Rayzcane
5th July 2006, 7.07 am
In a way, you could call this the "Mother of all Diagrams"! This diagram is the basic foundation for building all other scales, and all chords of all kinds.
This scale is demonstrated for a standard 6-string electric guitar tuned to parallel 4ths. This tuning is also identical for the Melody strings on a 12 string tapping instrument. The four bass strings remain the same as for either a bass or a guitar in standard tuning. We will raise up the smallest E string to "F". We will raise up the B string to "C". Like all other altered tunings we will have some advantages and disadvantages.
Disadvantages: You will no longer be able to use Barre Chord positions on all six strings at once. You will have to re-learn all of the scales and chords that you may have spent years learning. You will no longer be able to use open strings for fingerpicking arrangements. If you are a folk-style strummer, this will no longer work very well either.
Advantages: If you have read this far, you may be wondering how any advantages could possibly overcome the many disavantages above. One of the MAIN advantages is that once you learn one simple "pattern", you can play this same pattern all over the fretboard..... This is true for scales, chords, arpeggios, and any licks that you care to memorize. You can practice with both hands at the same time, using the same fingering on the bass strings and on the treble/melody strings. This alone will make learning much easier and faster.
Take a look at the attached G Major Scale diagram. Notice that the four patterns are identical. Notice that the root notes are in red. This scale pattern begins on a red/root note in all four positions. Notice that the fingerings are IDENTICAL for all four positions whether you are using the right hand or the left hand, or both hands at the same time.
I remember when I was first trying to learn scales. Some books like the "Guitar Grimoire" system have you learn 7 different positions (with 7 different fingerings) for a basic major scale. Some books like "Fretboard Logic" have you learn using five different positions. Some books like "Uncle Tim's" system have you learn two primary positions with very long finger stretches. But, you also have to learn another "transition scale" to tie these two together. The sad part is that after practicing these non-musical scales, you still can't play a song. Like many others here in the same boat, we try this for a period of time, then we give up in frustration. If this wasn't bad enough, we are told that we now have to learn the minor scale, harmonic minor scale, melodic minor scale, etc. (each of these with seven more positions). Then we are terrified to learn that we must also learn "MODES". Then of course come the major and minor pentatonics scales. You get the picture, the list goes on and on. The sad part is that we took up guitar to play some SONGS, right? We want to make beautiful music. The performers we love make it all look so easy up there on stage playing for the adoring fans. We soon learn that it is not easy. What is the solution?
I believe that the solution is to study a chord-based system of arpeggios, rather than a scales-over-chords system. Two teachers in particular who share this belief are Carol Kaye and Traktor Topaz. Carol Kaye was a famous studio musician playing electric bass and guitar in the 60's and 70's. She claims to have played on 10,000 recording sessions in her career. Along with James Jamerson of Motown fame, the two of them recorded virtually every hit for more than 20 years. Carol Kaye says flat out: All of those teachers who teach scales over chords to teach "real jazz" are doing it WRONG! Traktor Topaz, co-author of Touch-Style Bassics and Touch-Style Rhythm, also teaches using a chord arpeggio based system. The exercises sound "musical' and they will get you up to speed in record time. The end result is that YOU will be able to play exactly what YOU want to play.
To be continued.....
Ray Langley
This scale is demonstrated for a standard 6-string electric guitar tuned to parallel 4ths. This tuning is also identical for the Melody strings on a 12 string tapping instrument. The four bass strings remain the same as for either a bass or a guitar in standard tuning. We will raise up the smallest E string to "F". We will raise up the B string to "C". Like all other altered tunings we will have some advantages and disadvantages.
Disadvantages: You will no longer be able to use Barre Chord positions on all six strings at once. You will have to re-learn all of the scales and chords that you may have spent years learning. You will no longer be able to use open strings for fingerpicking arrangements. If you are a folk-style strummer, this will no longer work very well either.
Advantages: If you have read this far, you may be wondering how any advantages could possibly overcome the many disavantages above. One of the MAIN advantages is that once you learn one simple "pattern", you can play this same pattern all over the fretboard..... This is true for scales, chords, arpeggios, and any licks that you care to memorize. You can practice with both hands at the same time, using the same fingering on the bass strings and on the treble/melody strings. This alone will make learning much easier and faster.
Take a look at the attached G Major Scale diagram. Notice that the four patterns are identical. Notice that the root notes are in red. This scale pattern begins on a red/root note in all four positions. Notice that the fingerings are IDENTICAL for all four positions whether you are using the right hand or the left hand, or both hands at the same time.
I remember when I was first trying to learn scales. Some books like the "Guitar Grimoire" system have you learn 7 different positions (with 7 different fingerings) for a basic major scale. Some books like "Fretboard Logic" have you learn using five different positions. Some books like "Uncle Tim's" system have you learn two primary positions with very long finger stretches. But, you also have to learn another "transition scale" to tie these two together. The sad part is that after practicing these non-musical scales, you still can't play a song. Like many others here in the same boat, we try this for a period of time, then we give up in frustration. If this wasn't bad enough, we are told that we now have to learn the minor scale, harmonic minor scale, melodic minor scale, etc. (each of these with seven more positions). Then we are terrified to learn that we must also learn "MODES". Then of course come the major and minor pentatonics scales. You get the picture, the list goes on and on. The sad part is that we took up guitar to play some SONGS, right? We want to make beautiful music. The performers we love make it all look so easy up there on stage playing for the adoring fans. We soon learn that it is not easy. What is the solution?
I believe that the solution is to study a chord-based system of arpeggios, rather than a scales-over-chords system. Two teachers in particular who share this belief are Carol Kaye and Traktor Topaz. Carol Kaye was a famous studio musician playing electric bass and guitar in the 60's and 70's. She claims to have played on 10,000 recording sessions in her career. Along with James Jamerson of Motown fame, the two of them recorded virtually every hit for more than 20 years. Carol Kaye says flat out: All of those teachers who teach scales over chords to teach "real jazz" are doing it WRONG! Traktor Topaz, co-author of Touch-Style Bassics and Touch-Style Rhythm, also teaches using a chord arpeggio based system. The exercises sound "musical' and they will get you up to speed in record time. The end result is that YOU will be able to play exactly what YOU want to play.
To be continued.....
Ray Langley