one fret)

w-h-w-w-h-w-w

example in notes a-b-c- d-e-f- g

or in other words a to b is two frets b to c is one, I think you'll get the point

diagram: :D

e----------------------------------5-7-8- #= fret

b----------------------------5-6-8------- (#)= a choose in notes play one or the

g---------------------(4)5-7------------- other in sequence, not both.

d----------------5-7-(9)-----------------

a----------5-7-8-------------------------

e----5-7-8-------------------------------

Hope that helsps, if not pm me and ill see what i can do!

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Try to extrapolate C-A-G-E-D from below B):

(Clue: The above scale that wylde1919 posted is the "G")

      O         O                 O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

  II  | O O O | |        V  O O X X X O        VII  O O O O | O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      O X O | O X           | | | | O |             X O | | X X

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      | | | O | |           O X O O | O             | | O X | |

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      O O X X X O           X O | | O X             O X X O O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      6         1           6         1             6         1


          O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+ 

   X  O O X O O O      XII  O O O X O X

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      | | | | | |           O | | | X O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      O O O X O X           | O X O | |

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      O | | | X O           O X O | O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      6         1           6         1

Confused yet! :D

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Thanks guys! Well, I'm not searching for a quick fix, i'm looking to become a better player over time. I have found someone to teach me theory over the net. I'm i am very happy.

Thats called going down a minor 3rd. very common in the blues.
I do that all the time!!!!

And about the pentatonic scale, yes i do know that.. it is gret for soloing. hell, the dude from the doors (don't know his name) used it all the time for improv solos!

thanks everybody!

-john

:D

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My advice would be to make sure you learn all 5 positions of the pentatonic scale inside out, and then move on to something a bit more complex like the natural minor scales. Its a common beleif the harmonic scale is good for metal improvisation.

Also, im sure you know 'the blues scale' ? :D

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I found learning 'box pattern' scales were easier to grasp at first. The minor pentatonic 'blues scale' is a cool, fairly easy one to remember. You can do all kinds of cool things with it like double stops and learn 'turn arounds' when soloing in blues progressions.

I found that learning all the 'box patterns' and root notes in a particular scale and key was fun but started sounding the same in all my solos so I found ways to slide, bend or just jump to another box pattern.

This also got me outta the box, so too speak, and helped my solos alot. Passing tones are cool notes that can allow you to move between scales or box patterns and spice things up a little. These notes aren't always what's found in the box pattern but make for cool transitions when soloing or playing licks.

B) Just remember that theory is a valuable tool but they are only guidelines, not rules that can't be broken. :D

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Try to extrapolate C-A-G-E-D from below :D:

(Clue: The above scale that wylde1919 posted is the "G")

      O         O                 O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

  II  | O O O | |        V  O O X X X O        VII  O O O O | O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      O X O | O X           | | | | O |             X O | | X X

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      | | | O | |           O X O O | O             | | O X | |

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      O O X X X O           X O | | O X             O X X O O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+             +-+-+-+-+-+

      6         1           6         1             6         1


          O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+ 

   X  O O X O O O      XII  O O O X O X

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      | | | | | |           O | | | X O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      O O O X O X           | O X O | |

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      O | | | X O           O X O | O O

      +-+-+-+-+-+           +-+-+-+-+-+

      6         1           6         1

Confused yet! B)

It's funny I never heard of the c-a-g-e-d system until after I had already delved pretty far into theory. But yeah seeing you diagram it, It's alot easier to understand than how i put it! :D

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I found that if you want something to sound, interesting, using a series of slides, bends, harmonics, pinch harmonics and trills often make something sound amazing, or horrible, there is a fine line between amazing and horrible, look at Zakk Wylde, he is amazing, look at Jimi Hendrix, amazing, they both use bends slides and harmonics,

Just saying, improvise with some!!

Good Luck

Curtis

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First off, just like they suggested you really need to get a grasp of the minor pentatonic scale and know all 5 different scale positions, then learn how to slide into, out of, and all around all those scales.. lol Then I'd move onto the Major scales, learn all 7 positions of that scale, then master switching or sliding around each one. It will help you break out of the box patterns. After you've got a good grasp of those scales, you'll be able to move them around to play different modes and scales.

I did notice you saying that you can't really play along with a band with confidence. That's ashame since more than ever there are such great guitar play along books with tab and cd. I think the Hal Leonard Guitar Play-Along series is awesome. What's so good about these books? We'll first off, you get a totally accurate tab of each song. Each song has 2 tracks to it. The first one that plays has all the leads and rhythm guitar in it for you to listen to. Then second one has just the backing band, which lets you play what you've learned over it. And let me tell you, they nail the songs so good, that you think they are the original except you realize that no one is singing.. lol The neat thing is that it comes with a program that will slow down each track as much as you want without changing the pitch while the CD is playing. Very neat. So you can really get a feel of the track by hearing it slowed down, you can play along with it and increase the speed until your wailing. The good thing about the Play-Along book and cd is that most of them only cost 12.95. Here is a list of the ones I bought, simply to have fun jamming along.

Blues Rock : Hey what can I say I like the blues.

Modern Rock : Great for rhythm practice.. lol

Hard Rock : Crazy Train, Sweet Child O' Mine, Smoke On The Water? Who wouldn't like to jam out on those? :D

Also you might want to check out JamTrax's Web site they have some killer play along books, but cost a bit more.

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