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Online Guitar Lesson Contributions Wanted


chrisc

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Hi Folks,

Over at www.soundshed.com we run a musicians wanted/available site.

We're looking for lesson contributions from willing participants - think guitar player online etc. We wouldn't be limited to just guitar and anyone who knows what they're talking about and thinks they can write well enough should give it a go.

We're not currently offering anything in return except exposure to thousands of readers, so the article can include links back to your band website etc for a bit of promotion. Not everything will be published as we'd prefer the quality to be pretty high.

Any takers? Check out the site and let us know.

Cheers,

Chris

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The section for reader submitted articles and tutorials etc isn't active yet - we're collecting a few articles first.

We'd be interested in an article about scales if it could be applied in a way that people can relate to easily (like breaking down a famous solo etc). Discussions about scales can quickly become dry and intellectual -but if it was aimed at beginners learning their first scale for soloing then it would work and we'd certainly be interest in any article you cared to write. I'd suggest writing a few paragraphs to give a feel for the overall article with bullet points for the rest, then we'll go from there.

As for the site being a bit overwhelming. Give it time, you'll soon be able to see the matrix.

Seriously, we welcome all feedback and we'll be trying to tone down the information overload soon.

Quite a lot of imformation on your front page there. It's overwhelming. Is that section up? I could write out a lot about scales...simple but important part of playing.
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Cool Site!! I'll maybe try and put something together about overcoming the fear of modal playing for beginners to intermediates. Its always assumed that modes are scary and unapproachable for inexperienced players but they've been given a bad press ;) Hopefully a simple introduction, highlighting the potential of modal playing, would inspire a few folk to venture a little further.

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Cool Site!! I'll maybe try and put something together about overcoming the fear of modal playing for beginners to intermediates. Its always assumed that modes are scary and unapproachable for inexperienced players but they've been given a bad press ;) Hopefully a simple introduction' date=' highlighting the potential of modal playing, would inspire a few folk to venture a little further.[/quote']

i'd really be interested in that actually...it's about time i learnt that kinda stuff.

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Hmm... not so sure about the chord shapes for drop-tuned guitars as I've never really messed around enough with different tunings. I'm sure Dan would be able to give you jeaps of advice about it cos he's always coming up with hunners of cool chords in his crazy drop-tuned antics ;)

As for the modal stuff, I'd be more than happy to email you some ideas to get you started :D

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Hmm... not so sure about the chord shapes for drop-tuned guitars as I've never really messed around enough with different tunings. I'm sure Dan would be able to give you jeaps of advice about it cos he's always coming up with hunners of cool chords in his crazy drop-tuned antics ;)

As for the modal stuff' date=' I'd be more than happy to email you some ideas to get you started :D[/quote']

that would be awesome mac :)

could you email them to terrorismr0x0r@walla.com whenever you get the chance? :)

cheers! :up:

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whats modes mac?

The modes I ALWAYS get people to start with are Aeolian (which you already probably know - its just Natural Minor) and Dorian (exactly the same as the Aeolian but with a raised 6th).

The thing you always need to remember is that all of the seven modes of the Major scale (Ionian' date=' Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian) are built using exactly the same notes as the Major scale. Hence the reason that if you play an E minor scale over a G major chord it works. The E minor (Aeolian) mode is built from the G Major scale and so uses the exact same notes, only in a different order. Once you know the few simple rules for working this stuff out it really is a piece of cake.

People always get hung up trying to learn all of the different shapes of all seven Modes before they even have a clue as to what they sound like or what they are used for. The main thing when learning a new mode, as with anything on guitar, is being able to HEAR the effect of what you are playing. If you just learn all the shapes and then apply them over a given chord progression then it'll sound exactly like that - a scale. Your efforts will not sound musical and lets face it, thats the point right.

So, give yourself a week for example. During this week you are going to commit yourself to learning, improvising with, and most importantly understanding the application of a given mode. Lets say for arguments sake the Dorian mode. You could learn and commit to memory all of the possible shapes for the mode from its root in all keys but at the moment this isn't neccessary. Don't get me wrong, this will come in handy as you become more comfortable with the mode but at the moment an encyclopaedic knowledge of the shapes isn't going to help. You need some simple rules to follow that will give you immediate results that are going to have you playing and hearing the effects of the Dorian Mode.

Here they are:

1. The Dorian basically sounds the same as a minor scale but with one different note. Use it that way. Any place that you would normally try and improvise using the natural minor scale, throw in the Dorian instead. That is over any Minor or Minor7th chord or over a progression in a minor key.

2. Now that you know where you can use it you need to know what notes to play. For the moment you can follow this simple rule. If you want to play the Dorian mode you play the natural minor scale which you should already know, starting on the note which is found a fifth higher than the root of the chord or the key that you are playing in. For example, if playing in the key of A minor, you play an E natural minor scale and you are using the Dorian mode in A.

3. There are some potential problems with Modal playing. If you alter a scale (eg Dorian raises the 6th of a minor scale) then you must alter the chords in that key accordingly. In simple terms this means that in a minor key (which Dorian is used for) chord iv (which in the key of A minor is Dm) has to become major.

Here's an example chord progression in A minor that the Dorian mode would work perfectly over - Am7 D Em7 D. Play this progression through until you can't forget it and then start to bust the E natural minor scale (A Dorian) over it. If you have the facility then record the progression and then play over it. Alternatively, if you are the kind of person who keeps a friend handy then ask them to play the chords. They can't play guitar?? Then teach them how to play the chords.. come on an Am7 D and Em7 are about as straight-forward as they come and taking on a pupil, no-matter what your own ability is a great way to better your own playing.

4. Listen to the effect of the scale, especially that note that at first is going to sound pretty much wrong, and the effect it creates. That [i']wrong sounding note is the note that gives the mode its flavour. Thats all a mode is, a slightly different flavour.

Hope thats maybe given you enough to get started, I'm going to run cos the football's about to start but let me know how you get on and I'll carry on at some point if you think its going to help.

Cheers :up:

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