Tolek - Learning the fretboard SI Lesson

Revision as of 18:05, 5 February 2010

UNDER CONSTRUCTION --- SOON TO BE FINISHED -- FRAN

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.