Learning Guitar

[Raymond Lin]

just wondering, there are only 6 strings in the guitar, how do you hit the 7 notes you need on the scale ?

 

[Marky]

Hmm this might annoy you marky

http://machinehead.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/274?osCsid=tgbacjfiqiav751v14ngfv46u6

I got mine for £139 - I win

just wondering, there are only 6 strings in the guitar, how do you hit the 7 notes you need on the scale ?

7 Notes on what scale?

 

[Raymond Lin]

C, D, E, F, G, A, B

That's 7 isn't it?

 

[Dirkscooby]

It doesnt work like that. There is more than one scale
The strings are tuned :thickest e a d g b e. On the neck of the guitar are frets. You push down the string inbetween the frets. Pluck the string and you will get a note. Say I hold down the the thickest string e on the first fret that will produce the note f

 

[Gustov]

I got mine for £139 - I win

It's a different guitar A better one

 

[Gustov]

It doesnt work like that. There is more than one scale
The strings are tuned :thickest e a d g b e. On the neck of the guitar are frets. You push down the string inbetween the frets. Pluck the string and you will get a note. Say I hold down the the thickest string e on the first fret that will produce the note f

Half tone yo!

 

[Marky]

It's a different guitar A better one

As I said... I'm not looking for anything that's that good as - in my current position - I'm not wanting to spend much on it. Who knows 2 weeks down the line I may not enjoy playing guitar! At least with this starter kit, if I decide it's not for me, I can just resell it

 

[Gustov]

You'll go through a rough patch at first, picking up the basics isn't exactly a pleasurable experience. Trust me though, in the long run its so worth it

 

[Raymond Lin]

It doesnt work like that. There is more than one scale
The strings are tuned :thickest e a d g b e. On the neck of the guitar are frets. You push down the string inbetween the frets. Pluck the string and you will get a note. Say I hold down the the thickest string e on the first fret that will produce the note f

I know there are more than 1 scale, just wondering how one would do for example the C-Scale on a guitar.

I have no idea how a guitar works, hence the question.

 

[Gustov]

You'd find the note C (root note) raymond which is for example the 8th fret on the low E string (thickest string) and go from there

For example, EBGDAE are the string names and the numbers are the fret you play on the strings from left to right, this is also know as tabulator.

C Major

E|------------------------------------------------8-10-12--|
B|--------------------------------------8-10-12------------|
G|--------------------------------9-10---------------------|
D|----------------------9-10-12---------------------------|
A|------------8-10-12-------------------------------------|
E|--8-10-12-----------------------------------------------|

My Theory is woeful, just as well my technique is ok

I have 18 weeks off from uni soon and I'll be ordering a Highly recommended book.

It can be played all over the neck because there are many C's on the fretboard

check here

http://www.guitarists.net/scales/index.php?note=0&scale=0

The R on the diagram is where the C (root note) is

As i say my theory is AWFUL but i hope that helps a little.

As far as how you do it you find the C note for example and find the notes in the pattern

* C-D: tone
* D-E: tone
* E-F: semi-tone
* F-G: tone
* G-A: tone
* A-B: tone
* B-C: semi-tone

http://www.jazzguitar.be/music-theory.html

 

[Raymond Lin]

Thanks, but I only thing i understand from that is the tone and semi tone bit in the end, same principle for the piano.

 

[timbob]

Thanks, but I only thing i understand from that is the tone and semi tone bit in the end, same principle for the piano.

Back to basics reply coming up - apologies if it's too basic!

I think you're confusing scales with chords.

A scale is the traditional <singing voice>"do re mi fa so la ti do"</singing voice>.

There are indeed 7 separate notes in it, played one after the other. You play one note, then adjust your finger position to the next note, then play that one. Same for the piano.

If you could play all 7 notes of the scale at once on a guitar, it would sound horrible, just like somebody had sat on a piano keyboard, and pressed all the notes at once.

A chord however is the "important" notes of the scale picked out of the scale and played at the same time. In it's most basic form, a 3 note chord uses the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale (so C, E and G in your case).

You'd then fret every string on the guitar to give you either a C, an E or a G, then strum across the strings.

On a piano, you simpy use your thumb, middle and little fingers on the 3 notes, and press them together.

 

[Kerplunk]

Still no piccies

 

[Deleted User 234324]

I bought an electric guitar last year as i really fancied learning, but after struggling for weeks on getting the basic chords down, i just couldnt seem to switch notes at any reasonable pace, certainly not fast enough to make a "tune".

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

 

[Nitefly]

Everytime a someone buys a first guitar that isn't a Pacifica 112, a puppy dies.

I give the same advice for everyone starting to play the guitar - buy a three chord song book. It's the quickest way to familiarise yourself with simple chords whilst practising your strumming and learning chord changes, all whilst playing songs that you know.

I will add, with great enthusiam, that a true beginner should not worry about learning scales or theory. Playing as a begginner should be fun. You can learn about the guitar by playing it, you don't need to study it at this stage.

Grab a three chord song book before you buy anything else. You will be playing a mean Mr. Tambourine Man in no time.

 

[aslco]

I bought an electric guitar last year as i really fancied learning, but after struggling for weeks on getting the basic chords down, i just couldnt seem to switch notes at any reasonable pace, certainly not fast enough to make a "tune".

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

Learn chords which are easy to switch between. Some chords are increidbly easy to play as well as switch betwen as you only move one finger.

You may need to research what each of these chords are but......basic chord progressions are....

Cmajor > A minor > E minor> G major

Eminor>Gmajor>D minor> A minor

Dmajor>Dminor>cmajor>Gmajor

Emajor>Gmajor> A minor> C major

 

[Nitefly]

This is the sort of book I was talking about.

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0404180/details.html

That book has an excellent collection of songs.

 

[sketch145]

Useful for anyone transferring music from an instrument with a keyboard to a guitar (or the other way round)

 

[Gustov]

Everytime a someone buys a first guitar that isn't a Pacifica 112, a puppy dies.

Yep, i recommended it in this thread but people don't listen

Kerplunk if you're looking to get a guitar please sepnd the extra £70 and get a pacifica

As linked earlier

http://www.dv247.com/invt/41664/ if you don't like the color scheme there are many more.

 

[Nitefly]

Yep, i recommended it in this thread but people don't listen

I actually had a Squire Strat which I would also nod my head to, but I think the Pacifica plays stupidly well for it's price bracket. Plus it has a humbucker, which is makes a huge difference in tone at this price range for those who are interested in rock.

For anyone who is unaware of what a humbucker is, it is a larger pickup which creates a 'thicker' guitar sound. Essential for distorted rock at this price bracket.