Upload
piligreem
View
285
Download
7
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 1/212
T HE
M ODERN G UITARIST ’ S
H ANDBOOK
R OBBIE H AMMOND
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 2/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
ii
© 2004 Robbie Hammond
Book design, cover and layout by Robbie Hammond
Photography and digital photo manipulation by Robbie Hammond
Software used to create the contents of this book:
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Emagic Logic
OpenOffice.orgQuarkXpress Passport
Sibelius
Steinberg WaveLab
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 3/212
iii
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 4/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
iv
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 5/212
Preface Page ix
A Brief History Of Music Page xi
Section 1 - GuitarThe Guitar
Guitar Diagrams Page 3
Buying A Guitar Page 5
Guitar Characteristics Page 6 Changing Strings & Cleaning The Fretboard Page 6
The Truss Rod, Nut & Bridge Page 8
Electrics Page 10
Strings Page 10
Tuning Your Guitar Page 11
Metronomes Page 12
Basics The Basics / Reading This Book Page 13
Notation Page 14
The Notes on the Fretboard Page 25
Octave Points Page 26
Technique
Posture Page 29
Plectrum Page 29
Left Hand Techniques Page 30
Right Hand Technique Page 31
Basic Accessories Page 34
Warming Up Page 35
Scales
Why Bother Learning Scales? Page 39
The CAGED System Page 41
CAGED Major Scales Page 42
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
v
Contents
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 6/212
Three Notes Per String Shapes Page 47
Major Pentatonic Scale Page 50
Minor Pentatonic Scale Page 55
Modes of the Major Scale Page 60 Harmonic Minor Scale Page 67
Melodic Minor Scale Page 74
Other Scales (Blues, Chromatic, Whole Tone, etc) Page 80
Chords
Triads Page 89
CAGED Major Chords Page 91
CAGED Minor Chords Page 94
Bar Chords Page 96
Other Chords Page 98
Harmonised Scales Page 99
Inversions Page 100
Arpeggios
Major Arpeggios Page 103
Minor Arpeggios Page 105
Deconstructing Popular Music
How to Decipher a Popular Song Page 109
Section 2 - Songwriting Introduction Page 115
Terminology Page 115
Building Blocks Page 116
Song Structure Page 117
Songwriting Techniques Page 117
Chord Progressions Page 118
Lyrics Page 120
Writing Melodies Page 124
Inspiration Vs. Perspiration Page 124
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
vi
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 7/212
Contents
Section 3 - Music Technology Basics Page 129
Recording Guitar Page 133 MIDI Page 137
Audio Editors Page 139
Sequencers Page 143
Effects Page 145
Sound Carrier Formats Page 149
Computers Page 153
Publishing Your Music on the Web Page 155
Section 4 - Music Business Overview Copyright Page 159
Record Companies Page 162
Publishing Companies Page 164
Other Industry Organisations Page 166
Personnel Page 168
Demos Page 171
AppendicesGuitar Heroes Page 177
Further Listening Page 181
Web Links Page 184
Blank Diagrams & Manuscript Paper (to Photocopy) Page 188
Index Page 191
vii
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 8/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
viii
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 9/212
The purpose of this book is to provide the beginning to intermediate guitar player with a usefulreference source for musical information relevant in the modern day world, that goes beyond the
scope of traditional guitar reference books, by covering a wide range of topics that may not be
directly guitar related.
I hope that any beginning guitarist will be able to pick this book up and teach themselves to a
fairly high standard through its use. However, this is not what this book is specifically aimed at:
I am writing this more to provide guitarists of any level with a definitive guide to their instrument
and beyond, into the worlds of songwriting and how to deal with practical issues such as
copyright.
The emphasis in this book is more of a general reference book than a comprehensive tuitionbook. Apologies if I do not go into enough depth on certain topics, but the world of music is vast,
and to condense it all into one book would be impossible. If there are topics that I have skimmed
over that you feel you are interested in, I have provided some recommendations for further
listening, and some useful internet links at the back of the book.
Each section of this handbook is supposed to be self sufficient, but it may be necessary to refer
to other parts of the book for more information on certain topics.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
ix
Preface
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 10/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 11/212
Before getting stuck into the technical details of playing guitar, I believe it may be helpful to sitback and consider music in a more general sense; namely its history, and its philosophy.
What Is Music?
Music has been an integral part of human civilization for millennia, and yet even today we can
have trouble defining exactly what it is. Is music simply a series of sounds that are pleasing to
our ears? Is bird song strictly speaking, ‘song’? Is music written down, or improvised? Can a
series of random notes generated by a computer seriously be considered as musical? Is John
Cage’s 4’37” (a recording of 4 minutes and 37 seconds of silence), music? These are just some
of the tough philosophical questions that has surrounded the art for at least the last century.
Music is a very powerful and affecting art. When we watch films and television, directors use
music at particularly emotive points to heighten our senses, whether in the purpose of adding
excitement, tension (think the ‘Jaws’ theme), tenderness, or sadness. Often when a scary
moment occurs, it is the musical cue that makes us jump, rather than what is on the screen.
When we see a beautiful scene in the natural world, we sometimes wonder why it has less
emotional impact than we expected - could it be that whenever we have seen the specific scene
before on television, it has been accompanied by music?
Music is prolific. Today, in the 21st century, as never before, music has percolated through to
every aspect of modern life. Music is on television, on the radio, in pubs, in advertisements,in greetings cards, in children’s toys, in games, in shops, and we can carry our entire record
collections (via MP3 players) in our pockets. Until the early 20th century, Western music was
largely the reserve of the church and the upper classes. Technology has driven forward music to
the masses more than could have been imagined just 100 years ago. The last century has seen
the invention of the radio, the television, the vinyl record, stereo, the magnetic cassette tape, the
Compact Disc, the computer, the synthesizer, MIDI, the electric guitar, the four-track recorder, and
the MP3 player, to name only a few inventions that have forever changed the way we perceive
music.
Music is intangible. We can feel the vibrations of the sounds if they are loud and low enough,but we cannot reach out and touch music, we cannot see it , smell it or taste it. Imagine that time
is not, as we perceive, start to end, but rather exists as one single instant. The very concept of
what music is would disappear - we need a start, a middle and an end to assess and understand
a piece of music. Unlike a painting, we cannot look at a song as it sits still and appreciate its
beauty.
Whatever music really is, we all have our own views of what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’. The
reasons behind these opinions may be part of our upbringing, or is it something inherent in our
genes? We may judge a piece of music to be ‘bad’ if it evokes a memory of a time or place
when we had a bad experience, and vice versa with 'good' music. If we have been brought up
listening to Balinese music, is there any reason why we should expect a dominant seventh chord
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
xi
A Brief History Of Music
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 12/212
to ‘resolve’ to a tonic? It is certainly difficult, and takes some maturity to admit that despite the
strengths of our own convictions and emotions, there is no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, or ‘good’ and ‘bad’,
when it comes to music.
A (Very) Brief History of Modern Music
1709 Statute of Anne enshrines copyright in UK law. Generally seen to be the world’s
first law expressly relating to copyright.
1877 Thomas Edison invents the phonograph, the first machine able to not only record
sound, but to play it back as well.
1887 Emile Berliner obtains a patent for his ‘gramophone’, introducing the possibility of
mass production of recorded sound.
1929 Harold Nyquist publishes the maths that is to be used as the basis for all digital
audio processing (The Nyquist Theorem).1931 Alan Blumlein applies for a patent on ‘binaural sound’, or what is to become known
as stereo.
1947 Les Paul releases the first record that used multi-track recording, on Capitol
Records.
1948 Columbia introduces the 33 1/3 rpm vinyl record.
1952 The first UK singles chart was published by the New Musical Express.
1954 Les Paul commissions Ampex to build the first ever eight track tape recorder, kick
starting the practice of multi-track recording.
1954 Elvis Presley records his first hit record, ‘That's All Right’.
1957 Stereo recordings begin to replace mono records as the standard in the music
industry.
1958 The first UK albums chart was published by the New Musical Express.
1965 Pre-recorded cassette tapes released into the market.
1966 ‘Pet Sounds’ by the Beach Boys released.
1967 ‘Are You Experienced?’ by Jimi Hendrix released.
1967 ‘Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by the Beatles released.
1973 ‘Dark Side of The Moon’ by Pink Floyd released.
1977 ‘Never Mind The Bollocks...’ by the Sex Pistols released.
1978 ‘Ambient 1/Music For Airports’ by Brian Eno released.
1979 Sony releases the Walkman, and thus changes the way we listen to music forever.
1979 Sony and Philips develop the Compact Disc.1980 John Lennon shot dead.
1981 MTV launches with the words “Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll”, followed by
the video for the Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’.
1982 ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson released.
1987 ‘Joshua Tree’ by U2 released.
1988 Copyright Designs and Patents Act passed in the UK.
1988 ‘It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’ by Public Enemy released.
1989 Steinberg release the first version of the Cubase sequencer software, for the Atari
ST.
1991 ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana released.1992 Emagic release the first version of the Logic software sequencer.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
xii
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 13/212
A Brief History of Music
1995 MP3 format emerges.
1995 ‘The Bends’ by Radiohead released.
1999 Napster arrives to give the music industry a rude awakening.
2001 Napster taken offline after legal action by artists and record companies.
2001 Apple launches the iPod.2003 Napster relaunched in the US as a legal download service.
xiii
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 14/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
xiv
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 15/212
SECTION 1:
GUITAR
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 16/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
2
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 17/212
Guitar Diagrams
Electric Guitars
T h i s picture
shows a semi-hollow body Fender Telecaster electric guitar. Although the locations of various
pickups, volume and tone controls and pickup switches vary from guitar to guitar, these are
the basic features of all electric guitars. However, most electric guitars do not have an ‘f’ hole(named after its shape), and are referred to as ‘solid body’ guitars
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
3
The Guitar
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 18/212
Acoustic Guitars
This shows an acoustic guitar, which is much the same in principle as an electric, but has a fully
hollow body where the vibrations made by the strings reverberate, and then exit through the
sound hole, creating a louder acoustic sound than a solid body guitar.
Most guitars have dots (or some other symbol) on the fretboard to mark out a quick referencemap of the frets. The single dots are usually placed on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th,
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
4
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 19/212
The Guitar
and 21st frets. Double dots are placed on the 12th and 24th (if it is a 24 fret guitar) to mark the
octave. Some guitars have double dots on the fifth fret.
Buying a guitarWhen you are buying a guitar there are many factors to be taken into consideration, beyond the
primary budget concerns. Guitars vary widely in quality and sound even when bought brand new,
and for this reason it is wise to try out any guitar before paying any money for it (mail order guitar
shops are not a good idea in my opinion - even if they are cheaper, you are far more likely to end
up with a guitar that you are not happy with).
However, if you are buying a new guitar from a reputable dealer, you are more than likely to
receive at least a year's warranty against any defects of workmanship in the guitar, and cantherefore be less concerned about checking every last square inch of the guitar's surface and
electronics.
If you are intending to purchase a second hand instrument, even from a friend, it is wise to check
the guitar for problems such as:
Fret buzz - Although all guitars buzz to a certain degree, older guitars may have unacceptable
levels of fret buzz, especially on the heavier strings, and the higher frets.
‘Dead areas’ - Try bending notes all over the neck to ensure there are no dead areas (where a
small chip or nick in the metal of the fret cuts out the note).
Dead pickups - If buying an electric, flick the pickup switch and play the guitar at all positions
(plugged into an amplifier) to make sure there are no loose connections, or pickups that do not
work.
Jack Plug - Make sure that the jack plug fits fairly tightly into the socket, and that it doesn't move
if you gently wiggle it around (or create a buzz if plugged into an amplifier).
Tuners - Ensure that the tuners are not too stiff or loose to turn.
Nut - Check that the nut is not worn away.
Neck Join - Inspect the area where the neck is joined to the body closely, as this is a common
area where serious damage has occurred, look for any cracks in the wood or paint work, any
signs of extra drill holes, or anything out of the ordinary.
Truss Rod - If possible, check that it is possible to adjust the truss rod.
5
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 20/212
Guitar Characteristics
Before continuing with this section, it is worth briefly describing the difference between Gibson/
Epiphone, and Fender/Squier. Epiphone and Squier are both companies that are owned bythe parent companies of Gibson and Fender respectively. They cater to the budget end of the
market, and whilst their products are generally of good quality compared to other makes in their
price range, they do not compare to the quality of a genuine Gibson or Fender product. Although
genuine Fender guitars start at a cheaper price than their Gibson counterparts, for a good quality
guitar that is likely to last a lifetime, a budget of £500 would be a good starting point for a new
instrument. What follows is a brief description of the 3 most famous types of electric guitar:
Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul - Les Paul guitars are named after their inventor, and generally have
a thick mahogany body, 2 humbucker pickups (with separate volume and tone controls), and a
rosewood fingerboard.
Fender/Squier Stratocaster - Probably the guitar that immediately comes to mind when electric
guitars are mentioned, Stratocasters are versatile, durable guitars that have been around since
1954. They usually have an alder/ash body, with a maple or rosewood fingerboard, 3 single coil
pickups, and a tremolo bar.
Fender/Squier Telecaster - The original solid body Fender electric guitar that was developed
from the less well known Fender Broadcaster in 1951. Telecasters have a simple but effective
design, usually with an alder/ash body, maple fingerboard, and 2 single coil pickups.
Changing Strings and Cleaning FretboardsThere are many different methods that people employ to change strings, and there are also
several variations on types of string posts that are fitted onto guitars, including less conventional
systems such as the Floyd-Rose tremolo. By far the most common is the basic post with a hole
cut through the middle, as shown in Figure 1:
Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 2 shows the second most common string post, with a slot through the middle, and a hole
pointing vertically downwards in the centre of the post.
When old strings have been taken off the guitar, it is always a good idea to clean the fretboard to
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
6
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 21/212
The Guitar
wipe away any residual sweat that has accumulated there. This is best done with a soft cloth and
some kind of linseed oil/guitar cleaning fluid - or can be done on the cheap if you use hot breath
over the frets, and then wipe away the condensation.
You may also want to put some graphite in the slots in the nut. This should help the strings passthrough the slot without becoming caught, and causing tuning problems further down the line.
This can be easily done with an ordinary pencil (see Figure 3).
Figure 3
To change the strings on a guitar with posts in the style of Figure 1, follow these steps
1. Feed the strings through the bridge of the guitar (how this is done will vary depending on the
model of your guitar).
1a 1b 1c
2. Wind the strings around the outside of the post (1a) between 2-4 times, depending on the
thickness of the string - more winds for thin strings, less for thick strings.
3. Feed the end of the string through the hole in the post (1b), making sure that it goes over thebits of the string that have previously been wound.
4. Pull the string tight through the hole, and bend it at a right angle away from the hole (1c). This
helps stop the string from slipping.
5. Tighten the string until it is in tune.
6. Cut the end of the string off with wire cutters, leaving around 0.5 centimetres poking from the
hole.
To change the strings on a guitar with posts in the style of Figure 2, follow these steps:
7
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 22/212
1. Feed the strings through the bridge of the guitar (how this is done will vary depending on the
model of your guitar).
2a 2b
2. Line the string up against the post that it is to be inserted in, and cut it off at the distance of
approximately 1½ string posts from that post (2a).
3. Insert the end of the string as far as it will go into the vertical hole in the post (2b).
2c 2d
4. Push the string downwards, bending it away from the body, whilst keeping it in the hole (2c).
5. Bend the string at a right angle in the clockwise direction (2d), and tighten the string until it is in
tune.
The Truss Rod, Nut, and BridgePerhaps the three most important elements in any guitar are the truss rod, nut and bridge - since
a faulty one of any of these can be the cause of expensive repairs (a badly adjusted or otherwise
faulty truss rod can on its own destroy an otherwise perfectly good guitar). Therefore generally
speaking, adjustments, repairs or replacements to these should be left to a qualified luthier.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
8
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 23/212
The Guitar
However, should you choose to ignore that word of warning, this part should help you.
Truss Rod Tips:
The truss rod is a rod of metal that goes through a guitar’s neck and stops the wood in the neckfrom succumbing to the pressure exerted upon it by the strings. It can be adjusted to prevent
buzz, and to stop the neck from bending and making a bow shape.
Figure 4: The location of a truss rod
The truss rod is usually accessible from one of two places - from the top or the bottom of the
neck. Sometimes it is covered by a small plate (as in Figure 5b), which can easily be unscrewed.
For some guitars, it might be necessary to remove the stratchplate to access the truss rod (see
Figure 6).
Figure 5a Figure 5b
9
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 24/212
Figure 6
To tighten the truss rod, turn the screwdriver/adjusting tool clockwise. This lowers the action of
the strings, and pulls the head downwards, increasing neck strain.
To loosen the truss rod, turn the screwdriver/adjusting tool anti-clockwise. This raises the action
of the strings, pushing the head upwards.
ElectricsThe basic electrical components in most electric guitars include the pickups, volume and tone
knobs, a pickup switch, and the output jack socket. When something goes wrong with the
electrics, more likely than not, this is due to a loose connection from one of the wires inside the
guitar. The most common problem is when the thin strip of metal that connects to the jack plughas been pushed away from the centre over several years of use - to fix this, simply push it back
towards the centre. Most problems can be solved with a screwdriver, solder, and a soldering iron.
If you know about electrics, then a cursory glance should tell you what is wrong most of the time
- if not, it is probably best not to play around with the electrics inside your guitar.
StringsThere are six strings on the a normal guitar, and these can be named one of two ways; using
either letters or numbers.
The letters below represent the notes of the open strings. The small ‘e’ represents the thinnest
string, and it is two octaves above the low E string. The numbers count from the thinnest string
to the thickest string.
E A D G B e
6 5 4 3 2 1
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
10
The 1 string is also sometimes
referred to as the ‘top’ string. The
6 string is sometimes referred to
as the ‘bottom’ string. This is to dowith the pitches of the strings.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 25/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 26/212
Automatic
Electronic Tuner - using an electronic tuner is a very easy and quick method of tuning your
guitar. Most tuners available today have built in microphones to help tune acoustic guitars.
MetronomesMetronomes are perhaps the most important practising tool you could buy, and are an essential
purchase if you want to play seriously. Metronomes keep your playing and practising in time, by
providing a click that sounds at every beat of a specified tempo. Anyone who plays jazz will tell
you that music is all about the timing, and that pretty much applies to all forms of music.
If you intend to record your playing in any setting that is not completely live, you are more thanlikely to be asked to play along to a click track. Not being able to do this (by not practising with a
metronome) means you risk getting turfed out from the studio!
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
12
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 27/212
Reading This Book
This chapter will deal with how to read the basic notations that are presented within this book,
from notation, to tablature and diagrams.
Diagrams All of the graphical guitar diagrams within this book use a ‘vertical neck’ format, and to illustrate
the positions of the fingers, I have used a ‘capsule’ graphic. You will notice that the capsules
will generally have two numbers – the top number is used to represent the degree of the chord
or scale, and the bottom number represents the recommended fingering (which is intended to
show the easiest way of fingering the specific chord/scale, but is not a rule by any means – use a
fingering best for you.)
The diagrams used in this book (and superimposed upon a guitar neck)
Tablature
Guitar tablature (or tab for short) is fairly simple; it is generally placed beneath notation on apage, and has 6 lines, on which numbers represent the frets on which should be played. The
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
13
The Basics
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 28/212
major flaw with guitar tablature is that it does not account for timing - it can tell a player which
note to play, but not when to play it or how long it should be played for.
Guitar Tablature
NotationNotation, or sight reading, is difficult to master. However, with the right amount of effort put in,
there are many benefits to the guitarist. Even putting in 10 minutes of effort a day, if done every
day, should result in significant advances over time. A good way to practice is to work through
sight reading pieces with a friend who is at a similar level.
The Notes On The Stave
On a stave with a treble clef, the notes are arranged as follows:
Although not used for the six string guitar, for reference purposes, here are the notes as arranged
on a bass clef stave:
Ledger Lines
To cover the full pitch register of a guitar, the Treble clef needs extra lines beyond the five in the
normal stave. Thus lines are added above and below the stave whenever they are needed, and
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
14
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 29/212
The Basics
these are called ledger lines:
The above piece of notation shows some extra ledger lines - and also the pitch register of a
normally tuned, 21 fret, six string guitar. The lowest note is the first, the open 6 string (E), andthe highest is the second note, the 21st fret of the 1st string (C#).
Note Values
The notes on the stave are today mostly referred to as fractions, although it is worth being aware
of the classical names of the notes, since they are still used to some extent in the UK.
It is easiest to think of the notes on the stave as fractions: as can be seen below, the length of the
notes are progressively halved, from the whole note down to the 32nd note.
Each of these have values relating to the number of beats they represent:
Whole Note = 4 BeatsHalf Note = 2 Beats
Quarter Note = 1 Beat
Eighth Note = 1/2 Beat
Sixteenth Note = 1/4 Beat
32nd Note = 1/8 Note
Rests
Each of the above notes have rest symbols of equivalent values, to indicate silence in a passage
of music;
15
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 30/212
Dotted Notes
To compensate for the fact that all notes deal with even numbered length values, by adding a dot
after the note or rest, half of that note’s value is added onto the note.
Hence, a dotted whole note would have the value of 6 beats (4 + 2), a half note would have the
value of 3 beats (2 + 1), a quarter note would have a value of 1 1/2 beats (1 + 1/2), and so on.
Dotted Notes
Dotted Rests
Tuplets
Notes can also have timing values that don’t easily subdivide into even numbers, such as 3, 5,
and 7. These groupings of odd numbered notes as a whole, are called tuplets.
If you want to divide a beat into three parts of equal length, this is called a triplet, and is notatedas shown here:
Other odd numbered divisions are shown similarly:
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
16
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 31/212
The Basics
Time Signatures
The two numbers often seen after a clef are called the time signature. Each number represents
the following:
Top Number = The number of beats in a bar
Bottom Number = The value of the beats
Hence a 4/4 time signature would mean that there are 4 beats, each with the value of a quarter
note (or crotchet). For a simple comparison, here are a few examples in different time signatures:
In the above example, there are 4 quarter notes in the first bar, 1 half note and 2 quarter notes in
the second bar, and a whole note rest in the third bar. ALL BARS IN A 4/4 TIME SIGNATURE MUST ADD
UP TO 1 WHOLE NOTE, WHETHER IT IS MADE UP OF NOTES, RESTS, OR BOTH.
In the second example, there are 2 quarter notes in the first bar, 1 half note in the second bar,
and a half note rest in the third bar. ALL BARS IN A 2/4 TIME SIGNATURE MUST ADD UP TO 1 HALF NOTE,
WHETHER IT IS MADE UP OF NOTES, RESTS, OR BOTH.
In the last example, there are 6 eighth notes in the first bar, 3 quarter notes in the second bar,
and a dotted half note rest in the third bar. ALL BARS IN A 6/8 TIME SIGNATURE MUST ADD UP TO 6
EIGHTH NOTES, WHETHER IT IS MADE UP OF NOTES, RESTS, OR BOTH.
A 6/8 time signature has the same values, but not the same emphases as a 3/4 time signature.
17
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 32/212
Commonly Seen Time Signatures:
A B C D E
The above examples show some of the more common time signatures seen in popular and
classical music. By far the most widely used is the 4/4 time signature, which is also represented
by the ‘c’ in B (this ‘c’ stands for Common time), and it is generally safe to assume that if there is
no time signature shown on a piece of music, the time signature will be 4/4.
Less Commonly Seen Time Signatures:
F G H I J
These are a few less common time signatures, although the use of signatures such as 5/4, 7/4,
and 9/4 are relatively common in some jazz music. These can take some time to get used toplaying. The ‘c’ with the vertical line through it in G, is called ‘cut time’ and is the same as a 2/2
time signature.
Tempo
The tempo refers to the speed of a piece of music. The tempo is defined as the number of beats
per minute (bpm) in a piece of music. On a sheet of music it is usually represented by the
following symbol, which is placed at the top of the sheet:
= 110
This means that in one minute, there will be 110 beats, with the value of a crotchet. Other notes
can also be used in this place to denote the tempo.
= 55
This shows a minim, of which there would be 55 in a minute. Because there are 2 crotchets
for every minim, both of these tempo markings essentially represent the same tempo of 110
crotchets per minute. The use of different note values allows a very wide number of tempos to be
represented without having to resort to using decimals or fractions.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
18
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 33/212
The Basics
Accidentals
An ‘accidental’ is the word used to refer to Sharps, Flats, and Naturals. Accidentals are placed
before notes to alter their pitch.
# Sharp: Raises the pitch of a note by a semitone
b Flat: Lowers the pitch of a note by a semitone
§ Natural: Returns the pitch of a note to its original value (no sharps or flats)
Sharps and flats are used to describe key signatures at the beginning of a piece of music, and
are also used to change the value of individual notes.
Normal use of accidentals
In the above example, the bar is in the key of C Major (which has no sharps or flats). The first
note is A, which is in the key of C, so that is fine. The second note is Eb, which is not, so it needs
a b symbol. The third note is C itself, which is fine.
The fourth note is also Eb, even though there is no b symbol in front of it - the sharp is applied
to all of the E notes in the bar. Hence to get a natural E note, the fifth note requires a § (natural)
sign in front of it.
Key Signatures
A key signature is a marking placed at the beginning of a line of measures on a sheet of music,
which tells the reader what key the piece of music is in, and therefore which scale to play in.Key signatures can change any number of times within a piece of music, so it is important to pay
attention to this area of the stave.
19
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 34/212
In the previous piece of notation, the three sharps indicate that we are in the key of A major. In
the key of A major there are 3 sharp notes;
F# C# G#This means that every F, C, or G in the piece of music will be sharp (and without a # symbol in
front of them), unless there is a § (natural) symbol before it. This saves unnecessarily writing out
large numbers of sharps or flats in keys where there are a large number of accidentals.
· Sharps and flats should not generally be mixed in the same key - use either sharps or flats.
· Accidentals must be placed on the same line/space on the stave as the note it relates to.
Reading Notation
The circle of fifths is a diagram which shows how key signatures go upwards and downwards in
perfect fifths.
The number of sharps or flats in a key signature increases as the interval of a perfect fifth is
added or subtracted from any note.
In the diagram opposite (The Circle of Fifths), going up a fifth from C gives the key of G, with one
sharp note (F#), which is the major 7th of G. Similarly, going down a fifth from C gives the key of
F, which has one flat (Bb), which is a perfect fourth of F.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
20
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 35/212
The Basics
The Circle of Fifths
Deciphering the keys
The sharps and flats in key signatures are arranged in a specific sequence to aid quick reading.
There are several ways to work out the key signature of a piece without counting up or down
fifths from C (although eventually you will be able to recognise them instantly).
The order of sharps placed in sharp key signatures goes as follows:
F C G D A E B
An easy way to remember this is through a mnemonic - either use the one overleaf, or make up
21
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 36/212
one of your own:
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
And this can be reversed to remember the order of flats within a flat key signature:
B E A D G C F
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’s Father
To work out the key signature in seconds:
For Sharp Keys:
Look at the last sharp in the row, and go up a semitone to get the key signature.
For Flat Keys:
Look at the second to last flat in the row, and that is the key signature (except for F which
only has one flat).
Putting It Together
Counting the notes
When you see the notes on a stave, and are playing to a metronome, the best way to keep in
time with the beat is to count out the note values to yourself. This provides you with a sense of
where you are in the bar, and after a while, can help internalise the values of the notes so that
you can see a minim, for example, and know its inherent value without needing to think about it.
The diagrams below show how to count the most common notes used on the stave:
Semibreve:
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
22
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 37/212
The Basics
Minim:
Crotchet:
Quaver:
Semi-Quaver:
Triplet:
Quintuplet:
23
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 38/212
Mixing Things Up
Play on the blue notes, rest on the red notes.
The notes on the stave vs. the notes on the guitar
The diagram opposite shows the notes on the guitar in relation to the notes on the stave. The
diagram shows the notes on all frets on a guitar; after the twelfth fret, they repeat from the first
fret again.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
24
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 39/212
The Basics
The notes on the fretboard
25
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 40/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 41/212
The Basics
27
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 42/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
28
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 43/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 44/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
30
And not pivoted to angle away from the string it is aiming for:
< >
...\... or .../...
This is because most of the force that you put into playing that string is effectively lost through
minimal plectrum resistance.
Different Grips
People hold plectrums in different ways, but the two most common grips are shown here:
There is no real right or wrong grip - choose the grip that you feel is comfortable, and that holds
the plectrum fairly tight.
Left-hand TechniquesHammer on
This is where a finger from the left-hand taps, or 'hammers' a note that is not played by the right-
hand.
Pull off
This is the opposite of hammering on, where you pull your finger away from the string so that it
sounds a note.Bend
This is literally when you bend a string up to produce a note of a higher pitch. There are also
techniques such as a pre-bend, where the string is bent up to a note before the string is plucked
- to do this accurately takes practice, as you should instinctively know how far to bend the string
without hearing the note being played.
Slide
Moving one finger from one note to another on the same string, without taking your finger off the
fretboard.
Finger muting
When you use the fingers on your left hand to dampen the sound of the strings. Is very useful inmuting single strings, as opposed to palm muting.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 45/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 46/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 47/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 48/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
34
This is a simple technique that should be easy to grasp once you recognise the sound of palm
muting.
Basic AccessoriesSlide
Generally made from glass or copper, a slide is a hollow tube that fits over either the middle or
ring finger. Slide guitar is difficult to master, but following these principles should make thingsslightly easier:
· With a slide, the correct tone should be produced almost directly above the metal strip of the fret
- not behind it.
· Try to mute the strings you are not playing with your right hand.
· Play over open tunings (DADF# Ad, DGDGBd, CGCGCe, EBEG#Be, etc).
· Use a soft, elasticated hair band over the first fret to dampen the string area behind where you
are playing.
· Practise playing scales across strings, and up and down the neck, whilst ensuring you can only
hear one note at a time.
· Practise playing two notes at a time.
Capo
Literally meaning 'head', the capo can be moved to any fret and provides a higher register of
playing. Capos are inexpensive and widely used. They are very effective when used to double
track rhythm guitar parts.
E-Bow
An E-Bow is a device held above the guitar strings in the right hand. It produces a magnetic field
that causes the strings to continuously vibrate, creating ‘infinite sustain’, and a violin/keyboard-
esque sound.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 49/212
35
Technique
Warming UpPlaying the guitar, as with all physical activities, requires your muscles to ‘warm up’ before you
are able to perform to your full potential. The time taken to warm up could generally be aroundhalf an hour, but it is a good time to practice theory, scales, arpeggios and so on, so extending a
warm up session into a ‘proper’ practice session of anywhere between 1 and 8 hours is a good
idea.
It is very important to warm up using a metronome, and you should ideally use one for practising
almost every other aspect of your playing. Another good idea is to tap either your right or left foot
in time with the metronome, as physically 'feeling' the rhythm, or tempo is very important. Try the
following exercises to help discover which helps the most:
Tap your either foot on every beat of the bar:
Tap your foot on every other beat (1 & 3)
Tap your foot on every other beat (2 & 4)
This can be tried with your guitar and a metronome, or anywhere, simply by listening to any song
and tapping your foot along with the rhythm - see if you can identify the time signature of the
song at the same time (for more information on time signatures, see page 17).
A general principle for warming up is to start with a slow tempo that feels comfortable, and then
slowly edge up the speed as the practice session continues. A good system might include
playing at one speed for the first half hour, then taking a 5 minute break, adding between 5-10
beats per minute (bpm), playing for 20 minutes at this speed, then taking another break, and
increasing the speed again, then repeating this procedure.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 50/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 51/212
37
Technique
Remember to keep a consistent 'Up Down' strumming pattern throughout.
2. Left hand warm up – Finger Stretch
A good exercise to prepare the muscles in the fingers on the left hand for playing is to slowly
stretch them along the fretboard. This is a very useful warm up exercise, in that it can alsoincrease the amount of notes within the range of your fingers by preparing them for making big
stretches.
For this exercise, follow these exercises to a metronome, and continue the patterns as far down
the neck as possible:
Take care with stretching exercises, and play them slowly at first, or you may risk straining the
muscles you are attempting to warm up. Once you are used to the 1 fret gap between your
fingers, try increasing the gap to 2 frets.
Play the next exercises forwards and backwards up the whole length of the fretboard (as this is
only a warm up exercise, and has no key signature as such, ignore the fact that sharps and flats
have been mixed up):
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 52/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
38
The next exercise should help to warm up your alternate picking skills:
Play this fully forwards and backwards as many times as you like.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 53/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 54/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 55/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 56/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 57/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 58/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 59/212
Major Scales
45
THE E MAJOR SCALE SHAPE
The E major chord shape can be made out by combining the capsules: R2, 54, R4, 33, 52, R2.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 60/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 61/212
Three Notes Per String Scales
47
Three Notes Per String Major Scale ShapesThree notes per string shapes are the more comprehensive scales that guitarists use. When put
together they cover the whole neck, and give the player a greater number of notes under their fingers. They can also be the basis of a lot of useful warm up exercises. There are 7 of these
shapes.
SHAPE 1 SHAPE 2 SHAPE 3
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 62/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 63/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 64/212
The Pentatonic ScalesPentatonic refers to a scale with five tones. As with the CAGED major scale shapes, there are
five shapes of the pentatonic scale (which can be arranged into the CAGED system). Pentatonicscales can be either major or minor.
The minor pentatonic scales are immensely popular in modern popular music, especially within
blues, rock, and pop.
Major Pentatonics
The major pentatonics are extremely useful when improvising over a major key, as the ‘awkward’
degrees of the scale, the 4th and 7th, are not played within this scale, hence reducing the
likelihood of hitting a ‘wrong’ note.
SHAPE 1 (OR THE E SHAPE)
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
50
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 65/212
Major Pentatonics
SHAPE 2 (OR THE D SHAPE)
51
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 66/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 67/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 68/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 69/212
Minor Pentatonics
The Minor Pentatonics
Minor pentatonics form the base of most rock and blues guitar playing, and are very easy to
remember and to improvise riffs over. The minor pentatonics can be played over a major key, by
using the relative minor scale. This gives a slightly different flavour to the song being played.
SHAPE 1 (OR THE E SHAPE)
55
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 70/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 71/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 72/212
SHAPE 4 (OR THE A SHAPE)
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
58
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 73/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 74/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 75/212
Modes of the Major Scale
D ORIAN The Dorian mode is a minor scale, as it features a flat 3 and a flat 7. The Dorian mode is very
common in rock music. The formula is:
T s T T T s T or R 2 b3 4 5 6 b7
61
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 76/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 77/212
Modes of the Major Scale
L YDIAN The Lydian mode is a major scale, and its distinctive feature is that it has an augmented 4th note.
The formula is:
T T T s T T s or R 2 3 #4 5 6 7
63
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 78/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 79/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 80/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 81/212
The Harmonic Minor Scale
The Harmonic Minor ScaleThe harmonic minor scale is an unusual scale, and has a kind of Egyptian sound, given to it by the
tone and a half interval between the flat 6th and major 7th. For the shapes within this section, the
modes of the harmonic minor are next to the shapes.
SHAPE 1 (HARMONIC MINOR)
67
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 82/212
SHAPE 2 LOCRIAN NATURAL 6
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
68
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 83/212
The Harmonic Minor Scale
SHAPE 3 IONIAN SHARP 5
69
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 84/212
SHAPE 4 DORIAN SHARP 4
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
70
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 85/212
The Harmonic Minor Scale
SHAPE 5 PHRYGIAN DOMINANT
71
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 86/212
SHAPE 6 LYDIAN SHARP 2
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
72
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 87/212
The Harmonic Minor Scale
SHAPE 7 MODE 7
73
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 88/212
The Melodic Minor ScaleThe melodic minor scale is used mostly in jazz music. The only difference between the melodic
minor and the major scale is the flat 3.
SHAPE 1 (MELODIC MINOR)
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
74
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 89/212
The Melodic Minor Scale
SHAPE 2 DORIAN FLAT 2
75
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 90/212
SHAPE 3 LYDIAN AUGMENTED
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
76
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 91/212
The Melodic Minor Scale
SHAPE 4 LYDIAN FLAT 7
77
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 92/212
SHAPE 5 MIXOLYDIAN FLAT 6
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
78
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 93/212
The Melodic Minor Scale
SHAPE 6 LOCRIAN SHARP 2
79
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 94/212
SHAPE 7 ALTERED
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
80
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 95/212
The Blues Scale
Other Scales
The Blues ScaleThe blues scale is a form of the minor pentatonic, with a flat 5th added in as a passing note for
improvisation.
SHAPE 1 SHAPE 2
81
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 96/212
SHAPE 3 SHAPE 4
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
82
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 97/212
The Blues Scale
SHAPE 5
83
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 98/212
THE CHROMATIC SCALE
The chromatic scale is a scale that has all 12 notes in it. The numbers represent the fingering, and
the arrow indicates that you should slide the fourth finger up one fret to reach the third octave.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
84
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 99/212
Other Scales
THE DIMINISHED SCALE
85
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 100/212
THE WHOLE TONE SCALE
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
86
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 101/212
Other Scales
THE AUGMENTED SCALE
87
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 102/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
88
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 103/212
After the previous section on scales, you should be well primed to grasp the theory behindchords. Where this book differs from a ‘Chord Book’ is in the fact that, whilst I will lay out the
basic shapes for the primary chords, I will not deluge you with tons of chord shapes that you will
never use. Hopefully though, the information I provide will give you the tools to find new chord
shapes of your own, without the need to refer back to check the exact shape.
TriadsTriads are basically groups of three different notes; most commonly the root, 3rd and 5th. Any
grouping of two different notes are technically intervals. On the stave, triads look like this:
Triads are made up of thirds (both major and minor), for example, in the C major triad above,there are the notes C, E, and G. The distance between C and E is a major third, and the
distance between E and G is a minor third. The same is true of all major triads.
For contrast, a minor triad of C would have the notes C, Eb, and G. The distance from C to Eb is
a minor third, and Eb to G is a major third.
Naming Conventions
1 When a chord has no major or minor indication after it, but a number: 7, 9, 11, or 13 then
it is assumed that the chord has a major third, and a dominant (flat) 7th.2 A ‘sus’ chord has no gender; the 2nd, or 4th replaces the 3rd.
3 An ‘add’ chord simply adds the specified note.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
89
Chords
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 104/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
90
To make a C major chord on a guitar, it is usual to use more than three notes in the chord. Thus
a C major chord may be represented on the stave as so:
In this illustration, the only notes being played are C, E, and G, but there are two instances of C
and E in different octaves. This covers a wider frequency area than using just three notes, andmakes the sound of the chord fuller and louder.
Building On Triads
When other notes within a scale are added to a triad, we get variations upon the basic major and
minor chords, including: sus chords, aug chords, major 7ths, 11ths, and many more.
If notes are continually added at intervals of thirds (see below), we begin to see more complex
chords, which become increasingly difficult to play with only four fingers and six strings. To
compensate for this, we can use different inversions.
As can be seen in the above diagram, the C Major 9, when played on the tab, is missing one
note (G), which is the perfect fifth of C. This does not change the chord immensely, since the
sound of a perfect 5th can be said to be implied in the tonic.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 105/212
CAGED Major Chords
Open Chords: The CAGED Major ChordsIn the following diagrams, where the root is an open string, the O is coloured red. Where the 7th
is an open string, the O is coloured blue. Do not play the open strings marked X.
C MAJOR C MAJOR 7 C DOMINANT 7 (C7)
A MAJOR A MAJOR 7 A DOMINANT 7 (A7)
91
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 106/212
G MAJOR G MAJOR 7 G DOMINANT 7 (G7)
E MAJOR E MAJOR 7 E DOMINANT 7 (E7)
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
92
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 107/212
CAGED Major Chords
D MAJOR D MAJOR 7 D DOMINANT 7 (D7)
93
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 108/212
Open Chords: The CAGED Minor Chords
C MINOR C MINOR 7 C MINOR MAJOR 7
A MINOR A MINOR 7 A MINOR MAJOR 7
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
94
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 109/212
CAGED Minor Chords
G MINOR G MINOR 7 G MINOR MAJOR 7
E MINOR E MINOR 7 E MINOR MAJOR 7
95
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 110/212
D MINOR D MINOR 7 D MINOR MAJOR 7
Bar ChordsBar Chords are chords that can be moved up, down, and all around the neck of the guitar, and
hence unlock a mighty array of chords within your fingertips. They are all based around the
CAGED open chords, with the only simple difference being that you use your fingers to bar wherethe open strings should be.
On the opposite page I have included the five basic CAGED shapes as bar chords; it is easy
enough to work out other shapes based on the 7th chords above, and the information provided
in the next section on other chords. The capsules coloured grey, with an X should not be heard
when playing the chord.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
96
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 111/212
Bar Chords
C SHAPE A SHAPE G SHAPE
E SHAPE D SHAPE
97
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 112/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
98
Other ChordsI have not included shapes for the following chords, so this is where you have to use your brain.
All of the shapes are simple to work out when based on the above chord shapes. Simply findthe degree of the chord to be changed, and match it with the top number of the corresponding
CAGED bar shape, and change the fingering accordingly. There are blank neck diagrams at the
back of the book so you can write the chords you discover down.
Sus(pended) Chords
Often mistakenly called ‘sustained’ chords, there are two types of sus chord; the sus2 and thesus4. The 2nd or 4th are suspended over the 3rd - ie, they replace the 3rd in the chord, makingthe gender of the chord indeterminate.
Aug(mented) Chords
Augmented chords are represented either by ‘aug’ or by a ‘+’ symbol. They are made up of the
root, 3rd, and a #5th.
Add Chords
‘Add’ chords are simply chords that have had other notes from the scale placed on ‘top’ of the
chord. Often there are chords such as Gadd9, and other numbers above 7. This just indicates
that the note to be added is over an octave higher than the root note. The only numbers that are
used above 7 are 9, 11, and 13, as these are degrees of the scale that are not included in most
chords. For quick reference, the following are an octave above their first occurrence as:
9 = 2nd
11 = 4th
13 = 6th
Minor 7 b5 Chords
‘Minor 7b5’ (or half diminished) chords are represented by either ‘m7
b5’ or by a ‘
ø
’ symbol.They are made up of a root, b3, b5, and b7.
Diminished Chords
‘Diminished’ chords are represented by either ‘dim’ or by a ‘°’ symbol. They are made up of a
root, b3, and b5.
A diminished 7th chord is represented by either ‘dim7’ or by a ‘°7’ symbol. It is made up of aroot, b3, b5, and bb7.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 113/212
Harmonised Scales
99
The Harmonised ScalesBy adding together the thirds of each note within a scale, we get something called the
harmonised scale, which is basically a scale made up of chords. This can be seen in thediagram below - a C major scale is on the top row, whilst the 3rds of each note within the scale
have been compiled to make the C harmonised scale on the bottom row.
All of the notes in the chords above come from the C major scale.
The pattern of chords within a harmonised scale is the same for all major keys, but is slightly
different for the harmonic and melodic minor scales. The order of the pattern also changes in
tandem with changes in modes.
Degree/
Mode
I II III IV V VI VII
Ionian Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7b5Dorian Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7b5 Major 7
Phrygian Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7b5 Major 7 Minor 7
Lydian Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7b5 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7
Mixolydian Dominant 7 Minor 7 Minor 7b5 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7
Aeolian Minor 7 Minor 7b5 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7
Locrian Minor 7b5 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 114/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
100
Harmonised Harmonic Minor
The basic harmonised harmonic minor scale is:
Degree/Scale
I II III IV V VI VII
Harmonic
Minor
Minor
(Major 7)Minor 7b5 Major 7#5 Minor 7 Dominant 7 Major 7 Diminished
Harmonised Melodic Minor
The basic harmonised harmonic minor scale is:
Degree/
Scale
I II III IV V VI VII
Melodic
Minor
Minor
(Major 7)
Minor 7 Major 7#5 Dominant 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7b5 Minor 7b5
InversionsInversions are simply chords where the order of the notes within the chord has been changed.
All of the chords in the above stave are C major. However, the
second chord has the 3rd degree of the scale as the bass note. This is called the 1st inversion.
The third chord has the 5th degree of the scale as the bass note. This is called the 2ndinversion.
Slash Chords
Inversions are usually expressed through using slash chords. The letter on the left of the slash
is the name of the chord being played, and the letter to the right is the bass note.
A/C# F/C Bb/GbThe first of these, A/C# (or ‘A over C#’) represents the chord of A major, with a C# (major 3rd)played as the bass note. This is a 1st inversion chord.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 115/212
Inversions
101
The second, F/C represents the chord of F major, with a C (perfect 5th) played as the bass note.
This is a 2nd inversion chord.
The third, Bb/Gb represents the chord of Bb major, with a Gb (minor 6th) played as the bass note.
For illustration purposes, I have included a possible fingering for each of these chords. The bass
note is coloured yellow.
A/C# F/C Bb/Gb
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 116/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
102
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 117/212
Arpeggios are in some sense, chords as scales. A basic major arpeggio plays the root, 3rd and5th individually across a chord shape.
Major ArpeggiosC MAJOR SHAPE C MAJOR 7 SHAPE C DOMINANT 7 SHAPE
A MAJOR SHAPE A MAJOR 7 SHAPE A DOMINANT 7 SHAPE
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
103
Arpeggios
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 118/212
G MAJOR SHAPE G MAJOR 7 SHAPE G DOMINANT 7 SHAPE
E MAJOR SHAPE E MAJOR 7 SHAPE E DOMINANT 7 SHAPE
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
104
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 119/212
Arpeggios
D MAJOR SHAPE D MAJOR 7 SHAPE D DOMINANT 7 SHAPE
Minor Arpeggios
C MINOR SHAPE C MINOR 7 SHAPE C MINOR (MAJOR 7)
105
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 120/212
A MINOR SHAPE A MINOR 7 SHAPE A MINOR (MAJOR 7)
G MINOR SHAPE G MINOR 7 SHAPE G MINOR (MAJOR 7)
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
106
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 121/212
Arpeggios
E MINOR SHAPE E MINOR 7 SHAPE E MINOR (MAJOR 7)
D MINOR SHAPE D MINOR 7 SHAPE D MINOR (MAJOR 7)
107
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 122/212
Minor 7b5 Arpeggio Shapes
C M7b5 SHAPE A M7b5 SHAPE G M7b5 SHAPE
E M7b5 SHAPE D M7
b5 SHAPE
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
108
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 123/212
One of the activities you will most likely spend a lot of time on whilst playing the guitar, isdeciphering the chord structures, solos, and melodies behind your favourite songs. Although
when still learning this can tend to be very much a trial and error method, there are several
techniques and pointers that should make doing this far easier, and more enjoyable.
Tip Number 1
Two Major Chords
If you spot two major chords being used within the song that are one tone apart, it is very likely
that these are the 4th and 5th degrees of the scale that the song is based around. Once the 4th
and 5th are known, it is a simple matter of counting downwards to the tonic.
Remember: T T s T T T s or - - - °
Key:
= Major
- = Minor
° = Diminished
Tip Number 2
Use your EQ!
Most home stereos and hi-fi’s have some basic EQ functionality - even if it is only a treble and a
bass dial/slider. Using these it is possible to aid your ears to hear instruments that may be buried
in the mix.
For Guitars:
Fortunately, the guitar generally occupies the middle ground in frequency range. However,solos and acoustic guitars can occupy more high frequencies than normal rhythm playing. To
emphasise these high frequencies, simply turn down the bass, and turn up the treble.
For Bass Lines:
Bass lines often follow the same basic progression as the chords do. Therefore by turning down
the treble, and turning up the bass, it becomes easier to hear the bass line, which can help to
discover a song's chord progression.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
109
Deconstructing Popular Music
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 124/212
Tip Number 3
Maintain your Balance!
Thanks to the invention of stereo (two channel) sound,it is possible to almost isolate instruments playing in
only one channel. Some songs ‘hard pan’ the guitars
to one speaker, meaning, for instance that it can only
be heard in the right speaker, and not the left. If this
is the case, it can be far easier to decipher a piece of
music by using your balance controls on your hi-fi to eliminate the speaker that the guitar is not
playing in.
Tip Number 4
Invert the phase
This will generally need a computer and software, although there are other ways of achieving
this effect (for instance by plugging headphones in half way into a headphones socket). By
reversing the phase, certain frequencies within the song are cancelled out, leaving only the bare
bones of the song. The result you get largely depends on how the song was mixed in the studio,
but various effects include isolating the guitar effects channel, isolating the reverb on a voice, or
(hopefully) isolating the lead guitar.
1. Using a software sound editor (such as WaveLab, Audacity, or Peak), open a stereo sound file.
2. Select either the left or right channel only (it doesn’t matter which) with the cursor.
3. Look for a function in the program such as ‘invert phase’ or similar, and activate it.
4. Choose ‘Save As’ from the file menu.
5. It doesn’t matter what format the file is saved in, as long as it is saved as a MONO file.
6. Play back the saved file, and find out the results!
Tip Number 5
Cheat!
If you are trying to work out a fast guitar solo, and it is too fast to clearly hear all of the notes,
the logical option would be to slow it down. There are several ways of doing this; some guitar
effects units come with the ability to record around 30 seconds of music, and slow it down without
altering its pitch, but again, by far the best method is to use a computer.
The most important thing to bear in mind when changing the speed of a piece of music is to
retain its original pitch. Most software sound editors have the ability to do this, although the
quality of the results varies widely. Experimentation with your particular sound editing program is
the best way of getting decent results.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
110
A large amount of the music made
shortly after the invention of multi-track
recording, and introduction of stereo
sound equipment in the 1960s usedhard panning far more than today. For
evidence of this, listen to any stereo
recordings from this time by the Beatles
and Jimi Hendrix, for example.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 125/212
Deconstructing Popular Music
111
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 126/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
112
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 127/212
113
SECTION 2:
SONGWRITING
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 128/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
114
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 129/212
IntroductionSongwriting is a craft, and something that can take a long time to become competent in, and
as such can seem daunting at first. But as with all crafts, it becomes easier with time, patience
and most of all, practice. By learning musical theory, you can give yourself a tremendous
headstart in this area. Most of the classic and successful songs we hear today adhere to certain
‘rules’, although there are countless examples that break them outright - one of the great things
about music. However, by learning these songwriting ‘rules’, you give yourself a passport to
understanding them, and once they are understood, they become far easier to use, break, and
break with great effect.
As you progress, you may find it useful to keep a ‘hook book’ - a book or folder that contains
some favourite lyrical and melodic lines that you have written. Whether this includes whole
songs, single lines, or just a single phrase, it is good to have a hard copy record of the best of
your work, safe from PC crashes or any other mishaps that might befall the originals. Plus, by
combining the best bits from some of your average songs, you may come up with a great song.
TerminologyThere are many specialist terms used in songwriting, and it would be useful to deal with the most
common ones straight off.
Tessitura Tessitura is a word that refers to the general pitch range of a voice/instrument
within a song. It is important to have a varied tessitura within a song, and not
to stick within a narrow pitch range.
Melody A variety of musical sounds that alternate over a certain time scale.
Hook The phrase usually found in a chorus that makes people remember the
song. A hook can be lyrical or melodic.
Rhythm The origins of the word ‘rhythm’ come from the concept of ‘to flow’, as in astream. Could be expressed as “the measured beat or pulse which marks
the character and expression of the music” (Webster’s Revised Unabridged
Dictionary, 1913).
Song Structure The structure of a song, in terms of the mixture of the elements of verse,
bridge, chorus and middle eight.
Lyrics The words that are put to songs.
Metre Usually referring to the inherent rhythm in the words used as lyrics.
Harmony Two juxtaposed voices/instruments that differ in pitch and quality.
A Capella Without instrumental accompaniment. Often used to describe singing solo
(singing ‘a capella’).
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
115
Songwriting
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 130/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
116
Building BlocksIntro(duction)
An intro will often last around eight bars, and generally comprises an instrumental arrangement
of the verse. The intro is also a good place to introduce an instrumental melody that hints at the
hook that arrives in the chorus.
Verse
The verse will often centre around a lyrical idea rather than a melodic one, as its main purpose is
to set the listener up for what is to come in the chorus. A verse usually lasts around eight bars,
although some very long verses may last for sixteen bars or more. The chord progressions are
usually only four bars long, and are repeated. The lyrics tend to change with each new verse.
Bridge
The short section that sometimes appears between the verse and the chorus, to increase the
listener's anticipation for the chorus. The lyrics tend to stay the same throughout, although there
might be slight variations. Confusingly, Americans use ‘bridge’ to describe the middle eight. The
bridge is usually fairly short - between 4 - 8 bars.
Chorus
The big pay-off; what the song has been building towards throughout the intro, verse and bridge.
The big hook of the song is almost always included in the chorus. A chorus generally lasts eight
bars, with one four bar chord progression that is played through twice.
There may be slight alterations in the lyric, but different choruses generally tend to have the same
lyrics throughout.
Middle Eight
The section added to include a bit of melodic variation towards the middle/end of a song. There
may be different lyrics, or more commonly, an instrumental solo. Called the middle eight becausethere are usually eight bars.
Outro
There are generally two ways to finish a song; with a bang or a whimper - neither is necessarily
better than the other, as they serve different purposes for different songs and styles of music.
The whimper option usually involves repeating the chorus until the song is faded out. The bang
option involves building the song up to a climax with the final chorus and finishing off with a quick
transition from loudness to silence.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 131/212
117
Songwriting
Song StructureWhen constructing a song, these building blocks need to be put into a specific order. There are a
number of structures that are more common than others, for the simple reason that they are moreeffective in delivering a balanced mixture of anticipation (verse), and reward (chorus).
Some of the more common basic structures are shown below:
Verse - Chorus
A progression of one verse, one chorus, another verse and chorus. After this there might be a
middle eight and another one of two choruses until the end.
Verse - Bridge - Chorus
The inclusion of a bridge between the verse and chorus can add to the anticipation and
consequent pay-off promised by the chorus.
Verse - Verse - Chorus
If the verse is particularly short, or there is a lot to say lyrically in a particular song, it may have a
double verse to begin the song, followed by a chorus, and then a single verse and chorus.
Verse - Chorus - Variation
Although less common, the ‘variation’ can be included to take the song in a completely new
melodic or rhythmic direction, and may well last longer than eight bars.
These are simply guidelines, and within each of these basic structures there is a lot of scope
for variation and improvisation with the form of the song. It may help to listen to some of your
favourite songs, identify their structure, and write it down - this can help to instinctively identify
which sections might aid in the construction of your own songs.
Songwriting TechniquesKey Changes
Changing the key of a song at a poignant moment can have a vastly beneficial effect by
heightening the emotions of the listener. Usually raising the key signature by a tone, or by a
perfect 5th can have this effect.
Variation in tessitura at key moments
Often the vocals in the verse of a song will have a mid-range tessitura. By raising the tessitura in
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 132/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
118
the chorus, the singer heightens the intensity of the song and the emotions in the listener.
Building a Crescendo
By slowly building up the song throughout the intro, first verse and bridge, the song should reacha climax at the chorus. Three elements have a key influence in the building of a crescendo -
volume, velocity and instrumentation.
Volume: Volume can be built up in two ways; either through control over your instruments
whilst playing them, or at the mixing desk. By subtly increasing the volume up
to the desired climax, a greater pay-off can be reached at that point, as slowly
building up anticipation without the listener necessarily realising it is the goal.
Velocity: Increasing the velocity (speed - ie from quarter notes to eighth notes) of, for
example strumming, in the build up to a chorus can be very effective.
Instrumentation: A very common technique is to add more instruments as the song goes on -
having one rhythm guitar in the verse and two or more in the chorus is a
favourite technique of many songwriters.
Chord ProgressionsMost songs are written within one key signature, and there are a number of specific chord
progressions that songwriters follow in whichever key they are writing in.
The 12 Bar Blues
There are three chords that probably appear in more songs than any others: I, IV, and V. The
'12 Bar Blues' is made up entirely of these chords. The 12 bar blues is, as its name suggests,
a very popular chord progression within blues music. It is also a good progression to practise
improvisation over. The formula for the 12 bar blues can vary from source to source, but
generally, the progression below is a good appropriation of it:
To illustrate how this works, below is a 12 bar blues in the key of G major:
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 133/212
119
Songwriting
The dominant seventh chord introduces tension into the progression, which is at first not fully
resolved (D7 > C, or V7 > IV), but on the third beat of the twelfth bar is introduced again, to be
resolved when the tonic G major chord is played again in the first bar.
The slashes in the diagram mean that the guitarist may use any rhythmic pattern that they feel is
appropriate.
Other Common Chord Progressions
Chord progressions vary within each genre of music, so the best way to discover common chord
progressions within your favourite genre is to listen to them, write down the chords within them,
work out the key (use the harmonised scale charts to help you), and then substitute the degrees
of the scale for the chord names.
Some of the more popular progressions in popular music are shown below - try mixing and
matching them in your songs:
I - VI - IV - V
I - IV - V
I - IV - V - VI
I - V - IV - VI
VI - IV - I - V
II - IV - I - V
I - VI - V - IV
Below there are some of the stronger chords to write songs with, loosely in order of their
frequency within different songs:
I IV V(7) VI II bVII III
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 134/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
120
LyricsThe importance of lyrics in contemporary popular music is arguably almost as high as the music
itself. Although there may not be any profound meaning behind the vast majority of lyrics topopular songs, the simple fact is that this does not seem to matter to the vast majority of people.
However, if a listener can relate to some catchy, easily singable lyrics, it can enhance the song
immeasurably.
Rhyme
Rhyming is used extensively in lyric writing for the reason that it makes lyrics very easy to
remember for the listener. There are almost infinite varieties of rhyme schemes, but the simpler
ones are widespread, especially in pop music. Some examples of popular rhyme schemes are
shown below.
Rhyme Scheme Example
aaaa The King had a table
For knights that were able,
Had a steed in a stable,
And spoke of Babel
aabb The King had a table
For knights that were able
To save a princess
Who was in distress
abab The King had a table
In his largest room
For knights that were able
To fight off doom
abcb The King had a table
In his largest room
That was so big and coldIt felt like a tomb
Of course not all verses or choruses have four lines, but these schemes can easily be adapted
for any number of lines.
Metre
Metre is basically the measure of the syllables within a line of words. It is very important that
lyrics have a regular metre (more important than in poetry), as lyrics have to fit to a constant
rhythm.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 135/212
121
Songwriting
Examples: \ / \ / \ / \
The cat jumped over the mat
/ \ / \ / \
The hat sat on the cat
Speech generally has an upwards (/) and downwards (\) motion in its emphases. Thus metre
is about more than the number of syllables within one line. Although the two lines above do not
have the same number of syllables (7 and 6), they rhythmically fit because they both end with a
downwards emphasis.
Generally the best way to test the metre of a lyric is to read it out, bearing in mind that it should
be simple and singable.
The ‘Shape’ of the Words - Guttural Sounds & Plosives
Almost every word in the English language sounds different. Although this may be a very obvious
statement, when writing songs, it is important to bear this in mind. Certain letters can make
words hard to sing, or may provide the wrong sound for the intended mood of the song.
Letters such as ‘g’ and ‘k’ are guttural (formed in the throat), and as such, are harder to sing
smoothly than letters such as ‘s’ and ‘r’. Also, 'plosives' such as 'b' and 'p' make big ejections of
air from the mouth, and cause 'pops' when recorded on a microphone without a pop shield.
Subject Matter
For the most part, the listener must be able to directly relate to what is being sung in a song. It
is no coincidence that most of the songs ever written have been about love. Love is perhaps the
one unifying feeling that every human on the planet can feel or has felt, and hence can easily
identify with the protagonist in a love song.
Conversational Tone
Some of the best lyricists in the world have a knack for writing lyrics as if they were a
conversation. By creating the impression that the singer is talking directly to the listener, a feeling
of intimacy can be struck up instantly.
Imagery
The use of fresh and original images can mark a good song out from a bad one. Imagery is the
use of descriptive words to paint an image in the listener’s mind.
Example: Sitting here under the blue sky
Looking out on the green sea
The underlined words above paint certain images within a listener’s mind. Images such as thesea and the sky are very common because everyone knows what they look like and can easily
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 136/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
122
form a picture in their mind as a result.
Metaphor
A metaphor is a description of something that is not meant literally. This may be explained moreclearly through example.
Examples: I am a tree
She is a raindrop
In this example, I do not intend to say that I actually am a tree, and she is a raindrop. This is
clearly a metaphor, because people are not trees or raindrops, but by saying that we are, we
forcefully assume their qualities in the mind of the listener. This lyric may mean to state that ‘I’ (a
tree) am in some way dependent upon ‘she’ (a raindrop) to keep me ‘alive’ (whether it is meant
emotionally or physically). This is a more advanced lyrical technique than simply saying 'I needyou', which may have more power, but leaves nothing to the imagination of a listener.
Simile
A simile is similar to a metaphor, except with the difference that a simile uses ‘like’ or ‘as’ to
compare qualities rather than assume them.
Examples: I am like a tree
She is like a raindrop
She falls as a leaf
The first two lines are essentially saying the same thing as in the metaphor example, but this
time perhaps implying that ‘I’ am only like a tree in one or two ways. The third line is simply an
example of how similes might otherwise be phrased.
Adjectives
Adjectives are descriptive words that go with other words. When used well, adjectives can
greatly add to the effect of a lyric.
Examples: I sat with an old manHe frowned angrily
A glassy breeze blew through my hair
The first line is a simple descriptive adjective, placed before a noun, and is the most common
type of adjective (other examples include: ‘blue room’, ‘shiny steel’ and ‘wet surface’). The
second line shows a slightly different example where the adjective ‘angrily’ follows the verb
‘frowned’.
The third line has taken a more unconventional approach, by taking the noun ‘glass’ and turned
it into an adjective. This is not necessarily meant to say that there was actually glass on thebreeze, but the juxtaposition of images may bring to mind a cold, icy, chilling wind in the mind of
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 137/212
123
Songwriting
the listener, without actually saying it outright. Using original adjectives can mark your lyrics out
from those in other songs.
Assonance
Assonance essentially refers to words that do not quite rhyme. Words that sound alike, but do
not rhyme are said to ‘share assonance’.
Example: I talked to Wilfred Owen
Whilst he was writing a poem
The words ‘Owen’ and ‘poem’ both have the ‘owe’ sound in common, but as they end with
different sounds, ‘m’ and ‘n’, although they sound very similar, they do not rhyme. However, the
use of assonance can be just as effective as the use of words that fully rhyme.
Allegory
Allegory is more of a technique used to write a whole song rather than to add something to it.
Basically an extended metaphor, allegory is a way to tell a story, without saying exactly what you
mean - giving it two meanings, literal and symbolic.
This can add greatly to the originality of what you are saying in your lyrics, and is most commonly
used for commenting upon social and political events and situations.
Famous examples of allegory include George Orwell’s book ‘Animal Farm’, and John Bunyan’s
‘Pilgrim’s Progress’.
Alliteration
Alliteration is the method of using repetition of the first letters of words.
Examples: The sea slunk softly by
The fiery fox felt free
The use of alliteration can help to make effective and memorable lyrics, especially when using
groups of three.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a complex word used to describe very simple words like ‘pop’. Basically, words
that sound like the sounds they describe are onomatopoeic.
Examples: The rock splashed into the water
The window pane cracked
Onomatopoeia can have a big impact in lyrics when used at key points.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 138/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
124
Writing MelodiesThere are three important factors to bear in mind when writing
melodies: repetition, range, and rhythm. A very commontechnique for vocal lines is to write the vocal melody in the
relative minor key if the song is in a major key.
Repetition: To be easily memorable, it is essential that there is a good amount of repetition of
melodic phrases throughout the song. For example there may be a two bar melody
in an eight bar verse, that is repeated four times.
Range: To avoid boring the listener, there should be some variation in tessitura; usually the
chorus will occupy a higher pitch range than the verse, as the chorus should
essentially heighten the senses and the emotions of the listener.
Rhythm: A song that has a verse and chorus where the rhythm of the lyrics are continuous
quarter notes, is not likely to be very interesting. Altering the rhythm of the melody
and using syncopation can add greatly to a song.
Inspiration Vs PerspirationWhilst it may seem that professional songwriters have an easy time coming up with new ideas,
and effortlessly come up with original hit songs, most of the time this is not the case. David
Byrne (of Talking Heads) once likened the process of songwriting to waiting for a bus; if you sit
there waiting for a bus, eventually one will come, and you can get on it - if you are not there
waiting for the bus, it is not going to come and get you. Creativity is largely the same; if you
are sitting down playing your instrument, waiting for inspiration, you are far more likely to come
across an idea (at least a musical one) than you are when doing the shopping.
However, even the best songwriters suffer from writer’s block, so if you hit that wall, here are a
few tips to try and get back on the songwriting ‘road’.
Read a newspaper
Newspapers can be a gold mine of ideas, from the serious headlines on the front page, to the
‘and finally...’ items further back in the paper.
Read a book
Countless songs have been based on, or gained their inspiration from, books. Examples include
‘Big Brother’ by Stevie Wonder (‘1984’ - George Orwell), and ‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet’ by
U2 (‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet’ - Salman Rushdie).
Collaborate
For a great example of melodic
rhythm and phrasing in a
song, listen to the vocal line
in ‘What’s Happening Brother’by Marvin Gaye (Track 2 on
‘What’s Going On’).
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 139/212
125
Songwriting
Some of the best new ideas are brought about through collaboration. Whether you collaborate
with another musician or not, is not necessarily the point - another person’s input always has the
potential to be better than a single person’s point of view. Brian Eno was never a ‘musician’ in a
traditional sense, but has performed on and produced many albums, including ‘The Joshua Tree’,which has sold over 10 million copies.
Pick up a new instrument
New instruments put a different pattern of notes under your fingers. It is highly unlikely that you
would write the same song with a piano as you would with a guitar. Thus new instruments have
the potential to breed new ideas.
Listen to a new genre of music
Some of the best, and most commercially successful songs of all time have famously mixed
together two or more different genres of music. Artists such as David Bowie, Philip Glass and
Björk have infused their music with many different styles of music, and have benefited hugely
from doing so.
Use some new chords and progressions
The substitution of a slightly different chord in a song can make a big difference in the sound of asong. Although the difference may seem small between a I, IV, V progression and a I, IVsus4, Vprogression, it can make all the difference between a pedestrian song, and one that stands out.
Also, don’t be afraid of making up chords - if it sounds good, essentially it doesn’t matter. You
can work out what chord you have come across by looking at the intervals between the notes.
Make a list of words
If you want to write a song about something in particular, it can be helpful to draw up a list of key
words that you relate to that subject, either off the top of your head, or with the aid of a dictionary
or thesaurus. This can help to set the mood for the piece, or condense what you would like to
say into some effective lyrics.
Don’t be afraid to use a rhyming dictionary
Personally, I would use this as a last resort, as it can detract from the personal element that is
necessarily involved in songwriting. However, if you’re stuck trying to find a word that rhymes
with a word like ‘orange’, rhyming dictionaries can provide an invaluable asset.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 140/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
126
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 141/212
127
SECTION 3:
MUSIC
TECHNOLOGY
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 142/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
128
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 143/212
Music technology deals with sound. Whilst this seems a very obvious statement, it is essentialto examine exactly what sound is before continuing. Just as understanding notation is essential
to gain a full understanding of the music we listen to, understanding what you are looking at on a
computer screen is essential to effectively working with digital audio.
Sound is made up of 3 factors: amplitude, frequency, and timbre.
Amplitude
As I am sure you will know, amplitude refers to how loud a sound is. In most audio equipment,
amplitude is measured in decibels (dB). There is no absolute value for a decibel, as it is
essentially a ratio between two different power levels – but unless you are particularly interestedin the mathematics of the logarithmic functions of the human ear, that's really all you need to bear
in mind about exactly what a decibel is for the moment.
In Figure 1, a sound's amplitude is represented by the distance between the peak and the trough
of the wave.
Figure 1: A cycle of a sine wave.
Frequency
The frequency of a sound determines its pitch. Frequency is commonly measured by the number
of complete cycles (such as the one shown in Figure 1) a sound wave completes per second.This is expressed in Hertz (Hz) and kilohertz (kHz).
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
129
Basics
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 144/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
130
The higher the number of or cycles per second, the higher the pitch of the sound. Thus bird
song may have a high frequency, and a jet engine may have a low frequency. The human ear is
capable of hearing any sound within the range of 20 Hz - 20 kHz (20,000 Hz). The A note above
middle C is at 440 Hz, and is often used as a reference pitch for tuning instruments.
Timbre
The timbre of a sound can also be referred to as colour and tone. Timbre is the quality of a
sound; the factor that enables a person to distinguish a note played on a flute from a note played
on a guitar, for instance.
A Brief look at what happens when music technology encounters a sound
Both home and studio equipment today are moving rapidly towards the digital domain. Thusfor a proper examination of contemporary music technology, we must first take a look at what
happens when a digital device encounters a sound - as a sound is an analogue signal.
For a digital device to record and play back music, two components are essential:
1. Analogue to Digital converter (or: A/D converter, or ADC)
2. Digital to Analogue converter (or: D/A converter, or DAC)
These components convert an analogue voltage into binary code (lots of 0s and 1s), and then
back again. Every computer that has a soundcard has both of these built into the soundcard
(provided there are audio in and audio out sockets).
Conversion to digital:
Sample
In this context a sample is a snapshot of an incoming sound's voltage (analogue signal).
Bit Resolution/Bit Depth (Y-Axis)
Bit resolution describes the digital measurement of amplitude for a sample. Generally, the higher the number of the bit resolution/depth, the greater the quality of the sound sampled. Compact
Discs use a resolution of 16 bits, and at a 16 bit resolution there are 65,536 different levels at
which the ADC can measure the amplitude.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 145/212
131
Music Technology Basics
Sample Rate/Frequency (X-Axis)
The sample rate refers to how many times a 'snapshot' of the bit depth is taken per second. A
Swedish scientist called Harry Nyquist determined that to arrive at a faithful reproduction of anoriginal sound, the sample rate should be equal to, or greater than twice the frequency sampled.
This is commonly referred to as the Nyquist Theorem.
Because of the idea behind the Nyquist Theorem, when the first mass distributed consumer
digital audio format was decided upon (the CD), the sample rate was set at 44.1 kHz – just over
twice the 20 kHz that the human ear can detect.
However even at 44.1 kHz, it is still possible to detect a degradation of quality, mainly because
any harmonic frequencies that are above 44.1 kHz are cut off. Although we cannot hear these
high frequencies, their presence has an effect upon lower frequencies, and as they are cut off,sounds change. This is why higher end studios now tend to have 192 kHz recording facilities.
The 'Graph'
In digital audio applications, sound is generally represented as a wave along an x and y axis.
The x axis represents amplitude/level, whilst the y axis represents time. Level can be expressed
as either decibels, a percentage, or a decimal. Time can be expressed in minutes (m), seconds
(s), milliseconds (ms), as a timecode (in SMPTE), in samples, or as a representation of a file's
increasing size over time.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 146/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
132
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 147/212
There are 3 ways you can record your guitar:
· Direct Input (DI),
· Microphone (Mic)
· Line In
Direct InputFirstly, I'll deal with DI'ing because it's the most simple (and self explanatory). To DI, simply plug
your guitar straight into the recording device and press the red button...
Advantages:
Arguably should get the 'purest', unprocessed guitar sound.
Disadvantages:
Most recording equipment is not designed to record guitar directly.
MicrophoneUsing a microphone can be the most effective method for a 'live' sound, as a properly miked
amplifier, or acoustic guitar can sound great.
However, microphones are poor substitutes for a human ear, and therefore a vast array of
microphones have been produced for performing different tasks. The ubiquitous Shure SM57 is
the microphone of choice for many guitarists when it comes to recording and playing live.
Different Mics for Different Tykes
There are many different types of microphone available on the market:
Dynamic
Condenser
Large Diaphragm Condenser
Ribbon
Valve (Tube)
PZM
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
133
Recording Guitar
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 148/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
134
However, the important ones for guitarists are dynamic and condenser microphones.
Dynamic
Dynamic mics are used largely for instruments with high sound pressure levels (SPLs), such asbass drums, and in live situations. They are cheap, with relatively simple designs, and can be
plugged directly into just about anything with a XLR to ¼" cable. The frequency response of
dynamic microphones is generally in the mid to low areas.
Condenser
Condenser mics tend to be a lot more fragile and expensive than dynamic mics, and are mostly
used in the studio for these reasons. Condenser mics have a pre-amp, and need some form of
external power - provided either through phantom power (provided through the XLR cable from
a mixing desk), or by an internal battery. Condensers give a more balanced frequency responsethan dynamic mics, and are able to pick up higher frequencies. They are easily identified,
because they are mostly silver in colour.
Microphone Placement
Electric Guitar Amplifiers
When placing microphones in front of speaker cabinets, the route towards finding the right
placement is always going to be a mixture of trial and error. Each individual amplifier may have
its own 'sweet spot' where the microphone sounds best when placed in front of it.
Generally, starting off by placing a mic at a right angle to the speaker, and moving it to different
positions in front of the speaker cone, maybe starting at the middle and moving outwards along
its radius should be a good method to begin with. How far you place the microphone from the
speaker depends on how 'up front' you want the sound to be. If you want the sound to be fairly
bass heavy and distorted, placing the mic 1 inch or less should give that result; although the
guitar sound may be a bit indistinct.
The further you place the mic from the speaker cabinet, the more of a room's reverb will be
captured in the recorded signal – which may be good or bad depending on your intended sound.
If you have a multi-speaker cabinet, and more than one microphone, it may be worth
experimenting by placing them in front of different speakers, and using faders to mix in the
two signals together. If the two mics are not matched (the same
model), you may want to make one the master and add another to
pick up some different frequencies. For example using an SM57
for the dominant signal, and adding in some signal from an AKG
C1000 condenser mic should add in a few higher frequencies and
produce a more rounded sound.
If using more than one
microphone, be aware of
potential phase problems.
See page 140 for more
information.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 149/212
135
Recording Guitar
Acoustic Guitars
Condenser microphones are usually best for recording an acoustic guitar, due to their ability to
pick up the higher frequency harmonics and reverberations, and the fact that most recording
acoustic guitars want a faithful and accurate representation of the original sound. Placing the micat a right angle in front of the sound hole will obviously produce a very bass heavy sound, as this
is where all of the air exits the guitar. So experimenting with placing the mic at a 45° angle to
the sound hole, facing either from the bridge or neck towards the sound hole should help to get
a good quality signal. If you have more than one microphone, you might want to try miking the
guitar neck as well, to get the sound of finger movements, and maybe put two microphones on
the sound hole.
Line InLine in input is similar to using a Direct Input, except that there is a device between the guitar and
the recording device. This may be anything from an amplifier or pre-amp, to a compressor, EQ
unit, or a guitar effects pedal. Most of the time using a line in rather than a DI will produce better
results, because the 'box' that the guitar goes though is more likely to be designed to process a
guitar signal directly than, say a multi track cassette recorder. There is the added benefit of being
able to customise the sound of the guitar early in the recording chain.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 150/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
136
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 151/212
What is MIDI and why should I care?
MIDI is an acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and refers to a system that
allows MIDI enabled instruments to communicate purely digital information between each other,
or to a sound bank or computer. A computer or sound bank unit, can then translate this digital
information into sound.
MIDI enabled instruments are mostly piano style keyboards, which either have their own bank of
sounds, or are purely controller keyboards. It is possible to buy MIDI enabled guitars, or buy an
add-on such as a Roland GK-2A, which translates string vibrations into MIDI data, but guitar MIDI
data will never be as accurate as MIDI data can be for a keyboard set up.
MIDI Keyboards
At the most basic level, MIDI keyboards send on/off instructions through a MIDI cable. The
default position, 0 (off) is changed whenever a key is pressed, to 1 (on), and then returns to 0
when the key is released. Thus a series of 0s and 1s are sent through a cable to the receiving
device.
However, MIDI is capable of transmitting a lot more data than simply when a note is played, and
for how long it is played. Information such as volume, how hard a key is pressed (velocity), and
pitch bend, are some examples of the other information that can be sent through a MIDI cable.
The Advantages of MIDI
MIDI has multiple advantages over recorded audio:
Very easy to edit Notes can be dragged around, made longer or shorter, louder or quieter, with
the click of a mouse.
Quantization Notes can be moved automatically to make them exactly in time with a
pre-defined grid of timing (ie 8ths, 16ths, 24ths, etc).
End quantization Notes can be automatically lengthened or shortened to finish at exactly theright time.
Transposition Entire MIDI songs can be transposed into different keys within an instant.
Tempo alignment A piece of MIDI music can be sped up or slowed down automatically with no
change in pitch or quality of sound.
Multi-timbral A MIDI keyboard can sound like any instrument you choose, provided you
have the appropriate synthesizer.
File size File sizes are considerably smaller than for recorded audio.
The Disadvantages of MIDI
Despite all of the above, MIDI does have some drawbacks:
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
137
MIDI
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 152/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
138
Sound There are no embedded sounds in MIDI files, so they cannot easily be transferred
between recording setups without altering the sound.
Bandwidth Slow data transfer speeds.
Instruments The sounds of some instruments are very hard to synthesise - a synthetic guitar willnever sound close to the real thing.
Feel When quantized and edited, a MIDI file may lack the human element, and sound
robotic.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 153/212
What is an Audio Editor?
The function of audio editors is fairly straight forward; they digitally edit audio files. Audio editors
are part of the reason why analogue tape recording is slowly going out of fashion - what might
take hours to do on a tape deck can now be done in seconds with the aid of an audio editor.
Audio editors currently available on the market include WaveLab, Sound Forge, Peak, and the
free editor Audacity.
Possible UsesRecording And Playing Back
All audio editors have the ability to record and play back sound from an internal or external sound
source.
Encoding Audio Files/Coverting Audio Files
When saving recorded sounds, you are usually given several options of how to save it:
File Format Whether to save in an uncompressed (wav, aiff, etc), or compressed (mp3,aac, etc) format.
Sample Rate What sample rate to save at. Sounds should generally be saved at the
sample rate they were recorded in - most likely 44.1 kHz.
Bit Depth What bit depth to save at. Sounds should generally be saved in the bit depth
they were recorded in - most likely 16 bit.
Mono/Stereo Whether to save the file as a mono or stereo sound.
EQ(ualisation)
Changing the levels of bass, middle and treble in recordings. Can consist of a graphic curve, or aseries of control knobs.
Fade In/Out
Selecting usually either the beginning or end of a song, and choosing to fade it in or out. Can
give either a linear diagonal line, or a curved line of fading.
Delete Unwanted Sections
Unwanted sections of sound files can be easily deleted. Choosing ‘snap to zero crossing’ in the
audio editor can reduce the chance of loud clicks when audio is deleted.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
139
Audio Editors
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 154/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
140
Normalisation
Normalising a song is a way of making the difference between the loud and quiet parts of a sound
file smaller. This can be useful if you have a very quiet verse followed by a very loud chorus.
Inverting Phase
When using more than one microphone to record a signal, it is possible, or even likely, that you
will come across phase problems. This is when the sound being recorded reaches the two
microphones at different times, causing the sound pressure on one microphone to decrease
as it is increasing on the other microphone. This causes the signal to go out of phase, with the
result that some frequencies are cancelled out. The simple solution is to place the microphones
the same distance away from the source of the sound that is being recorded.
However, if recording say, the front and back of a speaker cabinet at the same time, the phase islikely to be around 180 degrees out, and the way to solve this problem is by inverting the phase
of one of the signals from the microphones.
A signal may also become out of phase, when, for example, a cable for the left speaker is
plugged into the right speaker, and vice versa. If a signal has been recorded out of phase, the
solution is to select the contents of one channel of the stereo signal, and invert the phase.
Reversing A Sound
Self explanatory - can be a good effect to apply to a whole, or part of, a guitar solo. Can also
add a fresh angle to a guitar solo to reverse it, learn to play the reversed version, record that, andreverse the new solo, to get an unorthodox guitar sound.
Time Stretching
Time stretching an audio file is kind of like the opposite of stretching an elastic band - if you
stretch it out it gets longer, but pluck it as you stretch it, and you’ll see that the pitch gets higher
the longer it is stretched. When you stretch an audio file, the pitch gets lower as it is stretched
longer. Conversely, if you speed up an audio file, the pitch will get higher.
Most audio editors today will be able to perform time stretches without a change in pitch, but thequality of the result varies widely depending on what sound is being stretched, how much it is
being stretched, and what program it is being stretched by (naturally the more expensive editors
yield better results).
Reducing Hiss/Pops/Clicks
Audio editors are sometimes able to identify hiss, clicks and pops, using various methods, and
can have some success in cleaning up bad recordings.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 155/212
141
Audio Editors
Effects
There are an infinitesimal number of built in effects and external plug-ins available on the market
that audio editors can take advantage of. For more information on effects, turn to page 145.
Mastering
Mastering is the name given to the final touches put to a recording before it is finished. It
includes using compression on a whole track, adding any final EQ, and other general editing.
A typical audio editor (WaveLab)
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 156/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
142
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 157/212
What is a Sequencer?
A sequencer is a piece of software or hardware that can record, store, arrange, and play back
audio information. Originally this meant MIDI data, but as technology has evolved, sequencers
have added much to their functionality, and now can handle both audio and MIDI information,
along with other features including basic audio editing, effects inserts, and virtual instruments, to
name but a few.
Sequencers are useful tools for both composing and recording songs. The multi-track feature
has made it possible for anyone to become a one man band with their home PC. All professional
studios have some kind of sequencer at their heart. Common sequencers in use at present
include Cubase, Logic, Apple's free GarageBand, and at the professional end of the market, Pro
Tools.
What is the difference between an audio editor and a sequencer?
A sequencer performs many functions that audio editors do not. Some of these are listed below:
Multi-track Recording and Editing
A sequencer allows you to record several instruments at once, a function unavailable in most
audio editors. With today’s technology, it is possible to have hundreds of instruments all playingsimultaneously from one song file.
Mixing
The multi-track function makes it possible to mix each instrument channel separately, individually
changing the EQ, effects, and volume levels for each instrument.
Bars, Beats, Tempo
Sequencers generally work in bars and beats, as opposed to audio editors, which work inseconds and minutes. Sequencers also have built in metronomes, or click tracks, which are
indispensable for keeping time when recording an instrument.
Automation
The ability to ‘tell’ the sequencer when to raise or lower the volume, turn on or off an effect, or
alter a parameter within an effect. This can be done by either ‘drawing’ on the automation using
lines to represent the change in the variable factor over time, or by setting the sequencer to
record how you move the dials and sliders whilst the song is playing.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
143
Sequencers
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 158/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
144
MIDI Editing
The ability to manipulate MIDI data in many ways. This can include quantization, transposition,
tempo changes, velocity adjustment and many other functions, which vary slightly from sequencer
to sequencer.
Virtual Instruments
Most software sequencers either come with, or make the provision for virtual instruments, which
are basically banks of sounds, or synthesised frequencies, which are triggered by MIDI events.
Thus with a MIDI keyboard connected to a computer, you are able to make the sound of almost
any instrument emerge from your computer speakers at the touch of a key on the MIDI keyboard
(provided that you have the plug-in required for the desired instrument).
Compose Music to Film
Most sequencers make some provision for writing music to moving pictures, whether they are
provided by a movie file (.avi, or .mov formats usually), or by an external video machine.
A (slightly crowded) Logic sequencer window.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 159/212
An effect can be classified as anything which alters an original signal that is put through it.
When applying more than one effect, remember that the order in which they are put within the
‘chain’ is very important. Applying a delay after applying reverb would not be likely to come up
with good results - much of this is common sense, but if you get a bad guitar sound with more
than one effect, it may be worth altering the order in which the effects are applied.
Amplifier Modelling
Available in some electric guitar pedals and computer plug-ins. Alters the signal according to the
frequency bias in some classic amplifier models.
Auto Tune
Used mainly as a sequencer plug-in, auto tune can detect the pitch of a voice or instrument and
alter it, either automatically by aligning it with a specified scale, or by manually dragging it around,
much like MIDI data. Currently only useful for single voice instruments and passages; the
detection of chords is not yet fully developed.
Chorus
Found in almost all guitar effects units and sequencers, chorus effectively makes one voice of aninstrument sound like two or more. It does this by adding a very slight delay, and doubling up the
original voice with other voices that differ very slightly in pitch.
Compression
Compression is very useful for recording vocals, drums and acoustic guitars. Essentially,
compression levels out any peaks or dips in the volume of a recording. It also has the effect of
‘warming up’, and making a vocal sound seem ‘close’ and intimate, because it emphasises the
breathing, and other ‘mouth sounds’ that occur in between singing.
De-Esser
Used mainly for recording vocals, but also sometimes used on the snare drum or hi-hat. Literally
‘de-esses’ a sound by toning down the ‘s’ sound in a vocal that can sometimes seem over-
emphasised.
Delay & Stereo Delay
Delay is a very widely used plug-in. Delay repeats, after a specified time period, a certain
amount of a signal that passes through it. The delay generally gets quieter each time it repeats
the signal - this is called the decay. Stereo delay can set a different time between delays on the
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
145
Effects
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 160/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
146
left and right channels, resulting in the echo ‘bouncing’ between the speakers.
Distortion
Very familiar to guitarists, distortion is simply what happens when an amplifier is turned up tooloud (hence ‘overdrive’). Digital distortion, as a rule, sounds bad, so if distortion is to be used, it
is best to use a real guitar amplifier. Distortion also acts as a kind of compression.
EQ
Not usually seen as an effect as such, but EQ can alter any signal significantly. Can be added at
pretty much any stage in an effects chain, but is best used as the first link in a chain.
Flange
Flanging is essentially the extreme end of the chorus and phase effects.
Microphone Modelling
Very similar to amplifier modelling, microphone modelling usually involves taking the frequency
bias of several classic microphones, and changing the signal accordingly.
Noise Gate
A noise gate will stop any sound under a specified volume level from ‘passing through’. Can be
useful for recording overdriven guitars, to eliminate the background hum when the guitar is notplaying.
Octave Pedal
Very much like a wah-wah pedal in construction, an octave pedal ‘slides’ a note up or down
through a certain number of octaves as the foot changes its position. Can sound like the effect of
slide guitar playing.
Phase
Phasing resides in the gap between chorus and flanging, and slowly moves a signal in and out of
phase.
Pitch Shift
Changes the pitch of a signal within a specified number of cents, semitones, or tones.
Reverb
Reverb is used in a huge number of recordings, and applied to most instruments. Adding a largeamount of reverb to a signal can make it sound like it was recorded in a big space. Usually
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 161/212
147
Effects
added at the very end of an effects chain.
Stereo Enhancer
Uses phase tricks to fool the ear into thinking the stereo signal is ‘wider’ than it actually is.
Time Stretch
Lengthens, or shortens a recording.
Tremolo
Makes a signal cycle between its normal pitch, and a lower pitch.
Vibrato
Makes a signal cycle between its normal pitch, and a higher pitch.
Wah-Wah
Literally makes a signal produce a ‘wah wah’ sound. Can be automated, but is best used as a
manual pedal.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 162/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
148
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 163/212
Vinyl
12 inch vinyl records were introduced by Columbia in 1948, at 33 1/3 rpm, and had 23 minutes of
playing time on each side. It took ten more years before stereo vinyl records became available
on the market.
Some argue that vinyl’s audio quality is better than that of a CD, because the analogue signal is
not compressed, as it is on a CD.
Cassette Tape
Pre-recorded cassette tapes were released into the market in 1965. Cassette tapes work byrunning a magnetic strip past a ‘head’, which reads the strip. There are four channels on a
cassette tape: 2 channels on each side - a normal four track recorder makes use of all four of the
channels by making the tape single-sided.
CD (Compact Disc)
The CD was developed by Philips and Sony in 1979, and was the first digital format to gain
widespread consumer acceptance. It is able to store up to 700 megabytes of data, or up to 80
minutes of audio. The CD brought far better audio quality and durability than cassette tapes, and
greater portability than the vinyl record.
Originally CDs did not have copy protection, but since the spread of cheap CD recorders into
the home PC market, and the widespread piracy encouraged by Napster in 1999, some record
companies have begun to put copy protection onto their products, making it at best very difficult
to use the CDs on a computer. CDs with copy protection are not legally allowed to use the
‘Compact Disc Digital Audio’ logo, because they are not compatible with all CD playing devices.
DAT (Digital Audio Tape)
Sony introduced the DAT in 1987. It is similar to a cassette tape, but significantly smaller. As aconsumer format it never took off, but as a studio aid it became popular, as it had the potential to
record at a slightly higher sample rate (48kHz, 16 bit) than Compact Disc, and was far cheaper
than recordable CD technology at the time.
MiniDisc
The MiniDisc was developed by Sony in 1991 and is essentially a small CD inside a hard plastic
casing. It uses a lossy compression encoding to fit the same amount of music onto it as a CD,
but consequently does not provide as good quality sound as a CD. It never took off as a format
to replace CDs because of lack of support from record companies, but its flexibility and compact
size made it popular as a portable, recordable format.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
149
Formats
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 164/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
150
ADAT (Alesis Digital Audio Tape)
Introduced by the Alesis Corporation in 1993, and used in some studios, but largely out dated
today. It provided 8 channels of CD quality recording on an S-VHS tape (same in appearance as
a VHS tape).
MP3/MPEG Layer 3 (Motion Picture Experts Group, Layer 3)
The MP3 format began to appear on the internet as early as 1995, but did not fully take off until
the launch of the file sharing program Napster in 1999. By compressing audio in a lossy way,
MP3 files are able to reproduce ‘CD quality’ sound in files a tenth the size of the audio files on a
CD.
However, the so called ‘CD quality’ files are often easily discernable from the sound quality on a
real CD. MP3 is now being succeeded by formats such as AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) andWMA (Windows Media Audio), which are being widely used by legal download services.
Future Formats
SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc)
Developed by Sony and Philips, the SACD uses DSD (Direct Stream Digital), which records at
only 1 bit, but at a sample rate of 2822.4 kHz - 64 times that of a CD. A SACD is essentially
the same as a DVD, but with a different format of data contained within it. SACDs can contain
information for two channels of sound, or 5.1 channels for surround sound. Hybrid SACDs
contain an extra layer that makes it possible to play them on an ordinary CD player - although
there is no difference in quality from an ordinary CD when not played on an SACD player.
The SACD format has been made with the purpose of making the disc impossible to copy or
pirate. Whilst this has positive points, there is also a down side, in that it destroys the possibility
of music bought on SACDs being converted for use in portable MP3 players, and limits (at least
for the foreseeable future) SACD writing to a very small number of professional studios.
DVD-A (Digital Versatile Disc Audio)
Competing for the same higher end of the consumer audio market as the SACD is the DVD-A, aformat which can hold up to 24 bit, 192 kHz recordings in stereo, and up to 24 bit, 96 kHz for 5.1
surround sound. DVDs can hold up to 4.7 gigabytes of information. DVD-As have the advantage
that they are compatible with most new mid-range DVD video players, and can also store video
information playable on any DVD player. Single layer DVDs have a storage capacity of 4.7
Gigabytes (GB).
Blu-Ray Disc
These discs are currently in development by a large coalition of technology firms, and have a
potential capacity of up to 54 GB.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 165/212
151
Formats
Advanced Optical Disc (AOD)
The AOD is currently in development as a competitor to the Blu-Ray disc, and has a capacity of
15 GB.
Compressed Formats
Whilst technology is allowing the higher end of the audio market to move sound quality upwards
at a rapid pace, the trend of most of the consumer market is to move downwards in quality. This
compromise between quality and practicality has driven the consumer recorded audio market
since the development of recorded sound itself. Whether high street music stores will be extinct
in 20 years is impossible to tell, but the huge popularity of portable MP3 players that can store a
whole record collection, and the slowly increasing number of legal download services suggests
that CDs (or their whatever their physical successor is) may eventually be doomed to the fate of
vinyl - oversized, impractical, but collectible.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 166/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
152
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 167/212
Buying a Personal Computer
If you are considering buying a computer to aid in making music, there are several things that
should be taken into account. Whether you are buying a Windows or an Apple computer, there
are 6 important factors to consider, which will all affect the sound capabilities of the computer.
1. Sound Card
Does the computer come with a sound card?
Unless bought from a specialist music PC shop, it is likely that the sound card will be unsuitable
for recording music. ‘Onboard’ sound cards (cards built into the motherboard) are especially bad,
both at playing back and recording sound. It is therefore worth budgeting at least £100 extra for
a half decent sound card.
What sample rate and bit depth can the card record at?
Clearly the higher both of these are, the better, but it should be able to record at 16 bit, 44.1 kHz
at the very least.
2. RAM (Random Access Memory)
Compare the amount of RAM with other machines in the same price bracket. When a program
is running, it uses up RAM - the more RAM available, the more programs you will be able to run.Some programs use up more RAM than others, so it is good to have as much RAM as possible.
3. Processor
The speed of the processor determines how many calculations the computer can perform at any
one time. It is worth paying more for a powerful processor, since they can perform more tasks,
and run programs faster.
4. Operating System
The operating system is the basis for all operations on a computer. Windows XP and Mac OS
X are two examples of operating systems. It is worth researching the operating system of the
computer before you buy, to ensure that it is not about to be succeeded by a newer and better
operating system that might be expensive to upgrade to.
5. Hard Drive Speed
The speed of the hard drive is very important when recording audio, as it determines how much
information can be written to the hard drive at any one time. The higher the speed, the more
information (and hence higher sampling rates) can be recorded. For audio, the speed should be
at least 7,200 rpm. It is generally best to have two hard drives, one to run programs from, and
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
153
Computers
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 168/212
one to record audio on to.
6. Monitor
The last concern, but monitor type can be important. Some audio applications need to operateon at least a 1024x768 screen resolution, so check that the monitor is capable of this. A 17 inch
monitor should give a good working space for most audio applications.
If you are recording guitar, it is probably best to buy a computer with a TFT (Thin Film Transistor),
or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen, as CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors have a large
electromagnet inside that can interfere with the pickups on your guitar and cause a loud hum.
Mac or PC?
When considering buying a personal computer for recording purposes, the first question thatoccurs to many people is whether an Apple Mac or a Windows PC is the most suitable for
their purposes. The most important thing to bear in mind is that there is no overall ‘best’ music
computer, all computers have their own pros and cons. Having said that, I will have a brief look
at some of the pros and cons of both machines:
Apple Mac
Pros
· Reliable.
· Easy to use.
· Apple computers are geared towards the creative industries.
· Operating system upgrades are relatively cheap.
Cons
· Can be more expensive.
· Smaller range of hardware and software.
Windows PC
Pros
· Cheap.· Easier to customise.
· Wide range of hardware and software.
Cons
· Can be unreliable.
· Too much choice?
· Less user friendly than Apple computers.
· Operating system upgrades can be expensive.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
154
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 169/212
Computers
Publishing Your Music On The WebIf you want to publish your music on the internet, there are many opportunities to do so. Firstly
there are plenty of unsigned music websites that will host your song for free (just type ‘unsigned’and ‘upload’ into a search engine). Secondly you could enter your song into songwriting contests
across the internet. Thirdly, you could construct your own website and post the songs on that.
Your own website
Making your own website means you have full creative control over what people see when they
want to download your song - no adverts, pop-ups or other nuisances. Also it is very simple to
create a webpage, and this can be done through specialist programs such as DreamWeaver and
FrontPage, or with most recent word processing applications.
Look on the website of your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to find out how to upload the pages
once you are finished - most ISPs provide you with webspace free of charge.
Converting your song to a compressed format such as MP3 or WMV will make it much quicker
to upload onto the internet server, and quicker to download for anyone accessing your website.
Generally 3-4 MB should be the largest file size to upload.
155
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 170/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
156
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 171/212
157
SECTION 4:
MUSIC
BUSINESS
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 172/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
158
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 173/212
CopyrightThe entire music business is centred around the concept of copyright. This is a fundamental
principle which states that the author of an original work has the right to assert their ownership of
that work, and essentially, earn money from its use.
The Law
Copyright is part of a wider area in law which is referred to as intellectual property (IP).
Intellectual property laws are concerned with protecting artistic and creative ‘property’. Likephysical property, intellectual property can be stolen, but in a very different way to say, shoplifting.
A primary concern with intellectual property is plagiarism - the practice of taking the work of
others and claiming it as your own creation.
The three areas of intellectual property law are: copyright, patents and trademarks.
Copyright law protects several different kinds of intellectual property. These include:
· Original musical works
· Sound recordings
· Original literary works - including lyrics· Films and videos
There are several things that copyright law specifically does not protect:
· Ideas - The law may protect how an idea is expressed, but not the idea itself.
· Names and titles - The name or title given to a song or album cannot be copyrighted.
Technically speaking, the name of a band cannot be copyrighted either. If the band name is
associated with an original design or logo, then the name can be protected as part of the design
or logo. Band names can be protected through trademark law, although trademark registrationcurrently costs £200, which is not refundable if your application is turned down, and only covers
protection within the UK. A band may be forced to change their name if it is decided that their
name will cause confusion with another band that has been using the name for a longer period of
time within a particular geographical area.
When a published work is under copyright, this is usually stated somewhere on the work with the
following information:
Copyright Statement that the work is under copyright protection. Can be represented
by a © symbol.Author The person who created the work that is under copyright.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
159
Music Business
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 174/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
160
Date The year in which the work was created, and/or last modified.
For example “© John Smith, 1987”. Although stating this alone does not guarantee any
protection under law, it informs those who come across the work that someone has claimed the
work as their own creation.
The Copyright Designs and Patents Act (CDPA) 1988 gives an author the right to do all of the
following with his or her copyrighted work:
To copy the work
To issue copies of the work to the public
To perform, show or play the work in public
To broadcast the work or include it in a cable programme service
To make an adaptation of the work or do any of the above in relation to an adaptation
As we shall see later in the chapter, these rights are bought and sold by different participants in a
musician’s career.
An author also has certain moral rights, such as the right to be identified as the author of
their work, and the right to object to derogatory treatment of their work. These rights are not
assignable, and thus cannot be bought or sold, but may be waived .
Signing Away Your Rights
To begin earning money from your songs, you are almost certainly going to have to sign away
some of your rights. Unless you have your own recording and publishing company, or are a
major artist, the record companies and publishing companies are going to want ownership of
copyrights in return for promoting your songs. How the copyrights to your songs are likely to be
divided are as follows:
Record Companies
· Buy copyrights to the sound recordings of songs.
Publishing Companies
· Hold the copyrights to the songs themselves.
· Hold the rights to print a musical score of a song.
Infringement of Copyright in Original Songs
Despite the many myths that are circulated, there is no definite measure of what constitutes aninfringement of copyright in music. Infringement of copyright is usually only alleged when there
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 175/212
161
Copyright
is a substantive element of a song that has been copied from another song. Although that is a
rather fuzzy definition, the plaintiff generally must be certain that their song has been plagiarised
before launching a claim, because going to court can be very costly, and usually there is very little
reward for doing so.
Past examples of artists getting taken to court over copyright infringement in songs have
included:
Robbie Williams
Proven to have lifted lyrics in 'Jesus In A Camper Van' from a Loudon Wainwright III song called
'I Am The Way'. In the subsequent court case, the judge found that Williams had taken the main
theme of 'I Am The Way', and used lyrics very similar to those used in the Wainwright song.
Although Loudon Wainwright III consented to its use in the song, he did not own the copyrightto the song - his publishers Ludlow Music did. Ludlow Music sued and gained financial
compensation, and demanded that the song be excluded from all future pressings of Robbie
Williams’s “I’ve Been Expecting You” album.
This was a borderline case, as it centred around only two lines of lyrics, but since they were used
during the chorus in 'Jesus In A Camper Van', it was successfully argued that they constituted a
substantial part of the song.
The Verve
The song 'Bittersweet Symphony' by The Verve contained a loop from an instrumental version of the Rolling Stones song 'The Last Time'. After an ensuing court case, The Verve were forced to
pay 100% of the royalties from 'Bittersweet Symphony' to the Rolling Stones.
Duration of Copyright
Copyright is a perishable asset - it expires after a specific time period. This time period varies
depending on the nature of the work in question. Terms of protection for authors are as follows:
Original musical works The life of the author, and for a further 70 years from the end of the
calendar year of their death.Sound recordings 50 years from the end of the calendar year of the release of the
recording.
Original literary works The life of the author, and for a further 70 years from the end of the
calendar year of their death.
Films and videos The life of the author, and for a further 70 years from the end of the
calendar year of their death.
These are the current terms of protection for the United Kingdom and most of the European
Union. Elsewhere though, terms can differ - for example in the United States, sound recordings
have protection of the life of the author plus 95 years. In collaborative efforts, copyright lasts for the life plus the relevant number of years after the death of the last living author.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 176/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 177/212
163
Record Companies
pursue the artist to return the monies owed.
Advances are very similar to student loans. The payments are made in specific instalments.
These payments are used for food, drink, and textbooks (studio time, instruments, promo videos).
Repayments are only taken when you begin earning money, and are not demanded when you arenot earning money.
Record Contracts
Record contracts have progressed a long way since the 1950s. After countless artists getting
ripped off by their record companies throughout the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, a number of high profile
court cases have turned the tide, and there are now some basic templates that most contracts
stick to, that present a fairer deal for the artist. However, this is not to say that all, or even most
contracts offered today are balanced and fair - just that they are generally slightly fairer than in
the 1950s.
When being offered any contract, consider these things:
· It is a very good idea to read all clauses of the contract thoroughly.
· If at all possible, never sign a contract without first getting it checked over by a lawyer.
· Verbal contracts can be legally binding.
· The offering party is not being philanthropic by offering you a contract - they always want
something from you in return.
A standard contract for a new artist might contain the following terms:
· Royalty of 18-30% of Published Dealer Price (PDP) on each record sold (after advance is recouped).
· No obligation on behalf of the record company to release your material.
· Advance to be paid to artist (varies depending on size of record company and desirability of
band).
· Record company owns copyright to sound recordings.
· Cost of studio time, producer’s salary, half the cost of promo videos taken from artist’s royalties.
· Creative control - usually an obligation on the artist to produce ‘commercially viable’ material.
· Term of contract of 3-5 years, with options for the record company to continue or cancel the
contract at each review period (usually on a yearly basis).
· Territory - may cover just the UK, just the European Union, or the whole world (or anycombination of different countries).
· Minimum commitment - the artist must produce a set number of singles and albums within the
term of the contract.
· Overseas royalties - may be paid at source or on receipts. Argue for at source, because
this guarantees the artist a better royalty rate. Receipts is calculated on the money a company
receives from an overseas company (after they have deducted their share of the money). At
source means royalties are calculated before any deductions are made.
The primary contract term to negotiate is the reversion of rights, which guarantees that after a
specified time period, the copyrights in the sound recordings revert to the artist. Usually a periodof 10-15 years before reversion is a reasonable demand on behalf of the artist. This is important
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 178/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
164
because if you become successful, these copyrights will be worth a lot of money further down the
line. Also, it is nice to own the music that you have made.
Publishing CompaniesMusic publishing companies today are very different to book publishers. Although the majority of
their business used to be printing, distributing and selling sheet music, over the last century this
function has become all but obsolete. Music publishers make money from owning the copyrights
to actual songs themselves - the music and lyrics, but they do not own copyrights to the recorded
version of a song (as seen above, that is where record companies come in).
With the right catalogue of songs, music publishing can be a very lucrative business, as there
are very little overhead costs, and many streams of income from different sources. Owningthe copyright to the song itself means that every time a song is bought, broadcast, covered, or
adapted, money is earned by the publisher.
It can be very advantageous to pursue a publishing contract before looking for a record contract,
as publishers are generally more able to help develop a new act and may even help them in
finding a record contract. The roles of a music publishing company include:
· Acquire a catalogue of music from new artists, or from existing catalogues.
· Issue licences to companies or individuals who want to use the music.
· Actively seek income streams for the music in their catalogue from use in film, television,
adverts, computer games, etc.· Negotiate a sub-publishing deal for overseas administration and/or promotion.
· Register songs with the appropriate collection agencies (see MCPS and PRS below)
· Possibly organise collaborations between composers (dependent on the composer’s contract)
· Possibly find a record contract for a composer (dependent on the composer’s contract)
When music is used in advertisements, films and computer games (synchronisation), the
publisher usually charges a one off fee to the company for the licence to use a piece of music.
The fee charged is largely dependent on the level of exposure the song is likely to receive - an
television advert to be played once at midnight is likely be charged much less than a prime time
advert that runs for a week. Although these negotiations are done by the publishing company,because of their moral rights, the artist retains the right to turn down any product associations
that they feel might devalue the musical integrity of their work.
In the UK, the money owed to publishers through reproduction and performance is collected by
two different collection societies:
Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS)
Collects mechanical royalties (mechanical is an old term referring to when records were
mechanically manufactured) whenever a song is copied/reproduced. Examples of this include:
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 179/212
165
Publishing Companies
· Record companies manufacturing albums.
· Use of a song in a computer game.
· Use of a song in a film or video.
· A song being bought from a music download service.
Performing Right Society (PRS)
Collects performance royalties, which are generated whenever a song is played or performed in
public. PRS gets its income from:
· Owners of pubs, clubs, shops, and other public venues that play music.
· Television and radio broadcasters.
· Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
· Overseas performances.
For venues such as pubs, clubs and shops, PRS will usually issue a blanket licence, allowing
them to play the music they choose. From large broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Capital
Radio, PRS require a record to be kept of what songs are used in any broadcast, so that accurate
payments can be made to the correct artists.
PRS pays 50% of the money it receives to the publisher, and the other 50% directly to the
composer. Since 1997, PRS has also been collecting income for composers and publishers from
mobile phone ringtone and download services.
Publishing Contracts
Publishing contracts are an often neglected side of the discussion about promoting an artist’s
music. This is unjustified, because publishing companies work just as hard as record companies
in promoting their artists, it is just that most of their work goes on behind the scenes, as they
largely do not sell anything directly to the consumer.
Publishing contracts are only available to those artists that write their own songs. If an artist
performs solely songs written by professional songwriters, it is the professional songwriters that
have publishing contracts, and benefit from the associated royalty payments. To clarify this, see
the table below:
Writes songs Performs and records songs Income streams
Artist #1 Yes Yes Record and publishing contracts
Artist #2 No Yes Record contract
Composer Yes No Publishing contract
In this scenario, Artist #1 has the best deal, as they are receiving income from both record
companies and publishing companies. The composer has the second best deal, and Artist #2
has the worst deal, as they only receive income from the record company.
The terms in a publishing contract are similar in some ways to those contained within a record
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 180/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
166
contract. A publishing contract will specify terms including the following:
· Artist/publisher royalty split - far more favourable than in a record contract, can range from 65-
75% in favour of a new artist.
· Exclusivity - which songs does the deal cover? Past songs as well as future songs?· Copyright term - how long before reversion of rights, if publisher allows it. Again, 10-15 years is
a fair period for them to hold the copyrights.
· Territory.
· Term - Sign for no more than 3-5 years.
· Minimum commitment.
· Overseas royalties.
· Advance - usually smaller than the advances offered by record companies, but can help to tide
over a struggling composer.
Some publishing companies have their own recording studios, but most of the time the onus is onthe writer to find facilities to record their material.
Standard Royalty Rates & New Income Streams
MCPS and PRS have a specific set of rules regarding sales of music, and new technology is
fast affecting the way they do business. New income streams include mobile phone ringtones,
‘ringback’ tones, and digital download services.
MCPS currently takes a standard royalty rate of 8.5% on audio only products, such as CDs,
SACDs, and MiniDiscs. This gets paid to the publisher after an administration fee of around
8% is deducted. The publisher then takes their share and passes the rest on to the composer.
If there is more than one composer (as is the case with most albums), the money gets split
accordingly.
The royalty rates taken for all types of mobile phone ringtones are currently as follows:
MCPS One off fee of £500 + The greater of 10% of gross revenue, or 10p per file
PRS Minimum annual fee of £860 + The greater of 5% of gross revenue, or 5p per file
Music downloads from online music services are covered by a joint MCPS-PRS agreement called
a Joint Online Licence (JOL). Royalties are taken from 8% of gross revenue (increasing to 12%
on 1/1/2005). Webcasts, audio streaming, and commercial internet radio are covered by the
same agreement.
Other Prominent Industry OrganisationsAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
www.ascap.com
An American collection society equivalent to PRS. Faced opposition from the 1940s onwards
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 181/212
167
Other Industry Organisations
from BMI, as radio stations became unsatisfied with high ASCAP royalty demands, and ASCAP’s
outdated attitudes towards new music.
Association of Independent Music (AIM)
www.musicindie.org
Industry body that represents and promotes the interests of UK independent record labels. The
website advertises jobs, and offers further information on their roles within the industry.
British Academy of Composers and Songwriters
www.britishacademy.com
Organisation that provides many services for songwriters and composers who become members.
This includes songwriting workshops, access to legal and business advice, a listing on their
website, and a database of songwriters looking for collaborators.
British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
www.bpi.co.uk
Industry body that represents the interests of UK record labels, both large and small. Provides
support to its members, as well as lobbying the government, and conducting research on the
industry. Offers a free weekly email newsletter service, and some free industry advice on its
website.
Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI)
www.bmi.com
Another American collection society equivalent to PRS. Competes with ASCAP to represent
composers and music publishers.
Bureau International des Sociétés Gérant les Droits d'Enregistrement et de Reproduction
Mécanique (BIEM)
www.biem.org
The international organisation that represents mechanical rights societies worldwide. It is based
in France and currently represents 44 societies from 42 countries - including MCPS and the HarryFox Agency.
Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs - und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte (GEMA)
www.gema.de
A German collection society equivalent to the MCPS.
Harry Fox Agency, Incorporated (HFA)
www.harryfox.com
An American collection society, equivalent to MCPS.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 182/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
168
Impala
www.impalasite.org
Represents, promotes, and defends the interests of European independent music companies- both record labels and music publishers. Website offers a range of information about its aims,
and the European music market as a whole.
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)
www.ifpi.org
The global organisation representing record companies. Its functions include forwarding the
interests of the record industry worldwide, and combating piracy. Almost all legitimately produced
CDs and DVDs (and all SACDs) have a very small IFPI number on the inner rim of the data side
of the disc. These are called Source Identification (SID) Codes. There may be 2 SID Codeson any one disc; a Laser Beam Recorder (LBM) code, which identifies the manufacturing plant
where the master disc was made, and one that can identify the manufacturing plant in which the
master was replicated.
Music Publishers Association (MPA)
www.mpaonline.org.uk
The industry body that represents the interests of UK music publishing companies. The website
offers a wide range of information for both members and non-members.
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)www.riaa.com
The American equivalent of the BPI.
Video Performance Limited (VPL)
www.musicmall.co.uk
A UK collection society, the video equivalent to PPL. Collects royalties for music videos that are
played on television channels, especially MTV, VH1, and other dedicated broadcasters of music
video.
PersonnelIn your musical life you are likely to come across many different individuals, with different roles.
With some of these individuals, it may not seem entirely clear what service they provide, or what
service they should provide. The following guide should help, and is vaguely based in the order
of when you are likely to meet them during a career in music.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 183/212
169
Personnell
Manager
When looking for a manager, there are several important factors to consider:
· Trust They must be trustworthy, as they are in a position open to abuse.· Objectivity They must be able to criticise as well as praise your band.
· Experience Have they got any experience managing music acts?
· Contacts What contacts do they have in the music industry? The higher up the
contacts, the better.
· Track Record Which act(s) did they manage, where are they now, and why did they
part company?
· Area of Speciality What genre of music do they specialise in? Do they specialise in just
getting a band signed, or are they in it for the long haul?
· What’s in it for them? A new band cannot generally afford to pay a manager anything
resembling a decent wage, so what is their motivation?
The roles of an artist manager may include the following:
· Promoting the artist
· Getting the artist a record contract
· Organise tours, work with promoters
· Giving advice on financial matters (tour budgets, taxes, etc)
· Putting a team together (lawyer, accountant, etc)
· Contract negotiations
A manager will usually earn commission on a band’s earnings of somewhere in the region of
15-20% of all gross earnings. This means that they earn the 15-20% on the amount of money
earned before deductions are made. However, there should be some exclusions to this, where
the costs should be deducted before calculating a manager’s income, and these include:
· Recording costs.
· Any advances or royalties paid to producers.
· Any record label payments to the band for tour support.
The term of their contract should be determined based on either a number of years, or a number
of albums. This should be somewhere in the region of five years, or 3-4 albums, although anunproven manager should be given a shorter contract. The artist/band should have the right to
terminate the contract if certain targets (ie getting a record contract) are not met within a specified
time period.
After the contract has ended, the manager may demand a stake in any future earnings that the
artist makes as a result of his efforts. These payments should be slowly phased out over a time,
with the inclusion of a ‘sunset clause’ in the contract.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 184/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
170
Accountant
The accountant need not necessarily be a professional, but must be extremely trustworthy, and
obviously good with numbers. Bands with more than one songwriter can come across some
complex royalty payments that need to be handled competently and objectively.
Lawyer
It is very important that when you get to the stage where you need to hire a lawyer, you make
your choice wisely. Any lawyer can say they are a music lawyer, but the truth is that music law is
very different from many other areas of the law, and so a specialist lawyer trained in music law is
essential. As well as representing you in court, looking over contracts, and advising you on legal
issues, lawyers that work in music law are likely to have contacts within the industry, and may
consequently be able to pass on your demo to their friends in the industry - if they believe it is of
a high enough standard.
Artist & Repertoire (A & R) Man
These are the people from record companies that go around the bars and clubs looking for new
bands to sign. Becoming an increasingly rare breed as record companies slow down the signing
of new bands, and it is largely a thankless task unless they are lucky enough to sign an artist
that goes on to become very successful very quickly. Extremely unlikely to turn up randomly at
your gig, A & R men are largely motivated by word of mouth. Without meaning to be sexist, they
generally are men.
Producer
Producers perform many roles within the studio environment. They are responsible for making a
recording sound good - although they are not responsible for the quality of the songs themselves.
A producer can help an artist with musical aspects of a recording including:
· Composition.
· Instrumentation - which instruments should be used in a song, and when they should be used.
· Assembling and structuring ideas.
· Selecting which songs should be recorded.· Record identity - getting the ‘right’ overall sound in an album to make it sound distinctive.
In the studio, professional producers also have many non-musical roles. These include:
· A supervisory role - organising what is being recorded, when and how.
· Co-ordination - organising and co-ordinating with engineers, the band and session players.
· Release forms - getting session players to sign release forms stating that they have received a
fee for playing and waive any claim to the copyright in their input to the music’s creation.
· Budget - organising the costs of recording the sessions, and ensuring the album/recording is
delivered on time and on budget.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 185/212
171
Demos
Plugger
A record company employee responsible for trying to get your songs played on radio and
television. Usually they will also accompany an artist to television performance recordings (ie Top
of the Pops).
DemosThe art of the successful demo is under appreciated by many artists. Innumerable bands and
solo artists simply produce tapes or CDs of their half finished songs, and mail them out to any
address they find in the Music Week directory. This is a fundamental mistake, and you are
probably more likely to win the national lottery than to get a record deal with this approach.
The harsh reality is that most demos sent out randomly to companies will end up in the bin,
unlistened to. This method of sending out material is called unsolicited mail - which we are all
familiar with from receiving junk mail through our letter boxes, and spam in our email accounts
(think about how much time you spend reading them).
So what do you have to do to get recognised? There is no guaranteed method, but the following
tips will give you a significant advantage over the acts that ignore them:
DO:
Do Your Research
· Find out which companies specialise in your genre of music.
· If not, are they looking to diversify their portfolio?
Phone up a company before sending anything
· Be polite and personable, but assertive.
· Ask to be put through to their A & R department.
· Take down the names of people you speak to, and make sure they know your name.· Ask if they are looking for new artists.
· Tell them the name of your band, and ask if they would be interested in receiving a demo.
· Phone to follow up after you have sent your demo, ask if they have received it, or listened to it.
Send a finished product
· Make sure the songs send out are finished . Relying on stressed A & R personnel to ‘hear
through’ your bad recording/unfinished song, is not a recommended strategy.
· Get feedback on songs from impartial observers if possible.
· Send prototype demos to magazines that can professionally and impartially analyse them.
Magazines with these sections include Sound On Sound, Computer Music, and Future Music.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 186/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
172
Make your CD stand out
Putting a little effort into the design and packaging can go a long way towards getting a demo
listened to.
Invite them to free gigs
Of course, only if you are extremely confident of your live performances, and are playing
reputable venues with a capacity of at least 500 people.
Make the first 30 seconds brilliant
If you’re lucky, an A & R employee might listen to your CD for 30 seconds before throwing it away.
It is therefore important to make the first 30 seconds of a song immediately grabbing - 5 minute
intros are definitely out.
Identify your product
Put the name of the artist/band and contact details on the CD itself as well as the case.
It is likely that a CD will lose its case among the thousands of other CDs in an A & R office, and
so even if you are the best band in the world, if they do not know who you are and how to contact
you, they will not waste time trying to find out.
DO NOT:
Send out a tape
· Tapes are bad quality, antiquated technology, inconvenient, and they look bad.
· CD burners are so cheap that there is no real excuse for sending anything but a CD.
Send An Unlabelled CD-R
· See ‘Identify your product’ above.
Send a bad recording
A home PC and some half decent microphones can produce almost professional sounding results
if enough effort is put into it.
Send an album
· Put at most 3 tracks on a demo CD, and at least 2.
· If they like the first track, they will want an impression of how your other songs sound.
· They almost certainly do not have the time or inclination to listen to a whole album.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 187/212
173
Demos
Send a 15 Minute track
As is the general rule for pop songs, the optimal song time is 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Make the last 3 minutes boring
· If your first 30 seconds were brilliant, do not make the rest of the song an anti-climax.
· Reserve the very best bits for the chorus and outro.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 188/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
174
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 189/212
175
SECTION 5:
APPENDICES
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 190/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
176
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 191/212
This section contains a brief list of some of the twentieth century’s best and most individualcontemporary guitarists. It can pretty much be guaranteed that further investigation into their
playing styles and technique will be very rewarding.
Adrian Belewwww.adrianbelew.net
Belew began his life as a drummer, but eventually moved onto guitar. Has a very distinctive style,
and has played guitar for King Crimson, Talking Heads, and David Bowie.
Andy Summerswww.andysummers.com
Summers spent the 1970s doing much session guitar playing, but achieved fame through playing
guitar for The Police throughout the 1980s. Has worked with Herbie Hancock, Robert Fripp, and
Neil Sedaka.
BB Kingwww.bbking.com
BB King’s distinctive style earned him much acclaim in the blues world, and also has had much
crossover appeal - sprouting from his 1969 cover of ‘The Thrill Is Gone’.
Chuck Berrywww.chuckberry.com
Best known for songs such as ‘Maybelline’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Johnny B Goode’ and ‘No
Particular Place To Go’, Berry has a much imitated blues style.
David Gilmour www.pinkfloyd.co.uk
Pink Floyd’s replacement for Syd Barrett, Gilmour has a very lyrical playing style, and utilises
many effects in his playing - in his words, to make up for his ‘slow hands’. Perhaps best known
for his solos in the Pink Floyd songs ‘Comfortably Numb’, and ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)’.
Dick Dalewww.dickdale.com
Brought to popular attention again in the 1990s by the use of the song ‘Miserlou’ in Quentin
Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’, Dale brought the sound of surf guitar to the 1960s. His style influenced
other legendary guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix.
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
177
Guitar Heroes
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 192/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
178
Eddie Van Halenwww.van-halen.com
Leader of the rock band Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen brought the technique of finger tapping tothe masses. He broke new ground with his appearance on Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album,
which became a highly successful crossover hit. Classically trained, Eddie Van Halen and his
virtuoso guitar performances arguably embodied the type of music that prompted the early 1990s
backlash of grunge, which substituted technically accomplished guitar solos with loud, sloppy
guitars and raw emotion.
The Edgewww.u2.com
Whilst not necessarily known for his versatility, U2 guitarist The Edge has achieved a distinctivesound through extensive and innovative use of effects. Pioneered use of the ‘Infinite Guitar’ (a
guitar with infinite sustain) in tracks such as ‘With Or Without You’.
Gary “Mantis” Lucaswww.garylucas.com
Lucas has played as both a solo artist, and in bands such as Gods And Monsters and Captain
Beefheart And His Magic Band, he is perhaps one of the most under-appreciated guitarists in this
list.
Jimi Hendrixwww.jimi-hendrix.com
Hendrix’s contribution to the world of guitar playing can hardly be exaggerated. He has strongly
influenced countless guitarists, and inspired many to pick up the instrument in the first place. His
sound is as unmistakeable as it is impossible to replicate.
John Lee Hooker www.virginrecords.com/hooker
Like BB King, Hooker gained massive crossover appeal as a blues guitarist, and recorded over
100 albums in his career. His sound went on to influence guitarists such as Keith Richards of the
Rolling Stones.
Mark Knopfler www.mark-knopfler.com
The guitarist with the band Dire Straits, Knopfler is famous for his exclusive use of finger-picking
in his electric guitar playing.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 193/212
179
Guitar Heroes
Mick Ronsonwww.mickronson.com
A classically trained musician, Ronson was famous primarily for his guitar work on six David
Bowie albums, most notably ‘Ziggy Stardust’. Ronson also worked with Bob Dylan and VanMorrison, amongst others.
Nile Rodgerswww.nilerodgers.com
Rodgers rose to fame as the guitarist for disco band Chic, and went on to become a highly
successful guitarist, writer and producer, working with Duran Duran, Sister Sledge and Madonna,
amongst others.
Pat Methenywww.patmethenygroup.com
One of the very few crossover successes from the world of jazz guitar. Metheny has made many
collaborative efforts over the years including working with Charlie Haden, John Scofield and
Herbie Hancock.
Robert Frippwww.disciplineglobalmobile.com
Legendary guitarist, and founder member of King Crimson, Fripp has been one of the mostpioneering and innovative guitarists of the Twentieth century. Fripp has worked with Brian Eno,
David Bowie and David Byrne.
Slashwww.slashonline.com
Slash’s playing style has undoubtedly influenced many rock guitarists as a result of his work with
Guns N’ Roses.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 194/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
180
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 195/212
It can be daunting looking into new genres of music, especially when you have no previousexposure to them. Whilst music is, of course, subjective, there are a number of widely accepted
classics in most genres, so although this guide is purely my opinion, I have tried to provide a
(slightly) objective guide to some essential listening. Remember that it is important to not just
listen to guitar music, as that massively limits your perspective on what is achievable in music -
most innovative guitarists are always on the lookout for new ideas.
Rock/Pop
The Joshua Tree - U2
Regarded by some as the best rock album of all time, U2’s fifth studio album embraced the
sounds of America, and made them the biggest rock band in the world.
Stand out track: Where The Streets Have No Name
Remain In Light - Talking Heads
Very experimental, and critically acclaimed as their best album, this mixed the influences and
philosophies of African music with rock music, and Talking Heads’ trademark funk/pop sound.
Produced by Brian Eno, with some virtuoso guitar performances by Adrian Belew.
Stand out track: The Great Curve
Scary Monsters - David Bowie
Highly experimental, with perhaps the best vocal tracks Bowie has ever laid down. Includesguitar performances from Pete Townshend, Carlos Alomar and Robert Fripp.
Stand out track: Ashes To Ashes
Thriller - Michael Jackson
The best selling studio album of all time, and there is a very good reason for that. Produced by
Quincy Jones, with appearances by Eddie Van Halen and Paul McCartney.
Stand out track: Billie Jean
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Not as commercially successful as either ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ or ‘The Wall’, but arguably far more artistically successful. Career best guitar performances by David Gilmour.
Stand out track: Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part One)
Blues
Much early blues was not recorded onto albums as such, but a decent blues collection should
contain some or all of the following artists:
· BB King
· Bo Diddley· Buddy Guy
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
181
Further Listening
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 196/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
182
· Elmore James
· Eric Clapton
· Howlin’ Wolf
· John Lee Hooker
· John Mayall· Mississippi Fred McDowell
· Muddy Waters
· Robert Johnson
Jazz
Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
This has been one of the most enduring jazz records of all time, very popular with musicians,
critics, and the general public. Perhaps the perfect introductory record for those unfamiliar with
jazz music.Stand out track: So What
Some other legendary artists worth investigating include:
· Art Blakey
· Billie Holiday
· Charles Mingus
· Charlie Parker
· Count Basie
· Duke Ellington
· Herbie Hancock
· John Coltrane
· Louis Armstrong
· Ornette Coleman
· Thelonious Monk
Classical
The amount of high quality classical music available is so vast, it is impossible to narrow down
to specific CDs which you should listen to. This can be a daunting prospect when approaching
classical music, but doing some research into specific composers will pay off, and buying aclassical CD guide book can also help. Alternatively, check out the Gramophone magazine
website (www.gramophone.co.uk), which has a free, extensive, searchable archive of past
reviews.
Modern classical music has broken down the barriers between ‘proper’ music and popular music.
Not only are there an increasing number of orchestral versions of popular albums available for
sale, but minimalist classical composers such as Philip Glass and Harold Budd have actively
embraced developments in popular music. The influence of the minimalist classical works of
John Cage, Steve Reich, and Glass have proved to be highly influential on many contemporary
dance acts.
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 197/212
183
Further Listening
Others
Ambient 1/Music For Airports - Brian Eno
Regarded by many as the first real ambient album, Eno described the loose, improvisational
music as ‘wallpaper music’.Stand out track: 1/1
Glassworks - Philip Glass
Perhaps one of the most accessible of minimalist composers, Glass has a unique sound, and has
provided the soundtracks to many popular films - he won a Grammy for his soundtrack to ‘The
Truman Show’. This album gives a good introductory impression of his work.
Stand out track: Opening
Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
Probably his best album, and in my opinion, one of the best albums ever recorded. Great songs,great instrumentation, great performances.
Stand out track: Golden Lady
What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye
A concept album bemoaning the state of the nation and addressing environmental issues through
the use of music. Great vocal performances, especially considering it was recorded in just over a
week.
Stand out track: What’s Going On
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 198/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
184
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 199/212
The following links should point you in the direction of some helpful or useful resources availableto musicians on the internet. Some sites have further industry information, as well as advice on
how to get jobs within the music business.
Software
Antares - Creators of Auto-Tune, and many other VST plugins.
www.antarestech.com
Audacity - Free sound editor for Mac, PC and Linux.
audacity.sourceforge.net
Bias - Creators of the Peak sound editor for Mac.
www.bias-inc.com
Celemony - Creators of Melodyne auto tuning sequencer.
www.celemony.com
Emagic - Creators of the Logic sequencer software.
www.emagic.de
Propellerhead - Creators of Reason, ReCycle and ReBirth software.www.propellerheads.se
Steinberg - Creators of the Cubase and Nuendo sequencer software, and WaveLab.
www.steinberg.net
Industry Organisations
British Association of Record Dealers (BARD) - Representative body for retail outlets.
www.bardltd.org
British Music Rights - Pressure group for songwriters, composers, and publishers.
www.bmr.org
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) - Representative body for UK record companies.
www.bpi.co.uk
Intellectual Property - Government advice for UK copyright and IP issues.
www.intellectual-property.gov.uk
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) - Global record industry body.www.ifpi.org
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
185
Web Links
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 200/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 201/212
187
Web Links
Others
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) - Government department responsible for
music.
www.culture.gov.uk
Her Majesty’s Stationary Office (HMSO) - Access to all parliamentary bills and legislation.
www.hmso.gov.uk
Harmony Central - Web forum for musicians.
www.harmony-central.com
Pro Music - Industry source for information about online music.
www.pro-music.org
Music Week - The primary source for music business news and analysis.
www.musicweek.com
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) - Contains some
official reports on the music industry.
www.unesco.org
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 202/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
188
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 203/212
189
Blank Diagrams and Manuscript (to Photocopy)
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 204/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
190
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 205/212
12 bar blues......................................................................... 118
a capella .............................................................................. 115
accidentals .......................................................................... 19
accountants ......................................................................... 170
add chords........................................................................... 98
adjectives ............................................................................ 122
Advanced Optical Disc (AOD) ............................................. 151
advances ............................................................................. 162
Aeolian scale ....................................................................... 65
Alesis Digital Audio Tape (ADAT) ........................................150
allegory................................................................................ 123alliteration ............................................................................ 123
Altered scale........................................................................ 80
alternate picking .................................................................. 32
amplifier modelling .............................................................. 145
amplitude............................................................................. 129
Artist & Repertoire (A & R) ..................................................170
assonance........................................................................... 123
audio editors ........................................................................ 139
augmented chords............................................................... 98
augmented scale ................................................................. 87auto tune ............................................................................. 145
automation........................................................................... 143
bar chords ........................................................................... 96
bit depth............................................................................... 130, 139
Blu-Ray Disc........................................................................ 150
blues scale .......................................................................... 81
bridge .................................................................................. 116
capo..................................................................................... 34cassette tapes ..................................................................... 149
chorus.................................................................................. 116
chorus (effect)...................................................................... 145
chromatic scale ................................................................... 84
circle of fifths ....................................................................... 21
Compact Disc (CD) .............................................................. 149
compressed formats ............................................................ 151
compression ........................................................................ 145
condenser microphone........................................................ 134
copyright.............................................................................. 159-162
crescendo............................................................................ 118
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
191
Index
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 206/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
192
de-esser .............................................................................. 145
delay.................................................................................... 145
demos.................................................................................. 171-173
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) ..................................................... 149
Digital Versatile Disc Audio (DVD-A) ................................... 150diminished chords ............................................................... 98
diminished scale.................................................................. 85
direct input (DI) .................................................................... 133
distortion.............................................................................. 146
Dorian #4 scale.................................................................... 70
Dorian b2 scale.................................................................... 75
Dorian scale ........................................................................ 61
dotted notes/rests ................................................................ 15
dynamic microphone ........................................................... 134
E-bow .................................................................................. 34
effects.................................................................................. 145
EQ ....................................................................................... 139, 146
file format............................................................................. 139
finger picking ....................................................................... 32
flange................................................................................... 146
frequency............................................................................. 129, 131
hard drive speed.................................................................. 153Harmonic minor scale..........................................................67
harmonised scales .............................................................. 99
harmony .............................................................................. 115
hook..................................................................................... 115
imagery................................................................................ 121
inspiration ............................................................................ 124
intervals ............................................................................... 39
intro ..................................................................................... 116
inversions ............................................................................ 100
Ionian #5 scale .................................................................... 69Ionian scale ......................................................................... 60
key changes ........................................................................ 117
key signatures ..................................................................... 19
lawyers ................................................................................ 170
left hand techniques ............................................................ 30
line in ................................................................................... 135
Locrian #2............................................................................ 79
Locrian §6 scale................................................................... 68Locrian scale ....................................................................... 66
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 207/212
193
Index
Lydian #2 ............................................................................. 72
Lydian augmented scale...................................................... 76
Lydian b7 scale .................................................................... 77
Lydian scale......................................................................... 63
lyrics .................................................................................... 115, 120-123
managers ............................................................................ 169
Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) ..............164
Melodic minor scale............................................................. 74
melody................................................................................. 115
metaphor ............................................................................. 122
metre ................................................................................... 115, 120
microphone modelling ......................................................... 146
microphone placement ........................................................ 134
middle eight ......................................................................... 116MiniDisc............................................................................... 149
minor 7b5 chords ................................................................. 98
Mixolydian b6 scale ............................................................. 78
Mixolydian scale .................................................................. 64
Mode 7 scale ....................................................................... 73
monitor ................................................................................ 154
MP3 ..................................................................................... 150
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) .........................137
noise gate............................................................................ 146
normalisation ....................................................................... 140
note values .......................................................................... 15
Nyquist Theorem ................................................................. 131
octave pedal ........................................................................ 146
octave shapes ..................................................................... 26
onomatopoeia...................................................................... 123
operating systems ............................................................... 153
outro .................................................................................... 116
Performing Right Society (PRS) ..........................................165phase................................................................................... 140, 146
Phrygian dominant scale ..................................................... 71
Phrygian scale..................................................................... 62
pitch shift ............................................................................. 146
plectrum............................................................................... 29
posture ................................................................................ 29
processor ............................................................................. 153
producers ............................................................................ 170
publishing companies.......................................................... 164
publishing contracts............................................................. 165
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 208/212
The Modern Guitarist’s Handbook
194
Random Access Memory (RAM) .........................................153
range ................................................................................... 124
record companies................................................................ 162
record contracts................................................................... 163
repetition.............................................................................. 124rests..................................................................................... 15
reverb .................................................................................. 146
rhyme................................................................................... 120
rhythm.................................................................................. 115, 124
right hand technique............................................................ 31
royalties ............................................................................... 166
sample rate.......................................................................... 131, 139
sequencers.......................................................................... 143
simile ................................................................................... 122slash chords ........................................................................ 100
slide ..................................................................................... 34
sound cards......................................................................... 153
stereo delay......................................................................... 145
stereo enhancer .................................................................. 147
Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) .................................... 150
suspended chords ............................................................... 98
tempo .................................................................................. 18
tessitura............................................................................... 115, 117, 124
timbre................................................................................... 130time signatures .................................................................... 17
time stretch.......................................................................... 140, 147
tremolo ................................................................................ 147
triads.................................................................................... 89
tuplets.................................................................................. 16
verse.................................................................................... 116
vibrato.................................................................................. 147
vinyl ..................................................................................... 149
virtual instruments ............................................................... 144
wah-wah .............................................................................. 147
whole tone scale.................................................................. 86
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 209/212
195
Index
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 210/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 211/212
7/22/2019 The Modern Guitarist's Handbook
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-modern-guitarists-handbook 212/212
This book contains a wide variety of information for today’s
learning guitarist. Directly related guitar topics are dealt
with, including:
Buying a guitar
Changing strings
Sight reading overview
Comprehensive scale, chord and arpeggio shapes
Technique improvement tips
The book also deals with a number of wider issues that the
modern guitarist faces, including:
Songwriting advice
T HE M ODERN G UITARIST ’ S H ANDBOOK
Featuring many