This is a huge lesson about your roles when you play lead guitar. It's so big that I'm waiting to film the next until until people have questions about this one. Part of the reason it's so long is because I tried to give lots of examples on the guitar. This is the kind of lesson that might give you a few months of practice, so take your time, have fun, and even take a break and come back to these concepts later if you want to.
Read MoreThese were the questions this week:
Q1: Kayne was curious about how pentatonic shapes move together.
Q2: Martin was curious about wether or not it's necessary to learn how to read music
Q3: Dennis had a question about writing music starting with lyrics instead of music
Q4: Mateus was wondering if big bands listen to their own music - we got into some philosophy around songwriting
Q5: Mateus was also curious about how to write chord progressions using NOT the I chord first
Q6: Tony had some questions about pentatonic scales. I mentioned watching CAGED Soloing.
Q7: Graylight was curious about how two guitars sounds so good together on songs from The Milk Carton Kids like "Michigan." I also recommended some recording equipment.
Q8: Kevin had a question about what part of my hand hits the strings when I do a kind of slap strum.
Q9: Tony had some clarifying questions about what order to watch things in. I mentioned following the Recommended Lesson Plan.
Q10: Jason was curious who did my website. Luke Dumke is THE man around here. He edits my videos, he redesigned my website, he built the lesson archive, he also films amazing music videos, he's a recording engineer, and he's just a really cool and really nice guy.
The easiest way to participate would be to write a melody or chord progression that includes some hammer-ons. Then record that to your phone. No need to get fancy.
If you want a little more of a challenge, you could write both a chord progression AND a melody using recording software. Or a whole song. This particular challenge is pretty open-ended! Have fun with it.
Read MoreFor some reason, the music world is plagued by this idea that the good musicians have this magical thing called "talent." This idea is so solidified into music culture that people often feel like a failure or a fraud as soon as they pick up the instrument. Any resistance on their learning path is met with this feeling of "I knew I sucked at guitar and now it's becoming apparent."
Now, some of you might think I'm exaggerating but some of you might know what I'm talking about! Anyone on any level will probably get something out of this video, but I think this Practice Thought will really resonate with those of you who are struggling with perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and general frustration or dissatisfaction with your guitar playing.
If you struggle with feeling like you suck, this lesson will help you get a sense of how to focus those insecurities or frustrations toward progress.
Read MoreThis week there were some great questions.
Question 1: Todd was curious about downloading lessons from my Patreon
Question 2: Dennis was curious about roman numerals and capo's. Specifically, what happens to chords when you move them up or down?
Question 3: Davin was curious about best practices for recording acoustic guitar with a dynamic mic. I also got into a little bit of EQ and compression for acoustic guitar.
Question 4: Gabriel also had a question about capos - I recommend checking out Dennis's question above, but also, once you're done with Music Theory for Guitar, the CAGED System Basics series will really help drive these concepts home.
Question 5: Mateus had a question about how to set the intonation on your guitar. I should have specified that I was referring specifically to electric guitar. Acoustic guitars generally require the saddle to be carved to achieve what can be done with a few turns of a screwdriver on an electric guitar.
Question 6: Kylir was curious about how to find arpeggios and use them in soloing. Among other things, I recommended CAGED System Basics and CAGED Soloing, to help find chord tones.
Question 7: Kylir was wondering what lessons I'm putting out next
Question 8: Davin had a question about how to teach guitar to kids
Question 9: Mateus was wondering how to finish a song
Question 10: Nathan was wondering if I have any series on learning specific genres.
Question 11: Kylir was wondering how/when to get started on community challenges
Question 12: Tim was curious about how to avoid back pain when practicing guitar
Read MoreIn this case, something can mean:
1. a whole song
2. a chord progression
3. a lone melody
It has been absolutely inspiring to hear all the submissions for community challenges so far. If you've been nervous to participate or feel like you're not ready, I'd like to remind you of two things:
Thing 1 is that you can submit your creations for any previous challenge at any point! They are open for you to participate wether you're reading this now in 2021 or later in 2045 - if the community challenges are posted, you're welcome to participate.
Thing 2 I'd like to emphasize is that you are welcome to participate at whatever level you're comfortable. This is a place for learning. If you were already a professional musician, you wouldn't be here. These challenges are designed to meet you where you're at so you can learn and grow in the most important way possible: by creating your own music.
Even if you don't want to be a songwriter, making music is (in my opinion) THEE way to understand and grow and become a musician. You don't need to write songs. Even just something as simple as writing a chord progression once a week can radically change how you approach your instrument. It's powerful. It is life-changing. It's fun.
If you're not familiar with Melodic Minor, I recommend brushing up on your Music Theory Monday.
Essentially, Melodic minor is about having the option of using two extra notes and therefore two (plus maybe a few more) extra chords. That turns something like this:
E Minor Scale: E F# G A B C D E
Into something like this:
E Minor Scale (with added Melodic Minor notes) E F# G A B C (C#) D (D#) E
Which gives you some chord options:
E Natural Minor Chords:
Em • F#° • G • Am • Bm • C • D
chord options added by melodic minor:
A • A7 • B • B7 • D# fully dim
Read MoreIn this lesson, I walk you through the basic techniques involved in slide guitar and the basic triads you can find for slide guitar in standard tuning. From there we discuss how to approach the weird tonality of slide guitar and dig into a few ways to practice, mainly using my SPJ Jam Tracks.
Share your slide guitar noodling in the community forum. Also check out the attached PDF, showing a set of Chords in C Major and a set of Chords in E Minor. These two sets should give you enough to be able to transpose to different keys, but let the community know if you need help transposing!
If you want more specific homework other than "explore and noodle," here it is:
1. Try to work through a few tracks on my SPJ Jam Tracks channel and:
a) transpose the whole set of slide chords to the correct key for each jam track
b) start simple by trying to play each note in the chord simultaneously on the 1st beat of each measure before trying to do anything too fancy
c) try to come up with a fingerpicking pattern you like for one or two jam tracks
d) See if there are options to play chords an octave higher or lower on the neck.
The goal is just to start getting comfortable with slide technique and to get used to the idea of finding chord tones that all reside on one fret together.
This was a great stream. Great questions all around
Intro and welcome
Question 1: Jack wanted some ideas for strengthening a sense of rhythm. I gave some practice ideas and some mindset ideas
Question 2: Dede/Mateus was curious about how to notate specific information onto roman numbers. We got into when and why you should/could/shouldn't do it.
Question 3: Tony had some questions about tuners and setting intonation - we dove deep into some of the complications around the guitar. Also, I mentioned the Buzz Feiten system for those who want their intonation to be that much better
Question 4: Mr K was wondering if there was a quick way to find the 7th of a particular chord. I talked about this quick trick: find a root and the note directly behind it is the maj7 - a whole step behind the root is the flat 7th for dom7, m7, and half dim. One more half step from there is the double flat 7th for fully dim chords. BUT also, check out the Rubik's Cube lessons to help solidify these concepts.
Question 5: Grow it all had a question about wether you can mix secondary dominants with modes
Question 6: Nathan was curious about how to add some triads or harmonies to solos inside of pentatonic scale
Question 7: Davin was curious about switching modes mid song in your guitar solo without changing keys. Whats going on here? Partly, it's a different way to think about modes that is often more common in jazz. I get into it. ALSO, I called a G Major chord a D Major chord for some reason. Ooops
Question 8: Mr K was curious about wether you must use the root note to slide from one shape to the next. No! You don't, but I went into more detail about it. Also, I talk about ways to practice that in my How to Solo Using the CAGED System video on YouTube.
Read MoreSometimes writing something sad can make you feel really good! Sometimes writing something sad can make you feel more sad, but in a good way.
How do you write something sad? Sometimes it's about the way you play.
Here is a list of suggestions:
1. Slow tempo
2. Play in a way that is heavy, relaxed
3. Pick a minor key
4. Keep it sparse and simple
5. Melodies with long notes and gentle transitions might work better than staccato or jagged melodies
6. A slow bend up to a note can sound sad sometimes
7. Sliding up or down to a note in your melody can sound tired in a sad way sometimes
This is extremely open ended. You could write a chord progression or a whole song. It could be an instrumental ballad or a single, solitary melody played to some slow acoustic chords. Whatever you do, if your creation feels sad, submit what you've written to the community forum and we'll all have a listen. If you tried to make something sad and you're not sure you've nailed it, submit it anyway! Maybe the community will have some more technical suggestions for how to make it sound sad!
If you're stuck on how to do this, keep in mind that your body language and the way you play will often translate more than what notes you play. So it might help to imagine how it feels to be sad and see how your body feels. Or if you're already feeling sad, pour that into the guitar and see what happens.
Yes, music theory is important, but ultimately music is about expressing yourself. The suggestions above will help, but trying to translate how your body feels when you're sad into playing the guitar can take some practice!
The idea here is to experiment, explore and have fun.
Read MoreThis lesson is a little different. It's a conversation with my friend and bandmate, Ben Carson. This is hopefully the first of many conversations. Let me know if you'd like me to continue this conversation and get more specific about each of these lyric writing prongs. Next time we'll be able to capture better audio as well - something didn't work right this time!
Ben and I wrote all the songs for our band, Hot Bodies in Motion. I wrote mostly music - bringing sketches of verse and chorus and sometimes more - and Ben wrote the lyrics (and massaged, changed, or rewrote my melodies to fit his voice.)
This video is hopefully the first of many videos about writing lyrics. Even if you are not interested in writing lyrics, this still might be useful if you'd like to be a good bandmate in the future. Also, this discussion might help you start thinking about how to start building writing habits around music as well.
Read MoreQuestion 1: Jeff was curious about mixing major and minor scales when soloing. I talked a bit about how the blues approach and made a little jam track. I've attached a five minute version of the A A D E jam track I used. Just remember the A Minor pentatonic goes over the IV chord - the D Major chord.
Question 2: Mathais was curious about Ear Training. I'm working on a series, but in the meantime check out this thread, about Rapid Fire key guessing. Use the songs people have already figured out to see if it sounds right to you, then try your own songs. This post also has some links to ear training practice and songs. This is another interesting thread about ear training.
Question 3: Dennis had some questions about playing guitar with a strap, standing up. I had quite a few thoughts about it.
Question 4: Andy had some technique questions regarding pinky use. I also gave some general practice pointers to help with speed and comfort.
Question 5: Tim had a question about when and how to use sus and add chords. I spent some time on it but in the process I realized I would have to do a longer set of lessons about the subject. So Tim, look out for some detailed lessons about the subject.
Question 6: Davin had questions about the song "About a Girl" by Nirvana. Why do the chords work the way they do? I didn't give solid answers, but I did give some context and history and discussed a few ways to think about this song!
Question 7: MJ was curious about how singing and playing guitar works. I gave some specifics and some ways to start practicing using your voice with your guitar. We also touched on some common misconceptions about perfect pitch.
Question 8: Wayne was curious about loop pedals. I compare software vs loop pedal pros and cons, etc.
Read MoreSubmit your creations to the community forum. These don't have to be perfect songs. They could be a rough sketch you spent five minutes tinkering with, then recorded on your cellphone. It could be something you hum while you strum. You're welcome to go all out with drums, bass, and keys using fancy recording software, but you never have to!
This one is pretty straightforward, but here are some ways to approach it:
Beginner: Write a simple three, four, or five chord progression using only chords from a Major Key. If you need a refresher, check out the first lesson of Music Theory Monday for a reminder on how chords in a key word - then check out lesson 3 on 7th chords if you want to get slightly fancier.
For example:
Triads in the key of D Major: D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim
7th chords in the key of D Major: Dma7 Em7 F#m7 Gmaj7 A7 Bm7 C#half dim
A chord progression in D Major might like like: D D Em A D D Bm G
Intermediate: Write two chord progressions that complement each other using chords from a major key. Something like verse and chorus. If you like, write a melody over the top.
Advanced: Write a whole song or set of sections with melody, bass, rhythm - just make sure you're in a Major Key! Secondary Dominants are allowed and I would accept some modal chord borrowing (like a mixo bVII) or even some sneaky blues stuff.
Please be prepared to explain how and why your creation is in a major key, as well as any other quirks about your creation! Part of the goal here is for you to participate within your current understanding of music theory. Writing CERTAINLY doesn't need to be this way all the time, but these challenges are supposed to help you apply what you're learning, so it's best to set out to write within your ability to explain.
Make sure you're submitting something you've written based on your interpretation of this assignment. The goal is to write something new, not to submit something you've already written.
In this Third installment of ROLES, we're talking about that weird situation where there are already a bunch of guitar players.... How do I play rhythm guitar if someone else is already playing rhythm guitar?
I give a few strategies and offer some basic homework: explore these two jam tracks (the Full Version and the Added Keys Version) and see if you can find a simple place to hang out in the mix. In general, you can't go wrong if you avoid those bottom strings, keep to a simple part, and try to fit in.
Remember, the track with added keys is designed to be difficult to find something to play. It's designed to force you to listen closely and play very sparsely. It's a little reminder that sometimes there is barely room to add anything, especially if there are already TWO people playing the role of rhythm.
This week's challenge is: Write a melody on one string
This is pretty self explanatory but here are a few approaches:
1. The Easy Way: write a simple melody on one string. This could be completely unaccompanied. Just a nice, simple melody recorded to your phone. It could be freeform without a chord progression, or you could have a specific chord progression in mind while still submitting just a lonely melody.
2. Intermediate: Pick one of my Jam Tracks and write a melody to it. The melody only needs to be somewhere between 4 and 16 measures, certainly not the duration of the whole track. Perform the melody on only one string. You could record this to a cell phone, or use recording software. Whatever is comfortable for you.
3. Advanced: Write your own accompaniment for your one-string melody. You could even try a verse chorus or A section B section type thing. If you write two sections, each section's melody could use a different string. This could be with recording software, a loop pedal, etc.
4. Advanced II: You could write a whole song and have the intro riff be a one-string melody. If this challenge inspires something like that, go for it!
5. Advanced III: I suppose you could write a melody on the high E or B string and surround that melody with chords up and down the neck. If you try this option, keep your melody simple or you'll have a hell of a time trying to grab chords all over the neck. Or keep your chord progression simple and try to write in a key where you can use a lot of open notes.
Read MoreThis Practice Thought is all about my practice method. I think it's easiest to apply this method to learning songs, but the more you integrate this practice method into your practice time, the more you'll notice the massive impact it can have on the way you play guitar.
A lot of self-taught guitar players start learning guitar as a way to unwind, relax, and drift off into music land. While this state of mind is important and useful - especially for performing or getting yourself into a good, relaxed mood - it is not useful when you're trying to learn something new. This practice method is designed to help you get the most of the time you spend trying to improve your technique and general hand, arm and body awareness around your instrument.
I know this is a departure from learning a specific technique or music theory concept, but this is at the core of my approach to improving my actual guitar skills. I hope you enjoy it.
Read MoreVery few questions this week! But good ones.
Question 1: Dennis was wondering about how different kinds of scales (like blues scales or #6 scales) affect a blues solo. I talked a bit about how the chords inform which notes to play a little more than what scale to play! I've attached the worksheet I wrote for this section.
Question 2: Kevin T was curious about how to improvise riffs in a chord progression. I gave a few ways to start practicing toward that goal.
Read MoreQuestion 1: Mathias had some questions about how to mute strings when you're playing in the middle of the fingerboard.
Question 2: Hieu was curious about a few things - how to make solos feel less robotic, what are some good jazz, blues, and R&B guitarists, and how to navigate chord voicings in different parts of the neck. I recommend CAGED Basics for that last one.
Question 3: Taco asked if I have other videos like the "Phrases" video on my YouTube channel. Overall, there were a LOT of questions related to soloing this week that I think will be mega helpful if you watch: CAGED Soloing I - ii, I - iii and I - IV, MTM 17, 18, 19.
Question 4: Dennis was curious about why we don't just switch scales for soloing over chords. I went DEEP into it because this is, in my head, a crucial concept to understand when moving through the music world.
Question 5: Russ was curious about the word "diatonic"
Question 6: Chat question about the best way to learn a song
Read MoreThis is the second lesson in my Roles Series. In this one I'm discussing and exploring how it sounds when you add or subtract tonal complexity in your rhythm parts, and how effects pedals can help or hinder your efforts. You have a LOT of power to affect the way a song sounds as a rhythm guitarist, and this lesson is designed to help you discover and explore more options.
Read MoreThis was a great set of questions!
Question 1: Rohan had a set of questions regarding guitar technique and practice method when it comes to playing scales and other exercises.
Question 2: Hiep was curious about how to get the hang of knowing where other intervals are without counting up.
I went on a rant about how much I love Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method Grade 1. Also, fun bonus, Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel also learned from that book and wrote a silly song about it.
Question 3: Page was curious about an everyday finger exercise, so I gave one!
Question 4: Kylir had a question about notes with or without sharps or flats.
Question 5: Emil had some questions about how to make drum tracks that feel human and how to figure out a way to make them interesting.
Question 6: Matt was wondering when to move to the next Music Theory for Guitar.
Read More
