guitar theory

[Statues_Turned_Dust]

Ive been contemplating learning some proper guitar theory as of late but I was told that a lot of it isnt very useful unless youre playing certain styles,and that learning the 7 major scales around the neck would be sufficent....any suggestions?...im confused already

 

[transfixed]

well I don't know anything about guitar theory, but I couldn't help but notice that you live very close to me... I didn't know anyone around here liked opeth
oh, and welcome to the board

 

[Misanthrope]

My dad lives in Mcallen.
I live 2 hours from Mcallen

 

[transfixed]

yeah Monterrey is pretty close
but i can drive like 5 minutes and be in pharr

hey I was wondering... has your band ever played around here?
like at trenton point or something?
because I remember your band's name sounding familiar to me when you posted it a while back...

 

[Misanthrope]

mmm nou not yet. We would gladly do so once we get our visas ( a couple of months ) but we only have played outside of Monterrey one time in Linares...pretty patetic gig cause the owner refused to allow minors into the gig and everyone in linares are minors...but that is another story

 

[transfixed]

ah that sucks...
well anyway, if you guy's ever play up here, let me know

 

[Sadistik]

I know theory and it's helpful to the extent that arranging songs and devoloping harmonies and counter-melodies comes easier. If you're going to play Mortician, no music theory is neccesary. If you want to play Opeth type stuff, at least know where and how things go, even if you don't read music...

 

[Morningrise]

Where is Pharr Texas? You guys are south, and Misanthrope is in Mexico. I'm all alone up here in Austin, where are all the metalheads?!?

 

[Statues_Turned_Dust]

hah holy shit you are close, good to know someone else around here knows who Opeth are. Theres no metal scene here in pharr....or much of anything else had you heard about In Flames coming on december 9th? got cancelled though,they were opening for slipknot and some shit came up and one of slipknots members couldnt go so they called it all off....guess it just wouldnt be the same without the 40th member jacking off his nose, btw Misanthrope whats your bands name? ahh and to Morningrise Pharrs about....maybe 20 minutes from the border

 

[Jo]

I started by drawing the guitar neck and writing down all the notes. I then wrote out all the scales on sheet music and off I went from there. It depends what your interests are? For me it is heaps of fun, so I say go for it! Arpeggios...

 

[dune_666]

I second Jo's suggestion about drawing out the neck. I would practice fingering the major scale, the harmonic minor scale, and maybe some blues (pentatonic scales). Also learn the proper relative chords for all of these scales. I would also try to do some reading about vibratto techniques. I find that most guitarists, even some of the 'famous' ones (K. Hammet, R. Rhodes) have HORRIBLE vibratto. Remember, slow and narrow, fast and wide (my instructor was quite anal about this).

From there you have a good base, then, if you wish, you can move to modes and all of the 'useless' stuff

 

[Misanthrope]

Im self thought in guitar, and while not as formal as you did it i too just figured out Mayor scale minor scales and a few modes ( did not knew they where modes until years later ) By myself and memorized box positions. I never need to write down a thing i have a bit of a memory for guitar, i memorize box positions, moveable chords, and if i couldnt move a chord i would look for equivalent songs, running into some interesting things once i started to learn jazz harmony. Now im studing alot of harmony ( im trying to find good beginner/intermediate jazz harmony and old choral harmony to incorporate in my songs ) and it pays of when i write songs, but even know i still use some of the old tricks work like boxed scales convined = boxed harmonies! Since i know the mayor and minor scales pretty well i form a mayor third or a mayor chord and take the root note and play a minor scale, the mayor third and play a minor scale, and the fifth and play another minor scale ( usually natural minor but the harmonic minor gives you an interest sound...more so on the melodic ( playing it different going down and up cause in jazz sometimes people just use the downwards version...or was the upwards? ).
I memorized scales so that i know take the root of the scale ( even if im playing a modal scale i try to find the root in the middle of the scale and go from there ) and improvise going from scale to scale in really simple jazzy progressions and now some more classic jazz progression ( ii-v-i ). Sounds like a lot to handle but not if you have a good idea of the scales, i cannot read music ( i can but im too slow to be practical ) and i can play some basic jazz on the run, just because of having all the scales. I use a mind map, but if you are an organized person ( im too chaotic i usually practice once every 3 weeks then pick the guitar for a week all day like 4 hours at day then drop it again etc. ) Try some of the suggestions this people offer.

 

[Harlot of God]

Hmmm well theory is very important when beginning playing the guitar....when i started playing i just hated everything that has to do with music theory i just wanted to play songs....so i quit taking lessons but after i 2 years or so i realized that you can´t really move on without knowing theory...can you imagine i played the guitar for 2 years and i didn´t even know the name of the notes or chords i played .......but well after that i just started to learn scales, modes arpeggios, chord theory...and whenever i picked up the guitar i tried to learn something new...now i don´t even think about what scale i play i just kind of play what sounds best or well it´s hard to explain but somehow i just now!!!!

 

[Rusty]

I don't really think you need to know scales to write good music. If you string some notes together and it sounds good, who cares what scale it is? That's what I do. And it works quite well, if I may say so myself!

 

[YaYo]

theory help you to more accurately write what you want. Youll have a particular feel in your head and youll be able to produce that sound on the guitar without much experimentation.

without theory you can never be as good as opeth or similar, you may write a few songs that sound good, but eventually youll need theory to go that extra step to greatness.

theory allows for greater variety, and more accurate creation of emotions.

 

[Statues_Turned_Dust]

thanks for all the information its been greatly appreciated, this doesnt have anything to do with theory but I havent had any luck on the DT board....does anyone have the final(last) version of The Minds Eye by Dark tranquillity it used to be on death warp but the guy who runs the site lost it or some shit and I havent had any luck finding it anywhere else.