As a novice guitar player (5 years of noodling and not getting very far), I'm really enjoying this series. I'm learning a lot of the reasons WHY things are the way they are in music and with the layout of the instrument. It's helping me connect the dots.
You are absolutely right. I have also been learning for last 5 years and standing nowhere..!! But Respected Sir Scotty West have opened and widened my understanding & playing Guitar..!!!
This series is absolute gold. I'm just over four years into my DIY guitar journey but had the fortune of being introduced to Intervals fairly early on, which opened up an entire world, and made by 14 months prior seem like I was at a pre-school level. And to think, so many people go through that phase for years! It didn't take me long to realise that the typical way of learning (here are some open chords and a strumming pattern) wasn't exactly the best way to learn and wondered why basic theory wasn't be introduced from day 1... better a week spent understanding music and one's instrument, which will save you years down the road. As we say in project management: if you fail to plan, plan to fail. No wonder so many guitarists quit within the first year - it's the blind leading the blind. Thank you so much for uploading this fantastic series, Scotty. I'm a decent intermediate player by now but I will take in every single lesson 1 by 1, and definitely pick up the handbook.
Scotty's and absolute legend for making this amazing content for free. It has been a long time dream for me to finally understand the guitar after so many years of suffering. Bought the book also. Thank you Mr. West!
@@dharmendrathacker165yeah, he hasn't been good at linking to his website in every video, even though the intro mentions it. Google "Scotty West Absolutely Understand Guitar" and it will probably show some of these videos and his site, where you can find information about the book which accompanies the video series.
I've been playing for 17 years off and on. I am REALLY good at learning songs quickly from guitar tabs, but no clue how this instrument actually works theory-wise. I've already made some major leaps in my knowledge pool just from the first 3 videos. A lot of things I never understood finally make sense. I'm excited to continue the series. When I tell you major dots have already been connected, I mean it. I had the playing experience and technical aspects covered already. I probably had 200+ songs stored in my noodle from the last 17 years from every genre you can think of lol. Why did it take my so long to get interested in theory?? Really wish i had done this years ago
Ohhhhhh Voooooowww Sir..!!! So thorough a knowledge about the very basic concepts of everything about Guitar is so thoroughly explained by you that it's directly and thoroughly stored into my Heart. You have got a very pleasing way of tuting..!!! I don't know how should I thank you but I pray 🙏🙏🙏 to my Lord Swaminarayan for your All Good 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
When you play the A Form up the neck, the notes are not rearranged. They are merely in a higher octave. The reason there are 5 Forms is one for each string the root note (not contained in the bar) of the Form is found on (low E, A, D, G and B).. In the A Form, the root note is always found on the G string. In the E Form, the root note is always found on the D string. You can rearrange the notes, called voicing, but that uses a different form and is beyond the scope of this lesson.
Watched on 08/15/24. Bar is hard ngl, 1st string always sounding bad. Another problem I'm currently having is my pinky usually doesn't touch only 1 string, so whenever I'm doing the chromatic scale exercise without releasing the fingers is that the string below my pinky gets "muffled". But I keep trying, it has been only 4 days since the start. Amazing content!
Most problem ive had with the open chords until now was that it was hard to change from one to the other but with practice ive finally got there. Even with something like F chord and minor B chord im able to put my finger in place and play them. But them you have something like B chord that, for now, i cant even put my fingers in place and play the chord. I can try starting with the bar but then i cant put the other fingers in the right frets and chords because they wont reach them or i can try starting with the other fingers but then i wont be able to make the bar. i know with a lot of practice ill be able to pull it of someday but for now it seems impossible lol
Scotty I'm 4 lessons in and have been "playing" guitar for 15 years and I have to ask. Where were you 15 years ago!? I'm buying the booklet now thank you for this! ❤
There seems to be a minor error at 46:30 th-cam.com/video/HVhiXEo3F1w/w-d-xo.html "Here's an E major in the D form" - at that point we'd moved onto the C form, right?
It says to mute the 5th string (A). Yes, if is a odd fish. That and the E form seem to be there for consistency, but playing it like that over 6 strings is not generally one of the preferred shapes. Let's take a look at the chord of Dmaj7 across the neck. Most are shown in his chart (D shape) xx0222 (C shape) x54222 (A shape) x57675 (G shape) x57779 or xx7779 to have A in the bass and play easier (E shape) 10, 12, 11, 11, 10, 10 or (F shape) 10, x, 12, 11, 10, 9 use thumb over neck for bass. Note that playing the G shape as Amaj7 is X02224 You can see that for maj7 chords, the G shape is generally modified to accommodate easier fingering. I hope this helped.
@LiamWakefield I have a question. The C shape for the Minor chords. Say I want to move it up a fret and make it a C# minor chord. How would I actually play that? I can't seem to get the fingering quite right. Nor do I know how to play it correctly.
@@edwuncleriii3798 it certainly is possible, just not very comfortable. The nicest way to play C#m near there would be x46654 Using the Am shape with a barre on 5 strings, or if the previous chord is higher up the neck 9,11,11,9,9,9 Using the Em shape with a barre on 6 strings. The 1st string is optional is the Am and 1st+2nd optional in the Em shapes depending on the way you want to shape the tonality. That still leaves a 1,3&5 in the chord with only repeating the octave. To use the Cm shape that low down the neck x4212x Fingers 4,2,1 then 3 If you really like that voicing, it's easier to practice starting at least 5th position (1st finger on 5th fret). Or x421xx For only the 1,3,5 triad. Indeed, this shape is useful when arpeggiating chords x42124 Again, I hope this is useful.
My only problem with the guy is the guitar placement. Like he tells you to hold it like a classical guitarist and then starts playing from his right leg in this video. He should have been a bit more open to guitar positioning instead of saying people that play with their right leg don’t know what they are doing. The rest however is absolutely perfect. He explains theory better than anyone I’ve seen.
The chord (eerie one), I use in my songs, and I believe is used in pale shelter by tears for fears. Also, I tried to figure out what the name of the chord would be and I am finding it difficult - could you help me
Do you mean the chord when he took an E-shape E major and moved it up one fret without a barre? I would call that an "F major 7th sharp 11th over E" or "Fmaj7#11/E", which means that it's an F major, but includes the major 7th [E], and includes the sharp 11th [B], *and* the E (or one of them) is lower than the F (since the chord is usually named after the lowest note). If you want to call it an E chord, it would be "E suspended 4th flat 6 flat 9" or "Esus b6 b9", because the lowest note is an E, the major third [G#] that should have been there got suspended and replaced with the perfect fourth [A], there's also a flat 6th in there [C], and a flat 9th [F].
The F shape isnt a unique shape, its the E shape turned into a barre chord. I assume you play your E with your index, middle and ring fingers, try using your middle, ring and pinky instead, then rest your pointer finger on top if your guitar's nut. It's the same as the F shape.
Both Beatrix Kovacs and Tatyana Ryzhkova have excellent videos on Barre chords. They're both classical guitarists and if you can play them on that wide neck, and electric or acoustic will be easy. Also make sure that you have had your guitar correctly set up to optimise playability while still having clear notes.
Just gotta stick it out and keep trying, for me it felt like it would never happen but I was patient and persistent and they are pretty damn good and consistent after a couple months. Imagine how much better they'll get if I keep on goin.
14:29 for a bookmark 23:38 'Begging the question' is also known as circular reasoning, and is a logical fallacy, not a part of speech though current misuse is normalizing it as such. You meant to say 'it raises the question'.
As a novice guitar player (5 years of noodling and not getting very far), I'm really enjoying this series. I'm learning a lot of the reasons WHY things are the way they are in music and with the layout of the instrument. It's helping me connect the dots.
I want to tell you just these 4 lessons I have learned more with your lessons that I have out of others I have used or seen thank you
You are absolutely right. I have also been learning for last 5 years and standing nowhere..!! But Respected Sir Scotty West have opened and widened my understanding & playing Guitar..!!!
Sweet jesus. I'm buying that book. This is extremely helpful. 7 months in this journey and I've learned more in 4 hours than in those 7 months.
This series is absolute gold. I'm just over four years into my DIY guitar journey but had the fortune of being introduced to Intervals fairly early on, which opened up an entire world, and made by 14 months prior seem like I was at a pre-school level. And to think, so many people go through that phase for years! It didn't take me long to realise that the typical way of learning (here are some open chords and a strumming pattern) wasn't exactly the best way to learn and wondered why basic theory wasn't be introduced from day 1... better a week spent understanding music and one's instrument, which will save you years down the road. As we say in project management: if you fail to plan, plan to fail. No wonder so many guitarists quit within the first year - it's the blind leading the blind. Thank you so much for uploading this fantastic series, Scotty. I'm a decent intermediate player by now but I will take in every single lesson 1 by 1, and definitely pick up the handbook.
Now you'll learn those Father John Misty songs a hell of a lot easier too!
Scotty's and absolute legend for making this amazing content for free. It has been a long time dream for me to finally understand the guitar after so many years of suffering. Bought the book also. Thank you Mr. West!
Which book, Gentleman ? Please tell me.
@@dharmendrathacker165yeah, he hasn't been good at linking to his website in every video, even though the intro mentions it.
Google "Scotty West Absolutely Understand Guitar" and it will probably show some of these videos and his site, where you can find information about the book which accompanies the video series.
I've been playing for 17 years off and on. I am REALLY good at learning songs quickly from guitar tabs, but no clue how this instrument actually works theory-wise. I've already made some major leaps in my knowledge pool just from the first 3 videos. A lot of things I never understood finally make sense. I'm excited to continue the series.
When I tell you major dots have already been connected, I mean it. I had the playing experience and technical aspects covered already. I probably had 200+ songs stored in my noodle from the last 17 years from every genre you can think of lol. Why did it take my so long to get interested in theory?? Really wish i had done this years ago
That sweater is pretty epic
The turtleneck underneath completes the sweater.
Drip then, drip now.
@kdubatx1: I just realized there are bears on that sweater, which is sartorial greatness.
this guy is the GOAT man
🐐
im real grateful for this series tbh ive been lost.
Absolutely amazing, I had no idea about the different forms of shape can play the same chord, essentially. Fascinating.
Thank you. Bought the book. Great videos. Thank you making it free.
Is the book a PDF file?
Which book, please..!?
@user-hi9ke7co3e yes, it is available through his website as a download.
Watching this on 2x speed cuz the teaching style tho Genius, is very old but all those Informations are reresented so damn good
This comment is gonna save me so much time in the future. 1.5 is solid for me.
9:26 This entire section just re-arranged my brain. I never realized this!
Great lessons. And the Christmas sweater is 🔥
Interesting to hear someone explain this without using the fairly recent practice of calling it CAGED
I had to watch this lesson 4 times to begin to grasp the content. Whew!
Ohhhhhh Voooooowww Sir..!!! So thorough a knowledge about the very basic concepts of everything about Guitar is so thoroughly explained by you that it's directly and thoroughly stored into my Heart. You have got a very pleasing way of tuting..!!!
I don't know how should I thank you but I pray 🙏🙏🙏 to my Lord Swaminarayan for your All Good 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
When you play the A Form up the neck, the notes are not rearranged. They are merely in a higher octave.
The reason there are 5 Forms is one for each string the root note (not contained in the bar) of the Form is found on (low E, A, D, G and B)..
In the A Form, the root note is always found on the G string.
In the E Form, the root note is always found on the D string.
You can rearrange the notes, called voicing, but that uses a different form and is beyond the scope of this lesson.
Thank you Scotty!
Watched on 08/15/24. Bar is hard ngl, 1st string always sounding bad. Another problem I'm currently having is my pinky usually doesn't touch only 1 string, so whenever I'm doing the chromatic scale exercise without releasing the fingers is that the string below my pinky gets "muffled". But I keep trying, it has been only 4 days since the start. Amazing content!
Most problem ive had with the open chords until now was that it was hard to change from one to the other but with practice ive finally got there. Even with something like F chord and minor B chord im able to put my finger in place and play them.
But them you have something like B chord that, for now, i cant even put my fingers in place and play the chord. I can try starting with the bar but then i cant put the other fingers in the right frets and chords because they wont reach them or i can try starting with the other fingers but then i wont be able to make the bar.
i know with a lot of practice ill be able to pull it of someday but for now it seems impossible lol
Scotty I'm 4 lessons in and have been "playing" guitar for 15 years and I have to ask. Where were you 15 years ago!? I'm buying the booklet now thank you for this! ❤
Is this the CAGED system? Because this is making me understand this better than a lot of more recent material that overcomplicate stuff
There seems to be a minor error at 46:30 th-cam.com/video/HVhiXEo3F1w/w-d-xo.html
"Here's an E major in the D form" - at that point we'd moved onto the C form, right?
I wish my fingers could spread like his. I just can't open up to play all these (types) Bar Chords.
It's really the caged system in easy mode right?
is the G MAJ 7 form wrong in the book? it says to mute the 2nd string
It says to mute the 5th string (A).
Yes, if is a odd fish. That and the E form seem to be there for consistency, but playing it like that over 6 strings is not generally one of the preferred shapes.
Let's take a look at the chord of Dmaj7 across the neck.
Most are shown in his chart
(D shape) xx0222
(C shape) x54222
(A shape) x57675
(G shape) x57779 or xx7779 to have A in the bass and play easier
(E shape) 10, 12, 11, 11, 10, 10 or
(F shape) 10, x, 12, 11, 10, 9 use thumb over neck for bass.
Note that playing the G shape as Amaj7 is
X02224
You can see that for maj7 chords, the G shape is generally modified to accommodate easier fingering.
I hope this helped.
@LiamWakefield I have a question.
The C shape for the Minor chords. Say I want to move it up a fret and make it a C# minor chord. How would I actually play that? I can't seem to get the fingering quite right. Nor do I know how to play it correctly.
@@edwuncleriii3798 it certainly is possible, just not very comfortable. The nicest way to play C#m near there would be
x46654
Using the Am shape with a barre on 5 strings, or if the previous chord is higher up the neck
9,11,11,9,9,9
Using the Em shape with a barre on 6 strings.
The 1st string is optional is the Am and 1st+2nd optional in the Em shapes depending on the way you want to shape the tonality.
That still leaves a 1,3&5 in the chord with only repeating the octave.
To use the Cm shape that low down the neck
x4212x
Fingers 4,2,1 then 3
If you really like that voicing, it's easier to practice starting at least 5th position (1st finger on 5th fret).
Or
x421xx
For only the 1,3,5 triad.
Indeed, this shape is useful when arpeggiating chords
x42124
Again, I hope this is useful.
Where can I get a physical copy of all the material?
They sell it on their website. Just google absolutely understand guitar
series is great and all but asking absolute beginners to play an f major is devious
My only problem with the guy is the guitar placement. Like he tells you to hold it like a classical guitarist and then starts playing from his right leg in this video. He should have been a bit more open to guitar positioning instead of saying people that play with their right leg don’t know what they are doing. The rest however is absolutely perfect. He explains theory better than anyone I’ve seen.
Noticed the same thing haha. I wonder why he does it
He's trying to build good habits straight from the start.
The chord (eerie one), I use in my songs, and I believe is used in pale shelter by tears for fears.
Also, I tried to figure out what the name of the chord would be and I am finding it difficult - could you help me
Do you mean the chord when he took an E-shape E major and moved it up one fret without a barre? I would call that an "F major 7th sharp 11th over E" or "Fmaj7#11/E", which means that it's an F major, but includes the major 7th [E], and includes the sharp 11th [B], *and* the E (or one of them) is lower than the F (since the chord is usually named after the lowest note).
If you want to call it an E chord, it would be "E suspended 4th flat 6 flat 9" or "Esus b6 b9", because the lowest note is an E, the major third [G#] that should have been there got suspended and replaced with the perfect fourth [A], there's also a flat 6th in there [C], and a flat 9th [F].
Why wouldn't the F shape included?
Because it's an E shape but on a first fret? He talks about it at 25-30 minutes.
@@sergey.pashaev Got it. Thanks.
The F shape isnt a unique shape, its the E shape turned into a barre chord. I assume you play your E with your index, middle and ring fingers, try using your middle, ring and pinky instead, then rest your pointer finger on top if your guitar's nut. It's the same as the F shape.
[01:03:37] Fin
[02:01] Start
[12:52] 5 chord shapes for major chords. 5 ways to play any chord.
[37:13] the A form
[48:36] Minor chords
so how the fuck do you play a barre chord
hours and hours of practice
It will be easier higher up the neck, since the frets are smaller. Maybe start there? or just focus more on the index finger keep it strong
Both Beatrix Kovacs and Tatyana Ryzhkova have excellent videos on Barre chords. They're both classical guitarists and if you can play them on that wide neck, and electric or acoustic will be easy. Also make sure that you have had your guitar correctly set up to optimise playability while still having clear notes.
Just gotta stick it out and keep trying, for me it felt like it would never happen but I was patient and persistent and they are pretty damn good and consistent after a couple months. Imagine how much better they'll get if I keep on goin.
36:23 simpsons
14:29 for a bookmark
23:38 'Begging the question' is also known as circular reasoning, and is a logical fallacy, not a part of speech though current misuse is normalizing it as such. You meant to say 'it raises the question'.