Tolek - Learning the fretboard SI Lesson

Introduction

Welcome to lesson N°3 and the boring world of scales!

Structure:

About the Lesson
The Lesson
Harmonic Analysis of this Lesson
Last Words

About the Lesson

Many guitarists get depressed because they think they have learnt a lot but when it comes to show something live (in a jam where you have to improvise for instance), they don´t know what to play. You know this? Then this lesson is a very good exercice for you. One of the easiest keys to play in on the guitar is E minor. There is only one sharp (F#) to consider (except from D# which appears in E minor harmonic) and a lot of rock/metal songs are written in that key. Every guitarist should know that scale by heart. This is why I decided to focus on that point. We are going to use 3-notes-per-string patterns starting from every note from the E minor natural scale. A nice ending gives us the chromatic tapping lick which goes over 2 octaves. I changed the rhythm so that your timing skills are developed, too.

So, let´s start.

The lesson

|------------------------------------|-----------2-3-5-5-3-2-----------|----------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---1-3-5-----------------5-3-1---|----------------------------------------|
|---------------------------0-2-4---|-----------------------------------|---4-2-0-------------------------------|
|-------------------0-2-4-----------|-----------------------------------|---------------4-2-0-------------------|
|-----------0-2-3-------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------3-2-0-----------|
|---0-2-3---------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------3-2-0---|

Time measure: 2/4
Note value: 16th triplets

We start with low E and go stepwise up. Don´t forget to mute the strings after you skip a string. Pay attention to my fingering: I stay only in one position, that means that every finger has its own fret to play. Accentuate the first note of every beat, that helps you to stay in the beat. This scale is also known as E Aeolian.

|-----------------------------------|-----------3-5-7-5-3-----------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---3-5-7---------------7-5-3---|------------------------------------|
|---------------------------2-4-5---|--------------------------------|---5-4-2---------------------------|
|-------------------2-4-5-----------|--------------------------------|-----------5-4-2-------------------|
|-----------2-3-5-------------------|--------------------------------|-------------------5-3-2-----------|
|---2-3-5---------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------5-3-2---|

Time measure: 3/4
Note value: 16th

We start from F# and play all the notes from the E minor natural scale up to high B. Starting from this point, we can consider this scale as F# Locrian, by the way. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

|------------------------------------|-----------5-7-8-8-7-5-----------|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---5-7-8-----------------8-7-5---|------------------------------------|
|---------------------------4-5-7---|-----------------------------------|---7-5-4---------------------------|
|-------------------4-5-7-----------|-----------------------------------|-----------7-5-4-------------------|
|-----------3-5-7-------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------7-5-3-----------|
|---3-5-7---------------------------|-----------------------------------|---------------------------7-5-3---|

Time measure: 2/4
Note value: 16th triplets

The first note is G. This scale is also known as the G Major/Ionian scale. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

|------------------------------------|-------------7-8-10-10-8-7------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---7-8-10--------------------10-8-7---|------------------------------------|
|---------------------------5-7-9---|----------------------------------------|---9-7-5----------------------------|
|-------------------5-7-9-----------|----------------------------------------|-----------9-7-5--------------------|
|-----------5-7-9-------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------9-7-5------------|
|---5-7-8---------------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------8-7-5----|

Time measure: 3/4
Note value: 16th

We start from A which gives us the 4th position of the E minor scale or a mode called A Dorian. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

Time measure: 2/4
Note value: 16th triplets

First note: B. So, we have the 5th position or B Phrygian. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

Time measure: 3/4
Note value: 16th

This scale is also called C Lydian because we have an augmented 4th if C is the root. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

Time measure: 2/4
Note value: 16th triplets

We start from the 7th position of E minor, so we have D Mixolydian. Accentuate the first note of every beat.

Time measure: 2/4
Note value: 10th (except from the first and last note which are 8th notes [the last note is an 8th note with a note of 3 beats in the next measure) After staying in the same key for a long time, we get a bit naughty and play only minor 2nds up to E. Tap the last two notes of every string with your middle and ring finger. Don't forget to add some nice vibrato to the last note to stay more musical.

Analysis of this Lesson

Harmonically speaking, this lesson is very simple. We stay all the time in E minor. Depending from the situation, we can interpret those different position as modes: E Aeolian, F# Locrian, G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian. If we have a look at the rhythm, we alternate between 16th notes and 16th triplets. Don´t forget to accentuate the first note of every beat while practising. Also, use staright alternate picking all the time. This simple exercice will help you develop your picking abilities and you will remark that playing faster is a bit easier.

Last Words

This lesson is the first with good audio quality. However, I had some troubles with recording and cutting as you see in the main video. Just let´s hope that I´ll have the chance to get a halogen light. I hope this lesson is useful for you. I´m waiting for a video from you. Don´t forget: with each video of my lesson you record (and if it sounds ok), you´ll have a wish for free.