Archive for August, 2009
How to play a C major scale on the top three strings
Click here to watch this FREE video lesson
This lesson will teach you the notes of the “C” major diatonic scale on the top three strings.
We start the sequence with the open “G” note on the third string and we ascend to the high “G” note on the top string and then we go backwards finishing on the open “G”.
The sequence moves through the musical alphabet in an ascending order eg. G A B C D E F G
There are no sharps or flats in the “C” major scale which are often referred to as “accidentals”. We’ll learn more about this later.
C major scale on top three strings
Let’s try playing the melody from “Ode to Joy” using some of the notes we have just learnt from the “C” major scale.
Ode to Joy
Tips:
- Play each note in a legato fashion, which means we sustain the note for as long as we can until we play the next note
- Keep all fingers in their correct positions. This sequence is played entirely in the first position, so the first finger plays all first fret notes and the rest of the fingers are aligned accordingly eg. second finger=second fret and third finger=third fret
- Just use “down” picks at this stage
- Remember that the SupaStarGuitar system uses the following colour code to represent the fretting fingers on all single note lessons and exercises:1st finger=red, 2nd finger=blue, 3rd finger=green and the fourth finger=pink
Learn how to read guitar tab
It is never too late or too early to learn how to read guitar music. Many guitarists begin by teaching themselves how to play the guitar after listening to a piece of music on the radio or on a CD. This is an ideal starting point as it will help you to understand the different notes and chords and it will also enhance your listening skills at the same time.
Guitar Tabulature (TAB)
On a guitar, the tab staff has 6 separate horizontal lines. Each one of these lines represents a string on the guitar. The line on the bottom of the staff is the lowest “E” string on the guitar also known as the sixth string. The next line up from the bottom line represents the “A” string which is the fifth string and so on. These are the most important elements you need to know when learning how to read guitar tabulature.
Example of single notes in TAB
Chords displayed in TAB
Guitar tab displays chords as numbers stacked vertically in a series, this is an indication to play these notes at the same time. When the guitar tab displays numbers in a series gradually on an incline, this is indicating these notes should be played one at a time.
Rhythmic notation
Rhythmic notation is how the songs rhythm should be played. When first learning how to read guitar tab, you should practice with songs you are familar with or have a recorded version to reference from so that you can hear the rhythm before you commence learning the song. This will help make learning the song much easier for you.
Practice and Discipline
The most important key when learning how to read guitar music is discipline. Learning good techniques and having an excellent teacher or teaching resources will ensure that you get the most out of your lessons. Once you have learned the basics of guitar music, you will find it easier to progress onto advanced guitar music.
Writing your own guitar songs
When you learn how to read various types of guitar songs and music it is important to watch how they are written. Take note of what chords they have used in the different sections of the song. Once you have mastered these techniques you will become more advanced and skilled at writing your own songs.