I need to learn how to play…

  • Thread starter Thread starter JackBootedThug
  • Start date Start date
I also bought this book way back in the day, and it did the trick.

https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Scales-Modes-Dave-Celentano/dp/0931759595
0931759595.01.S001.LXXXXXXX.jpg
Available on kindle…hmmm…
 
learned everything by ear but I just do what I do…if that makes any sense.

I don't know shit and I got over 10 years on you.
Seriously, you've been in bands and learned songs.
You already play all that stuff - you just can't name it as you go along.

Long time ago when Jeff Beck was touring with Jan Hammer, Narada Walden, and those other world class
musos he was complaining on a flight to Walden that he wished he knew music theory like those guys.

Walden basically told him to STFU and that the most fun he had playing was when he wasn't thinking
about theory and/or the musically 'right' things to be doing. Told him knowledge would kill his style.

Early 50s? Another 10 years you're gonna start forgetting anything you learn today anyway.
Just play man!
 
I gotta say I strongly disagree with the idea that it’s pointless to learn new music stuff later in life —

Learning new stuff, and the learning process itself, is a great way to maintain mental sharpness,

and musically speaking, expanding your abilities will always be beneficial, because it gives you more tools to work with

The best players I know are all older guys who put the work in to learn and practice every day
 
I gotta say I strongly disagree with the idea that it’s pointless to learn new music stuff later in life —

Learning new stuff, and the learning process itself, is a great way to maintain mental sharpness,

and musically speaking, expanding your abilities will always be beneficial, because it gives you more tools to work with

The best players I know are all older guys who put the work in to learn and practice every day

Not only that but just listening to drastically different styles of music. Some of my best material was written when I was on an East Coast Rap/Progressive House/Miami Bass kind of kick.
 
*Reported*




















This belongs in the Theory subforum

















Just kidding bro. :lol:

I struggle with the theory stuff too. Actually, what Donnie said is the best advice he's ever given. :yes:

Pick some songs you like. Look up the tabs. Watch the youtube vid where they slow it down. The one with the chicks doing it, like on Reels, makes it more fun to watch too.
 
Really beating the major scale and degrees into your head probably makes for the best ease of use. Once you have the intervals down there's not much standing in your way on paper.

Figure out where your unison notes are and you can apply it anywhere on the fretboard with relative ease.
 
I almost took a theory class in college as an elective and I really wish I would have. A bunch of music majors had a band and they invited me up to jam during practice....can't remember what song it was but I knew it. Anyway the dickhead bass player says "I'm having a hard time with this, let's play it in F..." or something like that. I was done. Fuckin prick. Years later my bud who was the guitarist, and a killer one at that, always brings up the first time we met. We were jamming and I jokingly said "you really need to pick up the pace and play that fuckin thing, what your doing ain't cuttin it bro. Like this man...." I was joking with him but we had just met and he thought I was like this intense, really good player. Said I absolutely intimidated the hell out of him. Fuckin hilarious cause he could smoke me every day of the week and twice on Sunday. I always thought that was hilarious...cause I don't know shit....
 
I almost took a theory class in college as an elective and I really wish I would have. A bunch of music majors had a band and they invited me up to jam during practice....can't remember what song it was but I knew it. Anyway the dickhead bass player says "I'm having a hard time with this, let's play it in F..." or something like that. I was done. Fuckin prick. Years later my bud who was the guitarist, and a killer one at that, always brings up the first time we met. We were jamming and I jokingly said "you really need to pick up the pace and play that fuckin thing, what your doing ain't cuttin it bro. Like this man...." I was joking with him but we had just met and he thought I was like this intense, really good player. Said I absolutely intimidated the hell out of him. Fuckin hilarious cause he could smoke me every day of the week and twice on Sunday. I always thought that was hilarious...cause I don't know shit....
That’s pretty funny re: pick up the pace etc

Like others have said, playing by ear is really the king skill, not all musicians are good at it, and when you have that skill you’re already better than 95% of players

My own ear is garbage, I probably woulda been rattled too haha!
 
I can see the smoke coming out of the OPs ears.

Jheez. Scale it down and just esouhplane easier.

I just learned them from chord shapes and intervals.

Basically play around the chords.
Use the scales as a general road map.

Probably I think only 2 notes in any key are off limits.
So your chances are pretty good
 
I don't know shit and I got over 10 years on you.
Seriously, you've been in bands and learned songs.
You already play all that stuff - you just can't name it as you go along.

Long time ago when Jeff Beck was touring with Jan Hammer, Narada Walden, and those other world class
musos he was complaining on a flight to Walden that he wished he knew music theory like those guys.

Walden basically told him to STFU and that the most fun he had playing was when he wasn't thinking
about theory and/or the musically 'right' things to be doing. Told him knowledge would kill his style.

Early 50s? Another 10 years you're gonna start forgetting anything you learn today anyway.
Just play man!
Not unlike Allan Holdsworth that created his own system for guitar. Works great for him, good luck for the rest of us.

Here's his Lesson #1:



:confused:
 
my goal is to "walk" up and down the neck in key....if that makes sense. I have always used the boxes and some random added notes that "work", that are outside of the boxes if that makes sense. Depending on the key I just change box positions. Open or 12th fret "E", 5th fret "A"...3rd fret "G"....blahblah.....not sure if I'm making any sense. edit-just noticed I'm really overusing the word "sense"....lol....
 
my goal is to "walk" up and down the neck in key....if that makes sense. I have always used the boxes and some random added notes that "work", that are outside of the boxes if that makes sense. Depending on the key I just change box positions. Open or 12th fret "E", 5th fret "A"...3rd fret "G"....blahblah.....not sure if I'm making any sense. edit-just noticed I'm really overusing the word "sense"....lol....

To any one with real theory under their belt this will probably look dumb.

Standard pentatonic in A (low string to high by fret)
5-8, 5-7, 5-7, 5-7, 5-8, 5-8

Now try this:
4-5-8, 4-5-7, 4-5-7, 4-5-7, 4-5-8, 4-5-8
Then this:
5-8-9, 5-7-8, 5-7-8, 5-7-8, 5-8-9, 5-8-9

Now jam in A using the standard pentatonic but every now and then sneak in one of those odd notes.

BAM! Instant Scott Henderson! :D
 
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To any one with real theory under their belt this will probably look dumb.

Standard pentatonic in A (low string to high by fret)
5-8, 5-7, 5-7, 5-7, 5-8, 5-8

Now try this:
4-5-8, 4-5-7, 4-5-7, 4-5-7, 4-5-8, 4-5-8
Then this:
5-8-9, 5-7-8, 5-7-8, 5-7-8, 5-8-9, 5-8-9

Now jam in A using the standard pentatonic but every now and then sneak in one of those odd notes.

BAM! Instant Scott Henderson! :D
I do 3-5-8, 3-5-7,5-7, 5-7-8, 5-7-9, 5-7-9......I think that's the pattern I have learned to work with over the years.....that's for "A"....I just move it around for whatever key....
 
I do 3-5-8, 3-5-7,5-7, 5-7-8, 5-7-9, 5-7-9......

That's extending the pentatonic scale. You mentioned 'outside' notes.
That's what the one fret shift thing will do. It'll sound outside to the listener
and all you're thinking about is adding or subtracting 1 fret on a scale you've
played a million times.

Cool thing with the notes on the 4 is it's a quick half bend to get to the right note on the 5.
It's so stupid easy yet it really can sound like you know what you're doing once you start
thinking about the right places to add or subtract the one fret. (y)
 
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