It's a neck diagram for scales. Play the 6th string first (top to bottom) then move to the 5th string and so on. You are playing all notes seperately, not as a chord. The numbers refer to the scale degree of a major scale (e.g., R = root, 6 = 6th of major scale.

Major pentatonic is root, 2, 3, 5, 6 of a major scale, hence the numbers.

Hope that helps and makes sense.

Those are fretboard diagrams. The vertical lines in those diagrams represent the strings (note that there are six of them). The rightmost line is the high E string and the leftmost line is the low E string. The horizontal lines are the frets. The Roman numerals on the left denote fret numbers. Usually in diagrams like this, you would just see dots where the R, 2, 3, 5, and 6 are, representing where to put your fingers on the fretboard. The R, 2, 3, 5, 6 are the root, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th notes of the major scale. The first box pattern (not the big one on the left, the first small one) would look like this in tab:
Edit: apparently gitfiddle beat me to the punch.

Thanks. I'm only accustomed to standard tab. I've never seen all that R 2 3 5 6 before.

I knew to read it right to left I just couldn't figure out the order correctly with the design of it.

It's definitely helpful this way though much easier to cut licks and transitions this way.

In the book, they have a very thorough explanation of TAB that takes up multiple pages, and a full page dedicated to reading chord diagrams, but nothing on how to read that scale chart.

One last thing-


Can I get a quick blues theory lesson on the flat 3, 5 & 7?

dbj,

if you're in the key of A


The R = A (root) the 5's = Es (the fifth of A is E), etc

if you're trying to learn the pentatonic scales for improvisation purposes that is a boring way to learn them and i'm sure you'll quit soon and find something more enjoyable to do with your time.

err i was on the wrong page of the thread

for your current question, again, think key of A

A B C# D E F# G#
R 2 3 4__5 6__7

so the first note in that chart is a b7 - key of A the 7th is a G#, so a b7 is a G

next note is "R" (key of A this is an A, the root)

next note is a b3, key of A the third is C# so b3 would be a C

make sense? flat 5th would be an Eb in the key of A.

edit: damn you spacing!!11111111

Thanks.

Here's the ultimate goal with this:

All intervals have a unique sound. Flat 3 is 3 frets up from root, has an unresolved bluesy rocky feel to it. It is not present in the happy major scale and is a note that defines a minor/blues scale. 5 is the perfect fifth, a note that sounds good pretty much all the time because it has optimal consonance with the root and also leads strongly back to the root. It's a good note to rest a lick on. Flat 5 is the "blue" note which gives you that blues feel but is not a good note to rest on but sounds great when bent into/ hammerd on/slide etc. Flat 7 similar to flat 3 and likes to resolve up to the next octave root.

Hey guys,
My last exam for university is tomorrow morning, so once I have finished, I'm going straight to a guitar shop to buy a new amp and guitar.

I've been playing for about 1 and a half years (took a couple of months off), but I play a lot when I practice. A mate gave me his old guitar (a samick) and amp for free, which I have been using since. I got all these ideas on what I should use first (accoustic v electric bla bla bla), but a free guitar sounded good. The action on the guitar is really high, and at start killed my fingers, I gutted it out, but when I play it now, I get pain in my thumb attempting barre chords (so I haven't given them as much practice as I should) and even power chords. This doesn't happen when I much around on other guitars (like my mates starter pack squier).

So a couple of things. First off, what amp and guitar do you think would be good for me? I have around an 800 budget (will spend an extra $100 if I have to, prefer not to though). I like playing old school rock and punk, and also play metal

My one mate told me to look at amps first before looking at guitars, since that where the majority of the sound comes from. On where I'm looking, for around $240-$330 there are a couple of amps that look good, the brands being Orange, Fender and Line 6. For the guitars and my price range I'm looking at either an Epiphone Les Paul or a Ibanez (maybe a fixed bridge, RGA or SA series) with the guitar costing around 350-550.



Also, just with the actual playing, after learning nodes and boxes, is it very difficult to learn to transpose to a new key. I don't know too much about this stuff, but I definitely want to start learning so I can just jam and create solo's. Any help would be great. Cheers

http://www.guitarparadise.com.au/ (where Im going to look for amps and guitars)

In that price range, you can get a lot better value if you buy used gear. Check craigslist, eBay, local shops that sell used gear, etc. It's fine to buy new, but you should familiarize yourself with the used market too.

For your preferred genres of music, make sure you get a guitar that has humbucker pickups. The Les Paul-type guitars or Ibanez guitars will work just fine. The type of amp you buy should depend on how you intend to use it. If you will mostly just be playing at home, I recommend a small modelling amp (I like Fender's Mustang series, but Line 6 works too), or a small tube amp. If you are going to be jamming with a band with a drummer, you will need something with more power. If you will be playing gigs, you will need something with enough power for the venue you will be playing in (or not, if your amp will be miked up.) Also keep in mind that if you get an amp that doesn't have good built-in distortion (e.g. most Fender amps), you will need a distortion pedal as well.

It is extremely easy to transpose on the guitar. Just move everything up or down the appropriate number of frets. So you only need to learn a pattern once, and then you can use it all over the fretboard.

I'll be mixing it up between playing at home and with a drummer (majority of the time at home). Any recommendations? preferably one that has distortion/overdrive and other pedals so I don't need to buy pedals as well

Thanks for the help

If you're on a limited budget, why not take the Samick and get a professional set up done on it instead of buying a new one?

Then spend the rest on amps & such?

If I were gonna outfit you on an $800 budget however:
Epiphone SG $299.99, the Line 6 15W, $199.00, Line 6 M5 Multi Effects Pedal $289.00. Kept you at ~$750.00

I understand all you purists are probably in a fit of rage at this point.

I bought this baby a couple of days ago, the Roland Cube 40XL, and haven't had so much fun playing in years. In live in Sweden, got it from a local music store for ca 270 dollars. There are pedals (optional) for control of looper, changing effects etc. I'm just a hobby player but this was right up my alley. Worth a peek anayway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5H6hk8yA-s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNEx5...feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPNOg...eature=related

Took the guitar to get set up when I got it. Part for choosing the pick ups is dodgy, and since it's a floating bridge they can't lower the action. Not in the greatest shape the guitar.

I actually have a pedal thing already. Mate who was teaching me gave it to me, worth about 1k when he got it. Bit dodgy but it does work, haven't used it enough since dodgy amp/pickups, will use it when I get we stuff, do don't need the one recommended

Also the Roland amp sounds good, have to look into it, or something similiar.

Also does anyone have experience with epiphone les Pauls or ibanez (in my price range). Don't want to spend money to hear that it barely stays in tune and has terrible wear and tear.

The 2 people that I have spoken to (and trust there opinion) have said the opposite about epiphone les Paul's, (one uses Gibson now, the other likes fenders) so personal bias is also there I'm sure

I'm personally a Strat fan, but I will tell you Epiphone is certainly superior in quality to Squire, and Fender (even the Mexican ones) are probably superior to the quality of an Epiphone.

Once you get into debating US built Fender vs US built Gibsons, you're hardly discussing quality at all anymore, you're simply discussing preference and purpose as both are very high quality instruments.

EDIT: You already know this now, but JUST SAY NO TO FLOATING BRIDGES!

I have a Epi Les Paul-100 from -99, built in Korea. For my purposes it's a pretty decent guitar. stays pretty much in tune and is well built for the price range imo. Have to change strings and get an intonation though. Most Epis today is manufactured in China (I think).

But as always, in shop you can try both the amp and guitar before you buy it.
Looked at the link to you guitar store. It seems they don't have the Roland. I would choose the Fender Mustang II before Line6, heard a lot of crap about it on some forums but have no personal experience, just sayin.

GL.

Yeah, the floating bridge really did make it suck, oh well.
Anyone have experience with Orange? I know they are good in the bigger amps, no idea about the smaller ones.

I'll see if there are any Mexican strats while in there, my mate also recommended them.

Definitely gonna have a try when I get there, taking another
Mate with me who knows more about this stuff and better at guitar
Anyone have experience with Ibanez?

TGB,

Old school rock, punk etc, I wouldn't get a strat for punk or metal. I like Epiphone Les Paul or Epiphone SG in your price range (I'd just save up and get a Gibson, but if you don't want to do that...)

Just got an acoustic guitar, started playing around about 4 days ago, had my first lesson 3 days ago -- was shown how to read tabs, tune, and play (poorly obviously) a few of the more hackneyed/famous guitar riffs like iron man, smoke on the water, etc...

So far one of the things I'm struggling most with is the use of my pinky finger -- I feel like it's ******ed and has a mind of its own, will it be easier if I just chop it off? Seriously though, Is this a common beginner's problem? I have smallish hands and playing something like 3-6-5 (on a given string) is tough. Any advice?

Clapton don't believe in pinky use bro

Yeah, but he's Clapton and I'm not. It's probably a tad early to give up completely.

Like everything, gets stronger with time. You're going to want to use your pinky at some point, just do the best you can and know it'll get easier.

In all seriousness, the pinky is something you may adapt to or may have to work around.

I have no issues chording with my pinky, but using my pinky while riffing still to this day gives me issues.