Third Stone From the Sun Tab A Major Scale Guitar

This guitar lesson is a great example of using A major scale patterns played in the style of "Third Stone From the Sun" by Jimi Hendrix. This is the octave guitar riff at 0:42 which is based in E mixolydian mode. You'll also learn about guitar modes and creating modal scale sounds. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Acoustic Guitar Solo Pentatonic Scale How to Tab Lesson

This free guitar lesson is a great example of using E minor pentatonic scale patterns played in the style of "Turn Off the Light" by Nelly Furtado. This is the lead guitar solo that starts at 2:53. It's suitable for beginner/intermediate level players who are getting started with lead guitar technique. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Blink 182 Guitar Tabs Chorus Chord Inversion CAGED Lesson

This guitar lesson is a great example of using chord inversions and shapes derived from the CAGED guitar system and played in the style of "Stay Together For the Kids" by Blink 182. This is the chorus at 0:39 and is based on a partial "C form" arpeggio pattern. Suitable for beginner level players and up. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Accurate & Complete Guitar Tab
To get the complete, accurate, fully licensed and legal guitar TAB for this song go to: http://www.unitedwetab.com/Guitar-Tab/Blink-182/Stay-Together-For-The-Kids/588?_dcs=DS20

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Stay Together For the Kids Tab D Major Scale Guitar

This guitar lesson is a great example of using D major scale patterns played in the style of "Stay Together For the Kids" by Blink 182. This is the opening guitar riff which also makes for a great alternate picking exercise. You can also use this song as a play along jam track to practice connecting major scale patterns for guitar. Suitable for intermediate level players and up. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

No Woman No Cry Guitar Play Along Jam Track

Use this jam track to practice playing the lead guitar solo licks and phrases taught in the "No Woman No Cry" video lesson.

Chord Progression: C G/B Am F, C F Em Dm C

Guitar Scales: C major scale, C major pentatonic scale

Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna (Google me!)
http://www.Guitar-Music-Theory.com
Pentatonic/CAGED/Progressions/Modes

No Woman No Cry Chords Scales For Guitar How to Solo

An instrumental guitar jam played in the style of "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley. Learn about the chords and progression used in this song, plus how to apply pentatonic and major scale patterns over it. This guitar theory lesson is suitable for intermediate and advanced players who want to learn more about the inter-workings of music. No tab is available for this song, but you can play along with the jam track at: http://guitar-music-theory.com/music-theory-songs/NoWomanNoCry-JamTrack.mp3

Sublime Tabs Pawn Shop How to Guitar Solo Minor Pentatonic Scale

This free guitar lesson is a great example of using E minor pentatonic scale patterns played in the style of "Pawn Shop" by Sublime. This is the opening lead guitar solo that starts at 0:28. It's suitable for beginner/intermediate level players who are getting started with lead guitar technique. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Dave Matthews Guitar Tabs Video Tripping Billies Chord Inversions

This guitar lesson is a great example of using chord inversions and shapes derived from the CAGED guitar system and played in the style of "Tripping Billies" by Dave Matthews Band. This is the opening chord riff and includes partial major and minor "E form" barre chords. Suitable for intermediate level players and up. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

The Man Who Sold the World Tab F Major Scale Guitar

This guitar lesson is a great example of using F major scale patterns played in the style of "The Man Who Sold the World" by Nirvana. This is the chorus bass line which begins at 0:45. Guitars tuned down 1/2 step to Eb. Suitable for beginner level plays who are getting started with playing scales. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Third Eye Blind Tabs Never Let You Go Bridge Chord Inversions

This guitar lesson is a great example of using chord inversions and shapes derived from the CAGED guitar system and played in the style of "Never Let You Go" by Third Eye Blind. This is the chord riff that occurs in the bridge at 1:50 and includes part of an "E form" arpeggio pattern. Suitable for intermediate level players and up. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Modes to Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales

Apart from learning the minor modes in the major scale like Dorian, Phrygian, and Aeolian should guitar players learn modes built from the harmonic and melodic minor scales?

I don't teach the modes of the harmonic and melodic minor scales because they're used so infrequently. Instead I like to focus on more fundamental music theory like the modes of the major scale (which includes minor modes). I will say this, be sure to master the lessons I teach in my guitar theory book and DVDs before you venture into more complicated topics. And also keep in mind that exotic scales are used primarily in obscure music like bebop jazz and very advanced instrumental music (like some Joe Satriani songs). The exception would be the harmonic minor scale. It comes up in pieces every now and then but not in any unusual modal form. Check out the opening lead guitar solo to "Smooth" by Carlos Santana.

When you're ready I recommend checking out the following books from Dock Mock on harmonic and melodic minor scales for guitar.

Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna
Website: http://Guitar-Music-Theory.com
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Sir Duke Bass & Guitar Tab Sheet Music Major Pentatonic Blues Scale

This free guitar lesson is a great example of using B major pentatonic blues scale patterns played in the style of "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder. This is the band riff that occurs at 1:04. For intermediate and advanced level players only. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Blues Guitar Scale Iron Man Example Minor Pentatonic Passing Tone

This free guitar lesson is a great example of using B minor pentatonic scale patterns played in the style of "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath. This is the guitar riff that occurs at 2:04. It uses pentatonic pattern one together with chromatic passing tones creating what is commonly referred to as the "blues scale". Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Breakdown Tab Easy Guitar Solo Pentatonic Scale Lesson How to

This free guitar lesson is a great example of using A minor pentatonic scale patterns played in the style of "Breakdown" by Tom Petty. This is the opening lead guitar riff based in patterns two and one. Techniques such as slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs make this a great song for intermediate level players who are learning how to guitar solo. Get free tab for this song excerpt when you sign up for a preview of the book Fretboard Theory at: http://guitar-music-theory.com

Accurate & Complete Guitar Tab
To get the complete, accurate, fully licensed and legal guitar TAB for this song go to: http://www.unitedwetab.com/Guitar-Tab/Tom-Petty/Breakdown/11197?_dcs=DS20

This blog has moved to: http://www.guitar-music-theory.com/blog/

What Key Are the Guitar Chords to Get Back by the Beatles in?

"Get Back" by The Beatles is based in A Mixolydian mode (a.k.a. the dominant scale). Mixolydian is the fifth mode so the parent major scale is D. The open chord riff is A for three and a half measures followed by G and D. By number this would be 5 4 1, with the 5 chord A functioning as the root (or tonic). Some musicians like to always call the root chord 1 and then renumber everything from there, but I like to keep it simple and just leave the numbers as they occur in the parent major scale.

This song also includes some blues elements. You can here a minor third of A, C, thrown in for a little off key blues flavor. The guitar solo starts out in A major pentatonic, switches to D major pentatonic over the D chord briefly, but finishes with A minor pentatonic.

Music Theory for Guitar
"Get Back" by The Beatles may be an easy song to play, but it requires some music theory knowledge to understand. It's important to remember that concepts like modes and blues stem from more fundamental ideas like major scale patterns and chord progressions. Guitar theory is a process. Take it one step at a time.

Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna (Google me!)
http://www.Guitar-Music-Theory.com
Scales, Chords, Progressions, and More

Harmonic Minor Scale Guitar

What key is the song "Malaguena" (Spanish dance) in that it uses the following chord progression; Am, G, F and E? It appears to be in the key of C except the E major chord. Shouldn't it be E minor? And what scale can I play over it?

You're right, the E chord should be minor. Then everything fits into the C major scale. In this example, the Am chord is functioning as the root (tonic). "A" is the relative minor (sixth degree) to "C". So this would be called A Aeolian mode or A natural minor.

But the E major chord has a raised third, G#. Often times a progression like this includes an E7 which has a V7 pull and resolution to the tonic Am. And when the E major, or E7, chord comes up, the lead/melody usually raises the G to G# too. Then back to G natural when the progression returns to Am. This is called the harmonic minor scale. Specifically, this application would be called the "A harmonic minor scale" because the Am is functioning as the root (tonic). Anytime you raise the seventh scale degree of a natural minor scale you create a V7 chord and harmonic minor scale.

You can hear this done in songs like "Smooth" by Santana, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica (E harmonic minor) just to name a few.

Music Theory for Guitar
Notice how more complex concepts like the harmonic minor scale stem from more fundamental concepts like major scale patterns and chord progressions. Guitar theory is a process. Don't get ahead of yourself!

Harmonic Minor Scale Guitar
When you're ready I recommend checking out the following books from Dock Mock on harmonic and melodic minor scales for guitar.

Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna
Website: http://Guitar-Music-Theory.com
YouTube: http://youtube.com/GuitarMusicTheoryTab
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MrGuitarTheory
Facebook: http://facebook.com/desi.serna
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Podcast: Search Desi Serna at iTunes

The difference between diatonic and pentatonic scales.

1. What is the difference between the diatonic and pentatonic scales?

This is a great guitar theory question. The term diatonic basically means two tones. This refers to the two different kinds of steps that occur in major scales, whole-step and half-step. The word is also used to indicate when something stems from one key. For example, "this riff is all diatonic" means that all of its notes are straight out of the parent major scale. Or, "this guitar solo is not diatonic" means that it features notes that are not part of the parent major scale (like chromatic passing tones).

Pentatonic scale patterns are not considered diatonic because they are not based on a two step formula. And they don't have seven notes like major scales do.

2. How can I play a major pentatonic scale over a song that uses chords from the major scale?

The pentatonic scale follows the root chord in a progression. The root is the tonal center of a song and usually where everything starts and ends. If the root chord is major, then you can play the same major pentatonic scale over the whole progression. If the root chord is minor, then you can play the same minor pentatonic scale over the whole progression.

For example, the song "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton is based on a 1 5 4 5 (G D C D) chord progression in the key of G. The G chord is the root since everything pulls to and resolves on it. So you can play G major pentatonic scale patterns over the whole song. Just position pentatonic pattern one so that the second note is G (the relative minor is E).

The guitar solo to "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin is based on a 6 5 4 chord progression in C, with the 6 chord Am functioning as the root. So you can play Am pentatonic patterns over the whole progression. Just position pentatonic pattern one so that the first note is A.

In order to use the correct major scale, you must take the whole progression into account, not just the root. So in the first example play G major scale patterns. In the second play C major scale patterns (Am is the relative minor).

Pentatonic and major scales are taught in Fretboard Theory Chapters 2 and 5. Roots, keys and applying scales is taught in Chapter 7.