http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=70 Guitar theory questions and answers en-US Thu, 23 May 2013 03:21:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/search.php http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=70#post-116 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:16:15 +0000 Anonymous 116@http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/ thanks for your in depth reply! I look forward to continuing to work on this. http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=70#post-114 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:06:51 +0000 DesiSerna 114@http://guitar-music-theory.com/bbpress/ <blockquote>So far the ebook has been good, but, here are a couple of early comments - (btw, I am an intermediate player trained in classical guitar and some reasonable amount of music theory and now branching out into the wild world of improv, fingerstyle, blues, other popular music):<br /> <br /> 1) I don't see anything in the ebook explaining WHY there are 5 patterns for every scale. Is it so you can combine them more easily with other scales at any part of the fretboard? Is it for variety? Combination of reasons? Why not just play at one part of the fretboard? I have some sense of what the answer might be, but more explanation would help.<br /> <br /> 2) I have never understood why tab is always used in pop music texts - what is so hard about learning basic music notation?<br /> <br /> 3) What exactly are you supposed to do with the song riffs? Just learn to play them? or Reinterpret using the scales? I read what you wrote, but it isn't quite clear. Maybe this will become more clear when the dvd's arrive.<br /> <br /> thanks so far, it's been very helpful!</blockquote><br /> <br /> 1.) Regarding five patterns, the <a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com/scales&#46;html">pentatonic scale notes</a> naturally divide that way on the guitar neck. Same with the <a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com/caged-chords&#46;html">CAGED chord notes</a>. Major scale patterns can actually be broken up in other ways, but I stuck with five just to be consistent. Remember that scale tones create one giant pattern that covers the whole <a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com/fretboard&#46;html">guitar fretboard</a>. This template is only broken up into smaller pieces so that you can learn the neck one position at a time. It doesn't really matter how you divide the fretboard, and the individual patterns don't become something new on their own. With lots of practice and playing, you'll eventually know a scale so well that the patterns bleed together. Players shift horizontally through scale patterns all the time.<br /> <br /> 2.) Most guitarists are interested in learning how to play, not read standard musical notation. The two skills don't necessarily go hand in hand as is proven by the fact that most great players don't read a note. Guitar tablature can be learned quickly and suits the needs of most people. Also, tab is necessary in order to illustrate fretboard positions. The whole purpose of my <a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com/theory&#46;html">guitar theory</a> approach is to map out and navigate the fretboard. With all this said, there are useful benefits to learning how to read music. I'm a reader.<br /> <br /> 3.) The song references listed in each chapter of <em><a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com/fretboard-theory&#46;html">Fretboard Theory</a></em> are there so that you can go out and put the technical <a class="postlink" href="http&#58;//guitar-music-theory&#46;com">music theory information</a> to good use. What good is a scale pattern, chord shape or chord progression until you hear it used in a musical context? You don't have to learn the songs I recommend in their entirety, just focus on the parts that demonstrate the lesson topic at hand. After you have built a solid repertoire of riffs, solos, etc., then yes you can work the licks and phrases into your own improvisations and compositions.