Guitar Players Shout Out! :)

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Minor Axis

Minor Axis

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,294
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.13z
I started playing about a year and a half ago. I've just reached the point where I feel like I"m making modest progress. Because I travel and am gone approx 16 days a month, I like this DVD course I purchased called Learn and Master Guitar. Mostly I like it because I can play when I want and don't have to worry about scheduling lessons. For a DVD course, it is highly rated.

I've reached some points in the course where I'm really wondering if I should memorize all the stuff it wants me to such as scales, harmonic intervals, diatonic intervals, etc. I'm slowly learning scales, but the real problem is that if I learn these in the first position, is it really doing me any good at this point?

I think I'd do much better if a practical situation presents itself where learning a particular scale or harmonic scale makes a difference or is needed to execute a song. Right now I'm looking at these things as a big bucket of memorization with no, as of yet practical application.

Anyone with formal music training or with practical experience care to comment? Thanks! :)
 
  • 65
    Replies
  • 3K
    Views
  • 0
    Participant count
    Participants list
Zorak

Zorak

The cake is a metaphor
Messages
9,923
Reaction score
1
Tokenz
0.01z
Minor Axis said:
I started playing about a year and a half ago. I've just reached the point where I feel like I"m making modest progress. Because I travel and am gone approx 16 days a month, I like this DVD course I purchased called Learn and Master Guitar. Mostly I like it because I can play when I want and don't have to worry about scheduling lessons. For a DVD course, it is highly rated.

I've reached some points in the course where I'm really wondering if I should memorize all the stuff it wants me to such as scales, harmonic intervals, diatonic intervals, etc. I'm slowly learning scales, but the real problem is that if I learn these in the first position, is it really doing me any good at this point?

I think I'd do much better if a practical situation presents itself where learning a particular scale or harmonic scale makes a difference or is needed to execute a song. Right now I'm looking at these things as a big bucket of memorization with no, as of yet practical application.

Anyone with formal music training or with practical experience care to comment? Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

I never learnt intervals, seems a waste of time to me. Scales = important however.
You should learn all the positions for the pentatonic scale, I generally use the 1st (E shape) and 4th (A shape) the most. But it's good to have all of them in your inventory, since that makes learnign the major scales much easier (They use the same shapes)

Edit: And as for a practical use for the pentatonic scale, you'll begin to appreciate them later. Once you've learnt it, it's pretty much invaluable. You'll be able to solo over any progression you might come across, and it makes learning some of the more exotic scales easier. (the blues scale for example is exactly the same but adds 1 more note
 
Last edited by a moderator:
R

retro

Well-Known Member
Messages
12,886
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
I didn't ever bother with intervals either... I know a few scales, but I haven't done them in so long, my fingers probably don't remember how anymore. They're important to learn, I'm just a slacker.
 
edgray

edgray

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,214
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
I've been playing for 10 years or so. I've never properly learned a scale, or anything like that, just play by ear. I did learn a couple of modes once, I think I play them, I couldn't honestly tell you.

I think the hardest thing to do is to find your own voice. That's what you should focus on.
 
Kyle B

Kyle B

V.I.P User
Messages
4,721
Reaction score
1
Tokenz
0.03z
I've always felt scales were completely useless unless you understood their purpose. A lot of people practice scales but have no idea why they're practicing them and don't understand how they can use scales to improve their overall playing.
 
Minor Axis

Minor Axis

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,294
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.13z
Zorak said:
I never learnt intervals, seems a waste of time to me. Scales = important however.
You should learn all the positions for the pentatonic scale, I generally use the 1st (E shape) and 4th (A shape) the most. But it's good to have all of them in your inventory, since that makes learnign the major scales much easier (They use the same shapes)

Edit: And as for a practical use for the pentatonic scale, you'll begin to appreciate them later. Once you've learnt it, it's pretty much invaluable. You'll be able to solo over any progression you might come across, and it makes learning some of the more exotic scales easier. (the blues scale for example is exactly the same but adds 1 more note
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice. The course I'm taking does go into pentatonic scale.

edgray said:
I've been playing for 10 years or so. I've never properly learned a scale, or anything like that, just play by ear. I did learn a couple of modes once, I think I play them, I couldn't honestly tell you.

I think the hardest thing to do is to find your own voice. That's what you should focus on.
Click to expand...

Kyle B said:
I've always felt scales were completely useless unless you understood their purpose. A lot of people practice scales but have no idea why they're practicing them and don't understand how they can use scales to improve their overall playing.
Click to expand...

Apparently it can be important if you are improvising with a group who decides to change scale of a song. I do know what the scale signatures are and until I get them memorized, I make some marks by the flat or sharped notes. I'm currently working on a song in the E scale which has 4 sharps- FGCD. For the song, pretty soon, I have the notes in my muscle memory. :)

Codrus said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3yh_VPaOgw&feature=channel
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the videos. I will check them out. Do you play?

My Grandson was over today playing Guitar Hero and although I've played it before, now when someone plays it, is sounds like clump, clump, clump, clump. Not very appealing at all. :)
 
nic0le

nic0le

Member
Messages
120
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
i play guitar too.

i have been learning scales as much as i can. im mostly stuck on the pentatonic blues scale just because i love blues music and hard rock that uses the style.

i have some gear and i play alot on my own - no band lol..but who knows ..maybe one day?

i have a few guitars and amps..and i am always sarching for new tones and messin' with effects lol..

i gotta admit that some guitar players i listen too are so awe inspiring that i just daydream about how much effort they put in their craft over the years and how far they have come along..

i love playin' guitar..always have ..always will.

rock on people.
 
Zorak

Zorak

The cake is a metaphor
Messages
9,923
Reaction score
1
Tokenz
0.01z
I haven't really played guitar in a whiile, I don't find the time so much anymore. But I got a real hankering to play now.
Unfortunatley I only brought one guitar and no amp with me to uni this time, so I'm sort of limited.
 
80,474Threads
2,194,432Messages
5,013Members
Back
Top