The "Big 5" :-)I know this is ubber simplistic stuff, but it ties into my other
posts re; Modes. If perhaps you know of a beginner, this might
help her or him!
The 7 modal forms basically overlay these 5 -OR- it can be said that
these 5 overlay or fit within the modal forms! It's all a treadmill.
We'll Use the key of Am (G Major) because SO much seems to be played there.
Know this though- you've got to practice in every key. Focus
on just one to get going though, that's normal, because everything at
once can easily overwhelm.
|-5-|---|---|-8-|---|---|---|
|-5-|*6-|-7-|---|---|---|---|
|-5-|---|-7-|---|---|---|---|
|-5-|---|-7-|---|---|---|---|
|-5-|---|---|-8-|---|---|---|
|-5-|---|---|-8-|---|---|---|
Blues Box 1
|---|---|---|-8-|---|10-|---|
|---|---|-7-|---|---|10-|---|
|---|---|-7-|---|---|10-|---|
|---|---|-7-|*8-|-9-|---|---|Draw a circle around
|---|---|---|-8-|---|10-|---|the 9, 8's and 10's
|---|---|---|-8-|---|10-|---|these three strings!*
Blues Box 2
|---|10-|*11|12-|---|---|---|
|---|10-|---|12-|---|---|---|
|---|10-|---|12-|---|---|---|
|9--|---|---|12-|---|---|---|
|---|10-|---|---|13-|---|---|
|---|10-|*11|12-|---|---|---|
Blues Box 3
|12-|---|---|15-|---|---|---|
|12-|---|---|15-|---|---|---|
|12-|*13|14-|---|---|---|---|
|12-|---|14-|---|---|---|---|
|---|13-|---|15-|---|---|---|
|12-|---|---|15-|---|---|---|
Blues Box 4
|---|15-|---|17-|---|---|---|
|---|15-|---|17-|---|---|---|
|14-|---|---|17-|---|---|---|
|14-|---|---|17-|---|---|---|
|---|15-|*16|17-|---|---|---|
|---|15-|---|17-|---|---|---|
Blues Box 5
What's cool, is that in this key (because there's room for a full box
back there) box 5 here, could just as easily have been our starting box
back up at the nut...
|---|-3-|---|-5-|---|---|---|
|---|-3-|---|-5-|---|---|---|
|-2-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|
|-2-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|
|---|-3-|*4-|-5-|---|---|---|
|---|-3-|---|-5-|---|---|---|
Blues Box 5
See, this stuff treadmills; As in,
Box 5--> Box 1--> Box 2--> Box 3--> Box 4--> Box 5--> Box 1
etc.
When you get more experienced, you'll be able to start out in say,Box 3
and accurately hop to any other box out of linear sequence, bending,
hammering on, pulling off, applying vibrato, expressing yourself w/out
thinking about it...but THAT'S where hours of practice separate the
Vulcans from the ...Klingons?
One last very important note!!!
What I've shown you here, is for 'minor blues' emphasis.
The cool thing about the intersection of Blues and say, Southern Rock,
is that you can switch back and forth between a "MAJOR" feel / sound and
a "Minor" feel / sound in terms of emphasis.
Again, This is all A minor.
To use all of the above using a MAJOR feel sound, all you do is START at
the A note again (5th Fret,6th. fat string) but this time, begin with
Box 2, not box one... !
* Circle: This is the "Albert King" box w/in a box. a whole
lotta bending and expression comes outta here!
Regards,
mvm
>
* tinyurl . com /32j32m