another question for Shawn

[ibanez_man]

I know a the 7 basic cords plus a few extra and some strumming patterns and what-not on the chords. I also know a couple scales. But I would like to know how to put a halfways decent chord progression and a scale or two together to make a song. And how can I learn the notes on the neck and all the notes in a certain key and how to go from one key to another in a chord progression or a scale? Hopefully you can understand what I'm asking to help me. Thanx in advance for any and all help.

[cyberfret]

Here is a little trick that I give my private students when they are first trying to write a song.

Try writing a riff out of a basic minor pentatonic scale. The examples below are out of A minor pentatonic.


Ascending A minor pentatonic scale in tablature.


E:-------------------------------5--8-------
B:-------------------------5--8-------------
G:-------------------5--7-------------------
D:-------------5--7-------------------------
A:--------5--7------------------------------
E:--5--8------------------------------------



For the chords to your song, you are going to use only power chords. The chords are all going to be based on the notes of the minor pentatonic scale. A minor pentatonic scale only has 5 different notes, then it just starts over again. So you are going to play a power chord starting on each of the first 5 notes that you see in the scale.

Power chords played on each note of the minor pentatonic scale


E:--------------------
B:--------------------
G:---------------7----
D:---------7--9--5----
A:--7--10--5--7-------
E:--5--8--------------


Here are all of the chords again, but I have added a couple of alternate places to play them. The power chord played at the 8th fret on the 6th string can also be played on the 3rd fret of the 5th string. You can also play the chord built on the 5th fret of the 4th string down an octave at the 3rd fret of the 6th string.


E:--------------------------
B:--------------------------
G:-------------------7------
D:--------(5)--7--9--5------
A:--7--10-(3)--5--7----(5)--
E:--5--8---------------(3)--



The chord that is build on the first degree of the scale should be home base for your song.


E:------
B:------
G:------
D:------
A:--7---
E:--5---



Now you have some chords, and a scale that you know will sound good together. Start experimenting with them.

--Shawn