Ask me things

[Johnny Spradlin]

I have tendonitis in my left elbow. Dr says I have to stop for a few weeks and I don’t want to regress. Any tips on what to do to during the interim to keep progressing?

 

[idssdi]

You can try to focus on visualizing the fretboard in your head and music theory. Another thing is tapping your foot to the best of any song or music you know and try to sing along to it(it sounds weird but trying to sing along to songs can really improve your ear for melodies)

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

I’m sitting at the feet of music theory currently. Does the singing thing work with no voice training? I am consistently counting while listening to music based on your advice to always practice with a metronome.

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

The strings are perfect fourths. Why does G lead to B?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Nevermind I see it now

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Is it because B is the seventh and E is root?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Nope that’s not right. Sorry I’m using this as a sounding board atm

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

I think that the reason B is fifth string is because it becomes V when E is root. Please correct me if I’m wrong

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

B is a perfect fifth in the E major triad. So my strings are arranged in E Major?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Nope

 

[idssdi]

The 5th string is a B in open tuning because effectively it makes open chords possible so it makes live a lot easier. All the open strings played together makes an Em11. So it really is just convenience that’s also why there exist so many different tunings. You can kinda tune it however you like it to be tuned. At least that’s what I always thought.
Yes the singing thing works without any voice training. Simply try to record yourself singing along and then listen whether you sound in tune. That’s also a little bit of ear training for you. At least I feel like my ear has gotten better since I started singing more. The trickiest part is to control your breathing. I’m a very firm believer that everyone can sing, it just tends to be in different keys for different persons.
Great that you’re counting!

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

So what is the property of 2nd string B that makes playing open chords easier? Is it when G is root, B is minor V?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Eadg when G is major B minor becomes V.

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

This thing is confusing me

 

[idssdi]

B is the fifth of E and the major third of G, it’s also the 9th of A, the 4th of F#, minor third of G#, minor seventh of C#, major seventh of C and the 6th of D. So there are a lot of open chords you can play with the open B which is pretty convenient. If you would make the open B a C(so everything works in 4ths again). The C is the 5th of F, minor third of A, the 4th of G, major third of G#, the 6th of D#, the 9th of Bb, the minor seventh of B, major seventh of Db. So, when it’s tuned as a B you have more options for open chords than when it’s tuned in C for example.

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

E root makes A perfect fourth and B perfect fifth…regardless of major or minor. Is this correct?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

Is minor and major reflective in this circle or am I seeing things?

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

It refelctive.

 

[idssdi]

Yes for E A is the fourth And B is fifth. They are called perfect because it is the same for both major and minor. For all the others a minor interval is simply a halve step lower compared to the major interval(minor third is 3 frets, major third is 4 frets)

 

[Johnny Spradlin]

B and F dont fit the pattern