Digital Doug’s Guitar Lessons (Doug Dirt)

“Doug Dirt” Written by Doug Woods, see www.digitaldoug.ca email doug@digitaldoug.ca

This is not as complex as it looks at first glance. I suggest that you have a guitar in your hand as you read this in order to hear/feel the lesson and compound how fast you learn.

Legend:

() = Root or 1^st

[] = 3rd note in the Major Scale

@ = Flattened 3^rd note in Major Scale

{} = 5^th note in Major Scale

Bold Italics = 6^th note in Major Scale or Relative minor

MAJ = Major min = minor Dim = Diminished Aug = Augmented
^ ^ = Open String

1^st = 1^st Fret

Note Names

E STRING E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E

Thick |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^ 1^st Gb Ab Bb Db Eb 12^th

A STRING

A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^ Bb Db Eb Gb 12^th

D STRING

D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^ Eb Gb Ab Bb Db 12^th

G STRING

G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^ Ab Bb Db Eb Gb 12^th

B STRING

B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^ Db Eb Gb Ab Bb 12^th

E STRING

Thin E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----

^ ^1^st Gb Ab Bb Db Eb 12^th

KEYS

Sharp Keys Flat Keys

Number of #’s Number of b’s

1 G MAJ / E min 1 F MAJ / D min

2 D MAJ / B min 2 Bb MAJ / G min

3 A MAJ / F# min 3 Eb MAJ / C min

4 E MAJ / C# min 4 Ab MAJ / F min

5 B MAJ / G# min 5 Db MAJ / Bb min

6 F# MAJ / D# min 6 Gb MAJ / Eb min

7 C# MAJ / A# min 7 Cb MAJ / Ab min

Harmonized Major Scales

Notes: (Pardon the pun!)

The key of “C” has no #’s or b’s. On the piano it is played entirely on the white keys. Also note that the key of C# the [3^rd] note is E# this = to F but in order to keep key signatures (the number of #’s or b’s in the staff) recognizable the F is written as E#. The 6^th note in the Major Scale is important for playing leads because, when you play the Harmonized Major Scale (Chords) the 6^thChord is referred to as the Relative Minor. (More info on this later)

Read the table below from left to right for the Major scales. Then play the scale again using the chords for the value.

The “Harmonized Major Scale” (The Holy Grail of Composition)

(ROOT)	2	[3]	4	{5}	6	7	(ROOT)
(MAJ)	min	min	MAJ	MAJ	REL min	Dim	MAJ
E	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D#	E
F	G	A	Bb	C	D	E	F
F#	G#	A#	B	C#	D#	E#	F#
G	A	B	C	D	E	F#	G
Ab	Bb	C	Db	Eb	F	G	Ab
A	B	C#	D	E	F#	G#	A
Bb	C	D	Eb	F	G	A	Bb
B	C#	D#	E	F#	G#	A#	B
C	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
C#	D#	E#	F#	G#	A#	B#	C#
D	E	F#	G	A	B	C#	D
Eb	F	G	Ab	Bb	C	D	Eb
E	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D#	E

Chord Formulae:

MAJOR R 3 5

MAJOR 7^th R 3 5 7

MAJOR DOMINANT 7^th R 3 5 b7

Minor R b3 5

Diminished R b3 b5

There are more and hopefully I will continue to update this document! :o)

Scales:

MAJOR:>

	MAJOR	minor	minor	MAJOR	MAJOR	minor	Diminished	MAJOR
MAJOR	DO	RE	MI	FA	SO	LA	TE	DO
A MAJ	A	B	C#	D	E	F#	G#	A
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	ROOT					Rel min		Octave

Below is an A Major Scale:

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E				7	(8)
	B					5		6
	G				2		[3]	4
	D				6		7	(8)
	A				[3]	4		5
Thick	E					(1)		2

Below is an A Major Scale:

FRET

Open

Thin

(A)

[C#]

(A)

[C#]

Thick

Using the blank templates at the end of this document FILL IN all of the “A” Major scales within the span of the 12 frets. Note that in the scales shown above there are in fact 2 Octaves!

Triads

ow we are going to look at the Major Triads for “A” We know that they are made up of 3 notes (TRIAD) and that they are the (R=A) [3=C#] & {5=E} in order to be Major. (Remember the @ symbol represents a “Flattened 3^rd for minor chords)

FRET

Open

Thin

E{5}

(R)

[3]

{5}

(R)

[3]

{5}

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

[3]

{5}

(R)

[3]

{5}

(R)

[3]

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

(R)

[3]

{5}

(R)

[3]

{5}

(R)

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

{5}

(R)

[3]

{5}

(R)

Thick

(R)

[3]

{5}

ow you know 12 (TWELVE!) different ways to play any Major or minor Chord! By finding the Root (R) (The note that names the Chord) and then referring to the Major Harmonic Scale to determine whether the Chord should be Major or Minor (We will get to the Diminished Chords shortly!)

opefully you have been playing these TRIADS as you have been reading. The differences in each grouping are referred to as “Voicings” or “Inversions”. Each “Voicing” on the same group of strings simply changes the order in which the notes are struck as well as emphasizing the tonal differences of the different strings. When I first learned about Triads it was a huge boost to my playing because when I played with other people I would play the same “Chords” as the other player in a different “Voicing” which really helps to make the overall sound much more “full” Try this, in order to get an appreciation of what you can gain from this knowledge. Now you can re-learn every song you know with different tones!

Using this formula write out the “Triads” to the other keys (using the blank templates at the end of this document.) Writing out the “Triads” will help you to understand the rule (which note names the Chord) rather than just remembering the hand positions. This will help you to “know” other ways of playing any Chord that you see/hear.

ow comes the fun part! Leads! The BLUES Scales. This sounds far more complex than it really is, as you will find by playing these scales until you are familiar with the PATTERNS and then changing Keys the repetition will become clear. Below are 5 Blues scales in “A” minor. The PATTERNS remain constant in any KEY. Remember that to be playing the “A” minor Blues scale (Note: The Blues scale is a Pentatonic scale {Containing 5 notes} and that the Blues/Pentatonic scale is played in the “Relative” minor referring to the 6^th note in the Major scale of the Key, therefore the song should be in “C” Major. Refer to the Major Harmonic Scale chart above to determine the “Relative” minor for any Key.

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E			G
Play the Italicized (Open) notes as well!		C		D
	G		A
	D		E
	A			C
Thick	E			G

FRET

Open

Thin

Thick

“A” Blues Scales continued on the next page:

“A” Blues Scales continued:

FRET

Open

Thin

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

Thick

FRET

Open

Thin

Thick

he example above show the “A” Blues/Pentatonic scales within the first 12 frets. To increase your understanding of how these scales “fit” within the Major scale structure fill in the missing notes to convert the “A” Blues/Pentatonic scales into the “C” Major scales. Try using a different color so that the optional notes standout. Another interesting exercise to highlight or circle the triads that we learned earlier within these scales.

ending notes is an essential part of playing leads. Look at the Blues scales with the idea that any notes that are 2 frets apart the lower note can be bent up to the higher note. In tablature this is referred to as a “Full Bend” or Major interval. Notes that are 1 fret apart can be bent to the higher note and this referred to as a “Half Bend” or minor interval. You can also play “Reverse Bends” this is when you bend the string then pick then release the “bend”. Try different release speeds & picking flurries!

Blank Templates

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E
	B
	G
	D
	A
Thick	E

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E
	B
	G
	D
	A
Thick	E

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E
	B
	G
	D
	A
Thick	E

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E
	B
	G
	D
	A
Thick	E

FRET	Open	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thin	E
	B
	G
	D
	A
Thick	E