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What TECHNIQUE or THEORY helped you the most?

3.6K views 42 replies 23 participants last post by  Maverick  
#1 ·
Was wondering what Technique or Theory have you learned that helped you the most to become a better guitar player?
 
#4 ·
Practice and lots of it
This is it. There is no shortcut.

If you want to be good, practice one hour every day.
If you want to be really good, practice three hours every day.
If you want to be a professional and known as such, practice five hours every day.
 
#6 ·
CAGED helped me most. Seeing all of those chords up the neck with the same shape and being able to visualize the scales based upon those shapes.

I think it is called Fretboard Logic.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Time will tell if my latest theory works. But I have decided that I will not be a real player until I can play songs. With this in mind, I just bought a 3/4 size Fender Classical guitar. Then I bought PRO CHARTS FOR JAZZ GUITAR, which has simple transcriptions of 8 songs as recorded by Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Luis Bonfa, Barney Kessel, and Johnny Smith. The songs have standard notation and tab. All of the chords can be played fingerstyle, I will play the bass strings with my thumb, and the treble strings with my index, middle, and ring finger.

Recently at a party, I was introduced to a woman who has had nine novels published. I asked her for her secret. She said simply, "Ass in chair!" For me that translates to "guitar in hands". I have wasted years dreaming of being a player. But I have lacked the discipline to have the guitar in my hands on a daily basis. The reality of my life is that there is no way I will plug in my Tele or my Strat to the amp, and practice daily. With an easy to play nylon string guitar, I firmly resolve to learn some songs.

Today I begin learning my first song: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FOOL (Manha' de Carnival), as recorded by Luiz Bonfa. With all of my heart and soul, I want to be a player.
 
#10 ·
I met this guy, Matt Osborne, when my wife was a student at Wilfrid Laurier. Early 90s I guess. He was a big part of the music scene at that school and later a fixture about KW, sadly he died young. The point though, is that he wrote out the A chromatic scale, showing me the intervals and also explaining how major and minor scales are constructed from patterns and also how chords are formed with triads and hence how majors, minors and diminished chords work together. That one piece of paper outlining the broad strokes of music theory helped me progress for many years.[h=1][/h]
 
#11 ·
I met this guy, Matt Osborne, when my wife was a student at Wilfrid Laurier. Early 90s I guess. He was a big part of the music scene at that school and later a fixture about KW, sadly he died young. The point though, is that he wrote out the A chromatic scale, showing me the intervals and also explaining how major and minor scales are constructed from patterns and also how chords are formed with triads and hence how majors, minors and diminished chords work together. That one piece of paper outlining the broad strokes of music theory helped me progress for many years.
Care to share? I'd like to see that.
 
#12 ·
I met this guy, Matt Osborne, when my wife was a student at Wilfrid Laurier. Early 90s I guess. He was a big part of the music scene at that school and later a fixture about KW, sadly he died young. The point though, is that he wrote out the A chromatic scale, showing me the intervals and also explaining how major and minor scales are constructed from patterns and also how chords are formed with triads and hence how majors, minors and diminished chords work together. That one piece of paper outlining the broad strokes of music theory helped me progress for many years.
Care to share? I'd like to see that.
Yes, I would too.
 
#16 ·
Learn songs, develop a repertoire, the technique will follow!

I have been told for years, "learn songs!" For years, I have practiced chord progressions, and blues scales, and read books about theory. But I have lacked the discipline, and the willpower to learn even one song. This week I realized that I have been trying to run, before I can walk. So today I bought this book, and tomorrow, I will learn a song before going to sleep, or bust!
 

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#17 ·
I have been told for years, "learn songs!" For years, I have practiced chord progressions, and blues scales, and read books about theory. But I have lacked the discipline, and the willpower to learn even one song. This week I realized that I have been trying to run, before I can walk. So today I bought this book, and tomorrow, I will learn a song before going to sleep, or bust!
I dont know if the book you mentioned is a joke or you realy got it.
Either way....learning songs is great if you allready know some basics like chords and know your way around the fretboard.
It does seem like you have done your homework so let me make a songbook sugestion for you.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Beatles-Complete-Chord-Songbook/dp/0634022296

I have it ...and in this book you will find the "correct" chord changes and the songs vary from very simple to very complex.
good luck with your song list ...I'm sure your gonna have a great time.

G.
 
#20 ·
We all learn differently and finding something that works can be a long trial and error process. Having said that, learning songs will get you far imo. I like the "ass in chair" comment. When I learn songs, I feel that I'm progressing well (and I've got a long way to go!). If you can, try avoiding TAB and learn by ear. I use software that reduces the speed while maintaining the same pitch - it ends up being "work" but it is rewarding. I've also been learning songs from various genres - I'm currently finishing up "Black Rose" from Thin Lizzy - it's not something I've listened to a lot since the 80's but it pushes me in various ways - melodic riffs, long sections that help memorizing and a killer shred riff that develops chops.

Some materials that have worked for me:

Chords & Progressions for Jazz and Popular Guitar - Book by Arnie Berle
The Blues from Rock to Jazz - DVD by Don Mock
Modes: Mo more Mystery - DVD by Frank Gambale
Tomo Fujita's DVD is a good tool for getting a practice regime together

Getting a good teacher is a challenge - Interview and find the right one for you. I ended up doing a few Skype lessons with a teacher in NYC. It was a really good fit.


All the best
 
#22 ·
I dont know if the book you mentioned is a joke or you realy got it.
Either way....learning songs is great if you allready know some basics like chords and know your way around the fretboard.
It does seem like you have done your homework so let me make a songbook sugestion for you.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Beatles-Complete-Chord-Songbook/dp/0634022296

I have it ...and in this book you will find the "correct" chord changes and the songs vary from very simple to very complex.
good luck with your song list ...I'm sure your gonna have a great time.

G.
Just don't start with the last song in the book.
26 different chords!!!! LOL.

But it's originally a song performed with piano, so....
 
#23 ·
Just don't start with the last song in the book.
26 different chords!!!! LOL.

But it's originally a song performed with piano, so....
One chord for every letter in the alphabet and I still can't get that last one right. Anybody know how to do that "Z" chord right. I can't seem to stretch my fingers the proper way. Maybe someone has a diagram of a small z chord.

:smiley-faces-75: :sFun_dancing: :sSig_DOH:

They are coming to take me to the home very soon.
 
#24 ·
I have and have played many of the songs in that kid's book. Lots of great chord progressions in the old folk tunes.

i no longer have Matt's paper, and can't really do it on the ipad, but I'll get around yo it soon when I have a proper keyboard.
 
#25 ·
Believe it or not, I just played "Jesus Loves Me", 16 bars in the key of G. I did pretty well, will do it again, over, and over, until I have it.

My guitar history goes back to 1956, when I started hanging around the Fender guitar dealer's shop in the daytime, and listening to a blues station from Memphis, late at night. My parents would have died, if they knew how much I loved this genre of music. My peers don't like my frankness, but remember, this was the U.S. south in the '50's, we had apartheid, which is inconvenient to remember, but true. I can remember for example, buying a Cherry Red Gibson ES-335 and a Black & Ivory Gibson Les Paul Standard for $1800, total. I sold them six months later, to a band leader, for about a $100 loss...had bills to pay! But I was obsessive and compulsive about buying and trading guitars, which I loved, even though I could not play.

Today I can play the blues scale, in any key, up and down the neck. But I have never jammed with other players, and before today, never played a real song. I wasted decades noodling, practicing chord progressions, and scales, and reading books about music theory. But I failed the "ass in chair" test, not actually having the guitar in my hands on a daily basis. Now I am 67, and it may be too late. But in my remaining time, I hope to become a player, playing real songs. I am going to try and find some other old men around Calgary, and actually do some garage or basement jamming!