Blogs

They say that a fool and his money are soon parted. Man, I would pay someone a lot of cash to explain that to me.....

Today started out ok. Very tired due to daylight savings and early work hours, but work went by pretty quickly and I was able to get a lot of shop time in.

Made a lot of great progress, too. Got everything drilled out, tuners aligned, and everything was perfect. Now, I'm not all that great, and usually I'll get it "good enough," but when I say perfect I mean PERFECT.

Then I botched it all... cut my neck way too thin. And I mean, WAAAAAY too thin.

And this evening, I discovered that the best way to clean a cell phone is not to put it through the clothes washing machine.

Damn. Decent, to great, to bad, to worse. What a day.

The good news is, like with some f**kups, I think I can salvage the neck. I'm going to try to laminate a strip of maple on the back of it. So, with any luck, this will result in A) me not having to add to the firewood pile, B) a cooler looking neck than it was going to be before, C) a more comfortable feeling neck, and D) a stronger neck.

It's going to be a challenge cutting and glueing the maple to the neck, for sure. Fitting it will be very challenging, I reckon. But I enjoy a challenge in general, and the challenge of fixing a f**kup and making it better than before in particular.

The phone, on the other hand, is toast.

Ya win some, ya lose some.

Chord Chemistry 101

Introduction

by Keni Lee Burgess

Note: These lectures are intended to clarify and suppliment my instructional videos CDs. Series 5 (4 string Cigar Box Guitar) will directly reflect the examples presented in these lectures, but due to the fact we are working in Open G Tuning, CD 2 and CD 4 are also applicable.

This series of lectures on musical theory is applicable to any tuning or any stringed instruments regardless of the number of strings on the instrument. For educational purposes, I will use Spanish Tuning (aka Open G Tuning) as a standard, and cite examples played on a 4 string fretted Cigar Box Gutiar. The guitar is tuned from low to high D g b d. I am using strings D g b e from a standard pack of medium strings. For reference purposes, the strings are numbered 1-d, 2-b, 3-g, 4-D The thinnist string is closest to the floor.

Open tunings basically reduces the instrument into a one key instrument. The scales, chord progressions, and musical theory are clearly displayed across the fingerboard (like a piano) unlike a conventionally tuned standard guitar that uses a compromised tuning to facilitate playing in all 13 keys.

The goal of these lectures is to provide a firm foundation in building, understanding the organization, and use of basic chords. It is my opinion, that learning this information will provide an opportunity to study the fingerboard in a step by step process that will reveal how chords are connected together to arrange songs. Using the Major Scale as a reference point and learning to see the fingerboard as one interconnected whole will make this process easier.

I would strongly suggest, after reading the lecture, pick up the guitar, and find all the information on the guitar for yourself. Feel free to read ahead, but most of the real learning will take place as you continue to apply and experiment with the information.

Note: These pages will be constantly edited to improve clearity of instruction. Your questions and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Enjoy, Keni Lee

Ideas to unleash the potential of Open Tunings:

1) Watch the whole video through from beginning to end, like a TV show without your guitar. Doing this will help you see the "Big Picture" and you will have a clearer understanding of the approach to playing in open tunings. Mind over Matter. Get the directions first, then walk out the door!

2) Work through the lessons. Although not essential, it might be helpful to take each lesson in the order they are presented, but don't feel you need to master a lesson before moving on to the next lesson. Gain some proficiency, and then move on to the next lesson. Return to the earlier lessons at a later time to get what you have missed. Your playing skills will be better, so your ability to learn will be stronger. Revisiting material is key.

3) Explore the Fingerboard. Start by locating all the first tones on the fingerboard. Then find ways to travel between them using the major scale. Create a fingerboard reference system with the major scale. Find the three basic chords (one, four and five) Find all three inversions. Discover how chords and scales fit together.

4) Experiment. Don't limit your learning experience to just learning what is on the video, but use the material to create variations or make up your own arrangements. Use your ears to guide you. Step outside the box. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and sound bad, if it helps you expand and get better.

5) Research the versatility of Open Tunings. Here are some ideas: Notice the guitar is tuned to a chord (D, G or C). What three notes are used to make up this major chord? What is the interval relationship between the strings? Is there a relationship between different open tunings? How do I move musical ideas from one tuning to another? Can I alter the basic major chord tunings to make minor chord tunings? Research the use of Open G tuning in Hawaiian Slack Key guitar and Banjo playing.

6) Take a song you can play in standard tuning and try to arrange it in Opening Tuning using the same key. This is the BEST exercise for exploring and understanding the fingerboard of an open tuned guitar. As you arrange, search for note, doublestop and chord locations that make your arrangement not only sound good, but physically finger easily. If you think open tunings are limited, it is all in your head and your mind's limitation of knowledge. It is not the note arrangement on the fingerboard. It is all there for the taking. You just got to find it.

7) Be Patient and Disciplined. Don't expect to get everything in just one sitting. Trying to force learning never works. Try to practice consistently for shorter periods, than erratically for longer periods. Once in a while devote a larger block of time to focus on one subject. Woodshed! Hide in your basement or backporch so no one can hear you. Emerge like you discovered the secret of the universe!

8) Learn whole songs and video tape or record your performances. Don't waste all your time noodling around on the guitar and getting nothing done. Regardless of your skill level, try to learn complete songs up to a performance quality. Intro, verses, solo,etc. (Sing! It will improve your ability to match the notes in your head with the ones on the fingerboard - ear training). Then video tape or record the songs to be able to view your progress over time. When playing songs, play through your mistakes. Don't stop and start over again. Pretend you are always performing in front of an audience and you can't stop. The show MUST go on. Practice your corrections later.

9) Realize drugs and alcohol will not make you a better player. Take care of yourself, no one else will.

10) Play the guitar, Don't work the guitar. Most of all, have FUN. Understand like everything in life, anything worth having, takes work to achieve. If you can enjoy your work, you will never work a day in your life. If your practice begins to frustrate you, put the guitar to bed and try again tomorrow. Just keep coming back.