Fretlight
- Thread starter animal
- Start date
BattleAxeToTheDome
New member
Yes, I have an FG-421. It puts to dots you see in the above charts on the fretboard. Simple as that. If that would help you learn them faster, get one. If not, don't.
A
Anonymous
Guest
It's a matter of spending time coming up with stuff. There's no magic to it. I have put together solo riffs using the mode shapes that descend from the 19th fret on the high E to the third fret on the low E. You can do it too, but you have to put in the work...animal":2x3qz9qa said:
Steve
stratjacket
Well-known member
Yeah, there are many ways to learn the the fretboard with shapes and octaves and things like that. Love Paul Gilbert.
The cool little benefit of the idea I put above is that by learning those shapes, you essentially learn the modes.
The root note of each shape would the starting point for a "mode" within the major scale.
In the example I used the Gminor scale which is the Aeolian Mode (minor scale) of the A# major scale.
So Shape 1 would be the G Aeolian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 2 would be the A Locrian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 3 would be the A# Ionian (major A# scale) mode.
Shape 4 would be the C Dorian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 5 would be the D Phrygian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 6 would be the D# Lydian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 7 would be the F Mixolydian mode of the A# major scale.
So for people looking to move around and get out of the standard pentatonic shapes, if you're playing a chord progression, you can use those shapes to play riffs over each chord and make harmonies that stay in step with the chords. Without knowing the theory, you are actually following theory.
I don't claim to know much theory at all, but I suppose I use it with this. I figured the mode relationship way after I started using the shapes to learn the fretboard. I don't remember all the mode names, I actually had to google the mode names to write what I wrote above, but by knowing what Shape I'm in anywhere on the fretboard, I can move in any direction without much thought at all. And the added benefit is that I can say I'm using various modes to sound cool at parties
The cool little benefit of the idea I put above is that by learning those shapes, you essentially learn the modes.
The root note of each shape would the starting point for a "mode" within the major scale.
In the example I used the Gminor scale which is the Aeolian Mode (minor scale) of the A# major scale.
So Shape 1 would be the G Aeolian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 2 would be the A Locrian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 3 would be the A# Ionian (major A# scale) mode.
Shape 4 would be the C Dorian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 5 would be the D Phrygian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 6 would be the D# Lydian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 7 would be the F Mixolydian mode of the A# major scale.
So for people looking to move around and get out of the standard pentatonic shapes, if you're playing a chord progression, you can use those shapes to play riffs over each chord and make harmonies that stay in step with the chords. Without knowing the theory, you are actually following theory.
I don't claim to know much theory at all, but I suppose I use it with this. I figured the mode relationship way after I started using the shapes to learn the fretboard. I don't remember all the mode names, I actually had to google the mode names to write what I wrote above, but by knowing what Shape I'm in anywhere on the fretboard, I can move in any direction without much thought at all. And the added benefit is that I can say I'm using various modes to sound cool at parties
I am by no means a great, or even good, player but this is basically how I learned and it has helped me be able to play across the fret board and improvise once I know what key I'm in. I actually started with learning the shapes for the pentatonics and how they connected across the fret board and then filled in the diatonic scales and modes. The theory being that the pentatonic are really skeletons of the diatonics. They basically link, where the end note/fingering for one is the start of another. For instance, the minor pentatonic blues scales sits right next to the major pentatonic blues scale, so the end notes of the minor pentatonic shape are the starting notes of the major pentatonic shape.
I thought I read or watched something on how this is what Yngwie kind of does or taught in some fashion too.
I thought I read or watched something on how this is what Yngwie kind of does or taught in some fashion too.
-do you really want to -sound- like yngwie?... He can play scales so 'fast & technically proficient' that he sounds like IBM's -(ole)-big blue- its lifeless meandering with no direction, no tention, no-FUCKIN-soul!!!...... you dont have to know anything except what -sounds- good... I think the best lesson of this entire thread was that the music was THE BLUES,....... the -BLUE NOTE- is the magic,... THE BLUES is the polar opposite of "FAST & TECHNICALLY PROFICIENT" Its all about how it -sounds- its not a competition or a race,.... Your ultimate goal as a musician of any form is to move someone, to make them feel what you feel,...
-knowing every chord & scale is great for communicating with another guitarist or your bassist but it wont be some magic potion that makes you great, innovative, and the next HENDRIX or EVH,..... what theory teaches us are rules and guide lines, if you stick to those and work on speed & technique youll -sound- just like every other clone.
-we all know POWER CHORDS, -(usually)- 2 notes played together -(the root & 5th)- this works on any scale, make it bigger by adding the CHORD/SCALE KEY/ROOT notes 7th which is the exact same note an octave higher or change it up buy going an octave lower' grab a 3rd -(note)- or.-(chord)-(root & 3rd played together)- to throw it off balance,... Then a -REST- to add tension'!
-root, 3rd, 5th, 7th-(of any chord or scale will get you where you want to be)- were making this harder than it has to be.
-knowing every chord & scale is great for communicating with another guitarist or your bassist but it wont be some magic potion that makes you great, innovative, and the next HENDRIX or EVH,..... what theory teaches us are rules and guide lines, if you stick to those and work on speed & technique youll -sound- just like every other clone.
-we all know POWER CHORDS, -(usually)- 2 notes played together -(the root & 5th)- this works on any scale, make it bigger by adding the CHORD/SCALE KEY/ROOT notes 7th which is the exact same note an octave higher or change it up buy going an octave lower' grab a 3rd -(note)- or.-(chord)-(root & 3rd played together)- to throw it off balance,... Then a -REST- to add tension'!
-root, 3rd, 5th, 7th-(of any chord or scale will get you where you want to be)- were making this harder than it has to be.
SpiderWars
Well-known member
I'm glad you bumped this sg guy. I searched up and down for stratjacket's post itt and could never find it.
shredhead7
Active member
I know, necro bump, but great information here. The key to really getting your improv stuff together is to take the time and learn the alphabet as stratjacket pointed out. When I was learning the modes in the 80's I took one shape at a time. So the Gmaj scale in the first position (Ionian mode). This would start at the 3rd fret of the low e string, three notes per string (see stratjackets diagram). I learned that pattern from E string to Estring and then tried to improvise using just that pattern and those notes. I used a very cheesy Emin Cmaj chord progression a la Dokken to improv over. It will sound way too happy because the major/Ionian scale is the happiest of all the modes. I did this for ten - fifteen minutes on day 1. On day 2, I started with 5 minutes of seeing if I could remember the pattern and then added pattern 2, the Dorian mode (see stratjackets diagram for the 2nd pattern). I once again did the same thing. Rinse and repeat for the next 7 days, but don't stop repeating the process for the next few weeks and months. This isn't fun, it's brain work and home work, but you WILL see the fretboard, I promise you. After memorizing these, MEMORIZE THEM, you simply move pattern 1 up or down the next to the root key. This pattern is G (3rd fret), if you wanted to play in the key of Amaj (move it up to the 5th fret) and play crazy train, it's all right there in those patterns.
Once you have those down, you will start to recognize the shapes of solos that you may already know. If you own a tab book, find a song in the key of Gmaj (look for only one # on the notation staff, that is the key of Gmaj). Play along to that song using these patterns. Dokken songs like In My Dreams and Unchain the Night are both good examples, as is Love Song by Tesla. As I mentioned previously, slide the patterns up two frets to the key of A and play Crazy Train, or read along with the tab and look at how they solo corresponds to the patterns. With the exception of the last run, the solo is almost exclusively diatonic (within the pattern).
Once you have those down, you will start to recognize the shapes of solos that you may already know. If you own a tab book, find a song in the key of Gmaj (look for only one # on the notation staff, that is the key of Gmaj). Play along to that song using these patterns. Dokken songs like In My Dreams and Unchain the Night are both good examples, as is Love Song by Tesla. As I mentioned previously, slide the patterns up two frets to the key of A and play Crazy Train, or read along with the tab and look at how they solo corresponds to the patterns. With the exception of the last run, the solo is almost exclusively diatonic (within the pattern).
stratjacket
Well-known member
Thanks man, I’m really glad you found it useful. Made my day...
animal":3egfuhgf said:
I bought one of the fretlight strat models back in the day on ebay, out of curiosity.
You needed an ac adapter with a heavy ass wall wart for the lights, the one that came with it was like 6 feet long, so it was not meant for stage use, obviously.
The neck had a weird feeling to it, and was fatter than any strat neck ever because of all the shit stuff inside for the lights.
It was a piece of junk apart from the novelty of the lights. It was cool to have a visualization of these modes on the neck and all, but if they guitar plays terribly, its not really fun anymore.
i got rid of it pretty fast. this was like 15 years ago.
not sure if they ever made higher end fretlights, or a revamped product since then.
it played like a 90's era korean import, which of course in those days, was much worse than now.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
Fleshlight threads should be over in OT...
Oh, fretlight.. My bad..
Oh, fretlight.. My bad..
very cool Brent.
here is something that might help as well. Its how I learned the scales/modes. I learned it from a Doug Marks "metal method" corse back in the day before they named it the caged method.
I don't get the whole "G","D","E", shape thing they are referring to. I always called it position 1,2 etc. Which they do have it labeled that way as well.
If you look closely you can see what stratjacket is doing inside these shapes
https://www.guitarhabits.com/the-5-majo ... positions/
And with these shapes, 1 is the Major scale, 2 is Dorian minor, 3 is Mixolydian, 4 is Phrygian, and 5 is aeolian or natural minor
here is something that might help as well. Its how I learned the scales/modes. I learned it from a Doug Marks "metal method" corse back in the day before they named it the caged method.
I don't get the whole "G","D","E", shape thing they are referring to. I always called it position 1,2 etc. Which they do have it labeled that way as well.
If you look closely you can see what stratjacket is doing inside these shapes
https://www.guitarhabits.com/the-5-majo ... positions/
And with these shapes, 1 is the Major scale, 2 is Dorian minor, 3 is Mixolydian, 4 is Phrygian, and 5 is aeolian or natural minor