Introductory Guitar Lesson 4 - Ear Training For Soloing

[Savvas1211]

i only have one question.. when you are doing ear training by singing notes and a note is so high or low that you cant sing it.. how do you learn it?

[scottyxcom]

Hi Savvas,

Excellent question. What you do is sing an octave higher or lower ... so the octave is one of the first relationships you want to ear train.

[TSS1994]

I love your lessons Scotty! you are an amazing teacher.

[tabotabojayar]

the perfect 5th sounds like star wars and octave sounds like somewhere over the rainbow....

[tabotabojayar]

w the hell...you can actually play what you can sing...i have to think for a while where on the fretboard can i find the notes i'm hearing inside my head....

[YAYAJACE]

This video is amazing, after watching this video i started listening to Killing In The Name Of by Rage Against the Machine and i truly started to visualize what to do and how to play the song. i am definitely going to keep watching the videos and use this with my guitar playing.

thanks!

P.S. i verified my e-mail so i could post this comment.

[WolfStatic]

I really mean this with all due respect. You totally remind me of John Goodman in "The Big Lebowski"... keep up the good work, it looks like you're helping the cause... :)

[xMrBumpyx]

scotty i encourage you to check out Dimebag Darrell. just his solo's. if you havent heard of him before he is absolutely amazing. a shining light in the darkness of what soloing in the Metal genre became.

[scottyxcom]

Hi xMrBumpyx,

Yes ... Dimebag was an interesting player with a unique approach.

All the best,

Scotty

[kellykinsel]

great lesson! I am going to try this and see if I can sing these intervals and see if they sound what I play. Good exercise. keep up the lessons!

[eaglezach36]

great lesson I use this method allot But dont u hate it when u are away from your guitar and you get a great idea in your guitar in your head and when you go to play it you forget what you thought.

[niteflyre]

I've seen some of the best guitarists use this method such as David Gilmour, Billy Corgan...and I only know they are using this method because they would be singing the notes out loud. But think of all the guitarists, who when they get up to the high notes in the solo, their face gets all scrunched up. I think they are singing the notes inside their head, just not in a more comfortable octave like Scotty is saying to do. Eric Clapton looks like he might use this method. Great stuff, thanks!

[bombsawayd]

9:02 that was rock and roll as shit. jack black isnt even that funny. being able to sing the notes youre playing is the key to meaningful improvisation and ,in turn, writing.

[shadowgun21]

i was never formally tought to solo, so i feel like this has helped me brush up on my basics and to formally improvise better. cant wait til your more advanced lessons

[rikuownssora]

Hey Scotty, who cares what all these haters say. I like your videos because from lesson 3, I didn't understand sharps and flats until I watched your video. I appreciate what your doing for us all. And I hope you keep up the good work. Keep posting videos.

[scottyxcom]

Hi rikuownssora,

Thanks for the kind words. Glad we could help. A whole buncha' new lessons coming any day so check back.

All the best,

Scotty

[jtroska]

I bought the full course because I need the knowledge to get my playing to the next level. I just completed Lesson 8 of 32 ("Caveman Music Theory") and I'm still working on chords from Lesson 4. Looking ahead in the syllabus, it looks like exactly what I need. Not an instant-gratification course. But if one commits, the $200 course should make playing more enjoyable than any equally priced piece of gear. I'm looking forward to the better opportunities my future knowledge may bring.

[scottyxcom]

Hi jtroska,

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you're enjoying the course. Let us know how we can help.

All the best,

Scotty

[METAL6060]

your notes might be right. but nothing creative about it...just like, boring patterns dude

[scottyxcom]

Hi METAL6060,

Sorry you don't like my playing, dude. I do the best I can. My point about ear training is really the message I was trying to get accross.

All the best,

Scotty

[Soul74]

You're missing the point.

[scottyxcom]

Hi Soul74,

How so? What's the point?

All the best,

Scotty

[Soul74]

Sorry Scotty, that was aimed at METAL6060. I think your lessons are some of the most important videos on YouTube. Keep up the good work.

[scottyxcom]

Hi Soul74,

Thanks so much for clarifying that and thanks for the vote of confidence. We're uploading a buncha' new lessons any day now so check back ... OK?

All the best,

Scotty

[Soul74]

You bet. I'm a bass player who's been playing for a while but was never properly taught how to solo or improvise, your videos are steering me in the right direction. Thanks.

[WeNeedFoodPlease]

hi scotty, i have been playing for a little over a year now, and cant even begin to explain how easy you made it sound. you are the only person who i understood after all this time, i am very serious about wanting to play music, and am desperate to improve. i am watching all of your videos and hoping it will improve my ability to understand music. (my biggest fault) so thank you very much for taking the time to make these, it means a lot to someone like me.

[scottyxcom]

Hi WeNeedFoodPlease,

Thanks. Glad we could help. Keep up the good work.

Consider our complete DVD home study course. It's the best value in guitar education available today. By the time we're done, you'll know pretty much everything about music and how it relates to the guitar.

All the best,

Scotty

[Crawford17x]

Hey Scotty, What's your favorite guitar solo?

[scottyxcom]

Hi Crawford17x,

Great question ... but ya' know what? I don't have a single answer. There are so many great solos on record and I've seen great live stuff. I saw the Return To Forever reunion last summer ... Al DiMeola. I saw Adrian Belew last month. The best solo I ever heard hasn't been played yet!

All the best,

Scotty

[xarmagedonx2012]

cant wait for the next video

thanx man

[digs0795]

Wow you are a great help im gonna practice some jamming on that minor pentonic cause i know how to sing it lol

[RaiseItToEleven]

Your lessons are seriously awesome! I've been playing guitar for almost two years and my main focus is making my own music with ear training as my aid and I just watched your 4 lessons. I am not really a great singer but I was just doing what you said while watching this video and it is actually a great aid! I'm def. going to try it out when I play guitar later on today. & thanks for that video with the piano keys! Now the piano doesn't look completely alien to me! ha Can't wait for more videos!

[scottyxcom]

Hi RaiseItToEleven,

Thanks. Glad we could help. I hope to have more lessons posted soon. Check back.

All the best,

Scotty

[TheJosephOrtiz]

I am trying to apply this to saxophone playing because i have been saying this for years and been thinking about this for yearsssssssss but i never seen someone apply this singing the notes in my mind and being able to play what i hear in my head you have lifted a big rock!

[scottyxcom]

Hi TheJosephOrtiz,

Thanks. Glad we could help. Yes ... this helps folks no matter what instrument they play. It is the path to true musicianship and I feel it is not stressed enough in conventional music education.

All the best,

Scotty

[Parrent]

it is confusing to remember all the notes to finger places so i cant really get this

[scottyxcom]

Hi Parrent,

Yes ... there is a lot to learn and memorize ... but keep at it. You'll get it. One of our next videos is going to be on understanding the fretboard better so check back soon.

All the best,

Scotty

[plutominusone]

very useful and informitive if only pl;ayers would use this , thank you

[dustyntylr]

This works both ways for better guitar playing and better singing =)

[jtroska]

This is exactly what I need to learn. I can play pretty well but I can't improvise as well as I should. I merely memorize the tabs or notes I figured out myself for the cover songs we play. But if my singer comes in late and I need to stretch a solo beyond what I worked out, I'm screwed. I need the theory and ear training to get music from my head to my fingers on the spot.

[scottyxcom]

Hi jtroska,

Consider our DVD homestudy program. It will totally get you there ... theory and ear training ... very well organized and easy to follow. I'm also available to answer questions 7 days a week.

All the best,

Scotty

[jtroska]

I've been reading your web site and actually found you on YouTube through that. I think it would be a sound investment for me because I'm currently wasting too much time memorizing fret positions instead of really knowing what I'm playing. And then I get nervous when the big solo comes up and I can't remember "Does this one start on the 13th or 15th fret?" =-) I just have to find the time to do it because I'm already busy with 2 bands. Would 30 min a day be sufficient?

[scottyxcom]

Hi jtroska,

30 minutes a day is OK. An hour would be even better. Remember ... you've got 3 things to work on ... TECHNIQUE, THEORY and EAR TRAINING. If you're also trying to develop READING skills, you might need that extra time.

All the best,

Scotty

All the best,

Scotty

[jtroska]

Well the technique is already being developed with the band practice. I meant 30 *additional* minutes just for this course--Meaning in addition the the hour per day I put into band practice. I really need the theory and ear training. I have the technique part is fairly well covered

[MrScotty219]

does the music theory about intervals you mention in the previous video cost anything?

[nothsonles]

thank you so much! this is a spot on lesson, man. guitar music isn't just numbers on a piece of paper. it's so much more than that. the comment on the "solo barfing" is also something that i would agree with. i see that all too often. by the way, how is that floyd rose guitar?

[scottyxcom]

Hi nothsonles,

I put EMG pickups in the FR guitar but otherwise it was pretty darn good right out of the box. The "Speedloader" tremelo is great!

All the best,

Scotty

[renmaurice]

thanks scotty

My love for playing guitar just rose again after I heard your lessons. I stoped playing guitar when I got here in Qatar.

Finally I had the answers to all my questions.

I will wait for your next lessons.

Thanks!

[earll2001]

Oh! another thing I can sing the note after I hear it. Do you have any advice on how to reverse this or do i just need more time with ear training.

[scottyxcom]

Hi earll2001,

You're on the right track. Just keep working at it. Challenge yourself to sing the next note you're going to play. Eventually you will get out ahead of it and begin to PREDICT what the next note will sound like.

Keep singin' those notes. That's KEY.

All the best,

Scotty

[earll2001]

Its funny I was just telling someone that the reason i THINK you see guitar players moves their mouths is because the are playing what they are singing. I had no idea that this was the truth. I started to do this before I seen this video. Thanks alot Scotty I just needed some good verfication.

[megaman616]

i think my only problem is that my fingers are too slow and clumpsy i still need practice with that, playing the sounds i want, i pretty much get that.

[spartan121792]

how long until i can learn ear training (min) and (max)

[scottyxcom]

Hi spartan 121792,

Everyone progresses at different rates and ear training is a life-long pursuit ... but let's say 2 to 5 years. You can speed that up with focus and dedication.

All the best,

Scotty

[derkman127]

depends

[armegedon66]

hello i just started learning guitar and i was wondering what kind of stuff you have or might be able to refer me to that would be good practice for me to make me a better guitarist

[scottyxcom]

Hi armededon66,

Consider our full DVD home study program. It's pretty awesome ... comprehensive and very well organized.

All the best,

Scotty

[TheLeahDeutsch]

I feel like im never gonna understand this :(

[scottyxcom]

Hi TheLeahDeutsch,

It's really not that bad. Ya' just gotta' have a good plan and we have that in our DVD home study program. Check it out. We'll help you any way we can. Call or email me anytime if you have questions.

All the best,

Scotty

[alphabetazulu]

You're great Scotty!

I agree 100 pct. ive been playing trumpet for 7 years-ish and had an advantage over everyone from ear training, i just started playing guitar a month and a half ago and its goin great!

[davisnapier]

im subscribed to a few of the guitar teacher's on youtube, justinsandercoe, gally042, exc..and they have helped a lot. and after seeing this one video, i became a subscriber, i can tell ur an awesome teacher, very easy to understand, and this video was very helpfull, so thank you i really appreciate it very much.

[scottyxcom]

Hi davisnapier,

Thanks. Glad we could help. We'll be posting new video real soon ... maybe this coming weekend so check back ... OK?

All the best,

Scotty

[6EELZE6U6666]

wow thak you so much your such an inspiration, you've opened up doors for me that i didn't even realised existed

[scottyxcom]

Hi 6EELZE6U6666,

Glad you liked the lesson. YES ... ear training is the KEY to true musicianship ... but ya' gotta' know your THEORY in order to train your ears. Check out our home study program. I'll be posting new YouTube lessons real soon so check back!

All the best,

Scotty

[mexrilla]

where are your tuners? lol

[scottyt1835]

haha... "that's right! you probably can't!"

[revan107]

genius...you are a genius...

[xXTwistedLifeXx]

At first i was like man what the fuck are you talking about then i was like O SHIT hes right :O Nice Btw

[pantarafreak79]

love the guitar!!!unique pickguard and bitching headstock!!!very odd but beautiful guitar.

[scottyxcom]

Hi pantarafreak79,

Yeah ... I love this guitar. It's a Floyd Rose with the new "speedloader" tremelo. I also had EMGs installed.

All the best,

Scotty

[allseriousness]

i love that "8" near the end. lol.

[scottyxcom]

Thanks for all your kind words. We'll be posting more video soon!

All the best,

Scotty

[GibsonSGFreak95]

The Most important Lesson you will ever have for soloing. Thank you SO MUCH.

[kenmanfairclough]

SURE ENOUGH!

[jahenx94]

GET TO THE CHOPPA! MIND SOLOS!!!

[heath4w]

Probably the best thing about you is that you aren't full of yourself. lol. I really like this. :)

[IbeenTHUNDERSTRUCK14]

This is an absolutly genius set of videos. I have only played guitar for a little while and I am just getting into the theory aspect of it and this will really help me with understanding it. Thank you so much.

[PilotDoofy]

Hahaha that's funny, that singing with the notes and matching the pitch is a self taught exercise I created for myself to train my ears. :)

[XDXD64]

but he is good and knows his stuff

[XDXD64]

first part sounded like one of those stress reliefe tapees. LOL XD

[Leonard5555]

this guy knows his stuff

[mightymegaman12]

see. i have poor memory. and im ok at the guitar. but i spend all my time on the fret board. learning what every fret on every string sounds like. on soft solos that arent insane i can do. but solos like Eruption. and that jingle you played earlier i cant do. i hope i can get some help with that..

-John

[justAnotherINTJ]

just a suggestion it might be more time efficient to instead of trying to learn all the notes try learning intervals like he is saying try going to musictheory(dot)net they have an interval trainer among many other useful things its a great resource

[xmasonmars2]

Thanx for the reply you mabey right have been playing for 2 and half years now and i just been relying tabs and such and really on ear training thanx again for the advice i will try harder. ps Im also a photographer thank god im not blind .Laugh out loud.

[xmasonmars2]

Hey dont know if this is a difficulty but what your tone deaf of if its really hard to play from whats in you head to fretboard with the righ notes is this training or different training like this nearley impossible for a person like this.

[scottyxcom]

Hi Xmasonmars,

One thing to realize is that if you are truly "tone deaf"(it's really PITCH deaf) it will be impossible to ever become the player you want to be. It's like this ... you want to become a photographer but you're BLIND. How is that going to happen?

The good news is that almost NOBODY is truly pitch deaf. In my 25 years of teaching, I've only had 2 students who were. You may just have WEAK ears and all that means is you'll need to work harder.

All the best,

Scotty

[dethxsjadox777x]

Your really great. I needed that help.

[scottyxcom]

Hi NirradGann,

Thanks for the comments. Glad you enjoyed the video lesson. Theory is infinitely knowable if you get it explained the right way. Check out our full DVD course. I'm also available to answer questions 7 days a week!

All the best,

Scotty

[NirradGann]

cool,havnt seen vocals mixed with fretboard theory quite like this before.You make theory seam almost doable!Great posts!

[glitchystudios]

How can I remember a descending major 6th???

[scottyxcom]

Hi Glitchystudios,

Excellent question ... and a difficult interval to master. My best suggestion is if you descend a major 6th from the tonic, you land on the minor 3rd. You might already have a good idea of how minor 3rds sound ... so try to hear the descending major 6th as the minor 3rd in the next lower octave. See what I mean? I hope this helps. Keep at it. You'll get it.

All the best,

Scotty

[glitchystudios]

Thank you soo much!! This is exactly what I needed, because I couldn't find any songs to associate the sound with. Thanks Scotty!!

[glitchystudios]

what about an ascending minor sixth? Everyone is telling me to use the song "love story" or "the entertainer" but i am not very familiar with these songs. is there any other way of remembering a minor sixth?

[scottyxcom]

Hi glitchystudios,

In the end, I don't really recommend the song/crutch method of ear training. It can be helpful in some situations, but when you're jammin' you don't have time to go through those mental gyrations. You have to recognize the notes, intervals etc for what they ARE in and of themselves.

Realize that if you descend a minor 6th, you land on that note's MAJOR 3rd in the lower octave ... so I tell folks to try to hear that lower major 3rd. See what I mean?

Cheers,

Scotty

[glitchystudios]

ohh. thank you. i understand what you mean about the whole crutch thing, but i have been stuck on this interval for a while now, and i hope that over time, as i "absorb" the interval the need for the crutch will go away. thanks again.

[jtroska]

Not to contradict Scotty's good advise, but listen to "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette. The looping background notes are D A Bb A. That Bb at the top is a Minor 6th away from the D root and gives the whole song that spooky feel. After hearing it loop round and round, you'll probably absorb the sound of the Minor 6th.

[glitchystudios]

thank you

[feduppenguin]

Very good lesson, thank you very much. Detailed, well explained and it showed me the importance of ear training.

[scottyxcom]

Hi Campanej,

Yeah ... isn't that cool? It's a Floyd Rose guitar with the "speedloader" tremelo. You use special strings with bullets on each end that slip into notches on the nut and saddle. The strings are cut to precise lengths so you only need the mini tuners on the bridge. I guess they could have eliminated the head stock (like a Steinburger guitar) but somebody came up with this futuristic design instead.

All the best,

Scotty

[Campanej]

the headstock of your guitar is badass!!

[clandeathbox]

i have been playing for 12 years now, and your video's have done a better job of showing me what ear training really is then anything else i have seen .

[stevieVantanna]

why is the perfect fifth so important? I would think the third is more important?

[scottyxcom]

Hi Steve,

I guess I would say that over time, the 5th has been the note that most folks think seems to COMPLEMENT the root the best. More patterns in music contain the 5th than contain the 3rd. For example, the "Power Chord" that the rockers like so much contains the 5th but not the 3rd.

All the best,

Scotty

[Campanej]

Would you agree, however, that though the 5th best "complements" the root, it is the 3rd that gives a chord its distinctive flavor or color. (That is assuming it is a triad. For any chord with more than 4 (different) notes, its a combo of the 7th and any modifiers along with the 3rd as well.)

[cockofthenorth]

Thanks, John Goodman!

[scottyxcom]

Hi SoWhat,

No ... I don't think it's an age thing. I'm not sure why the 7ths are harder for you. Just keep at it. You'll get it. I haven't really investigated the online ear training stuff. I think you can do a lot on your own.

All the best,

scotty

[sowhat123]

also, if you could recommend websites, books or other resources for ear training, I'd very much appreciate it.

[sowhat123]

Hi scotty i had a question. is there a certain age after which you can't really memorize intervals. I've been playing since i was 16. I'am 21 now. I can pretty much sing all the intervals except minor 7th and major 7th. I can identify them if played, but unlike other intervals i can't sing them right out of top of my head. you know what i mean? or is it just a matter of sticking to ear training till i see the the results?

[davidoblue1]

hello scott

.what if im tone deaf?

[scottyxcom]

Hi David,

You probably aren't tone (pitch) deaf. Very few people are. You may have WEAK ears and need to work extra hard, but if you put in the time, you'll do fine. You might need a private ear training coach at some point.

All the best,

Scotty

[COLT45PRODUCTIONS]

I have your Absolutely Understand Guitar program and its great. I've learned so much from it. Keep up the great teaching.

[jose00091]

wow dude your lessons are great, for all type of levels Beg. to Adv.

It help me and im a begginer.

Thanks

[danbohane]

thanks thats brillian

[Spocksbrother]

best lesson on youtube, even better than my teacher!!!!!!!!!you've not only got it down, but you can explain to me as if i'm 3 years old thankyou!!!!!!

[ShaneDignan]

Great lesson!

I've been playing guitar for about 14 years now, but I've never done any ear training (even with the 8 years of lessons I took), so I naturally have a hard time identifying certain intervals. I never would have thought to take this approach to ear training, but it's really a simple, brilliant approach.

Thanks!

[bigkid78]

Thank you very much. This lesson is very helpful. I will do this kind of training through singing the notes.

[scottyxcom]

Hi Falafelfajt,

Thanks for your kind words. Playing like this requires a grasp of RELATIVE pitch (the ability to recognize the sound of PATTERNS in music like chords and scales) and PERFECT pitch (the ability to name the specific notes you are hearing and playing)though perfect pitch is not absolutely essential.

[falafelfajt]

Great lesson! quick question: is this called relative pitch?

[xaxaportilho]

Very instructive.

Good job, Scott

[scottyxcom]

Wow! Thanks for all your positive comments! I'll be posting more lessons soon.

Scotty West

[michaelscottgray]

I've been "playing" for 25 years...this is by far the best training video I've seen. He's got the knowledge but more importantly, he knows how to put it across in a way I can understand. GREAT JOB and THANK YOU!!!

[angev2]

invaluable .Makes extremely good sense

[legalrule]

GREAT JOB!!!!

Thank you so much for this lesson!

This is really fantastic stuff and it works! I followed along with you and stopped the video every now and then to practice with the video!

Thank You