Anyone ever had an "AHA!!!" moment?
- Thread starter jcj
- Start date
ttosh
New member
jcj":1fxo5tq0 said:As I guy who's been playing a long time, and NEVER really understood what I'm playing, I'm curious if anyone in a similar situation has ever come across something that just made things click.
Looking REALLY forward to any replies/suggestions!
A big aha moment for me was when I finally understood the standard modes to the Major scale and which chords worked best with which mode, which also made me understand chord construction a lot better. The whole area of constructing chords and modal usage really opened a lot of doors for me when it comes to writing and improvising as well as understanding what somebody else is doing. Learning solos have gotten easier as I still do a lot by ear, but after you peg in on a few notes and patterns you can pretty much know the modes they are using and then learning the rest of the solo becomes easier and adding your own flair to it if wanted is really easy to me after understanding these things better.
ttosh":3lkae8gb said:jcj":3lkae8gb said:As I guy who's been playing a long time, and NEVER really understood what I'm playing, I'm curious if anyone in a similar situation has ever come across something that just made things click.
Looking REALLY forward to any replies/suggestions!
A big aha moment for me was when I finally understood the standard modes to the Major scale and which chords worked best with which mode, which also made me understand chord construction a lot better. The whole area of constructing chords and modal usage really opened a lot of doors for me when it comes to writing and improvising as well as understanding what somebody else is doing. Learning solos have gotten easier as I still do a lot by ear, but after you peg in on a few notes and patterns you can pretty much know the modes they are using and then learning the rest of the solo becomes easier and adding your own flair to it if wanted is really easy to me after understanding these things better.
I'm pretty sure I use modes all the time....and I don't really have a lot of trouble figuring out solos or patterns, it's more that I just don't get how it all links up....hard to explain, hence my frustration.
Feel like I'm just MISSING something, if that makes sense.
Oddly enough (or maybe not) it's MUCH easier for me to figure out solos than rhythms....easier to hear the single note lines, even if they're fast.
It's easier for me to "see" where someone is going in a solo vs. a rhythm.
Very frustrating, I suppose part of the problem is that I have a tough time even EXPLAINING it
Mailman1971
Moderator
My only "AHA" moment that I remember..........
I was 12 years old.....and figured out what how to read Tablature......
I was 12 years old.....and figured out what how to read Tablature......
Mailman1971
Moderator
You never know..........it just MIGHT HELP some struggling musician out there.....jcj":31ciekih said:Mailman1971":31ciekih said:My only "AHA" moment that I remember..........
I was 12 years old.....and figured out what how to read Tablature......
Yeah....real helpful there, Danno
Hell yes, My biggest AHA moment was going over my buddys house when I was like 12 years old and him producing his parents copy of Debbie does Dallas on VHS and slapping that artistic film into the magnavox. AHA!
garbagetruckdriver
New member
Awesome question! I had a lot of answers - many revelations made over the years relating to music theory and its application to the guitar - but then I boiled it all down to the most significant 'aha' moment - When I realised HOW I learn...
Sure, there's a lot of music theory to cover, and a lot to commit to memory. You also have to drill this stuff into your brain and fingers so that you can recall it instantly when playing. Music theory can seem intimidating when you start out, but it's not difficult stuff. If you can add 1 + 1, you have the mathematical acuity covered. Learning is fun when it feels easy - but it blows when you get forgetful and confused.
so, what I realised (and I am sure this is in a book somewhere) is that there are many ways info is presented to us. We all respond to some ways better than others. For instance, you may best remember what you see. Another person remembers best what they hear. Personally I think I am best when I physically touch or do something. For that reason, if the information I need to retain is written down, I write it down again in my own handwriting. The simple act of doing that helps my brain retain the info.
So figure out how you best retain information. DVD courses are interesting because you can see and hear and read and even play your guitar along while you watch... But zoom in on which one of those things you respond best to and drill in on that method. If you are like me, that means taking notes by hand.
I still have theory notes that I took down during lessons when i was 14. (30 years ago). I just moved house and found those notes again. I have never need to refer to those pages, as I have retained every piece of information on them in my head ever since. I even remember that I wrote them with a black and red Staedtler stick ball pen!
Sure, there's a lot of music theory to cover, and a lot to commit to memory. You also have to drill this stuff into your brain and fingers so that you can recall it instantly when playing. Music theory can seem intimidating when you start out, but it's not difficult stuff. If you can add 1 + 1, you have the mathematical acuity covered. Learning is fun when it feels easy - but it blows when you get forgetful and confused.
so, what I realised (and I am sure this is in a book somewhere) is that there are many ways info is presented to us. We all respond to some ways better than others. For instance, you may best remember what you see. Another person remembers best what they hear. Personally I think I am best when I physically touch or do something. For that reason, if the information I need to retain is written down, I write it down again in my own handwriting. The simple act of doing that helps my brain retain the info.
So figure out how you best retain information. DVD courses are interesting because you can see and hear and read and even play your guitar along while you watch... But zoom in on which one of those things you respond best to and drill in on that method. If you are like me, that means taking notes by hand.
I still have theory notes that I took down during lessons when i was 14. (30 years ago). I just moved house and found those notes again. I have never need to refer to those pages, as I have retained every piece of information on them in my head ever since. I even remember that I wrote them with a black and red Staedtler stick ball pen!
racerevlon
Active member
Matching up the pentatonic scales with the full scale modes and noting which pentatonic positions correspond to which modes, and being able to play the pentatonic scales but having the luxury of adding the two CORRECT notes from the mode to give my solos more depth.
Mailman1971
Moderator
Had one last night...jcj":2893ed4c said:Mailman1971":2893ed4c said:My only "AHA" moment that I remember..........
I was 12 years old.....and figured out what how to read Tablature......
Yeah....real helpful there, Danno
we were going thru some songs jamming like always...
BUT......
decided to SLOW IT DOWN (So easy to play faster in a live setting)
man...it CLICKED!!
Everything seems so damn rushed when everyone is amped...and rocking.
Had to purposely SLOW DOWN the tempo.....but it was worth it.
King Guitar":3inww3ke said:Hell yes, My biggest AHA moment was going over my buddys house when I was like 12 years old and him producing his parents copy of Debbie does Dallas on VHS and slapping that artistic film into the magnavox. AHA!
The is the reason why this is the best forum on the net.
And my Aha moment was just now. Realizing this was the best forum on the net.
Not very helpful but it is what it is.
rabies
New member
biggest aha moment for me (at least in the last 8 or so years, so half my "guitar life") was listening to Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" in its entirety, esp. the two 12 bar blues tunes. that album BY FAR is the most badass thing I've ever heard overall. the inception of modal jazz, no rehearsal (I have the score!)
i then starting learning m7 (dorian) and dom7 (mixolydian) all the time and still use those modes extensively with blues intertwined.
miles davis was always ahead of his time, kinda like yes and floyd.
oh, and more importantly, that i finally was able to hit proper pitches for half and whole step bends (after the acid incident in college). oh yes, that was interesting....
still can't bend up and apply vibrato, only bend down (towards the floor) and apply...
i then starting learning m7 (dorian) and dom7 (mixolydian) all the time and still use those modes extensively with blues intertwined.
miles davis was always ahead of his time, kinda like yes and floyd.
oh, and more importantly, that i finally was able to hit proper pitches for half and whole step bends (after the acid incident in college). oh yes, that was interesting....
still can't bend up and apply vibrato, only bend down (towards the floor) and apply...