This is vey helpful. Thank you so much. Regarding the Circle of 5ths - does it tell us which are the sharps or flats in a key or do we just have to memorize that?
Way to discourage newcomers from playing the guitar by overcomplicating inately simple, obvious subjects like pitch going up and down and musical name dropping like "perfect fourth", kid! 😂 I've had a condescending jazz teacher in 2010, who was charging me insane amounts of money and was teaching me the guitar by sightreading first and laughed at me when I expressed the wish to play thrash metal. He was found dead by hanging in a broken train car exactly a year later. Tread carefully! 😂
I know your teaching video a eyed me because you know I was a lonely child and now I'm just really tickled to finally see this approach. Glad to connect with your interval- learning vids. Cool. Dissadence in that for sure and can really define the pitch.
Another difference vs piano is that you have more ways to shape the sound. Piano basically has how hard you press and how long you hold - guitar has those two, but also muting, vibrato, bends, or how you hit the string, or where exactly, etc. Piano has other challenges though, like greater demand for hand independence as they play different things vs guitar where the hands ”collaborate” on the same notes (inherently easier imo, even if the movents are very different for each hand).
I've always considered playing the guitar to be very abstract. Now I can finally explain why (and don't think I'm weird anymore). Thanks A LOT. I REALLY appreciate your work!! 🙏🎸💥
I just wanna say ive been trying to learn guitar for about a year now i feel like i generally am able to atleast pick up the theory about how stuff works pretty quicky, diffrent mechanics whatever if thats from games sport anything but with guitar i often sit there questioning how tf that makes any sense and i need to watch 16 videos until i remotely get why it makes sense. And then it still sometimes doesnt. Im guessing thats just kinda just how it is for alot of string instruments. Also i just wanna say imo the terminologi used in music sucks ass its horrible and super unintuitive but im guessing it also makes alot of sense why stuff is called what its called for complicated reasons.
I remember when I was a beginner 63 years ago. Now, I’m an intermediate. At this rate, I’ll be at the professional level when I’m 140. That’ll be sweet.
At 9:12 why not start the sequence with Em_C_Am_F_Dm_Bdim._G. This covers all 7 natural triads in the key of C, still stays at/below the 4th fret and perhaps uses better voice leading. Would this not connect to the C major scale notes as well when you try to combine/visualize them together?
Guitar is easy, it's people that are the problem. don't want to try, don't want to put the effort in 👍 plus nobody under 28 listens to music with guitars in it
Voila des exercices qu'on ne nous apprend jamais et qui sont tellement utiles. J'ajouterai qu'ils seront encore plus efficaces, pour moi, en chantant / nommant,les notes qu'on joue. merci Gregor!
You're absolutely right! Singing and naming the notes as you play is a great way to internalize this on a deeper level. Glad you found the exercises useful-thanks for the tip!
I’ve been dabbling with intervals for as long as I play. This is the most concise video I’ve ever watched about intervals on guitar. Very well done! These exercises might seem tedious and boring, but if you persist your confidence in the guitar will grow tremendously. This will separate you from the mass.
Thank you! Good to hear you find this helpful. I know this could be a weak spot in the series, but I'll address it in the final part or possibly in a separate video on how to fit these concepts into an effective practice routine. This series can easily stretch over one or two years of regular practice, especially if you work in all keys. Ideally, you should do this alongside playing real music to prevent potential boredom or drudgery.
@@becomegreatatguitar Indeed. It’s like sight reading. Do it regularly, but not too long. I usually do these ate the start of my routine or in between repertoire practice. Or while waiting for my potatoes on the stove 😂. 5min is all you need. I did this with the triad arpeggios and after 2 months I’m becoming fluent in it without thinking too much anymore (in c major for now). It’s definitely worth addressing because it took me years to find an approach without stopping.
@@tomm5023 Waiting for potatoes..That's a good one😂. But yeah, this doesn't have to be a long session. Just do it regularly...Thanks for your feedback. I'll definitely address that at the end of this series.
You think you have a clue but is completely offmark i know you mean well but the basic concepts are not given. Why use piano for examples The piano is based on c major Cam you please answer me this is there a letter c in the word guitar ? No So logically usimg c maj as examples will make confussion Wherass if you use g mixolydian All notes on 654 strings the notes are on the frets 357 This is the skeleton You dont need anyore information to play the instrument Only the middle note representing dorean mode. 5 st 5 fr The only pattern that is symetrical . But nobody shows this to the beginner. No wonder people are thick they get taught by people who dont know the basics of understanding that no musical theort is needed only logic
Very well explained. I've been playing guitar for 35 years. When I ever encounter someone who is trying to learn the guitar and expresses that they are still learning I tell them, "we are all still learning. Keep playing, don't quit if you truly love it."
I don’t know, I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years and it’s not that difficult. But I suppose it did take about 10 years before I felt I was any good at it. One of the most important things you can do is learn some music theory. You don’t have to learn to read and write music, but at least learn the basics. Learn the intervals, learn why chords are called what they are called and learn to build chords, learn modes and scales etc. when you actually know what you’re playing on guitar it will instantly make you a better guitarist and a better musician in general. People always say things like “I don’t want to learn music theory because it will put me in a box and restrict my creativity”, but this is just something people say as an excuse to not learn theory because it can be complicated and they’re intimidated by it. If anything, learning some theory enhances your creativity because you know what you’re doing, so you know what chord or note “should” come next, but you can choose to break the rules and play something different deliberately. Also, never stop trying to play new things and things that you find difficult, as no matter how good you are or how long you have been playing, you can always get better.
It is complex and difficult, but it is insanely rewarding when you bang out a complicated riff or solo that you used to daydream about being able to play
There's another tricky thing with the two-dimensional aspect. As you've said, on one one string the pitch varies like on a piano from left to right. But adding the vertical dimension of the guitar, and you can go from low notes to high notes from left to right but also from right to left. The same with going from high register to low register by going left to right, which is pretty disturbing from a horizontal perspective. It's obvious when you watch Allan Holdsworth play.
That's ok. It takes time. Keep practicing, be playful, and let it sink in. Then, watch again after you've spent some time with this exercise. Or just ask what exactly you haven't understood. I'll be happy to clarify.
It's as difficult as you want to make it. Once you know the musical alphabet, basic chord shapes, major/minor/pentatonic scale & how the notes relate to each other you should be OK. You can go as far as you want learning as much as you want & there's always something else to learn. If you can learn one song, you can learn more & once you know how to create a song you're fine. I think guitar & piano are among the easiest instruments to learn since you can see & hear the note at the same time. Then you practice until it's muscle memory for your hands.
I’m a decent guitar player and after 15 years I’m just now dialing in on caged knowledge, the modes, and really knowing my intervals on intuitively deep level. Makes me appreciate how hard guitsr really is to make sense of starting from zero
VERY interesting drill and a number of variations come to mind. I wonder if practicing Exercise No.3 arpeggiating the notes of the triad rather than strumming them might have any value. How about playing each triad as single notes, one time playing just the root, the next playing the 3rd and finally just the 5th. How about 1 - 3 doublestops?
Absolutely! I strongly encourage you to experiment with these exercises as much as possible. Taking a playful approach is important for several reasons. First, it helps prevent boredom and mindless, mechanical repetition. Second, it allows you to adapt the exercises to your specific needs, such as your preferred music genre or maybe technical goals.
Yes. Learning to play an instrument well is hard and takes years. That said, I can hardly imagine an instrumentalist that would not start with a recorder, piano ... or at least try these in parallel. Any music school would facilitate this. All ego, hubris etc. aside ... the concepts you are describing become obvious to a child in a few weeks. I am struggling picturing anyone who learns the instrument for at least a short while having problems understanding this. You are also confusing things conceptually, because switching from one string to another does not mean necessarily movement in the opposite direction unless you are using the same finger etc. We could debate these things to no end. What may be more relevant for string instruments is the understanding of the string length/mass/tension relationship to pitch. Anyone who does learn music theory should not have issues playing an instrument related to the 'design features' you are describing. That's my understanding. I started learning on the violin and gained very solid understanding of music theory at about 10 years old ... and it's not because I am smart, but because I was taught how things work. Maybe there is an issue with how people learn music theory? It's not the guitar's (or its design's) fault, I'd say.
Thanks for sharing your view. I believe the value of this video lies in the fact that I'm explaining this in detail-something I haven't seen anyone else doing before. Besides a few subjective claims in the intro, this video is mainly about how the guitar translates the concept of pitch. None of this was obvious to me, even after years of learning music theory. Although I'm a slow learner and usually need more time to grasp things, I can safely assume that I'm not alone in this.
@@becomegreatatguitar Fair enough. Again, I see the issue is with education, rather than individual intelligence. This topic can be taught to beginners with success. Your teachers failed you in this area.
This is by far the best video I’ve come across on c major triads. Am I supposed to learn all the positions up the fret board for c major as well as all other major?
Thank you! Long term it's probably a good idea to learn all triads on the entire fretboard. But once you learn a few of them you discover a pattern an then it's not that hard to play every triad.
Of course it's regular. Just take a look at the upper half of the keyboard, where all the keys are the same size. If you play from one key to the next, you'll see that it's organized in consistent half steps.
I think the major issue is the sheer insanity of trying to use Standard Notation for guitar. SN is perfect for keyboards, in fact it could be described as tablature for piano. For guitar it's a hot mess. So. First use Modern Tablature (NOT that ascii stuff.) This has two lines, one showing the fingering and the other is conventional, giving time and melody. Some older forms, like Lute Tab, combine these. Modern is better. Now, when you need to learn theory, if you do, grab a cheap keyboard, 25 bucks and use that, with SN. ALL Conservatory students no matter their main instrument, MUST learn to do this. If it's good for them it's good for you. It's a piece of cake to hear something on the keyboard and transpose it by ear.
Absolutely! Even though for classical guitar we use standard notation with some add-ons, like encircled numbers for strings and Roman numerals for positions, it’s still a mess with a lot of guess work...
@@becomegreatatguitar several advanced Classical players have said to me that the most difficult thing is deciphering the SN. I don't know why they don't just use Modern Tab. I'm not denigrating SN, in combination with a keyboard it is a powerful tool, but if you just want to know where to put your pingies it's a nightmare (for guitar.)
Guitar is easy to learn, it's hard to master. One of the reasons it's difficult for people to learn at all is poor instruction. Guitarists have a lot of ego. And don't necessarily have the skill of teaching. That's why you find a lot of guitarists that say they are a rhythm guitarist because they can't figure out how scales work.
Learning guitar is not insanely complex. Mastering it is. Lets be honest. You can just learn some power chords and basic chords which takes very little time/effort to grasp and make it to the stage with some luck. Not everyone is chasing classical/jazz genres, you can also simplify ( or overcomplicate ) most songs thanks to guitars design. I ve seen countless self taught "open chord strummers" or punks/metalheads with little to none music theory making it work with the audience. I m not saying guitar is easy. It is insanely difficult when it comes to playing advanced stuff and understanding what's really going on the fretboard. Its just that getting basics is far easier compared to for example bowed instruments. I play bass and guitar for years but nothing has opened my eyes ( and ears ) as much as learning violin.
Nice vid. But you are confusing learning with understanding. I played the guitar in a day (one Beatles tune). I didn't understand the technical or musical side. I just needed to play certain shapes in time with a beat. Then to play lead it was noodling in a box position. It just worked and was easy. To advance I began to work out and read up on what a chord was and map it out in the shapes I had learned. Same with the pentaboxes. I worked out a simple sequence to play any major scale from anywhere on the fret board and imposed them on to of the pentaboxes. None of it was hard. It is just how you think about stuff. My major scale sequence allowed me to play sheet music easily as you just counted the skips on the stave to the sequence under your fingers. It is hard to explain and analyze the guitar but it is easy to play it. Just don't try to get too technical too fast. Play first, ask questions later.
There is also utility to the design: the ease of transposing. Gotta play a solo in B instead of A? No problem. Just play everything a whole step higher. It's easy because visually everything stays the same. Doing the same with e.g. piano, or almost any other instrument is much, much harder.
For the second one you said to put your finger on the third fret while the diagram says 4th. No hate or shame im just curious and eager to learn guitar
No problem, I'm happy to clarify. The numbers represent which fingers to use to fret the chord: Index = 1, Middle = 2, Ring = 3, and Pinky = 4. So, in this case, you'll need to place your pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the A string.
As you indicate, the two dimensions mean that unisons and octives based on the same scale-note can be played in multiple locations, even at the same time--far more options than on the piano. Plus guitar fingering is way more technically complex (and physically difficult, even painful), partly for anatomical reasons--hand/finger size, shape and design.
I had difficulties playing the guitar, until I learned an important secret. Stop thinking about playing, and it gets better. Same thing with archery...stop trying to aim, and you're gonna hit the target every time.
I remember telling someone "piano is a fundamentally simpler instrument than guitar" years ago and they looked at me like I had lobsters coming out of my ears. Anyone can sit down and play a chord on piano while just playing even a single note on guitar is hard at first. Good to see I'm not the only one this was apparent to. That being said, both are hard to get "good" at, whatever that may mean to you.
As a learner I had the same thought. The reality is it kind of balances out though. Since piano removes the part about getting your grip right it makes it easier. So they just write more complicated piano pieces and piano gets harder again. It's the same with electronic music or anything, really.
Thanks for asking. I was hesitant not to include this first, but there are three main reasons for why I'm not showing this. First, creating tabs for such an extensive exercise across multiple keys and all strings is a lot of work. Additionally, the video production and editing process-especially displaying the tabs-takes a considerable amount of time. Not doing this saves me probably 5-10 hours. Second, there's the RU-vid algorithm to consider. The retention rate might drop if I repeat the same exercises on different strings or in different keys, as viewers could skip ahead or stop watching. Though I'm not certain, this is a concern. Lastly, from a teaching perspective, once you understand the concept, it’s highly beneficial to avoid relying solely on tabs and to figure things out on your own. I believe this is important for learning. That said, the tabs for this exercise across all strings and in one key are available for free on my website. You just need to transpose this. May I ask if you need help with transposing? I’d be happy to cover this in future videos if it's something you'd find useful.
Cours très intéressant comme d'habitude. Une question: l'alternative ou le complément à cet exercice pourrait être de remplacer le nom des notes par leur degré: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1ve au lieu de C D E F G A B C? Pour se faire l'oreille et travailler dans n'importe quelle tonalité. Qu'en dites-vous?
Bonjour Christian, Thank you! You definitely need to tweak this exercise to help train your ear to recognize scale degrees. For this I think it’s important to always have the root note as a reference while practicing. Here's what I suggest: use a playback loop that continuously plays just the root note. Any synth in a DAW works well for this. Now, with the root note playing in the background, you can practice each interval on your guitar, always comparing it to the root. For example, when you play the 2nd scale degree, you’ll immediately hear how it sounds with the root note. It’s also a great idea to not only play the intervals on the guitar but to sing them as well. This will strengthen your ear training even more.
