About lead Guitar- a few questions

brian crackout

I have a few crucial questions regarding learning lead guitar I was hoping to get some advise on

Firstly with regard to Modes – I know they all are relative to specific keys but are they movable around the guitar the same way the blues scale can be applied to any key?

Secondly, when you are soloing to blues chords do you move your blues scale with the chord changes – as in when the rhythm guitar is playing in E, you solo in E; but when it changes to A and to B do you change your soloing to match these chords or do you remain in E the whole time?

Would it be advisable to try learn from tab or from software such as guitar pro, or do accomplished players apply knowledge of theory to learn solos of established songs?

Id appreciate feedback on this,

Thanx

Thomas_S_Hunterson

em short answers:

YES, they can be moved

NO, you remain in e the whole time...generally

and YES but start off with easy songs until your able to handle harder ones. the best way to learn a song is probably to have someone teach you it because they can show you the relevant techniques etc. but tablature is fine if you can work it out

Thomas from Presence

brian crackout wrote:

I have a few crucial questions regarding learning lead guitar I was hoping to get some advise on

Firstly with regard to Modes – I know they all are relative to specific keys but are they movable around the guitar the same way the blues scale can be applied to any key?

Secondly, when you are soloing to blues chords do you move your blues scale with the chord changes – as in when the rhythm guitar is playing in E, you solo in E; but when it changes to A and to B do you change your soloing to match these chords or do you remain in E the whole time?

Would it be advisable to try learn from tab or from software such as guitar pro, or do accomplished players apply knowledge of theory to learn solos of established songs?

Id appreciate feedback on this,

Thanx

The blues scale is not moveable but it is possible to move pentatonics.

Imagine you're soloing in A minor Blues (this works for all major and minor keys). Your chords are Amin, Dmin and Emin or possibly E7 if you like your Thrill Is Gone/Since I've Been Loving You vibes.

That means the original key is A minor: A B C D E F G A

Your A minor pentatonic is A C D E G A which is derived from this key if you like.

The good news is that when you change to your D Minor chord you can use a D minor pentatonic because the notes for D minor pentatonic are D F G A C D which all fit from the 'mother key' of A minor. The same goes for E minor pentatonic too, E G A B D E.

It is not only possible to change into these scales as the chords progress but desireable too as all of them cover each chords Min7 arpeggio real well making for strong melodies that fit well over each chord.

The blues scale has an extra flat five. If you used all blues scales for each one your melodies would come from this crapola hybrid scale:

A A# B C D D# E F G # A

This would sound somewhat chaotic unless you just passed over them?

The real way to understand soloing with these and modes involves an understanding of whats going on with the chords to be honest. Learn yer arpeggios or get your teacher to show you how to work CAGED or get a teacher who can show you

Thomas from Presence

Thomas from Presence wrote:

The blues scale is not moveable but it is possible to move pentatonics.

Sorry! Moveable in the way you called it!

Thomas from Presence

brian crackout wrote:

I have a few crucial questions regarding learning lead guitar I was hoping to get some advise on

Firstly with regard to Modes – I know they all are relative to specific keys but are they movable around the guitar the same way the blues scale can be applied to any key?

You use a mode to compose a solo/riff/melody if the underlying harmony allows you to.

E phrygian is th third mode of C major. The chords that are available in that key are as follows:

I C
II Dm
III Em
IV F
V G
VI Am
VII Bmb5

If you have a chord progression using the chords of this key put treating the III as though it were a tonic chord then you can roll out E phrygian:

Em - F - Am - Em

Solo/melody/riff from E F G A B C D E

Hard to explain online but ask all the questions you need to understand this and you'll be bailed out!

dimerocks

IF your interested in blue and a bit of heavy there is a good little article in this months guitar techs on Paul Gilbert style playing. There is also something on modes.