Music Theory the Fun Way: Through Soloing ! Steve Danielsson steve@littlekidsrock

1. Music Theory the Fun Way: • Through Soloing! • Steve Danielsson • steve@littlekidsrock.org

2. Opening Jam • “So What” - Miles Davis • D Dorian - Use Dm Pentatonic at the 10th fret

3. Approximation • 3 • Now try to add these new cool notes! • The Blues notes are added to the pentatonic scale! • 3 • 3

4. What We’ll Cover • Basics of music theory • Pentatonic Review - Why it’s awesome • Starting point - The Major Scale • Advanced (more fun!) scales • Building your knowledge further

5. What Is Music Theory? • Music theory is the formalized study of the rules of music that we hear • It is studied to further our understanding of what we hear • The formalized study is based on musical trends

6. The Stigma of Music Theory • Learning rules to music implies there is a “right” answer • Many of us learn music theory in a regimented classroom setting • There is no immediate success in the study of music theory • Studying/practicing music theory with your instrument in hand increases your understanding and enjoyment

7. Approximation • Learning to approximate your ear takes practice • Building a low stress environment is easy! • Simply take out your guitar and get ready!

8. Approximating “Do” • In all three musical examples, we will work to find what key we are in • We will find this simply by using the sixth string • Play along with the song, until you find the note that the song seems to rest on

9. Notes On Approximating • Most musicians ear are developed enough to find Do in popular music • Occasionally, it will be difficult to find a key, feel free to use online hints! • Every second you are playing and listening to your instrument, your musicianship is developing • The most important thing to learn is The Confidence To Try!

10. Approximating A Solo • According to most guitar players: “All music was written to have guitar solos played over it” • Approximating with a familiar shape will develop your ear, your hand and increase your fluency using the scale • Let’s start by Approximating on a famous progression

11. Blues In A • A Blues in A is built on the idea of tension • An A7 Chord has a C# in it, while an A pentatonic has a C natural in it • These differing notes create musical tension, that many of us today know as a “bluesy” sound

12. Blues in… • We will now play a Blues in a few new keys • After each 12 bar phrase, we will switch to a new key • Find the key by experimenting with the pentatonic shape

13. “Let’s Crank It Up a Notch!” • The tension in blues makes it feel safe to miss notes • In Diatonic music (music built in one key), missed notes will sometimes sound more out of place • Ignore your desire to be perfect, and try as many pentatonic shapes as you can • The location of the scale will tell you what key we are in! • “BAM!”

14. When To Approximate • Alway! The best way to develop your ear and understanding of your guitar is to have your guitar out while your listening. • Try everything you hear • Every missed note should be thought of as an exercise • Sitting on the couch watching TV? Take out the guitar! You’d be surprised how much there is to try and play along with!

15. Beyond the Pentatonic • 1 • 1 • Let’s take a look at the pentatonic scale • Five different notes • We use this shape for major and minor • 3 • 3 • 3

16. Back to the Basics: Major Vs. Minor • Learning to hear the sound, for you and for your students • Avoid “happy” and “sad” • Make the terms Minor and Major part of your classroom vocabulary • Most songs use major AND minor chords together

17. A Major vs. A Minor • The difference is only one note. When the second fret moves to the first, we are lowering on note in the chord by a half step.

18. Why/how major and minor? • All modern Western music is built on the same pattern • Even the most advanced music theory is based on the same simple information • That information is so famous, most people already know it

19. The One String Major Scale! • 0 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - 12 • The major scale is the foundation of music • Let’s play five different major scales • Here is the pattern we can use for a One String major scale • Do - Re - Mi - Fa - Sol - La - Ti - Do

20. The One String Minor Scale • 0 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 8 - 10 - 12 • The minor scale has three different notes than the major scale • Here is the pattern we can use for a One String minor scale • Do - Re - Me - Fa - Sol - Le - Te - Do • Notes different from major scale are underlined • Notice how Lowered notes end with an “e” sound!

21. Unpacking the Pentatonic • 0 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 8 - 10 - 12 • The Minor Pentatonic Scale is a simple five note scale • Do - Re - Me - Fa - Sol - Le - Te - Do

22. Or as we usually know it… • The black notes are Do • The scale is shaped perfectly for the guitar • Most guitarists master this scale without knowing its origin • Now you know!

23. G. I. Joe Says: • Knowledge of how a scale works will ALWAYS enhance your ability to use it • Even just knowing where “Do” is • Learning scales is a life long process, each time you play it, it builds itself stronger into your musical lexicon

24. A Full Minor Scale • The full minor scale can be played in the same position as the minor pentatonic • Only one finger is slid out of position • The new notes are marked in blue • 1 • 2 • 3 • 3 • 4

25. Major… Minor… We CAN All Just Get Along! • 1 • 1 • 2 • 2 • 3 • 3 • 4 • 3 • 3 • 4

26. Improvising With The Full Scale • We add two important notes in the full scale • These notes are the 4th and 7th of the major scale • They add a lot of tension, which can be a great tool for soloing

27. Improvising of I, V, VI-, IV • Playing the world famous progression, you can use this scale to craft new melodies • 1 • 2 • 3 • 3 • 4

28. What Are Modes? • A “Mode” is a unique scale pattern and shape • These are all based on the original major and minor scales • Just like minor/major have the same notes, so do modes • Most guitarists learn these modes in new shapes

29. Full Dorian Mode • The full Dorian Mode can be played in the same position as the minor pentatonic • One finger is slid out of position • The Dorian Mode will be two frets (one step) up from the key of the song • If a song is in G (3rd fret), you can use the A Dorian Scale • 1 • 1 • 3 • 3 • 3

30. Dorian Jam Along • The dorian mode has a minor sound, but the one different note gives it a different feel • It is used in jazz, rock and all kinds of music • The two most prominent examples are “Kind of Blue” and Carlos Santana’s soloing style • 1 • 1 • 3 • 3 • 3

31. “Oye Como Va” Jam Along • Jam on “Oye Como Va” using the A Dorian mode • For fun, try switching it up to the E minor pentatonic, which will also work but have a different sound to it! • 1 • 1 • 3 • 3 • 3

32. We’re Miles Ahead! • Miles Davis’ “So What” off the album Kind of Blue is a great example of using the dorian mode in improvisation • It also changes keys! • We change keys by sliding up just one fret, using the same scale • 1 • 1 • 3 • 3 • 3