Guitar basics, a question relating to what I should include in my new daily practise routine?
guitar virgin asked:
What are the most important chords, scales, strumming and picking patterns and /or excises and techniques do I need to learn for guitar in general and blues in particular?
What are the most important chords, scales, strumming and picking patterns and /or excises and techniques do I need to learn for guitar in general and blues in particular?
Here are two quick tips that will help you.
1) Using a thin standard pick, roll the pick onto it’s side so the blunt curve is in the picking position. Use this rounded edge to strum very rapidly on triads or double stops. < this means two and three notes played at the same time. This also works for speed on full chords.
2) While holding the pick normally, point in picking position, lock your second finger, using your third finger as a spacer, into finger picking position on the higher string. Play the lower octave with the pick simultaneously picking the higher octave with the second finger. This gives a reall cool sounding trill if you rapidly play the higher and lower string at once.
Important Chords for Blues:
Dominant 7th, Minor 7th, Minor 7 flat 5, learn 13 chords, 9th chords.
The scales are great but play to jam track CD's and practise, practise, practise! olderman
Don’t forget plenty of bending and vibrato practice also. ddrum
Beer Lil Stevie B
I’ve actually recently blogged specifically about this question. To address the blues part–focus on learning and switching from 7chords and 9chords. You’ll also want to master the minor pentatonic scale. I have a few lessons on how to play most blues songs.
Anyway, here is the full answer to your question:
Stephen Stephen
1. Learn some basic scales
2. Know which chords to play the scales over
3. Jam over these chords (record yourself playing rhythm if you can and play on top of that)
4. Watch your right hand technique also (the way you strum or hold and move plectrum)
5. Learn the theory - be able to name any note or play any chord
6. Practice barre chords
7. Play over your favourite records Patrick O
I would start with finger practice, which is basically first finger on the first fret, than second finger on the second fret and so on, when you have all four fingers on the frets move one string up, than you should do it backwards as well. Try to pick up and down as well, this is essential if you are going to learn songs. I would than go on with the Pentatonic scale, which is the basis of a lot of songs, plus it is the path leading to improvisation in the future. You should practice all sorts of chords and scales after these, and you should also try to learn songs/riffs/licks from your favorite songs, for this I highly recommend GuitarPro, which is a guitar tabulature software. Kornél