This week I’m going to revisit the Pentatonic Scale Shapes. Particularly the minor pentatonic scale and how it overlaps notes in it’s parent Major Key. In case you missed it, a while back I did a lesson on guitar modal scales and how they overlap. One of my readers, Tim, sent me an email right after that lesson went live and asked about the same concept using minor Pentatonic scales.. so like I always say… …
Guitar Modes – A Practical Guide To Modal Shapes
Guitar Modes Whenever I see guitar modes explained in lessons and other guitar blogs, there always seems to be one key point missing. How they overlap each other. When discussing how to use guitar modes, it’s really important to understand how they fall across the fretboard in any given key. To further illustrate this point, I received an email from Randal, an email subscriber who had just purchased my book The 7 Day Practice Routine …
Lagrima Complete Guitar Score PDF
My first online Classical Guitar Lesson! I gotta say, I’m kinda stoked about it too. Lagrima is one of my favorite semi-easy pieces for Classical Guitar. Also, it’s just an easy one to get your hands around. I’ve also included a free Lagrima Guitar Music PDF below. (Updated 2024 – I also did a Classical Guitar Lesson on Sor’s study in B minor). In this Lagrima Guitar Lesson: January for us working musicians in Florida …
Harmonic Minor Scale and Modes for Guitar
The Harmonic Minor Scale for Guitar is something you instantly recognize when you hear it. It’s exotic, moody, exciting, and just fun to play in all styles of guitar music. I’ve been having a blast lately talking with so many guitarists about all of the things they practice and struggle with on a daily basis. When I built this website, I really wasn’t sure what it was I wanted to to do with it. I …
How To Create Your Own Guitar Chords
Creating Guitar Chords Think it’s hard to create your own guitar chords? Let me tell a quick story. A few years back I had an adult student, far from a beginner mind you, but he was struggling with chords and some basic chord theory. He had this book called “10,000 chord shapes” (I swear that’s a real book!) and he was convinced that he had to learn all of those shapes to become the guitarist …
Melodic Minor Scale and Modes for Guitar
Melodic Minor Scales for Guitar Oh scary isn’t it! The red-headed step-child of minor scales.. unless you’re a Jazz or Classical player that is. The Melodic Minor scale, also referred to as the Jazz Melodic minor scale. Let’s get our hands wrapped around some Melodic Minor Scale and modes for Guitar in this lesson. Updated for 2024, I’ve also included a 3 notes per string Melodic minor scale and modes PDF for guitar at the …
Guitarist Bill Hall In-Depth Interview
The internet is a funny thing… there are times when I absolutely despise what social media has become and other times where I’m genuinely moved by reconnecting with an old friend or family member I haven’t seen in years. Guitarist Bill Hall is one of those people. The latter happened recently when I was promoting my new book (The 7 Day Guitar Practice Routine) in some random guitar related Facebook groups. I came across a …
Guitar Scale Practice On 2 Strings
Every few months or so, I find myself in some type of a guitar playing slump, or rut or whatever you want to call it. If you’ve been playing guitar for longer than a few years, you probably know what I’m talking about right? Things I normally can play with ease become a little sloppy or my hands feel out of sync. After 30 years and thousands of gigs, it wears on you a bit. …
Metallica …And Justice For All – Thrash Metal Classic
Metallica And Justice For All 30 Years!? I can’t believe it! Fall of 1988. I was a Senior in High-School in Stow, Ohio. We had just seen Metallica completely destroy all of the bands on the Monsters of Rock Tour that Summer at the Akron Rubber Bowl. Van Halen, The Scorpions, Dokken… all great bands sure.. but everyone was there to see Metallica. I remember at one point during the concert James Hetfield talking about …
Guitar Technique Practice
Technical Work for the Long Term Technical Guitar Work. Yeah I know, who has the time right? Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned pro, every musician can benefit from regular technical workouts. I have seen the results first hand both in my students and my own playing. Working on the technical aspects of your playing will make everything else you play feel easier in comparison. If you’re in a cover band and have …