For those of us from the LP/AM Radio era, we're all nodding and thinking "Ya, that's how I figured it out... only took ___ years! " Your directions will shortcut the process for a lot of new guitarists. Well done!
It's exactly what I still do. Well now I can just hear the note and can tell where song starts . But there are some songs where both minor and major will fit but ine sounds awsome and one just fits
Man this is absolutely amazing. Love your videos. I played a few chords in high school but started playing & learning more when I turned 40. Been at it six years & finally playing some lead. This video helped me tremendously. Thank you.
I still don't know much theory, but I used to play along to the music with my guitar as well. Plus, when I started there were no tabs so I learned by ear. I've always ran my finger up the E string until I found the right key, and just played pentatonic. Thanks to you and other people on TH-cam I've learned a lot more. So thank you so much Mark for your hard work!
Yes, that's *exactly* what I did. I was forced to take guitar lessons when I was young, but knew nothing beyond how to read music and how to play the songs I read. Playing rock was totally different for me. And yes, no tabs. We were lucky about that IMHO, because tabs can easily become a very bad habit if abused! Sounds like we were in the same boat learning!
@@MarkZabel Yeah, a lot of tab books were horribly wrong. I don't know if you watch Mike from Art of Guitar. He's got a bunch of videos of him going through old tab books to show you how wrong they are. He even plays the ridiculous songs that are tabbed out. It's hilarious! Rock on my brother!❤🤘😝🤘
When I was in high school, I learned the fact of life that some people are just more talented. My group of friends were Zep fanatics (I still am). I remember picking up guitar and was so proud when I figured out the riff to How Many More Times. In the meantime, my buddy had spent a week with his SG and a record player in his room and learned all of Zep I, including odd tunings (Black Mountainside). Maybe he was just more advanced than me but I was blown away. To this day I have trouble transposing what I hear to the guitar. Thanks for your help, Mark! I really enjoy your videos - very practical and straightforward!
@@immortalsun -- Don't rely on tabs or sheet music. Train your ear and you'll be able to figure out a *lot*. Tabs/sheet music is helpful for more complex songs, but a huge % of music uses 3-6 chords throughout a song. Simple once you know how they work together.
I'm leery of saying people are "talented" or not, because that puts it out of one's control, like it was "given" (or not given!) to them. I think it's about effort and interest, which go hand in hand and feed back on one another. Example: I've never been a good visual artist, because I never did much of it. At one point I took a drawing course and got significantly better...because I practiced. Afterwards I didn't continue, because I'm not that interested in it. (I absolutely appreciate it, but don't gravitate towards *doing* it.) On the other hand, music has always fascinated me, and I play with it all the time, including getting degrees in it, which took years of concentrated study. I wouldn't call my current level of ability (which I consider pretty solid) to be "talent" as much as years of practice. Am also a Zep fanatic!!
@@seejayjames Thanks for your comments. 1. Talent. Sure, some people pick up on things more quickly. It usually shows a connection to earlier work, as you point out. As a teacher/learner, nothing positive comes out of talking about how talented people are compared to yourself. Earnest, joyful practice wins. 2. Tab. The scourge of my existence. Love/hate as a teacher. Fact 1: 99/100 guitarists don't want to learn to read and will go elsewhere if you force them. Fact 2: Sometimes you need to tell someone what to do in a way they'll remember - give them a recipe. Enter tab. Fact 3: It's easy for late-beginners to get hooked on tab and "need it". Fact 4: Learning from tab isn't "sticky" and produces little skill improvement. I try to use tab sparingly. Love/hate. Again, thanks for your comments!
This is how i learn how to find the chord of the solo. First time it might take some time to get use to. But after a while you will definitely find it so easy. It not only help develop ear but it also help to memorize all chord on every strings
Your videos are addicting. I like that they're not overly complicated or too long. Best of all, we're able to apply what you teach instantly. You have reached the masses, so thank you!
Okay, you’re my new guitar teacher. Thank you for that great explanation. I’ve actually been playing for quite a few years, but this was one of the most comprehensive explanations for new…and old guitar players. Subscribed!
Something I've been playing with lately is putting my clip on guitar tuner onto the speaker of what I'm listening to and watching what notes appear, it seems to work, just gives you ideas.
oh he'll yeah, I've picked this tip up from my buddies very recently as well. we'll be improvising and I'm like what chords are those? he legit will look down at his tuner pedal and rattle off some notes for me. such a good cheat code
It took me a long time developing an ear when I was first learning but I stuck with it and eventually I could hear when things worked or not. Even though I haven't picked up my guitar for over 6 years now, I still could tell when you found the right key to the backing track. Maybe one day, I'll find the motivation to start playing again even if it's just for myself.
Yes Chris!! I'm well into my 50's and played in the 80's . Life happened and we went our separate ways. Recently had a career ending injury and bought some new equipment and started back into it. I lost my wife shortly after my accident. ( I fell 25ft off utility pole onto a boulder). Almost killed me. More recently I lost my mother, just 2 weeks ago. This instrument has been a saving grace. I'm playing 5 - 6 hrs a day. Sometimes 2am , sometimes during day. Often times just playing it. Anything, is all I have to do. Do yourself a favor. Pick it back up ! PEACE from Philadelphia.
@@johnmcaleese8459 Aye, who knows? My story is similar to yours, first started playing in the late 80's, life happened and people went their seperate ways. Worked in several unfulfilling jobs that I couldn't stick at until I found work I actually enjoyed doing. Never married though. Lost my younger brother 7 years ago and just over a month ago lost my father, so I find myself at 48 on my own. With my father dying, I will have a bit more time on my hands around work as I'd looked after him in his final years. Might pick it up again soon and maybe get a wee band together to play in pubs, just for fun really. Cheers from Northern Ireland.
@@Chris-lz1fs Oh very similar. I'm looking after my father now. He's moving into my sister's house in April and selling this house. I'll have to bury some feelings I have for my sister's husband to go see him. He and I have had a few words as my sister wears the pants and he tried impressing her saying some shit to me. Didn't go over to well even though I held my tongue. It won't be held next time. I also lost my only brother 20 some years ago to drugs. He was a good man and highly educated just couldn't shake that monkey. I still miss him. I'm sure we always will. My grandparents from Dad's side are from Ireland and I'm proud of it !!! You take care and it's nice sharing with you. Peace.
I've been playing for decades. And STILL don't know how to read music. All by ear. My method to figuring out chords on songs is to follow the bass in the song on my 6th E string. From there, I bar different chords until I get the right sounding chord. And from that, I get my solo guitar pattern. Works for most songs. This is a great way to hone your ears to what keys are playing even on songs you've heard for the first time.
I've been learning using TH-cam tutorials and whatnot for like 3 months now, and this has to be one of the best and most useful things I've learnt yet! Thank you so much!
Really nice job man! Coming from a professional musician and professional audio engineer for 30 years in Hollywood and Las Vegas, I really like the way that you talk TO YOUR VIEWERS as opposed to talking AT YOUR VIEWERS! Also, ROCK SOLID ADVICE too brother. I bounced around a few of your posts and I REALLY LOVE YOUR CHANNEL! Great work and continued success my friend! God bless and take care...
Little thought at the end is as big as the whole lesson. "Found it out" on my own years ago. You're the best Mr. Z. Z may be last... but you're first Mr. Z. Thanks for what you do for others!
When I started soloing after learning the basic scales major and minor my friend played rhythm and sang and a lot of songs I didn’t know so I would follow by ear not knowing what the recorded solo sounded like some I did but not all , well it was good for timing and knowing when to and not to play and develop my own style . Pros and cons . With every approach. I’m still hacking away 44 years later . Plus I played along with mtv many hours I wish I knew your approach then because I hunted and pecked and wasted a lot of time cheers mate !
If your teacher hasn't already taught them to you... find a new teacher! If you can memorize the pentatonic scale in every position on the neck (and, by extension, the minor scale) you're going to improve your playing tenfold. The "no theory" label in this video is deceptive; you're learning theory, only fragmented. Figuring the entire scale by ear is possible, and it's what Mark suggests at the end of his video. But you reach the same goal faster by just looking up "how to play pentatonic scale all positions" on TH-cam and grinding it out.
ive only been playing for 7months and have been so confused about why and how i have been youtubing these pentatonic box patterns and now you changed my life haha. I get it now. you sir are a great teacher. Cheers
Really cool idea, I’ll admit I was skeptical at 1st, but great demonstration. I appreciate you explaining how you got to the key of C and utilized one of the Pentatonic patterns. Definitely going into my tool box.
Glad you enjoyed it!! The LP I'm using was/is quite affordable. Not a Deluxe, but a 1970s Tribute I bought maybe 12 years ago. You'll notice it doesn't have the binding. It's a workhorse guitar, so exactly what I wanted.
First of all thanks for the video. I’m a 56 yr old beginner and your video open my eyes to soloing. I’ve progressed in playing according to my instructor. I feel it as well but this can make it so much better. You gave me more motivation to practice to improve thanks again for sharing.
@Edward Bandy You're welcome Edward. I'm glad you enjoyed it! This is about *you* trying things out and developing your own ears and musical sense. Theory, technique/phrasing, rhythm and repertoire are also important. BUT most important is that you have fun playing - by yourself and/or sharing with others. Then you'll keep playing, improve, and enjoy life more. Keep rockin'!
To me, playing a guitar & being pitch perfect is a strange magical science.... i just love the bizzare open chords & odd shapes that Geordie Walker comes up with.
Man this has really helped me, I've been struggling to play lead and write solos for my band. I've been mainly using octaves for simple solos, so I must say thank you for sharing this information. Can't wait to start writing actual solos 🤘
Hi Mark, l just loved your instructions to how to instantly solo to any song, never thought about using the higher strings 1st-that's a great tip!!!! Also l enjoyed reading the comments from others, l believe that hard work and patience is a part of leaning guitar or any instrument, l do believe that some people are born with talent and it's a little easier for them etc-last thing l don't think tabs are necessarily bad, and of course if you can play by hear and write out whay you hear is great! I know a guy that can write out what hears on a cd Exactly as it was recorded and he can read music too. Thanks and again enjoyed the instructions, and reading the comments.
i was born with zero talent- still have zero talent but can play. according to a stranger at a party, for over an hour, she thought my playing was the radio- so I guess that I have progressed. taking lessons with a good teacher made a big difference. learning little things, then building on them is very important. learning all 5 shapes of the mPentatonic scale is essential- very easy to do if someone shows you how to do it. learn some theory- the musical alphabet, scales, chord construction, etc. Videos are fine but they are all over the place so you never really learn one thing well.
i had the guitar for a really long time, i never played too well because i didn't imagine exactly how it would look like even tho i trained a lot, after watching this i feel like i have made a breakthrough and found myself jamming to some backtracks with no effort... man thank you
Maybe it’s because we are of a similar vintage Mark, but I found your soloing explanation engaging and insightful. 👏 👏 👏 I have been playing in bands for 40 years, but I wish that I had followed your example and worked at my ear training a bit more back in the day. It’s harder to ‘unlearn’ theory and be more intuitive I find. These tips are helpful so many thanks.
Thank you David! I know what you mean about "unlearning theory". I went through the opposite phase a bit later when I unlearned pentatonic soloing and hammer-ons and pull-offs and all the Jimmy Page tricks. I'm not sure when it dawned on me that it's all good - that anything musical is worth trying to incorporate into your play. And the biggest part for me was relaxing and trying to just have fun again. Thanks for watching and for the kind comment!
@@MarkZabel -- So interesting the different approaches. I'm a keyboardist primarily and have extensive theory background. Been playing more guitar recently and using some pentatonic scale ideas for riffs. I knew pentatonics backwards and forwards theory-wise, and use them a lot on keys, but on guitar they really open up a lot...and transposing is a snap, unlike on keys. BUT...it's easy to get stuck in "technique ruts" because certain ones are so easy. They're great to get a cool sound quickly, but can be hard to move past!
I was watching some non music video and I spotted on the right side of the screen your video "on how to instantly solo to any song" and decided to check it out. Now I have watched in the past other videos proclaiming how to solo over any track. Needles to say they were not for me as some had one first playing the song melody by ear before one could even start. Anyway I assumed that your video would be just another one of those. Well I was surprised as your video is the best on this and no one is even close to yours. Your system actually works and my ear is good enough to know when notes are off key and I knew as soon as you hit the C scale that was it. And sure it will not work for some of the complicated jazz songs or even some songs that are tuned a 1/4 of a step down or higher. Anyway my lucky day on seeing your amazing well explained video. Thanks for posting it
Thanks so much! It's something that I did extensively when I was younger. One gets better and better at it, using all sorts of licks/scales and often correctly guessing the key correctly the first time. So glad it was helpful to you. You're right about complex songs, which I acknowledge in the video. For an amazing number of songs though it works quite well!
very easy to understand . i have been playing for over 40 years and i cannot read or write music. i have learnt everything by ear!! to me its much easier than learning theory
Thanks. Theory isn't bad, but people often go overboard with it. It's best to do both - learn by theory and ear. Makes theory much more powerful and vice versa.
This can work for Blues based songs and R&B and some classic rock - but Playing Minor AND major Pentatonics opens up much more possibilities. Also extending these scales linearly on the fret board, Once you are playing a number of other Genres of music though, a more thorough understanding of scales and Modes, as well as what note / intervals are contained in the Harmony will pay off. Good basic begginers tutorial, as you said - to get folks started. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Matthew! The idea here isn't dependent on using a phrase from minor or major pentatonic. It's all about using your ear rather than theory or tab or chord sheets to find things that sound good. One could easily use a major scale lick and (indirectly) learn all about modes too. But I wanted to stay theory-free for this one. Appreciate the comments brother!!
@@MarkZabel I hear you, a very good point. Being systematic , moving up by a fret at a time to "listen" for the notes to work is very useful to train the ear, after such familiarization many players will be amazed at how soon they will be able to recognize exactly what fret or key to go to in time. Ear training is a never ending process - after 40 years I m still amazed by folks who can name extended chords or complex chords just by hearing them. I still remember hours spent "dropping" the needle on a record for a section of a song, to figure it out - I arrived at the same technique -higher ? Lower in pitch? what string? Like amazing little mysteries of sound. Thanks for the reply.
It's interesting, this is exactly how I figure out what key to solo in, but even after years of playing I can't make something sound decent. Learning the boxes and finding the key feels to me like about 10% of the battle, figuring out something that actually sounds good put together is the other 90%. Obviously many guitar players learn this, but it has eluded me and I've never found a tutorial on it that says anything other than "keep playing and eventually it will come"
Hey Ed. I would say you have it right that learning the boxes is 10% *at most*. Without knowing your history or hearing you play, I would suggest you isolate two things: Timing and tone. (I don't mean using a metronome or buying equipment.) Here's the best way to do it. Get yourself a one-chord vamp backing track and force yourself to practice one-note solos for a while. You're only allowed to play one note, but you can play it as often as you like and in whatever octave you want and with whatever effect you want. The only way to make the one-note solo interesting is to either vary the rhythm (play on first beat, second beat, syncopated, with the drummer, etc.) or vary the effect (play with different dynamics, slide to the note, bend to it, add vibrato, etc.) This stops you from thinking about anything but what you're playing - just musical ideas, no scales, chords, arpeggios, licks, or other theory. Go to a 2 notes or 3 notes once you can do the one-note solo. The other best thing you can do is listen critically to a piece of music. Maybe a B.B. King solo. Listen 15 times in a row until you can sing the solo. Maybe buy the backing track to it. Sing the solo instead of trying to play it. Our ability to sing is often natural and picks up the rhythm nuances that we struggle with on guitar. But the ability to recall ideas is HUGE. Do this often. Many people say, "Oh I listen to music all the time, so it's not a problem", but then they can't hum the piece they say they know. Don't listen while driving or doing the dishes ... well, *do* that, sure, but that's just for fun, not study. Here's another video of mine which is similar in that it shows you something simple so you can forget theory and just try to immerse yourself in the music. It's not magic. But it *does* take trying to come up with ideas and trying to execute them well. th-cam.com/video/t3xpTcL75kM/w-d-xo.html You *will* get better and it should not take years. Best of luck!
@@MarkZabel freaking wow. I think from the video and this reply you have just taught me the 2 most amazingly useful guitar technique skills that I've learned in years! That's a subscribe straight-up!
It is because almost guitar players don't play the scales properly. From there you need to know your modes Aeolian, Dorian (makes the solo sound happy, scary, sad, etc)etc etc then learn the chords that go over that and then the notes to solo over triads etc then your solo becomes finally melodic. You have to read music and know ALL the notes on the guitar fretboard.
It is a four legged stool: Ear training, Music Theory, scales and being able to read music. Unless you have perfect pitch, you have to do the work. Each skill strengths the other. I found, what helps a great deal is going slow and learning a song completely. After a couple of months and songs, you internalize the structure in the songs and music. Then when you learn music theory, you basically see the DNA. What helps with ear training is learning a few Open tunings, start with Open G, then either Open E or D. The open tunings help you help the pure sound and by adding the partial C in open G you hear the fourth, then you can play around with sus2 & sus4 and hear that. To hear minor vs major and seventh & major seventh, best to do it on piano.
Agreed mostly. Even with perfect pitch, you don't automatically know how the notes/chords in a scale work relatively to each other, so there's plenty of work to still do! IMO good relative pitch is more important than perfect pitch. I think we remember songs in their original keys (how we've heard them, especially ones we've heard a lot)...just "play it" in your head and you'll at least be close to the right key. All that said....the key of a song really doesn't matter. It's all relative. Ideally you can play any song in any key. In practice this can range from easy to difficult, especially across instruments.
The first position you used for the phrase actually works fine and doesn't sound bad at all because it was all C minor. The C minor scale contains G minor pentatonic.
It works okay and you should feel free to use it. It's missing *the* key note in Cm - Eb, which is why it's not as strong as Cm Pentatonic. But absolutely you can use it and *should* use it if it sounds good to you. The "answer" doesn't matter, it's the process of listening with intent and developing your ears.
Amazing how our musical lives paralleled growing up, Mark! I formed our high school rock band with two others and was reluctantly assigned the task of figuring out the guitar and bass parts (and eventually the second guitar part for an added rhythm guitarist/keyboard player. This is basically the same method I developed on my own through necessity (not so much the keyboard parts) and it works well!! Jim C.
*LIVE STREAM Sunday, April 24 at 12:00 pm EST* Get the Backing Tracks for this Lesson Rockstar Membership: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/p/mark-z-guitar-members-rockstar Bar Band Membership: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/p/member-level2-bar-band Open Mic Membership: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/p/member-level1-open-mic Some FREE TABs here: tinyurl.com/ybpzjuwm
Okay, as a teacher, engineer, producer and someone with a fancy degree from a music school, I can say that the title is in fact correct. You can play a solo by knowing where to start on a pentatonic scale and whether you want it to sound bluesy or more diatonic (country) by starting in different positions. This is the old 2 fret thing that some old guitar teacher tried to show you. HOWEVER, (and I am not trying to steal anyone's thunder here-this is a good concept) a better way is to learn how to scale chords. This means learning how to play a major scale using chords. EX. C,Dm,Em,F,G,Am,Bdim using barred and open chords. This is what makes the difference between a decent guitar solo and a great one. This is what David Gilmour and many others used in all of their iconic solos. If you learn how to chord a major scale in whatever key you figure out the song is in , then you know all the starting and landing points to make it convey far better to a non-musical person- Who is the populace that most consumes music. Great video, otherwise. Just remember that no one musician-even Mozart had one simple trick. It takes practice and a willingness to see it through. Some folks get the concept faster than others. You're still going to learn a lot either way by practicing and getting familiar with theory. You don't have to know it all, but a little makes you really stand out from the next guy who's using the "One simple trick" idea.
Thanks for your commentary. The idea here is to get students to play, improvise and be more intrepid in coming up with ideas. It doesn't purport to be the "be all and end all" of everything guitar. I take the approach that music, especially popular and folk music, is language and speaking comes before grammar. Grammar is important, but only for people who can think of things to say or write in the first place. In the good old days, we all started with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Lightly Row" and learned melody in a simple way along with reading and the notes of the fretboard. When theory came knocking we were ready for it. Many people today start as adults who have never listened to musicals let alone classical music. Scale chords or the harmonized major scale is a great concept that loses many people. For those of us who are mathematically inclined or science inclined it's easy. But for many it's difficult. Not impossible, but it takes time. I don't try to cover everything in a TH-cam video, but yes, it's very valuable. Thanks again for your commentary.
Thank you for showing me that I have learned so much with this video and I appreciate what you've done for the rest of us keep doing a good videos love to watch more love to listen and love to play thank you
What a great tip for people like myself. I've always wondered why I'm out of tune when I try to solo. Now I know. It's about finding the correct key and staying within the Pentatonic Box of notes.
Wow !!! This is the BEST lesson on guitar soloing that I have ever seen. Love the fact that it uses ear training to help you connect to the instrument. Wish that I had learned this years ago !!! Great job !
Mark, Aven when your teaching or showing things I already know I STILL learn something. This is the second time I've stumbled onto this particular clip and I still watched it. Reaffirmation is learning, I think. Thanks, Brother, for all you do.
@@MarkZabel: It does, Sir. Other than being shown the seven major chords and their minors and the blues scale back in the early Seventies, I'm completely self-taught. Many engrained bad habits that will never be unlearned but maybe some are fixable. LOL! (peace).
What I've found is that can you use the pentatonic scales over whichever chords are CURRENTLY being played. For example.. if the chord progression is A C D ... use the A pentatonic scale to solo while A chord is being played, then immediately slide into C when C is being played..etc.
There's a smoother and quicker way to do this, rather than guessing during the playing of the song. You can slide up to the note in a single move until you find the key the song is in. That ons simple move and it sounds like you did it on purpose.
Makes sense! Especially if you have some experience already. For beginners, I found it a bit irritating that you call out one should know the notes of the (low) E string but then suggest the melody to start on the high e (of course same notes….but for a beginner, might be confusing) as well as calling out the note (eg try A#) but then you begin 4 frets higher (I understand because you start where the penta pattern ends). Just pointing out…still a great video. For me pattern 3 lowest 3 strings of the penta always works well to explore as you have a nice 3x2 box. Still, while everything you say is true it can still be very frustrating to try and figure out by ear…(modes, modal interchange, different tunings…), but yeah pop radio music generally works
From someone who has been playing guitar or playing WITH a guitar for yrs yeah you cant go wrong with the Pentatonic box cuz you can move that box where ever you want on the fret board.. Key of G..move the box from G to C to D or Vice Versa and play around with it it gets your fingers moving to different frets for the anchor on the box.. Or just follow the BOX with one string.. I think..hahaha 💋💋
I sometimes slide down the E string until I find the note that fits and compliments what’s playing and stop quickly at that point. Then I’m spot on to start jamming.
Thank you so much this really helped me I played rhythm all my life and always wondered and wanted to improvise a little and never quite got it right so I stopped trying this theory you showed definitely is going to help so thank you
Your Video just filled a Gap in my understanding of the Pentatonic Scale and how to use it to solo. There is a lot that make much more sense now :) Thank you very much!
A friend has been trying to teach me this for a couple of years ......... but via theory. Thanks for the super quick guide. I'm going to give it a try!
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For those of us from the LP/AM Radio era, we're all nodding and thinking "Ya, that's how I figured it out... only took ___ years! " Your directions will shortcut the process for a lot of new guitarists. Well done!
Thanks!
Fun years though!
lol I did it with a single snare drum, stomping for the kick, and hitting different parts of the rim for cymbal action
I have hearing problems now, so I can't do it anymore.
It's exactly what I still do. Well now I can just hear the note and can tell where song starts . But there are some songs where both minor and major will fit but ine sounds awsome and one just fits
This is one of the best straight forward tips for beginners I've come across on youtube.
Thank you!!
It really is
@@patientmental875 Love your name !!
No bullshit Cut to the chase...you are one of the few genuine teachers...keep doing what you're doing...
Thanks!!
Man this is absolutely amazing. Love your videos. I played a few chords in high school but started playing & learning more when I turned 40. Been at it six years & finally playing some lead. This video helped me tremendously. Thank you.
Glad you like them!
I still don't know much theory, but I used to play along to the music with my guitar as well. Plus, when I started there were no tabs so I learned by ear. I've always ran my finger up the E string until I found the right key, and just played pentatonic. Thanks to you and other people on TH-cam I've learned a lot more. So thank you so much Mark for your hard work!
Yes, that's *exactly* what I did. I was forced to take guitar lessons when I was young, but knew nothing beyond how to read music and how to play the songs I read. Playing rock was totally different for me. And yes, no tabs. We were lucky about that IMHO, because tabs can easily become a very bad habit if abused!
Sounds like we were in the same boat learning!
@@MarkZabel Yeah, a lot of tab books were horribly wrong. I don't know if you watch Mike from Art of Guitar. He's got a bunch of videos of him going through old tab books to show you how wrong they are. He even plays the ridiculous songs that are tabbed out. It's hilarious! Rock on my brother!❤🤘😝🤘
I’m stuck in this same box and I am not old. Thanks for the tips!
theory isn't hard and it helps.
Tabs have been around since the 1400s. How old are you?!
When I was in high school, I learned the fact of life that some people are just more talented. My group of friends were Zep fanatics (I still am). I remember picking up guitar and was so proud when I figured out the riff to How Many More Times. In the meantime, my buddy had spent a week with his SG and a record player in his room and learned all of Zep I, including odd tunings (Black Mountainside). Maybe he was just more advanced than me but I was blown away. To this day I have trouble transposing what I hear to the guitar. Thanks for your help, Mark! I really enjoy your videos - very practical and straightforward!
Glad to help. Thanks for watching!
Started when there were no TABs? Wow.
@@immortalsun -- Don't rely on tabs or sheet music. Train your ear and you'll be able to figure out a *lot*.
Tabs/sheet music is helpful for more complex songs, but a huge % of music uses 3-6 chords throughout a song. Simple once you know how they work together.
I'm leery of saying people are "talented" or not, because that puts it out of one's control, like it was "given" (or not given!) to them. I think it's about effort and interest, which go hand in hand and feed back on one another.
Example: I've never been a good visual artist, because I never did much of it. At one point I took a drawing course and got significantly better...because I practiced. Afterwards I didn't continue, because I'm not that interested in it. (I absolutely appreciate it, but don't gravitate towards *doing* it.) On the other hand, music has always fascinated me, and I play with it all the time, including getting degrees in it, which took years of concentrated study. I wouldn't call my current level of ability (which I consider pretty solid) to be "talent" as much as years of practice.
Am also a Zep fanatic!!
@@seejayjames Thanks for your comments.
1. Talent. Sure, some people pick up on things more quickly. It usually shows a connection to earlier work, as you point out. As a teacher/learner, nothing positive comes out of talking about how talented people are compared to yourself. Earnest, joyful practice wins.
2. Tab. The scourge of my existence. Love/hate as a teacher. Fact 1: 99/100 guitarists don't want to learn to read and will go elsewhere if you force them. Fact 2: Sometimes you need to tell someone what to do in a way they'll remember - give them a recipe. Enter tab. Fact 3: It's easy for late-beginners to get hooked on tab and "need it". Fact 4: Learning from tab isn't "sticky" and produces little skill improvement.
I try to use tab sparingly. Love/hate.
Again, thanks for your comments!
This is how i learn how to find the chord of the solo. First time it might take some time to get use to. But after a while you will definitely find it so easy. It not only help develop ear but it also help to memorize all chord on every strings
Your videos are addicting. I like that they're not overly complicated or too long. Best of all, we're able to apply what you teach instantly. You have reached the masses, so thank you!
Glad you like them!
Wow. I’ve never heard ANYONE provide a soloing technique like this. I can’t wait to try it!
Awesome! Have fun!
This technique also shows you what key the song is in and makes it easier to work out chord progression.
Okay, you’re my new guitar teacher. Thank you for that great explanation. I’ve actually been playing for quite a few years, but this was one of the most comprehensive explanations for new…and old guitar players. Subscribed!
Thanks! Glad to help if I can!
Something I've been playing with lately is putting my clip on guitar tuner onto the speaker of what I'm listening to and watching what notes appear, it seems to work, just gives you ideas.
Interesting idea!
😮
nice idea... i'll be trying it..
Oh yes this a real thing!
oh he'll yeah, I've picked this tip up from my buddies very recently as well. we'll be improvising and I'm like what chords are those? he legit will look down at his tuner pedal and rattle off some notes for me. such a good cheat code
Great teacher , and simple straight forward theory. Really helped this guy with ADD understand.
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for stopping by!!
that was the most straight forward teaching video i ever seen, very smooth and fool proof
Thanks!!
It took me a long time developing an ear when I was first learning but I stuck with it and eventually I could hear when things worked or not. Even though I haven't picked up my guitar for over 6 years now, I still could tell when you found the right key to the backing track. Maybe one day, I'll find the motivation to start playing again even if it's just for myself.
Go for it man!
Hope this helps you pick it up again. All about the joy of music!
Yes Chris!! I'm well into my 50's and played in the 80's . Life happened and we went our separate ways. Recently had a career ending injury and bought some new equipment and started back into it. I lost my wife shortly after my accident. ( I fell 25ft off utility pole onto a boulder). Almost killed me. More recently I lost my mother, just 2 weeks ago. This instrument has been a saving grace. I'm playing 5 - 6 hrs a day. Sometimes 2am , sometimes during day. Often times just playing it. Anything, is all I have to do. Do yourself a favor. Pick it back up ! PEACE from Philadelphia.
@@johnmcaleese8459 Aye, who knows? My story is similar to yours, first started playing in the late 80's, life happened and people went their seperate ways. Worked in several unfulfilling jobs that I couldn't stick at until I found work I actually enjoyed doing. Never married though. Lost my younger brother 7 years ago and just over a month ago lost my father, so I find myself at 48 on my own. With my father dying, I will have a bit more time on my hands around work as I'd looked after him in his final years. Might pick it up again soon and maybe get a wee band together to play in pubs, just for fun really. Cheers from Northern Ireland.
@@Chris-lz1fs Oh very similar. I'm looking after my father now. He's moving into my sister's house in April and selling this house. I'll have to bury some feelings I have for my sister's husband to go see him. He and I have had a few words as my sister wears the pants and he tried impressing her saying some shit to me. Didn't go over to well even though I held my tongue. It won't be held next time.
I also lost my only brother 20 some years ago to drugs. He was a good man and highly educated just couldn't shake that monkey. I still miss him. I'm sure we always will. My grandparents from Dad's side are from Ireland and I'm proud of it !!! You take care and it's nice sharing with you. Peace.
I've been playing for decades. And STILL don't know how to read music. All by ear.
My method to figuring out chords on songs is to follow the bass in the song on my 6th E string. From there, I bar different chords until I get the right sounding chord. And from that, I get my solo guitar pattern.
Works for most songs.
This is a great way to hone your ears to what keys are playing even on songs you've heard for the first time.
What happens when the bass is not playing the root?
I've been learning using TH-cam tutorials and whatnot for like 3 months now, and this has to be one of the best and most useful things I've learnt yet! Thank you so much!
You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful for you!
Really nice job man! Coming from a professional musician and professional audio engineer for 30 years in Hollywood and Las Vegas, I really like the way that you talk TO YOUR VIEWERS as opposed to talking AT YOUR VIEWERS!
Also, ROCK SOLID ADVICE too brother. I bounced around a few of your posts and I REALLY LOVE YOUR CHANNEL! Great work and continued success my friend!
God bless and take care...
Wow, thanks! So glad you've enjoyed the content. I really appreciate the love brother!
This guy is great. That was enlightening. Keep up the good work sir.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Yup, I certainly don't have perfect pitch so this is basically they way
Trial and error ... and over time (not always that much) you start to guess better and better.
Great quick lesson on tuning in ones ear.
That was cool !!
PEACE from Philadelphia
Glad you liked it!
Little thought at the end is as big as the whole lesson. "Found it out" on my own years ago. You're the best Mr. Z. Z may be last... but you're first Mr. Z. Thanks for what you do for others!
Wow, thanks!
When I started soloing after learning the basic scales major and minor my friend played rhythm and sang and a lot of songs I didn’t know so I would follow by ear not knowing what the recorded solo sounded like some I did but not all , well it was good for timing and knowing when to and not to play and develop my own style . Pros and cons . With every approach. I’m still hacking away 44 years later . Plus I played along with mtv many hours I wish I knew your approach then because I hunted and pecked and wasted a lot of time cheers mate !
Thanks for sharing that and thanks for watching!
This is an absolute gem for guitar beginners - a great teacher clearly explaining a simple technique. Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Been playing for years trying to figure this out. You just helped me immensely. Thank you
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
I never understood how to use the Blues scales that my guitar teacher kept telling me about! Well now I know. Thank you Mark!
Happy to help!
If your teacher hasn't already taught them to you... find a new teacher! If you can memorize the pentatonic scale in every position on the neck (and, by extension, the minor scale) you're going to improve your playing tenfold. The "no theory" label in this video is deceptive; you're learning theory, only fragmented.
Figuring the entire scale by ear is possible, and it's what Mark suggests at the end of his video. But you reach the same goal faster by just looking up "how to play pentatonic scale all positions" on TH-cam and grinding it out.
Where were you 25 years ago when I need a teaching hero! God that explains a lot in a little amount of time! Just Awesome! Thank you!
So happy to help! Thanks for stopping by!
ive only been playing for 7months and have been so confused about why and how i have been youtubing these pentatonic box patterns and now you changed my life haha. I get it now. you sir are a great teacher. Cheers
Awesome! Thanks for watching. So glad it was helpful to you!
Really cool idea, I’ll admit I was skeptical at 1st, but great demonstration. I appreciate you explaining how you got to the key of C and utilized one of the Pentatonic patterns. Definitely going into my tool box.
Thanks! It's not limited to pentatonic patterns, but that's what most players know ... or come across first.
Wow, one of the most important Guitar videos I've ever watched!
Much Thanks, Wish I had that Gold Top Deluxe...
Glad you enjoyed it!! The LP I'm using was/is quite affordable. Not a Deluxe, but a 1970s Tribute I bought maybe 12 years ago. You'll notice it doesn't have the binding. It's a workhorse guitar, so exactly what I wanted.
You must not have watched many- though for a beginner I guess this is helpful.
First of all thanks for the video. I’m a 56 yr old beginner and your video open my eyes to soloing. I’ve progressed in playing according to my instructor. I feel it as well but this can make it so much better. You gave me more motivation to practice to improve thanks again for sharing.
your instructor must not be very good if this basic tip impresses you.
He’s very good. Just used a different way of teaching me. You technique just was easier for me to grasp.
@Edward Bandy You're welcome Edward. I'm glad you enjoyed it! This is about *you* trying things out and developing your own ears and musical sense. Theory, technique/phrasing, rhythm and repertoire are also important.
BUT most important is that you have fun playing - by yourself and/or sharing with others. Then you'll keep playing, improve, and enjoy life more. Keep rockin'!
To me, playing a guitar & being pitch perfect is a strange magical science.... i just love the bizzare open chords & odd shapes that Geordie Walker comes up with.
Man this has really helped me, I've been struggling to play lead and write solos for my band. I've been mainly using octaves for simple solos, so I must say thank you for sharing this information. Can't wait to start writing actual solos 🤘
Great!
I am literally crying this is the most helpful out of all videos I fucking love you
Thanks! (And hey now ... this is a family channel!! LOL, I'm smiling!)
Absolutely Brilliant. Thank you Very much
Glad you enjoyed it
Very cool and easily explained! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Mark, l just loved your instructions to how to instantly solo to any song, never thought about using the higher strings 1st-that's a great tip!!!! Also l enjoyed reading the comments from others, l believe that hard work and patience is a part of leaning guitar or any instrument, l do believe that some people are born with talent and it's a little easier for them etc-last thing l don't think tabs are necessarily bad, and of course if you can play by hear and write out whay you hear is great! I know a guy that can write out what hears on a cd Exactly as it was recorded and he can read music too. Thanks and again enjoyed the instructions, and reading the comments.
Thank you so much Larry! I really appreciate your thoughtful commentary!
i was born with zero talent- still have zero talent but can play. according to a stranger at a party, for over an hour, she thought my playing was the radio- so I guess that I have progressed. taking lessons with a good teacher made a big difference. learning little things, then building on them is very important. learning all 5 shapes of the mPentatonic scale is essential- very easy to do if someone shows you how to do it. learn some theory- the musical alphabet, scales, chord construction, etc. Videos are fine but they are all over the place so you never really learn one thing well.
Damn! You've given away my secret! That's how I do solos on the mandolin (different fingering pattern, but still using the pentatonic).
Good idea, Sir, , thank you, best regard. Paul, 67, still fan of electric guitars.
Rock on!
i had the guitar for a really long time, i never played too well because i didn't imagine exactly how it would look like even tho i trained a lot, after watching this i feel like i have made a breakthrough and found myself jamming to some backtracks with no effort... man thank you
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it!
Maybe it’s because we are of a similar vintage Mark, but I found your soloing explanation engaging and insightful. 👏 👏 👏
I have been playing in bands for 40 years, but I wish that I had followed your example and worked at my ear training a bit more back in the day. It’s harder to ‘unlearn’ theory and be more intuitive I find. These tips are helpful so many thanks.
Thank you David! I know what you mean about "unlearning theory". I went through the opposite phase a bit later when I unlearned pentatonic soloing and hammer-ons and pull-offs and all the Jimmy Page tricks. I'm not sure when it dawned on me that it's all good - that anything musical is worth trying to incorporate into your play. And the biggest part for me was relaxing and trying to just have fun again.
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment!
@@MarkZabel -- So interesting the different approaches. I'm a keyboardist primarily and have extensive theory background. Been playing more guitar recently and using some pentatonic scale ideas for riffs. I knew pentatonics backwards and forwards theory-wise, and use them a lot on keys, but on guitar they really open up a lot...and transposing is a snap, unlike on keys. BUT...it's easy to get stuck in "technique ruts" because certain ones are so easy. They're great to get a cool sound quickly, but can be hard to move past!
I have been playing since 1955 and I have learned that is very important not to look at the finger board.Just use your ear's 😊
Great video. Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
I was watching some non music video and I spotted on the right side of the screen your video "on how to instantly solo to any song" and decided to check it out. Now I have watched in the past other videos proclaiming how to solo over any track. Needles to say they were not for me as some had one first playing the song melody by ear before one could even start.
Anyway I assumed that your video would be just another one of those. Well I was surprised as your video is the best on this and no one is even close to yours. Your system actually works and my ear is good enough to know when notes are off key and I knew as soon as you hit the C scale that was it.
And sure it will not work for some of the complicated jazz songs or even some songs that are tuned a 1/4 of a step down or higher. Anyway my lucky day on seeing your amazing well explained video. Thanks for posting it
Thanks so much! It's something that I did extensively when I was younger. One gets better and better at it, using all sorts of licks/scales and often correctly guessing the key correctly the first time. So glad it was helpful to you.
You're right about complex songs, which I acknowledge in the video. For an amazing number of songs though it works quite well!
@@MarkZabel Thanks again for posting some real good info.
@@erwinerwin1245 My pleasure.
Thank you very much for a very precious advice. Cheers from Indonesia Mark.
Glad it was helpful!
very easy to understand . i have been playing for over 40 years and i cannot read or write music. i have learnt everything by ear!! to me its much easier than learning theory
Thanks. Theory isn't bad, but people often go overboard with it. It's best to do both - learn by theory and ear. Makes theory much more powerful and vice versa.
This can work for Blues based songs and R&B and some classic rock - but Playing Minor AND major Pentatonics opens up much more possibilities. Also extending these scales linearly on the fret board, Once you are playing a number of other Genres of music though, a more thorough understanding of scales and Modes, as well as what note / intervals are contained in the Harmony will pay off. Good basic begginers tutorial, as you said - to get folks started. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Matthew! The idea here isn't dependent on using a phrase from minor or major pentatonic. It's all about using your ear rather than theory or tab or chord sheets to find things that sound good. One could easily use a major scale lick and (indirectly) learn all about modes too. But I wanted to stay theory-free for this one.
Appreciate the comments brother!!
@@MarkZabel I hear you, a very good point. Being systematic , moving up by a fret at a time to "listen" for the notes to work is very useful to train the ear, after such familiarization many players will be amazed at how soon they will be able to recognize exactly what fret or key to go to in time. Ear training is a never ending process - after 40 years I m still amazed by folks who can name extended chords or complex chords just by hearing them. I still remember hours spent "dropping" the needle on a record for a section of a song, to figure it out - I arrived at the same technique -higher ? Lower in pitch? what string? Like amazing little mysteries of sound. Thanks for the reply.
Very simple but important lesson. This is a great building block for lead playing. THANKS MARK!!!!
Glad you liked it!
Possibly the best music instruction ever. I play trumpet, but, this will work the same.
Wow, thanks so much!
Great tip! Thx for sharing!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching!
It's interesting, this is exactly how I figure out what key to solo in, but even after years of playing I can't make something sound decent. Learning the boxes and finding the key feels to me like about 10% of the battle, figuring out something that actually sounds good put together is the other 90%. Obviously many guitar players learn this, but it has eluded me and I've never found a tutorial on it that says anything other than "keep playing and eventually it will come"
Hey Ed. I would say you have it right that learning the boxes is 10% *at most*. Without knowing your history or hearing you play, I would suggest you isolate two things: Timing and tone. (I don't mean using a metronome or buying equipment.)
Here's the best way to do it. Get yourself a one-chord vamp backing track and force yourself to practice one-note solos for a while. You're only allowed to play one note, but you can play it as often as you like and in whatever octave you want and with whatever effect you want.
The only way to make the one-note solo interesting is to either vary the rhythm (play on first beat, second beat, syncopated, with the drummer, etc.) or vary the effect (play with different dynamics, slide to the note, bend to it, add vibrato, etc.) This stops you from thinking about anything but what you're playing - just musical ideas, no scales, chords, arpeggios, licks, or other theory. Go to a 2 notes or 3 notes once you can do the one-note solo.
The other best thing you can do is listen critically to a piece of music. Maybe a B.B. King solo. Listen 15 times in a row until you can sing the solo. Maybe buy the backing track to it. Sing the solo instead of trying to play it. Our ability to sing is often natural and picks up the rhythm nuances that we struggle with on guitar. But the ability to recall ideas is HUGE. Do this often. Many people say, "Oh I listen to music all the time, so it's not a problem", but then they can't hum the piece they say they know. Don't listen while driving or doing the dishes ... well, *do* that, sure, but that's just for fun, not study.
Here's another video of mine which is similar in that it shows you something simple so you can forget theory and just try to immerse yourself in the music. It's not magic. But it *does* take trying to come up with ideas and trying to execute them well. th-cam.com/video/t3xpTcL75kM/w-d-xo.html
You *will* get better and it should not take years. Best of luck!
@@MarkZabel freaking wow. I think from the video and this reply you have just taught me the 2 most amazingly useful guitar technique skills that I've learned in years! That's a subscribe straight-up!
@@GaryBeilby Very happy to help. Thanks for the sub!
It is because almost guitar players don't play the scales properly. From there you need to know your modes Aeolian, Dorian (makes the solo sound happy, scary, sad, etc)etc etc then learn the chords that go over that and then the notes to solo over triads etc then your solo becomes finally melodic. You have to read music and know ALL the notes on the guitar fretboard.
It is a four legged stool: Ear training, Music Theory, scales and being able to read music. Unless you have perfect pitch, you have to do the work. Each skill strengths the other. I found, what helps a great deal is going slow and learning a song completely. After a couple of months and songs, you internalize the structure in the songs and music. Then when you learn music theory, you basically see the DNA. What helps with ear training is learning a few Open tunings, start with Open G, then either Open E or D. The open tunings help you help the pure sound and by adding the partial C in open G you hear the fourth, then you can play around with sus2 & sus4 and hear that. To hear minor vs major and seventh & major seventh, best to do it on piano.
Lots to unpack here. Thanks for watching!
Agreed mostly. Even with perfect pitch, you don't automatically know how the notes/chords in a scale work relatively to each other, so there's plenty of work to still do!
IMO good relative pitch is more important than perfect pitch. I think we remember songs in their original keys (how we've heard them, especially ones we've heard a lot)...just "play it" in your head and you'll at least be close to the right key.
All that said....the key of a song really doesn't matter. It's all relative. Ideally you can play any song in any key. In practice this can range from easy to difficult, especially across instruments.
The first position you used for the phrase actually works fine and doesn't sound bad at all because it was all C minor. The C minor scale contains G minor pentatonic.
It works okay and you should feel free to use it. It's missing *the* key note in Cm - Eb, which is why it's not as strong as Cm Pentatonic. But absolutely you can use it and *should* use it if it sounds good to you. The "answer" doesn't matter, it's the process of listening with intent and developing your ears.
Actually
You're absolutely right.
We MUST use our ear's.
You went to the point my brother.
Great lesson.
You hit the nail on the head.
Be blessed
Thanks so much. Really appreciate it brother!
wow, i did not expect it to be this simple at all! thanks for teaching me this!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Amazing how our musical lives paralleled growing up, Mark! I formed our high school rock band with two others and was reluctantly assigned the task of figuring out the guitar and bass parts (and eventually the second guitar part for an added rhythm guitarist/keyboard player. This is basically the same method I developed on my own through necessity (not so much the keyboard parts) and it works well!! Jim C.
Yes, it works! You were "lucky" to get stuck with that job!
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Great advice, what a pleasant person. Well done!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Man, you are the best. Much love
Thank you!!
Your smile and generosity have made this much easier for us to understand. I subscribed
Thanks and welcome aboad!
Okay, as a teacher, engineer, producer and someone with a fancy degree from a music school, I can say that the title is in fact correct. You can play a solo by knowing where to start on a pentatonic scale and whether you want it to sound bluesy or more diatonic (country) by starting in different positions. This is the old 2 fret thing that some old guitar teacher tried to show you.
HOWEVER, (and I am not trying to steal anyone's thunder here-this is a good concept) a better way is to learn how to scale chords. This means learning how to play a major scale using chords. EX. C,Dm,Em,F,G,Am,Bdim using barred and open chords. This is what makes the difference between a decent guitar solo and a great one. This is what David Gilmour and many others used in all of their iconic solos. If you learn how to chord a major scale in whatever key you figure out the song is in , then you know all the starting and landing points to make it convey far better to a non-musical person- Who is the populace that most consumes music.
Great video, otherwise. Just remember that no one musician-even Mozart had one simple trick. It takes practice and a willingness to see it through. Some folks get the concept faster than others. You're still going to learn a lot either way by practicing and getting familiar with theory. You don't have to know it all, but a little makes you really stand out from the next guy who's using the "One simple trick" idea.
Thanks for your commentary. The idea here is to get students to play, improvise and be more intrepid in coming up with ideas. It doesn't purport to be the "be all and end all" of everything guitar. I take the approach that music, especially popular and folk music, is language and speaking comes before grammar. Grammar is important, but only for people who can think of things to say or write in the first place.
In the good old days, we all started with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Lightly Row" and learned melody in a simple way along with reading and the notes of the fretboard. When theory came knocking we were ready for it. Many people today start as adults who have never listened to musicals let alone classical music.
Scale chords or the harmonized major scale is a great concept that loses many people. For those of us who are mathematically inclined or science inclined it's easy. But for many it's difficult. Not impossible, but it takes time. I don't try to cover everything in a TH-cam video, but yes, it's very valuable.
Thanks again for your commentary.
@@MarkZabel🎯
Thank you for showing me that I have learned so much with this video and I appreciate what you've done for the rest of us keep doing a good videos love to watch more love to listen and love to play thank you
My pleasure Mike! Thanks for watching!
Great info Mark. Good and practical idea for ear training.
Glad it was helpful!
What a great tip for people like myself. I've always wondered why I'm out of tune when I try to solo. Now I know. It's about finding the correct key and staying within the Pentatonic Box of notes.
Glad it was helpful! You can choose things other than pentatonic. But it's a great way to start.
The same goes to me as well i was self taught and when i was good I do listen and play the cords.
Yes! Once I learned the box pattern, I moved it all around 'til it worked. Same for the "barre chord" position.
Quite useful - especially if you're willing to experiment. In fact, you don't need the box pattern. Any lick that helps you personally navigate works.
Love your channel, I always learn a lil something something. Thank You Sir
So nice of you Jess!
Mark Z is literally ground zero for GUITARIO MASTERIO!
Thanks doc!
This is the most useful video I have ever watched
Thanks!
Greeting from Tokyo, Mark! I always appreciate your sharing insight of playing guitar. It's a real valuable short cut. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
This video is amazing. Thanks mate, straight to the point no bullshit.
Thanks Adam!
Wow !!! This is the BEST lesson on guitar soloing that I have ever seen.
Love the fact that it uses ear training to help you connect to the instrument.
Wish that I had learned this years ago !!!
Great job !
Thanks so much! Glad you found it helpful!
I learned a great deal noodling along with Tv in the 70s. Everything from Barnaby Jones, Mannix, Rockford Files. Tommy Tedesco and Frank De Vol.
Exactly! You get it.
Hell yeah! Bravo 👌😁☮
Thanks brother!
Right on man . This is exactly what I do
Awesome!
Thx Mark, that was gold. Just found you and subbed . Hoping to learn more from you. Take care. Dr Paul UK
Thanks Paul! Welcome aboard!
Thanks Mark. It was a great help.
Glad to hear it!
Mark,
Aven when your teaching or showing things I already know I STILL learn something.
This is the second time I've stumbled onto this particular clip and I still watched it. Reaffirmation is learning, I think.
Thanks, Brother, for all you do.
Wonderful! Yes, I go back to the fundamentals over and over. Glad it continues to help!
@@MarkZabel:
It does, Sir.
Other than being shown the seven major chords and their minors and the blues scale back in the early Seventies, I'm completely self-taught. Many engrained bad habits that will never be unlearned but maybe some are fixable. LOL! (peace).
@@jaelge LOL! Love it!
What I've found is that can you use the pentatonic scales over whichever chords are CURRENTLY being played. For example.. if the chord progression is A C D ... use the A pentatonic scale to solo while A chord is being played, then immediately slide into C when C is being played..etc.
There's a smoother and quicker way to do this, rather than guessing during the playing of the song. You can slide up to the note in a single move until you find the key the song is in. That ons simple move and it sounds like you did it on purpose.
Fantastic.
Thanks!
Makes sense! Especially if you have some experience already. For beginners, I found it a bit irritating that you call out one should know the notes of the (low) E string but then suggest the melody to start on the high e (of course same notes….but for a beginner, might be confusing) as well as calling out the note (eg try A#) but then you begin 4 frets higher (I understand because you start where the penta pattern ends). Just pointing out…still a great video. For me pattern 3 lowest 3 strings of the penta always works well to explore as you have a nice 3x2 box. Still, while everything you say is true it can still be very frustrating to try and figure out by ear…(modes, modal interchange, different tunings…), but yeah pop radio music generally works
Hey Joe. Thanks for your comments!
From someone who has been playing guitar or playing WITH a guitar for yrs yeah you cant go wrong with the Pentatonic box cuz you can move that box where ever you want on the fret board..
Key of G..move the box from G to C to D or Vice Versa and play around with it it gets your fingers moving to different frets for the anchor on the box..
Or just follow the BOX with one string..
I think..hahaha 💋💋
this man is so sweet! I love
Thank you!
I sometimes slide down the E string until I find the note that fits and compliments what’s playing and stop quickly at that point. Then I’m spot on to start jamming.
Thank you so much this really helped me I played rhythm all my life and always wondered and wanted to improvise a little and never quite got it right so I stopped trying this theory you showed definitely is going to help so thank you
You're very welcome!
Nice simple Lesson👍👍👍
Glad you liked it
Superb. Now I need to learn the solo bit you played once you got the right starting position
Awesome!
Your Video just filled a Gap in my understanding of the Pentatonic Scale and how to use it to solo. There is a lot that make much more sense now :) Thank you very much!
Awesome! Glad it was helpful!
Thanks alot!!
You're welcome!
Mark, back in '79...I figured out the whole "Highway To Hell" album, by AC/DC. Too bad that I got old and forgot most of it, LOL.
Cool!
Simple is good! Thanks for sharing!!
You bet!
It's a good tip, Sir. I like it very much! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
A friend has been trying to teach me this for a couple of years ......... but via theory. Thanks for the super quick guide. I'm going to give it a try!
Awesome! Glad to help!
It took me this long to find this out???? Oh boy. My weekend just got booked out. Brilliant tip.
Glad you found it helpful Philip!
life changing.
Glad you dug it!
Thanks!!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
That’s actually really good!! Thx!
You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful!
Sweet best explanation of this.
Glad you liked it
Great short lesson without boring theory! Subscribed!
Thank you!
Excellent video
Glad you liked it