Hi All, first off is obviously a big thanks to Pebber for all he does and to all the folks who help out on this board.

I have two questions.

I am working on Pebber's caged lessons but am concerned that I may be going about things incorrectly. As an example, position three: Pebber demonstrates this starting on the 7th fret low E - "B". I've always been led to believe that when practising scales, one should start on the root note. I have spent quite some time looking at many of Pebber's teachings ( both video and text ) and find no particular comment on this point.
Could someone please offer me some guidance ?

My second question: The five positions Pebber demonstrates and discusses are all in G Major. I'm not completely sure how to transpose this to different keys. Again, some guidance would be appreciated.

It may be the case that these things are described/discussed somewhere but I just haven't found it. There is such a wealth of material (thank you) I may have just missed it.

Kind Regards.

Question 1: Focus on learning the patterns, not what may or may not be the 'root note'. You want all the notes available, even the ones below the 'root note'. Learn the patterns and get them down.

Question 2: Take your pattern and move it up or down as needed. If A major, move all the patterns up two frets. Bb... three frets. F... down two frets, etc...

Hi, ok thank you for answering.

I'll get on with it :)

Thanks

Hello Pebber,

many thanks for your reply. I can easily do what you asked from memory as I watched your music theory video 3 times to be sure I understood how to correctly derive scales. I'm referring to the video in which you explained to some students by re-writing the circle of fifths as a matrix and applying the major scale formula.

A reason for asking the question was as follows; I know that the instrument is highly pattern oriented when it comes to scales so suspected that there was an immediate method to move your scale patterns into any key - I don't like guessing (it's the engineer in me), so I thought I should just ask. There is plenty for me to do before I try to move your patterns around as my technique is very poor.

I dislike hesitating when I'm mid-flow on something. When the time comes for me to move out of G Major I now KNOW two ways to do it - one of which is a surefire method for me to cross-check what I do :) Thank you.

Another reason relates to the position two variant you describe. I haven't seen that pattern in other books - that's not to say it's not described in other books, just not the books I've seen thus far. I'm somewhat curious about this.

Oh dear, I mis-read part of your text - I'm not sure I can write out 15 major scales. 12 I can see immediately, but not 15. What am I missing please ?

Sidenote for anyone who hasn't viewed the music theory videos. I refer to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK-jr2AkMQ4 For me it was a goldmine - one of the best learning/teaching experiences I've ever had - and I'm old enough to have had a few :)

Oh ok, to say I could do it easily was a way of paying you a compliment. Seems you didn't see it that way - unfortunate.

Kind Regards

First of all, I'm not the greatest guitarists in the world. I'm mediocre at best (so double check my spelling - I just rolled out of bed). But here's my two cents:

This is a great topic. You know, it took me a long time to learn my Major Scales. It's not an easy fix (at least for me it wasn't). I had to find a lot of patience and get myself organized. I spelled it out and came up with a schedule. I set myself up with a goal to write out each one 1000 times (sounds a little crazy, eh?). But if you break it down its only about 34-35 time a day. So, in a month, you'll be done.

Here's the "to do" list that I sort of came up with:

MAJOR SCALES

Jan C D E F G A B C

Feb F G A Bb C D E F

Mar Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

Apr Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

May Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Jun Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db

Jul Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb

Aug B C# D# E F# G# A# B

Sep E F# G# A B C# D# E

Oct A B C# D E F# G# A

Nov D E F# G A B C# D

Dec G A B C D E F# G

--- Enharmonic Scales ----

Jul F# G# A# B C# D# E# F# (same as Gb)

Jun C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C# (same as Db)

Aug Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb Cb (same as B)


Now thats just part of it. You have to sing out the scales as you play them. Also, you have to outline each of the triads, 7th chords, inversions for each, and the arpeggios that go with them, etc... intervals.... :D

This should keep you busy for a while.

Oh, and now looking back at it after so many years I wish I also implemented the Right Hand stuff from Pebber's DVD's while doing it. Fuck.

So... again, this should keep anyone busy for a while. But if you think that this is all bullshit, by all means, don't do it. Figure out your own way to do it and ask yourself "how do I know that I know the major scales?". What does it mean to know the major scales?

Or you can just sit on the couch and drink pepsi and play guitar hero on your PS3. There's nothing wrong with that. I hear it's very popular and people get a lot of satisfaction from it.

So, don't practice your guitar every day. Do not practice. Practicing .... no..... PS3 ..... yes......

Also, if you are interested you have to go over the modes for each of the major scales. I didn't include that topic here but if you wanted to cover that as well here's a hint: there are seven days a week.

But again, there is always your PS3.

I hope this helps (I'm joking about the PS3).

:D

Hi John,

thanks for your great reply. Oh, you hadn't really done the exercise for me. Before I saw your reply I had done it by hand and came up with the prescribed 15 majors :) Thank you for sharing your learning strategy though, that's really helpful (I've printed it and put it in my folder).

The closest thing I have to a computer game/console in my house is an intransigent remote control that insists on selecting the wrong radio station :) No guitar hero for me :)

Many thanks and Kind Regards.

Hi Pebber,

you seem to have a predilection for turning everything into a pissing contest.

You should mind which way you're pointing !

Find a dark corner and stand in it until you grow up then see if you can talk with the adults.

oh man did you just insult the guy who inspired many of us to take the instrument seriously? one of these days he's gonna stop giving away youtube lessons because of these idiots

To " bisleybloke",

WTF?

"Find a dark corner and stand in it until you grow up then see if you can talk with the adults..."

Really!?! Where do you get the idea that you can say that to Pebber? Would you have the balls to say that to his face? You are one ungrateful punk. Now I realize I was at fault for spelling things out for you. I realize now that I did the wrong thing in taking the time to explain things to you. I totally missed the mark on this one. I thought this forum was to help one another not to come down on Pebber. Man, if you don't respect this guy and what he has given to everyone, then maybe you should go and buy yourself a PS3.

I still can't believe you said that. Wholly fuck. You are one ungrateful punk. I want nothing to do with you. I apologize to everyone on the forum and especially to Pebber for trying to help this person out. It seems I lack the ability to see people for what they are online. I'm sorry.

Unreal.

John 567 are you trying to sell your old ps3 ready for the ps4 lol!!!!

LOL! You figured me out, deltadiscos! You can see through walls.... :D

something about these replies tells me i should buy my first gaming console soon

Getting back on track
How i'm doing things
run through the 5 7 positions
then 14 position run through all the Scaletones but really put a lot work into one position a day
run through pickingdouble triplet etc
singing, scaletones harmony's
timing
then all sequences and pick them double triple etc
this can take a long while two weeks on each key minimum.
stick in the wholetone diminished
three finger perms
a few trills
single picking
adj picking

Think we may have to move to another planet where there are more hours in the day. then john can have time for that ps4 too lol

.... actually I'm looking at this new midi guitar "YRG" gen 2. It looks pretty slick and of course it doubles as a game controller! LMAO!

BisleyBloke, you are trying to rally people against an incredibly great dude we are all devotees of to one degree or another, who gives away his knowledge for free, on a forum he created.

You are so choked-up with your own mind that you cannot reason with yourself to analyze and accept the mind-set and ideas of another.
If you had, you would have realized that it was better to pull your head in.
You did not even have the sense to be sneaky and quickly copy+paste the scales if you couldn't be bothered writing them out, you would rather assert yourself at every possible avenue.

People like yourself always remind me of this Zen Koan about The Professor and The Zen Master ; The Professor seeking advice and to learn about the Zen Master, but being too choked up with his own ideas to learn anything
Read here:
http://deoxy.org/koan/1

Nan-in, a Japanese Zen master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"