How to Know the Guitar
Content
HOW TO "KNOW" THE GUITAR
By Michael Fairbrother
TALK IT OUT Okay, so you are having trouble learning certain things on the guitar. A quick way to remedy that: verbally describe what you are attempting to play in repetition. What does that mean? It means that you have to say out loud the ins-and-outs of the thing you want to be able to recall on command over and over again. When learning something new on the guitar, you want to be able to "know" it (it could be a chord, a technique, a scale, a progression, a riff, an arpeggio, a lick, or even an entire song), and it is best learned by talking about it. First, you must have the information written out in front of you. Be it sheet music, tablature, or a chord diagram. Whatever it is, you must have it on paper for you to see. Then, describe what you see as far as what it is you are trying to learn. Next, you can begin to play it, but still describe aloud what you are playing. For a simple idea of how this works, take the basic open-position C chord: E ---0----B ---1----G ---0----D ---2----A ---3----E ---------I would describe this first by saying the fingerings, the name of the note, and the interval: - "Third finger on the third fret on the A string = C (the root note)" - "Second finger on the second fret on the D string = E (third interval)" - "Open string on the G string = G (fifth interval)" - "First finger on the first fret on the B string = C (octave root)" - "Open string on the high E string = E (third)"
You would repeat this information out loud over and over again until you know it by heart. Then hold your fingers down on the guitar fretboard in the open-C chord position and describe it again. How could you further describe the open-position C chord to help you know it even better? For example, you could say: - "The open-C chord is played on the first five strings and the bottom E string is not played." or - "There is only one fifth interval (the G note) in the basic open-C chord." Once you have the descriptive information in your head and you can easily repeat it out loud without looking at it, then you can begin to play it. You are now combining the intellectual aspect with the actual physical (playing) aspect of the guitar, increasing your knowledge of the instrument. The same idea can apply to learning the notes on the fretboard. Pick a note... E for example. Now go ahead and describe out loud all the different places it can be found on the fretboard (in standard tuning): - "Sixth string, open" - "Sixth string, twelfth fret" - "Sixth string, twenty-fourth fret" (providing your guitar has twenty-four frets or this could be a natural harmonic if you know where to find it). - "Fifth string, seventh fret" - "Fifth string, nineteenth fret" - "Fourth string, second fret" - "Fourth string, fourteenth fret" - "Third string, ninth fret" - "Third string, twenty-first fret" - "Second string, fifth fret" - "Second string, seventeenth fret" - "First string, open" - "First string, twelfth fret" - "First string, twenty-fourth fret" When you can describe where the note is, then you can play it. The goal is to be able to know and call it out instantly without having to think about it.
For something a bit more challenging try describing a lick. How would you describe the following?:
Solo excerpt from Wings Of The Night Copyright 1995 Michael Fairbrother
In describing the first bar I would say something like: - "Key of E-flat major, judging by the chord progression." - "Four sixteenth notes: Third finger starts on E-flat, sixth fret, fifth string slide up to F, eighth fret, fifth string - next two notes are first finger, A-flat, fourth string, sixth fret." - "Two quarter notes: both notes are a full bend of B-flat with third finger, eighth fret, fourth string." - "Four sixteenth notes: continue with third finger on B-flat, eighth fret, fourth string, full bend and release - then first finger on A-flat, sixth fret, fourth string - slide down to F, third fret, fourth string." etc... Once you are able to describe the first bar without looking at the music notation, then go ahead and attempt to play it while talking it out. A lot of people would want to skip over this sort of thing and just get straight to the playing. However, if you want to actually know what you are doing on the instrument, then being able to describe what you are about to play before you play it, will make a big difference.
Yes, sometimes the process can be slow. However, it will be well worth it to find out what it is that you are actually playing. Go at your own pace and find ways to make it fun. Be all-exhaustive in your descriptions and take no short-cuts. What you learn will be valuable in increasing your knowledge and ability to retrieve it on command. The point is, if you are not able to clearly describe what you are playing almost instantly, then you do not really know what you are doing on the instrument... you are just going through the motions. If you want to be a great guitarist then you are going to want to know your way around the fretboard. This concept is the way to do it. Michael Fairbrother www.michaelfairbrother.com Copyright 2010 Michael Fairbrother
By Michael Fairbrother
TALK IT OUT Okay, so you are having trouble learning certain things on the guitar. A quick way to remedy that: verbally describe what you are attempting to play in repetition. What does that mean? It means that you have to say out loud the ins-and-outs of the thing you want to be able to recall on command over and over again. When learning something new on the guitar, you want to be able to "know" it (it could be a chord, a technique, a scale, a progression, a riff, an arpeggio, a lick, or even an entire song), and it is best learned by talking about it. First, you must have the information written out in front of you. Be it sheet music, tablature, or a chord diagram. Whatever it is, you must have it on paper for you to see. Then, describe what you see as far as what it is you are trying to learn. Next, you can begin to play it, but still describe aloud what you are playing. For a simple idea of how this works, take the basic open-position C chord: E ---0----B ---1----G ---0----D ---2----A ---3----E ---------I would describe this first by saying the fingerings, the name of the note, and the interval: - "Third finger on the third fret on the A string = C (the root note)" - "Second finger on the second fret on the D string = E (third interval)" - "Open string on the G string = G (fifth interval)" - "First finger on the first fret on the B string = C (octave root)" - "Open string on the high E string = E (third)"
You would repeat this information out loud over and over again until you know it by heart. Then hold your fingers down on the guitar fretboard in the open-C chord position and describe it again. How could you further describe the open-position C chord to help you know it even better? For example, you could say: - "The open-C chord is played on the first five strings and the bottom E string is not played." or - "There is only one fifth interval (the G note) in the basic open-C chord." Once you have the descriptive information in your head and you can easily repeat it out loud without looking at it, then you can begin to play it. You are now combining the intellectual aspect with the actual physical (playing) aspect of the guitar, increasing your knowledge of the instrument. The same idea can apply to learning the notes on the fretboard. Pick a note... E for example. Now go ahead and describe out loud all the different places it can be found on the fretboard (in standard tuning): - "Sixth string, open" - "Sixth string, twelfth fret" - "Sixth string, twenty-fourth fret" (providing your guitar has twenty-four frets or this could be a natural harmonic if you know where to find it). - "Fifth string, seventh fret" - "Fifth string, nineteenth fret" - "Fourth string, second fret" - "Fourth string, fourteenth fret" - "Third string, ninth fret" - "Third string, twenty-first fret" - "Second string, fifth fret" - "Second string, seventeenth fret" - "First string, open" - "First string, twelfth fret" - "First string, twenty-fourth fret" When you can describe where the note is, then you can play it. The goal is to be able to know and call it out instantly without having to think about it.
For something a bit more challenging try describing a lick. How would you describe the following?:
Solo excerpt from Wings Of The Night Copyright 1995 Michael Fairbrother
In describing the first bar I would say something like: - "Key of E-flat major, judging by the chord progression." - "Four sixteenth notes: Third finger starts on E-flat, sixth fret, fifth string slide up to F, eighth fret, fifth string - next two notes are first finger, A-flat, fourth string, sixth fret." - "Two quarter notes: both notes are a full bend of B-flat with third finger, eighth fret, fourth string." - "Four sixteenth notes: continue with third finger on B-flat, eighth fret, fourth string, full bend and release - then first finger on A-flat, sixth fret, fourth string - slide down to F, third fret, fourth string." etc... Once you are able to describe the first bar without looking at the music notation, then go ahead and attempt to play it while talking it out. A lot of people would want to skip over this sort of thing and just get straight to the playing. However, if you want to actually know what you are doing on the instrument, then being able to describe what you are about to play before you play it, will make a big difference.
Yes, sometimes the process can be slow. However, it will be well worth it to find out what it is that you are actually playing. Go at your own pace and find ways to make it fun. Be all-exhaustive in your descriptions and take no short-cuts. What you learn will be valuable in increasing your knowledge and ability to retrieve it on command. The point is, if you are not able to clearly describe what you are playing almost instantly, then you do not really know what you are doing on the instrument... you are just going through the motions. If you want to be a great guitarist then you are going to want to know your way around the fretboard. This concept is the way to do it. Michael Fairbrother www.michaelfairbrother.com Copyright 2010 Michael Fairbrother
