This post is all about neck layout. And, for pretty much every guitarist, learning the necks layout and the neck patterns are a big project. It’s a long process that’s going to take months to start to organize and years to eventually master...
There's all the chords, the arpeggios, the scale shapes, plus the technique involved to be able to play them, and the rules and skills for eventually learning to apply them in music... So, let's get started...
LEARNING THE GUITAR NECK: If you’re still in the early stages of learning your neck this will be an excellent practice drill that you can use for many weeks ahead to develop the neck in all of its locations. This process we are about to study separates the neck into three neck MOVES (Low, Mid and Upper), and at the same time it also helps you develop an association to the ways that scales can relate to arpeggios as well as, to all types of chord patterns. These 3 "Neck Regions" and their associated five scale, arpeggio and chord outlines make up the primary playing tools of guitar players and must become well developed. Once you understand how these three neck moves /regions operate (in all of the different neck areas), you'll have much greater control over the neck. Let’s get started with learning this guitar neck practice system right now...
START FROM A SINGLE NOTE: A lot of guitar neck study methods will begin by showing the location of a single note. In the example I have below, we are looking at all of the locations of the “E” notes along and across the guitars fingerboard.
IMPORTANT: If you’ve never taken a piece of fret-board diagram paper and drawn this out (with every single note from every scale), then I’d highly suggest doing that as soon as possible.
THE LEARNING STRATEGY: The next important study concept with this system is learning to play a; scale, a related arpeggio, and a related chord in each of the three neck regions. If you’re not already aware of it, the guitar neck is made up of three primary fretting regions which consist of 5 frets per region. This 5 fret concept is one of the best ways that you can use to study (and eventually memorize) the entire fretboard layout. In this lesson, we’ll be learning how to perform a Minor scale, a Minor 7th Arpeggio, and the related "Minor Triad" chord in all three of these fretting regions. The process that we will study here will use tones from the key of “E Minor.” THE EXERCISE: First, we’re going to start from the lowest fretted position from within the key of “E Minor.” We will be based upon the 4th guitar string in the second position. Here’s how this would would sit on the neck when its performed… LOW REGION: Scale, Arpeggio and Chord
MID REGION: Scale, Arpeggio and Chord 7th position off of the 5th string…
UPPER REGION: Scale, Arpeggio and Chord 12th position off of the 6th string…
FILLING IN THE GAPS: Next, we’re going to double back and fill in the spaces between those three scale layouts. We’ll start from the 5th string in the 4th position… LOW REGION - Gap Fill: Scale, Arpeggio and Chord 5th string in the 4th position…
Finally, we’re going to finish off the neck with a pattern based off of the 6th string in the 9th position... UPPER REGION - Gap Fill: Scale, Arpeggio and Chord 6th string in the 9th position...
Now you’ve seen how this method works the next part of the practice routine would involve continuing this work with the; arpeggios, and also with the chords that are related to the other keys.
CONCLUSION: As you can tell this system is an excellent way to study all of the scales, the arpeggios and the chords in all of the different fingerboard locations. This regional method covers all of the sections of the neck, and over time, you can work on including all of the different keys and the different locations of how the notes and intervals could be laid out. Plus, you can expand these ideas to work on fingerboard range when soloing and other ways for how the scales and arpeggios can connect all over the guitar using this method. The bottom line is that this is a really helpful way to study the scales, the arpeggios and a wide array of chords on the neck.
VISIT THE WEB-SITE: I'd like to let you know about the guitar courses I have over on my website at CreativeGuitarStudio.com I’ve written step-by-step; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced courses that work alongside of in-depth elective programs to form the best guitar courses available. My courses work fantastic to help you learn to identify what's required to get you up to that next level of guitar playing, in a very organized step-by-step way, that totally makes sense. I look forward to helping you further at my website; CreativeGuitarStudio.com As always, thanks for joining me, if you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more on YouTube, (and remember to hit that bell when you subscribe so that you’ll never miss any of my lesson uploads to YouTube)…
Until next time, take care and we'll catch up again on the next lesson. Bye for now!
If you'd like to get your melodic ideas to sound a lot bigger (so they really ring out strong, bold and loud), then this guitar lesson will have some excellent techniques that you can start using right away! ...Techniques to help get your melody lines, riffs, (and especially your guitar solos) to really stand out a whole lot more...
In this lesson, we'll study a couple of methods that can work very effectively for helping make any single-note melodic idea sound like its exploding out of your music with twice the musical impact. WATCH THE VIDEO:
Our first melody enhancing idea is the easiest one to bring into your songwriting and performance. This technique involves taking a melody line and doubling it either on another instrument or by switching to another tone setting on your guitar. This method is incredibly easy to do, and it can be done using the same guitar, or by switching guitars. For instance, you play the melody line on an electric then the line could be also doubled on acoustic. Let’s begin by experimenting with this technique using a pre-established melodic idea. We'll start by playing the melody at first only using one guitar. Here’s what the primary example melody, (that I’ve come up with for the lesson here), sounds like on its own played using just one guitar.
PRIMARY MELODY:
You can tell that this melody line is pretty thin sounding when played by itself. So, next, let’s play this line with a backing track chord progression performed in behind it covering the underlying chord harmony. The key center of this line is in the key of “E Minor,” and so our chord changes will be pulling chords from out of the key center. Here are those chord changes... BACKING PROGRESSION:
Now that we’ve established a primary melody and we have a good backing track, we can begin some work on enhancing the melody line so that it can begin getting a stronger foot-print in our music. This is really important because in the end, these performance enhancements that we make will help our melody part stand out a lot better when we’re playing it live, or when we get to start recording our melodies in the studio. To help you understand these layered two-part guitar effects, we'll begin by hearing what our part would sound like if it were doubled by playing all of the same tones in unison and in a different area of the neck along with changing the guitar’s pick-up selector switch over to another pick-up setting. Then, I’ll play the unison part again but, I’ll switch guitars and play the part on my acoustic.
As you can tell the part takes on a new life and has a lot more impact when the melody line gets doubled. And, this can work very nicely whether you’re working out the part on an electric guitar or on an acoustic guitar. Next we’re really going to take all of this up to a whole other level, by adding a secondary melodic harmony to the original part. If you’re unsure of what a secondary harmonized melody line is, just think of this as playing a series of diatonic notes from the same key but played on notes that are out by way of a chord tone interval. The most popular interval is taking a melody and doubling it using diatonic thirds. That means, we’ll use another guitar to play additional scale tones alongside our original ones. But, the added tones will be performed by way of a third interval in the key... HARMONIZED MELODY: If our original melody line went “E, G, A, B,”
Our doubled harmonized part (played simultaneously on the second guitar) would go, “G, B, C, D.”
When both renditions of a two-part melody line get performed at the same time, the result sounds absolutely excellent in a song. If you're in any way unclear as to how this sounds, then you have got to hear this. I’m going to play it right now for you so you can check it out for yourself.
Learn about these techniques and get to know and understand the different ways for how to go about performing melody lines. The end result is well worth it, because you gain a bigger more boosted (higher quality of sound), from your melody parts.
GUITAR HARMONY: (3rd's)
CONCLUSION: The techniques I've covered here will provide your live shows and your studio recordings with a lot more expansive dynamic range. In the end, the result will be an overall more impactful quality of sound from your melodies. In this lesson, I’ve shown you a couple of techniques that you can use to achieve this effect. If you start testing these techniques in your music and you begin building upon them in the songs you’re performing, I think you’ll really enjoy the results that you end up with in your music.
VISIT THE WEB-SITE: As always, thanks for joining me, I'd also like to let you know about the guitar courses over on my website at CreativeGuitarStudio.com. I’ve got step-by-step; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced courses
that work alongside of in-depth elective programs to form the best
guitar course available. The courses work to help you
learn to identify what's required to get you up to that next level of
guitar playing, in a very organized step-by-step way, that makes sense. So, I look forward to helping you further at CreativeGuitarStudio.com
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more on YouTube, (and remember to hit that bell when you subscribe so that you’ll never miss any of my uploads to YouTube)… Until next time, take care and we'll catch up again on the next video. Bye for now!
NEW The 16th lesson of "Rhythm Guitar" shifts to a new practice routine that has the sessions start including composition. Each of the remaining Rhythm Guitar episodes will not only include stylistic examples, but they will also include a section for students to create their own original rhythm jams. A bonus for BASIC and PREMIUM web-site members are the (9) MP3 play-along tracks that will help with learning each rhythm example.
Paid Web-site members (BASIC and PREMIUM), can watch the associated video lessons and download the detailed PDF handout, along with the MP3 clap /strum play-along tracks...
Join the member's areato download the PDF handout and MP3's. Study all of the examples with full access to both video lessons. Be sure to spend some additional time on learning the "Rhythm Jam Challenge" piece that I performed at the start of the lesson in the "Part One" video... EPISODE 16: The lesson plan for episode 16 is dedicated to performing blues. Four examples in the lesson will focus on covering; Swung Finger-Picked Blues Rhythms, Dominant Chord Shuffle, Syncopated 16th-Note Blues, and a 6/8 Blues Rhythm Pattern.
PART ONE (free on YouTube):Example one is based upon a swung feel of the shuffle-rhythm. A steady eighth-note shuffle is mixed against eighth-note triplets to form a steady groove with strong accents on beats one and three. PART TWO:In example two, we're going to run through another 'Blues Shuffle' groove. This blues feel will focus on the use of Dominant 7th chord patterns performed around the traditional, "I-IV-V."
PART THREE:
In example three, our groove shifts to the classic sounds of rhythms based upon the syncopated 16th-note blues feel. This groove is similar to the feel that was used profusely by, "Stevie Ray Vaughn."
The pattern used in example three is a single measure pattern based upon a recurring mix of 16th-notes and 8th-notes. This single bar groove establishes a rhythm pattern for the strum-hand that remains consistent throughout each bar.
PART FOUR:Example four shifts to using the 6/8 time signature triple-meter rhythmic feel. This is also commonly referred to as, "compound meter."
This example operates around a two-bar groove that is based upon a mix of mostly 8th-notes as well as, a single quarter note in the second measure of the phrase.
The rhythm pattern shown in example four demonstrates a feel of the, "triple meter," groove that applies consistent 8th-notes around the time signature of compound meter, (6/8 and 12/8).
If you’ve ever been stumped by an unknown looking chord called a 'slash chord,' then this lesson is going to be a great help to you. I will explain slash chords so you have a much better understanding for what chord inversions are and why they’re written on charts as slash chords...
In this lesson I will take things a step further with those strange often unknown chords called "slash chords."
This lesson will be unique because I will be showing you some of the most common open position slash chords that are used in nearly all types and all styles of music. I will even have a 'real-world' slash chord progression for you to play that will include every one of the slash chord examples from this lesson. WATCH THE VIDEO LESSON:
SLASH CHORDS: In music, in order for a chord to exist, it must have at least a minimum of three notes, (otherwise it’s called an interval – not a chord). ROOT POSITION: Let’s take for example a “C Major” chord. It’s notes would be the; Root of “C,” the Major 3rd of “E” and the perfect 5th which would be a “G” note.
These 3 tones make up the chord construction formula known of as a chords “1st, 3rd, and 5th.”
1st INVERSION: If we take that chords 3rd degree note of “E” and place it into the bass, what we’d have is what’s referred to as a “First Inversion” of the “C Major” chord. It would be written as “C / E.”
2nd INVERSION: If we took the 5th chord tone of “G” and placed it into the bass, (playing “G” as the lowest pitch note of our chord), we’d have what’s referred to as a “Second Inversion” of “C Major” and it would be written as “C / G.”
The slash indicates that the chord name is shown on the left, (so in this case it’s a “C Major” chord), and that note shown (on the right side of the slash), is what the lowest pitch tone would have to be when the chord is performed on our instrument.
POPULAR SLASH CHORDS: When it comes to playing slash chords on the guitar, there are a small group of patterns that seem to come up quite often. Some of the most common of them are shapes that you’ll find in the first position of the guitar neck. These slash chords typically get included alongside of other popular first position and open position shapes. Let’s check out four of the most popular slash chords right now. C MAJOR: The first slash chord is a 2nd inversion “C Major,” it places the “G” (the 5th chord tone) in the bass.
F MAJOR: The next one is an “F Major” in 2nd Inversion. This one takes the “F” chords 5th tone of “C” and places it as the lowest chord tone in the bass.
D MAJOR: Another very common pattern is taking the 3rd of the open position “D Major” (which is the “F#”) and placing that F# into the bass, creating a “1st Inversion” “D Major chord.”
A MAJOR: Another common chord inversion in the guitars open position is to take the open “A Major” chord and apply it as a first inversion, which changes it to become a 2nd pos. 1st inversion chord that places the chords “C#” into the bass.
SLASH CHORD APPLICATION: I’ve taken all of these chord inversion patterns and I’ve composed a short chord progression using them so that you can not only practice how you can apply the inversions, but this will also help you better develop each of the shapes.
CONCLUSION: Slash chords will show up in a lot of different songs. So, over time, it’s a really good idea to learn how to construct them yourself as a guitarist. In fact, just the other day one of my online students (who’s studying my courses on the web-site) emailed and asked me a question about a “Todd Rundgren” song called, “Hello it’s Me.” In that song we find an “Abmaj7/Bb” chord listed in the chart at the end of the Verse.
Once you know your theory and you understand the ways that slash chords are applied on guitar, you’ll be able to better comprehend how to analyze and then play the correct shape for any slash chord (like that one), anywhere on the guitar’s fingerboard.
VISIT THE WEBSITE: Hey, guys I want to let you know about the guitar courses I have over on my website at CreativeGuitarStudio.com. There are step-by-step; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced courses that work alongside of in-depth elective programs to form the best guitar courses available. My courses work fantastic to help you learn to identify what's required to get you up to that next level of guitar playing, in a very organized step-by-step way, that totally makes sense. I look forward to helping you further at my website; CreativeGuitarStudio.com As always, thanks for joining me, if you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more, (and remember to hit that bell when you subscribe so that you’ll never miss any of my lesson uploads on YouTube)… Until next time, take care and we'll catch up again on the next video. Bye for now!
NEW This unique Creative Guitar Studio course explores exercises for increasing dexterity and coordination between the hands. The goal of the course is to increase awareness, mobility and control.
Lesson 015 of Guitar Technique explores the recurrent connected picking approach that is known as the "Double and Triple" picking method.
This picking style repeats the same note of a scale, interval or melody line in double or triple groupings. The result is a consecutive sounding pattern of picking that instantly establishes a perpetual driving guitar sound.
Developing this picking concept is not particularly difficult. The tough part is maintaining its persistent effect across a part. Getting good at this picking approach will require stamina and a relaxed /steady picking hand.
Practice the examples that are provided in the lesson plan to help establish your skill for solid control over both double and triple picking technique.
Paying members of the Creative Guitar website can watch both video lessons and download the PDF handout...
Join the member's area to download the PDF handout and start study of these exercises. Study all of the examples with full access to both video lessons...
PART ONE: (Free on YouTube) Exercise one works on a riff that applies a double picking concept over a 2-string scale idea. It helps in applying 2-string double picking with a goal of building stamina.
PART TWO:Exercise two expands the double picking approach on guitar to include an open "A" 5th-string as a pedal tone. Open string pedal-tone technique is abundant in rock and metal. This idea also acts as a way to build a solid connection to the underlying key center.
PART THREE:
Exercise three moves into the practice of triple picking technique. The triple picked exercise operates in compound meter (12/8 time) and focuses on phrasing a triple picked rock phrase in the key of "D Minor."
PART FOUR:Exercise four introduces a triple picked phrase for blues that operates within a blues boogie. This riff is once again within the compound meter time signature of 12/8 time. The key signature is "F Blues."
