GUITAR ANATOMY

OBJECTIVES
1. Learn the two types of guitars. 2. Learn the names of the various parts of the guitar. 3. Learn what the parts of the guitar do.

TWO TYPES OF GUITARS

Generally speaking, there are two types of guitars: acoustic and electric. Luthiers, or guitar makers, build acoustic guitars so they can be played without amplification. Electric guitars require an amplifier to produce a sound loud enough to hear well. Despite their differences, electric and acoustic guitars are played the same way.

Several guitar parts are common to both acoustics and electrics, others are specific. Common Parts Headstock Tuning Machines Frets Nut Neck Fretboard (Fingerboard) Position Markers (typically dots) Electric Only Pickup Pickup Selector Output Jack Volume Knob Tone Knob Bar (Whammy Bar) Acoustic Only Sound Hole Bridge Pin End Pin Sounding Board (Guitar Top)

Body Bridge Saddle Strings

STRING NAMING AND STANDARD TUNING

Strings are numbered from the thinnest string (1st string) to the thickest string (6th string). The tuning is given from the 6th string to the 1st string: E-A-D-G-B-E. This tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) is called standard tuning.

STRING NUMBERING AND TUNING

Notes are named using the first seven letters of the alphabet, however there are more than seven pitches, or notes, produced on the guitar. The note names, or letters, repeat themselves. For example: the note name after G is A: ... E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C ...

FRET NUMBERING
Frets are numbered from the headstock toward the body starting with 1. Sometimes the number 0 or letter O is used to denote an open string, or one that is played without fretting a note. Fretting a note is executed by pressing the string down behind a fret (on the headstock side of the fret).

FRET NUMBERING

FRETBOARD MOVEMENT
Guitarists can move horizontally up or down the fretboard, or vertically across the fretboard. These are common terms used to communicate how to shift your hands when playing the guitar.

FRETBOARD MOVEMENT

GUITAR TUNING
OBJECTIVES
1. Learn to tune the guitar with the Fifth Fret Method. 2. Learn how to tune a 7-string guitar. 3. Use reference pitches to tune your guitar.

INTRODUCTION
Tuning the guitar can be done in several ways. I recommend getting an electronic tuner to ensure you are tuned to the proper pitch. Whether or not you have a tuner, you should know at least one method of tuning your guitar from a reference pitch. This lesson will give you the most common method of tuning as well as audio files to properly tune your guitar (including 7-strings).

FIFTH FRET METHOD

Fret the fifth fret of the sixth string, the Low E String (pictured). Play the 1 fifth and sixth string. Match the pitch of the fifth string to the pitch of the sixth string.

Tuning the Fifth String from the Sixth String

Fretting the Fifth Fret of the Sixth String Listen for a beating or pulsating between the two strings. The faster the beating, the more out of tune it is.

3 Adjust the A string until there is virtually no beating.

Hold the fifth fret of the fifth string, A string. Play the fourth and fifth 4 string. Match the pitch of the fourth string to the pitch of the fifth string.

Tuning the Fourth String from the Fifth String

Hold the fifth fret of the fourth string, A string. Play the third and fourth 5 string. Match the pitch of the third string to the pitch of the fourth string.

Tuning the Third String from the Fourth String

Hold the fourth fret of the third string, A string. Play the second and 6 third string. Match the pitch of the second string to the pitch of the third string.

Tuning the Second String from the Third String

Hold the fifth fret of the second string, A string. Play the first and 7 second string. Match the pitch of the first string to the pitch of the second string.

Tuning the First String from the Second String Fifth Fret Method on a Seven String Guitar

Seven string guitars add a Low B string. It can be tuned by matching the pitch on the fifth fret of the seventh string to the pitch of the open sixth string.

Tuning a Seven String Guitar

TUNING FROM A REFERENCE PITCH

Without a properly tuned string, the fifth fret method will not work. To help you get the proper pitches, I've included audio for all the strings including the seventh string.
String Number Audio 1 2 3 4 5 6 High E B G D A Low E

7 Low B (if applicable) You can also purchase a tuning fork, pitch pipe, or use another instrument to provide a reference pitch to help tune your guitar.

BEGINNER PLAYING TECHNIQUES

Hello and welcome to my lesson on beginner guitar techniques. Today, I am going to show you seven beginner guitar techniques: Pick holding, Fretting, Hammering on, Pulling off, String Bending, Sliding, and playing with vibrato. A video showing each technique is shown below.

HOLDING A PICK

Holding a pick properly will ensure that you can play as fast as possible. The goal is to have a firm grip so it plucks the string firmly with both downstrokes toward the floor and upstrokes toward the ceiling. The proper way to hold the pick is between your bent index finger and thumb. The amount that it sticks out is a personal preference, and it might also affect the stiffness of the pick that you prefer. Do not pinch the pick. Pinching makes it harder to play fast because it makes it harder to use your wrist and elbow to help you play. It can also lead to an uneven picking angle. Remember, Holding a pick properly will prevent bad habits that slow down your playing.

FRETTING NOTES
Fretting a note is one of the most basic skills for playing the guitar. Many guitarists, including me, have gotten into bad habits that make it harder to play fast. The most important point is to have a proper finger arch so you only touch only string that you want to fret. It also allows you to reach every string. To do this, your thumb usually needs to be placed behind the neck and not over it. Playing closer to the fret also lessens the potential for buzzing from a bad fret.
Holding a pick Fretting a note

HAMMER-ONS
Hammer-ons are done by fretting a note then hammering on a higher fret without plucking the string again. This technique is used for smooth note transitions.

PULL-OFFS
Pull-offs are the exact opposite of hammer-ons. To play a pull-off, you play a note then you fret a note behind the one you just played, finally you pull your finger off the first note without re-plucking the string. Like hammer-ons, the notes will transition smoothly.

STRING BENDING
Bending a string allows you to raise the pitch of a note gradually. To bend a note, play it normally then slide the string vertically toward the floor or ceiling while keeping it fretted.

SLIDING
Sliding is a way of transitioning from one note to another without re-plucking the note. It is executed by fretting a note then sliding that finger up or down the fretboard to another note. During the slide you must keep your fretting finger pressed against the fretboard as you slide. It provides a nice note transition.

VIBRATO
Vibrato is a technique that allows you to quickly modulate the pitch of the note. It is accomplished in several different ways, but the principle is the same. You produce vibrato by fast string bending. Some use a pull-down technique. Others use a push-up technique. In this technique, you want to allow the weight of the guitar to assist you. You can also alternate between down and upwards bending. BB King uses a modified version of the pull-

down technique that is called butterfly vibrato. In this technique, you use your index finger as a lever to produce the vibrato then you fan your other fingers out like a butterfly. Different techniques give you different feels, but all of them are great for adding some excitement to your playing. Properly executing these seven techniques will allow you to form a solid base for any style of playing guitar.

LEARNING THE FRETBOARD

OBJECTIVES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Learn how strings are numbered. Learn standard tuning. Learn how frets are numbered. Learn how to move around the fretboard (horizontally and vertically). Learn the notes on each string.

STRING NUMBERING AND STANDARD TUNING

Strings are numbered from the thinnest string (1st string) to the thickest (6th string). The tuning is given from the 6th string to the 1st string: E-A-D-G-B-E. This tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) is called standard tuning.

Notes are named using the first seven letters of the alphabet, however there are more than seven pitches, or notes, produced on the guitar. The note names, or letters, repeat themselves. For example: the note name after G is A: ... E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C ...

FRET NUMBERING
Frets are numbered from the headstock toward the body starting with 1. Sometimes the number 0 or letter O is used to denote an open string, or one that is played without fretting a note. Fretting a note is executed by pressing the string down behind a fret (on the headstock side of the fret).

FRETBOARD MOVEMENT
Guitarists can move horizontally up or down the fretboard, or vertically across the fretboard. These are common terms used to communicate how to shift your hands when playing the guitar.

Fretboard Movement

FRETBOARD NOTE LOCATIONS

This section will show you where each note on the guitar can be played. The notation is given for completeness. Reading notation will be explained in the reading lessons.

1ST STRING NOTES (HIGH E STRING)

2ND STRING NOTES (B STRING)

3RD STRING NOTES (G STRING)

4TH STRING NOTES (D STRING)

5TH STRING (A STRING)

Fifth String Notes on the Fretboard (Frets 1 - 12)

6TH STRING (E STRING)

Sixth String Notes on the Fretboard (Frets 1 - 12)

ALL NOTES

The following tablature shows the full range of the guitar in standard tuning. Notice how some notes can only be played on 1 location while others can be played in up to 5 locations. It is important to remember that learning the fretboard is complicated. On a piano, each note has exactly one location. On a guitar you can play it in up to 5 locations with any of your four fretting fingers. That is up to 20 possibilities for one note. Regardless, I find the following chart very useful when I need a cheat sheet on the notes.

READING NOTATION AND TABLATURE

OBJECTIVES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Learn how to read the pitches on a standard notation staff. Learn how to map the pitches to the guitar. Learn how accidentals change the pitch of the note. Learn how key signatures work. Learn how tablature works to enhance standard notation.

INTRODUCTION
Standard notation is a very important form of written musical communication. It tells a musician which notes to play, when to play them, and how to play them. When combined with tablature, it is even more powerful. This lesson will show you how to read the pitches of the notes and how to read basic tablature.

TABLATURE 101
Tablature, or tab, is a notation method used by stringed instruments to learn a song quickly. For guitar, it consists of six horizontal lines, which represents the strings of the guitar. The top line represents the first string.

The bottom line represents the sixth string. Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to play on that string. Although tablature does not tell you how long to play a note, it is often notated with a standard notation staff so you get the rhythm and note names as well as the exact fretting-hand fingerings.

PRACTICE EXERCISE: READING TABLATURE

Tablature is read like a book: from left to right. Because the rhythm is only notated in standard notation (and I haven't explained that yet), listen to the audio example first. In the practice example, you will see two staffs: standard notation staff (on top), tablature staff (on the bottom). You only need to concern yourself with the tablature staff for this exercise. Playing the First Measure (The notes before the first bar line - first seven notes) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Play the 3rd fret of the 5th string. Play the open 4th string. Play the 2nd fret of the 4th string. Play the 3rd fret of the 4th string. Play the open 3rd string. Play the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. Play the open 2nd string.

NOTES ON THE STANDARD NOTATION STAFF

Treble Clef Standard notation is written on five horizontal lines called a staff. Each line and space between the lines represents a note. The lines and spaces of a staff can represent different notes based on which clef is used. For guitar, the treble clef, or G clef, is used. The treble clef indicates that the lines represent E, G, B, D, and F. To remember them, you can learn this common mnemonic device: Every Good Boy Does Fine. The spaces represent the notes F, A, C, E. This is easy for most guitarists to remember because is spells the word face.

Ledger lines are used when a note is too low or too high to fit on the staff. They extend the staff beyond five staff lines so more notes can be notated.

The seven note names repeat as you move up the staff. The following figure shows the notes that the guitar can play from a low E to a high E (some guitars can play even higher notes).

PRACTICE SONG: MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB

Mary Had a Little Lamb isn't a cool song unless you are listening to Buddy Guy's bluesy version of it. However, it is perfect for learning notation because most people know the melody. Since I have not explained how to read the rhythms of the notes (how long to play each note) yet, I provided an audio example for you test yourself. For this example we will play the song on one string (the fifth string). While playing this song, notice how the C note needed to use a ledger line because its pitch is too low to fit on the staff. Also, notice how the C note sounds deeper or lower in pitch than the G note. To help you visualize and play the song, look at this fretboard diagram of the 5th string (A string). Remember to place your finger behind the fret to play the note.

Notes of the Fifth String (A String)

AN ACCIDENTAL FOR CHANGE

Sometimes the notes between the basic seven notes need to be played. Accidentals (sharps, flats, or naturals) are used to indicate that you should play the note a half step higher or lower in pitch. On guitar, this means you play the note one fret higher or lower, respectively. Sharps (&x266f;) indicate that a note should be played a half

step higher. Flats (&x266d;) indicate that you should play the note a half step lower. Naturals (&x266e;) mean that you should play the note as written without any sharps or flats. This is useful because accidentals last for the duration of the measure (explained later in this lesson).

PRACTICE EXERCISE: USING ACCIDENTALS

This exercise shows you how to play accidentals. Accidentals stop working when they reach the end of a measure, or bar. Measures end at vertical lines called bar lines. The example below has 5 bars. Accidentals change the pitch of the note by a half step. Each fret on the guitar is a half step of movement. For your convenience, I added a fretboard diagram of the fourth string notes. Notice how G-flat and F-sharp are the same note and how G-sharp is the same pitch as A-flat. At this point, just remember that they are the same note. The reason for this requires learning music theory.

Notes of the Fourth String (D String)

KEYING IN ON KEYS
Sometimes all the accidentals are intended to last for an entire piece of music. In this case, a key signature is used. Key signatures last until another key signature is written in the music. The diagram below shows all the possible keys and their names. Once again the reason behind the names of the keys requires learning music theory. Just remember that they are named after note names. Key signatures tell which notes are sharped or flatted by putting the center of the symbol on the line or space for that note. Example: The key of F has a flat on the B line so all the B notes are played as B-flat.

PRACTICE EXERCISES: USING KEY SIGNATURES

Key signatures are short-hand ways of using accidentals in music. They work by saying something like this, "Every B note will be flat unless an accidental changes the note." Below are two examples that are played exactly the same way. One is written in the key of C (no sharps or flats in the key signature). The other is written in the key of G (F-sharp in the key signature). The following example uses notes from both the second string and the fifth string. A diagram of the second string is provided. The fifth string diagram is given earlier in this lesson.

Notes of the Second String (B String)

Key Signature Example (Key of C) - Notice how the accidentals are used.

Key Signature Example (Key of G) - Notice how the key signature changes how accidentals are used.

READING DIAGRAMS PATTERNS AND CHARTS

OBJECTIVES
1. Learn how to read a chord diagram.

2. Learn how to read a fretboard pattern. 3. Learn how to read a rhythm chart.

CHORD DIAGRAMS
Chord diagrams show you where to place your fingers to play a particular chord. They consist of six vertical lines, which represent the strings of the guitar. Frets are shown by horizontal lines. Since chord diagrams do not show the entire fretboard, the fret numbers are placed next to frets to indicate the location on the fretboard. Sometimes an extra thick vertical line is used at the top of the diagram. This represents the nut. Black dots represent the root note of the chord. The lessons on chords will explain root notes in greater depth.

To play the chord, place your fingers where the dots are located and strum or pluck those strings at the same time. When a dot is placed on top of the nut, the string is played open (without fretting it). Sometimes certain strings are not meant to be played. They are supposed to be muted, muffled, or skipped. These strings have an X above them or no dots are placed on the string.

Chord Diagram Using Dots

Show Me What I Am Playing

Sometimes the dots contain information inside them: note names, intervals, or fingerings. You still play them like you would play the dots, but these diagrams give additional information for the guitarist who is reading the notation.

Chord Diagram Using Notes

Chord Diagram Using Fingerings

Chord Diagram Using Intervals Specifying Fingerings

Sometimes, chord diagrams explicitly say which fingering to use. Finger numbers, if available, are located at the bottom of the chord diagram.

Finger Numbering

Thumb = T Index Finger = 1 Middle Finger = 2 Ring Finger = 3 Pinky Finger = 4

FRETBOARD PATTERNS
Fretboard patterns, like chord diagrams, use dots to show where to place your fingers. Fretboard patterns differ from chord diagrams because you do not play all of the notes at the same time. Instead, you play one note at a time. The fretboard pattern chart, however does not tell you the order to play the notes. Once again root notes are indicated by dark dots and can contain information about note names, intervals, or fingerings. Even though the patterns do not indicate a particular way to play them, I included some notation for playing the patterns string by string to make sure you know how the dots and notes correlate.

Full Fretboard Pattern

Playing the Pattern from the 6th String to the 1st String (Going Up the Scale)

Fretboard Pattern Box (C Major Scale)

Playing the Pattern from the 6th String to the 1st String (Going Up the Scale)

RHYTHM CHARTS
Rhythm charts are summaries for a song. Guitarists often wish to give other musicians a general idea of a song without taking a lot of time to write every note exactly as played. Other times, the song is intended to be interpreted by the musician. In both cases, rhythm charts are perfect. They tell you which chord to play and give a general idea of how the chords are to be strummed.

12 Bar Blues Rhythm Chart in the Key of F

FLATPICKING

Holding the Pick

Always point the pick directly down towards the guitar Do not allow it to spin while picking Make sure your grip is comfortable Make sure you have a firm grip Rest your forearm on the guitar for stability and comfort Here is a picture of the proper way to hold a pick:

Sweep Picking

Sweep picking is a great way to play a flurry of notes quickly. It is done by sweeping your pick downward or upward and muting each individual note after it is played so that each can be heard individually. It is very important to sweep your picking hand with a constant motion so the notes are evenly played. With the fretting hand, it is equally important that you roll your fingers to mute them after each note is played. This creates the separation between notes that distinguishes it from a chord. You never want two notes to ring at the same time. I included an exercise that gradually increases speed one a three-note chord. Try to play with the example, then try different fingerings and more strings.

FINGERPICKING
Fingerpicking is pretty self-explanatory. You pick with your fingers. Normally, guitarists use their thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Your fingers are labeled as "Pima". In other words, "P" represents your thumb, "I" represents your index finger, and so on. The letters derive from spanish words for the fingers. So just about everything with fingerpicking will name the fingers by the "Pima" method. The pinky finger is not used much and therefore does not have a letter to go by. The diagram below should clarify any questions you have about "Pima". People who really enjoy fingerpicking sometimes grow their nails longer to play with their nails. This is better than plucking the strings with your fingertips.

I am going to show you is a couple of ways to fingerpick chords. It is pretty self-explanatory, and it is not too difficult. As a general rule, the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings are plucked by your thumb (or "P" finger). The 3rd string is plucked by your index finger ("I"). The 2nd string is plucked by your middle finger ("M"), and the 1st string is plucked by your ring finger ("A"). The examples below both use a C major chord. These patterns are not limited to this chord though. These patterns are meant to be used in chord progressions. Try alternating through the patterns when you play different chord progressions. These patterns can be used as warmups, plus they can help you gain more control over your right hand. Play through these at your own pace. You can make some nice little 3 chord tunes with these.

C Major

The "P" with the "A" over it means that you play the lower note with the "P" (your thumb) and the higher note with the "A" (your ring finger).

INTERVALS
OBJECTIVES
1. Learn all the intervals. 2. Learn the fretboard patterns for the intervals. 3. Learn both ways to play intervals.

WHAT ARE INTERVALS?

An interval is the pitch difference between two notes. Pitch differences can be viewed in different ways.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Note Difference: C to D Step Difference: C to D is a whole step. C to D-Flat is a half step. Fret Difference: C to D is 2 frets in distance. (Ex: Second String - 1st fret is C, 3rd fret is D) Interval: C to D is Major Second interval.

In music theory, interval names are the formal way to describe pitch differences. They are universal across instruments and the music community. Understanding intervals will help you understand chords, scales, improvisation, and other advanced theory topics.

INTERVAL CHART
This chart sums up all of the intervals by giving their name and pitch difference. The audio example plays both types of intervals: melodic and harmonic. Melodic intervals are played sequentially, one note at a time. Harmonic intervals are played simultaneously, at the same time. Interval Name Unison Minor Second Major Second Minor Third Major Third Perfect Fourth Augmented Fourth Diminished Fifth Tritone Perfect Fifth Minor Sixth Major Sixth Minor Seventh Major Seventh Octave Abbreviation U m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 Step Distance None (Same note) Half Step Whole Step Whole Step + Half Step 2 Whole Step 2 Whole Steps + Half Step Fret Distance 0 1 2 3 4 5 Audio (Played Melodically then Harmonically)

A4 D4 TT

3 Whole Steps

P5 m6 M6 m7 M7 Oct

3 Whole Steps + Half Step 4 Whole Steps 4 Whole Steps + Half Step 5 Whole Steps 5 Whole Steps + Half Step 6 Whole Steps (Same Note

7 8 9 10 11 12

Name)

INTERVAL NUMBERING
Intervals are numbered as unison, seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, or octaves. This number can be determined by the number of notes that the two notes span. Example: C to F is a fourth because it spans C, D, E, and F. In music theory, it is important to remember that the number is based on the difference in the note names, not the pitch difference. This is why Augmented Fourths and Diminished Fifths are the same pitch difference, but are different names. Example: C to F-Sharp (Augmented Fourth) and C to G-Flat (Diminished Fifth) is the same pitch distance (3 whole steps), but they have different interval names because of the note names.

INTERVALS ON THE STAFF

Here is an example of the intervals relative to middle C. Take note of the note name differences.

INTERVALS ON THE FRETBOARD

The diagram below shows the intervals from the first fret. Examples 1. First fret to the second fret is a minor second (1 frets up). 2. First fret to the fifth fret is a major third (4 frets up). 3. First fret to the tenth fret is a minor seventh (9 frets up).

SONGS TO REMEMBER THE INTERVALS

Below are several well-known licks and phrases to help you remember the intervals. Think of these as mneumonic devices for learning the intervals and have fun with it!

First of all, What is a scale? It is a group of 7 notes that sound good together (usually followed by the octave of the root note). To Find the notes you must look at the interval pattern (shown below), and you must understand whole and half steps. To form a scale pick a scale you want to learn. I'll pick the C Major Scale for example purposes. Now all you do is start with C and follow the interval pattern. Example: C whole step to D another whole step to E half step to F (Note: there are no sharps or flats between E and F -- the same applies between B and C) then we take a whole step to G then another whole step to A then another whole step to B and finally a half step to C (the octave note). So we get these notes: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Description: Quality: This scale is used as base scale from which other modes and scales come from. Happy or Upbeat quality

Musical Styles: Rock, Country, Jazz, Fusion Chords: Major, Major Sevenths, Major Ninths, Elevenths (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step) Root -2-3-4-5-6-7-Octave W-W-H-W-W-W-H

Intervals:

The Major Scale is the most important scale of all. All modes are derived from this scale. Modes are altered scales. In other words, you make some notes sharp or flat. Each mode like the major scale has a quality. The major scale's quality is happy and upbeat. These qualities are more prevalent when you integrate the chords which are shown above into your playing. In the chart below you will see that I have marked off patterns. There are 5 patterns. Let me show you an example of the scale in tab (below the patterns).
Full Pattern: E Major Scale

These patterns are moveable up and down the fretboard. Notice that you determine what scale it is by what note the Root note lies on. I'll show you a couple of examples in tab below.

Now for my last example I will show you how to combine patterns. The first example (below) shows the scale on one string (Notice that I go through all 5 patterns). The second example shows you the scale on several different patterns. The thing to remember is that instead of moving to the next string when you reach the end of the pattern. You can play the next note on the string. Then you have the option to continue the pattern or go on to the next pattern.

Now you're probably wondering why you're learning 5 patterns instead of one. One reason is so that you can change to a different scale when playing without making a big jump on the fretboard. This way if you know all the patterns and you know the notes of the fretboard, You will always have the scale you want within reach. With these patterns you can change to several different modes and keep the same patterns!! You'll see how in the next lesson!!

MODES
Modes are basically scales that are derived from the major scale. The only difference is that they have some flatted or sharped notes. For example: the interval pattern for the major scale was R (root)-2-3-4-5-6-7-O (octave) and the steps went W-W-H-W-W-W-H... The Dorian Mode has an interval pattern of R-2-3 (=flat) -4-5-6-7-O so its steps went W-H-W-W-W-H-W... So guess what... All of the modes listed below use the same patterns!! The only other difference is where the root note is... You just follow the same pattern but use a different root note... pretty neat huh. Notes (Degrees --> Roman Numerals) of the Major Scales.
Scale I A A B B A A II / IX III B B C IV / XI V D E E F F VI / XIII VII F F G G G I (octave) A

C D D E

G A A A B B

B C B C

D E

C C D D D E E F F G G G A

C C

D D

E E F F

F F G G

G G

A A

B B C C

C C D D

D E D D E E

A B A A B B

F G G A

C D D D E E F F E E F F G G

E F E F F F G G

B C B C C C D D

G A A A A B

G A G G A A

B C B B C C C D

D E D D E E

F G G A

A B

E F

So you can be using one pattern and it is really several different modes in the same key the key is determined by the major scale. For example: The E major scale follows the same pattern as the F# Dorian mode. The only difference --> Where the Root note lies. Below are examples of all seven of the modes. Notice the chords for the dorian mode are Minor, Minor Sevenths, and Minor Ninths. Also notice that the chords for the major scale are Major, Major Sevenths, Major Ninths, and Elevenths. In other words you can use E major, major 7th, etc. chord with the E major scale, and you can use F# minor, minor 7th, and minor 9th chords with the F# Dorian Mode. But remember the E major scale is also the F# Dorian Mode (Just a different root note)... So you can use all of those chords with the F# Dorian Mode and the E major scale that's 7 different chords that you can use. But don't forget that there are several other modes to get chords from for a grand total of... 20 different chords that can be played with one pattern!!

Ionian (Major Scale)

Description: Quality: This scale is used as base scale from which other modes and scales come from. Happy or Upbeat quality

Musical Styles: Rock, Country, Jazz, Fusion

Chords:

Major Chords (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step) Root -2-3-4-5-6-7-Octave W-W-H-W-W-W-H

Intervals:

Full Pattern: E Major Scale (Ionian Mode)

You may place a given pattern anywhere on the fretboard. You will know what scale it is by what note the root is at that position. For example... on the 4th string 2nd fret the note is an E that is why this is an E major scale if you moved the whole pattern over one fret so that the (Root Note) is on the 4th string 3rd fret the scale would then be the F major scale.

Dorian
Description: Quality: This is the major scale with a flat 3rd and 7th note Jazzy, Sophisticated, Soulful

Musical Styles: Jazz, Fusion, Blues, and Rock Chords: Minor, Minor 7th, Minor 9th (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-4-5-6-7-O W-H-W-W-W-H-W

Intervals:

Full Pattern: F# Dorian Mode

Phrygian
Description: This is the major scale with a flat 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th note

Quality:

Spanish Flavor

Musical Styles: Flamenco, Fusion, Speed Metal Chords: Minor, Minor 7th (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-4-5-6-7-O H-W-W-W-H-W-W

Intervals:

Full Pattern: G# Phrygian Mode

Lydian
Description: Quality: This is the major scale with a sharp 4th note Airy

Musical Styles: Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Country Chords: Major, Major 7th, Major 9th, Sharp 11th (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-#4-5-6-7-O W-W-W-H-W-W-H

Intervals:

Full Pattern: A Lydian Mode

Mixolydian
Description: This is the major scale with a flat 7th note

Quality:

Bluesy

Musical Styles: Blues, Country, Rockabilly, and Rock Chords: Dominant Chords (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-4-5-6-7-O W-W-H-W-W-H-W

Intervals:

Full Pattern: B Mixolydian Mode

Aeolian (Minor Scale)

Description: Quality: This is the major scale with a flat 3rd, 6th, and 7th note Sad, Sorrowful

Musical Styles: Pop, Blues, Rock, Heavy Metal, Country, Fusion Chords: Minor Chords (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-4-5-6-7-O W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Intervals:

Full Pattern: C# Aeolian Mode

Locrian
Description: This is the major scale with a flat 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th note

Quality:

Sinister

Musical Styles: Jazz, Fusion Chords: Diminished, Minor 7th Flat Fives (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step, R - Root, O - Octave, - flat, # - sharp) R-2-3-4-5-6-7-O H-W-W-H-W-W-W

Intervals:

Full Pattern: D# Locrian Mode

CHORD CONSTRUCTION
Now here's what you do to make your very own chords. It is very simple once you have the scale chart (below). You take the formula chart (below) find the chord you're looking for (major, minor, minor 7, diminished, etc.). Now look at the roman numerals that are next to each chord. those are the components of the chord (They tell you which notes to use). Then you go to the major scale chart (below) and find the scale of the chord you want. For example, if you want a G Major chord go to the G scale in the scale chart. Then go across and find the notes that correspond with the formula. In the case of G Major you use the formula I - III - V (formula for a major chord) then you find the notes on the chart above. The notes are... Degree Note I III V G B D

So you find combinations of G-B-D on the fretboard. It's that simple. Here are some common G Major Chords:

When constructing a chord like a dominant 13 notice that there are 7 notes. On guitar, you can only play six notes at one time so you must eliminate one of the notes. If you play with a band, you may want the bass player to play the note that you eliminated.

Major Scale Note & Degree Chart

Scale I A A B B C C D D D E E F F G G G A A A II / IX III B B C D D C D E E F F G A IV / XI V D E F F G G A A E E F F G G VI / XIII VII I (octave) F F G G A A G A A B B C C D D E E F F G A B B C C D D E E F F G G A G A

C D D E

B C B C C

D E D D E E F G G

A B A A B B C D D

F G G A A B B C B B C C C D

C D

E F E F F

B C B C C

G A G G A A

D E D D E E

F G

A B

E F

Chord Formulas: ( = flat = sharp)

Major Major 6 Major 6 add 9 Major 7 Major 9 Dominant 7 I - III - V I - III - V - VI I - III - V - VI - IX I - III - V - VII I - III - V - VII - IX I - III - V - VII

Dominant 710 I - III - V - VII - X Dominant 7 aug 5 I - III - V - VII Dominant 7 sus 4 I - IV - V - VII Dominant 9 I - III - V - VII - IX Dominant 9 sus 4 I - IV - V - VII - IX

Dominant 9 sus 4 I - IV - V - VII - IX Dominant 11 Dominant 13 Augmented Minor Minor 6 Minor 7 Minor 7 Flat 5 Diminished Diminished 7 Suspended 4 Suspended 2 Add 9 I - III - V - VII - IX - XI I - III - V - VII - IX - XI - XIII I - III - V I - III - V I - III - V - VI I - III - V - VII I - III - V - VII I - III - V I - III - V - VI I - IV - V I - II - V I - III - V - IX

CHORD PROGRESSIONS
Chord progressions are the basis of playing guitar. They set a basic foundation of rhythm. The first thing you must do is find a key which you would like to work in. Let's take the key of C for example. The notes in the C Major Scale are C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Now take the degrees of these notes and write them out. I II III IV V VI VII CDE F GA B Important: Certain Degrees are minor and certain degrees are major.

How we get the chords for a certain key:

Take the major scale of a certain key (example: C major scale for the key of C -- shown above) Look at the Chords for the I degree, Now form those chords from the I note, which is C You get C Major and C Major 7 notice that the notes of these chords are in the C major scale You can use other chords but the ones I will show are the basic ones. I did this to simplify things Now notice that the II degree uses Minor and Minor 7 chords. But this time, instead of using C we use D to start the chord because it is the II degree of the major scale. So we can use D Minor, and D Minor 7 with the key of C. (Remember to go to the D Major Scale to find the D Minor and D Minor 7 chords). You can continue down the chart to find all of the chords. You might want to write them down too. I II Major Ionian (Major Scale) Minor Dorian Major, Major 7 Minor, Minor 7 Minor, Minor 7 Major, Major 7 Major, Dominant 7, Dominant 9 Diminished, Minor 7b5

III Minor Phrygian IV Major Lydian V Major Mixolydian

VI Minor Aeolian (Natural Minor Scale) Minor, Minor 7 VII Minor Locrian

Using these Chords:

There are some standard Chord Progressions. Such as a Blues Progression --> I - IV - V Try playing C major, F major, then G major chord together. Now try playing a I - III - IV - V progression using C major, E minor, Fmajor, G major. Notice that the III was an E minor chord because the III degree is minor. Try making up your own progressions. Have fun with it. but Remember: I, IV, V are Major and II, III, VI, VII are Minor These all sound good because they're in the same key. They're in the same key (C) because all of the chords that you went down the list with earlier use the same 7 notes which are the notes of the C major scale. Here is a chart that shows the chords that can be used to represent each degree and still use only scale tones. I Regular Sixth Seventh Ninth Eleventh Thirteenth Major II Minor III Minor IV Major Major 6 Major 9 V Major Major 6 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 b5 Dominant 9 Minor 9 Dominant 13 VI Minor VII Diminished

Major 6 Minor 6 Major 9 Minor 9 Minor 13

Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7

Minor 11 Minor 11 Major 7 #11 Dominant 11 Minor 11 Minor 11 b5

SOLOING OVER CHORD PROGRESSIONS

Basics:
The first thing you must do to play over a chord progression is to know what key you are in. If some one is playing a chord progression of I-IV-V and the I chord is C Major, then you are in the key of C (the I chord determines the key if the I chord were D major then you would be in the key of D). Next, Find a pattern for the major scale of the key you are in (ex. C major scale for the key of C) Now to put it simply, all you have to do is use that scale and be creative. You will never strike a bad note while you use this method.

Advanced Stuff (using modes):

Look at chart 1 & 2. Notice that the II degree represents the Dorian mode and that the II degree represents the note D. In other words the first note of the Dorian Mode in the Key of C is the note D. So you can solo with the D Dorian Mode over a chord progression in the key of C. Why is this you ask. I'll tell you. It is because the notes in D Dorian are also the notes of C major, just in a different order. The same is true for the rest of the modes. The big question: Why use modes? Modes have a distinct quality when used with the chords that are designated to them Example: Mixolydian sounds bluesy with Dominant 7 chords. You can find the qualities of the other modes at lesson 14 TIPS:

Accent or hold the root note longer to emphasize the tonality

Avoid using the lydian mode and accenting the IV degree note while playing over I chords. It tends to sound dissonant (clashes some).

Chart 1 C Major Scale I I II III IV V VI VII CDE F GA B Chart 3 D Dorian Mode I II III IV V VI VII DE F G AB C Chart 4 E Phrygian Mode I II III IV V VI VII EF G A B C D Chart 5 F Lydian Mode I II III IV V VI VII FGA B C D E Chart 6 G Mixolydian I II III IV V VI VII GAB C DE F II Major Ionian (Major Scale) Minor Dorian

Chart 2 Major, Major 7 Minor, Minor 7 Minor, Minor 7 Major, Major 7 Major, Dominant 7, Dominant 9 Diminished, Minor 7b5 Chart 7 A Aeolian Mode I II III IV V VI VII ABC D E F G Chart 8 B Locrian Mode I II III IV V VI VII BCD E F G

III Minor Phrygian IV Major Lydian V Major Mixolydian

VI Minor Aeolian (Natural Minor Scale) Minor, Minor 7 VII Minor Locrian

CIRCLE OF FIFTHS
The Circle of Fifths is an easy way to find out the key a song is in. The Circle of Fifths tells you how many sharps or flats are in a given key. C has no sharps or flats. It is called the Circle of Fifths because as you go clockwise you go up a fifth. For example, the fifth note of the C major scale is G. The fifth note of the G major scale is D, and so on.

C 0 G 1 F D 2 F C A 3 F C G E 4 F C G D B 5 F C G D A F 6 F C G D A E C 7 F C G D A E B

C F

0 1 B

B 2 B E E 3 B E A A 4 B E A D D 5 B E A D G G 6 B E A D G C C 7 B E A D G C F

The Circle of Fifths can also be used to help to learn chords. You already know that the Circle goes in Fifths clockwise. Now look at how close the chords that are a fifth apart are together on the fretboard. You might not use this too much, but it will give you a broader view of the chords and how they are related to other chords.

SUSPENDED CHORDS

The neat thing about suspended 4 chords is that they are made up of this formula: I-IV-V. Now you're asking what this means. I'll tell you by showing you the degrees for the major scale (below) and the minor scale (below). Notice how the I, IV, and V degrees all have the same notes. Now, let's look at what we have learned in earlier lessons... The C major chord has the notes C, E, and G. The C minor chord has the notes C, D#, and G. Notice that the difference is in the third degree (2nd note shown). Also notice that D# is a half step below E that means that all you have to do to change a major chord to a minor chord is to lower the third degree a half step. This third degree tells whether a chord is major or minor. Now, you're wondering... How does this apply to suspended 4 chords? Here's how. suspended 4 chords are chords that have the fourth degree instead of the third degree. Therefore nothing determines whether the chord is major or minor. IT'S NEITHER. Now here is what you can do with an suspended 4 chord. You can use it as a common chord for use with major and minor scales. You can also use it to make a smooth transition from a major scale to a minor scale. But all in all, it's just an extremely versatile and nice sounding chord. Note: I did not say this in the chord construction lesson, but minor chords can be formed by taking the I-III-V degree notes from the minor scale (aeolian mode). The C Major Scale I II III IV V VI VII CDE F GA B The C Minor Scale (D# Aeolian Mode) I II III IV V VI VII C D D# F G G# A#

BAR CHORDS
First let's define Bar Chords. Bar Chords are chords that have your index finger holding down more than one string and not playing with any open strings. Confused? Well let me clarify things. I'll show you by using a few diagrams.

This is F major in bar chord form. To play this chord you need to bar the first fret. In other words, stretch your index finger across the fretboard so that it presses every string like in the picture on the right.

This is D# major in bar chord form. For this one, you can bar the 1st fret and you can bar the 3rd fret. You would bar the 3rd fret with your ring finger. Notice that the Low E string is not played, so there are no open strings played.

This is C# major in bar chord form. Notice that even though you do not "bar" the entire 1st fret, you still leave no open strings and you are still stretching across more than one string.

The great thing about these chords is that they are completely movable. So if you move the chord down a fret then you know that the chord is raised a half step. (example: C would be raised to C#). Let's look at this more in depth. Here is some tablature of bar chords:

MAJOR BAR CHORDS (6TH STRING ROOT)

MINOR BAR CHORDS (6TH STRING ROOT)

Notice that the only difference between the Major and Minor chords is the note on the G string. Now look at the note on the Low E string. This note names the chord. Look at the fretboard below to see.

The Fretboard

Now look at this Tablature:

MAJOR BAR CHORDS (5TH STRING ROOT)

MINOR BAR CHORDS (5TH STRING ROOT)

Notice that the only difference between the Major and Minor chords in this form is the note that lies on the B string. You should also notice that the note on the A string tells you what chord it is. Now you should see that because the top note of every chord in these forms tells you the name of the chord you should see that all of the bar chords are movable. All you have to do is slide the pattern down, and name it with the top note. There are other forms like the C# and D# that I gave you up top, but there are too many for me to list and not all of the other ones have their top note as the root note (the note that names the chord).

POWER CHORDS
What is a Power Chord? It is a chord consisting of 2 notes. The two notes are the I and V degrees. People use power chords because they are neither major nor minor. This is because they don't have a third degree, and the third degree tells you whether a chord is major or minor. They are also used because they give the feel of raw power. So let's get started showing you power chords. Let's start by showing you the C Major Scale. The E Major Scale I II III IV V VI VII E F# G# A B C# D# Now all you have to do is comprise a chord of the I and V degrees. In this case those notes are E and B. Now all you have to do is find any combination of these two notes and it is a power chord. Let me show you a few examples. E Power Chords

These chords are called E5 chords. So any power chords is named by the root plus a 5 after it. Now here's an example of some G5 chords which consist of G and D G5 chords

Notice that the G5 chord in the middle above is comprised of the lowest 3 notes of the G major barre chord. So in other words the chords with this form have the same rules as the barre chords. 1. They are moveable 2. Their root (note that names the chord) is the lowest note.

The same holds true for the pattern given on the G5 chord that is on the far right in the chart above.

SEVENTH CHORDS
To understand this method of figuring out seventh chords, you must have a basic knowledge of the degrees of the major scale.

I will show you how to find every 7th chord you'll ever need in three patterns and with four rules. Obviously, this will not show you every voicing there is on guitar but it is a start if you really want to try it. The Three Patterns Place your fingers where the numbers are. The numbers represent the degree of that note. (1=root note)

The Four Rules

All of the rules refer to the chord symbol which is the expression used to name chords

1. 2. 3. 4.

The 5th is natural unless you're told otherwise by the chord symbol "7" means 7 "maj7" means that the 7th is not flatted "min" (or "m") means to flat the 3rd Examples A7 7th is flatted A75 7th and 5th are flatted Amin7 7th and 3rd are flatted

Amaj7 Am maj7 Am maj75 7th is natural (not flatted) 3rd is flatted, 7th is natural 3rd and 5th are flatted 7th is natural

Note: When you see "aug" or "+" raise the 5th a half step

What you must do is adjust the patterns according to chord symbol. Examples are shown below.

SLASH CHORDS
Beginner guitarists are often confused when they find a slash chord. The good part is that they are easy to understand. The purpose of slash chords is to specify when the lowest pitch in a chord is not the root note. Often we call this the bass note even though a bass guitar is not playing it. For example, G/B is a G chord with a B as a bass note. When spoken, we call this G-slash-B or G-over-B. Slash chords are very useful when the composer of the music wants to create a specific bass-line while the chords progress. If they did not do this, the guitarist is unlikely to play the desired chords. Just remember, that slash chords can have different voicings too. They only enforce the bass note of the chord. The example below shows three examples of slash chords based on the open chord grips for G, D, and A.

DIMINISHED CHORDS
Diminished Chords are not used often. They consist of these degrees: I, III, V. Diminished 7th chords add a VI degree to the Diminished Chord. Diminished 7th are so easy to remember because all you have to do is use one of the diminished chord patterns (shown below) and find the root note in any position of it. In other words, if you want a C diminished 7 chord, all you have to do is find a C in any place in the pattern. Let me show you.
Diminished 7th Patterns

Notice in this next example that the pattern moves up 3 frets and is the same chord, just a different voicing. If you didn't notice already, Cdim7 is the same as Adim7, Fdim7, and Ddim7. They are all just different voicings of the same chord. Once you find one of them you have found them all, and if you want a differnt voicing, you just have to move up 3 frets. It's that easy.

C, D, F, A diminished 7 Chords

If you want a plain diminished chord, all you have to do is remove the VI note, or learn a movable pattern (just like any other chord) as shown below. (R= Root note)
Diminished Patterns

12 BAR BLUES
The 12 Bar Blues is simply a chord progression. It is a I - IV - V progression. This progression is often used in jam sessions. Most of the time, musicians use Dominant Seventh Chords for this progression. So for the key of G you would use G7, C7, and D7. The Reason it's 12 Bar Blues is because it is played over 12 bars. So let me show you the structure of the 12 Bar Blues.

Figure 1

Figure 2 Bar Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Traditional 12 Bar Blues I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7/I7 Modern 12 Bar Blues I7 IV7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7/I7

Now, Notice that the first 4 bars are G7. That is the Traditional way to play the first 4 bars. You might want to try the Modern method by substituting the IV chord into the 2nd bar. (as shown on the chart) I would advise you not to try the Modern version until you know the Traditional version. You may notice that the last bar on the chart (turnaround bar) has two different chords in it like the second bar does. The chord shown on top of the bar (the V chord) is the chord you play if you are going to repeat the 12 bar blues back to the beginning. You use the I chord if you are ending the song. When you play the 12 Bar Blues, you can't just go out there and play one chord per bar for 4 beats. You have to create a rhythm, shuffle, swing, or whatever brings the blues out. The sound files below are a traditional 12 bar blues in the key of G.
12 Bar Blues Sounds

MP3

A great way to remember the IV and V chords is to study the Circle of Fifths.

The circle as you should already know goes up a Perfect Fifth as you go clockwise around the circle. As you go counter clockwise it goes a Perfect Fourth. In other words the IV and V chord are to the left and right of the root chord. For Example: If you are in the key of A, your IV chord would be D, and your V chord would be E. Notice that the D is one position counter clockwise to the A, and the E is one position clockwise of the A. You can use any Dominant chord when you play the 12 Bar Blues. In other words, you can use Dominant 7th, 9th, or 13th chords. Earlier, I concentrated mainly on the Dominant 7th chords, but any Dominant chord will work just fine in the 12 bar blues.

PENTATONIC SCALES
The Pentatonic Scale is a scale consisting of 5 notes (Penta =5, tonic = tones). There is a Minor Pentatonic Scale (which I'll show you first), and there is a Major Pentatonic Scale. You may ask why you should use a scale with such a small amount of notes. The reason is that Pentatonic Scales provide a small margin for error when you are playing over a chord progression of the chords that go with the scale (the chords are shown in the chart below). Another reason to use the scale is if you are looking to find that rock sound. Jimi Hendrix used this scale more than any other. Now, it is hard to find a rock song without pentatonics in it. B.B. King also uses the Pentatonic Scale. He uses the Minor Pentatonic scale for its bluesy quality. Enough chit-chat, let's get to the info. You should learn the patterns below all the way up the neck so you can use this scale at any time when you are playing. I'll go into more detailed uses of the Pentatonic Scales in later lessons, but for now just learn the scales.
Minor Pentatonic Scale Description: Quality: A Bluesy sounding scale Bluesy

Musical Styles: Blues, Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz, Fusion Chords: Minor, Minor Sevenths, Dominant Sevenths

Intervals:

(W - Whole Step, H - Half Step) Root -b3-4-5-b7-Octave W+H-W-W-W+H-W

Full Pattern: D# Minor Pentatonic Scale

Major Pentatonic Scale Description: Quality: Country Flavored Scale Bright Sounding

Musical Styles: Country, Blues, Rock, Jazz, Fusion Chords: Major, Major Sevenths, Dominant Sevenths (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step) Root -2-3-5-6-Octave W-W-W+H-W-W+H

Intervals:

Full Pattern: E Major Pentatonic Scale