Guitar Lesson #1

STRING NAMES

Starting from the top and working toward the bottom: E A D G B E. This is funny because tablature is usually written upside down, as if you flipped the guitar around in your lap. Consider the following illustration as the strings up to the twelfth (double dotted) fret.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

For the purposes of using this tablature, X means you place your finger on that fret, and O means you play that string open (pluck it without placing your finger on any of the frets). The @ is my best attempt at the dots on the side and neck of your guitar. They should be at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th (double dotted) frets. Hey, this is the best I could do with ASCII images!

TUNING

I know of three simple approaches to tuning your guitar; typically I find that two used in combination have proven most useful.

1. Finger the fifth fret of the E string and ring out an open A string. This should sound like the same note. It will take time and ear training to get an exact match. Move onto the next string except . . .

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

When you get to the G string (I love saying that). Finger the fourth fret of the G string and ring out an open B.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

It will take time and ear training to get an exact match. This works all well and good, other than the fact that you have to take your finger off the string to tune. Ah well, there is always options #2 and #3.

2. You can use artificial harmonics to free up your hands. To get a harmonic, lightly touch your finger just below the twelfth fret and pluck the string. You should get a bell like sound. Now try it in this order: 12th, 5th, 7th, 3rd, and 9th – it gets progressively harder with each one. You can tune your guitar with the A.F. between the 5th and 7th frets. Consider the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Again, it doesn’t work well with the G to B string.

3. Even if you are 1/8th of a note off, your tuning can sound off whack by the fifth or sixth string. I usually strum an open G chord to hear if everything sounds in tune. A good way to double check and pick out slight mistuning is to use 12th fret harmonics Hit the harmonic on the 12th fret, and check against the 2nd fret two strings over. Consider the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Now you can diagnose that pesky G to B string, as you can do the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

4. Heh, let’s be tech savvy now. You can always go out and buy a guitar tuner, or use a free one online such as on Emil’s Phish Tablature Page. Guitar tuners are quick, easy, and sometimes necessary when you can’t hear your guitar (such as when playing live). Trust me, it is a short cut. Train your ear to hear your guitar tuned; it will pay off in the long run.

MAJOR SCALE

I hate to say it, but some things just need to be memorized. If you are serious about learning music, then you need to learn to hear and play the major scale sooner rather than later. Most of what I am learning in music – chords, triads, chord progressions, the blues, keys, and modes - are all based on the major scale. Choose to ignore it and you can only go so far in music before hitting a major wall. For now, study the shape and know that the scale is always named for the root note, or the first note of the scale.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Or if you want to play it on all six strings:

E!!---!-X-!-X-!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Or my favorite six string major scale shape. This one will really stretch your fingers. Use your pointer to hit the first note, middle finger to hit the second, and pinky to hit the third.

E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Don’t just become familiar with the shapes, but begin building a memory for the sounds as well (especially the difference between a whole or half-step jump). Hum the notes along with the guitar, as it will reinforce that sound in your head. This strategy will also help later on when you are learning to play lead guitar.

Keep practicing!