Pro Guitar Scale Workout Video
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Expand your fret board knowledge, practice your major scales, and improve your time all simultaneously while practicing your scales to a metronome.
Why Learning Guitar Scales is Important
Learning guitar scales is important, even if you think it almost as boring as learning chords. The problem with many new guitarists who have just started learning is that they want to go too far too soon. That is the road to disaster, as many failed guitarists will tell you.
Have you ever seen these piano players learning how to play, when they are going up and down the octaves playing their scales? Well, they are putting money in the bank because it will help them later when they have to play certain note combinations without thinking. If you are going to be a good lead guitarist, or a solo guitarist of any description in any genre, you too will have to spend time learning your guitar scales.
So, the question that many non-musicians ask. What are scales, and why are they so important? Scales are combinations of notes, ascending or descending, normally within an octave. The major scales are the basis of all other scales, and start and end on the same not. They go in the order whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half-whole, the wholes and halves representing steps. Thus, for the scale of D: D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D.
Scales are chosen because they are melodic and harmonic, and once learned, they can be used to produce tunes that are pleasing to the ear. When learning guitar, you will come across the pentatonic scale, which is derived from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th notes of the corresponding major scale. Thus, the pentatonic D will be D – E – F# – A – B
There are a number of reasons for learning scales, one being that they are fundamental to learning the theory of music, and if your ambition is to become a classical guitarist, then you will also be required to learn about the theory of music. They allow you to learn about harmonics and pitch, and the effects of sharps and flats. Some note combinations are discordant to the ear, and scales will make it a great deal easier for you to compose a series of notes that will sound good.
Another reason, more important to guitarists, is that they enable you to play a series of notes without thought that will sound good, especially when played fast. Most fast guitar riffs and solos would sound meaningless if played slowly, but sound great when played fast. That is because they are based upon the pentatonic scales. You could conceivably use a major or minor scale, but with a pentatonic, you only have to learn combinations of 5 notes.
By learning a few pentatonic scales, you will be able to play fast guitar licks up and down the frets, using the same 5 notes in the same order. If you listen to the main solo in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, written by Brian May, that is played using a pentatonic scale, as is ‘Eruption’ by Eddie Van Halen. You can play the same notes over a number of octaves and it will sound great, because the notes are a scale that is pleasing the ear. Hence, the importance to a lead guitar player of learning guitar scales.
Once you get up on stage and start playing, you are not going to remember a complex series of notes to make up a rapid guitar solo. You have to play the notes by rote. If you have learned a guitar scale, the pentatonic in particular, you will be able to play anywhere on the neck of your guitar, as long as the notes are true.
Sure, you will have to change it for each string, and according to where on the neck you play it, but the notes will be the same and they will always be played in the same order. In practise, it doesn’t matter to you if they are sharps or flats or neither: you are just playing the notes, and don’t have to understand the theory. If you have learned your guitar scales properly, then you won’t have to remember because of the muscle memory involved.
It’s the same with chords. If you have learned your chords properly, you don’t have to figure where to put your fingers, you just play the chord and you fingers automatically get them right due to the muscle memory of repetition and revision. You don’t start a new song in your gig, and then wonder what the chords are: they come automatically, and so do the scales when you need them.
That’s why learning 
guitar scales is important, and why you shouldn’t screw up your face when asked to play them. It’s money in the bank, that you will withdraw when you are finally standing alone in front of 10,000 screaming people and striking up the first note of your fabulous guitar solo. It’s only dozens of repetitions of a pentatonic scale, but they don’t know that – they think you are fabulous – a star- and all because you took the time to learn your guitar scales.
If you want to be a good guitar player, you must learn your scales, and http://www.jamplaynow.com is the membership guitar site that will teach you all you need to know. Visit Jamplay to learn the secrets of the great players – and then use them yourself.
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Learn Guitar Online, Van Morrison – 3 Tips For Acoustic Guitar
By Mike P Hayes
Another neat thing about Van Morrison’s material is that there’s something for everyone … “Moon Dance” for the Jazz fans, “Gloria” for those who enjoy rock, and “Have I Told You Lately” for lovers.
With songs like “Brown Eyed Girl” in your guitar repertoire you will be the life of the party. Here’s 3 tips to help to play professional versions of Van Morrison songs.
Tip 1: Open Chord Voicings – Moondance – minor seventh chords
The key to playing songs like Moondance is playing open voiced minor seventh chords. Every popular song has a musical ID, it may be a lead guitar riff, a unique sounding chord progression or a particular rhythm, something that immediately enables the listener to identify that song.
When a song is well written it only takes 2 or 3 seconds for the listener to know what song is being played, even without the vocals.
With Van Morrison’s “Moondance” the first two chords correctly played is all we need … the chords are Am7 to Bm7, now while there is nothing new about these chords, it’s the way Van Morrison arranges the notes in the chord that makes the song instantly recognizable.
What do we mean by open voiced chords? The first step is to know what notes are used to build each chord, Am7 = A, C, E, G / Bm7 = B, D, F#, A.
Notice with the chord spelling for each chord how the notes are arranged in an alphabetical style sequence: Am7 = A then the next note that occurs in the chord is C then E etc, obviously certain
notes of our standard alphabet have been omitted, but you get the idea, study the Bm7 chord to make sure you understand the concept.
When the notes for each chord are arranged in alphabetical order this is called “root position”, our next step is to create four part open voiced chords.
Four part open voiced chords are usually played upon the 6th, 4th 3rd and 2nd strings. The 5th and the 1st strings are muffled by the fingers playing the other notes.
The idea is to avoid note duplication. By using chord-structures that have no duplication of chord tones it is much easier to alter the basic chords to form further altered chords.
Example of a “Am7″ four part open voiced chord: A=6th string, 5th fret, G=4th string, 5th fret, C=3rd string 5th fret, E=2nd string, 5th fret. This is the first chord for “Moondance”, move this shape up two frets and you will have the second chord Bm7.
Tip 2: intervals – thirds – Brown Eyed Girl
Brown Eyed Girl has a simple yet effective lead guitar introduction that instantly identifies the song.
If you played the intro as a single note melody in the key of “G” the notes would be as follows: B, C, D, C, B the next phrase would be E, F, G, F, E then back to the first phrase B, C, D, C, B and finally F#, F# G, A.
This single note melody is then supported by adding additional harmony notes played underneath the melody. The harmony notes are placed at an interval distance of a third below the melody.
To work out the harmony notes simply count backwards from the melody e.g. to work out the harmony note for the given “B” melody note count back three. B=>A=>G.
Here is the first five melody notes B, C, D, C, B, the harmony notes a third below indicated by [ ].
B [G], C [A], D [B], C [A], B [G},
Tip 3: 
chord progressions – 1-3-4-5 Bright Side Of The Road.
Learning to recognize chord progressions of by ear is a great way to remember songs.
Each key has a series of chords that are created from that particular scale.
In the key of C the basic chords are C, Dm, Em ,F ,G , Am ,B dim.
C = chord 1, Dm = chord 2, Em = chord 3 ,F = chord 4 ,G = chord 5, Am = chord 6 ,B dim = chord 7.
The opening chord progression for Van Morrison’s “Bright Side Of The Road” is a 1-3-4-5 progression which when played in the key of C becomes C-Em-F-G. This is the same chord progression Van Morrison uses for the opening chords of “Have I Told You Lately”.
So you can see, by identifying the sound of chord progressions it makes the process of learning new material much easier.
Mike Hayes develops systems and products to help you succeed in your guitar playing. Find out more about how to learn guitar fast with his popular free ecourse, available at:
=> http://www.guitarcoaching.com
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Beginners Guitar Lessons – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Guitarists
By Mike P Hayes
While their styles may be different and their areas of specialization may be diverse, they all have very similar habits. As I continued my conversations with these guitarists, I jotted down the common habits that distinguish these successful people, and here they are for you to study.
1. Set Goals – focus on your primary objective. All successful guitarists have mastered the ability to set goals. Here’s some tips for goal setting.
(a) Write your goals down, this is very important!
(b) Be specific, what do you want to achieve, in what time frame, what special skills do I need?
(c) Create a goal board, many top guitarists create a goal board where they place pictures of things they want to achieve or acquire i.e., a picture of a guitar, amp, car etc. they place this goal board in their practice room or office to help keep them motivated and stay “on-track”.
2. Daily Practice – the most successful players are also the most confident and competent players and they are confident and competent because they have a daily practice regimen.
The top guitarists are internally motivated and self- disciplined, no matter how things are going in the rest of their life, they stay focused on their musical goals.
3. Read Music – The ability to read standard music notation is also a common thread among top guitarists. In a world of ‘fix-it- all’ in five minutes guitar books and the ever popular guitar TAB system, nothing beats the ability to be musically literate!
If you want to be a top guitarist, learn to read standard music notation, otherwise you could find yourself spending your whole musical life re-inventing the ‘musical wheel’.
4. Quality Instruments / Equipment – It goes without saying that your equipment must be functional and in good repair. Notice I did not say expensive. Everything right down to your electric guitar lead must work. Remember, to have your guitar(s) set up by a competent repair person.
5. Study All Styles Of Music – This is the key to many successful musicians careers. Versatility, often means a long and successful career.
6. Excellent People Skills – This is a classic, how many times have I seen an excellent guitarist totally trash his/her career by simply having an ‘attitude’ problem.
Actually, it’s just common sense and having respect for all the people you come in contact with in the music/studio scene you would be amazed how much of my work comes from work of mouth, and that includes studio owners, engineers, studio cleaners etc.(and I’ve been doing this professionally for 30+ years).
I can vividly recall one particular guitarist who had issues with a certain studio secretary, the secretary later became the studio owner’s wife,(they often do) guess how much work that guitarist got from that studio …zero!
7. Reliable – Punctual etc. – Again, this should be painfully obvious, however it never ceases to amaze me how guitarist’s will spend their life devoted to their instrument but just can’t remember to show up for the gig.
Recently, the owner of one of the biggest recording studios in this country told me how a guitar player simply failed to ’show up’ for the recording session, he obviously must have had something much more important on (I do recall it was a nice day for surfing).
Notice how two out of the seven habits of highly successful guitarists deal with non-musical things i.e., people skills & being reliable, punctual etc., keep these things in mind and study top players at work whenever you have an opportunity.
It’s easy to see why someone like James Taylor is successful just look at how he interacts with his audience and band.
Mike Hayes develops systems and products to help you succeed in your guitar playing. Find out more about how to learn guitar fast with his popular free ecourse, available at: => http://www.guitarcoaching.com
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Acoustic Guitars For Sale – Best Selling Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic Guitars For Sale – Best Acoustic Guitars
I know as a beginner, it can be very difficult when it comes time to buying a guitar. There are hundreds of models and many brands to choose from like fender, yamaha, gibson, ephiphone… The list goes on…. I thought it would be helpful to create a post on my blog here that lists some of the best selling 
acoustic guitars for sale today. I did the research and the results are listed below. I organized the list by brand and included the top 3 for each brand. Under each brand, I included both acoustic and acoustic electric 6 string guitars. I do hope you find this post helpful in your quest for a new acoustic guitar. Click the “Pricing/Ordering Information” button under each guitar to view the price as well as customer reviews! Have fun playing with your new toy!
