One exercise for lead

[JimmyBlind]

That's way beyond my comprehension. If I can learn a pattern and move it around fine, but as I said, I'm sort of a retard. I'm one of those guys that can understand some complex things, yet at the same time what would seem simple to most people completely eludes me unless it is shown in person.

The first diagram in the link gives you most of what you need to know. The pattern repeats at the 13th fret in this example. At the octave. It's a 12 fret pattern.

https://allthingsguitar.wordpress.com/2 ... oard-pt-1/

That diagram contains the entire frame work of all 7 modes of the major scale. In this example, the key is F major. Shift that pattern to any fret on the fretboard and it will always be exactly the same pattern, but in a different key. With some exceptions (non diatonic scales), every musical lick you've ever played, including the pentatonic scale, can be plotted somewhere on that pattern.

If you have a piano, it's a great way of hearing the modes and visualising what they are.

On the piano, the C major scale only uses the white keys, which makes the example easy. 7 notes. Doe a dear etc.

If you play a triad on the piano starting on C. ie white key, space, white key, space, white key. You'll hear a (C) major chord. Hold that chord and play all the white notes from C to C over the top and you will hear the first mode of the major scale. Ionian.
Move your triad to the next key. D. Hold it and play all the white notes from D to D and you'll hear the second mode of the major scale. Dorian. A completely different, now minor sounding flavour, in the key of D. Repeat this until you reach the octave and you will have heard all 7 modes of the C major scale.
You'll only ever have used the white notes, but will have heard 7 very different flavours and scales, in 7 different keys. Because they all use the white notes only, they're all understood to be modes of the C major scale.

On the guitar, you don't need to consider white and black keys. You play a lick. It's in a key. You shift it up a fret, it's in another key etc.
Learn that scale pattern on the fretboard and you'll have the fundamental tools for soloing in every mode, in any key.

 

[JimmyBlind]

meaning once you know the shape, you move it anywhere to a new root to make a new chord, scales work the same way.

This.

That's what's great about the fret board. Every lick & scale shape can be transposed anywhere on the fret board, for any key/mode. Like you say, the concept of the same bar chord being played at any fret applies to scales & licks. I guess the real magic in improvising on the guitar is anticipating the key change and knowing where the framework has moved to.

I can't stress enough to people how learning the diatonic scale pattern can change the way they look at the guitar & view musical construction in general.

That's way beyond my comprehension. If I can learn a pattern and move it around fine, but as I said, I'm sort of a retard. I'm one of those guys that can understand some complex things, yet at the same time what would seem simple to most people completely eludes me unless it is shown in person.

Most people are visual learners so don't sell yourself short. I had the privilege of very good teacher who told me early on to memorize the modes. I did, in the one key that he showed me. I could not grasp what he meant by moving them to the new key. He tried to get way too technical on the concept. It wasn't until six years later when I had a piano class in college and on the second page of the book it showed the Cmaj scale on the keyboard (all of the white keys, starting on c) and then following the circle of fifths to Gmaj (which has one sharp F-but you don't need to know that). When I started to play along on my guitar I realized that it was the same fingerings, just one fingering started on the C note on the low E string, and the other started on the G note on the low E string, but the exact same fingerings. From there it was, HOLY SHIT! I literally just slide the entire pattern up and down, starting on what ever KEY I'm playing in. There was no need to know why it worked or how, just that if you do it, you're always in tune or key with the song. From there, my soloing took a quantum leap, as I could just play anything in the pattern and it fit.

I just posted the exact same thing. Fuck.

 

[alan67]

I'll try and find some material that explains it bro. It's easier than you think, but needs to be explained.

Yep, trust me, if I can grasp it, you can too

 

[charvelstrat81]

any YJM solo
playing any solo by him is a real workout if played properly.
I like to do the intro to the "ill see the light tonight" solo to warm up

Me too! Great warmup to get both hands in sync.

Yeah and to be clear to others, i was not saying his playing sounds like exercises but i get bored with the standard 1234-4321,etc
types drills so If i use YJM's lines it is a lot more musical and fun,

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

meaning once you know the shape, you move it anywhere to a new root to make a new chord, scales work the same way.

This.

That's what's great about the fret board. Every lick & scale shape can be transposed anywhere on the fret board, for any key/mode. Like you say, the concept of the same bar chord being played at any fret applies to scales & licks. I guess the real magic in improvising on the guitar is anticipating the key change and knowing where the framework has moved to.

I can't stress enough to people how learning the diatonic scale pattern can change the way they look at the guitar & view musical construction in general.

That's way beyond my comprehension. If I can learn a pattern and move it around fine, but as I said, I'm sort of a retard. I'm one of those guys that can understand some complex things, yet at the same time what would seem simple to most people completely eludes me unless it is shown in person.

Most people are visual learners so don't sell yourself short. I had the privilege of very good teacher who told me early on to memorize the modes. I did, in the one key that he showed me. I could not grasp what he meant by moving them to the new key. He tried to get way too technical on the concept. It wasn't until six years later when I had a piano class in college and on the second page of the book it showed the Cmaj scale on the keyboard (all of the white keys, starting on c) and then following the circle of fifths to Gmaj (which has one sharp F-but you don't need to know that). When I started to play along on my guitar I realized that it was the same fingerings, just one fingering started on the C note on the low E string, and the other started on the G note on the low E string, but the exact same fingerings. From there it was, HOLY SHIT! I literally just slide the entire pattern up and down, starting on what ever KEY I'm playing in. There was no need to know why it worked or how, just that if you do it, you're always in tune or key with the song. From there, my soloing took a quantum leap, as I could just play anything in the pattern and it fit.

With me, I'm pretty much an all ear player. I know what notes work and where, I just don't know the scales and all the various techniques. I work in software engineering and database administration. One would think I have a little intelligence, but trust me. I'm a retard. I can't understand a 7 note language of music and learned 26 letters and the English language when I was 5. I should have got a teacher a long time ago.

 

[paulyc]

You're having the same problem I had (and still have to some extent) where you're really making a mountain out of a mole hill...the theory thing is complex if you look at the BIG PICTURE all at once, but trust me, if you break it down into bite sized pieces, it's not too bad.

The other thing that helped (believe it or not) were those STUPID Band in the Pocket CDs where it's a backing track and they tell you what key the song is in...when you can just solo over those for hours and hours trying different patterns by moving them around it becomes much clearer. The Guitar Handbook is pretty good too, but it's all 2 note per string stuff, so it's good for phrasing licks, but the shred stuff kind of has to be 3 note per string...and Paul Gilbert is GREAT at teaching that.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Yeah I'm watching all the Paul Gilbert videos now. I was into him in the 80's.
Should have fucking stuck with his stuff back than. Instead I got bit by the heavy metal rhythm bug and forgot all about lead.

 

[alan67]

Yeah I'm watching all the Paul Gilbert videos now. I was into him in the 80's.
Should have fucking stuck with his stuff back than. Instead I got bit by the heavy metal rhythm bug and forgot all about lead.

And that's not a bad thing

 

[nnajar]

Try playing scales with your left hand reversed above the fretboard. So your pinky does the job of your index finger and your index finger the pinky...

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

Try playing scales with your left hand reversed above the fretboard. So your pinky does the job of your index finger and your index finger the pinky...

Or maybe on occasion, he can substitute his left index for his penis ? This way it will give him the added dexterity on both the fretboard and in the bedroom?

I do not think I've ever read such a ridiculous comment.

 

[paulyc]

I'd guess it was meant to be...

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

I'd guess it was meant to be...

BTW, you nailed it with the improvising. I do it daily and have been focusing on mostly improvising for the last 2 years or so.. Greatly improved all areas of playing.

 

[paulyc]

Ya, the improvising thing is a black hole though without some idea of what to do...you could end up sounding like Vernon Reid on Cult of Personality...yuck. Or Lynch when he's having a bad day. Knowing the modes and the 5 Pentatonic box shapes and how they overlap really was the key for me...and I have to thank Darren and Doug Marks (Metal Method) for those two things.

 

[Rick Lee]

This is one of my favs.

 

[andross182]

This thread is amazing so far, cant wait to go through it and add some to my practice routine.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Try playing scales with your left hand reversed above the fretboard. So your pinky does the job of your index finger and your index finger the pinky...

Or maybe on occasion, he can substitute his left index for his penis ? This way it will give him the added dexterity on both the fretboard and in the bedroom?

I do not think I've ever read such a ridiculous comment.

LOL.

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

Ya, the improvising thing is a black hole though without some idea of what to do...you could end up sounding like Vernon Reid on Cult of Personality...yuck. Or Lynch when he's having a bad day. Knowing the modes and the 5 Pentatonic box shapes and how they overlap really was the key for me...and I have to thank Darren and Doug Marks (Metal Method) for those two things.

I always liked the way Vernon played, but I know hat you mean. Those leads he did on that tune sounded like he was just hitting notes at random. Wanking if you will..

Absolutely, when I said improvising, I meant under the assumption, the player knows the diatonic patterns.

That and being in time.

 

[Philo Beddoe]

any YJM solo
playing any solo by him is a real workout if played properly.
I like to do the intro to the "ill see the light tonight" solo to warm up

Black Star was/is a real workout.

I remember Steve Vais "24 Hour Workout" had some decent stuff in it to.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

meaning once you know the shape, you move it anywhere to a new root to make a new chord, scales work the same way.

This.

That's what's great about the fret board. Every lick & scale shape can be transposed anywhere on the fret board, for any key/mode. Like you say, the concept of the same bar chord being played at any fret applies to scales & licks. I guess the real magic in improvising on the guitar is anticipating the key change and knowing where the framework has moved to.

I can't stress enough to people how learning the diatonic scale pattern can change the way they look at the guitar & view musical construction in general.

That's way beyond my comprehension. If I can learn a pattern and move it around fine, but as I said, I'm sort of a retard. I'm one of those guys that can understand some complex things, yet at the same time what would seem simple to most people completely eludes me unless it is shown in person.

I suggest you find a different instrument to learn...you get out what you put in and it appears you don't want to put forth an effort.

there is all sorts of free info for learning but moot if one is too lazy to put forth any kind of effort to learn. It is not that difficult really. Guitar players try to make it sound more difficulty in their lengthy poorly explained methods, you just need to figure out what type of learner you are asn pick one and go with it. Learn the major scale pattern and take it from there.