A simple method for playing creative lead guitar by Colin Dwyer
Dedicated to Joy Thurmon and Jeff Copeland for explaining stuff.
how is this guitar book different ? I
wanted to write a book that I wish someone had given me when I was roughly 18 years old and hadn’t played with any other musicians yet. Although I could play songs that I liked, I didn’t understand what key they were in, what modes they used or how to even stay in key. So I literally had to learn every song by ear, note for note, with no knowledge to help me even take an educated guess at what chords or modes I might encounter in a song. We didn’t have the internet, so knowledge was scarce and I tried to digest anything anyone gave me. Some of it was beyond me, such as the popular Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene, which is a good book but at the time outside my interest level. I really only liked popular music, so all those complex jazz chords didn’t mean anything to me. My playing could best be described as an aimless and rapid regurgitation of the modes with no idea where my fingers were headed once they started moving.
What’s NOT in this book
I tried to simplify and extract the very elixer of information a budding guitar player would need to not only have a foundation to build on, but could potentially keep him happy, writing songs and jamming with other musicians for years, regardless of what genre of popular music they’re into.
Picking exercises, tablature, songs, sheet music, chords other than basic triads, an explanation on how to tune your guitar or photographs of peoples’ hands. There are hundreds of scales, many of which you would rarely hear in popular music. Those are also omitted. Melodic minor, harmonic minor, heptatonic and hexatonic blues scales, although common, are not covered.
This is an e-book in pdf format and it is free for your personal enjoyment. That’s right. It’s designed to be printed on legal pages, thrown on the floor, written on, trampled on and reprinted. Just don’t publish any of it as your own (artwork included). I borrowed heavily from the humanities, so why should I claim ownership of these ideas, especially when so much good information is being freely shared by other guitar players online? There are, however, a couple ideas introduced in this book that I haven’t come across in my reading—the algorithm and descriptors. Many musicians would likely say I’m over-simplifying with the algorithm and over-reaching with the descriptors. I’ve seen the modes arranged fifty different ways with no guidance for resolve. So I made some choices, open to criticism, but if I can help some kids evolve in their playing, then it’s worth it to me to put it out there.
I’m not going to show you what fingers go where (well, I sorta do). I hate diagrams of chords that instead of labeling the intervals they label which finger to use. I’d be looking at a “2” for five minutes thinking, “how the hell is that the second?” before realizing it means your middle finger. To avoid confusion, I refer to your 2nd finger as BIRD finger and your 3rd finger as RING finger.
This is also a short book, 17 pages of real instruction. Even the most impatient, attention-deficit and time-challenged people can handle that.
2
Chapter 1
What Your Mama Didn’t Tell You About Lead Guitar Playing
The Algorithm
for creating diatonic scales related to the natural major and minor are easy once you got it down. I originally thought this would cover most of the basics and there wouldn’t be a need to learn each mode separately, but in practice I found it still helps to understand what mode you’re in and what chords it relates to. The algorithm is a good reference to determine where your fingers (can) go while you play.
the Algorithm
Basically, there is a consistent pattern to lead guitar. As you move through the modes from the nut to the bridge or vice versa, this pattern scrolls up and down the strings. The pattern you want to remember is this: Four patterns containg a half step and a whole step.
Four patterns containg a half step and a whole step.
Three patterns containing two whole steps
Two patterns containing a half step made with your ring finger. Call this “ring.”
I hope I can shred by the end of this book.
Three patterns containing two whole steps
Threethink patterns First of itcontaining as two sets of patterns: whole-step and half-step. Within the halftwo whole steps step patterns, you can break it down into two patterns: One in which the half-step is played with your middle or “bird” finger, and the second in which the half-step is played with your “ring” finger. For simplicity I’m going to refer to those three-step patterns as either bird or ring. Two patterns containing a half step madeTwo withpatterns your birdcontaining finger. a half step made with Call this “bird. ” your ring finger. Call this “ring.”
Two patterns containing a half step made with your bird finger. Call this “bird.”
Three patterns containing two whole steps
3 The two highest strings are the zone of the half-step shift
Three patterns containing two whole steps
This pattern, for the most part remains intact. As it recycles and connects to itself, there are three anomalies to take into consideration, that impact the structure of the algorithm.
Locrian Locrian Lydian
1. When you transition down (next highest adjacent string) to a bird pattern from Two patterns containing pattern, a half step a whole-step you move up (towards the bridge) one fret.
made with your ring finger. Call this2. “ring. ” When the algorithm moves onto the two highest strings, it again shifts up one Two patterns containing a halfThe stepfollowing diagram illustrates which 3-note sequence you would start the algorithm fret, or one half-step. I refer to it as the zone of the half-step shift. made with your bird finger. on, depending on which mode you are in. Call this “bird.” 3. One of the three-note sequences is NOT on the neck (note there are seven Three patterns containing sequences but only six strings). two whole steps Dorian Aeolian Dorian
Take a look at the algorithm applied to the neck of the guitar. This demonstrates, the steps in the Ionian (1st) mode* The two highest strings are the zone of the half-step shift towards the bridge (indicated with pink transparency). Whenever the algorithm passes over these two strings, it shifts
Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Phrygian
Locrian Lydian Ionian Lydian Mixolydian Ionian
Mixolydian
Lydian Ionian Ionian Mixolydian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Dorian
Aeolian Phrygian
Phrygian
While playing, y you infer (the fa While playing,
you infer (the f 1. There is a BIR 2. 1.There There are is athr BIR 3. The second W 2. There are thr 4. The pattern 3. The second m W 4. The pattern
Ion
Now take a look at the same algorithm, starting in the Locrian mode.
Ion Mix
Lydian Ionian Lydian Mixolydian Ionian
Mi Dor Aeo Do
Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Dorian One three-note pattern is not on the neck of the guitar. It is merely a mental place holder.
Ae Phr Loc Phr
Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Phrygian
Lyd Loc
Lyd
Locrian
As w enc As
enc 1. L 2. 1.TL 3. 2.TT 4. 3.TT
* I’m getting around to describing modes in greater detail
4
4. T
Dorian Aeolian Phrygian
No matter what mode you are in, these sequences remain in this order: The two BIRDS follow thethe three Thesound two RINGS the Dtwo BIRDS. Then the While playing, you notice that twoWHOLES. RING sequences good onfollow the A and strings. Therefore pattern Sodiagram) to string. . the you infer (the faded repeats. part of the . whole sequence together in a loop, it looks like this: 1. There is a W, BIRD sequence in W, the W, Phrygian W, W, B, B,above R, R,it, W,and W,this W,isB,located B, R, R, W, B, (3rd) B, R,mode R, etc. 2. There are three WHOLE sequences beneathe it 3. The second WHOLE sequence shifts the pattern becauseprocess, it entered the zone the half-step shift.guitar This illustration demonstrates the thought applying theofalgorithm to the 4. The pattern missing from the neck is the first BIRD pattern, or the one that starts the Locrian (7th). neck over the Lydian (4th) mode. Ionian
Now let’s assume you only knew two of the three-note sequences. You could most often imagine the remainder of the notes, and further what mode this is, and even further what key you are playing in (to be illustrated in the tables on the following pages).
Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian
Locrian
Phrygian Locrian
Lydian
Lydian
Ionian Mixolydian
As we move from the lowest string to the highest string in the Lydian mode, here is what we encounter going through the algorithm. 1. Lydian (4th) begins on the last whole-step pattern Dorian begins a half-step up, because passing from “whole” to “bird.” 2. The bird sequence Aeolian 3. The second “ring” pattern moves up a half-step because it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4. The patternPhrygian missing from the neck in Lydian mode is the second “whole” pattern. Locrian
Lydian Ionian Mixolydian
Lydian Ionian Mixolydian
Dorian Aeolian Phrygian While playing, you notice that the two RING sequences sound good on the A and D strings. Therefore you infer (the faded part of the diagram) . . . 1. There is a BIRD sequence above it, and this is located in the Phrygian (3rd) mode 2. There are three WHOLE sequences beneathe it 3. The second WHOLE sequence shifts the pattern because it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4. The pattern missing from the neck is the first BIRD pattern, or the one that starts the Locrian (7th). Ionian It’s important to realize that just because you’re playing two RING sequences on the A and D strings, and that fits into the Phrygian pattern, it doesn’t mean you’re playing Mixolydian Phrygian. You may be resolving on the first note of that sequence, which is actually Aeolian in Dorian flavor, because it’s the first note of the Aeolian (6th) mode. Aeolian
Dorian Aeolian
Phrygian Locrian
Phrygian Locrian
Lydian
5
Chapter 2
mode
N
ow that you’ve seen how to create a out of thin air, it’s important to see how they all relate to each other and to their relative key. As you move up the guitar neck, in a sequence of intervals, there are 7 notes (the 8th note is the octave which is the same as the 1st note). Yes, this is all just 7 notes (more will be added later). We shall refer to the 1st note of the Ionian mode as the 1st and it is major. The relative minor is the 6th (Aeolian) mode.
What am i supposed to do with chapter 1 ?
The modes
The intervals between the notes, 1–7 are either whole steps (2 frets) or half steps (1 fret), and it goes like this:
1 whole 2 whole 3 HALF 4 whole 5 whole 6 whole 7 HALF 1 It’s easiest just to simply remember there is a half-step between the 3rd and the 4th and the 7th and the 1st. All else is whole steps.
Here are the intervals on the low E string in the key of G major
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
And not only is that just the intervals, but those numbers correspond to notes and chords within the G maj scale. Each of those intervals also has a corresponding mode, and we’ve seen these names before with the algorithm.
Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian It’s not terribly important you remember the names of them, and it’s almost more important you realize which number interval you are on.
6
3
4
5
6
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian
7
1 (this one repeats) Ionian
2
Locrian
1 Ionian
Here are the intervals on the low E string in the key of G major, labeled with the corresponding mode of the interval
In a nutshell, those are the frets where you would begin to diagram those modes, beginning on the low E string. As we saw previously on the algorithm, each mode begins at a different sequence or level within the algorithm. But how would you know where to begin without memorizing each assigned level of the algorithm? That’s one way to do it, of course. But simply knowing the intervals you can figure it out. For example, let’s create the Phrygian mode.
Phrygian starts on the 3rd. The intervals are . . . 3 half 4 whole 5 whole 6 whole 7 half 1 whole 2 The first three note pattern (3 half 4 whole 5) is therefore a BIRD pattern The next three note pattern (6 whole 7 half 1) is therefore a RING pattern
If you know that much of the puzzle, just apply the algorithm to complete the mode. 7
Show me the modey I could spoon feed all 7 modes to you, just like every other tutorial and book out there, but I promise in a million years you will never learn them. That’s way too easy. I’ve shown you how to construct them yourself so what I have here are some incomplete diagrams you’re going to finish. I have drawn the A major Ionic mode and some of the other six modes comprised of the same notes. Can you finish diagramming the other six modes given this limited information?
1st
Ionian
R 3 who emember – Half-s les, 2 bir ds, 2 tep up rings f rom w Half-s . hole tep up to bir on th d. eBs t zone r ing of the or half-s tep sh ift.
2nd Dorian 3rd Phrygian 4th Lydian 8
5th Mixolydian You running out of frets moving towards the bridge? Go back to the nut for Aeolian
6th Aeolian 7th Locrian
9
Chapter 3
that’s great, but it still sounds like aimless crap unless you consider this relates to. . .
chords
I
’m going to take a leap of faith and assume you know how to make a minor and major “bar chord” (barre chord) with the root on either the low E string or the A string. But in case you don’t, I sketched it over to the right. I’m not going to try to cover the myriad of chords you can make that push and pull on the key, just these two basic chords. For this first table, just stick with the bar-E. It’s easier to simply memorize the 2nd, 3rd and 6th are minor, the 7th is weird, and all else are major. If you look at the modes you created in the last section, you might notice that it’s the distance of the 3rd note in the MODAL scale (not to be confused with the actual 3rd interval of the key) from the root OF THE MODE that creates the major or minor flavor.* Position
Mode
Chord
1st
Ionian
Major
2nd
Dorian
Minor
3rd
Phrygian
Minor
4th
Lydian
Major
5th
Mixolydian
Major
6th
Aeolian
Minor
7th
Locrian
ignore for now
* This gets a little confusing, but try to wrap your brain around this example. G Mixolydian is in the key of C major. It is the 5th mode of the key of C. The 1st note of the mode is G, but tonally it is the 5th. Its chord is major, and the 3rd note of G Mixolydian is actually the 7th of the key of C. The 3rd note of the 5th chord is two whole steps from the modal root, and so is the Locrian (or 7th) mode, which could also be played to emphasize the 3rd of the G Mixolydian. Try to keep straight the intervals of the key vs. intervals of the mode. If it’s confusing, don’t worry, there will be more in this book covering the difference.
1o
Introducing the Descriptors,
On this bar-E chord, it is comprised of the following modal intervals (intervals relative to the chord, not necessarily the key). And those notes are 1, 5, 1, 3, 5, 1.
Chili Peppers and Enchiladas
Intervals on the major bar-E chord Within the bar-E chord is one note that seasons it either major or minor, and that is the 3rd, illustrated by the chili pepper on this drawing
1
1 5 1
3 1
5
5
1 1 5 5
3
5
3 5
1 1
1
5
1 1 5 5
1
1
1
1
3 3
1 5
1 5
1 1
1 1 5
But if the 3rd is the seasoning, then the 1st is the whole enchilada, illustrated in this drawing with tiny enchiladas. It is the premiere 3 chord. The 5th is also part of the triad, but for now tone within that 1 playing a melody in these I want to downplay its role. When you’re modes, you need to take into strong consideration the notes the re5 3 lated chord is comprised of. Let’s say this is the major chord over the 1 Mixolydian 5th, and you’re playing the Mixolydian scale. You ought to start on, resolve with or emphasize the notes in that triad. You 5 don’t have to, but if you don’t you will be drawing attention to a different mode because these are all made up of the same 7 notes. There is no law that says you have to play one mode or the other at any given time, but if the idea—in this instance—is to emphasize the 5th, you should focus on the notes in that chord. The 1st tone of Mixolydian mode will feel more resolved, but the 3rd will draw attention to whether it’s major or minor.
1 5
1 5 1
1
3
1 1
5
5 3 1
1
5
5 1
5
1
3
5
1
3
3
11
5
5
3
3 Major
1
1
5
5 1
11 5 3 1
1 5
51 3
To simplify things a little, just worry about the 1st on the D-string within 1 the bar-E chord. From a playing perspective, it’s just ergonomically easier 5 So here’s to land on, work around and tremolo the 1st on the D-string. our first set 1 of descriptors, shown in a major bar-E (above) and a minor bar-E (below). The difference is easy to see. The distance between them on the neck of the guitar is one or two frets.
O.k., I lied, and it’s because I feel you’re ready, we can jump ahead and apply our descriptors to your algorithm. Here is the Lydian (4th) mode with the descriptors applied.
Descriptors of the Lydian 1 Mode 5 3
1 5
1 Minor 1
Wow, this may be the craziest info graphic I ever made.
5
1. First recall our previous sequence of 3-note patterns for the Lydian mode. 2. Don’t forget our zone of the half-step shift. 3. The 5th and 1st on the far left corner, are merely included to complete the major chord and not part of our algorithm (but you can play them). 4. Try to give stronger consideration to the enchiladas and chilis, but don’t neglect the 5th. 5. The top set of grey dots is off the neck, and merely a mental place holder.
3
1 5
1
Notice the 1st and 3rd repeat, and of course. It’s still just 7 notes. The 1st and 3rd of the mode will always occur in relatively the same place in each mode. In context to the algorithm, the 1st will always occur on the second note on the D string and the last note of the B string. The 3rd will always occur on the first note of the G string and the second note of the high E string.
mind blown.
12
2. Don’t forget our zone of the half-step shift. 3. The 5th and 1st on the far left corner, are merely included to complete the major chord and not part of our algorithm (but you can play them). 4. Try to give stronger consideration to the enchiladas and chilis, but don’t neglect the 5th. 5. The top set of grey dots is off the neck, and merely a mental place holder.
The horizontal distance on the neck between the 1st and 3rd modal tone is redundant within the mode. If they’re one fret apart on the D and G strings (major), they are one fret apart on the B and E. As with the minor chord and relative mode, the 1st and 3rd have two frets between them. Here is an example of the descriptors on a minor mode, the Aeolian (6th), the natural and most minor of our modes. Notice the gap between the 1st and 3rd is broader than with the major mode and chord. Also notice that although this is a different mode and a minor one, the 1st will always occur on the second note on the D string and the last note of the B string. The 3rd will always occur on the first note of the G string and the second note of the high E string.
Descriptors of the Aeolian Mode
me
ckna i n a e with d o m ach hem t e r e e z b i l a em Person elp you rem to h
Adding this new knowledge to the table Position
Mode
Chord
Description
Fret distance between descriptors
1st
Ionian
Major
2 whole, 2 bird, 2 ring
One
2nd
Dorian
Minor
End with 2 birds
Two
3rd
Phrygian
Minor
Ends with 3 whole-steppers
Two
4th
Lydian
Major
Begins whole, bird
One
5th
Mixolydian
Major
Begins with 3 whole-steppers
One
6th
Aeolian
Minor
Begins with 2 rings
Two
7th
Locrian
Ignore for now
2 bird, 2 ring, 2 whole
Ignore for now
Nickname!
Major
Minor Mr. Ambiguous 13
X
X 3
Chili Peppers and Enchiladas on the
1
bar A chord -
1
X
5
1
3 1 5
X
Major bar-A with descriptors This is another common chord. It’s the same as the bar-E only this one has the root of the chord on the A string, the bar-A. The X’s in the illustration mean you don’t play those notes. You’ll naturally deaden those strings by touching them incidentally and not pressing them to the fretboard.
Intervals on the major bar-A chord
X
1
X 3
X
X 3 1 5
1
3 1 5
X
1 5
Minor bar-A with descriptors
1
X
5
5 3
The intervals labeled in these are the intervals within the chord itself, and they would be the intervals of the mode, IF you start playing the mode at the 1st interval on the A string, and you could. You would simply have to apply the algorithm, starting on the 1st of the chord. I’m not going to go this route, nor will I diagram the descriptors based off of modes rooted on the 3 A-string because I think it will just confuse a really simple way of looking at modes and descrip1 tors from the previous lesson. It’s more important for now that you see where the bar-A chords are in relation to the bar-E chords on the guitar neck with respect 5 to key. 1
X
X
3 1
1
X
1
5
1 5
X
14
Imagine the columns in this table correspond with frets on the guitar. And the rows correspond with the A string (top row) and the low E string (bottom row). The mode in each cell of the table is the mode that begins on that fret and string.
meet
Your guitar
The red cells indicate a minor chord is played at that position on the neck (bar-A on the A string and bar-E on the E string). Green cells mean a major chord is played at that position on the neck (bar-A on the A string and bar-E on the E-string). The blank cells indicate nothing is played on the string at that fret.
The Location on the Guitar Neck of: the 7 modes, bar-E chords (maj and min), bar-A chords (maj and min) A string
3 Phrygian
4 Lydian
5 Mixolydian
6 Aeolian
E string
7 Locrian
1 Ionian
2 Dorian
3 Phrygian
7 77
7 Locrian 4 Lydian
1 Ionian
2 Dorian
3 Phrygian
5 Mixolydian
6 Aeolian
7 Locrian
Why have we Avoided Talking About the 7 th mode? Locrian There’s a lot I can’t cover in this book, and unfortunately the Locrian mode doesn’t fit tidily into our schematics. It’s a great mode to use, because it creates a lot of tension, in which the listener is looking for resolve. One trick is to use a diminished chord at the 7th, because of its atonality it works well there. Think of it as the mode that questions. If you look at the steps in the mode, you’ll see the 5th is out of whack in comparison to the other modes, so it doesn’t make a very neat 1, 3, 5 chord. Don’t avoid using the mode, though. It’s a killer sound!
15
Chapter 5
and now we taketh away 2 notes. . .
Pentatonic
P
opular music wouldn’t be so popular without this simple reduction from 7 to 5 notes. This may seem like we’re working backwards, but believe it or not, the pentatonic is a little harder to explain. It’s more prevalent throughout the world than the scales we’ve seen and guitar players commonly use the pentatonic for blues. But don’t just think of it as a scale you use when you play the blues. Rock, pop, country, jazz, indie, punk, metal, R&B, folk, bluegrass, and countless sub-genres use pentatonic scales. It’s all in your approach, and how you throw it into the mix that gives it its character. First let’s look at it in context to our algorithm, and I’m going to start with the natural minor (6th), which I believe is the most widely used, and by “widely used” I mean your dad might even know how to play this if he ever played the guitar, but he probably doesn’t know it’s a pentatonic scale on the minor 6th. He just knows it’s “blues.”
Minor Pentatonic on the 6th
I’ve X’d out the two notes that have been removed, the 4th and the 7th. To avoid getting confused, I’m talking about the 4th and 7th of the relevant Ionic mode, NOT the modal 4th and 7th of the 6th, which of course begins on the 6th, not the 1st. The 4th and 7th is removed from all the modes, but this really changes things up, and maybe you see where I’m headed. What are you supposed to do on the 4th and 7th modes? I’ll get to that later. To go back to our previous 7 modes, and remove the 4th and 7th from all of them, is just a confusing way of approaching pentatonic scales. 5 tones means 5 modes, and a new algorithm for those.
16
The pentatonic algorithm
The Pentatonic Algorithm
is deceptive. It looks easier than the previous algorithm at first glance, but the scale has gone through such an evolutionary process, you can really bend the rules (no pun intended). More of that on the next page. First just learn the pattern. The first illustration demonstrates the juxtaposition of 3 short patterns underneath the long ones. The second illustration demonstrates there’s a shift back one fret when the long patterns follow the short ones. Each level of the pattern begins with a note that corresponds with a mode from our previous chapters. Notice there is no 4th or 7th. I think it’s better to see it in context to the previous modes than rename the pentatonic modes.
Three two-note patterns containing a whole step.
1st 5th 2nd
Two two-note patterns containing a 3 half-steps
6th 3rd
Three two-note patterns containing whole step. For each of the 5 positions, Three you can apply this pattern startingaat its corresponding two-note patterns containing 5th 6th level in the pattern on the appropriate fret. Then take into account the zone of the a whole step. Three two-note patterns containing 2nd half step shift from before. That shift will always happen to step. our algorithms because 3rd a whole of how a guitar is tuned. If you tuned straight down the 5th fret, it wouldn’t, but Two two-note patterns 6th 1st then you’d have a hard time making chords. Just trust me. containing a 3 half-steps Two two-note patterns 3rd 5th containing a 3 half-steps Two two-note patterns Here are two of the most common forms of the pentatonic as you would see it on 2nd containing the guitar. Notice I’ve added the shift, and the pattern repeats aon3 half-steps the neck. The 6th 1st
1st 5th 2nd 6th 3rd
repeat is illustrated in blue.
3rd 1st
3rd 6th 3rd 1st
5th 2nd
5th
2nd
2nd
6th 3rd
1st
1st
2nd
2nd
6th
2nd
6th
3rd
6th
5th 6th 2nd
3rd
5th
1st
2nd
5th
3rd
1.6th The 6th is the second LONG pattern 1st 2. Three SHORT patterns for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. 3rd 5th pattern is the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 3. The next LONG 4.1st The 6th repeats to fill out our strings.
1. The 5th is the second SHORT pattern 5th 2. Two LONG patterns for the 3rd and 6th. 1. The 5th is the second SHORT pattern 2nd 3.6th. The next SHORT pattern is the 2nd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 2. Two LONG patterns for the 3rd5th and 1. The is the second SHORT pattern 4. Theit 5th repeats fill out our strings. shift. 1. The 6th is the second LONG pattern 3. The next SHORT pattern2.isTwo the LONG 2nd and entered theto zone of6th. the half-step 6th patterns for the 3rd and 2. Three SHORT patterns for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. 4. The 5th repeats to fill out our strings. second LONG pattern 3. The next SHORT pattern is the 2nd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 3. The next LONG pattern is the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. patterns for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. 4. The 5th repeats to fill out our strings. 1. The 6th 4. is the second LONG The 6th repeats topattern fill of outthe ourhalf-step strings. shift. G pattern 2. is Three the 3rdSHORT and it patterns entered the zone for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. s to fill out our strings. 3. The next LONG pattern is the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 5th
5th
3rd
5th
1st
1st
Major Pentatonic on the 5th 5th 5th
Minor Pentatonic on the 6th
6th
6th
5th
1. The 5th is the secon 2. Two LONG patterns 3. The next SHORT pa 4. The 5th repeats to
6th
4. The 6th repeats to fill out our strings.
17
now it gets weird
Embellishments
are totally allowed. Not only are they allowed, due to the loose nature of pentatonics, you would add a lot more flare to your playing if you didn’t play the pentatonic as strictly 5 tones, but included secondary and tertiary notes.
Minor 6th and Major 5th with Secondary and Tertiary Notes 6th
5th
3rd
2nd 6th
1st 5th
3rd
2nd
1st 5th
6th
6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th
Secondary note (key related) Tertiary note (chromatic)
In these illustrations are the same modes, the 6th and 5th with the addition of secondary notes (the inclusion of the 4th5th and 7th in the long patterns) and chromatic notes in all the other gaps in between. Chromatic notes 2nd are based on a 12-tone scale, includes every note, and 6thare not in the key. That’s right, it’s totally these notes o.k. to play notes not in the key, as long as they are tran3rd sitional only. 1st
5th
Secondary note (key related) Tertiary note (chromatic)
6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th
And now for our final manipulation of the pentatonic, we throw in our descriptors, the 1st, 3rd and 5th of the chord.
Minor 6th and Major 5th with Secondary and Tertiary Notes and Descriptors 5th 2nd
That’s a lot of information to digest, isn’t it? Yes, when 6th you think about it, I’ve told you it’s o.k. to play a note 3rd on every fret on every string. So playing the pentatonic is really a matter of which notes you emphasize. And I 1st don’t mean play in a chromatic slurry and end on the 1st, 5th because that would sound silly, but if you inject those in small doses, it adds a complexity to the pentatonic that otherwise isn’t there.
6th
5th
3rd
2nd
1st
6th
5th
3rd
2nd
1st
6th
5th
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pentatonic case study
countryvs.blues Both use pentatonic scales, both use walking chord progressions, both sing about the same stuff and both genres influenced each other. Then why do they sound so different?!!!
C
ountry in the most general sense composes songs in a major key and uses the major pentatonic. Even the sad, sappy songs are often in a major key. For example, this would be a popular country chord progression, 1/4/5 (and in this instance that refers to the key and the mode).
A string
4 Lydian
E string
1 Ionian
5 Mixolydian
I can see you’re confused. It’s the 4th, right? We just got done saying there is no pentatonic mode for the 4th. So you can do one of a few tricks—play the pentatonic on the 3rd (adjacent to the 4th) and include the 4th from our secondary notes), play the Lydian mode in combination with the 3rd pentatonic, continue playing the 1st pentatonic or move to the 6th but include and emphasize the 4th, play the popular form of the 5th at the 1st which includes the 4th. In a sense, this chord progression has to break the 5-tone rule in order to work. In the introduction I said I wasn’t going to discuss picking, but it’s worth mentioning here. Changing the picking of a pentatonic also changes its sound. A “hoe down” has a rapid 2/4 time signature, and a player can congest 2 to 3 notes per beat, giving it that energetic, frenzied style, especially when used with the major scales, it sounds over-the-top happy. Musicians who can do this well, will never have trouble finding places to play.
B
lues in a very general sense utilizes the minor pentatonic, even in situations that warrant a major. A 1/4/5 blues progression, more appropriately refers to a 6/2/3 (a 1/4/5 progression out of the 6th). Here is a common walking blues progression.
A string
2 Dorian
E string
6 Aeolian
3 Phrygian
Blues players like the form at the 6th so much, they’ll even use it with a major progression in one of a couple ways—playing the 6th of the major key, inappropriately playing the minor pentatonic over the major chord, and they’ll even change key. The following table illustrates the modes a blues player might choose over that country progression on the left.
A string
Stay on the 6th form over the 1st, but bend the 3rd sharp.
E string
6th form over the 1st
Play the 6th form at the Mixolydian 5th position.
Did you notice you could play this progression with 1 form of the pentatonic? In a sense, where country forces the major even when it’s missing, blues forces its bluesiness with the minor.
Both break the rules, but in different ways!
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Chapter 6
plays well with others I A conversation among friends strongly encourage guitar players of all ages and skill levels to find other people to play with. Wood-shedding is fine and dandy, but you’re missing out on half of why it’s enjoyable to play the guitar, and that is to collaborate. Making music is a lot like having a conversation, and there’s an art to having a conversation, though you may not realize it yet. You get better at this as you get older. Being a good story-teller and listener can be a tremendously powerful skill in society. It will make you a desirable person to be around. I don’t care how important, good looking, or intelligent you are, the good conversationalist has a talent that is gold, and you have to practice, just like you would with music. For example (for you kids), next time your aunt calls and asks you how school is (adults always ask that, because in a sense they’re a little inept, too), let’s assume on a holiday, rather than grunt “fine!” and hand the phone to your dad to get rid of her, prepare some witty euphemism in advance like, “it’s a black hole that eats dad’s property taxes, but the pizza squares don’t suck.” You’re well on your way to becoming her favorite nephew. Practicing your instrument, in the same way is preparing you to be a likeable musician, and the more you know, the broader your appeal will be to musicians and spectators. You should not only practice alone, but also with others.
Same chums trying to have a conversation in the 7th grade, and its musical equivalent Trish likes my new shirt!
and its musical parallel
Did you catch the last episode of Portland is sunny? No, but I heard Snicky is out of the house. Yes. And the smog creature is back.
$#@% I gotta see this!
If you have YooLoo Instant it’s on there.
Awesome! Tonight I’m watching it.
Cmaj melody Accents the E
Modulates to Emin
Accents the C
Modulates to C
I have to fight Scott Crumb after school Sucks for you! A weenie says wuh! . . . what? . . .
That’s what I thought. Ma papa poker face my pa poker face!
I don’t know how I feel about this shirt.
Two Random Power Chords Key Change!
Random Sabbath Riff Confused
Different Song
Quits Band
Cmaj resolve
Fortunately the bell would ring, ending these awkward moments. 2o
slack and pull it off! A
s if the concepts I’m covering aren’t simple enough, you can do even less and still sound o.k. There are many good bands that don’t understand these things, and if you do, you’re ahead of the game.
The odds of being “right” and “wrong” As long as you can stay in key, that’s a big accomplishment. You’ve already eliminated the option you’ll hit a sour note, or a “wrong” note. So what you’re left with is weak notes and strong notes, but at least you’re in key. If you play randomly within confines of a mode, the odds you’ll hit the 1, 3 or 5 of a triad are 3 out of 7. So 42% of the time you sound modal and the rest is still in key. That’s not bad for a jam session. But the more you play and practice these concepts, the more likely you’ll emphasize the notes you intend to.
PentaSLACKtonic If everyone does it wrong, is it still wrong? That’s a big ethical dilemma for me as a teacher at this juncture of the book. A good number of people will not bother learning all 5 forms of the pentatonic scale, and that would include a lot of great guitar players. It’s quite alright, and in context of whether that’s “correct”, the odds you’ll hit a wrong note are roughly 20%, and that 20% still isn’t terrible because of the weak/ simple tonality of pentatonics. Compound that with the percentage of time someone is paying attention to you playing and it’s negligible. Should you choose to join the ranks of “Pentaslacktarians,” familiarize yourself with the form over the 6th for minor and 5th or 1st for major. If you want to slack even harder, just learn the form over the 6th and for a major pentatonic, just slide it down 3 frets from the tonic and emphasize the which in this instance would be the root.
SUPERpentaSLACKtonic One of the best explanations I’ve heard about blues music was from my friend Jeff who I’m sure won’t mind being quoted—“the blues juxtaposes something nasty to something sweet. you can do all sorts of nasty things as long as you resolve it sweetly.” That being said, here’s a really fun exercise. Play a basic 12-bar blues 1, 4, 5 progression (which in context of this book is really a 6, 2, 3), and only pay attention to giving the tonic special care. Then on the 4 play completely random with no regard to key, chords or anything. It actually sounds pretty cool.
Great Moments In Slacker Guitar History
Present
one show and your parents are bummed.
1991—Nevermind is released, and
Sonic Youth
don’t , s i t n i My po lf up e s r u o y beat tuff. s s i h t r ove nd be a n u f e Hav on’t D . t n e d confi up so d n u o w get being r e v o t tigh at your h t , t c e r cor omes c e b g playin ring. o b r o timid
2012—Black Sabbath tour reduced to
1990—Paul Leary destroys more
guitars in opening song than Richie Blackmore, Rick Neilson and Pete Townshend combined.
C.C. Deville is instantly VH-1’ed.
1988—Student union with limited budget can only afford Joan Jett for homecoming.
1981—Rick Neilson destroys more guitars 1977—Richie Blackmoore destroys
than Richie Blackmore at Chicagofest
4 stratocasters during guitar solo.
Neil Young (The Age of Neil)
1969—Jimmy Hendrix plays the 1967—Pete Townshend destroys
Superpentaslackspangled Banner at Woodstock
Tommy Smothers’ guitar on air.
Past
1936—Unable to afford a guitar,
Albert King plays the side of a barn.
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don’t sabotage your playing with a bad guitar
Epilogue
C
heap guitars can be really hard to play. I once bought a $100 acoustic guitar, and it was so painfully difficult to play, there was zero joy in it. It literally caused pain in my fingers as I tried smashing down 1/4” action, which would then bend the notes sharp so it was always out of tune, even when it was in tune. If that was my first guitar, I don’t think I would have continued playing the guitar. If this sounds like your guitar, get a different one. Spend some time playing a variety, and when it comes time to hit up dad for a real one, make it count. It doesn’t have to be a Gibson 335, but think $500-ish at least. It will be cheaper in the long run than constantly buying crappy guitars. Two crappy $250 guitars do not equal one $500. Two $500 guitars do not equal one worth $1000. Also consider if you do some smart shopping, and buy a nice used instrument (let’s say $1000), the money is only gone until you sell it again. A good instrument is an asset that won’t lose its value if you take care of it. Keep your guitar in a case, not a gig bag. Don’t leave it laying on the living room sofa at your friend’s house, or lean it up against your amp without a stand. Don’t leave it sitting out at all. Always put it away in its case. Don’t bake it in your car in the middle of summer while you’re in class. Avoid travelling with your precious guitar on an airplane. If you have divorced parents, get two guitars :-), one at mom’s and one at dad’s.
Mom lets me play that loud.
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