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Ask guitar theory-related questions, post comments, get answers and interact. I’m online everyday messaging with guitar players and discussing various music theory topics. Let me know how I’m doing and how I can further help you.
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Hey. I have a few questions. I was skimming the videos and the book and I’m still a bit confused. I understand how to use the CAGED method for major scales and pen tonics. However, I can’t seem to understand how you can apply the caged method for minor scales, modes, and the blues scale. Also can you apply the same concept to the F major scale and etc.
Thanks
See Fretboard Theory Chapter 4: Five is the Magic Number. On page 58 I talk about how to mix the minor pentatonic with minor CAGED system.
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Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna
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Hey,
i have a big time problem with singing and playing the guitar simultaneously. Please help me out .
thanks
Singing and playing guitar can be tricky for a beginner but it’s not impossible. A sense of good timing, rhythm and ability to combine two actions at once will come with practice and dedication. My website, books and DVDs focus on music theory for guitar with very few references to technique. But there is a great article posted on WikiHow that outlines a good method for developing the ability to strum guitar and sing at the same time. I suggest you try working through their steps.
http://www.wikihow.com/Play-the-Guitar-and-Sing-at-the-Same-Time
Desi, I enjoy the lessons. I have something for you to add, how a capo works. My wife plays the keyboard in the key of f flat major. So I am trying to figure out how to play the f, bflat, and c using g, c, and d chord shapes. Where do I place the capo. I tried way up on the fretboard but just does not seem to go. Appreciate some help.
Thanks
I think you mean F major, not F FLAT major (that would be E), right?
Using a capo requires that you know the root of each chord shape you use and also the notes on strings 6 and 5. In Fretboard Theory Chapter 3 I teach the CAGED system, which includes learning where the root of each chord shape is located in the form. In Fretboard Theory Chapter 1 I teach you how to learn the notes along strings 6 and 5.
When you place a capo on a fret and then play common open chord forms (like G, C, D, etc.) you must look at the root in each chord form and determine what note it actually is in the new position. With a little examination you can play in any key.
For example, if you place a capo at the 3rd fret, then a common open D chord becomes an F (because the root of the D shape is the open 4th string which the capo is holding at fret 3, F). A G shape will give you a Bb and an A shape will give you a C.
Yes Desi you are right it is F maj. I thought because it used the flat accidentals or on the side of the wheel of fifths that uses flats it would be a flat major. I have your fretboard theory material and that is how I figured it out. I have actually been using the capo at the fifth fret and using C maj. open for the f and G open for C. That just sounds weird and it works. I will try the one you mentioned also. Thank you. Wouldn’t it be nice though to have all this laid out on paper to just look at? By the way Fretboard theory is a great course and I would recommend it to anyone just starting guitar. By the way how can you embellish those chords?
Chord embellishments are covered in Fretboard Theory Chapter 10: Extensions.
I tried the third fret capo, AWESOME!
Thank you again Desi, another question maybe you can help me with. I am running my electric guitar straight into a PA system along with my wife’s keyboard and a mic. My wife had told me my guitar sounded awful and we recorded it. Sure enough it does. The banging of the strings is really strongly heard. I lowered the pickups as far as they go and changed strings. That helped. I heard you can mic your amp but I recorded my amp and same problem. Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot.
Not sure what’s causing the problem with your guitar sound. It could be your technique.
I know this Q&A has been posted awhile back but if Charles is still looking for PA tips & Desi doesn’t mind,I can offer some helpful pointers..Whenever your using your amp through a PA your normal amp volume/EQ settings in a free-air performance need to be adjusted slightly to compensate for the added vol/EQ you gain through the PA’s console..With free-air applications (e.g. just an amp on it’s own in a coffee house or garage rehearsal) you set your amps volume/EQ,FX pedals,etc until you achieve the sound that is desirable to you & your bandmates because in these situations your amp is your own personal PA..When using anything that involves a soundboard/console such as PA systems,multi-track recording equipment,etc. your plugging into something that gives more volume & EQ options/capabilities which slightly changes the way you would normally setup/EQ your amp when using it by itself..The method I use is to EQ my amp at a low volume of about 1.5,use my PA channels volume as a master volume & fine tune my overall PA sound with my PA channels EQ options…Another good idea for you & your wife to try if the PA is in stereo is to “slightly” pan away from each other…Try panning your wife slightly to the right or left & then pan yourself the same amount in the opposite direction..This will result with your instrument being slightly louder in one speaker & your wife slightly louder in the opposite speaker but you’ll both still be heard overall by your audience..If your wife is the only one singing then center her mic & if your singin backup center your mic as well but with a slightly lower volume so as not drown out the lead vocal,but rather,compliment it..
Hope this can still help out..
Desi – I want to order all five pieces. I know I can play the DVDs on my home desktop computer and take them with me when I travel and play them on my laptop. If I download the material can I put it on my laptop as well as my desktop ?
I’d like the DVDs mainly to make sure I don’t lose the lessons if the computer crashes. If I download the lessons, can I back them up on another hard drive in case my computer fails? If I have the DVDs that wouldn’t be a problem.
The downloaded files also run a lot faster on a computer than DVDs. So can I download it and back it up? Thanks ! Bruce
As long as you don’t share, post or sell the video files, you can use them on your own devices however you want. I definitely recommend backing them up.
Could you please tell me why the 4th and 7th notes were removed from the major pentatonic scale and the 2nd and 6th from the minor pentatonic scale. Thanks For Your Help . PS Your theory book has been very helpful.
According to Wikipedia, “The ubiquity of pentatonic scales, specifically anhemitonic (without semitones) modes, can be attributed to the total lack of the most dissonant intervals between any pitches; there are neither any minor seconds (and therefore also no complementary major sevenths) nor any tritones. This means any pitches of such a scale may be played in any order or combination without clashing.”
Let me put that in simple terms…
Major modes (Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian) have different 4ths and 7ths but they all contain a full major pentatonic scale. Likewise, all minor modes (Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian) have different 2nds and 6ths but they all contain a full minor pentatonic scale.
See my blog post Pentatonic Scales Within Major Scale
For this reason, pentatonic scales are easier to apply because you don’t have to give any consideration to the mode and full parent major scale (see Fretboard Theory Chapter 7: Roots, Keys and Applying Scales). And with only 5 notes they’re easier to play too!
Hey, I’m just reading your wonderful book and I’ve learned so much so far; although I am confused on how to begin Major scales for certain keys. For example I know that G Major begins with pattern one on the second fret of the E string. But How would I know what to do for the others? What is the formula, I guess, for discerning where the Major keys start?
Fretboard Theory page 69 illustrates major scale patterns along with roots and reference chords. The black dots are the roots. The black AND gray dots are a reference chord shape. That key is G because the roots (black dots) are G and the reference chord (black AND gray dots) is G. Shift this pattern to different frets to play in different keys and keep track of the roots and reference chord as you go (I show you how to move everything to the key of C on page 71).
I bought the kindle version, I love it by the way! I was wondering if there was a way to print some of the diagrams? My 7″ Samsung tablet just doesn’t have a big enough screen to view the diagrams for practicing.
Kevin
I would think that the diagrams would be too small on a Kindle too. Unfortunately I’m not able to offer any support. The Kindle version is distributed strictly through Amazon. But you can definitely print the PDF I sell at my own website. http://guitar-music-theory.com/download-order.html I offer discounts to existing customers who need to buy items that they already own in a different format. Email me directly and I can send you a coupon code.
I’m learn Change the world, by Eric Clapton. I’m working on the solo.
I have the correct tablature (songbook) but there are many notes that doesn’t fit in the E major pentatonic or E major scale.
I figured out that the root is E major and the key is also E major. The chord progression of the solo is: E F#m7 Gadd2. So I think the solo is build with the E major pentatonic and adding notes of the E major scale.
I did this picture, it’s the E major scale over the E major pentatonic. The white squares are the notes that doesn’t fit.
http://subirimagenes.net/pictures/28fa0f9401589668297eba054821fcfc.jpg
PD: I’ve read your book and I’m finally learning something applicable, it’s the best I’ve found.
Excuse my english I’m from South America.
What you have here is a key change (a.k.a. “modal interchange” or “borrowed chord”). There are many key changes in this song. You can’t play a single major scale over the whole thing.
The solos are played over the E7 F#m7 G chords. Clapton treats it like a blues and plays the E minor pentatonic. It fits perfectly. Try it!
Hi. I’m reviewing all sorts of Guitar theory method books. I can’t seem to find anything about you, the author, on any website linked to this material. Where were you trained? What is your experience playing? What is your experience training? Who are your major influences? Why did you decide to write your own book? Basically — when we read all these things you’re teaching, how do we know you are qualified to present such information?
My name is Desi Serna. I have a brief bio posted at: http://www.guitar-music-theory.com/desi-serna/ You can read my reviews at: http://amzn.to/q7nJqh You can also learn more about what I offer by doing a Google search for “Desi Serna”. And you can sample my materials free at: http://Guitar-Music-Theory.com/free
Hi, If I’m playing a blues in the key of E, I could use the E minor pent to build licks, that is what I know so far.
But here is my question, I noticed that when someone is soloing or doing a turnaround you can “hear” the chords involved. For example the change from E7 to A7. When they play over E7 you hear E7 and then when they play over A7 you hear A7. I bet the are not changing the scale.
Here is an example, around 1:49, he is playing over E7 and then over A7, but you can here the change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwUEHBmrWkc
It’s has something to do with the notes of the chords? If it’s that so, are licks that you can learn for certaing chords in certain keys?
Thank you
You hear the chord change because he was playing the root A (open A string with his thumb) and emphasizing notes of A7 (A C# E G) in the scale (specifically he was targeting the G at the 3rd fret of string 1). So he was practically just playing an A7 chord.
DESI,i posted a mail but it will not publish,whats the problem.
Sorry, I did not understand your comments and was not sure how to respond to them.
Hey Desi I used to be a student of yours long ago a durdels. I was wondering about the harmonic minor scale used for soloing. Can i use it over the major scale chord progression or do i have to use the harmonic minor chord progression.I like the sound of the scale but the progression sounds kind of funky to me. if used over the major scale the 6 chord would have to always be the root right? im confused I know it is a common scale used but how? Thanks your book is very helpfull hope to see more books in the future.
I remember you, Aric. Thanks for the question. I don’t cover the harmonic minor scale in my Fretboard Theory guitar theory course, I’m actually planning on covering it in volume 2. In the meantime, I should stress that the info I teach in the first series is necessary in order to develop an understanding of the harmonic minor scale. So be sure to learn all about using pentatonic and major scales, modes, chord progressions and playing by numbers before venturing into more complex topics.
As a quick explanation, the harmonic minor scale stems from the 6th mode, Aeolian (natural minor). One degree of the scale is raised in order to create a dominant seventh V (5) chord. For example, in Em you would raise the D note to D#. This changes the B minor chord to B major (or B7 if you add the 7th). Usually, the harmonic minor scale is only applied over the V chord, and the scale returns to natural minor over everything else. You hear this done in the song “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. You can also hear this done in “Smooth” by Santana but in the key of Am. In “Smooth” the notes of Am (A B C D E F G) change over the E7 chord to A B C D E F G#. G# changes the Em chord to E major (or E7).
When I say “V chord” I’m counting from the minor root, not the major root as is taught in Fretboard Theory. Volume 2 will also include a chapter on renumbering chords.
Hello. I was curious.
Say I play a Cadd9 on my guitar, then a G. The key would be C?
Those two chords combined can fit into the key of C and the key of G. They’d either be I V or IV I. See Fretboard Theory Chapter 6: Chord Progressions and Playing by Numbers. That chapter is also available on a DVD. Sign up for a free preview.
Hi Desi, As i have purchased the whole set i am skimming thru everything quickly so i can see what to expect, boy! lots of stuff to learn, so i have gone back to the start. I am just wondering do you have dvds that teach to play songs, i cant stand seeing you showing progressions, showing caged chords etc etc and then you start playing a part of a song, and then stop!!! what a teaser you are! lol! Then you say to go and get the song, but need you to show how to play it.Would love to see you have a dvd, where you can teach a song.
Thanks for the message. I really appreciate the feedback. I’ve tried to get permission to sell song lessons but the publishers won’t let me. But I have songs posted for free on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarMusicTheoryTab
Hi Desi,
many thanks for making fretbord theory plain to me. Book and Video are produced very clearly and comprehendible and are worth their price several times. I didn’t find anything comparable. Now I ask for further Information concerning the naming of the Patterns. Is for example Minor Pattern 1 the same as Major Pattern 5(and so on) or is Minor Pattern 1 the same as Major Pattern 1 only by starting from the corresponding root note? How would you name it correctly?
I wouldn’t dwell on the pentatonic scale pattern numbers because they’re meaningless. I numbered the patterns the way I was taught and the way that I see them numbered most of the time, but occasionally I see them numbered differently. The important thing is too visualize the shapes and how they connect. Also, keep track of the root and what chord/progression you’re playing over.