When I first heard Larry Carlton it was on Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark." I never heard anyone so turned on, so completely intelligent and musical. A most beautiful mind and artistry.
What a gentleman! A true master.Thanks Larry for sharing your gift.I feel like like I am taking a lesson from my best friend who happens to be the best guitar player on the planet.
can you imagine a more relaxed, kind and personal, yet at the same time tremendously informative style of teaching? because i sure as hell can't... this guy should be a role model to every kind of guitarteacher and -player out there.
Sounds basically like raising your root 1/2 step so your temporarily soloing in D instead of Db. but the dim scale gives you some symmetry so you could almost just play that totally for a while and sound like you are the king of guitar. It's not unlike a magic trick because w/o knowing how, this stuff looks impossible but when it is explained, you go "I should have guessed!" Carlton is a king of guitar.
Robben's the first person in 47 yrs of playing & study who actually made the diminished scale make sense and applicable in many different playing and writing instances.
i'm a great admirer of larry carlton one of the greatest guitar player of all times, i also want to say that the diminish scale repeats every minor third so u can play the same licks (or different ones) in different places.
I once heard Jack Pearson say that he doesnt think of"weird" or accidental notes as wrong, but as an adventure in a new direction of his learning. Also that when he first got into exotic chords, they sounded wrong. But after playing them for a while, they now sound beautiful. I do agree that if you cut off directions of playing because at first they dont sound good, in the end you are going to be bored to death with what you have left.
Larry, my name is Larry, and Ive been a off and on again Guitar Blues/Jazz long time learner, little bit of one and then another, and by accident I run across your approach to the Diminished Scale and the both, feel like ive finally come home in respects to the two loves..Trying to incorporate the both was like wearing a ball and chain...But i think not from now on, Thanks Larry for sharing..
love this man..he teaches.i remember as a kid i had a teacher with more than 1 phd in guitar trying to teach me this stuff.he was an asshole.he would make his explanations as difficult as possible.put me down as much as possible.he wouldn't even play examples like this guy.hed just write things out,trying to confuse me.i disagree with excop.i think those legends he mentioned would approve of L.C 100%He explains these concepts in a very simple way.god bless him.hes been through a lot
Some people study and get the theory but this in order to sound good you have to have it deeply in you ears, not just knowing where to put your fingers
@61DaveO Hi Dave. Yes - he is using the half/whole scale here - not a diminished scale. Half/whole is a good choice over a 13b9 V chord in a II-V-I. However, try a melodic minor half step above the V chord (or a wholetone scale off of the root) if the chord contains a #5 and a b9.
Refreshing, and well applied! On the lighter side of, it's great how Carlton uses terms such as "legitimate" and "appropriate" regarding notes chosen relevant to the Diminished Scale, but, I keep finding myself trying to use those two words during everyday moments. "Wait, it might not seem like it, but that parking space we just passed is 'legitimate' and 'appropriate' for this diminished sized car." The perfect resolve every time to life's very own "IV chord."
@61DaveO i dunno, its pretty complicated this diminished scale biz, but i just think of it a 'half step-whole step' scale, where the next note from the tonic is a half step up, then whole step, and so on. This is the one Larry uses in this example. So i look at it as two diminished scaled for Db. The other diminished scale you can call a 'whole step-half step' scale (whole step comes first), and it is used in a different context from larry's vid above.
@lsmith869 "A diminished scale ALWAYS STARTS WITH A WHOLE STEP." Absolutely right my friend! You can call this also a Db Octatonic. Which is again a "diminished" sound.
@cheeseerox It takes some work and stepping out of your comfort zone. The notes of the A dominant 7 are A C# E G I'll capitalize the chord tones spelling out the chscale. A diminished = A bflat c C# d# E f# G. FOr the record the notes of A minor are in there too. It's an unusual sound that takes practice to make it work and to accustom your ears to the sound.
Great video....I know Larry isn't a fan of Django Reinhardt but ironically Django used some very complex diminished phrases throughout his life. ..a LONG time before anyone else.
@lsmith869 yh maybe but in this case the diminished scale doesnt really matter which interval u start with. i play piano and guitar n like to spell stuff but i think more in terms of intervals than of the fretboard so for me i dont find it that important but it is useful to communicate ur ideas to others so i take ur point. i still dont think it matter where the dimished scale starts tho lol
@cryan5280 Music theory. Just do a search. There are 12 notes in music A thru G sharp. B and E have no sharps. A, A #, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G AND G#. If you want to name a note flat, it goes down a 1/2 step. A flat is the same as G#. D flat is = C#. I don't use "natural" or flats really in naming because I don't play jazz or read music off of paper. D natural just means D (no sharps or flats). 10th fret, E string. That's ALWAYS a D natural in my book.
Can anybody recommend any more artists who use this kind of style? I absolutely love this kind of music, it would be lovely to have some of this type of stuff on my ipod! Cheers for the lesson :D
One of the greatest of all time .......I'm sure it's just a slip of the tongue...diminished scales start with a whole tone ...so it's not a d flat diminished he is playing. I mean no disrespect ...he is one of my all time guitar heros.
I´m pretty sure it´s no a slip of the tongue. Most jazz/blues players refer to HT/WT as the diminished scale, but you are quite right here WT/HT will give you a diminished sound as well. This is why some players (e.g Robben Ford) also call the HT/WT double diminished.
Why pick the key of Db? A weird choice Larry! I don't know any guitar players who play in Db, only real jazzers who are playing in Db because the original version of the song was in Db, a key better suited for horn and piano players. I understand the lesson as I'm already familiar with the diminished scale, but for guitar players, G,A,B,C,D and E would have been much easier to follow. However, I do always get something out of your lessons, so, Thank You, you're playing changed my life! : )
Those guys know their shit. They just didn't share it like some players do who sit "discussing this crap." You think those guys just picked up a guitar and were Godly players from day one? For everyone who was wondering this riff he's vamping is "Burnable" which you can find him playing with Robben Ford on the Live in Tokyo CD along with a few other gems.
There's more to music than what comes naturally... Some people like thinking about this stuff, myself included. How do you think we got anywhere with our development of what "music" is today? Lots of thinking. If any average joe could pick up a guitar and be able to play to the extent of his ability just by holding a guitar in his hands long enough, more people would be amazing musicians. But that's just simply not the way it works.
@cheeseerox Okay...I will answer your question. Take a diminished scale...and HARMONIZE it in Thirds...your answer will lie in the results of your efforts...you will understand it much better if you do the work yourself instead of someone handing you a carrot versus teaching you how to plant a garden.
When I'm playing on a Hendrix tune using minor and blues scales what else can I use to take it out? Say like on Hey Joe or Voodoo Child besides the raising minor half step up or down. Thnks in advance
On a Db7 Chord I would play Melodic minor,and 1/2 W diminished together ,The notes of the Dorian b2 Shape would be there as well.I would use Lydian b7 and F harmonic minor with the Db 1/2 W diminished .F harm fits good with the Eb Aeolian b6 shape . Whole 1/2 Diminished works really well with the F Minor 7b5 scale and gives you most of the notes of F harmonic minor .You get many options of semitones to utilize and phrase with ,at that point you have to play with your ear ,not so much the pattern shape . Mike sterns Diminished lesson is very good as well .Jazz Everyone has quite a bit of 1/2 W DIM. wILLIE tHOMAS jAZZEVERYONE.COM.
Well, all that is impressive. Bu do you always think in scale complexities like that? I mean, I am sure Larry Carlton knows his stuff but what impresses me is the actual music that results.
bluewaterpig depends on who is defining it. I learned as the symmnetrical diminished scale. The scale is two diminished 7th chords, Dbdim.7 and Ddim7: Db, D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, B, Db.
I hope you mean "every" and not "any". If not, respectfully, you're wrong. And you choose notes based on the song, not the style. That keeps improvisation open. Don't get so locked into rules - it completely stifles creativity. Learn the "rules", then learn where and when going "outside" them sounds good.
God im gonna sound like such a scrub but where does everyone learn all the buisness about A B C and naturals and whatnot. I cant crack any of this and I want to learn these scales badly.
+musicmaan100 Maybe you should find a robe like his and it might make you play like him. I'm shopping right now. Just need to find that gorgeous guitar...
Only part of your advice is any good. Yes, your ear is the most important part of playing, especially in improvisation. But telling people that they should be ignorant of how music works is just silly. "If it sounds like shit don't play it again" is terrible, TERRIBLE advice. Maybe if you knew why it sounded like shit, you'd be able to place it within the music a bit better, rather than just tossing it away.
This lesson is more geared towards Jazz, this will not work for typical blues, in blues you want clichés. blue notes and the arpeggio's for dominant en minor but also 6th if the piece is written in major.
When I first heard Larry Carlton it was on Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark." I never heard anyone so turned on, so completely intelligent and musical. A most beautiful mind and artistry.
What a gentleman! A true master.Thanks Larry for sharing your gift.I feel like like
I am taking a lesson from my best friend who happens to be the best guitar player on the planet.
One baby step for Larry=one giant leap for all guitarists.
Ain't that the Truth !
You mean one half step, surely?
@@tomstrain2367- Ha! I see what you did there!👍🏽
can you imagine a more relaxed, kind and personal, yet at the same time tremendously informative style of teaching? because i sure as hell can't... this guy should be a role model to every kind of guitarteacher and -player out there.
This guy has been such an inspiration both musically and personally...
There's always something to learn from the Masters...!
Nice tutorial on how to use the diminished scale for its "obtuse" effect.
I'm sure Walter and Donald love it.
Sounds basically like raising your root 1/2 step so your temporarily soloing in D instead of Db. but the dim scale gives you some symmetry so you could almost just play that totally for a while and sound like you are the king of guitar. It's not unlike a magic trick because w/o knowing how, this stuff looks impossible but when it is explained, you go "I should have guessed!" Carlton is a king of guitar.
Love how players like Larry and Robben wreck my understanding of music with the DEMOLISHED scale
The demented scale
Disimbiguous scale! "Once you learn 5 yrs of perfect minor and major theory, throw it ALL out the window if u want to play like Larry or robben" 🤣
Robben's the first person in 47 yrs of playing & study who actually made the diminished scale make sense and applicable in many different playing and writing instances.
Just amazing the way he teaches, plus information that us really helpful. I bought his Improv DVD's and if you likes this clip, you should buy it too.
i'm a great admirer of larry carlton one of the greatest guitar player of all times, i also want to say that the diminish scale repeats every minor third so u can play the same licks (or different ones) in different places.
Why dint i find you before Mr.Carlton..you are one of the best guitar trainers I ever watched on youtube..God bless you
I once heard Jack Pearson say that he doesnt think of"weird" or accidental notes as wrong, but as an adventure in a new direction of his learning. Also that when he first got into exotic chords, they sounded wrong. But after playing them for a while, they now sound beautiful. I do agree that if you cut off directions of playing because at first they dont sound good, in the end you are going to be bored to death with what you have left.
Simplicity is it's own reward. 3 freakin' notes! Larry, you are a genius.
This is pure gold, and so generous of the great LC to share this, thanks v much
Larry, my name is Larry, and Ive been a off and on again Guitar Blues/Jazz long time learner, little bit of one and then another, and by accident I run across your approach to the Diminished Scale and the both, feel like ive finally come home in respects to the two loves..Trying to incorporate the both was like wearing a ball and chain...But i think not from now on, Thanks Larry for sharing..
love this man..he teaches.i remember as a kid i had a teacher with more than 1 phd in guitar trying to teach me this stuff.he was an asshole.he would make his explanations as difficult as possible.put me down as much as possible.he wouldn't even play examples like this guy.hed just write things out,trying to confuse me.i disagree with excop.i think those legends he mentioned would approve of L.C 100%He explains these concepts in a very simple way.god bless him.hes been through a lot
Some people study and get the theory but this in order to sound good you have to have it deeply in you ears, not just knowing where to put your fingers
Larry carlton is a master
That tone. ..❤
Great lesson. Good teacher!
@61DaveO Hi Dave. Yes - he is using the half/whole scale here - not a diminished scale. Half/whole is a good choice over a 13b9 V chord in a II-V-I. However, try a melodic minor half step above the V chord (or a wholetone scale off of the root) if the chord contains a #5 and a b9.
Mr Larry....Thank you kindly for this lesson !!! ......awesome !
Refreshing, and well applied! On the lighter side of, it's great how Carlton uses terms such as "legitimate" and "appropriate" regarding notes chosen relevant to the Diminished Scale, but, I keep finding myself trying to use those two words during everyday moments. "Wait, it might not seem like it, but that parking space we just passed is 'legitimate' and 'appropriate' for this diminished sized car." The perfect resolve every time to life's very own "IV chord."
"it's not appropriate to show your penis to everyone in the park on sunday" ahahha just an example
But on a Tuesday it's legitimate!?!?!?
The 4ths lick I believe is from the track 'Burnable'. I recommend checking out Larry and Robben Ford "Live In Tokyo" to hear this in action.
maccrazyg5 spot on ..
master of masters
@61DaveO
i dunno, its pretty complicated this diminished scale biz, but i just think of it a 'half step-whole step' scale, where the next note from the tonic is a half step up, then whole step, and so on. This is the one Larry uses in this example. So i look at it as two diminished scaled for Db. The other diminished scale you can call a 'whole step-half step' scale (whole step comes first), and it is used in a different context from larry's vid above.
Mr. 335!! Peace & Love!
@lsmith869 "A diminished scale ALWAYS STARTS WITH A WHOLE STEP." Absolutely right my friend! You can call this also a Db Octatonic. Which is again a "diminished" sound.
Thank you. You just helped me understand this better.
Learned more in 3 min than last 3 mos! Thanks Larry! 🤤
@cheeseerox It takes some work and stepping out of your comfort zone. The notes of the A dominant 7 are A C# E G I'll capitalize the chord tones spelling out the chscale. A diminished = A bflat c C# d# E f# G. FOr the record the notes of A minor are in there too. It's an unusual sound that takes practice to make it work and to accustom your ears to the sound.
Must be nice to be able to play any blues imaginable with such gorgeous tone.
Robert Schmitt
That dark groove works well
Wow that just cleared that up.ty CHEERS
Larry the master!
he's the man.
that guitar sounds amazing
great teacher! thanks!
Great video....I know Larry isn't a fan of Django Reinhardt but ironically Django used some very complex diminished phrases throughout his life. ..a LONG time before anyone else.
taildragger53 I’m curious how you know he isn’t a fan of Django?
A guitar God this guy
@lsmith869 yh maybe but in this case the diminished scale doesnt really matter which interval u start with. i play piano and guitar n like to spell stuff but i think more in terms of intervals than of the fretboard so for me i dont find it that important but it is useful to communicate ur ideas to others so i take ur point. i still dont think it matter where the dimished scale starts tho lol
Awesome examples. Where can I settings for your guitar sound?
grande Larry C.
thank you so much!
@ 1:16 that look pierced my soul.
@cryan5280 Music theory. Just do a search. There are 12 notes in music A thru G sharp. B and E have no sharps. A, A #, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G AND G#. If you want to name a note flat, it goes down a 1/2 step. A flat is the same as G#. D flat is = C#. I don't use "natural" or flats really in naming because I don't play jazz or read music off of paper. D natural just means D (no sharps or flats). 10th fret, E string. That's ALWAYS a D natural in my book.
Larry Carlton, wow, what can you say ? I'd be happy just to be able to play a decent cover of his Kid Charlemagne solo :)
what a tone. i have a 63 reissue. love to know what amp to pair it with. at the moment i have a mesa subway rocket but it's a little bit boxy....
Thank you!
Every time I watch or listen to Larry is an "ah-ha" moment.
Can anybody recommend any more artists who use this kind of style? I absolutely love this kind of music, it would be lovely to have some of this type of stuff on my ipod! Cheers for the lesson :D
Check out Robben Ford. My reply is probably 10 years overdue, but hopefully you're still around.
@SmithlerOfDaFunk also Robben Ford from his Jing Chi band albums and some Mike Stern.
One of the greatest of all time .......I'm sure it's just a slip of the tongue...diminished scales start with a whole tone ...so it's not a d flat diminished he is playing. I mean no disrespect ...he is one of my all time guitar heros.
I´m pretty sure it´s no a slip of the tongue. Most jazz/blues players refer to HT/WT as the diminished scale, but you are quite right here WT/HT will give you a diminished sound as well. This is why some players (e.g Robben Ford) also call the HT/WT double diminished.
is there gas in the car? Yes there's gas in the car......
+Daniel O. Klinedinst I think the people down the hall know who you are!
Listen to "Don't Take Me Alive" by Steely Dan. Awesome lead guitar by Larry.
Languid and bittersweet.
Why pick the key of Db? A weird choice Larry! I don't know any guitar players who play in Db, only real jazzers who are playing in Db because the original version of the song was in Db, a key better suited for horn and piano players. I understand the lesson as I'm already familiar with the diminished scale, but for guitar players, G,A,B,C,D and E would have been much easier to follow. However, I do always get something out of your lessons, so, Thank You, you're playing changed my life! : )
que bueno!!!
Those guys know their shit. They just didn't share it like some players do who sit "discussing this crap." You think those guys just picked up a guitar and were Godly players from day one? For everyone who was wondering this riff he's vamping is "Burnable" which you can find him playing with Robben Ford on the Live in Tokyo CD along with a few other gems.
i need to jam with this guy
Quality
Some guys spend a whole hour on a video in 3 minutes he explained it perfectly
There's more to music than what comes naturally... Some people like thinking about this stuff, myself included. How do you think we got anywhere with our development of what "music" is today? Lots of thinking. If any average joe could pick up a guitar and be able to play to the extent of his ability just by holding a guitar in his hands long enough, more people would be amazing musicians. But that's just simply not the way it works.
@JoeSzilagy Cheers!
Puts me on edge tbh but I kinda like it !
@cheeseerox Okay...I will answer your question. Take a diminished scale...and HARMONIZE it in Thirds...your answer will lie in the results of your efforts...you will understand it much better if you do the work yourself instead of someone handing you a carrot versus teaching you how to plant a garden.
When I'm playing on a Hendrix tune using minor and blues scales what else can I use to take it out? Say like on Hey Joe or Voodoo Child besides the raising minor half step up or down. Thnks in advance
it depends of each chord ,
Try phrygian dominant over the Dom7#9 chords.
very interesting
Amen to comment below.
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
On a Db7 Chord I would play Melodic minor,and 1/2 W diminished together ,The notes of the Dorian b2 Shape would be there as well.I would use Lydian b7 and F harmonic minor with the Db 1/2 W diminished .F harm fits good with the Eb Aeolian b6 shape . Whole 1/2 Diminished works really well with the F Minor 7b5 scale and gives you most of the notes of F harmonic minor .You get many options of semitones to utilize and phrase with ,at that point you have to play with your ear ,not so much the pattern shape . Mike sterns Diminished lesson is very good as well .Jazz Everyone has quite a bit of 1/2 W DIM. wILLIE tHOMAS jAZZEVERYONE.COM.
Shred Sixsixsix a
Well, all that is impressive. Bu do you always think in scale complexities like that? I mean, I am sure Larry Carlton knows his stuff but what impresses me is the actual music that results.
The scale sounds like Black Pearl from POTC!!
Sir you dont deserve that Gibson. You deserve a Custom hand made guitar made exactly for you by Gibson.
This scale has been around much longer than death metal :P
👌😊
The diminished scale doesn't sound good in ANY blues context. You must choose the appropriate notes depending on the style, don't you? Thanks
🌱🌸😃💛
I don't know if it's been said already, but Larry is incorrect, this is the DOMINANT DIMINISHED scale, not the diminished scale.
bluewaterpig depends on who is defining it. I learned as the symmnetrical diminished scale. The scale is two diminished 7th chords, Dbdim.7 and Ddim7: Db, D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, B, Db.
Hendirx also got to play with Buddy Guy...
@sramirezsoprano Thank you :)
wish i could fret the A string with my thumb...
I hope you mean "every" and not "any". If not, respectfully, you're wrong. And you choose notes based on the song, not the style. That keeps improvisation open. Don't get so locked into rules - it completely stifles creativity. Learn the "rules", then learn where and when going "outside" them sounds good.
Wonder if Hendrix worried about any of this..
diamondnight He might have known every proper name of everything, but he aurally understood the concepts.
@SmithlerOfDaFunk john scofield
clean this mess up,or we'll all end up in jail.
Those test tubes and the (diminished) scale.
Yeah, just get them all out of here!
Is there gas in the car? Yes, there's gas in the car?
I think the people down the hall know who you are ...
Careful what you carry
D flat demented scale
God im gonna sound like such a scrub but where does everyone learn all the buisness about A B C and naturals and whatnot. I cant crack any of this and I want to learn these scales badly.
i see the last comment was 10 year ago...dam im outta date boy...
Those test tubes and the scale....just get it all outta here... Man that was 40 plus years ago.....I think........
Terrible video quality for a Truefire video though.
I will never understand diminished scale or diminished anything for that matter. not in my dna
MrVisionofafrica are you off Western Avenue is it we can't find it over here on Fletcher Avenue
Take your playing outside.
I heard that alot as a kid.
But the root is always a root! LOL
looks like he's wearing a robe
musicmaan100: What an irrelevant comment! You get a lesson from a jazz great and all you can say is "looks like he's wearing a robe".
+musicmaan100 .......a sign of majesty.
+musicmaan100 Maybe you should find a robe like his and it might make you play like him. I'm shopping right now. Just need to find that gorgeous guitar...
@lsmith869 it makes absolutely zero fuckin difference it jsut affects the sound u want
Cool but ya can't beat the mindless pentatonic for blues - think don't think.
Dave Simmons yeah, because your uninformed pentatonic noodling sounds better than Larry Carlton or Robben Ford.
Hendrix wasn't all that, sorry.
some of you clowns are trying to correct the MASTER???
Get a grip!!!!
Only part of your advice is any good. Yes, your ear is the most important part of playing, especially in improvisation. But telling people that they should be ignorant of how music works is just silly.
"If it sounds like shit don't play it again" is terrible, TERRIBLE advice. Maybe if you knew why it sounded like shit, you'd be able to place it within the music a bit better, rather than just tossing it away.
This lesson is more geared towards Jazz, this will not work for typical blues, in blues you want clichés. blue notes and the arpeggio's for dominant en minor but also 6th if the piece is written in major.