guitar question.

[frankwhite]

when do you like, ascertain like, ok im done learning this its time to move on to the next thing? okay, lemme clarify. im learning right, learned like the 16 obvious chords, then a few barre shapes and im REALLY impatient so i get all these fuckin lick library jimi hendrix guns n roses dvds (gimme a break) and fuck around with that and then i looked into, reading-wise modes and scales and the shit just blew my mind. am i like really dumb or is that shit REALLY difficult to understand?!?!?!?! dorian and mixolydian and fuckin AHHHHHH!!!! the shit just made my head spin. anyway, my question is this, how do you know you're done with one thing enough to move onto doing the next thing cuz i think im gettin the cart before the horse here. how do you personally go about it? the idea to memorise every single note on the fretboard came to mind? is that a stupid idea or...???

Edited February 6, 2007 by frankwhite

[kevdo242]

I know how it is, man. I'm learning modes right now and its quite hard to grasp.

[Micks]

Well. I can like basically play all Slash stuff. A lot of it note by note. But also alot just through improvising and using my ears. What I did was basically learning the pentatone scale. And practicing solos over pretty much any song you like.

Of course if you're going for becoming a.. I don't know how to call it but, like an "educated" guitar player that knows a lot about chords, scales and music. I guess memorizing is a good way. What I just try to is play what's fun and remember, a lot of the greatest guitar players didn't know shit about what they was playing, they just had soul.

The pentatone scales are my advise for you. Slash uses them in almost every solo, Clapton even more, Page at most.

[quadlaser]

basically, it's time to move on when you understand what you're doing, the muscle memory can come later, as long as you practice it now and then. and yes, the modes, etc... are fucking intense, gotta devote a couple hours a day at first to stand a chance.

[sweetness]

The best way to tackle scales is to start out with pentatonics. Once you have those shapes down everything else is just a few added notes to the shapes... unless you want to play egyptian or far east music, those are pretty much completely different from what I understand.

But once youre comfortable with pentatonics its really easy from there dude. The names sound confusing but theyre really just different names for the different box sets, they arent whole other scales.

[Inverted Mind]

It's not really difficult, and shouldnt take long, then again everybody's different,

You just need to learn what works with the keys and the modes, if you're good at hearing different tones by ear you should be able to pick up the whole fretboard in no time

Oh yeah, another tip: Don't try and learn somebody elses style, it'll side track you in the long run!

[AxlisOld]

If you just play long enough, even without knowing modes, you'll start to know your fretboard. I personally couldn't draw you a diagram of anything but a pentatonic minor, because thats the only one I "learned." However my nerdier guitar friends who actually study scales have told me several different modes and scaled that I use, without even knowing it.