Alright now we're jumping deeper into the woods. Lets move on to scales.
Throughout my years of teaching I know that whenever I mention the word "scales" a certain percentage of my students start to tune out. Well I can assure you that playing guitar solos will be impossible without some knowledge of scales, and if you stick with me you'll see they're not THAT complicated. You just need to memorize a few different patterns. Lets begin.
The Pentatonic Minor Scale
Lets start with the most fundamental scale: the Pentatonic Minor. This scale will form the foundation for all other scales to come. It is the simplest scale you will learn, and each scale will build on top of this one.
Throughout my years of teaching I know that whenever I mention the word "scales" a certain percentage of my students start to tune out. Well I can assure you that playing guitar solos will be impossible without some knowledge of scales, and if you stick with me you'll see they're not THAT complicated. You just need to memorize a few different patterns. Lets begin.
The Pentatonic Minor Scale
Lets start with the most fundamental scale: the Pentatonic Minor. This scale will form the foundation for all other scales to come. It is the simplest scale you will learn, and each scale will build on top of this one.
The above example depicts the Pentatonic Minor Scale starting on the 5th fret, in what is known as Position 1, or "Box 1".
As you practice this, I want you to follow a specific finger position for each string: Use your index finger on the 5th fret, pinky to hit the 8th, and ring finger to hit the 7th like below.
As you practice this, I want you to follow a specific finger position for each string: Use your index finger on the 5th fret, pinky to hit the 8th, and ring finger to hit the 7th like below.
The finger position is going to be very important as we go through these, as this will allow you to move up and down through the scale more quickly.
While practicing this try applying some of the techniques we learned in the last lesson. Try hammering-on to each note as you move up the scale, and pulling-off each note as you go back down.
While practicing this try applying some of the techniques we learned in the last lesson. Try hammering-on to each note as you move up the scale, and pulling-off each note as you go back down.
You should find that you can move up and down the scale much faster.
Now lets look at an exercise on how to use this. This exercise is going to be a bit more interactive...
You will need one of the following:
A. (best option) use a looper pedal
B. a friend who knows how to play chords
C. A recording device, could be your phone or anything else
The looper pedal is just a device that allows you to record yourself playing a riff, and it will play it back through your amp on loop, or repeat. The cheaper ones are around $50 or so and they go up from there.
If you choose to use a friend, have them play the exercise again and again without pausing.
If you choose to record yourself on your phone or other device, play the exercise for at least 30 - 60 seconds repeating again and again.
Exercise 1.
Either have your friend play, or record yourself playing the following sequence:
Now lets look at an exercise on how to use this. This exercise is going to be a bit more interactive...
You will need one of the following:
A. (best option) use a looper pedal
B. a friend who knows how to play chords
C. A recording device, could be your phone or anything else
The looper pedal is just a device that allows you to record yourself playing a riff, and it will play it back through your amp on loop, or repeat. The cheaper ones are around $50 or so and they go up from there.
If you choose to use a friend, have them play the exercise again and again without pausing.
If you choose to record yourself on your phone or other device, play the exercise for at least 30 - 60 seconds repeating again and again.
Exercise 1.
Either have your friend play, or record yourself playing the following sequence:
Now, while this power chord progression is being played, you will start playing the pentatonic minor scale over the top of this. Once again go forward and backward through the scale, and try using hammer-ons and pull-offs. Just keep experimenting with the scale while the second guitar continues to play the above chord progression again and again.
Having a second guitar play in the background is important because it's the same as having a person singing with an instrument playing in the background. It gives you something to harmonize with instead of being on your own.
Now lets add the bend into this exercise. While the backing chord progression is being played play through those same bend exercises from the previous lesson.
Having a second guitar play in the background is important because it's the same as having a person singing with an instrument playing in the background. It gives you something to harmonize with instead of being on your own.
Now lets add the bend into this exercise. While the backing chord progression is being played play through those same bend exercises from the previous lesson.
This is the basic idea of guitar solos. There is a band playing music in the background and the lead guitarist begins playing through the scale, in their own unique way (utilizing the bend, hammer-on, and pull-off), letting the guitar sing.
Make sure to take some time on this one before moving on. It's important to build a knowledge base before you add new techniques and concepts.
Whenever you are learning something new it's important to take in information in the proper order. Some of my students become information junkies and just want to learn as much as possible in as short of time period as possible. This may work great when cramming for a test in school, but it's not going to work when it comes to learning the guitar. A large part of being a skilled guitarist is building muscle memory.
Think back to when you were first learning chords. Every time you went to play an open G major you had to think about what fret each finger would press down on, but now you can play G, C, D, etc. in quick succession without even thinking. That's how it needs to get with these scales.
Alright! Once you have this down lets move on to the next scale.
Make sure to take some time on this one before moving on. It's important to build a knowledge base before you add new techniques and concepts.
Whenever you are learning something new it's important to take in information in the proper order. Some of my students become information junkies and just want to learn as much as possible in as short of time period as possible. This may work great when cramming for a test in school, but it's not going to work when it comes to learning the guitar. A large part of being a skilled guitarist is building muscle memory.
Think back to when you were first learning chords. Every time you went to play an open G major you had to think about what fret each finger would press down on, but now you can play G, C, D, etc. in quick succession without even thinking. That's how it needs to get with these scales.
Alright! Once you have this down lets move on to the next scale.