8,720
edits
Changes
m
Every Each lesson has a '''Q&A section''' for questions where content is confusing or abstract - see [[Site Conventions#Q/A]]. Each lesson will also have a '''homework''' assignment that you can practice - this will be important points that you should know from the lesson, directions to play the examples on the lesson or variations of them, links to exercise pages, or creative challenges for you to work out. Every lesson has a '''Q&A section''' for questions where content is confusing or abstract - see [[Site Conventions#Q/A]]. These can be asked and answered by anybody.
C <-- Chord Name E------0------------------------- <-- thinnest string B------1--------------------0--1- <-- 2nd thinnest G------0--------------0--2------- <-- 3rd thinnest D------2-----0--2--3------------- <-- 3rd thickest A------3--3---------------------- <-- 2nd thickest E-------------------------------- <-- thickest string ^ C D E F G A B C <-- note names tuning <-- time, sequence of notes --> The ''horizontal lines'' represent the guitar '''strings''', as though you are laying the guitar on your lap, face-up. The thinnest, highest-pitched strings appear above the thicker strings. The ''letters on the left'' indicate the '''tuning''' used. If they are not present, assume '''standard tuning''' (more info in [[Tuning and Harmonics]]), which is the same as written above.
The ''horizontal lines'' represent the guitar strings. The ''letters on the left'' indicate the tuning used. If they are not present, assume standard tuning (more info in [[Tuning and Harmonics]]), which is the same as written above. The ''numbers'' on the strings indicate to play (pick the that string of) that note while fretting the indicated fret number (more in [[Basic Technique]]). 0 means don't fret any notes - pick the open string. Tablature, like classical musical notation, is ''temporally aligned'' You read tablature from left to right, playing the indicated notes in sequence, just like how you read words in a book. So you play When multiple notes appear in the left-most notesame column (sie. they are vertically aligned), then the next one(s) to the right, and so onyou play them all simultaneously. In the above example, you would strum an the 5-note open C major chord across 5 strings, then play the C major scale one note at a time moving from the lowest note to the highest. Here's the exact order of everything you would play:
'''With Explanatory Text''' '''Normal Appearance''' ''' ''' C <-- chord name ''' ''' C --> '''E''' o|-|-|-| <-- thinnest string '''E''' o|-|-|-| notes --> '''C''' ||i|-|-| <-- 2nd thinnest string '''C''' ||i|-|-| being --> '''G''' o|-|-|-| <-- 3rd thinnest string '''G''' o|-|-|-| played --> '''E''' ||-|m|-| <-- 3rd thickest string '''E''' ||-|m|-| --> '''C''' ||-|-|r| <-- 2nd thickest string '''C''' ||-|-|r| ''' ''' ||-|-|-| <-- thickest string ''' ''' ||-|-|-| ''' ''' ^ ^ ^ ^ ''' ''' | | | | ''' '''nut frets
→Chord Charts
{{Top-Level Crumbs|0}}
<small>''[[Site Conventions#Breadcrumbs|^ What the heck are these bubbles?]]''</small>
== About Me ==
Hi, I go by the handle 'am ''''MeAmBobbo''Me Am Bobbo'''. I have played guitar as a ''hobby '' since 1997. While in college, I basically got a minor in music (technically I did not) to learn more about it from the academic side. I'm {{loud|not }} the most prolific or accomplished player by any means, but I definitely know a lot about the instrument. Some friends/family recently picked up playing guitar, so I decided to write out some lessons for them. This led me to create this wiki, which I ''hope '' helps a wider audience.
== About MAB Wiki ==
While there are some good '''youtube series ''' and some nice '''pdf's ''' I've found to help people learn guitar, I wasn't aware of an ''all-encompassing '' '''wiki'''...at least one that was up to the standards I feel the public deserves. And while [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia] and music specific wiki's exist, they are more about the academic nature of music, not '''guided lessons''', and tend to avoid subjective content. Such lessons exist on various sites, but I never found they offered the scope or expandability of what I'm trying to offer here - many are very basic, while others are geared specifically to a certain genre.
My goal here is to provide resources to expand the '''musicianship ''' of all guitarists, and possibly even some non-guitarists, regardless of the style of music you play. I have taken basically everything I know about music, organized it, and presented it in an incremental fashion, centered around playing guitar. Of course, I don't know everything, which is why I chose a wiki format - so others can fill in the gaps or strengthen areas where I am weak.
The lessons are laid out in a way that follows traditional music theory, for the most part. However, I try to make examples based more towards modern popular music, particularly rock and/or jazz.
Again, I am not a guitar master, and I am focusing on the things I know the most about. I feel I can thoroughly cover everything you need to know to become an intermediate musician and composer. I will even cover advanced topics; however, these will likely serve more as a branching off point than an extensive resource.
My main interest musically is '''rock and roll ''' of almost every stripe. Yet I find the most interesting rock musicians incorporate a variety of styles into their music, such as '''jazz, blues, classical, ragtime, funk, and folk'''. I aim to help understand key features in such genres and how to incorporate them into your playing.
{{top}}
== Common Conventions ==
Also, '''{{loud|I'm going to assume you are right-handed''' }} for the sake of clarity and brevity. If you are '''left-handed'''-handed, anytime you see ''left '' in relation to a body or fretboard direction, switch it with ''right'', etc. Anytime you see ''right-'' hand, I mean '''picking hand'''. ''Left '' hand means '''fretboard hand'''.
While most of the site is text, I also use '''tables, graphics/images, sound clips, tablature, scale maps, and chord charts ''' to help explain things. I have attempted to ''limit the width or horizontal space that these consume in order to maximize readability across platforms''. Still, '''smartphones ''' using a '''portrait orientation ''' are most likely to have troubles on some of the busier pages. Try switching to '''landscape if ''' where necessary.
{{top}}
Musical notation is not text friendly, so I will use '''tablature''' in this form:
# 5-note open C major chord# C note on 5th string, 3rd fret# D note on 4th string, open# E note on 4th string, 2nd fret# F note on 4th string, 3rd fret# G note on 3rd string, open# A note on 3rd string, 2nd fret# B note on 2nd string, open# C note on 2nd string, 1st fret The "C" above that first chord indicates the '''chord name'''. ''This may or may not always be present''. Similarly, the letters below the last string represent the '''note names''' of the single notes being played. All this will be covered in greater detail later on.
For more detail on tablature, including how more advanced techniques are represented, please see the [[Ref:_Reading_Tab|Reading Tab Reference]] page.
== Chord Charts ==
'''Chord charts''' are used to display shapes or voicings for certain chords, as well as '''finger patterns'''. These are similar to tab with horizontal strings; however, there are also vertical fret markers. Double vertical bars indicate the '''nut'''. This should visually appear like a group of adjacent '''frets ''' for any particular position on the fretboard. On the left, I occasionally display the '''note names'''.
''You may notice my chord charts don't look like traditional chord charts, where the strings run vertically and frets horizontally.'' I find that a bit confusing, especially when interspersed with tab. Mine are consistent with tab and how one typically views the fretboard - horizontal strings and vertical frets. It may take a second to get used to it if you are accustomed to traditional chord charts. Another advantage of keeping consistent dimensions is that we can see exactly how chord shapes and scales intersect.
== Fret Maps ==
I also use '''scale maps''' (or '''fretboard maps'''), which display ''all '' the notes for a particular scale for ''some '' position. Again, '''strings ''' are ''horizontal '' and '''frets ''' are ''vertical'', similar to tab.
<pre>
|o|o|-|o|-| <-- thinnest string|o|x|-|o|-| <-- 2nd thinnest string|o|-|o|-|*| <-- 3rd thinnest string|o|-|o|o|-| <-- 3rd thickest string|o|-|o|x|-| <-- 2nd thickest string|o|o|-|o|-| <-- thickest string ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^| | | | | | frets
</pre>
A '''fret number ''' indicating [[Position|position]] ''may or may not '' be present under the map, which would indicate a ''specific '' key. Since fretboard maps are patterns that can be used on any group of frets on the guitar, they are not necessarily tied to any particular fret numbers, ''which is where their power lies (example 3 can be used on any group of 4 frets)''.
The '''o''' 's represent frets on that string that are part of whatever scale is being illustrated. The '''x''' 's are '''root notes ''' for the given scale. The '''*''' 's indicate ''something special '' explained below, but most often refer to a doubled note between the 2nd and 3rd strings that can technically be played in either location but is preferred to be played in the other position (ie - ignore the *'s). These maps are a ''more compact '' way than tab to demonstrate the '''fretboard pattern ''' of a particular scale.
Sometimes, I'll use (R, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) to mark the scale degree of each note in the pattern.
{{top}}
== Breadcrumbs ==
I like to use breadcrumbs like these for easy navigation:
{{Top-Level Crumbs|0}}
See more about breadcrumbs on the [[Site_Conventions#Breadcrumbs|Site_Conventions]] page.
{{top}}
== Related Links ==
* [[Site Conventions]]
* [[Site Policies]]
* [[Main Page]]
* [[MAB Wiki:About]]
* [[MAB Wiki:General disclaimer]]
* [[MAB Wiki:Privacy policy]]
{{top}}
{{Top-Level Crumbs|0}}