Music Theory - Ask anything to receive answers

Burning Down · 04-08-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

I've looked at multiple scale charts and theyve always told me the first note of the Am blues scale is on the 3rd fret (G). I know all my notes on the low E very well. I'm Past that. Yes the root is on the A, but it starts on the G. I'm not saying you're wrong, I understand what you're saying; but my scale book shows it as this:

----------------------------------------------3-5-------
-------------------------------------3-4-5------------
---------------------------2-----4-------------------
------------------2----4-----------------------
---------3---5--------------------------
--3---5----------------------------

The roots being on the 5th of the low E and the 2nd of the G.

That's not root position, that's the second position. "A" is always the root if you're playing in Am. But those tabs are weird. I played it on my guitar and the lower octave is a pentatonic scale while the higher octave seems to be a blues scale of sorts.

edit: Ahhhh GB beat me to it.

GuitarBizarre · 04-08-2012, 02:38 PM

Burning down is right about one thing though - The scale you're playing isn't a pentatonic after the first octave. that 345 pattern in there is a different scale.

Think about it, a pentatonic scale is PENT-atonic. Pent meaning five, like pentagon.

If you look at the second octave of your scale, there are six notes. Thats not right for a pentatonic. You're adding in that Eb for some reason, which is what would happen in a blues pentatonic, not a traditional pentatonic.

Burning Down · 04-08-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

Burning down is right about one thing though - The scale you're playing isn't a pentatonic after the first octave. that 345 pattern in there is a different scale.

Think about it, a pentatonic scale is PENT-atonic. Pent meaning five, like pentagon.

If you look at the second octave of your scale, there are six notes. Thats not right for a pentatonic. You're adding in that Eb for some reason, which is what would happen in a blues pentatonic, not a traditional pentatonic.

Yeah I couldn't really put my finger on it... it sounded very bluesy at the end. I even tried it on the piano in all five positions (or inversions as they are called on piano), same result.

GuitarBizarre · 04-08-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Yeah I couldn't really put my finger on it... it sounded very bluesy at the end. I even tried it on the piano in all five positions (or inversions as they are called on piano), same result.

Its because the blues relies on fluid intervals, quartertones etc. So to approximate that on instruments that can't bend, you get the "blue notes" where you make a run fluid by adding in a semitone that isn't in the original scale.

Dr_Rez · 04-08-2012, 02:52 PM

TO make it simple, The sixth string root note is ALWAYS the beginning of the first position of the scale.

blastingas10 · 04-08-2012, 03:15 PM

It's the first position in the sense that if you start at the top of the guitar, its the first position you're going to come up on. That's what I meant.

Dr_Rez · 04-08-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

It's the first position in the sense that if you start at the top of the guitar, its the first position you're going to come up on.

I guess I dont know what you mean. I cant make it any more simple. It doesnt matter where you are on the guitar.... The first position ALWAYS starts at the root note on the 6th string.

Em first position can be open or or 12th fret. Both are E notes on the 6th string. A Gm woud be the 3rd fret or the 15th fret since they are both ROOT NOTES (G's) on the lowest string.

I cant really explain it any clearer.

So again this picture is explaining it for Am.

blastingas10 · 04-08-2012, 03:29 PM

Yes yes yes I get it. Ive had it. what I'm saying is I referred to it as the first position because it's closest to the first fret, which is the first position on the guitar, besides an open string. I understand that it's technically not the first position

GuitarBizarre · 04-08-2012, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

Yes yes yes I get it. Ive had it. what I'm saying is I referred to it as the first position because it's closest to the first fret, which is the first position on the guitar, besides an open string. I understand that it's technically not the first position

Which resulted in confusion. If you know the proper terms, use them in future. Music theory is confusing enough without renaming things arbitrarily.

blastingas10 · 04-08-2012, 03:51 PM

I didn't know the proper term until y'all said something but I get it now. I was just explaining why I referred to it as the first position.

04-08-2012, 02:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,375	TO make it simple, The sixth string root note is ALWAYS the beginning of the first position of the scale. __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

04-08-2012, 03:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	It's the first position in the sense that if you start at the top of the guitar, its the first position you're going to come up on. That's what I meant. Last edited by blastingas10; 04-08-2012 at 03:22 PM.

04-08-2012, 03:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	Yes yes yes I get it. Ive had it. what I'm saying is I referred to it as the first position because it's closest to the first fret, which is the first position on the guitar, besides an open string. I understand that it's technically not the first position

04-08-2012, 03:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I didn't know the proper term until y'all said something but I get it now. I was just explaining why I referred to it as the first position.