Basic Guitar Theory - Guitar Scales, Chords And Arpeggios
If you want to play the guitar or write songs you will need to know something, at least, about guitar music theory. You could break down guitar theory down to the study of three elements: chords, scales and arpeggios.
Scales come easily to some people but others find them difficult to learn and difficult to understand. You can, in fact, relate scales to chord shapes. Understanding chords and scales is a matter of exploring the relationships between the notes on the guitar fretboard, but it is not necessary to learn to read music, just find the patterns on the guitar neck.
When you look at scales you will see a symbol like: # or b. The # is the sharp symbol which indicates when a note is played one fret above where it would normally be played. The b symbol is called a flat which is when the note is played a fret lower. One fret on the guitar is called a half step as opposed to a whole step or whole note. In the musical scale there is only a half step between the notes B and C and the notes E and F. The notes that don't have a sharp or flat symbol are called "naturals".
The complete set of notes in the octave are, in alphabetical order, A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#. So these notes as they are played in the C scale are C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B. The notes on the guitar begin with the open sixth string which sounds the note E, then going up the frets, F G A B C finishing the first octave on the open fourth string D. The octaves continue for twenty-one frets on most electric guitars and nineteen frets for acoustic guitars that don't have a cutaway body.
Chords contain three or more notes. These notes form part of a scale that has the same name as the chord. The E major chord, for example, has three notes from the E major scale. Not all notes are created equal. The most important notes in a chord are the third and the seventh. They tell us whether the chord is major, minor or dominant.
When you play chords in a particulat order it is called a progression. Most chord progressions in popular music are based on the first, fourth and fifth notes of a scale. The twelve bar blues progression is one of the most popular chord progressions. Here is a how it works out in the key of C: you are using the first note - C, the fourth, F and the fifth, G. You play four bars using the C chord, two using F, the next two bars you play C again and the next two are G and F, finishing with two bars of the C chord. The most obvious example of this progression put into practice is the instrumental piece called Guitar Boogie.
Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
|
Who do you think the most overrated bands are?
I'm talking like music that is noted as good not stuff that obviously sucks...This is my list and even if it's gonna piss you off think about it and your realize the truth behind it.
5. Nirvana: they are great don't get me wrong its just that other grunge bands of the era like Alice in Chains or Mudhoney ect... are a lot better but, Nirvana just gets blown out of proportion.
4. Kiss: ok now this is a band that actually SUCKS. What is one good thing Kiss has ever brought to the music industry...enough said.
3. AC/DC/: another band that sucks. simple 3 chord guitar lines with Brian Johnson's vomitesque vocals.
2. U2: why is it they are regarded so highly.? What did they ever do good. I mean it's just a lot of "yeah yeah yeah yeah" and the edge is no good at guitar.
1. The Beatles: I know this is the one to piss people off but... Think about it 1963 the Beatles are in a leauge of their own with music...1964 the Beatles are surrounded by The Who(whom in their early days was a better version of the beatles...listen to The Who Sell Out) or the Stones...ect. They were hardly pioneers and such simple pop songs make them the most overrated band of all time.
Okay i can't understand what ur saying about pink floyd being overrated...They are one of the most advanced and talented bands Ever. Good list other than that
Get the answers
|
|
How long did it take you to get the hang of BARRE CHORDS guitar?
Whenever I play them strings are always muted unless I press super hard, and when ever I slide a bar chord the placement of my fingers change.
Would you say bar (or is it barre) chords are an advanced guitar skill.
What can I do to help w/ fingering them smooothly?
Get the answers
|
|
G scale/chord Guitar help?
I have a noob question on the G major scale.
You know how the G chord are 3rd fret 6thstring (G) second fret 5th string (B) and 3rd fret 1st string (G)?
But when I was reading a page on this site about the CAGED stuff, it said it should be 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the major scale, but the G major scale is G, A, B, C, D, E, F? so shouldn't the G chord be G,B,D instead of G,B,G? Im really confused, so if anyone can help...
Also when playing the G major scale the "E" shape (1st position), how come you don't finish on the 3rd fret 1st string (G), but instead, you do it up to the 5th fret (A)?
I thought you were suppose to go up to root note, so why do you have to add that extra note at the end of the G major?
Thanks
Get the answers
|
|
Help writing this song?
ive got the first two chords (guitar) and i can think of how i want the 3rd chord to sound, but i cant figure out what it is. my guitar is tuned down a half step and this is what I have:
x02200
x00220
each one is held for 8 beats and its kinda fast (around 170 bpm if you want to be nerdy about it lol)
its upbeat and sounds kinda happy. the third chord sounds very rich and full, kinda like G but its not that. Any ideas that you have are greatly appreciated! =)
Get the answers
|
|
question about F chord? (guitar)?
I know its (1 3 3 2 1 1) but i was wondering what fingerings you guys use? thanks
Get the answers
|
