Music Theory, Part 2, The Circle of Fifths and Scales

The circle of fifths. What is it, why would I use it.

As you travel on your musical journey you'll certainly read or hear about the circle of fifths. It's a learning tool that helps you remember several important concepts. There are many examples on the internet, just Google circle of fifths. The circle teaches you key signatures, how many sharps or flats are in each key, which chords go together, and the relative minor chords. Going clockwise around the circle you learn the sharp  # keys,  going counterclockwise you learn the flat b keys. This helps you learn how to play in different scales. The letters around the top can also help you remember what the 3 main chords are in each scale. Pick a letter, then go clockwise 1 and counterclockwise 1 to get the 3 chords that are most common.

Relative Minors.

No, they're not your young children. Every scale has 2 letters that use the name number of sharps or flats. So C Major and A Minor have the same number, in this case zero, of sharps or flats. To play either one you just start on the first letter and then go through the 7 letters we use in music until it comes back around. For example: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C is the C Major Scale while A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A is the relative minor.

How is this useful?

By knowing which chords go with which scales you can learn songs more quickly. The other advantage is that it will help you follow along when practicing or jamming with other musicians. This is just a brief explanation, so if you'd like to explore the circle further, do some research or have your guitar teacher go over it with you. It can definitely make figuring songs out a lot easier.

I Hate to Practice!

What's causing you to dislike practice?

Practice makes perfect, you need to practice every day, not until you practice, we've all heard it before. So, what does make you not want to practice? A lot of my adult students tell me they don't have time or  they didn't realize how hard it would be to find time. If this describes you, maybe you should question why you've decided to learn guitar in the first place. Sit down in a nice, quiet spot and examine what motivated you to start. Write down a list of your favorite songs, artists, or type of music that you really want to play. Now, realistically decide if you're that serious. It sounds harsh, but like the old saying goes, if it was easy, everyone would do it.

With younger students, it's more about nagging or lack of it, feeling it's too much like school or feeling like it's cutting into play time. A younger guitar student needs to be encouraged and handled with care. The worst case is when a parent is living through his or her child and expects an 8 year old to dedicate unreasonable amounts of practice time. Yes, you and I know what it takes, but if you kill the fun, you kill the interest. My goal as a teacher is to make the experience as enjoyable and upbeat as  possible. Do you honestly think a young student is going to dedicate 30 minutes a day? Getting them to get the guitar out at all is a big accomplishment!

The songs don't sound good slow.

There's one we hear all the time. I'm well aware of that, but guess what? If you can't play it slow you can't play it fast. Muscle memory is what it's all about and if you learn wrong it's much harder to re-learn a song.

I hate that song, that song's boring.

Usually that can be translated as meaning the song's too hard. I'm the first to admit that the songs in most guitar method books leave a lot to be desired. The problem is that the songs in almost every book 1 are the same thing. It's like the authors spy on each other and think "if Amazing Grace is in their book then it better be in mine too." The solution is to ask your guitar teacher if there is another song that's more fun that teaches the same thing.

I want to play real songs by people I like.

We want to have you play those songs too, but you need some basic skills. A couple years ago I had a 10 year old boy, no prior experience, who after a month declared he wanted to learn Crazy Train. When I told him he wasn't ready, he told me how hard he'd practice every day and that he was sure he could play it. While I would love to have had that work out I think we all know how the story ends. No, he wasn't able to play it since he had no skills.

What's the answer then?

Decide to commit yourself to guitar. Make the time to practice even if you're not in the mood. Don't be afraid of new songs, just be realistic. Ask your guitar teacher if you're ready for a particular song or artist, then let him or her decide. Learning to play the guitar or any other instrument is a time art. You just can't speed the process up a whole lot, believe me, I tried.

How to Practice More Efficiently

Do you have trouble learning a complete piece of music?

When learning a new song do you always start at the beginning? If you make a mistake do you go back to the beginning? You may be spinning your wheels! Once you've got a good start at playing a song, the next step is to isolate trouble spots. It seems like every song has one. Playing the whole song over and over will make that spot better, the problem is it will never catch up to the rest of the song. Practicing the passage that gives you trouble in a methodical way is how to overcome the problem. Go slow, watch your fingering, and practice with a metronome or a program to slow the piece down if you're working with a recording. In my studio I use RiffMaster Pro  (affiliate link) to work with my students. With that program or a metronome, the idea is to go very slowly at first. Beginning guitar students tend to play too fast and if they have a trouble spot, tend to ignore it. When learning guitar you want to remember if you can't play it slow, you can't play it fast.  Slowing down is the way to go because you don't want to practice mistakes. Whether you're playing the correct notes or the wrong ones, your fingers will remember and go there again.

Listen to yourself play.

I know it sounds funny, but beginning guitar students sometimes get so caught up in their playing that they actually don't hear their playing. The mind wanders, they get distracted, and so they think they're practicing efficiently but they really aren't.

Set goals and make note of your progress.

When practicing, don't just go through the motions. Know what you're trying to accomplish and write down what you've achieved when you get there. Have a difficult passage you've now mastered? Write it down. That pesky C chord finally sounds good? Write it down. You get the idea. Instead of just going through every song you know without thinking about it, zero in on what still needs work and then make a conscious effort to improve it. You and your guitar teacher will both be much happier come lesson time.

Where Do You Practice?

Do you have a space set aside to practice in?

So, do you have a specific room or area where you practice? Please don't tell me it's in your unfinished, cold, damp basement! You do woodworking, you have a workshop, you do crafts, there's usually a room or area set aside, but you play guitar and you practice anywhere you can find room? If that describe you, it's time to reconsider your practice space. While it may not be practical to have a music room, it's certainly possible to set aside an area where you play your guitar.

Do you have a "musician's toolbox?"

I'm always amazed at how people will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on other hobbies, but when it comes to music they want to spend as little as possible. They practice wherever they can, don't have simple basics like a music stand, metronome or electronic tuner, and then wonder why they don't make more progress. There are so many resources available that it's never been easier to access the tools necessary to learn guitar. You can find online lessons, metronomes, practice aids, and information concerning playing, practicing and improving.

It's time to set aside a dedicated space to work on your music.

Here are the essential tools plus a lot of others that can help you progress at a reasonable rate. I've had students that spend minimal amounts of time, effort or money and then can't understand why they're not learning guitar as fast as they think they should. So here's the checklist with a brief explanation of each item:

• A quiet place to practice. Self explanatory. You need a space where you can concentrate on building your skills. I cringe when I hear someone tell me that they practice while there's a TV, or worse yet, music playing in the background. How in the world are you going to concentrate with that going on around you?
• A computer connected to the internet. While it's not absolutely necessary, there is so much good information out there, I can't imagine not having a way to gather it. Just Google what you're interested in and it's out there somewhere.
• Electronic tuner, metronome and music stand. Even if you buy the orchestra style stand, a wooden metronome with a clock movement and a strobe tuner you're not looking at more than $150-200. Buy an electronic, compact tuner and metronome and a wire music stand, we're talking under $100. 
• Instruction books, CDs and DVDs. There are thousands of resources out there for every imaginable style. No matter what type of music you like, whether you play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, any combination, there's a wealth of material. If you have a guitar teacher he or she will be happy to incorporate these materials into your lessons.

• A way to record yourself. Almost any computer is capable of letting you record yourself playing. This is such a valuable tool I can't over emphasize it. Make a recording and be prepared to be shocked! Remember, the recording is exactly what you sound like, it doesn't lie. You'll hear string squeaks, timing errors, a slightly muffled note, a lot of things you don't notice while practicing.

So the next time you get ready to practice, think about setting up a practice room, even if it's only a small section of a bigger room. Give yourself the advantage of having a quiet, comfortable place to practice. You'll be glad you did!

Taking Care of Your Guitar (or Other Wooden Instrument)

What should I do to take care of my guitar?

The first and most important thing to be aware of is subjecting it to severe weather. If it's at all avoidable, DO NOT LEAVE IT IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR! Extremely hot weather can cause stress on the glue joints, and cracks in the body while cold can cause finish cracking and both can cause severe structural damage. Should it be necessary to leave the guitar in the trunk, leave it in the case when you get inside until the temperature is stable. Heat, cold and humidity are the worst enemies of your guitar.

What do I clean my guitar with?

Most guitar manufacturers as well as other companies make guitar polish. The main thing here is to not use regular furniture polish that will eventually build up on the finish. Interestingly, even though the Martin Guitar Company, in business since 1833, makes a guitar polish, they also say in their owners' manual that you can clean the guitar with a very slightly damp cloth.


Should I do anything to the fingerboard?

I usually use Gibson fingerboard conditioner about twice year on my guitars and banjos. It lubricates and cleans the fingerboard. In the winter this helps to prevent cracking from very low humidity levels.


Do I need to wipe off the strings?

Wiping off the strings after you play helps to resist corrosion and makes the strings last longer. This is a good idea if you play outside or if your hands tend to sweat.


How often should I change strings?

As mentioned in a previous post, if the strings sound dead, look nasty or won't stay in tune, it's time to change them. If you play a lot, it will be something you'll want to do more often. Some professional players change them at least once a week, some before every performance.


Beware of the guitar strap with a vinyl backing.

When you buy a strap for your guitar, check to see whether it has a vinyl backing. If it does, be sure that the backing doesn't come into contact with the finish on your guitar. Vinyl is a petroleum based product and it can eat through the finish. The same is true if you put your guitar on a stand. The parts that support the neck and the body can also damage the finish.

How Often Should You Change Strings?

When do you need to change strings?

A fresh set of strings will make your guitar look, sound and feel better. (Kind of like the old barber poles used to say!) While there are no absolute rules, here are some tell tale signs that they need to be replaced:

• Do your strings look corroded or black?
• Has it been 6 months to a year, or worse yet, you can't remember?
• Does your electric guitar just sound kind of dull?
• Has your guitar become harder to tune?
• Do you have trouble keeping the guitar in tune?

If you answered yes to any of those questions there's a good chance that it's time to replace your strings.

Why are there so many different kinds of strings and which ones should you use?

The choices are downright mind boggling, but here are the major differences. If you have an acoustic guitar, most people use bronze, phosphor bronze, nickel or silk and steel strings. The bronze and phosphor bronze have a brighter sound, the nickel are a bit duller, and the silk and steel are light and easier to push down. As a result, silk and steel tend to go dead quicker and don't have as a bright a sound. For electric guitar, nickel is the most popular and it's more about thickness than the kind of string.

What gauge strings should I use?

There are lots of different gauges, and the thickness is really a matter of what you like and what kind of music you play. For example, bluegrass guitar players usually use a fairly heavy set of strings to get that nice, booming bass and to cut through the other instruments. If you do fingerpicking, a lot of players use lighter strings to move around a little quicker. The best thing to do is to experiment and see what sounds good on your guitar. Keep in mind that the lighter the strings are, the trade-off is less volume and tone. With electric guitars, the type of music again is a important part. If you do a lot of string bending you'll want to play lighter strings, if you play jazz you'll want to use heavier strings and so on. Again, guitar strings are not real expensive so the best thing is to try different brands and gauges and see what works best. Your guitar teacher or a more experienced friend can help you decide although the final decision depends on what sound you're looking for.

Decide to Conquer Bad Habits and Build Technique

When you first begin playing guitar, it's easy to develop bad habits.

Posture. To help develop good posture, sit in a chair that has no arms, position the music at eye level, and use a music stand. Too many of my guitar students tell me they practice sitting on the bed, on the couch or on the floor. The music is either on a coffee table, on the floor or on the side of the bed. This really puts you at a disadvantage.

Left Hand and Arm. To get the most length out of your fingers, be sure you're not doing any of these things. Don't rest your left arm on your leg. You'll restrict the movement of your left hand and this will slow you down. The thumb should be in the middle of the neck, and the fingers should be bent at both joints. Arch the hand so that the fingers don't bump into adjacent strings. You'll notice improvement in your chords as well as your notes.

Holding the Guitar Correctly. The important thing to remember here is that your left hand should not be holding the guitar up. Position the guitar so that your left hand and are can move freely. You can find lots of pictures in guitar books and on internet sites that show you the way to hold the guitar.

Pushing the Strings Down. A comment I get from my students is that it doesn't look like I'm pressing that hard, and the fact is, I'm not. Once your left hand fingers toughen up you won't have to push as hard as you did when you first started. Pressing too hard causes fatigue in the hand and arm muscles and also contributes to not being able to play clear sounding chords.

The Picking Hand.  If you use a pick, most people hold it between the thumb and the index finger. Be sure the point is between the strings. You hold it tight enough so that it doesn't wiggle around, but not so tight that you feel like you're squeezing it.