Next lesson we're having a little break from the theory (as it can fry the brain and leave some feeling overwhelmed). The plan is to upload more lessons that don't require any (or very much) prior theoretical knowledge. Maybe alternate the theory-heavy stuff with non-theory. Let me know what you think!
It's always good to take a break. I'm very interested in what other knowledge you have though with regard to the guitar. You're a great teacher and have a real gift for explaining things verbally as well presenting information visually, and doing them both at the same time! So I'm looking forward to whatever you throw out there! This was a really great lesson as well btw. It really sounded jazzy and modal. I always associate minor pentatonic with blues (like most people) and don't even really have an ear that much for Major pentatonics (apart from the famous Japanese scale). Bookmarked.
Very happy with the way your channel is! Absolutely inspiring stuff and presented in the most accessible way I have seen - perfect for opening the mind to new possibilities beyond the same tired old 'rock guitar' patterns. I think attracting novices is a plus if they watch the other videos and it inspires more interesting fusion style material from future players! If you haven't already, it would be cool to cover the theory within predominantly dissonant and discordant sequences (I'm sure there must be a kind of logic involved, even if only resolves partially into the kind of beautiful harmony I have seen in most of your videos so far.) Oh, and maybe stuff on microtonals in string bending, etc.
6:50 'rootless voicing'....mind blown. But so cool. I've come to expect the "theory heavy" side from Fretjam, as I think few others present it as clearly as you do. If I want to learn a song, a riff, a scale, etc., plenty of that found elsewhere. If I want to begin to understand "how it's put together", or "why it works", I'll come here exclusively. Thank you for all you do, Mike!
Cheers Doug. I certainly don't plan on going down the route of teaching specific songs and riffs. As you say, there's a ton of that already. And I won't abandon the theory side because I've seen how much it helps. But there are also concepts that can help us explore the neck and improvise with minimal theory. I'd like to see if such videos can help just as much, but in a different way.
Hi Mike, I've seen some people dissing the site from time to time. For me, this is one of the best general, instructional videos for music I've found. There are some good demonstration sites with more hand's on instruction but yours is the best so far with theory and theoretical types of playing. This is helping me improve my soloing and general musicianship but thanks so much for your time and effort. Much appreciated.
thankyou! this helps a lot especially when you're tryin to describe which scales that we should use and it really helps us especially for beginners who're tryin to figure it out why it sounds like this and etc
Once again my friend you hit it out of the park!!!! I don’t know why each time I’m surprised .... but your work is by far the leader on the web, both in its technical & theory knowledge!!! You must have a great time jamming on the spot in street performances etc.... I can only imagine if you had 2 different rubber bands and a few paper clips you would be able to jam something fearsome!!! The rest of the world would stand in wonder!!!! Thank you again for sharing your well placed knowledge & time with the world.... I wait until the next video from the gods,,, LOL
Haha you're too kind. Street performance is an incredibly brave way to perform. They deserve every penny they get and more. It's on my list of things to do before I push up the daisies. In the meantime I'm just happy to teach and jam with great musicians, no matter what the setting.
In your opinion, and in order to really understand the harmony behind, is it worth to look at chord changes through how it follows some degrees of a scale or is it better to only care about hitting the chord tones through fretboard knowledge and caged system ?
I don't think the two are mutually exclusive - they can work together. CAGED helps you locate relative chord tone positions and knowledge of scales gives you a number of paths around those chord tones. The advantage of scales is that they give you a number of memorable sequences from one chord tone to another. In other words, scales help to "join the dots".
fretjam got it ! You made that also clear in your first video on changing penta scale in minor keys, where you shift around scale if you really miss most of the tones over a specific chord. And even when you have most of the tones in your main scale, you might shift around a specific interval for the sake of coloring. That implies that I cannot rely only on caged to find roots and play the position minor or major pentatonic, I also need to realy know all the intervals and augment or diminish them according to how it's colored/harmonized to my ear. The path of learning is loooong. Thank you so much !
I know it can seem overwhelming. But remember that there is no real end to the path of learning - the path constantly forks, and I mean that as a reassurance rather than a reason to despair! Even the most accomplished musicians cannot say they have reached the end of their path of learning. It's a constantly evolving process. But the path itself is the enjoyment, and the fruit you pick off the trees along the way is your music.
fretjam just tell him some people are born knowing the language of music and some people don’t speak that language it’s much harder for them to learn the language that would be my case
