Bitesize Music Theory for Guitarists #1

[MichaelJohn5570]

This is not theory, wtf?

[avielp]

@MichaelJohn5570

This is music theory tied very closely to the guitar neck.

[MichaelJohn5570]

@avielp Not to sound impudent, but, ideally, elucidation of music theory should involve chordal and modal theory. You know, how to make music on the fly relative to the major scale (good place to start)... You appear to be speaking of techniques, patterns, and tricks; not really music theory in a technical sense. Either way, nice video. Peace & Happiness ~ Michael.

[FreepowerUG]

@MichaelJohn5570 this is the FIRST lesson in a series for complete beginners. People who literally don't know what a note is or how to find one on the neck. Understanding the basic rules of how pitches work on the instrument and how to find them is the first step to actually being able to do anything with them, I can't talk about collections of pitches and their use yet, it'd be totally over the top. You can think of this covering the "for guitarists" part of the title. ;)

[FreepowerUG]

@MichaelJohn5570 ... no, I'm perfectly clear on what music theory is - but this stuff is necessary to discuss it fruitfully on the instrument. As a part of a series on theory, this is a logical starting point, despite the fact that no theory is discussed. Rather like how you spend a lot of early music theory grades learning to write music properly without much real theory going on. :)

[sniperdown23]

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!!!!

[Druss1586]

Who was at the door? 5:18

[addeps3]

when u grow up u could start buying your own shirts? =P

[ThisIsUrName]

Hey I have a question. What do you mean when u say "Move Down 5 frets" Do you mean moving down from the 7 to the 2 or from the 7 to the 12? Do you move in the numerical order or do you move down as in moving closer to your body? Same question for strings. Do you move 2 strings down from the D to the Low E or from the D to the B?

[dslhell]

This has really helped me.. Thanks a bunch..

[cuntyballs07]

IVE GOT A UKELELE...IS THAT SPELLED RIGHT??? BUT I DONT KNOW IF ITS TUNED PROPERLY AND CANT PLAY A NOTE......I WONDER CAN I LEARN ANYTHING FROM YOUR VIDEOS?...(WHICH LOOK EXCELLENT BY THE WAY,WELL DONE)

[FreepowerUG]

@cuntyballs07 Whoa, all caps is like shouting. Hurts my online ears.

Ukes are tuned differently unfortunately, the basic note finding and stuff is quite different to guitar, sorry. :(

[supra401]

I have the same guitar except mine isn't mixed with brown. it's more of a greyish purple.

[xAshleemarie]

guitar sounds freakin awesome

[voltOhm]

an octave is a note interval that is 8 notes higher than the original - the higher of which has twice as many vibrations per second as the lower. If you were to play the scale E F G A B C D E that second E note is an octave of the first note. It's like where a scale begins to repeat itself. For instance, play the string low E string open, then finger that string on the 12th fret. You can hear that it is the same note. It is just twice as high in pitch.

[TiagoMorbusSa]

@voltOhm Actually, you're explaining it wrong... An octave is the interval between any given note and the note TWELVE notes higher (or lower). It would be seven notes in a diatonic scale, five notes in a pentatonic scale, six notes in a whole tone scale, but since you didn't specify, it's the chromatic scale so it's twelve notes higher (or lower).

At the OP, before this basic interval, don't you think knowing the notes is more important? Like know A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D and so on? Good video thouh

[FreepowerUG]

@TiagoMorbusSa I agree knowing the notes is important but I don't like to dispense lists of learning to people. Learning how octaves and moving notes across strings work is immediately practical whether or not you choose to go further, and actually allows you to learn the notes of the fretboard much faster when you get round to it - as well as being able to check you're correct while developing fretboard knowledge. :)

[painitis]

I've been playing guitar for about a 2 years... I've been playing these things but never even new what they were

[marmartif]

thanks a lot for the lessons, all of them, not just these series of theory...

you´re awesome...and gorgeous too!

[shadow6463]

awesome turtle neck :P useful though thank you

[rikardomg17]

**KNocK knOck!**

[ChodeRigga]

this is soooo helpful thank you for being born

[azteca555]

lol just have to ask this, when they knocked on your oor, was it to tell you to turn your amp off??

[anonymusneo]

if a girl said "g-string" it would sound kinky lol :P

[Timamz]

Is it just me, or throughout the video does your voice change from an Irish accent into an American accent numerous times.

Seriously though, nice videos man. Good job.

UG FTW.

[Tati7109]

@Timamz Haha, ya I noticed that too.

[blayze101]

UG FTW

[asda6572]

Great video, it helped me a lot.

I've been playing guitar for a year now, self taught. So now Ive realized that I don't understand how to make my own licks properly or move them in different keys. I guess I'll play around with the octave thing and just learn more stuff. Thanks.

[xrunepk3rzx]

Thanks, quite basic but a great way to introduce theory

[scfan919]

Thanks for the vids, been looking for somebody to make this simple, and understandable. Thanks!

[Rflyon]

Awesome man. I've been trying to get into theory for a while now... but it's always been a daunting task for me, having no formal music training.

I'm going to follow your series, and hopefully I can get my feet in the door at least.

Cheers mate. And thanks on behalf of everyone here ;D

[Grunge00125]

this is very very helpful, thank you :D

[adrenaline1320]

awesome vids man, thx

[Commiteee]

This is very helpful but I didn't understand the ocave part. :(

[FreepowerUG]

Then try it out and keep playing around with it. :)

[Commiteee]

I not quite sure I understand what an Octave is. An Octave is where you mute a note in between the two others that you have held done? like:

--------8

--------x

--------9?

Also, do your lessons cover the whole music theory or the basics that everone should know?

[FreepowerUG]

An octave is a particular distance between notes. For example, the distance between the note at an open string and the 12th fret of that string.

Sometimes people play them like in the example you have there (although that's not an octave - try the 5th fret A string and 7th fret G string to see the shape).

[poopnate]

an octave (skipping strings with a mute in between) is two notes up from the first note ex.

2 3 4

x x x

0 1 2 ... are all octaves on the fist 4 strings.

[madcowman19]

I've seen all your technique videos and I was really impressed. 150% on "Muting unwanted noise". This music theory video was just as easy to understand and very well delivered. I've been playing for 2 years but I couldn't instantly find the octave of any note. I love your accent as well! Very fun to watch. Sadly my family shipped over to America from Ireland many a generation ago :P

[lollipopfop]

I don't play, but I am enjoying this.

[thebonedance]

Haha equally badly taught.  You're awesome FP -fixationdarknesUG

[BigCarpFoxRiver]

Hey, I loved your lesson. When you said in the beginning how if you play a note on one string then move a string up or down then move 5 frets to the left or right to get the same exact note, does that work on every single string and on every single fret?

[FreepowerUG]

All of them except when moving across the G and B - the G and B strings are 4 frets apart because they are tuned slightly differently. I think this is covered in the videos after this. : )

[BigCarpFoxRiver]

Thanks for the reply mate. I was wondering because I played the fifth fret on the G string and then played an open note string on the B string but they didn't sound the same. However fret 1 on the B string did sound the same. Thanks for the help brother, I will make sure to watch all your videos.

[Musicman21405]

good vid man

UG FTW

[PlayerEXEXEX]

amazing thanks man

[Moobear47]

omfg...i learnt something in the first minute.

you are awesome.

UG ftw :)

[Traced000In000Air]

This is ace, I've been a lurker on UG for a while and saw this video linked. You teach really really well :)

[Mahavishnu80]

You're a very good teacher freepower, im glad you teach things the same way i do myself. When you teach on your own you doubt yourself.

[xhauntedxonex]

thanks for sending me here from ultimate-guitar forums, you did a great job 5/5*

[naz176]

Fack off, ug ftw!

[Ibik]

nice

[irritatedmushroom2]

I think these lessons may be of more help to me than what my boring speed freak of a guitarist my teacher is. 5 stars!

[Kurtskid]

very awesome lesson satch couldnt have explained it any better himself im looking forward to future lessons and subscribing

[TheUltimateSin]

Very neat, FP. Looking forward to further chapters :)