Elhombre's Axe Laboratory Options

[Cosmin Lupu]

....aaaaaaand here we are Please tell me a bit about what you'd like to improve or learn and about what else besides our common favorite - Marco Sfogli, you like?

all the best

Cosmin

[ElHombre]

I have never really practiced different styles and licks. I have just listen to music and played kind of my own way and included things I have picked up just by listening.

The problem is when going fast, there is no colour in it It just becomes alternate picking up down scales, some legato and not to exciting sweeping.

I think maybe I should start directly focusing on techinques and styles. To make the faster playing more exciting, do cooler things on the fretboard so to speak.

That, and also my theory need to sharpen up chords and scales. Ive learned those things on classical but in a more conservative way and of course I have forgotten quite much.

santana, hendrix, clapton were the ones that made me play the electrical, now i tend to like players who are not so famous outside the internet, I liked the players in guitar idol very much, muris varajic, marc playle, hedras ramos etc

[Cosmin Lupu]

I have never really practiced different styles and licks. I have just listen to music and played kind of my own way and included things I have picked up just by listening.

The problem is when going fast, there is no colour in it It just becomes alternate picking up down scales, some legato and not to exciting sweeping.

I think maybe I should start directly focusing on techinques and styles. To make the faster playing more exciting, do cooler things on the fretboard so to speak.

That, and also my theory need to sharpen up chords and scales. Ive learned those things on classical but in a more conservative way and of course I have forgotten quite much.

santana, hendrix, clapton were the ones that made me play the electrical, now i tend to like players who are not so famous outside the internet, I liked the players in guitar idol very much, muris varajic, marc playle, hedras ramos etc

Hey there Erik! How's it going with the Sfogli lick, did you manage to nail it from the tab?

Regarding what you told me I think you need to focus on learning how to use scales, modes, arpeggios and intervals in a tight relationship with the harmonic context you are playing over. That means phrasing, my friend.

What sort of theoretical knowledge do you have - could you please give me some details? I kind of know what we need to do, but a bit more info from you could make it even easier

all the best

Cosmin

[ElHombre]

I will learn it when I got home, tried to play it yesterday looks good

I played classical guitar which involves reading notes, and knowing the names of the notes.
I played tones of scales on this "examination boards". These tests involved getting a song, on paper, with notes not knowing it, and you had 1 minute to look in through then play it I also went through this one:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/misc-less...-isaac-albeniz/

I was about 10-11 then was pushed kina hard then quit. Now I have picked up the electrical (2 years ago) and I have forgotten much of the theory.

I still know the basic chords but need to learn more chords and progressions as you said.
Basic scales: A minor + C major has all the notes named A,B,C,D,E,F,G
F major + D minor has all the notes named A,A#,C,D,E,F,G

I suppose I could re learn all the boxes but I want to see the whole picture more than just knowing the patterns of the boxes.

This post has been edited by ElHombre: Feb 28 2012, 01:56 PM

[Cosmin Lupu]

That's very good Erik! - seeing the whole ensemble rather than just learning things visually is a very good approach, although guitar is a visually appealing instrument and I bet everyone of us feels that way

Well, let's see, first things first - in order to see how the alterations appear in scales and have a good ensemble view, I would recommend you to take a look over the circle of fifths (fourths)

After that I would suggest you take a look at these:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triads..._Series_Part_1/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triads..._Series_Part_2/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triads..._Series_Part_3/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triads...a_Song_Context/

they will give you a very good insight on how a major scale is harmonized using triads.

I think these are a good starting point for understanding what's going on with scales and chords and how they are related.

Let me know what you think after looking at them

all the best

Cosmin

I will learn it when I got home, tried to play it yesterday looks good

I played classical guitar which involves reading notes, and knowing the names of the notes.
I played tones of scales on this "examination boards". These tests involved getting a song, on paper, with notes not knowing it, and you had 1 minute to look in through then play it I also went through this one:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/misc-less...-isaac-albeniz/

I was about 10-11 then was pushed kina hard then quit. Now I have picked up the electrical (2 years ago) and I have forgotten much of the theory.

I still know the basic chords but need to learn more chords and progressions as you said.
Basic scales: A minor + C major has all the notes named A,B,C,D,E,F,G
F major + D minor has all the notes named A,A#,C,D,E,F,G

I suppose I could re learn all the boxes but I want to see the whole picture more than just knowing the patterns of the boxes.

[ElHombre]

Yes I will check these.
Then I think we should also go through the different scales.

As I said, A minor and C major have common notes, but different "root notes" and different chords being played over.
Then if you go to the next step, F major and D major, you remove the be and add A#. Root notes become F, and in Dm, D.

This Is basic and I want to learn everything behind this, then it must be easier moving on to more advanced things

[Cosmin Lupu]

Yes I will check these.
Then I think we should also go through the different scales.

As I said, A minor and C major have common notes, but different "root notes" and different chords being played over.
Then if you go to the next step, F major and D major, you remove the be and add A#. Root notes become F, and in Dm, D.

This Is basic and I want to learn everything behind this, then it must be easier moving on to more advanced things

Good morning Erik once you will grasp the mechanism behind the circle of fifths (fourths) you will understand and learn the structure of every major scale.

Now, I wanted to ask - have you ever done any ear training?

cheers

Cosmin

[ElHombre]

Yes I have done singing and listening tests, also transcribed a lot of music

[Cosmin Lupu]

Yes I have done singing and listening tests, also transcribed a lot of music

Have you ever tried singing stuff when improvising? it's totally opposed to running down and up scales and it will give you awesome results

[Cosmin Lupu]

We could work on that if you'd like - I find it as the easiest path towards success

[ElHombre]

Sure thing
Make me a practice schedule that involves theory, ear training, and maybe technical playing but we can involve that later

[Cosmin Lupu]

Mornin' Erik!

here's what I suggest you do until next Thursday:

1) Pick up the circle of fifths - if you understand how it works, go straight to the point

- if you go through it clockwise, you'll notice that the notes go from 5th to 5th (C G D A E B ...)
- C major has no alterations, but they start appearing from G major onwards: G major has one #, D major has 2# and so on
- Apply the major scale formula starting from each root (w w h w w w h) and figure out ALL the major scales contained in the circle of fifths and their relative minors (inside the circle there are the relative minors for each major scale - you cna figure them out by re-arranging the notes in each major scale by simply starting the scale from the relative minor. i.e C major = C D E F G A B C/ it's relative minor Aminor= A B C D E F G A)
- use this lesson http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triads..._Series_Part_1/ as an example of how you should harmonize ALL the scales above.
- that means you shall attach one chord to each step of a major scale after the following formula:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
M m m M M m diminished M

As for ear training try the following:

- play a C note and then each note in the C major scale in turn like this - play one note than sing it than play the C note and so one
- play the C note and then JUST SING - no guitar involved - each note like above and then the C note, then another note from the C major scale

i.e. play C - play D, sing D. Play C - Play E, sing E
play C - Sing D, Play C - sing E

get these through as well as you can and let me know if there are questions

Cosmin

[ElHombre]

I found a good picture of this circle of fifths. C major, A minor has no flats, no sharps.
Then we go to G clockwise, were we have G major and E minor, one cross (sharp).
I also know the formula of the majors scale.

Then, I also know how to figure out each scale, but how can the circle of fifths help me in this other than I know which keys have certain crosses or flats?

Also cosmin check my PM and tell me what you think!

[Cosmin Lupu]

Hey again Erik,

mastering the circle of fifths will offer good insight on how the scales are built and with the aid if the little exercise I have given you, when we pass on to arpeggios, you will already know what notes make them up as arpeggios are nothing more than chords played note by note.

If you want to play smart and always be aware of what you will play, you have to understand scales and know their notes. It's tedious but it will pay off, trust me I'm suggesting this because you told me you want be aware of what you are playing.

[ElHombre]

Cosmin just one question
I will have a look at the lessons you linked to.

But do you have any plan for me to "figure" out this circle and the different major scales.

Well I know C major as you know, no crosses, no flats. I know the location of the root notes too.
Then I move on to the G scale. One cross, which is F#. I remebered that when I was a kid I played by notes and we played everything in G major.

Am I going to learn to play from G to G in the G major scale and know the location?

My Idea was to learn this only with the circle as help.
Which is, the difference is that its now F# instead of F, and its a G major scale, the root note is G. Then we go to D, 2 crosses. Now we also have C#, and root note D. And so on.

Or what did you have in mind?

[Cosmin Lupu]

Cosmin just one question
I will have a look at the lessons you linked to.

But do you have any plan for me to "figure" out this circle and the different major scales.

Well I know C major as you know, no crosses, no flats. I know the location of the root notes too.
Then I move on to the G scale. One cross, which is F#. I remebered that when I was a kid I played by notes and we played everything in G major.

Am I going to learn to play from G to G in the G major scale and know the location?

My Idea was to learn this only with the circle as help.
Which is, the difference is that its now F# instead of F, and its a G major scale, the root note is G. Then we go to D, 2 crosses. Now we also have C#, and root note D. And so on.

Or what did you have in mind?

Hey Erik! Mate the idea behind this, is to make you play chord forms in any scale at will and understand what notes make those chords up, so we can move on to arpeggios

Using the circle only is what I had in mind, this is why I wrote all the steps in the previous post take this exercise as a little recap of all your previous knowledge, let's say.

If you think you are already confident with these notions and can harmonize any scale at will, let me know, so we can move on to another level

all the best

Cosmin

[ElHombre]

Im on the first lesson which contains root inversion.
So we start of with C-E-G and thats a C major chord.
Then we go with D-F-A which is a D minor chord.
Then E-G-B, E minor chord.
and so on

Do you always follow that formula in all keys?
Major, minor,minor,major,major,minor,diminished,major ?

So If I would try G now instead it would be:

G-B-A, G major, then it would be A-C-E, a minor?
and so on?

[ElHombre]

I mean we have:

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
M-m-m-M-M-m-Dim-M

Is it then also in G major:

G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G
M-m-mM-M-m-Dim-M

???

[Cosmin Lupu]

I mean we have:

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
M-m-m-M-M-m-Dim-M

Is it then also in G major:

G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G
M-m-mM-M-m-Dim-M

???

Precisely my friend it's a very good exercise

[ElHombre]

Cool, I see the connection now, will learn all parts and apply to maybe not all 14 but a few more keys to start with

Any theory behind why it becomes like this?