Root Notes

Ok, so basically like everyone does at some point, I've had some difficulty getting my head round the modes. I've read loads of articles/posts about them then got to Andrew's and I think I've realised my problem.

Now the main thing I've struggled to work out is about how you use the modes in writing music. I understand that D Dorian is different to C Ionian because of the different intervals they share, in spite of the fact that they're the same notes. However, whenever it gets round to writing, they still appear to me to be the same notes, and I think this is because I don't fully understand what a 'root' note of a scale or mode is.

As an example, if I'm playing over an F minor chord, my most likely preference would be F aeolian - however this contains the same notes as G Locrian. So what defines playing G locrian over an F minor chord rather than F aeolian? Is it that you focus on striking the root G note to create tension over that chord? Basically, I think my question is, what is the function of a root note in a scale or riff - do you form your riff around that note, or is it just for reference?

Sorry if this seems quite simple - hopefully it is!

Cheers, Ben

Right Hand Anchoring Question

Ok, so I've never been taught to play guitar, just picked it up myself and so I'm slowly attempting to erase all bad habits. One of the little problem sections I've come across is when i started to learn to sweep (only properly started practicing about a week ago) - was switching between alternate and sweep picking. Right this might be a bit tricky to explain so please bear with me

The section I'm looking at currently (when I'm not practicing the standard maj/min arpeggio shapes is the second half of section 12 of Kris/Marcus' Nocturnal Vision lesson - see here. I have no problem playing either the picking part or the arpeggio - although not quite that fast yet, but combining the two I find really difficult because I am used to resting my forearm slightly on the top of the guitar's body. When I practice sweeping I let my wrist float completely off the body, but otherwise it just rests on the top of the guitar whilst I pick. I have no problems (yet) with any picking patterns, but when sweeping my arm needs to move freely to mute the other strings.

My question is - is resting your wrist here normal, and this pattern in the lesson just something I have to work on individually, or is this forearm position a bad habit in general?

Cheers, Ben

P.s. Let me know if this doesn't make sense!

Problem With Ibanez String Height

Hey guys, had my Ibanez S470 for about 2 years now, and annoyingly when it came one of the nuts you need to remove to replace the strings with was broken, so took it into a guitar shop to get it fixed. Helpfully, they left the guitar without any strings on for over 2 weeks and so of course the floating bridge had snapped right back into the body. Now I've tried everything to try and get it returned to the proper position, but this is the best I can do, and it's really rather annoying as the strings are so much higher above the fretboard than any other guitar I've ever played (a slight positive is that my left hand fingers are now quite strong )

All the same, I'd kinda like to have the guitar back to normal, but I don't really know what to do. I was wondering if it was due to string tension - but I know nothing about guitar maintenance and so don't really want to mess about with it in case it gets even worse. So anyway, here are some pictures, and any help is so greatly appreciated!!!







Cheers for any help guys, Ben

Hey People!

Finally got around to joining this wonderful site (student loan came in handy as well!) and just wanted to say hello. I spent a lot of time over at Ultimate Guitar, mainly in Tabs and Chords section, and saw Kris' stuff through there...and realised how bad a guitarist I am!

So, I joined up here, and hopefully I'll finally start practicing productively! My main love lies in writing music, and I am a complete guitar pro addict so chances are you'll see some of that from me (cheeky plug: there's one in my sig )

Anyway, great to be here and look forward to learning off of most of you!

Ben