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I need a Guitar Theory Explanation


jakatak

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Okay....this probably sounds very stupid, but I don't understand the whole A minor Pentatonic Scale thing. I understand how easy it is to play and how you can move the sound all over the neck, but is this the basis for all lead playing in any and every key? I mean, if the root note is the starting point on the low "E", does that become the basis for the scale you are playing? Does any of this make sense?

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the A minor penetonic scale

 

E---5---8

B---5---8

G---5---7

D---5---7

A---5---7

E---5---8

 

which always sounds good on a les paul, not so much on a strat

 

the only time this is played is when the song is played in A minor, or C major

 

 

if the song is in E, your penetonic minor would look like this

 

E---0---3

B---0---3

G---0---3

D---0---2

A---0---2

E---0---3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the root chord, is is whatever chord the song is in, if the song is in G, the penetonic would start on the 3rd fret, or the 15th

 

it is very simple, but hard to explain

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Play an A minor pentatonic scale against a song in A major and it will give you a blues/rock sound. If you curl the C note (minor 3rd) a little higher towards, but not quite reaching the C#, you'll sound very bluesy. The C (minor 3rd) and the G (minor 7th) notes against the A major scale are what makes it sound bluesy. Also try throwing in an Eb note to make a 6 note scale, then run down chromatically from the E (5th) note through the Eb (b5th) to D (4th) and you'll have even more fun!

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Now, here's a man that's talkin' theory! I'm sure just about everyone on this forum understands ibis.....Is it me, or is there a tremendous about of leeway in the application of these scales. I mean...the 5--8 5--7 5--7 5--7 5--8 5--8 is easy to understand. Adding a 5--6 to the A string does blues it up a bit....I just don't know what I'm playing most of the time. I suppose with time I will have the actual notes committed to memory. It's just that....jumping feet first into this whole thing is a little daunting. Remember, I was taught...Every Good Boy Does Fine and FACE. It think that is what I learned as it related to reading music as an 8 year old. 50 years later, and trying to catch up....what a whirlwind. I can barre any chord...mute with the best of'em, and have fairly good strumming ability. It's just...going from C..F...G...to a level of respectability...is a BIG jump. I play every night after work. My new Line 6 30W and Les Paul Standard Desert Burst....how can you not want to play that combo? I just want my brain and fingers to learn. When I sold my 63 Strat...I told the guy who bought it...it would finally get the justice it deserved and be played by a true muscian. I is recording a CD and will be sending me a copy. I really don't miss the guitar like I thought I would. I love my Les Paul so friggin much!

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Now' date=' here's a man that's talkin' theory! I'm sure just about everyone on this forum understands ibis.....Is it me, or is there a tremendous about of leeway in the application of these scales. I mean...the 5--8 5--7 5--7 5--7 5--8 5--8 is easy to understand. Adding a 5--6 to the A string does blues it up a bit....I just don't know what I'm playing most of the time. I suppose with time I will have the actual notes committed to memory. It's just that....jumping feet first into this whole thing is a little daunting. Remember, I was taught...Every Good Boy Does Fine and FACE. It think that is what I learned as it related to reading music as an 8 year old. 50 years later, and trying to catch up....what a whirlwind. I can barre any chord...mute with the best of'em, and have fairly good strumming ability. It's just...going from C..F...G...to a level of respectability...is a BIG jump. I play every night after work. My new Line 6 30W and Les Paul Standard Desert Burst....how can you not want to play that combo? I just want my brain and fingers to learn. When I sold my 63 Strat...I told the guy who bought it...it would finally get the justice it deserved and be played by a true muscian. I is recording a CD and will be sending me a copy. I really don't miss the guitar like I thought I would. I love my Les Paul so friggin much![/quote']

 

 

Funny how quickly you adapted to the Les Paul, huh? Me too :).

 

Jak, most of what Ibis said was over my head :). I read in Guitar World's 300th issue that many of our rock-god guitarists didn't know theory either. Don't get hung up on the theory-learning-curve... it comes in time, or at least it has for me so far. In teeny tiny little bits, but still.......

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There's so much more to this then bending a C a half step. I would guess most of you do exactly what ibis wrote above almost every time you pick up a guitar albeit in different keys.

 

jakatak - you need professional help... music instruction that is. You're never going to understand music theory for the guitar based on answers from this forum. In the meantime keep playing and pick up a book on theory. Here's a good guitar theory book.

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I knew what Ibis said as the "Blues scale". Theory is so helpful, even the basic stuff. A moment of epihany for me was when I saw that you can play the scale on the "open" position, after that then came the octaves to find notes on the board, then the scale on a single string, then the scale modes, this last is going to take me a while.

 

I do not need to know intricate stuff but the basics are a must.

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Well.....I burned out after three weeks of viewing youtube, going over my lame Jamorama...that was a waste! A couple other teaching cd's....you get what you pay for. There's this Kenny Salter Guitar in 60 seconds 2.0. This thing sells for almost $400! It claims to be the real deal. A ton of cd's, books etc. Anyone hear of this one?

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Man smoke some banana peels and just try and get into it. Guitar play-in is 30% talent and 70% execution. Remember ACDC, they are the master of just 3 or 4 chords and they sound kick-*** and everyone loves-em just to name one.

O. K. Watch this 8 yr old play-in with Buddy Guy. Guy was trip-in on this kid, Why because this kid was feel-in it, ya know what I mean, my 70% execution rule. It's not about a bunch of scales, it's how you feel and play your noteshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix4TNJvVk8M or watch this chic get-in to play-in some Santana, just had to put this one in.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tGieanN5JQ They both are feeling-it, So try and feel-it too. Don't get caught up in trying to learn too much with out feeling it.

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