Recent Blogs Posts

Wow, I just learned a new trick for learning scales. This is the best method I've ever learned and it is for the whole neck.

First off, some basics.

A major scale is a combinations of whole Tones (T) and half or semi-tones. (S) I'm sure everone knows Tone Tone Semitone, Tone Tone Tone Semitone (and then it's another tone to get back to the beginning.) T-T-S-T-T-T-S (and another T to get to the beginning.

So we have 3 tones and a semitone and then ...

Hey everyone.

Since there a a bunch of folks, especially guitar players who specifically come to Bluestalk to learn something about playing the guitar I thought I might collect what are the better instructional vids I've seen from Youtube and put them all in one place. (no need to thank me now, just send cash haha)

Two years ago I got an electric guitar for the first time in 15 years and many of these vids helped me fast track the learning process. In this day and ...

I thought I'd add a little color to the forum by posting my fave vids from Youtube here in my blog.

I'm mostly going for stuff that's rarely been seen and stuff that would be somewhat educational as oppossed to the more commercial side. Also showcasing some great Canadian lesser known Idols and friends.

Here we go: Starting with My Favorite of the Kings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g81RSy-yXs4

RIP Big Daddy G - with my bud Tortoise Blue on Harp ...

The CAGED System

The CAGED system for guitar is one way we can learn to play any chord or arpeggios for any chord, anywhere on the fretboard. The Major chords, C, A, G, E, & D can be moved up the neck to create the other 12 major chords.

Take a look at this diagram to see the chord shapes for C, A, G, E, & D. Take into consideration that the diagram is using a "floating" perspective and the shapes are not relative to any particular position - in ...

Scales and Modes

Modes are not actually completely different scales, but rather different "modes" of the same scale. What we are basically doing is playing a scale but starting and ending on the different scale degrees of each scale.
Lets look at the 7 different modes which are based on the major scale.
Here are the notes of the modes in relation to the key (scale) of C major.

1. Ionian (i-o-nee-in) (This is the Major scale)
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C ...