I hate being stuck

[JacknCoke]

Hey all,
I have a problem. I've been playing the guitar for almost 2 years now, have had a few songs posted up, and play on a daily basis..But I'm stuck..From the few lessons I took when i started, I was given some theory in a notebook..Key's of C, G, D, E, A, F, B, and some flats as well..Though, I was never taught how to figure them out on my own, they were just handed to me to fool around with..Now, I love to write songs..But I'm left with so little to work with..I want to learn the theory and broaden my knowledge a whole lot..I read a lot of the posts you guys put up on this stuff, and alot of it goes over my head...I guess my question is this...is there a site anywhere on here that could help me...hopefully something that isn't very complicated..Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[grock]

there really isn't that much theory stuff that i've learned from the internet. i'm sure some guys have and can better direct you.

can you see the scales on your fretboard, and the chords they make? if so and you are still being held up, i'd say to take a theory class, i'm an interactive learner and there's no way i was going to learn from a book or off a site. if not, look at your fretboard and learn those notes like whoa. then try to constructing chords up and down. like G is GBD (notes) so try playing xxx787 or x109x8x or 71012xxx or 10x0087 or the full C shape, 7109787 (all of these are 10's and 12's) and do it for other chords playing different positions and getting an idea of where all the "other" chords are. (i mean the chords not played in first position.) once you got that you have stops and you can riff with chords really easily.

like here is GCDG. all four measures are the same chords, without any 7ths or nothing but each has it's own feel and like one could be used to head into a chorus or to start a solo or whatever.

Code: Select all

|--3--0--2--3--|--3--0--2--7--|--x--8--10--3--|
|--3--1--3--3--|--3--1--3--8--|--8--8------3--|
|--0--0--2--0--|--0--0--2--7--|--7--9--7---0--|
|--0--2--0--0--|--0--2--0--0--|--9--10-x---0--|
|--2--3-----2--|--2--3--------|--10----9---2--|
|--3--------3--|--3--------------------10--3--|

But it's knowing the fretboard and making up new positions and sounds for old rhthyms and simple progressions.

also a great way to break out of your own little box is to go play with someone else. watch how they play, and try to pick up their good habits and riffs and stuff. it'll give you more perspective and it's a lot of fun to noodle around over someone else's progressions. try playing along but in all second inversion chords, or barred C shape chords. there are numerous excersizes to get you thinking different. stretch your chord knowledge and you'll start hearing all sorts of new sounds to use.

hope that helps some.

[dmfollower]

Helped me out.
Thanks Grock.

[MWR]

Hey all,
I have a problem. I've been playing the guitar for almost 2 years now, have had a few songs posted up, and play on a daily basis..But I'm stuck..From the few lessons I took when i started, I was given some theory in a notebook..Key's of C, G, D, E, A, F, B, and some flats as well..Though, I was never taught how to figure them out on my own, they were just handed to me to fool around with..Now, I love to write songs..But I'm left with so little to work with..I want to learn the theory and broaden my knowledge a whole lot..I read a lot of the posts you guys put up on this stuff, and alot of it goes over my head...I guess my question is this...is there a site anywhere on here that could help me...hopefully something that isn't very complicated..Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Theres plenty of theory sites. http://www.zentao.com/guitar/ is pretty ok but they are all very similar. The problem is that it's going to get complex no matter where you read it. Your understanding comes from consistant study and repitition of concepts. My advice is to read everything you can get yours hands on. Almost everything has a tie back to something simple and some things just take time to grasp.

[CWMCALL]

http://www.guitarnoise.com/theory.php

This site has all kinds of articles on theory for beginners. it also has a section of lessons called "easy songs for beginners" that put some of that theory into practice (with some helpful mp3s). It is a pretty good site.

[JacknCoke]

thanks guys..I will check out them sites..as well as desperately still try to find someone around here who knows the guitar....thanks again though...grock, i will look into the them new positions for sure..thanks for your help..

[JacknCoke]

Wow...thanks for the site CWMCALL.....it explained in detail a lot of what you were saying grock, and now it makes perfect sense...atleast the aspect you were saying...amazing to finally see how a chord created..

[CWMCALL]

your welcome... that is a great site