Dietri's downloads, links and events

Here are some useful sites, links and downloads in regards to my guitar workshops.

1) Here are 3 loops I recorded in .wav format. They are great to practice scales, licks etc. LoopA and Loop2_A are both in the key of A. They allow for several minor scales, major pentatonic- and dominant 7th scales. Loop3_A_C alternates 4 bars in the key of A and 4 bars in the key of C but you still can play the A pentatonic blues scale over both keys. You need a loop player (see below) to play it the way it is supposed to.
To download, right single mouseclick and select "Save Target As..." :
loopA.wav
loop2_A.wav
loop3_A_C.wav

2) This is a very nice loop-player-program called "wavepad" and it can do a lot more than just that. This download is only a trial version but it still works as a basic loop-player once the trial period is over.
NOTE: When you download this program and the "select related programs" window comes up, I recommend to un-check all extra download options as these are all trial versions. Once the trial period is over, a window pops up asking you if you want to purchase the program. Just click NO.
Then simply open loopA.wav in the wavepad and select Loop Play in the Control menu. This is a GREAT program!
WAVEPAD

3) Here is another free loop-player option, a link to download the free winamp media player. When you download it, it offers more-or-less fancy versions, the basic version works well as a loop player.
Using winamp as a loop player is unfortunately not quite as user friendly as WAVEPAD. When installed, make sure the playlist editor window is open (if not press Alt+E). Use the "ADD" button in the low left corner and choose "ADD FILE". In the next window in the "Files of type" field click on the blue down arrow on the right hand side of the line and choose "All files (*.*)" Load loopA.wav. Make sure this is the only song in the playlist. Select the loop-play-option (there is a button on winamp with a looped arrow).
http://www.winamp.com/

4) This link features a tablature writer. Simply click on the desired position on the fingerboard diagram and write your lick or melody in a tablature.
You can print the page once you put your melody together. Or, in order to save it on the computer, you can use a trick. Use the "Print Screen" button on your computer's keyboard (it should be somewhere, often it is a secondary function of a key and marked "Prnt Scrn". I.E. on my laptop it is a sub-function of the Insert key. Google PRINT SCREEN for more info). Then you can copy the image into a text program (like MS word or works) by using the regular "PASTE" command (Control and V key).
http://www.kksound.com/tab.html

5) Here is a very good site to look up scales and chords, check out the "scale calculator":
http://jguitar.com/

Workshop Topics:

Here are some of the topics we were working on at my last workshop (Tuesday Feb. 12th 2008, 5.30 at Gussies Restaurant in Coos Bay
via Orcoast Music, 787 Newmark Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420 - phone 541-888-6805 - email john@orcoastmusic.com)

All these 5 positions are comprised of the same 5 tones of the A pentatonic blues scale: A-C-D-E-G

 

This dominant pentatonic scale also fits the practice LoopA.wav

We require no knowledge of reading music - however: Learn at least the root notes on the low e string for all 12 frets.

What is a scale. It is simply a “line-up” of any number of any of the 12 chromatic tones within one octave. There are more than 70 different scales if you count all the Oriental, Asian, Arabic, Mongolian scales etc. In the western music we need just a few and don't worry, the guitar is great in this respect and there are some amazingly effective shortcuts in learning them.

Pentatonic scales have only 5 tones. Therefore they are somewhat more versatile than 7 tone diatonic scales. A single pentatonic scale can be used over more than just 1 chord or 1 chord progression. It even can be played in major or minor mode over the same chord progression as long as the accompanyment is arranged in a fashion to allow for this. The reason for that versatility is that the fewer tones there are in a scale the better the chance to fit it to different chords. Imagine a scale with just 2 tones, I.E. rootnote and fifth only. It would fit over a lot of different chords while a 7 or 8 tone scale pins you down towards one particular chord or 1 mode.

On the guitar each scale can be played in 5 positions, if we use the entire fretboard. After 12 frets (5 positions) are covered, the pattern- respectively the positions- repeat themselves an octave higher.

In order to learn and to remember these 5 positions, we need to develop a geometrical "grid" or "box" thinking. Check the diagrams of the 5 position of the A pentatonic blues scale above.

We will learn that "modes" and "scale positions" are directly related. In the diagrams above you can see that each position is also called by another name: Am, C major, D7, Em7+5 and Gsus4. You could say that each position equals another "mode" but I prefer to just say that it equals another "scale". The term "mode" generally referres to the "Church Modes" (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aolian and Locrian) and the "Minor Modes" (Natural, Harmonic and Melodic). These flamboyant names derive from medieval times and I like to think that the monks used these scales to chant their prayers, which was vocals only. Therefore chords are usually not notated as "Mixolydian or Phrygian” etc., only scales are.

In Jazz notation however, the Mixolydian scale is called the "7th scale" and the appropriate chord is simply called the 7th chord. That's why I prefer the "Jazz notation" over the "Church modes" notation. I find it a lot more logical. In the Jazz notation the D7 chord fits the D7 scale plus both are located in the same position as the D7 bar chord (10th fret).

The A minor pentatonic scale (blues scale A-C-D-E-G) in it's 2nd position equals the C major pentatonic scale C-D-E-G-A. Both scales are comprised of the same 5 tones, the latter just starts from C on the 8th fret on the low E string (which is also the position of the C major bar chord). In it's 5th position (starting at the 3rd fret G) it equals the Gsus4 pentatonic scale G-A-C-D-E. In fact, all 5 positions share the same 5 tones and all are technically the same A pentatonic blues scale. But if we assign a new root note for each position (simply the 1st or 2nd finger on the low E string, depending on the position), it turnes them in effect into 5 different scales.

It also means that you can play the A pentatonic blues scale (5th fret) over A minor, C major, D7, Em7+5 and Gsus4 chords and it will fit all just fine!

This phenomenon of inter-relation between positions and "modes" is even more useful when it comes to the diatonic scales. Here basically every position of a scale equals a different really useful scale (or different "mode" if you like to stick with medieval terms). Theoretically, we would only need to learn 2 scales (I.E. Am pentatonic and Am7 diatonic), learn how to transpose them all over the fretboard as needed and we would do okay with most of the modern western music out there. Details of diatonic scales is the topic of another workshop but transposing is a very important topic here.

Transposing - what is it. Shifting a scale (actually the entire grid of the 5 positions) to a different fret=rootnote.

In fact, once we master the art of transposing the pentatonic blues scale we can play any major, minor or sus4 key by just using this blues scale on the appropriate fret. In my opinion, for a beginner, learning how to quickly transpose a scale is much more important than learning loads and loads of different scales. And it is much easier too!

We work only with the blues scale first. Try fingering all scales with 4 fingers.

Play the A blues scale in minor mode (Am) at the fifth fret and then transpose this scale down three steps (frets) to the second fret (F#). If you start this one with the 4 th finger from the A on the low e-string you got the A major pentatonic scale. Transposing scales is directly interrelated with the different modes. Knowing this is the trick!

You can actually transpose the pentatonic blues scale to the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 12th fret (or nut) and it will all fit over the practice LoopA.wav

Right hand pick technique: Alternate picking up and down strokes. Pull offs mixed in with alternate picking. This is a feeling thing and hard to teach.

Different picks sound different, for strumming, soloing acoustic –electric etc.

Use harder and smaller picks for soloing. For strumming softer picks to get you a different tone.

Music producers choose different picks for different guitartracks esp. acoustic to achieve a specific tone.
Make small movements when playing fast

Licks: Licks are little melodies and patterns usually within a particular scale but they can also involve more than one scale. They are important so you do not just play the scales just up and down. They also can be the focal point of a solo, the recognition part, you can arrange your solo around a few distinctive licks. Therefore try to use just a couple designated licks for one song and different ones for the next solo in the next song.

3 pack lick - easy right hand pattern lick down or up.

4 pack - more difficult right hand due to packs of 2 and 3 strings (but remember the workaround!)

5 pack - amazingly easy pick pattern especially lick down

6 pack – easy when you start down-packs from 8 th or 7 th fret only

4 pack workround

4 pack combination 2nd , 5 th and 7 th fret (plus 12th fret -or nut- if you like)

Satriani lick: check on YouTube.com - search: satriani pentatonic licks