Young guitarists should understand that the purpose of learning elementary theory is to develop approaches like the one illustrated here. Theory isn't a bunch of rules of what to say and what not to say. Theory is the grammar of music.
+whatshendrix I have been playing for 33 years, understand all the complex theory, but still come back to the basics. With out concepts like this video--learning how to not resolve so fast--a person can make more interesting music. Those that want to hang around the tonic, 3rd, and 5th produce boring, predictable music. So, in reality, there is a lot to be learned [remembered] for senior players, too.
Joe is one of the few shredders that can make a cool chord progression, place an intriguing melody over it, and can make an exciting/emotional arrangement of it all. And is kind enough and secure enough to reveal how.
Wow, this is one of the most useful, musical lessons I've ever seen from a famous guitar player. This is SOOO much better than, "Well, you just kinda--[shreds for 5 minutes]--you know, like that." Nice job, Joe. Thank you!
Exactly what my jazz guitar improvisation teacher told me once: avoid resting on the root or fifth while soloing as they give a resolving sound to the phrase.
You could also try something very basic like beginning and ending the melody on the root, counterbalancing steps and leaps, and circling around the fifth note of the scale. These are very basic features of writing a melody or even improvising. What joe is teaching is another way to write a melody which is called tension-resolution.
+SwedishGuitarNerd love the comment. Vai had a dream come true in Seville Spain. He debuted one of the first tunes he had written that night. His teacher, Joe, played one part, and his first influence, Brian May, played another. Onstage with his idol and friend/teacher. Look up the Liberty vid on youtube.
i love the way he teaches, not just showing licks and tricks but teaching you techniques for how to play well your own way. it's refreshing and wayyy more useful!
I met Joe 6 yrs ago walking the street in NYC. He was a very cool chill dude and we spoke for a few moments. I wasn't creating music then. If I met him now I'd like to think I'd have the guts to share with him some of my musical creations:-)
+Bodyknowledge 77 Joe is a normal guy just like any one else, he puts his pants on the same as you or I do, but he happens to be a real good guitarist and has capitalized on it.
+Bodyknowledge 77 Met Satch about ten yrs. back at one of the GP3 tours. Had a V.I.P. hookup so sat front and center (and I do mean front like 10ft.awy at most) and got a meet n greet after the show. Yngvie was the 3rd guitarist that yr. and did not bother to come out after the show. No surprise. Vai was a pleasant guy, and was very kind to a man and his little daughter, Signed her cardboard cutout "Strat" and took off the good sized chain necklace he was wearing that night and put it on her as a gift. she was about 5yrs. old and very happy. Anyway when I met Joe we had a really nice conversation and most of it dealt with a mutual love of melody. He was a really easy to talk to kinda of guy. Very unassuming, and just plain cool person. He is a favorite of mine and it is nice to know that he is not just a first class player, but man as well. (The people on the crew all had nothing but good things to say about him also)
this 6:33 cured my depression. i wish i can share you my before and after result of this video. its life changing for me. i hv always been a more technical player. more focused on techniques and theories. but to be honest. no matter how i study arpeggios and intervals . it wasn't getting there. it was like walking blindfolded. always looking for phrases .always landed on the right notes. it sounded ok. but not what i wanted. but after this lesson when i combined my fretboard knowledge and stuffs.and when i closed my eyes suddenly i knew where to go and what to next . even in chord changes . thank you joe. thanks a lot. this is treasure tips for me. I started listening to you more with a different admiration for u. btw his album is sick. ❤️❤️
Spectacular lesson, it is rare that a lesson is about a practical idea, lessons often talk about "geometrical shapes" and nothing more, 99% of all the lessons... Thank you, Joe!
I watched this video maybe like 10 months ago or something back when I was starting my guitar journey. Didn't understand a thing lmao. Didn't know any music theory at the time so I was completely lost. It feels good now coming back here after learning a lot of stuff and actually understanding everything he's saying and being able to implement it. It's a good feeling :)
I met Joe once too, at a guitar show in Dallas. He was being escorted through the building on his way out, and I stopped him just long enough to shake his hand and tell him "thanks for all of the beautiful music". Even though he was obviously on his way out, he did stop to look me in the eye, shake my hand, and say "thank you" back to me. He is a class act.
Wow, if you're like me who's been listening to Satch music for so many years, this is like dissecting the Master's brain revealing the Genius behind those masterpieces.
Joe has always been my favorite and most inspirational teacher since my earliest days of guitar magazine. Devour this stuff and thrive. thank you so much Joe for sharing your knowledge.
So if you play the right notes in the wrong way, or the wrong notes in the right way then awesome music is afoot. I've played music my whole life, and this seems to be the mantra for amazing music. A good friend of mine who has played around the world once told me "the best notes I have ever played are the ones I didn't mean to play".
That's a really great and simple way to craft a melody. Keep the melody static and change it by changing the chord relationships underneath it. Joe's got all sorts of good ideas!!!
Extremely useful. I figured out that you can create amazing solos by simply playing the suspended notes as long as you play at least one triad note of the 1st degree diatonic chord , over each chord in the progression of any chosen major key.
Amazing lesson, these are some brilliant ideas. This might not work for everyone, but I might also recommend imagining someone singing a melody. No words necessary, just imagine someone singing a random melody over some chords, or whatever idea you have in your head. Chances are, when you think of something good and transfer it to your guitar, it won't have that many notes, which is good. It sounds more vocal this way, since people can't sing as many notes in a certain time frame as you can play on a guitar, piano, etc. Less is often more with melodic lines, and it can be more memorable this way.
always loved Joe's music since I recorded 'mystical potato head groove thing' from the Tommy Vance Friday rock show on a cassette in about 1985. Good days....
Finally a video that I understand from Joe. Awesome guitar player, been a fan of his since Flying in a Blue was released. Sometimes he loses me when explaining stuff, especially Modes. Still I strive to write a melody/song as half as melodic and interesting as him.
"You're not telling the side story of the melody" if my guitar instructor had told me that 3 years ago i would have just stared at him like he was high xD
You don’t need to be jealous, watch all of his videos. And, make application or apply it to what you know, as always learning, always progressive makes it more fun and interesting. Keep it going. Because, you wanna rock.
saw him Saturday at cliffs pavilion southend uk well close up proper happy great performance one in a million joe satriani shockwave supernova tour 👌👌👌
Wonderful. Or you could just be Tommy Emmanuel. And that's no slight to Joe Satriani - A Truly wonderful composer that I am so happy to have his compositions to play.. Thanks Joe. Your compositions are complex enough that I cannot replay them at will so when I listen to your tunes (anti ear worm tunes) is is almost like I hear them for the first time. So appreciative of that.
Joe is so good at keeping his tunes listenable and enjoyable ........... on the other hand , Allen Holdsworth does this same approach but never resolves and it seems to never get to the end of a statement and eventually puts me to sleep zzzzzzzz Joe is one sweet player .
Please bear with me on this comment. He is saying that starting in the sus tones, 2, 4 and 6 and it sounds awesome. So, I was improvising in C Lydian, and chasing notes (going with the flow) I started landing in D myxolydian, which is the 2nd position of C Lydian. Maybe it sounded good to me because I was in some way landing most of my notes in those sus tones. Hence, maybe this can also be applied with playing the modes so playing the 2nd, 4th and 6th positions will do the same effect.
Haha amazing practical Advice! Learnt more in this video than so much out there. Misleading title shredding with the alien - that’s just click bait and to get readers. It’s more than that
So true, and exactly why I'm confused why people stick with pentatonic scales. It is so limiting on its own. It's only a foundation. You need so much more to add suspense and color
The pentatonic scales are great at any level of guitar playing, masters like Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, basically used exclusively the pentatonic scale, and they all sound unique. There are some passing notes that have great effect if incorporated but the scale as it is, is not limiting at all.
I'm saying when you only stick with pentatonic scales, you limit yourself. It is possible to play a great solo, but you can get so many great colors if you learn scales like the blues scale, harmonic minor, melodic minor, diminished, augmented, chromatic (if you want to count it), and every mode. Also, I've never really loved Zakk Wylde. Not bad, but he's no Randy Rhoads.
And why they are expressive and colourful is exactly because he is not sticking to the pentatonics only. He's said himself he doesn't play using this scale as a basis.
So an arpeggio or so for a melody and then some improv scaling(harmony) to help brighten and fill in for the intervals in the rhythm. I okay by ear by the way but i know a lil bit of theory.
. always think in intervals. if you know you intervals of a certain arpeggio, your fretboard up and down it will be fine. use minor pentatonic to use it as map rather than treating it as a scale. now if u know all of your "A" s. all minor pentatonic shapes and basic arppegio intervals. u will literally float. but avoid playing those arppegio "Home" notes in end of an phrase if you want to continue. and when u want to resolve just play those hone notes. use slides. using same notes rhythmically,or ghost notes to put more feel to it. and keep things more interesting.
Young guitarists should understand that the purpose of learning elementary theory is to develop approaches like the one illustrated here. Theory isn't a bunch of rules of what to say and what not to say. Theory is the grammar of music.
+whatshendrix well said.
+whatshendrix Yes. And even if you're into atonal music, it still helps to know the rules before you break them.
+SisterHammer It helps especially then.
+whatshendrix I have been playing for 33 years, understand all the complex theory, but still come back to the basics. With out concepts like this video--learning how to not resolve so fast--a person can make more interesting music. Those that want to hang around the tonic, 3rd, and 5th produce boring, predictable music. So, in reality, there is a lot to be learned [remembered] for senior players, too.
+whatshendrix Thanks, Dad.
Joe is one of the few shredders that can make a cool chord progression, place an intriguing melody over it, and can make an exciting/emotional arrangement of it all. And is kind enough and secure enough to reveal how.
Wow, this is one of the most useful, musical lessons I've ever seen from a famous guitar player. This is SOOO much better than, "Well, you just kinda--[shreds for 5 minutes]--you know, like that." Nice job, Joe. Thank you!
Exactly!
Amen brother!!
That’s because it’s Joe.
"like that" I think I know who you have in mind lol
Exactly what my jazz guitar improvisation teacher told me once: avoid resting on the root or fifth while soloing as they give a resolving sound to the phrase.
+J Smith Right ... however in the blues it's about a continuing resolving sound. Not better not worse but a 'sound' of a genre ...
Joseph Lucido I didn't know that, thanks man. Something new to learn every day!
You could also try something very basic like beginning and ending the melody on the root, counterbalancing steps and leaps, and circling around the fifth note of the scale. These are very basic features of writing a melody or even improvising. What joe is teaching is another way to write a melody which is called tension-resolution.
+Joseph Lucido definitely is. that's why I love it so much.
Yeah. only resolve on minor seconds
What a great lesson! Aren't we all jealous at Vai and Hammett that had him as a teacher?
+SwedishGuitarNerd love the comment. Vai had a dream come true in Seville Spain. He debuted one of the first tunes he had written that night. His teacher, Joe, played one part, and his first influence, Brian May, played another. Onstage with his idol and friend/teacher. Look up the Liberty vid on youtube.
Yeah that show was unbelievable! I have watched it many times :)
+SwedishGuitarNerd Nah...not really. It is really rudimentary and designed for people with limited creativity.
+SwedishGuitarNerd If you have basic understanding of music theory and seriously tried to improvise, you should know this lesson.
It's clearly aimed at people who are just starting out. Then this is a great thing to teach!
i love the way he teaches, not just showing licks and tricks but teaching you techniques for how to play well your own way. it's refreshing and wayyy more useful!
He is a monster, and yet so humble. How not to have great admiration for this guy? He is a real MUSIC teacher! Great tips!
The learning never ends...I'm 60 and still at it, thanks Joe
Joe speaks.. I learn... works every time
I met Joe 6 yrs ago walking the street in NYC. He was a very cool chill dude and we spoke for a few moments. I wasn't creating music then. If I met him now I'd like to think I'd have the guts to share with him some of my musical creations:-)
Haha awesome man!
+Bodyknowledge 77 Joe is a normal guy just like any one else, he puts his pants on the same as you or I do, but he happens to be a real good guitarist and has capitalized on it.
+Bodyknowledge 77 Met Satch about ten yrs. back at one of the GP3 tours. Had a V.I.P. hookup so sat front and center (and I do mean front like 10ft.awy at most) and got a meet n greet after the show. Yngvie was the 3rd guitarist that yr. and did not bother to come out after the show. No surprise. Vai was a pleasant guy, and was very kind to a man and his little daughter, Signed her cardboard cutout "Strat" and took off the good sized chain necklace he was wearing that night and put it on her as a gift. she was about 5yrs. old and very happy. Anyway when I met Joe we had a really nice conversation and most of it dealt with a mutual love of melody. He was a really easy to talk to kinda of guy. Very unassuming, and just plain cool person. He is a favorite of mine and it is nice to know that he is not just a first class player, but man as well. (The people on the crew all had nothing but good things to say about him also)
+Jyme Bale Yeah, but he wears leather pants, so....there's that.
+Human Bein' This is not the first time I seen this story. You told it before? Was it you? It was the one with the chain and a ring right?
Joe cool at it again. He’s light years ahead of most rockers people hear. Legend
this 6:33 cured my depression. i wish i can share you my before and after result of this video.
its life changing for me. i hv always been a more technical player. more focused on techniques and theories. but to be honest. no matter how i study arpeggios and intervals . it wasn't getting there. it was like walking blindfolded. always looking for phrases .always landed on the right notes. it sounded ok. but not what i wanted.
but after this lesson when i combined my fretboard knowledge and stuffs.and when i closed my eyes suddenly i knew where to go and what to next . even in chord changes . thank you joe. thanks a lot. this is treasure tips for me.
I started listening to you more with a different admiration for u.
btw his album is sick. ❤️❤️
Just did the same for me , after all these years
I'm glad Joe is sharing his knowledge, thank you very much!
Spectacular lesson, it is rare that a lesson is about a practical idea, lessons often talk about "geometrical shapes" and nothing more, 99% of all the lessons...
Thank you, Joe!
I watched this video maybe like 10 months ago or something back when I was starting my guitar journey. Didn't understand a thing lmao. Didn't know any music theory at the time so I was completely lost. It feels good now coming back here after learning a lot of stuff and actually understanding everything he's saying and being able to implement it. It's a good feeling :)
Yeah same, I feel like its starting to click.
Joe's whole approach to music is musical, a great teacher!
his melodies are amazing such a great composer
I met Joe once too, at a guitar show in Dallas. He was being escorted through the building on his way out, and I stopped him just long enough to shake his hand and tell him "thanks for all of the beautiful music". Even though he was obviously on his way out, he did stop to look me in the eye, shake my hand, and say "thank you" back to me. He is a class act.
Wow, if you're like me who's been listening to Satch music for so many years, this is like dissecting the Master's brain revealing the Genius behind those masterpieces.
Joe has always been my favorite and most inspirational teacher since my earliest days of guitar magazine. Devour this stuff and thrive. thank you so much Joe for sharing your knowledge.
So if you play the right notes in the wrong way, or the wrong notes in the right way then awesome music is afoot. I've played music my whole life, and this seems to be the mantra for amazing music. A good friend of mine who has played around the world once told me "the best notes I have ever played are the ones I didn't mean to play".
that last line
he never ages wtf
Ben Tyreman because he's an alien
Alien?
Ben Tyreman it's the glasses
ilya1357 hes not an alien but he surfs with them
Gods dont age..
That's a really great and simple way to craft a melody. Keep the melody static and change it by changing the chord relationships underneath it. Joe's got all sorts of good ideas!!!
yup exactly but he taught us that with a more simpler version i guess
This was the same lesson he gave when he did a meet n' greet in NYC.
Such a simple thing yet it is a slap in the face to a guitarist like me.
"This just belong Here." Great words from the master himself.
Saw Joe way back in 1988 in LA. Surfing with the alien!
So nice to hear from you warms my heart thank you. Joe....
Joe's such a legend. Super helpful, I actually understood what he was talking about.
No joke I just watched a good 30 videos on phrasing and this made the most sense. Very simple. I can build off this.
His latest album "Shockwave Supernova" is really nice. Was very pleased with it!
I agree, I think it's one of his best
what is the song in the intro i forgot it
Some good tips, Joe, thanks....Joe is a class act...
always grateful to joe for providing a life time of inspiration. congrats on the new gig and thanks for sharing your knowledge all these years!
Heavy
Extremely useful. I figured out that you can create amazing solos by simply playing the suspended notes as long as you play at least one triad note of the 1st degree diatonic chord , over each chord in the progression of any chosen major key.
Amazing lesson, these are some brilliant ideas. This might not work for everyone, but I might also recommend imagining someone singing a melody. No words necessary, just imagine someone singing a random melody over some chords, or whatever idea you have in your head. Chances are, when you think of something good and transfer it to your guitar, it won't have that many notes, which is good. It sounds more vocal this way, since people can't sing as many notes in a certain time frame as you can play on a guitar, piano, etc. Less is often more with melodic lines, and it can be more memorable this way.
What a lesson!! Forever indebted to the Maestro! Thank you Joe!
always loved Joe's music since I recorded 'mystical potato head groove thing' from the Tommy Vance Friday rock show on a cassette in about 1985. Good days....
Finally a video that I understand from Joe. Awesome guitar player, been a fan of his since Flying in a Blue was released. Sometimes he loses me when explaining stuff, especially Modes. Still I strive to write a melody/song as half as melodic and interesting as him.
I really needed this reminder of the basics!
"You're not telling the side story of the melody" if my guitar instructor had told me that 3 years ago i would have just stared at him like he was high xD
Learning some theories and listening to classical music will help you build your melodies effectively.
It must be real bright in that studio.
Love ya, Frank
His knowledge of music is truly amazing
Mr. Satriani is a guitar technician genius. The game is perfect. Valuable material.
That's the beauty of music..the music sucks you in and as Joe says..you need resolution..never really thought of it that way..best explanation ever.
I am listen to all Satch albums since i was a teenager and his songs has a beautiful and strange melody all the time.
Thank u so much Joe Sir your this video helped me a lot to understand how to give Melody in a solo and 🙏🙏🙏 sir keep your blessings with us
Since I don't know music theory, I've no idea what he's saying; but I always appreciate whatever Joe plays.
+KrisFrosz133 learn about scale degrees and u'll know.
You don’t need to be jealous, watch all of his videos. And, make application or apply it to what you know, as always learning, always progressive makes it more fun and interesting. Keep it going. Because, you wanna rock.
This teacher must be from another high level. To easy to follow, but still too Tall to walk with Him. Really human and friendly.
That guitar looks like candy.
Lol
It’s eye candy
a bit more expensive than candy though (:
And sounds like a great one too.
He makes me glad we live in the age of the Internet. Insights that might take a long time to come by imparted in a few short moments.
Thanks Joe for taking the time and sharing, !!!!!!!
the master in action, full of wisdom
Telling a story. Love it!
saw him Saturday at cliffs pavilion southend uk well close up proper happy great performance one in a million joe satriani shockwave supernova tour 👌👌👌
Wonderful. Or you could just be Tommy Emmanuel. And that's no slight to Joe Satriani - A Truly wonderful composer that I am so happy to have his compositions to play.. Thanks Joe. Your compositions are complex enough that I cannot replay them at will so when I listen to your tunes (anti ear worm tunes) is is almost like I hear them for the first time. So appreciative of that.
this helps a lot, im trying to write a song rn and haven’t really figured out the notes yet
Loved it keep up the good work my friend I play every night 😎
He can make just two notes sound so good ! :o
Awesome lesson and thanks for sharing your tips 👍 💚
This is very useful. This guy is amazing
when joe plays at 5:10 ; it makes me think of the soundtrack of "dead man" by neil young ; nice melody...
Can someone tell me what song is being played in the opening title of this video from 00:00 to 00:10 ?
Excellent tips, Joe....good lesson
Any one know what that tiny switch is for? Behind the tone knob.
Sustaniac switch man. Keeps the note ringing
Did the camera operator leave for lunch?
Thanks Joe for sharing your knowledge!
what an awesome teacher.. how cool.
Superb tip. Thank you!
Joe is so good at keeping his tunes listenable and enjoyable ........... on the other hand ,
Allen Holdsworth does this same approach but never resolves and it seems to never get to
the end of a statement and eventually puts me to sleep zzzzzzzz
Joe is one sweet player .
One man's meat is another man's poison
Super simple tip, but definitely effective. Nice
Joe Satriani is the best story teller on guitar than any other player!!!
very interesting, and not something i would immediately think of doing. cheers Joe
Please bear with me on this comment. He is saying that starting in the sus tones, 2, 4 and 6 and it sounds awesome. So, I was improvising in C Lydian, and chasing notes (going with the flow) I started landing in D myxolydian, which is the 2nd position of C Lydian. Maybe it sounded good to me because I was in some way landing most of my notes in those sus tones. Hence, maybe this can also be applied with playing the modes so playing the 2nd, 4th and 6th positions will do the same effect.
Wow! That was very enlightening Mr.Satch. Thanks so much.
Haha amazing practical
Advice! Learnt more in this video than so much out there. Misleading title shredding with the alien - that’s just click bait and to get readers. It’s more than that
Genius. Put that simply it makes perfect sense
If you know your theory this is a really great lesson from Joe.
Hi..!
Sir JOE I'm a biggest fan of yours,
I like ur made of tears,
love from India.🇮🇳
I notice he played all the notes down stroke. Did he play it that way to make the notes ring out more?
So true, and exactly why I'm confused why people stick with pentatonic scales. It is so limiting on its own. It's only a foundation. You need so much more to add suspense and color
The pentatonic scales are great at any level of guitar playing, masters like Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, basically used exclusively the pentatonic scale, and they all sound unique. There are some passing notes that have great effect if incorporated but the scale as it is, is not limiting at all.
I'm saying when you only stick with pentatonic scales, you limit yourself. It is possible to play a great solo, but you can get so many great colors if you learn scales like the blues scale, harmonic minor, melodic minor, diminished, augmented, chromatic (if you want to count it), and every mode. Also, I've never really loved Zakk Wylde. Not bad, but he's no Randy Rhoads.
Check out john mayer's solos and tell me if his pentatonics arent expressive and if the lack colour
And why they are expressive and colourful is exactly because he is not sticking to the pentatonics only. He's said himself he doesn't play using this scale as a basis.
awesome lesson
He taught Alex Skolnick from Testament as well. Joe is a true living legend.
This guy is a fucking genius. Well, he is Joe Satriani
This video blew my mind.
So an arpeggio or so for a melody and then some improv scaling(harmony) to help brighten and fill in for the intervals in the rhythm. I okay by ear by the way but i know a lil bit of theory.
. always think in intervals. if you know you intervals of a certain arpeggio, your fretboard up and down it will be fine. use minor pentatonic to use it as map rather than treating it as a scale.
now if u know all of your "A" s. all minor pentatonic shapes and basic arppegio intervals. u will literally float.
but avoid playing those arppegio "Home" notes in end of an phrase if you want to continue. and when u want to resolve just play those hone notes. use slides. using same notes rhythmically,or ghost notes to put more feel to it. and keep things more interesting.
@@RahulDas-zy6ut Good advice. Yes your key signature's pentatonic and arpeggios is a road map. I like that.
awesome as usual.
Hello Joe. I hope if you can show more technique on acoustic guitar. i 'm sure you would. Regards
Satch a great mentor..
a total master his mind is one step ahead of itself if thats even possible...
Great lesson 👍 thank you Joe
I don't understand the terms he's using here. What's a good video to define the terms and start on theory basics to gain that understanding?
Just type in youtube "Intervals" and you'll find something helpful.
Hunter MacDermot"s channel has a 5 or 6 part intro to music theory for guitar series that I found extremely helpful
I always write the melodies first. Then lay out the chords after the melody. Makes the melody way more free to go in its own direction :)
are your songs any good?
I guess that's not for me to decide. But, in my opinion: yes. They could probably be better, as with everything else.
Love you Sir!!!
this is such a good lesson
This is compositional thinking.. This thought process isn't limited to guitar playing but lyricism as well. Me like..
Amazing lesson
Ok. Now I understand why my solo's are so short :). And Joe's have endless if he want's that.
what does he mean when he says "if you go to a 2 or a 6"?
Thanks master Satch.
Beautiful guitar!