 |
How to Learn and Master Guitar Faster Than You Ever Imagined!
Author: Andreas Wahlstedt  | Posted: 27-02-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 5 | Rating: (50)  (?) 
Have you ever wondered if there's some 'secret trick' to learning how to play guitar? Well, there IS a trick -- but it's one that 'hides in plain sight.'
If you want to move beyond the basics and truly master your instrument, there are two things you absolutely must do:
1. Memorize the fretboard.
2. Develop a solid understanding of the relationship between scales, modes
and chords.
The reason for memorizing the fretboard should be obvious. Knowing where all the notes are will make you a faster, more intuitive player. The reasons (there are many) behind learning the relationship between scales, modes and chords require a little more explanation.
The first thing to understand is that chords are constructed from scales.
Let's say you want to know which notes make up the G-major chord You'd first need to know is that Major chords are built from the root, third and fifth tones of their corresponding Major scale. Then, you'd need to know the G Major scale, which is: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G.
If you count up from G to the 3rd note you arrive at B. If you count up from G to the 5th note you have D. Play these notes simultaneously as GBD, and you have a G Major chord!
The second to understand is that scales (and,therefore, chords) can begin on any note within the key
Here's where modes and chord inversions ('voicings') come in. Let's say that you decide to play that G Major chord at the 7th fret on the first three strings of the guitar. If you strum the chord from the inside out, you will play DGB. In other words, your 'root' is no longer the bottom/first note of the chord. This is what's known as an inversion.
Now, let's say you are playing a song in G Major, and you decide to play the scale starting from a root other than G. For instance, you might begin playing the scale at D. Is this a 'new' scale or just the same scale from a different position? It's actually both!
A G Major scale played from any point while in the key of G is considered “Ionian Mode”. It will always sound 'Major'.
However, if you play the G Major scale pattern from D while you're in a different key, you'll be in one of the following, alternative modes: Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, or Locrian.
These modes will sound something other than 'Major'. The Aeolian mode, for example, is actually considered the Minor scale (Ionian = Major scale for all keys, and Aeolian = Minor scale for all keys).
The other modes fall in between, creating interesting harmonizations and are often used in Jazz music for soloing over the more complex, dissonant-feeling chords such as the Major and Minor 7ths and 9ths.
When you learn these relationships, you'll start to notice something akin to an 'interlocking' pattern on your fretboard. For example, when you know all of the inversions for a given chord, then you'll also know that beginning a scale on the root of that inversion can lead you into whichever modal scale you want to play over the current key.
The more relationships you see and understand, the more your fretboard opens up to you for creative soloing and songwriting. The end result is learning and mastering your guitar faster than you ever imagined!
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/how-to-learn-and-master-guitar-faster-than-you-ever-imagined-343899.html
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Related Articles
Guitar Lessons for Beginners
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 21/02/2008 | Hobbies
Playing guitar is a lot of fun, and you can never learn too much about it. That's why I've put together some “off-the-beaten-path” guitar lessons for beginners here that I hope you'll enjoy. Although these lessons won't make you an overnight guitar hero, my hope is that they'll give you some quick insights to advance your skills.
Learn to Play Electric Guitar: Special Tip on Effects
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
The electric guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in modern music. It can create rhythmic/percussive textures in one moment, and smooth, singing sounds in the next. Not only that, but an almost limitless combination of new sounds may be created simply by playing with which effects, amplifiers and types of guitar get paired together.
How to Learn Guitar: Finding the Right Method for You
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Every aspiring guitar player faces the following question: “What's the best way for me to learn guitar?” Should you should teach yourself or hire a professional? Which guitar courses are recommended most often? What about those Internet-based guitar training sites?
How to Play Acoustic Guitar
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Beginning guitarists often wonder whether there are differences between how to play acoustic guitar versus electric guitar. The short answer is: 'Yes and No'.
Learn Guitar Chords
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
If you are brand new to playing guitar, then guitar chords are one of the easiest things to learn. All you really need is a good reference, like a chord dictionary, in order to learn and memorize the shape of any chord you want.
Learn to Play Guitar Fast
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
A lot of beginning guitar players write to me and ask for advice how to play guitar 'fast'. I inevitably write them back to ask whether they already play guitar, and just want to be faster on the fretboard, or whether they're beginners who want a shortcut to basic proficiency.
How to Read and Play Guitar Tabs
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Guitar tabs are easy to read when you understand all of the different symbols and 'markers' used to represent what to play and how to play it. In fact, it's not usually the 'notes' that trip people up when they try to read guitar tabs. It's all of the other dots, dashes and slashes that are confusing!
So, let's talk about the most important part first - how to read which notes to play and where - because it is also the easiest.
Learn Guitar in No Time!
By: Rajinderpal Singh | 02/03/2008 | Art and Entertainment
This article talks about important points and principles that will help when learning to play the guitar in the shortest amount of time.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by: 
More from Andreas Wahlstedt
Learn to Play Guitar Fast
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
A lot of beginning guitar players write to me and ask for advice how to play guitar 'fast'. I inevitably write them back to ask whether they already play guitar, and just want to be faster on the fretboard, or whether they're beginners who want a shortcut to basic proficiency.
Learn Guitar Chords
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
If you are brand new to playing guitar, then guitar chords are one of the easiest things to learn. All you really need is a good reference, like a chord dictionary, in order to learn and memorize the shape of any chord you want.
How to Play Acoustic Guitar
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Beginning guitarists often wonder whether there are differences between how to play acoustic guitar versus electric guitar. The short answer is: 'Yes and No'.
How to Read and Play Guitar Tabs
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Guitar tabs are easy to read when you understand all of the different symbols and 'markers' used to represent what to play and how to play it. In fact, it's not usually the 'notes' that trip people up when they try to read guitar tabs. It's all of the other dots, dashes and slashes that are confusing!
So, let's talk about the most important part first - how to read which notes to play and where - because it is also the easiest.
How to Learn Guitar: Finding the Right Method for You
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
Every aspiring guitar player faces the following question: “What's the best way for me to learn guitar?” Should you should teach yourself or hire a professional? Which guitar courses are recommended most often? What about those Internet-based guitar training sites?
Learn to Play Electric Guitar: Special Tip on Effects
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
The electric guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in modern music. It can create rhythmic/percussive textures in one moment, and smooth, singing sounds in the next. Not only that, but an almost limitless combination of new sounds may be created simply by playing with which effects, amplifiers and types of guitar get paired together.
How to Play Lead Guitar
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
There is a wealth of free tutorials available on the Internet that will teach you basic 'licks' and 'riffs.'However, many of these tutorials fail to explain how rhythm guitar and lead guitar differ not just in the skills required, but also in mindset.
Learn to Play Blues Guitar
By: Andreas Wahlstedt | 27/02/2008 | Music
So, you want to learn how to play the blues? Feeling down and out, and just want to make your guitar wail? Learning the basics of the blues is easy! You just need to understand the most common key signatures, chord progressions and riffs used in the genre.
|
|
Art and Entertainment 
