Analyzing Slash

[ThePartyBoy]

Ok. So Slash is one of my alltime favorite guitarists. I mean, the guy puts so much emotion into his playing, he's one of a kind.

So I am curious as to what scales he uses, and if no specifics, at least what does he base his solos off of. Because I see many people say that he uses minor pentatnoic scales, and I see that in some songs, but it seems like he uses blues scales moreso then pentantonic scales (I think only a one note difference). But I am new to theory and to guitar, so I am unsure of all this.

I also know that he uses some major scales as well, like in Patience.

Chords: G, C, G, Em. G, C, D

Scale: G Major

Discuss.

Love,

PB

[abitestranged]

Ok. So Slash is one of my alltime favorite guitarists. I mean, the guy puts so much emotion into his playing, he's one of a kind.

So I am curious as to what scales he uses, and if no specifics, at least what does he base his solos off of. Because I see many people say that he uses minor pentatnoic scales, and I see that in some songs, but it seems like he uses blues scales moreso then pentantonic scales (I think only a one note difference). But I am new to theory and to guitar, so I am unsure of all this.

I also know that he uses some major scales as well, like in Patience.

Chords: G, C, G, Em. G, C, D

Scale: G Major

Discuss.

Love,

PB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Slash doesn't know music theory and I bet he can't even read music

Anyway he uses minor pentatonic and mixes them with the blues scale.

A lot of idiots think music is about sex drugs and rock n' roll but no, music is about PASSION and Slash has passion...hence the emotion as you rightfully wrote about!

[ThePartyBoy]

Well... It is about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll....

..with a SIDE ORDER OF EMOTION! BOO-YAH!

But really, that's why I enjoy Slash. Like, the solos on Sweet Child O' Mine, November Rain, and Estranged.... That shit is epic, dudes.

Even some of VR's stuff kicks ass. I love the solo on Slither, that's a great one, too.

Slash I love you

[Rock_On]

Like it was mentionned above, Slash doest know music theory. He probably know a little, from all these years of working with other musicians, but other than that, he doesnt know alot. He plays alot with the blues scale, since alot of his songs have this bluesy roots and also because he likes to think of himself as a blues guitarist in the first place (he mentionned that in an interview if I remember well) but he also fools around with the pentatonic scales aswell as the melodic minor scale (or minor melodic....dont know how to say it in english lol) but yeah, thats basically it

[Nuttyfish]

Knowing music theory ruins it for you, anyway. If you do, then you start following the rules and just playing music as is. If you don't, then it starts just coming naturally and you make music. YKWIM?

Technically, we wanna watch how he plays, not what he plays. NR and Estranged had awesome solos, some of everyone's favourites, but both those songs were written by Axl entirely. It's not who puts the music on the paper, but who puts the music into your goddamn head.

[Rock_On]

Knowing music theory ruins it for you, anyway. If you do, then you start following the rules and just playing music as is. If you don't, then it starts just coming naturally and you make music. YKWIM?

Technically, we wanna watch how he plays, not what he plays. NR and Estranged had awesome solos, some of everyone's favourites, but both those songs were written by Axl entirely. It's not who puts the music on the paper, but who puts the music into your goddamn head.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Music theory ruins it for you?? really??? dont think so buddy. I've been playing piano since im 6 years old, and I know alot, and I say alot, bout music theory, and it never ruined anything, I've always been told that I stand out of other pianist because I acutally play, not only pressing ivory notes on a keyboard. It can really help you in some music styles, or some music figures, when you're learning songs that were written by somebody else, not yourself. You can write stuff by yourself and play it magically, but if you read a sheet music or something like that, music theory can help you understand what the player thought and stuff like that. In Blues/Jazz and in Classical, music theory can actually help you alot, inconsciously. I admit its not always usefull and yo ucan be good without it, but saying it ruins you is being completely clueless about what your talking about

by the way, theory is not playing by the rules. There's no rules. Its only a guideline to help yo usee things you might have not seen on your own. There is never never never ever something you ABSOLUTELY have to follow, in music. Its always suggestive stuff. Yo udecide what you take and what you leave. there's no such things as rules, theory or not.

Edited July 28, 2005 by Rock_On

[Duffs Velvet Rose]

Knowing music theory ruins it for you, anyway. If you do, then you start following the rules and just playing music as is. If you don't, then it starts just coming naturally and you make music. YKWIM?

Technically, we wanna watch how he plays, not what he plays. NR and Estranged had awesome solos, some of everyone's favourites, but both those songs were written by Axl entirely. It's not who puts the music on the paper, but who puts the music into your goddamn head.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Music theory ruins it for you?? really??? dont think so buddy. I've been playing piano since im 6 years old, and I know alot, and I say alot, bout music theory, and it never ruined anything, I've always been told that I stand out of other pianist because I acutally play, not only pressing ivory notes on a keyboard. It can really help you in some music styles, or some music figures, when you're learning songs that were written by somebody else, not yourself. You can write stuff by yourself and play it magically, but if you read a sheet music or something like that, music theory can help you understand what the player thought and stuff like that. In Blues/Jazz and in Classical, music theory can actually help you alot, inconsciously. I admit its not always usefull and yo ucan be good without it, but saying it ruins you is being completely clueless about what your talking about

by the way, theory is not playing by the rules. There's no rules. Its only a guideline to help yo usee things you might have not seen on your own. There is never never never ever something you ABSOLUTELY have to follow, in music. Its always suggestive stuff. Yo udecide what you take and what you leave. there's no such things as rules, theory or not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

totally agree, learnign about music only helps, take what you need, and leave what you dont! never be close minded to anything!

[santana]

Theory is good to know, but not necessary. When I first started learning theory, I tried to do everything according to theory. It didn't work for me. I found myself relying too much on theory and not enough on the sound. I would however, recommend learning theory, even if only a small amount. In the long run, it does help a lot.

[twistedthoughts]

Theory does not hinder creativity at all. It just helps you to understand why that killer riff sounds so good so that you can reproduce other killer riffs like it if you want to. Knowing theory doesn't mean you have to "obey the rules".

I think about it like a language. Does knowing and understanding english stop you from expressing yourself properly? No. It allows you to express yourself better by giving you the right tools (words). Theory us just the same. Instead of hitting the guitar, hoping that it will make that sound that you feel like making right now, you can PLAY it knowing that you're making the exact tones that you want.

I'm pretty sure Slash has a fair grasp on at least some theory. In essence, if you know to play the Am pentatonic scale over an Am chord progression then you're applying theory. I don't think Slash would know theory like Joe Satch knows theory, but every guitarist whether they admit it or not uses theory to some extent.

Also, don't take guitarists too literally when they say they were "self-taught". Not going to lessons doesn't mean that you're self-taught. Most guitarists who are "self--taught" didn't go to lessons...but instead jammed with people who did and asked all of the questions (which by the way I advocate as possibly the best way to learn things for you guitar newbies) that they would ask if they took lessons.

Now I'm just babbling.

[Rock_On]

Theory does not hinder creativity at all. It just helps you to understand why that killer riff sounds so good so that you can reproduce other killer riffs like it if you want to. Knowing theory doesn't mean you have to "obey the rules".

I think about it like a language. Does knowing and understanding english stop you from expressing yourself properly? No. It allows you to express yourself better by giving you the right tools (words). Theory us just the same. Instead of hitting the guitar, hoping that it will make that sound that you feel like making right now, you can PLAY it knowing that you're making the exact tones that you want.

I'm pretty sure Slash has a fair grasp on at least some theory. In essence, if you know to play the Am pentatonic scale over an Am chord progression then you're applying theory. I don't think Slash would know theory like Joe Satch knows theory, but every guitarist whether they admit it or not uses theory to some extent.

Also, don't take guitarists too literally when they say they were "self-taught". Not going to lessons doesn't mean that you're self-taught. Most guitarists who are "self--taught" didn't go to lessons...but instead jammed with people who did and asked all of the questions (which by the way I advocate as possibly the best way to learn things for you guitar newbies) that they would ask if they took lessons.

Now I'm just babbling.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude, I agree with everything yo usaid in there, great post

[gnrrules21]

bump

[-Sephiroth-]

Axl learned music theory and it didn't fuck up his composing skills

[JeanGenie]

I think it depends on what you wanna do and how good you are.

Slash certainly doesn't need a to know a lot about music theory because he has a great feeling that in the most cases helps him to get a great sound.

But not everyone has such a feeling. In that case you have to find out why one note sounds good and the other note bad and the only way to do it is to learn theory or to go by expirience. But expierince doesn't relly help you when you have to play something new. so to learn theory is never a bad thing.