Putting a right foot forward

[Dan Shipway]

Hi Everyone, just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the support on my last post and for helping me to realise that my practicing was all over the place. I have tried to narrow my focus to the things that are my weakest areas and areas which I am most interested in and thats theory.

Besides 1st position of the major scale and the minor pentatonic my theory knowledge was practically non-existent, even down to the notes on each fret. Thats all changing.

I have recently been trying to learn theory in digestible chunks which I think was the biggest issue in my approach to theory.

I have managed to slowly start learning the fretboard and as stupid as it sounds came uo with the idea to use spinners to reel of a note and string to help with recall.

The other thing I started to work on were the major scale shapes. I already knew the first 2 however I have been able to get 5 out of the seven so far and I am currently working on getting more confident recalling any position in any key.

The end goal is to hopefully start doing more improv and composition as I have been more and more interested in jazz and players like Guthrie Govan and Plini. Currently my melodies sound like ass but ss always, one step at a time.

 

[hunte25]

When learning theory especially on the guitar it is crucial to not learn scales and arpeggios as shapes but as notes on the neck. shapes are usually good for getting you places on the neck and not sounding like crap but the notes are what brings out the feeling and emotions. understand the how and why on notes creating emotions then you’ll be a lot better of a player. all theory is, is a toolbox to bring out certain emotions don’t get trapped by thinking that you have to stay within the key all it is, is a guideline for your imagination to keep it centered and not just a random mess

 

[Xzavier471]

A great book for learning theory on guitar is guitar theory for dummies. I've learned alot from it and it's well worth the purchase if you don't already have a book you study from.