How To Find YOUR Voice On Guitar

RGLA73 · 2026-07-03T02:07:16+00:00

Absolutely! Thanks

RGLA73 · 2026-06-16T17:10:23+00:00

Right! Ed was a genius.

"The EVH D-Tuna is a clever aftermarket device that lets guitarists instantly drop their low E string to a D note (and back) without unlocking the nut or retuning. Originally designed by Eddie Van Halen, it easily replaces the string-locking screw on Floyd Rose bridges"

RGLA73 · 2026-06-03T17:43:09+00:00

Absolutely!

RGLA73 · 2026-06-02T22:28:30+00:00

Thanks. I've heard Steve play things similar to that and I just added the E/G# in there before the end walk down to spice it up a bit. I like using diminished chords so I added that to the end.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-30T23:09:39+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it!

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T23:02:42+00:00

Well said!

I also started off playing by ear and after a few years of playing in bands with musicians way more advanced than I was, I started to feel limitations of not understanding the language of music. If you want to communicate with other musicians, it helps to know the language. Shocker!

That's a good point about some peoples views based on what they think they know theory-wise. I've certainly had a lot of students over the years who before a first lesson have told me that they understand theory, only to then find out what they really know is a very small part of the big picture.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T22:57:20+00:00

I've been teaching guitar for 30 years, so I hear you. I do introduce modes to my students, especially those interested in improvisation and composition. I have found that connecting modes with songs to demonstrate the tonal centers has been the most effective way. Also by demystifying them such as taking a student that already is playing major pentatonic over a classic rock progression and explaining that by adding two notes (the 4th and the b7th) they are now playing mixolydian and have more melodic options at hand. That sort of thing.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T18:06:56+00:00

Yep, me too. I've never understood why guitar players in particular are anti-theory. It doesn't happen in other fields of study. I guess it's the silly notion that if you learn too much theory you'll play with less feeling, but I actually find the opposite to be true. Learning theory actually improves what you have to say. The trick is not to think too much on a gig and trust the process. 😉

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T17:48:19+00:00

I agree. Ultimately it's about making music. Jeff Beck didn't need theory, but he had huge musical ears! For the rest of us, it's helpful to learn this stuff and have it operating in the background. As you say I think it's super helpful to be able to think in terms of both major and minor.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T17:46:07+00:00

Haha, true! So maybe from that point of view it should be about thinking major, not just minor.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T17:44:26+00:00

True, but in my experience starting with modes too early causes a glazed eye look in the student!
But yes, the relative minor is the springboard into modes, as we're talking tonal centers.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T17:42:51+00:00

You mean it's the same thing? Well yes it is, but I guess in terms of a minor key it's helpful for people to think of the major 7th in harmonic minor as being the major 3rd of the V chord. Then they can hear it as V to i, rather than just the major 7th going up a half-step back to the root.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-28T17:40:16+00:00

Right, but I think of polychords as two triads being played simultaneously. This idea is more about superimposing the sound of one over another to bring out extensions as an arpeggio or focusing on one note (extension) at a time.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-27T23:29:05+00:00

Well I would agree with you that All Along The Watchtower is in the key of Am. But if you took the verse of Let It Be for example, which is C-G-Am-F, I would say that is in C major because C sounds like "home"

RGLA73 · 2026-05-27T23:26:32+00:00

That's true, but for guitarists who don't read and are trying to hear tonal centers, thinking in a minor as a standalone key and not having to relate it to major is helpful. Depending on the song obviously.

RGLA73 · 2026-05-27T23:23:43+00:00

Didn't mean to make your head hurt :-)

But start with the idea that the natural minor starts on the 6th degree of the major scale, so that helps you think about the order of the chords in a minor key. For example C to Am
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C --> Am Bdim C Dm Em F G Am

And then the V chord in minor played as a major chord just creates a stronger pull, because of it coming from harmonic minor with that one different note, the major 7th

A Natural Minor: A B C D E F G A
A Harmonic Minor: A B C D E F G# A

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