Finding the key of songs  Question: Can you please share some ways to find out the key of the songs and how to find out the chord progressions by using melody lines in scales....

Learning all the notes and intervals  Question: I've been playing for a while but I have been teaching myself and just learning songs. I'm now in a band and realise that I am far behind in ...

Tips for Writing Lyrics  Question: I am having trouble putting lyrics to my riffs. Do you have any tips?

Answer

Lyrics are always a tough one, and I'm certainly no expert....

Learning guitar online  Question: I don't have much time to learn guitar. I have found so many essential subjects on your site. Can learning from the internet make me a good ...

Guitar practise - unsure as to where I should go next  Question: I've been playing for three years and take theory and practise seriously. I understand intervals , chord construction , and the pentatonic ...

What happened to the jazz page?  Question: Am I losing it or did the jazz page disappear?

Answer

Yes there used to be a jazz section, with only a couple of introductory lessons!...

Improvising using arpeggios  Question: I heard from some source (don't remember exactly) about arpeggio-based approach to improvising, using targeting notes and chromaticism. And ...

Simple and complex metal progressions  Question: Hi Mike. Once again I want to thank you. You're doing a great work.

Most of the time I'm playing metal in the style of Metallica, Judas ...

Buying my first electric guitar  Question: I have a classical guitar and I am planning to buy an electric. I am going to Miami, Florida next year to buy the guitar but I do not have ...

Chord Shapes and Scale Patterns  Question: I'm a beginner. How do you interpret the different Shapes (E,D,C,A,G) in terms of the different Scales? For example - what makes the first ...

The diversity of harmony and melody  Question: I've gone through most of your lessons and have enjoyed them thoroughly. But what has been confusing me for a while is the following...

The ...

Phrygian chord progression  Question: I don't know where to start. I need help with some examples of a chord progression for A flat phyrgian. Can I use an E major chord? An F minor ...

Scales and progressions unique to styles of music  Question: Is there a certain scale or chord progression that is unique to different styles of music? And if so could you give some examples? Thank you....

E and D String Relationships on the Fretboard  Question: In the first example in the 2nd fretboard lesson , the relationship between the low E, high E, and d strings are shown. I get that the two ...

G7 second position fingering  Question: What is the shape of a G7 chord at the second position?

Answer

Chord positions tend to be identified based on the position of your ...

Tuning up a half step or whole step  Question: Can you tune your guitar up a half step or a whole step to avoid using a capo?

Answer

In a word, yes. Just to add however, do not tune ...

Scales and solos  Question: How does learning scales help you when you're soloing?

Answer

Learning scales is about taking the guess work out of moving from one ...

Beginner guitar practice routine  Question: I have had my guitar for about two years now and only recently decided to really get into it. Over the past few years I have collected around ...

Finding a Scale for a Chord Progression  Question: I just came up with a chord progression. Do you have any tips on how to pick a scale to make a solo and lead work over? Thank you very much....

Frustrated with guitar  Question: Sometimes I get frustrated with learning. Is this normal to be frustrated? I'm stuck with learning on a classical guitar for the next year ...

Learning solos without tabs  Question: I'm struggling night and day to understand how to create songs or play some famous ones using scales, chords and arpeggios.

What I don't ...

How do I improve my alternate picking?  Question: How do I improve my alternate picking?

Answer

Alternate picking (a constant down-up-down-up picking motion) is one of those techniques ...

Major scale patterns  Question: When you move the major scale up the neck, you have to change the pattern to fit the notes, right? In other words I can't take the fingering ...

Metronome speed for chord changes  Question: I'd like to know what speeds I should be at using the metronome while changing chords. I'm a true beginner but I love these tutorials and I'...

Chord progression in E major key  Question: I'm a green hand. I've just started reading and studying songwriting theory on this website.

I've made a simple chord progression in E major ...

Do jumbo frets or medium frets play easiest?  Question: This is a simple question. Do guitars play easier with jumbo frets or medium frets?

Answer

There's plenty of discussion in forums across ...

Fingering for C# chord  Question: Is there an alternative fingering for the C# chord? I really have trouble not strumming the high E and low E strings.

Answer

The chord ...

Metal rhythm playing and alternate picking  Question: I have a question about how to handle alternate picking when playing rhythm. While it is easier to maintain strict alternate picking with lead ...

Tabbed chord progressions  Question: How can you identify the chord progression of a song just by looking at the tabs for it?

Answer:

As looked at in the lesson on how ...

Do you fret the entire 4th fret for the G sharp/A flat chord?  Question: Do you fret the entire 4th fret for the G sharp chord and do I do the same for the F sharp chord?

Answer:

Hi Dinorah, I assume you'...

How do you change between keys?  Question: When soloing how do you switch between keys to make it sound good? I'm not sure where to move to make the solo sound good.

Answer:

Key ...

Dominant 7th blues scale notes  Question: Does including d7th notes in blues scales mean that the new scale will now have 10 notes? Consider the key of E. Included in the scale is is ...

How do I know which note/fret to start at?  Question: At 49 years old I thought I'd teach myself to play the guitar. I kinda get the notes, flats, sharps and I am the process of learning to read ...