Thanks for acknowledging that pattern based learning is useful for guitar. It seems like the more context learning I do, the more patterns I discover. Having both, pattern and context learning, is critical to mastering guitar.
So true - when I began learning guitar, I just followed the pentatonic pattern blindly - but it got me started, even though I hadn't a clue what these notes were! Not a bad thing if I only wanted to copy a certain song... but I understood that to really attempt to master the fretboard, hit the sweet notes in a solo, I had to dig deeper. Still got a long way to go, but finding new things every day makes me enjoy playing even more :)
Always been a lazy learner, started in the 70's with the Beatles Complete song book with pictures of the chords above every song. Sure I learned quickly, so many shapes but no understanding. In later years I was getting curious about the theory side but found most TH-cam theory lessons daunting. You my friend have opened up a door to learning theory without realising it. Many thanks. It's time to dust off my old guitars and start learning again.
Hey Chris, I’m so glad I ran across your site. After more than 3 decades of not picking up the guitar out of sheer frustration, I’m ready to give it another shot. Thanks for you enlightening and thought provoking method of teaching music theory as it relates to the guitar.
“The only thing that will hold you back is the time you have left on this Planet”. You Sir are are a great teacher. Thank you for this Lesson & Channel!
I did start out learning simple chords and such when I started out, but I was very quickly introduced to the 12 individual notes of western music, all the intervals, how to build scales, building chords, harmony and so on - but not on the guitar, but from a music theory perspective. I've always been very happy with that. It didn't really catch on for a long while, but it was always in the back of my mind and all of a sudden it kinda bloomed into life a lot more. I've always been more interested in composing and studying other people's songs and what makes it work the way it does, as opposed to "just learning patterns". I never found much interesting learning a solo from someone else "just because Kirk Hammett is cool", and for as much as I love Petrucci's and David Gilmour's playing, I've hardly ever learned all that much of their music specifically, more so the principles behind their writing and playing. I think in many ways that thinking just always led me more so to what you refer to as context-based.
Chris, excellent lesson. I have been at it now for about five years and viewed 1,000’s of You Tube videos. This one ranks at the top of the list for me. Even taking piano lessons now to learn more music theory to apply to my guitar playing. Rock on!
This one really hit home. I knew these things work, but I didn’t know “why” they worked. Being self taught and stumbling upon some triads while learning a few Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead songs 25 years ago, I didn’t know what a triad was and I certainly didn’t know why they worked. I just started using those same patterns up and down the fretboard. Here I am all these years later, I know all these triads, but I still don’t really know how to string them together and make them flow. Your videos are helping me do that now. I’ve learned more in the last two weeks than I have in the last 10 years, man. I find myself watching these things when I don’t even have a guitar nearby because I always learn something new. Even if it’s one little piece of the puzzle. I’ve basically been trying to do Algebra without knowing how to add or subtract, first. Learning these basic steps, the building blocks, makes it so much easier. I’m kicking myself for not doing this sooner. Thanks again for what you do, man. Great stuff!
Quite a timely video ! As a (bad) keyboardist considering exploring the guitar, this is exactly what i was figuring out : "guitar beginner" tutorials rarely speak to my understanding of chords & scales. I guess it is indeed for the reason mentionned in the video : the pattern based playing. This approach rarely comes with the saying of which notes are actually being played & why. So, i looked at a guitar neck chart, looked at the E minor chord shape on open strings, so R5R+b35R, which means the top 3 strings are my left hand and the bottom 3 strings are my right hand in 2nd inversion (a usual configuration when playing chords with 2 hands on keys). Then it is a question of vocabulary : this shape is called "barre chord" ! Thanks for confirming i am on a correct path, time to find a guitar i like and start rocking 🎸
Thanks for this. I used to play from rote memorization but finally put in the work to understand WHY things worked the way they do in music and on the guitar and it has made a huge difference.
I was curious (no pun intended) when I saw the thumbnail, so I watched the video. Been playing 35 years, and I can't tell you how fortunate I was to have learned this principle very early. Always asking, "What MAKES this a diminished chord? What MAKES this 'harmonic' minor?", etc. So many players I knew were only thinking in terms of where their fingers were supposed to go, while I was thinking in terms of pure musical information that could apply to any instrument. It did put me way ahead, and made EVERYTHING easier-playing, memorizing music, analyzing, communicating with other musicians, composing, arranging, etc.
Where was this video 10+ years ago when I finally realized just what you say. I have been working the last year or more breaking bad habits and now have begun the path of learning music theory and how it is all connected. some of it is sticking some I still scratch my head over. In the end progress has been made. I still won't call myself a guitarist but I do say I play guitars.
That ominous sound and ending message gave me existential dread! Everyone I know who plays guitar only know pattern-based knowledge. So I thought I was too dumb because they know so much chord shapes but they won't tell me how those are formed. I soon realized that they did not know the concept behind the shapes and all of it were just from years of memorization. Thank you for this my doubts have cleared, and I will keep on being curious!
I didn’t mean to scare anyone, but I did think it was an important message to highlight seriously. We all want to reach our potential and including context just makes it faster and easier. Thanks for the comment!
You're absolutely right! My early years of learning guitar were spent with hours and hours of scales and technical exercises and very little actual music. So my fingers could do a lot of things, but I had no idea how to apply any of that in a musical context. It was very humbling seeing students who a year ago were at a very elementary level suddenly now are playing stuff I had never dreamed of.
thank you chris, i am a beginner and was very excited when i first learned the pentatonic scale but as i have memorised the scale and a few licks, i feel stuck and limited where i find myself forcing the same when practicing soloing. i have recently started to understand music theory, doing your music theory 101 course with marty music alongside things like arpeggios and inversions. i am really happy i came across you because this gives me a new perspective to music and guitar playing. thanks again! 🙏🏽
I have been trying to find a way to put this concept into words for the guys that I play with. Since my first instruments were piano and clarinet, I have always been aware of triads, intervals in chord construction. When I picked up guitar, I started with pattern learning then eventually found where my scales, triads and intervals were inside those chord forms. But explaining that to players that never played a band instrument or piano has been a problem. Thanks for putting it into words and maybe it will help me teach my fellow band members when I say “no it’s a minor 3rd”
Haha I know that feeling SO well! Our drummer does not speak the language at all, but he's incredibly creative, sometimes it can be SO frustrating trying to negotiate a musical idea together! Thanks for being here RF!
I agree 100%. When I look at scale for other instruments, it’s usually one octave. Above that they are called extensions. After I saw that, I pretty much ditched pattern based. I still use it on a limited basis though, like noticing how inversions are fingered.
I totally agree with you but I know I have a mental block and there are just too many patterns and shapes of theory and modes and oddities on the fretboard. I play by ear and patterns.
Hello Chris , i am a pattern based guitarplayer for over 40 years now and i realize i need to dive into this context way of playing the guitar . i have noticed my lack of understanding music theory for a long time now , but every time i try to understand music theory i hit a wall , my brain just does not grasp it , this really bums me out because i fullly realize that this lack of understanding musictheory is holding me back to fully exployed the guitarneck and improve my playing , so what should a dumm ass like me do 🤣, and yes , i already tried the "guitar for dummies " learning method but even that i did not understand 🤣
Here are the degrees for the minor pentatonic scale: R b3 4 5 b7 Play each one of those against the root of the scale (use A for example). Now listen to each one and try to notice which of the notes pulls your ear back to the root more than the others. Those notes are the heart and soul of the scale. When you get to know the sounds, and the tension/emotion you can control, even with only 3 or 4 notes, then the only limit is your curiosity. Start slow. Know one small thing. Then move on. It will accelerate.
Excellant lesson!!!! I always wondered if the "great players" knew theory, ie context, or just play because they have "talent'.. I now understand they use BOTH! I have always hesitated to lear "context" because it seemed like to much 'thinking' was involved. I just wanted to play and sound great without "thinking". I guess I 'll have to learn "context". If you see smoke rising out of my house, it will be cause I'm trying to "think".
Haha, Peter. Take it slow, do a major chord, or the major scale first, and stay on that until the smoke clears. It will get easier and easier as you go and you will never look back!
Excellent video. I recently had some ask me about wanting to just jump into guitar without lessons and it isn't going good for them as I know first hand about pattern based learning and music theory. I wish they weren't impatient in just wanting to play because it seems they gave up because chords didn't really make sense to them and want instant results.
Ive been trying to improve my playing for some time, and could never find the right videos to teach me. Thank you for helping me understand the scales and music theory!! Do you have more videos in order for music theory?
I have a bunch uploaded here already. I'd say watch these first, and see where you end up. th-cam.com/play/PLunQlxH_jM1STg3WuVOFmd2BZ3WwJ4xNS.html&si=opU4RPDeYcpaaNxZ Let me know if you're interested in a specific aspect of theory and I'll try to help. Cheers!
@@curiousguitarist thanks again! This kind of tutorial of the guitar playing and indeed understanding the both ways you showed is A-Z! See the framework! Chords,tones, connection patters etc. That is whats been missing in other guit clips on TH-cam, all hail! Salut the captain! By the way im lefty Ive learned to see chord modulations mirrorwise a bit more work but talk about rewarding feeling afterwards and no pick playing like the doors guitarist for example i gotta have the feel of playing! With no hindrance in between like that plastic bit! Its like a piece of a Childs toy is missing! I got the piece here! No worries! Ill glue it back! In an instance! 😀
also could we figure out the chord to a song by ear once we hear it then go back harmonizing it on a scale to find it ? Or is that where you'd need to know what kind of chord it is by ear to figure out the kind of scale to map it on ? If so is there a certain way that a chord fundamentally sounds that immediately lets you pinpoint that info. That would be a game changer. I'm guessing that would set me on the track of picking out the kind of scale pattern to learn besides the major scale based on the type of chords that shows up in the style of songs that I enjoy listening to the most. Thank you.
All those methods work, you just have to actively develop your ear as you incorporate new info. So when you learn minor chords, play them all over the place, compare them to major chords, invert them etc...as long as your brain and ears are engaged then you'll be training your ears to recall those qualities. Also, memorizing all the chords in a key goes a very long way to set the ground for the type of capability you're after.
Would you say then it's best to begin learning octaves and practice moving it around the circle of 5ths to practice to learn the fretboard then focus on finger exercises to be able to move from chords, strumming and picking pattern and only then learn music theory depending on how long it takes you to get there. Basically should I take some time to learn where the notes are first and build those finger skills before I go into the theory stuff? It seems like either way it's going to take a while. I'm trying to figure out how much information can I realistically squeeze out by December of I go all in. My goal is really to transition to the electric guitar at some point in the future.
This is a sound approach, Abner. I'd always suggest spending a little time during a practice session trying to "make sense" of the stuff you're working on. One thing I would add in, is that you should always have a song you're working towards playing all the way through without errors. Keep the idea of playing music in your plan all the time.
@@curiousguitarist That's a great idea. I do notice how playing through songs definitely makes me feel more connected to the guitar than if I wasn't. And I see how your core message is always putting things within context so we can use it and be interactive with the guitar vs just regurgitating and memorizing information. That right there is a golden approach to your channel and it turns learning the guitar into a language that's so much easier to digest. For instance I had no idea that chords came from scales ! that is such a valuable information and makes you see why scales are so important.
Great to hear this approach, verifyed Chris . Learning the theory and scale numbers needed to create any chord or voicing , oneself. A question , are the numbers always taken from the major scale? I ask because of a youtube lesson on a minor song I was watching and the teacher was calling the flat 3rd the 2nd note of the scale, which I suppose technically it is.
Pentatonic scales are that way, they only have 5 notes and so the "degree" or position in the scale, can also be seen as a completely different "intervallic" number.
someone gave me 3 books to go through, I would say I'm like an intermediate guitar player (acoustic only). those three books are 1. guitar aerobics (1 lick per day for a year), 2. guitarist's music theory by peter vogl and 3. Learn and master guitar by steven krenz do you think I should go through all 3 of them parallelly? note: what I would like to do is find my own voice on the guitar.
Your voice will come naturally, no matter how you inform it. But understanding theory and how/why notes, scales and chords sound the way they do, will accelerate that process for you. Those books sound great to me! The most important thing is that you are inspired, if these books inspire you, great. If they don't, keep them, they might inspire you later :)
Out of all the guitar videos, why can't they just say it like that?! Do you have any recommendations on where/how to improve on the context learning side of things? Thank you so much, Chris!
Of course, Audrey! Be sure to learn the major scale, understand it’s intervallic design (wwhwwwh) and then harmonize the chords from it. This foundation allows all future information to be easily assimilated. Let me know if you need more information!
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” - Chinese Proverb This is like the difference between teaching memorization of formulas versus conceptual understanding in math education. Memorization is brittle, whereas conceptual understanding is robust. Great video!
Warning! The title of this video is misleading. Its likely to inspire you to watch many more lessons. 😢 Props to Marty for cross pollenating other great channels. Thanks Chris
This is very interesting. I’m stuck on pentatonic scales (maybe add blue and minor notes) and I actually have good skills but man I find myself relying on trial and error so much it gets frustrating. I’d also say I’m an intermediate player - I know all the positions of these scales and have feel and speed and know some songs etc. However, I have no clue what to learn next or how to progress and in what style? I also have no idea how to create chords and much musical terminology goes over my head. So this really strikes a chord (see what I did there?). Thanks!
my main problem, is playing scales, i only took up guitar to stop my left hand from getting worst because of a pinched nerve in my neck, affecting my left arm, a can't get my fingers to push the strings right for scales, or licks mentally, i know the scales, i know the theory, and all, but the disability has put a block on my playing i used to be able to change chords normally, now i can barely do that, and barre chords are way out of my ability, to put the right amount of pressure on the strings
@@curiousguitarist , thanks, i was a piano player, i only took up guitar after my problem started, since my left hand doesn't work, properly, i figured focusing more on left hand would help
I didn't want to spook any of the woodland creatures that hide under the leaves when they hear that :) But yeah, you're right :) Thanks for being here, Mike!
@@stevec9972 right? There are many guitarists who feel since Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles never studied theory that they didn’t “know” it or “use” the constructs. And that, is simply not true. Thanks for the comments, Steve!
@@curiousguitarist as some one who avoided learning theory for decades, I can say it's like trying to learn to speak english without knowing the alphabet. You can do it but you"ll not be able to read and write. You don't know what you don't know
Yeah, that'll work. Or ask ChatGPT :) It doesn't matter where you get the context right? Just make sure you can apply it to the fretboard! Thanks for the comment!
The best thing i personally did was buy a music theory for guitarists book, which, like your video says, gave me context. So now i know why im doing it rather than monkey see, monkey do
@@vicpnut1 glad you enjoyed it, Vic. Sorry about the bait aspect...I actually believe that for many guitarists, once they embrace this idea, they can break away from the endless parade of shallow YT lessons that are out there. Don't get me wrong, there's a ton of really great stuff out there, but there's a lot of really weak and non-valuable content that's very compellingly framed. I'm hopeful that at least there's something in these videos that provides some lasting satisfaction and progress. Thanks for being here, Vic!
but if you don't understand the theory, patterns are useless. Learning how to read music isn't as hard as you think and it will solve this problem. The C major scale is do re mi fa so la ti do and that shape is the major scale wherever you move it.
uhm.i just stumbeled across this video and no joke, i bought a guitar from a guy, looked exactly like you, has the same name. but i live in switzerland.... dafuq??
This is just understanding music theory isn't it? Understanding what scale note combination each type of chord is constructed from then determining how to finger it on the fretboard. Calling this probably the last guitar video you need to see is a joke. There are many youtube videos that discuss this "concept" as you call it they just do not use your nomenclature. A good video to watch for some OK. Pretentious title. Yes. Nothing in here about how these various chord fingerings fit together in a pleasant sounding progression. Nothing about the use of passing chords when transitioning from one chord change to another. Nothing about alternating bass notes or placing the melody on top. I guess I do not need to watch those videos because this is probably the last guitar video I need to see....BS
Thanks so much for giving it a try, John. I really appreciate that. Sorry if the title pissed you off. I know quite a few folks here have verified that this is really important for them, and I fully understand your frustration. Please accept my apologies.
This really should be the first video for a budding guitar student to watch. You can dance around music theory your whole life but you're never going to really get to where you want to be until you start learning it. Your circle of fifths on guitar video is priceless too, letting people easily memorize the notes once they see how basic it is laid out. Great channel!
So true - I know people who bend themselves into pretzels trying to avoid even rudimentary music theory...and instead engage in all manner of "gear fetish" to compensate.
@@mvp019 it all adds up to this: the pain of not knowing has to exceed the pain of learning. That’s the only time a human can really fully commit to learning something new
@@curiousguitarist heh! So true, I like that phrase and usually I search for knowledge. With my guitar it was always a fear of sounding like someone with no soul. Some things were better learning the long hard way, cements them into your psyche more. It was also fun discovering things, like the day in my second year when I thought I invented the power cord/5th. 🥴 Leaving theory till the end of 30 years to learn this gave me something to do during the pandemic but I wish I had learned it from the start.
That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking about lately! A couple of weeks ago i ditched all the scale shapes and started looking into intervals, and I’m positively surprised by how much more melodic i can be now. I started seeing my own little patterns i like, and it’s so much better than using a cut and dry shape, because you internalize them better I would presume. Also learning triads is so much more satisfying, rather than moving little shapes around the neck I look for notes and then the intervals to make the chord I want, which helps visualize the fretboard better also. I wonder, is there any way of getting more out of this approach? Also, since I’ve seen another TH-camr talk about this and say that he still considers the major scale shapes as a good visualization tool alongside the interval way, do you think it still has some value to try and learn those shapes? Or will I be better off sticking only to this context-based approach?
Ultimately you need both, realy. The way to get more out of this approach is to seek out the formulas of the things you're curious about, and map them yourself...then you can turn THOSE into your own patterns as you pointed out. Thanks so much for being here!
Thanks, Chris. Forty years ago I picked up a guitar. I didn't think I needed much more that the basic chords and knowing how to barre. I was into punk rock, after all. Three chords and a backbeat. Along the way, I picked up the bass. Kind of the same thing. Minimal theory, lots of patterns, and I was playing gigs. Here I am all these years alter trying to figure things out and get them to stick in my mind and my fingers. Just a long way of saying thank you for the lessons and clarity in your teaching. Be good to you
Years ago when I tried to learn guitar as a teenager I was at the mercy of what the bookstore had, and what little my friends knew. I went nowhere with the instrument. I put it down for years. When lockdown started I got my guitar back out and went deep into music theory. With how much information is available on the internet I have finally made significant progress. I still consider myself a beginner but I feel like I'm building a bulletproof foundation to have a life-long skill. The biggest challenge in the beginning was figuring out what to learn. Where I am right now is practicing inversions around the neck to develop fluency. I'm starting to learn how express myself musically instead of just walking around scales aimlessly.
The more you know, the more you know. Knowledge is not an impediment to progress. Great lesson and explanation for those that never saw the need. Stay Well Groovy One!
Great video! You hit the nail on the head. After my pattern plateau, the one thing (besides covid, which locked me in my house with my guitar for a year) that really skyrocketed my guitar skills was joining a band, and holding myself accountable.
In the town I lived no one ever even cover their face ..the only way we new about COVID is t.v on phone..that and I got sick two times ..it blows my mind people listen to the government like that
It's the early success that we get from pattern based learning...it becomes a disincentive to work in any other "new" way. Once we get past that...freedom! Great comment, thanks, Robert!
Next question then - your friend says “the blues scale would work better here”, how do they know? The way of modifying chords from one to another I think I figured out a while back, maybe not as quickly as I’d like, but we’ll enough. What I’ve never quite worked out though, is how to do that next bit.
I'm addressing this exact question next week! Stay tuned. Ultimately you need to hear the sounds that a scale or chord provide to understand if it's going to be preferable over something else. This idea of context gets you there fast.
i learn something from each of your videos, and I have watch most of them. I'm still not as good as the teacher but a much better player than when I started. Thanks Chris, you do nice work.
Great lesson, thanks! Use context to discover patterns and then use the patterns to free some brain power and focus on the music. Context became really critical for me when I started learning keyboard, and things didn't just "slide" over 😊.
As a player for 40 years, I can say this is indeed excellent advice, especially for beginners. I can sum up the entire 11:24 video with just " If you want to reach your full potential on guitar study theory". Ask yourself this simple question, do you want to be just a guitar player or do you want to be a musician?
Thanks for acknowledging that pattern based learning is useful for guitar. It seems like the more context learning I do, the more patterns I discover. Having both, pattern and context learning, is critical to mastering guitar.
Truth!
Welcome to theory put into context for you. Pun intended.
So true - when I began learning guitar, I just followed the pentatonic pattern blindly - but it got me started, even though I hadn't a clue what these notes were! Not a bad thing if I only wanted to copy a certain song...
but I understood that to really attempt to master the fretboard, hit the sweet notes in a solo, I had to dig deeper. Still got a long way to go, but finding new things every day makes me enjoy playing even more :)
Always been a lazy learner, started in the 70's with the Beatles Complete song book with pictures of the chords above every song. Sure I learned quickly, so many shapes but no understanding. In later years I was getting curious about the theory side but found most TH-cam theory lessons daunting. You my friend have opened up a door to learning theory without realising it. Many thanks. It's time to dust off my old guitars and start learning again.
So very glad you’re here, Des!
Hey Chris, I’m so glad I ran across your site. After more than 3 decades of not picking up the guitar out of sheer frustration, I’m ready to give it another shot. Thanks for you enlightening and thought provoking method of teaching music theory as it relates to the guitar.
Thanks for being here, Mark. I'm glad this stuff is resonating with you, welcome aboard!
I’m in the same boat dude. Pre internet I could only get so far by myself, ended up getting frustrated
“The only thing that will hold you back is the time you have left on this Planet”. You Sir are are a great teacher. Thank you for this Lesson & Channel!
You are so welcome, Andy!
🎉8
Now, a lesson on how to get more time on the planet.
Yes, it's a brilliant comment.
.... The little tendon click I'm getting in my first finger from over playing is trying to hold me back too though ;-)
I did start out learning simple chords and such when I started out, but I was very quickly introduced to the 12 individual notes of western music, all the intervals, how to build scales, building chords, harmony and so on - but not on the guitar, but from a music theory perspective. I've always been very happy with that. It didn't really catch on for a long while, but it was always in the back of my mind and all of a sudden it kinda bloomed into life a lot more. I've always been more interested in composing and studying other people's songs and what makes it work the way it does, as opposed to "just learning patterns". I never found much interesting learning a solo from someone else "just because Kirk Hammett is cool", and for as much as I love Petrucci's and David Gilmour's playing, I've hardly ever learned all that much of their music specifically, more so the principles behind their writing and playing. I think in many ways that thinking just always led me more so to what you refer to as context-based.
Chris, excellent lesson. I have been at it now for about five years and viewed 1,000’s of You Tube videos. This one ranks at the top of the list for me. Even taking piano lessons now to learn more music theory to apply to my guitar playing. Rock on!
This idea will open the doors for you, then you can walk in the light for the rest of your journey!
Hi Chris, thanks for the vid. I think you are the role model guitar teacher.
Wow, that's so kind of you. I really appreciate that and I'm glad you enjoyed this one, Grzegorz!
This one really hit home. I knew these things work, but I didn’t know “why” they worked. Being self taught and stumbling upon some triads while learning a few Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead songs 25 years ago, I didn’t know what a triad was and I certainly didn’t know why they worked. I just started using those same patterns up and down the fretboard. Here I am all these years later, I know all these triads, but I still don’t really know how to string them together and make them flow. Your videos are helping me do that now. I’ve learned more in the last two weeks than I have in the last 10 years, man. I find myself watching these things when I don’t even have a guitar nearby because I always learn something new. Even if it’s one little piece of the puzzle.
I’ve basically been trying to do Algebra without knowing how to add or subtract, first. Learning these basic steps, the building blocks, makes it so much easier. I’m kicking myself for not doing this sooner. Thanks again for what you do, man. Great stuff!
Of course! Thanks for the kudos, I’m so glad doors are opening and stuff is making sense. Happy to be helping!
I've been trying to get out of the same scales and patterns. Context is now my focus. Thanks a ton! God bless you.
Of course, you are welcome, and I'm so glad you're here.
Probably the best advice i have seen for years - thanks
Of course!
Quite a timely video !
As a (bad) keyboardist considering exploring the guitar, this is exactly what i was figuring out : "guitar beginner" tutorials rarely speak to my understanding of chords & scales. I guess it is indeed for the reason mentionned in the video : the pattern based playing. This approach rarely comes with the saying of which notes are actually being played & why.
So, i looked at a guitar neck chart, looked at the E minor chord shape on open strings, so R5R+b35R, which means the top 3 strings are my left hand and the bottom 3 strings are my right hand in 2nd inversion (a usual configuration when playing chords with 2 hands on keys). Then it is a question of vocabulary : this shape is called "barre chord" !
Thanks for confirming i am on a correct path, time to find a guitar i like and start rocking 🎸
Thanks for this. I used to play from rote memorization but finally put in the work to understand WHY things worked the way they do in music and on the guitar and it has made a huge difference.
Amazing! This video REALLY may be the LAST one I needed to see.
Master, Your teaching is a blessing🙏🏽
So grateful that it’s been enlightening for you Miro!
I was curious (no pun intended) when I saw the thumbnail, so I watched the video. Been playing 35 years, and I can't tell you how fortunate I was to have learned this principle very early. Always asking, "What MAKES this a diminished chord? What MAKES this 'harmonic' minor?", etc. So many players I knew were only thinking in terms of where their fingers were supposed to go, while I was thinking in terms of pure musical information that could apply to any instrument. It did put me way ahead, and made EVERYTHING easier-playing, memorizing music, analyzing, communicating with other musicians, composing, arranging, etc.
So good, so true!
It’s very liberating to break away from just playing patterns and actually chasing notes👍👍👍 thanks for the lesson and far from the last.😉
Thank YOU Bubba!
Where was this video 10+ years ago when I finally realized just what you say. I have been working the last year or more breaking bad habits and now have begun the path of learning music theory and how it is all connected. some of it is sticking some I still scratch my head over. In the end progress has been made. I still won't call myself a guitarist but I do say I play guitars.
even though this is the last guitar vid i'll ever need, i went ahead and subbed. thanks for casting light.
Haha, thanks for the sub! Glad you’re here.
Yes. Clear explanation and also direction so we can find out more. Great lesson.
Glad you enjoyed it Maryk!
That ominous sound and ending message gave me existential dread!
Everyone I know who plays guitar only know pattern-based knowledge. So I thought I was too dumb because they know so much chord shapes but they won't tell me how those are formed. I soon realized that they did not know the concept behind the shapes and all of it were just from years of memorization.
Thank you for this my doubts have cleared, and I will keep on being curious!
I didn’t mean to scare anyone, but I did think it was an important message to highlight seriously. We all want to reach our potential and including context just makes it faster and easier. Thanks for the comment!
Love that! Yes, once the door is open the horizon is limitless.
Truth
You're absolutely right! My early years of learning guitar were spent with hours and hours of scales and technical exercises and very little actual music. So my fingers could do a lot of things,
but I had no idea how to apply any of that in a musical context. It was very humbling seeing students who a year ago were at a very elementary level suddenly now are playing stuff I had never
dreamed of.
Yeah, this is the greatest box Pandora ever left us guitarists....
But, but, but... you want me to understand what I am doing?!?! Radical. LOL Great grounding lesson. Very helpful.
😆
As usual, your teaching knowledge and methods are enlightening, thanks again !
My pleasure, always happy to help.
This has to be the 1st video every guitar player MUST watch! So nice I liked it twice!
Haha I love it, once on the way in, then again on the way out ;)
Very good lesson Chris.
Glad you liked it, Paul.
Best explanation I've ever heard!
Thanks Andy!
thank you chris, i am a beginner and was very excited when i first learned the pentatonic scale but as i have memorised the scale and a few licks, i feel stuck and limited where i find myself forcing the same when practicing soloing. i have recently started to understand music theory, doing your music theory 101 course with marty music alongside things like arpeggios and inversions. i am really happy i came across you because this gives me a new perspective to music and guitar playing. thanks again! 🙏🏽
You are welcome, k. Glad you found Marty and I, and I’m grateful you’re getting inspired. Thanks for being here
Thanks alot for your directions and explainations and straightforward approach
Of course, Anslem. Glad you enjoyed this one.
I have been trying to find a way to put this concept into words for the guys that I play with. Since my first instruments were piano and clarinet, I have always been aware of triads, intervals in chord construction. When I picked up guitar, I started with pattern learning then eventually found where my scales, triads and intervals were inside those chord forms. But explaining that to players that never played a band instrument or piano has been a problem. Thanks for putting it into words and maybe it will help me teach my fellow band members when I say “no it’s a minor 3rd”
Haha I know that feeling SO well! Our drummer does not speak the language at all, but he's incredibly creative, sometimes it can be SO frustrating trying to negotiate a musical idea together!
Thanks for being here RF!
This video should be mandated content before EVERY other guitar video on the web!
Wow, thanks mate, that's awfully kind of you. I appreciate it.
Your lessons are great.
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the channel.
I agree 100%. When I look at scale for other instruments, it’s usually one octave. Above that they are called extensions. After I saw that, I pretty much ditched pattern based. I still use it on a limited basis though, like noticing how inversions are fingered.
Nice! Great stuff, Dave. Thanks for the comment.
An absolutely brilliant lesson thank you
Great lesson 👍
I totally agree with you but I know I have a mental block and there are just too many patterns and shapes of theory and modes and oddities on the fretboard. I play by ear and patterns.
If it works for you then it’s right, right? Learning the why just makes progress faster and easier in the long run. Thanks for the comment!
Hello Chris , i am a pattern based guitarplayer for over 40 years now and i realize i need to dive into this context way of playing the guitar . i have noticed my lack of understanding music theory for a long time now , but every time i try to understand music theory i hit a wall , my brain just does not grasp it , this really bums me out because i fullly realize that this lack of understanding musictheory is holding me back to fully exployed the guitarneck and improve my playing , so what should a dumm ass like me do 🤣, and yes , i already tried the "guitar for dummies " learning method but even that i did not understand 🤣
Here are the degrees for the minor pentatonic scale:
R b3 4 5 b7
Play each one of those against the root of the scale (use A for example). Now listen to each one and try to notice which of the notes pulls your ear back to the root more than the others.
Those notes are the heart and soul of the scale. When you get to know the sounds, and the tension/emotion you can control, even with only 3 or 4 notes, then the only limit is your curiosity. Start slow. Know one small thing. Then move on. It will accelerate.
That was great! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Don!
WOW Is there a part two?
Cooking that up now in fact, Jeep
Wonderful lesson, Chris. Thank you very much!
Of course!
Excellant lesson!!!! I always wondered if the "great players" knew theory, ie context, or just play because they have "talent'.. I now understand they use BOTH! I have always hesitated to lear "context" because it seemed like to much 'thinking' was involved. I just wanted to play and sound great without "thinking". I guess I 'll have to learn "context". If you see smoke rising out of my house, it will be cause I'm trying to "think".
Haha, Peter. Take it slow, do a major chord, or the major scale first, and stay on that until the smoke clears. It will get easier and easier as you go and you will never look back!
Excellent video. I recently had some ask me about wanting to just jump into guitar without lessons and it isn't going good for them as I know first hand about pattern based learning and music theory. I wish they weren't impatient in just wanting to play because it seems they gave up because chords didn't really make sense to them and want instant results.
Yeah, that won't work in the long haul, but they might get short term gains. Pattern based learning is a great method, but it's by no means holistic.
Good stuff Chris!
Ive been trying to improve my playing for some time, and could never find the right videos to teach me. Thank you for helping me understand the scales and music theory!! Do you have more videos in order for music theory?
I have a bunch uploaded here already. I'd say watch these first, and see where you end up.
th-cam.com/play/PLunQlxH_jM1STg3WuVOFmd2BZ3WwJ4xNS.html&si=opU4RPDeYcpaaNxZ
Let me know if you're interested in a specific aspect of theory and I'll try to help.
Cheers!
Thank you😊@@curiousguitarist
Love Your Content, and that you share your knowledge! Rock/Blues On!!! 👍🎸✌️😎
Great to have you here. David!
Thank you! Much appreciated Sir! Kind regards/left guitar man
Glad you enjoyed this one, Leif!
@@curiousguitarist thanks again! This kind of tutorial of the guitar playing and indeed understanding the both ways you showed is A-Z! See the framework! Chords,tones, connection patters etc. That is whats been missing in other guit clips on TH-cam, all hail! Salut the captain! By the way im lefty Ive learned to see chord modulations mirrorwise a bit more work but talk about rewarding feeling afterwards and no pick playing like the doors guitarist for example i gotta have the feel of playing! With no hindrance in between like that plastic bit! Its like a piece of a Childs toy is missing! I got the piece here! No worries! Ill glue it back! In an instance! 😀
Sweet lesson. Thanks man!
You bet, Josh!
5:43 Independence!
Right!?! Go get it!
Awesome ❤
Thank you
You are welcome!
Thank you, subscribed 👍
Thanks for the sub, much appreciated!
💡Thanks!!
You bet!
also could we figure out the chord to a song by ear once we hear it then go back harmonizing it on a scale to find it ? Or is that where you'd need to know what kind of chord it is by ear to figure out the kind of scale to map it on ? If so is there a certain way that a chord fundamentally sounds that immediately lets you pinpoint that info. That would be a game changer. I'm guessing that would set me on the track of picking out the kind of scale pattern to learn besides the major scale based on the type of chords that shows up in the style of songs that I enjoy listening to the most. Thank you.
All those methods work, you just have to actively develop your ear as you incorporate new info. So when you learn minor chords, play them all over the place, compare them to major chords, invert them etc...as long as your brain and ears are engaged then you'll be training your ears to recall those qualities.
Also, memorizing all the chords in a key goes a very long way to set the ground for the type of capability you're after.
Would you say then it's best to begin learning octaves and practice moving it around the circle of 5ths to practice to learn the fretboard then focus on finger exercises to be able to move from chords, strumming and picking pattern and only then learn music theory depending on how long it takes you to get there. Basically should I take some time to learn where the notes are first and build those finger skills before I go into the theory stuff? It seems like either way it's going to take a while. I'm trying to figure out how much information can I realistically squeeze out by December of I go all in. My goal is really to transition to the electric guitar at some point in the future.
This is a sound approach, Abner. I'd always suggest spending a little time during a practice session trying to "make sense" of the stuff you're working on.
One thing I would add in, is that you should always have a song you're working towards playing all the way through without errors. Keep the idea of playing music in your plan all the time.
@@curiousguitarist That's a great idea. I do notice how playing through songs definitely makes me feel more connected to the guitar than if I wasn't. And I see how your core message is always putting things within context so we can use it and be interactive with the guitar vs just regurgitating and memorizing information. That right there is a golden approach to your channel and it turns learning the guitar into a language that's so much easier to digest. For instance I had no idea that chords came from scales ! that is such a valuable information and makes you see why scales are so important.
But you can learn the pattern for the blues scale and also learn the shape for augmented chords
So very true! I use both patterns and context, and I can't see how I could give up either. Thanks for the comment.
Great to hear this approach, verifyed Chris . Learning the theory and scale numbers needed to create any chord or voicing , oneself. A question , are the numbers always taken from the major scale? I ask because of a youtube lesson on a minor song I was watching and the teacher was calling the flat 3rd the 2nd note of the scale, which I suppose technically it is.
Pentatonic scales are that way, they only have 5 notes and so the "degree" or position in the scale, can also be seen as a completely different "intervallic" number.
You have the best theory lessons online and I have seen them all 😞Do you have a complete course that I could buy? Thanks for these amazing lessons.
The only static course I have is on Marty Music. It’s called Music Theory 101
So so true
someone gave me 3 books to go through, I would say I'm like an intermediate guitar player (acoustic only).
those three books are 1. guitar aerobics (1 lick per day for a year), 2. guitarist's music theory by peter vogl and 3. Learn and master guitar by steven krenz
do you think I should go through all 3 of them parallelly?
note: what I would like to do is find my own voice on the guitar.
Your voice will come naturally, no matter how you inform it. But understanding theory and how/why notes, scales and chords sound the way they do, will accelerate that process for you. Those books sound great to me! The most important thing is that you are inspired, if these books inspire you, great. If they don't, keep them, they might inspire you later :)
@@curiousguitarist thank you
Out of all the guitar videos, why can't they just say it like that?! Do you have any recommendations on where/how to improve on the context learning side of things? Thank you so much, Chris!
Of course, Audrey! Be sure to learn the major scale, understand it’s intervallic design (wwhwwwh) and then harmonize the chords from it.
This foundation allows all future information to be easily assimilated.
Let me know if you need more information!
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” - Chinese Proverb
This is like the difference between teaching memorization of formulas versus conceptual understanding in math education. Memorization is brittle, whereas conceptual understanding is robust. Great video!
Great comment, love the brittle vs robust connection. Thanks!
Warning! The title of this video is misleading.
Its likely to inspire you to watch many more lessons. 😢
Props to Marty for cross pollenating other great channels.
Thanks Chris
You got me there, Steve! Thanks for the views and comments! Glad you’re here.
This is very interesting. I’m stuck on pentatonic scales (maybe add blue and minor notes) and I actually have good skills but man I find myself relying on trial and error so much it gets frustrating. I’d also say I’m an intermediate player - I know all the positions of these scales and have feel and speed and know some songs etc. However, I have no clue what to learn next or how to progress and in what style? I also have no idea how to create chords and much musical terminology goes over my head. So this really strikes a chord (see what I did there?). Thanks!
I'm glad this one was helpful, Dan. Do you have a teacher available to you to help you create a roadmap?
my main problem, is playing scales, i only took up guitar to stop my left hand from getting worst
because of a pinched nerve in my neck, affecting my left arm, a can't get my fingers to push the strings right for scales, or licks
mentally, i know the scales, i know the theory, and all, but the disability has put a block on my playing
i used to be able to change chords normally, now i can barely do that, and barre chords are way out of my ability, to put the right amount of pressure on the strings
Ph man, that is terrible to hear. Will you eventually recover you previous capability, Juan?
@@curiousguitarist , thanks, i was a piano player, i only took up guitar after my problem started, since my left hand doesn't work, properly, i figured focusing more on left hand would help
massive
Thanks! I'll never watch another guitar video again and I'll practice instead
Haha! I love it!
just discovered u...as a full time music teacher here in nyc for the past 20 years...I FULL ENDORSE YOUR VIDEO:))
Wow, thanks so much, Chris. That means a great deal to me.
@@curiousguitarist u are fantastic...where do you live and teach??
@@soofitnsexy Denver, CO. Where in NY are you? My mother was born and raised in Brooklyn
@@curiousguitarist nice im in astoria queens very close to manhattan where I teach!
@@curiousguitarist ill bet Denver is very nice! go Nuggets!!
Bravo, thank you master . Seriously
So very welcome!
Isn't "context" just music theory?
I didn't want to spook any of the woodland creatures that hide under the leaves when they hear that :)
But yeah, you're right :)
Thanks for being here, Mike!
Don"t mention the T word. 😅
@@stevec9972 right? There are many guitarists who feel since Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles never studied theory that they didn’t “know” it or “use” the constructs. And that, is simply not true.
Thanks for the comments, Steve!
@@curiousguitarist as some one who avoided learning theory for decades, I can say it's like trying to learn to speak english without knowing the alphabet. You can do it but you"ll not be able to read and write. You don't know what you don't know
💥😊💫
I would google A Aug chords.lol😂
Yeah, that'll work. Or ask ChatGPT :) It doesn't matter where you get the context right? Just make sure you can apply it to the fretboard! Thanks for the comment!
Great stuff, Chris. Thanks a lot. Looks like you got a new guitar??? 3-tone sunburst? Nice. K*Line?
Indeed! I love this thing. I’ve always wanted a dark board strat and this is the first one that’s felt right.
The best thing i personally did was buy a music theory for guitarists book, which, like your video says, gave me context. So now i know why im doing it rather than monkey see, monkey do
Yes, truth, freedom!
Clickbait engaged ,and snagged me 😜
I’ll be damned , it just may be the last lesson ….till I move past patterns
@@vicpnut1 glad you enjoyed it, Vic. Sorry about the bait aspect...I actually believe that for many guitarists, once they embrace this idea, they can break away from the endless parade of shallow YT lessons that are out there. Don't get me wrong, there's a ton of really great stuff out there, but there's a lot of really weak and non-valuable content that's very compellingly framed. I'm hopeful that at least there's something in these videos that provides some lasting satisfaction and progress.
Thanks for being here, Vic!
but if you don't understand the theory, patterns are useless. Learning how to read music isn't as hard as you think and it will solve this problem. The C major scale is do re mi fa so la ti do and that shape is the major scale wherever you move it.
Truth!!!
uhm.i just stumbeled across this video and no joke, i bought a guitar from a guy, looked exactly like you, has the same name. but i live in switzerland.... dafuq??
woah man, that's weird! Glad you're here!
I got nothing 0ut of that
I really appreciate you taking a look. Cheers!
dementia may hold you back
Indeed!
This is just understanding music theory isn't it? Understanding what scale note combination each type of chord is constructed from then determining how to finger it on the fretboard. Calling this probably the last guitar video you need to see is a joke. There are many youtube videos that discuss this "concept" as you call it they just do not use your nomenclature. A good video to watch for some OK. Pretentious title. Yes. Nothing in here about how these various chord fingerings fit together in a pleasant sounding progression. Nothing about the use of passing chords when transitioning from one chord change to another. Nothing about alternating bass notes or placing the melody on top. I guess I do not need to watch those videos because this is probably the last guitar video I need to see....BS
Thanks so much for giving it a try, John. I really appreciate that. Sorry if the title pissed you off. I know quite a few folks here have verified that this is really important for them, and I fully understand your frustration. Please accept my apologies.
@@curiousguitarist The video contains important information and was well presented. My only complaint related to the title...
What? So...a lack of knowledge holds you back? Thank you Captain Obvious.
I'm guessing you didn't like the video then? Thanks for giving the channel a try, I really appreciate it.
CLICKBAIT
Really? How so?
This really should be the first video for a budding guitar student to watch. You can dance around music theory your whole life but you're never going to really get to where you want to be until you start learning it.
Your circle of fifths on guitar video is priceless too, letting people easily memorize the notes once they see how basic it is laid out.
Great channel!
Thanks, Herman!
So true - I know people who bend themselves into pretzels trying to avoid even rudimentary music theory...and instead engage in all manner of "gear fetish" to compensate.
@@mvp019 it all adds up to this: the pain of not knowing has to exceed the pain of learning. That’s the only time a human can really fully commit to learning something new
@@curiousguitarist heh! So true, I like that phrase and usually I search for knowledge. With my guitar it was always a fear of sounding like someone with no soul. Some things were better learning the long hard way, cements them into your psyche more. It was also fun discovering things, like the day in my second year when I thought I invented the power cord/5th. 🥴 Leaving theory till the end of 30 years to learn this gave me something to do during the pandemic but I wish I had learned it from the start.
Great lesson!
Thanks, Dan!
That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking about lately! A couple of weeks ago i ditched all the scale shapes and started looking into intervals, and I’m positively surprised by how much more melodic i can be now. I started seeing my own little patterns i like, and it’s so much better than using a cut and dry shape, because you internalize them better I would presume. Also learning triads is so much more satisfying, rather than moving little shapes around the neck I look for notes and then the intervals to make the chord I want, which helps visualize the fretboard better also. I wonder, is there any way of getting more out of this approach?
Also, since I’ve seen another TH-camr talk about this and say that he still considers the major scale shapes as a good visualization tool alongside the interval way, do you think it still has some value to try and learn those shapes? Or will I be better off sticking only to this context-based approach?
Ultimately you need both, realy. The way to get more out of this approach is to seek out the formulas of the things you're curious about, and map them yourself...then you can turn THOSE into your own patterns as you pointed out. Thanks so much for being here!
Thanks, Chris.
Forty years ago I picked up a guitar. I didn't think I needed much more that the basic chords and knowing how to barre. I was into punk rock, after all. Three chords and a backbeat. Along the way, I picked up the bass. Kind of the same thing. Minimal theory, lots of patterns, and I was playing gigs.
Here I am all these years alter trying to figure things out and get them to stick in my mind and my fingers.
Just a long way of saying thank you for the lessons and clarity in your teaching.
Be good to you
Years ago when I tried to learn guitar as a teenager I was at the mercy of what the bookstore had, and what little my friends knew. I went nowhere with the instrument. I put it down for years.
When lockdown started I got my guitar back out and went deep into music theory. With how much information is available on the internet I have finally made significant progress. I still consider myself a beginner but I feel like I'm building a bulletproof foundation to have a life-long skill.
The biggest challenge in the beginning was figuring out what to learn. Where I am right now is practicing inversions around the neck to develop fluency. I'm starting to learn how express myself musically instead of just walking around scales aimlessly.
Great post edubs, thanks! I'm glad you're here mate.
The more you know, the more you know. Knowledge is not an impediment to progress. Great lesson and explanation for those that never saw the need. Stay Well Groovy One!
Thanks Noah, you stay well too sir!
Great video! You hit the nail on the head. After my pattern plateau, the one thing (besides covid, which locked me in my house with my guitar for a year) that really skyrocketed my guitar skills was joining a band, and holding myself accountable.
So very true! Glad you enjoyed this one Vaughn. And thanks for your support on Patreon.
In the town I lived no one ever even cover their face ..the only way we new about COVID is t.v on phone..that and I got sick two times ..it blows my mind people listen to the government like that
Yes. Many guitar players forget that they are not only guitar players, but they are musicians.
So true!!!
Very logical
I am a pattern learner trying figure it out thanks for the lesson
You bet, David! Best to have both!
Nobody ever in the whole history of music: "Oh, you know the Blues scale would work well here!"
Guitarist: Plays solo using Blues scale.
I didn’t really understand the blues scale for a long long time myself, that b5 is tricky to incorporate well.
Thanks for the comment!
Amazing as always
Thanks, Pavel.
I have no idea why there is such an allergic reaction to learning a simple major scale.
It takes approximately 30 minutes of your life.
It's the early success that we get from pattern based learning...it becomes a disincentive to work in any other "new" way. Once we get past that...freedom!
Great comment, thanks, Robert!
Next question then - your friend says “the blues scale would work better here”, how do they know? The way of modifying chords from one to another I think I figured out a while back, maybe not as quickly as I’d like, but we’ll enough. What I’ve never quite worked out though, is how to do that next bit.
I'm addressing this exact question next week! Stay tuned.
Ultimately you need to hear the sounds that a scale or chord provide to understand if it's going to be preferable over something else. This idea of context gets you there fast.
i learn something from each of your videos, and I have watch most of them. I'm still not as good as the teacher but a much better player than when I started. Thanks Chris, you do nice work.
The only comparisons I enjoy are those to my past self. Thanks so much for being here!
Great lesson, thanks! Use context to discover patterns and then use the patterns to free some brain power and focus on the music. Context became really critical for me when I started learning keyboard, and things didn't just "slide" over 😊.
Love that context...yeah we guitarists got it easy with the slide overs :)
Very interesting I kinda understand what you're saying!! I think it's all very true very interesting. Thank you
You bet, Marc. Let me know if you have any questions!
As a player for 40 years, I can say this is indeed excellent advice, especially for beginners. I can sum up the entire 11:24 video with just " If you want to reach your full potential on guitar study theory". Ask yourself this simple question, do you want to be just a guitar player or do you want to be a musician?
Best comment ever!
@@curiousguitarist In my best Elvis voice " Thank you, thank you very much".
Thanks to your teachings I use conceptual learning for almost everything musical that I try to learn..👍🏼❤️ Thanks Chris!
Of course, Joe! Thank YOU for your support and trust in me.