The Circle of Fifths

tacticaltal
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Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:03 pm

Thanks, shel. I've wondered away from the Circle for now. Yes, the Acoustic Guitar Series is part of my curriculum. Right now, I'm working on some fingerpicking stuff, and, well, I'm all over the place :) Thanks for catching me up.

Terry


thereshopeyet
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:32 am

Thanks All


michelew
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 2:16 am

Actually, I was just checking my computer because I thought I'd given Terry the wrong reference. Which I sort of have. The e-book I was thinking of was actually 'The guitarist's music theory book' by Peter Vogl, specifically Section 5 -The relationship between chords and scales. It has audio files built in too.

The only reason I suggest these, is that people learn differently. I find I learn from a combination of listening to explanations, seeing it demonstrated, reading and doing. So for me watching the Acoustic Genius Series, reading the books, playing and hearing/reading other peoples observations all work together to progress my understanding.


Dermot,

I think doing the exercises that Nessa and Neil suggested and keeping it a bit simpler is a great idea. I suspect you'll feel like you've progressed more if you keep your goals simple and don't try to achieve too much all at once (Neil and Nessa have got a lot of years of playing experience between them).

Don't despair. Just play more (most people would benefit from that) and listen to and try to apply the advice you've received. If you've done that and you still don't get it then ask again being specific about the bits you don't get.

I find that I get part way through a book and then my eyes glaze over and I get distracted because it's too much to absorb all at once. But, I find that if I return to the books occasionally then I'm generally ready to adsorb more and connect the bits I know better. The added understanding generally comes from working on more songs and listening to Neil and others also explaining things too.

Yes, I've got some good iPad apps too. But, that's another subject for another thread, which I may start one day.

So play more and keep going back to dip your head in the books a bit at a time.

Now I'm off to play and apply, first off pulsing barres (roots, 4ths, 5ths and 6ths - Neil's advice from the news AND the Jason Mraz FOTW). :) Ciao for now buddy.

OH BTW - there's a spot in the Busking 'Something' thread with your name on it. Why don't you work on something straightforward and then record and post it. Nothing fancy, just something you like to play. It's been a while since we've seen you upload something (unless I've missed it). Or better still upload it for review while Neil's dance card isn't too full and he might get to reviewing it. All good.

Shel


michelew
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:46 am

Dermot,

Personally I'd say, just pláy the guitar!!!!

Sure memory might be a thing here, you say you have a bad one and you're trying to learn a language by memorizing the words and trying to understand the grammar, but without actually spéaking the language it's VERY hard to memorize, that goes for everyone.

For many years, I really wasn't very aware of chordprogressions. Sure, I knew how to play a 12 barr bluesprogression, and after playing dózens of songs in the key of for example C or G or D, trust me, you bump into the sáme chords over and óver again, after a while you wíll remember, because you're playing it all the time.

And you know, the circle of fifths is there for a reason, it's a visual tool to help you remember (you're not the only one having trouble with that) all those things relating keys, progressions, keysignatures, sharps, flats etc.

But again, know the notes on the bottom strings, know how to find the relation between the I, IV, and V on both strings instantly, but most of all: PLAY the guitar and the pieces of the puzzle will fall into it's places.

Oh and listen to Shel! :P


tombo1230
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:42 am

thereshopeyet wrote:
Hello Michelle
I also have a little software application AFT (Absolute Fretboard Trainer) that you can learn the fretboard by playing a long.

Anyway.....cutting this short.... I've come to the conclusion that I should persevere longer with very basic fretboard exercises
in my practice routine one at a time until I know them before moving to the next.

With this thought in mine, after watching the Neils news and Vanessa's answers in the forum am starting with the 5th and 6th string notes.
with the intention of playing them on the guitar reciting them with accidentals sharp up the neck and Flat down the neck.
I'll do this for 5 minutes a day along with the songs I'm working on.
Then I'll move to seconds, thirds and Fifths etc... each for as long as it takes.

I suppose as long as I'm doing something about commiting the fretboard notes and relationships a step at a time
is better than being all over the place with it. I just need to be honest with my self before moving from exercise to exercise.
Hi Dermot,
you probably know this already but I will mention it anyway. If you know the notes on the bottom two strings (base strings) its pretty easy to find any note on the guitar.

If you have learned those two strings then you already have three strings learned as there is duplication on strings 1 and 6 (E)
From string 6 lets say you are on the third fret (G) just go down two strings (in direction) to string 4, move along two frets and you have found another G This works obviously for every note on the sixth string. An exercise you could do then would be to play these 6th and 4th string octaves reciting the notes out loud.

This also works for 5th and 3rd strings. Using the same idea, choose a note say a D on the 5th string 5th fret, go down to the 3rd string go forwards two frets and here is another D. Practice up and down the neck these 5th and 3rd string octaves, reciting the notes out loud.

So far you can find any note from the top two strings on every string except string two. This is the odd one out because of how things are set up on the guitar. You could try learning all of the notes from the first fret C to fret 12 or from the 5th string 3rd fret C go down to string two and back two frets and you have your string to string note to note relationship.

To help learn notes on the 5th and 6th strings remember this: 3 grey cats, 5 ample digits, 7 beautiful elephants, 8 Christmas fairies, 10 dogs growling 12 edible apples, or make up your own. So 3 is the fret. G is on the 6th string at 3rd fret, C is the note on the fifth string at the 3rd fret. These are reminders on the non sharp or non flat notes on strings 5 and 6.

If this is old news to you Dermot and doesn't help you, apologies, then maybe someone else will find it useful. :)

Tom N.


thereshopeyet
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:31 pm

Michelle
Thanks.

Vanessa Wrote
Personally I'd say, just pláy the guitar!!!!
;)


thereshopeyet
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Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:14 am

Hello

Although the videos explain everything clearly, sad that I am
I created a note for myself with respect to Neil and Vanessa's video responses to my question.
I've found their explanations useful.
Thanks.

Anyway I've attached the pdf at the beginning of the thread for anyone that might be interested.

Dermot


willem
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Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:28 am

thereshopeyet wrote:
Hello

Although the videos explain everything clearly, sad that I am
I created a note for myself with respect to Neil and Vanessa's video responses to my question.
I've found their explanations useful.
Thanks.
:)

Anyway I've attached the pdf at the beginning of the thread for anyone that might be interested.

Dermot
What did you play this week Dermot?


unclewalt
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Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:16 pm

Very cool pdf Dermot, great work!! ;)

Indeed, what have you been playing??! :)


thereshopeyet
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Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:44 pm

Vanessa...thanks.
I've been spending a lot of time on The Fisherman Part 1.
I tried recording it again today but it's really not great.

I've also been practicing Windy and Warm for a while.
Hurt, I'd love to change the world, People are strange.....

I'm going to have a look at Yellow Taxi too .... It's a great song and I think I'll learn a lot from it to!

I'll keep recording.
Fingers crossed.

TheresHopeYet


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