I started guitar back in 1998, yes a long long time ago (in a galaxy far away), but did not go very far and stopped for the next 19 years. I played on and off for a short while but did not understand what notes I was playing. It wasn’t until 3 years ago that I locked up guitar….and was in the same place. I could somewhat play songs that I learned but was frustrated that I didn’t feel like I knew how to learn, even at times with a teacher. What you said in this video was slightly different and it clicked. I actually cried watching your video because it finally made sense. I learned of your channel when Ola Englund talked about your channel on Sunday with Ola. I checked you out and I think one or two videos in I subscribed. I watched several practice and technique videos, but didn’t know really who to learn the fretboard. Bernth, all I can say is thank you very much and hopefully if we ever run into each other either in Austria, or here around NYC I could at least buy you a coffee! Ok going to pick up my guitar and finally learn it!
I have a similar story in regards to my guitar journey. I started playing in 2001, and learned some basic chords and a few songs, but I couldn't really play anything beyond the third fret except power chords. Then I stopped playing for a decade, and I just picked up guitar again last year and I, like you, have finally started to unlock the fretboard after all these years. Keep plugging, it will come!
I think learning theory is valuable - People want to shred like Bernth without knowing what Bernth knows. How could that possibly work? Thank you Bernth!
Shredding is boring.... Playing other peoples music isn't even artistic... lol Learning scales, making back tracks and creating your own music is actually artistic. Theory is important but also there are people that are naturally musically inclined and when given enough time can naturally good harmony
@@dislikecounter6392 who do you actually think you are ?! You know what's really boring ? People thinking they are better than others and judging them. Playing other people's music does not make someone less of a musician. focus on YOUR practice instead of being an asshole.
@@dislikecounter6392 playing other peoples music can definitely be artistic. I’ve heard plenty of covers of songs that are way different than the originals, entirely different tempo and feel to the songs, that takes creativity whether or not you want to believe it. I’ll agree shredding can be boring but only when it’s mindless and really has no direction, there is such a thing as shredding “tastefully”, again, plenty of guitarists out there can do this… and that takes creativity as well.
Back in college I was playing heavy metal guitar for quite a while, not knowing what the co relation of chords and scales are. Until I decided to learn to play the keyboards and OMG! My life changed immediately, Since then I understood how theory works on guitar! I understood how the CAGED system, and the cycle of fifths works! And apply everything on guitar! It's sill amazes me how Bernth can teach theory under 10 minutes!
Because I suck at guitar, lately I am focusing on theory. I've been mastering the CAGED system, Mayor scale, minor pentatonic starting on any string any fret, I understand what modes are... but this video opened more windows and allowed me to connect more dots to understand the fretboard. Practicing TRICK#4 the whole weekend and trying the scales on different finger positions!!! BERNTH, you Rock!
This video is wildly good instructionally for how fast it goes through information, but you can rewind and listen. I feel like these practices are extremely valuable for any instrumentalist. These are the practices and recognition of your instrument that allow you to create, express, and improvise. Its a great video for any learning guitarist so huge props! I hope more people check out your stuff so we can have more shredders in the future.🤘
the real magic is actually the 7th degree of the Major chord scale 7b5 aka half diminished . you get the symmetrical diminished patterns which cycle over all the scales in this way you can find blue notes . if Half whole diminished goes over the 7th degree of the scale . then Diminished Half Whole goes over the Cmajor first degree of the scale. when you play the whole step Half step symmetrical scale over C major you get 11 notes . you can make both Pentatonic major and pentatonic minor blues from this approach .
Bernth, your videos are so good. I’m happy to see that you teach the fretboard in what I think is also the best way. Seeing the patterns one string at a time, starting with natural notes is the way to go 👍🏼
Crazy timing. I’m in a music theory online class and I just started connecting the dots on how triads and intervals worked and then you put this video out. Super helpful
I love when you talk and teach about guitar-related and general music topics like music theory, recording or song writing / soloing. Mastering an instrument is so much more than just mindlessly practicing scales and exercises for hours. If you want to dive in deep these are valuable things to engage with to a certain degree. For some more, for others less. To each their own. I want to thank you for your efforts to convey knowledge on these topics in such an easy approachable way for those of us, who aren't necessarily that much into the theory aspect of their instrument.
Thanks for the great content Bernth. I'm taking lessons now but I still refer back to your channel all the time for tips and tricks, and they definitely pay off!
Mate, I've seen tons of videos, but you're something special. Your explanation and your exercizes are magic, you are able to sticking me to the screen and to my guitar after. Awesome.
This is pretty nice and helpful indeed for folks, and though I have been a music theory nerd before I even got my guitar, the part with the part about using different arpeggio shapes to string them together was a bit new to me, thanks! (I don't think about shapes though, I just think about where the scale degrees are and intervals)
Thank you for your channel, i have been playing for almost 20 years but i have learned more in the last six months than i have in a while and can look at the fretboard in whole new way
holy shit, now I get it!!! I've always wondered how the elite players always come up with sweet sounding arpeggios on the fly.. Thanks for the cheat code!!
Have I told you lately that I love you? Haha! Dammit Bernth! You are brilliant. Once again, I owe you. It kills me to think that I have paid for lessons and learned more from you than anyone. Thank you.
Seriously Bernth, as soon as I can afford it I feel like I owe you a donation at the very least. I was one of those guys for a long time, cause and older cover band guitarist that I looked up to as a kid said that self taught musicians had better feel than classically trained players. Me trusting that held me back for so many years. I've been playing since 2001, and I should have been able to articulate what I was trying to do musically a long time ago, but since I didn't I was basically guessing a lot, and not sounding very good a lot of the time. Now that you made intervals, and the fretboard mastery, make sense to me I am comfortable saying that I am an above average guitar player finally! I can't ever thank you enough! This time last year I almost gave up..I thought I was the problem, and that I just would never get it. Then I discovered your channel, and one of your interval videos made every lesson I've had previously make perfect sense, and music in general has become so much more accessible.
As far as modes are concerned, I recently saw the best way to teach them somewhere on the net. You have to visualize 3 finger positions: W - (think 1-3-5 on a same string) // U (2-3-5) // V (2-4-5). No matter the mode, it will always go 3x W + 2x U + 2x V (remember to move one fret forwards when going from the G string to the B string). Examples: Ionian W-W-U-U-V-V Dorian V-W-W-W-U-U Phrygian U-V-V-W-W-W Lydian W-U-U-V-V-W Mixolydian W-W-W-U-U-V Aeolian V-V-W-W-W-U Locrian U-U-V-V-W-W Don't know if that makes sense to you, but when you start visualizing it this way, switching between modes and shapes becomes so much easier.
When it comes to m7 arpeggios, it is a lot less of a stretch if you keep the arp within the first box pentatonic and play that m3 4 frets from the root on the 6th string. The dm7 above, you have a huge stretch from 8 to 12, but if you play the minor 3rd on the 6th string, you basically play the arpeggio within the Pentatonic Box 1 shape which is a much easier fingering. Keeping the m3 on the 6th string keeps the p5 and b7 in close proximity to the root and m3.
Ive been watching your channel on and off since I started practicing guitar but this video made me subscribe. This is amazing. I feel like I can actually visualize what youre saying.
I was about to give up on trying to read frets. I felt no one was either explaining it simple or I'm too dumb to learn. You sir! Just made it way simple as i could understand 🙏🙏🙏thank you alot for this valuable content 🙏🙏🙏
@@vr3dgrave true. I too started with some scale shapes, but is stuck within that . Just as he says- i still have that trouble of moving the index finger as a start to play different notes. I hope I get over it 🙏.
honestly i think that's the sort of mentality i was in and a lot of people have this misconception and it's not about not having the correct mindset or set of skills.. i think it goes to authenticity about what we think a set of rules may be able to damage our creative integrity and that is by far the last thing it happens, do what he says on the video and you will be able to gradually improve your efficiency both creatively and theoretically it all depends on how you look at theory.
so saying something like "im going to play the C major scale" is actually saying i am going to play a bunch of scales in the universe of musical notes because the notes are essentially the same! and it's like you can go back and forth between the modes without leaving those notes which is very comfortable, just have to grasp the 1 3 5 and 7 for each note of the scale. you could also travel around different keys, land on a different mode and play the major chord or major 7th chord. pretty interesting stuff!!
Hey Bernth, not sure if you'll even read this but oh well. Also, this is a repost from another video of yours. I'm just now getting back to playing after years of hiatus (8 by my rough calculation). When I quit I remember being stuck on both technical and theoretical roadblocks that I knew could be overcame, I just... didn't. Your positivity and attitude are truly inspiring. Your videos make me want to properly learn at least the basics of practical music theory, and what's more, you're explaining the concepts so well, I don't think that my guitar being tuned to Open C (I'm a hipster and Devin Townsend fanboy, what can I say) instead of usual E, D or whatnot is a big problem, as you're giving the methodology, and not the ready-made solutions. Even though I don't aspire to be your typical shredder, I'm definitely going to watch your videos, and ofc - subscribed. I now even more than before can not wait for my guitar to come back from the luthier. Cheers! P.S. sweet dreadlocks, dig your style.
It's been over a decade, but I'm pretty sure I saw a video from Protest The Hero. I think how it went was, they played their own songs really difficult ways because they weren't as familiar with music theory. Which is amazing because they're great guitar players. Apparently he saw an easier way to play 1 song because of a kid on youtube who did a cover by ear lol. It's been a long time so I may have some details wrong
As he says each note, all I keep thinking of is the scene in close encounters of the third kind when they are calling out each note and jamming with the UFO
I love metal and started playing guitar because I loved metal. Then I stopped playing cause I didn't get it. Then I just started looking up music theory and loved it. Now I play guitar because I want to apply music theory. Music theory is really cool
And a now.. the a love-aly Lennon a Sisters… and a vone and a two… (I’m sorry I could not help myself. This is a very skillful teacher with a great exercise, but all I could imagine was Lawrence Welk shredding a metal version of his theme song. Hey, maybe it’s his grandson. He does have the some enthusiastic, bubbly, happy demeanor. )
I think you're my new fave guitarist. And I'm including Randy Rhoads, EVH, Zakk Wylde and John Petrucci in that statement too. Why ae you not a GAZILLIONAIRE? You should be. Real talk. I turned my local Guitar Center employee pals on to you as well.
Nope iv used the over and down to find the next same note for decades.. But I'm glad your teaching it because I was just explaining it to 3 or 4 ppl earlier. And the triangle if you know the out side of your triangles...say 1f then you know where 3 fs are in a triangle..
Can you make a "how to use a metronome effectively" guide? i know it sounds dumb but it can be really confusing to a beginner when someone says 8th notes or 16th notes or 15/16 beat
Man just go through the circle of 4ths locating all the notes in a string first, then the next, then the next etc. Then do the same but with closed triads, then change the interval and do the circle of 3rds, minor 3rds, tritones etc. Boom. You are a fretboard savant
Cheat for everyone who has no idea about a Piano and it's notes: Attach a clip tuner onto your Guitar and keep it on while noodling so you can check what note you just played. They'll stick eventually.
I never thought to apply theory this way, but I have a question. What if I want to play a different scale? Will this lock me into the C scale? You made a point about not just memorizing shapes, but I feel like you have to do that to play other keys with this method.
Remember the frets go up on each string chromatically. So the "pattern" can be started from any fret. If you move this pattern up one fret it becomes the C# (major) scale. Up two frets it becomes the D (major) scale. This changes all the note names but the WWHWWWH pattern remains the same throughout all 12 major scales. ANY major scale started from the 2nd note (on the second "w" in the pattern) becomes the dorian mode. So D dorian is just starting and ending on the second note in the c major scale (D) but using all the note names from the c major scale. All modes use the wwhwwwh pattern but they start in different places and wrap around to use all 7 intervals.
The other person is correct as far as the keys and modes of the major scale goes, but when you want to actually play different SCALES, as in pentatonic scale or harmonic/melodic minor scales or the diminished scales, new shapes will obviously be necessary.
While I’m not a beginner (sound like one lol) this is the content I love and need- I love your positivity and you’re a great teacher- you would probably scare my 80 yo parents though lol.
It would be very appealing if on your promo web page that you offer 2 free videos from your course. One showing let’s say lesson 3and one sho wing some lesson about a scale and it’s patterns.That way we get to tounderstand the course format.
I took piano as a child and visualizing the piano keys was how I figured out the notes on my guitar. All that's left is to know them faster until I know them immediately....
Yes, great info. But why does Autonomous Droid Bernth 06F2022 never blink? Did his programmers overlook this one feature that helps machines to look more human??🤷🏻
For the final exercise Bernth uses the middle finger to start the modes. I'm used to using my index finger in the 3NPS for the first two strings. Is it easier to move through the modes starting on your middle finger instead? :O
Are there any lessons that put these kinds of tips/tricks into the context of writing metal songs? I often see great lessons such as this, with great exercises, I can follow along and comprehend it. However, the disconnect for me happens when trying to figure how to put this information into practice. I do my best to memorize the fretboard and all the rest, but even if I were perfect at it, it's like OK now what? I would gladly purchase a course that helps me translate the concepts of the exercises into possible approaches to applying it to real life song writing context. Maybe that's just knowing all of music theory and this a stupid comment, but I had to ask haha.
Hey man, Been really liking your content. Would you say the material from your patreon would be beneficial for someone who has been learning for ~1 year? I've been practicing lots, but I find it hard to find content with structure. I'm looking for something that can help me with learning music theory as well. Cheers dude. Love the content.
I really understand the theory but it keeps being patterns in my mind once I stop doing the patterns the fretboard is back to being a complete mystery ! I'll keep trying tho
You can either extend the lick to something more musical, and move that around the threadboard Or learn full songs using them. Scorpions or Billy Talent songs especially the little solos might do the trick. It's also fun to move those pieces of music around the modes even if it feels a bit off most of the time.
look at and visualize where all of the half steps are. in the key of c maj they are b and c, and e and f. they literally stack right on top of one another. on the sixth string, play b on the seventh fret and hammer on/pull off the c on the eighth fret. then go to seventh fret on the fifth string and do the same thing with e and f. now go an octave up from your first b and c on the fourth string, then e and f directly above that on the third string. then b and c twelfth fret second string, e and f first string. practice doing hammer on/pulloffs with these half steps just to give yourself a chance to see how all the half steps stack on top of each other. i think randy rhodes might have even used this as a lick a few times, lol. if you get the half steps cemented into your mind, everything to either side is a whole step. eventually start adding other half steps above and below this pattern. this is a good one to start with, because it is nice and symetrical. it helped me, because it made the patterns appear to be less random.
Was curious if anyone took this course? It seems like everyone learns the CAGED theory to learn their fretboard but this takes a different approach. I’ve been learning caged for about 3 months now and have gotten far in soloing, but wonder if I should switch to this patreon?