October 15, 2007

Guitar Chord Chart

Category: Guitar Lessons — Administrator @ 9:49 pm

Guitar Chords

This page will get you started with some guitar chords for beginners. These are some of the first guitar chords that most people learn. They are also some of the most common. Once you memorize and are able to play these chords you will be able to strum along with quite a few songs.

These are all open chords in first position. If you need help reading these, checkout the lesson on how to read fretboard diagrams.

A Chord

This is the first article in a series on Guitar Chords.

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October 9, 2007

Pentatonic Scales for Guitar - BB King Box Pattern

Category: Guitar Lessons — Administrator @ 4:35 pm

BY GUEST WRITER BODACIOUS BOB In this lesson I’m going to teach you the “B.B. King Box” technique, which is a very simple but effective technique for soloing. We’re also going to write a song along the way so this lesson may or may not be 100% useful to everybody; in fact it’s probably going to be more of a workshop. Are you ready to rock? Ok, let’s go! Let’s build this lesson as if we’re writing a song. First of all we’re going to be in the key of A and we’re going to use a 12 bar blues structure for our backing, which goes a little something like this: e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| B|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-| D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e|-------------------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------------------------| G|-------------------------------------------------| D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-----------------| A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-| E|---------------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e|--------------------------------| B|--------------------------------| G|2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-----------------| D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-| A|----------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| E|--------------------------------| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTE: Most 12 bar blues sequences are constructed in the same fashion. They are built up of three chords, I, IV and V which in this case are A, D and E. Ok, now you may want to play that a couple of times over until you get the hang of it before we continue. For the lead we’re going to compose a riff using the blues scale. There are five positions of the blues scale on the neck I’m going to illustrate the first three in this lesson, here is the first. A blues scale 1st position: e|-------------------------5-8-5-------------------------| B|---------------------5-8-------8-5---------------------| G|---------------5-7-8---------------8-7-5---------------| D|-----------5-7---------------------------7-5-----------| A|-----5-6-7-----------------------------------7-6-5-----| E|-5-8-----------------------------------------------8-5-| Run up and down this scale a couple of times to get used to it. We’re going to use this to compose our main riff. Now you can just play around with this to find a riff that you like. Ex. 1 e|----------------------------| B|----------------------------| G|--------5---5-7b9-5---------| D|---7-7----7---------7-------| A|-5--------------------------| E|----------------------------| Ex. 2 e|----------------------------| B|--------------------------5-| G|--------------------------5-| D|----5-7-5-------5-----5-7---| A|--7-------7-5h7---7-7-------| E|----------------------------| Now, that we have our rhythm guitar and our lead guitars main riff, you could use two if you’re feeling adventurous, regardless it’s time for a guitar solo. For our solo, we’re going to use the 2nd position of our blues scale, you don’t necessarily need to use the 2nd position you could just use the 1st. I’ve chosen to use the 2nd position to illustrate the “B.B. King Box” technique. A blues scale 2nd position: e|------------------------------8-10-11-| B|-------------------------8-10---------| G|-------------------7-8-9--------------| D|--------------7-10--------------------| A|---------7-10-------------------------| E|-8-10-11------------------------------| e|-10-8-----------------------------| B|-----10-8-------------------------| G|----------9-8-7-------------------| D|----------------10-7--------------| A|---------------------10-7---------| E|--------------------------11-10-8-| Again, run up and down this scale a couple of times to get used to it. The “B.B. King Box” is taken from five notes of this scale which are: e|--------8-10-8--------| B|---8-10--------10-8---| G|-9------------------9-| D|----------------------| A|----------------------| E|----------------------| Why is it called the “B.B. King Box?” Well, it’s a technique used a lot by B.B. King so that would answer part of it. It’s called a box because if we plot the notes out on the neck we get this box shape, well it’s more of a house if you ask me but it’s title wouldn’t be as catchy without the alliteration. |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|x|-|x| |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|x|-|x| |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|x|-| |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 We’re going to use this to compose a solo; although I am a big believer in improvised solos it’s good to have a back up solo in case your mind goes blank when it comes to your improvised solo. I suggest you play around with this, using different techniques that you know for example string bending, legato, slides, tapping, sweep picking, trills etc. Ex. 1 e|-----8----8----10--10b12--10-8----| B|8/10---10---10-----------------10-| G|----------------------------------| D|----------------------------------| A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------| e|--------------------------8------8------8| B|-8---8----8-10-10b12-8h10---8h10---8h10--| G|---9----9--------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------| Ex. 2 e|---------------------------------8----| B|-10b12 8-10-10b12-8---10b12-8-10---10-| G|--------------------9-----------------| D|--------------------------------------| A|--------------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------| e|-8h10p8-10b12-8-10-8-----------------| B|---------------------10-8------8h10p-| G|--------------------------9--9-------| D|-------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------| E|-------------------------------------| Now if you are comfortable with that experiment with the third position. Write your own riffs and ideas in each position and pick your favourites and try to link them together moving between each position. It’s quite difficult at first but you don’t want to be restricted to one position or set of ideas for a solo. A blues scale 3rd position: e|---------------------------------10-11-12-| B|----------------------------10-13---------| G|-----------------------9-12---------------| D|--------------10-12-13--------------------| A|---------10-12----------------------------| E|-10-11-12---------------------------------| e|-11-10------------------------------------| B|-------13-10------------------------------| G|-------------12-9-------------------------| D|------------------13-12-10----------------| A|---------------------------12-10----------| E|---------------------------------12-11-10-| Now you should have quite an interseting song by now but the rhythm guitar is a bit dull so maybe you should try this. It’s based on the same chords but uses passing notes to make it more interesting. e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| B|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-| D|-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e|------------------------------------------------| B|------------------------------------------------| G|------------------------------------------------| D|-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2----------------| A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4| E|---------------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e|-------------------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------------------------| G|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4---------------------------------| D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-| A|-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| E|-------------------------------------------------| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I suggest that you use both rhythm sections in different parts of your song to make it more interesting and use this little fill for your big finish: e|---------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------2----| D|-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-6-6-7-7-8-8-9-9--2----| A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-4-4-5-5-6-6-7-7--0----| E|---------------------------------------| pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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October 6, 2007

Pentatonic Scale

Category: Guitar Lessons — Administrator @ 1:21 am

Pentatonic Scales for Guitar

The pentatonic scale is probably the most widely used scale in many forms of lead guitar including rock, blues and country. So, if you want to play lead guitar then you have to know pentatonic scales inside and out.

Before we get into actual playing though, let’s take a look at what a pentatonic scale is. If you break the word into two parts you get penta and tonic. Penta means five and tonic means notes. So pentatonic scale just means “five note scale”.

Keep this in mind as you work your way through the patterns below. If you start playing a root note and play five notes then the next note will again be a root note.

There are a total of five patterns. I simply call these patterns 1-5. You should start by learning pattern 1. After you have that memorized go on to pattern 2. This will probably take some time so be patient. The payoff is worth it.It’s important to notice that the two patterns overlap. In other words, the notes at the top of pattern 2 are the exact same as the notes at the bottom of pattern 1. You are just playing them with different fingers when you are playing pattern 2.

This is the case with all of these patterns – the bottom of one pattern overlaps the top of the next pattern. And the bottom of pattern 5 overlaps the top of pattern 1 so things start all over again. Pay attention to this! This is an important key to learning these scales more quickly and to understand how they connect to each other.

Pentatonic Scale Diagrams

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Pattern 3

Pentatonic Scale pattern 3

Pattern 4

Pattern 5

pentatonic scale pattern 5

Root Notes

Notice the white dots in each pattern. These notes are the root notes of the pattern. The root notes are the “home” notes of a scale. The scale will sound “finished” if you end it on a root note.

Another way of saying this is that the white notes indicate what key you are in. If you want to play the minor pentatonic scale in the key of A then you must make sure that the white notes are “A’s”. If you know that one of the white notes is an A then the rest of them will be A’s as well because of the pattern.

So if you look at pattern 1, you’ll see that the very first note (on the sixth string) is a root note. You can find an A on the fifth fret on the sixth string. So if you wanted to play A minor pentatonic you could use pattern 1 starting at the fifth fret on the sixth string. So you are using an A as your root note.

Tablature for playing all five patterns in A minor pentatonic are included below to help illustrate.

It’s important for you to memorize where these root notes are in each pattern. Not only will they help you to determine which key you are playing in but they will help you quite a bit when you improvise your own solos.

Tab for A Minor Pentatonic Pattern 1

Tab for A Minor Pentatonic Pattern 2

Tab for A Minor Pentatonic Pattern 3

Tab for A Minor Pentatonic Pattern 4

Tab for A Minor Pentatonic Pattern 5

This is the first lesson in a series on the pentatonic scale. Part 2 will show you the best ways to memorize these scales and get the most out of them.

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September 23, 2007

How To Read Tablature

Category: Guitar Lessons — Administrator @ 3:56 pm

In addition to the standard music notation, some instruments have a simplified system for written music called tablature. Where standard notation is valid for nearly any instrument, tablature is used mainly for stringed instruments including guitar, bass, and mandolin. It requires a slightly different system for each instrument.

Tablature is sometimes called tab – the terms are interchangeable. Let’s take a look at some examples of tab.

Figure 1 shows two blank measures of tab for guitar. Notice that there are six horizontal lines. This is different from the five lines in standard notation. The reason for this is that in standard notation the horizontal lines represent note names where in tablature the lines each represent a different string on the instrument.

Figure 1: Tablature

The bottom line represents the lowest string on the guitar – the low E or 6^th string. This is the string closest to the ceiling. The next lowest line represents the low A or 5^th string and so on until you reach the top line of tab which is the high E or 1^st string of the guitar.

Figure 2 shows some measures of tab with some numbers on them. These numbers represent the fret of the instrument. So in the first measure you would play the open 6^th string twice, then the third fret on the sixth string then the fourth fret on the sixth string. Finally in the second measure you play the open sixth string again.

Figure 2: Another tab example

Notice that there is really no timing information indicated. This is often true of tab. It is often useful when you are learning a song which you are already familiar with or if you have a recording of the song. However, not having timing information forces you to do some guesswork if you do not know the song.

Sometimes the notes indicate some timing information by spacing the notes farther apart when they are longer and spacing short notes more closely together. Tablature is sometimes written with vertical lines above or below the note to look like the stem on quarter notes (figure 3, measure one). Or they may have vertical lines joined by a horizontal bar to look like eighth notes (figure 4 measure one).

Quarter Notes written in tablature

Figure 3: quarter notes in tab

Eighth notes written in tab

Figure 4: eighth notes in tab

Tab works the same way for bass guitar. The standard bass has only four strings so the tablature has only four lines. Mandolin has four sets of unison strings so it too has four lines. Remember the bottom line on the tablature represents the string closest to the ceiling.

Tab can be written for violin even though the instrument has no frets. Open strings are of course indicated by zeroes. The first note on a given string is called one, then the next possible note is two and so one. Therefore, (if you are familiar with the notes on a violin) to indicate an F on the E string of a violin you would write a one on the top line of the violin tab.

Even with its drawbacks tablature is useful for quickly writing out parts for specific stringed instruments or for learning songs or solos with which you are already familiar. I find it a very valuable as a teaching tool. However, I always recommend that students learn standard notation as well as it opens up a lot of learning, playing and performance opportunities.

If you are interested in learning more check out my eBook “How to Read Music for Guitar, Bass and Mandolin” from which this article is excerpted. Click the Buy Now button below to purchase the eBook. Only 2.95!

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September 12, 2007

How to Read a Fretboard Diagram

Category: Guitar Lessons — Administrator @ 3:38 pm

The basics

Fretboard diagrams can be used for all fretted instruments including bass, guitar and mandolin. They give you a quick and easy way of finding notes on an instrument without having to read music.
The diagram below is for guitar. It shows six vertical lines. Each of these represents a string on the instrument. The first line on the left is the 6^th string (the thickest string). The line on the far right is the 1^st string (the thinnest string). If this diagram were for bass or mandolin it would have only four vertical lines.

Fretboard diagram of high F note

If you were to hold your guitar in front of you with the strings facing towards you and the headstock/tuning pegs towards the ceiling, the fretboard would look a little like this diagram.
The horizontal line at the top is the nut of the guitar near the tuning pegs. The rest of the horizontal lines are the frets of the guitar.
In this example there is a circle just behind the first fret of the first string. This means you would place a finger behind the first fret of the first string on your guitar. It’s simple!

Chords

When playing chords (more than one note at a time) fretboard diagrams often tell you which fret-hand fingers you should use. Your fretting hand is the one that touches the fretboard. If you are right-handed then your fretting hand is your left hand.
Your index finger is called the first finger, middle finger is called second, ring finger is the third and pinky is the fourth. In the diagram below you would put your second finger on the third fret of the sixth string. Then you put your first finger on the second fret of the fifth string. Finally you put your third finger on the third fret of the first string.

Diagram of a G Chord
Phew! That’s a lot of words to describe a relatively simple move on the guitar. You can probably see the value of fretboard diagrams now…
You may have noticed the zeroes on the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th strings. This just means that you pick those strings put do not put any fret-hand fingers on them.

Roman Numerals

Sometimes you’ll see a Roman numeral next to the diagram. The one below has a V (the Roman numeral for five) next to it. This means that the diagram starts at the fifth fret instead of the first fret. So in this example the diagram is showing you a note on the first string, fifth fret.

Fretboard diagram starting at the fifth fret
And that’s about it! Now you can read fretboard diagrams. This will give you a lot of opportunities for learning more about your instrument.

If you have any questions or comments about this lesson please email me at info@myOnlineGuitar.com

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Pentatonic Scales for Guitar - BB King Box Pattern

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Pentatonic Scale

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How To Read Tablature

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How to Read a Fretboard Diagram

The basics

Chords

Roman Numerals

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