New Member

[Tim]

Hi To All,

I am new to this forum. I was searching "Google" for AD30VT and was directed to Robert's Dolphin Street website (which looks very good).

I own four guitars:

1) Washburn HB-30
2) Clone Strat w/3 Single Coils
3) Squire Custom with 3 Humbuckers
4) Seagull acoustic

I have two amps:

1) Peavey Envoy 110 40 watt SS
2) VOX AD30VT

I also have a VAMP2 and a Digitech RP 100A.

Owning all this and I still can't play all that too well. I can strum songs, but that's about it. I hope I can learn more from this forum. I just found Robert's guitar lessons with his Squire 51. I will be studing them plus more when they become available.

Presently I am trying to learn to fingure pick. I just bought a book by Ken Perlman.

I hope to be talking to you all.


Tim

[Tone2TheBone]

Welcome Tim,

The Vox is an awesome little amp. I too have the AD30VT. Can't say enough about them. Good to have you here!

[Robert]

Hi Tim, welcome to our hangout! The Vox is a sweet thing. How do you like that V-Amp 2? Does it sound better than the Digitech?

[Tim]

Hello Again Robert,

I wish I could answer your question about the VAMP2 vs. Digitech. But as I stated in my above post, I never learned how to use the equipment that I own. I play through the two modelers and two amps, but never learned how to tweak them. Whatever comes out, that's what I play.

I always wanted to know how to obtain the different tones (blues, rock, country, etc.) from the equipment I have. I have not met any one in my area that can mentor me in the art of fine tuning an amp or modeler.


Tim

[Justaguyin_nc]

Hi Tim, (Got your message and replied here private)

Good to see more people here.. seems we all are Dolphin Street floaters following the Robert Renman lead over to this site. Seems like some nice people we can learn from one way or the other. A friend learning guitar did something smart to get cheap lessons and have someone to jam with.. he found a music store and befriended one of the teachers.. who in turn gave him half price lessons at his home so they become jamming buddies.. just a thought.... I also just use my V-Amp2 as it came with the presets, just slight mods to them or downloading other presets.. it just sounded to sterile to me..so it sits now.. but looks nice sitting there..lol.. learn a few penatonic blues scales G, D, E, C etc.. and get some backing tracks and you will be jamming in no time without missing the real drummer and bass man..

[tremoloman]

Welcome Tim!

If you want to start learning how to play songs that only require strumming, I say find a basic song that you dig and that requires more than just strumming and and learn it. You will develop skills as you learn a song.

I'm 100% self taught, so it took me quite a bit of time before I could say I could really "play" the guitar. I'll never be satisfied with my playing, but I'm always working to improve.

I find AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" a great song to get people started on learning how to perform hammer-ons and pull-offs. The part is impressive sounding, yet it's very easy to perform once you develop the coordination and strength in your hand. It's all done with just your left hand, the B-string, and a bit of practice. Find some tab and give it a try! :)

[Tim]

I'm 100% self taught, so it took me quite a bit of time before I could say I could really "play" the guitar. I'll never be satisfied with my playing, but I'm always working to improve.


Hi Tremoloman,

Thanks for the reply and recommendation of the AC/DC’s song “Thunderstruct”. I must admit I never got into the Heavy Metal music. I grew up with the 50s, 60, and early 70s music. The social establishments (bars) I visited did not play the Heavy stuff. When the misses and me got married we went to a Moody Blues concert in Texas and fell in love with the band. That became our listening mainstream.

All the radios in the house are now tuned into a “smooth jazz” station. We mostly like instruments, mostly guitar. I do own many CDs with favorite songs that I listen to over and over. I like Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Chaig Chaquico (former Jefferson Airplane lead) and others. I also like playing praise and worship music.

As I mentioned earlier, I am a beginner strummer only. I have difficulty understanding how to learn from the music I am listening too. I am lost trying to find where they are on the fret board. This is both chords and soloing. I can find the root by hitting a note on the 6th string. I think I have it down, and then the chord progression(s) throw me off just when I think I know what they are playing. With you being self-taught, I think you understand this problem. Being in my 50s don’t help either. I have progressed into a slow leaner.

Now that I have a good tone (see post under Fender, Squire) I am actually enjoy picking up the guitar and playing. The previous “bad” tone was a deterrent form wanting to pick up the guitar and playing. As the novice that I am, I am now ready to move on with really playing music. Any advice would be appreciated.

Tim

[Justaguyin_nc]

Ahh...Moody blues.. Clapton... SmoothJazz station...
How about some blues soloing over backing tracks then tim... find the Key to the backing and learn these scales forward and backwards.. as long as you hit any of these notes you will sound right.. then you grow from there...

Blues scale in A:
e-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|24|
B-|--|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|16|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
G-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|8-|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|20|21|--|--|24|
D-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|13|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
A-|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|22|--|24|
E-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|23|24|

Blues scale in B:
e-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|13|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
B-|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|22|--|24|
G-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|10|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|22|23|--|
D-|--|2-|3-|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|15|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
A-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|8-|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|20|21|--|--|24|
E-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|13|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|

Blues scale in C:
e-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|--|--|11|--|13|14|15|--|--|18|--|20|--|--|23|--|
B-|--|--|--|4-|--|6-|7-|8-|--|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|19|20|--|--|23|--|
G-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|23|24|
D-|--|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|16|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
A-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|9-|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|21|22|--|--|
E-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|--|--|11|--|13|14|15|--|--|18|--|20|--|--|23|--|

Blues scale in D:
e-|--|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
B-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|9-|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|21|22|--|--|
G-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|13|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
D-|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|22|--|24|
A-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|23|24|
E-|--|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|16|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|

Blues scale in E:
e0|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|20|--|24|
B0|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|23|24|
G0|--|2-|3-|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|15|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
D0|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|8-|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|20|21|--|--|24|
A0|1-|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|13|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
E0|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|22|--|24|

Blues scale in F:
e-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|7-|8-|--|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|19|20|--|--|23|--|
B-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|12|13|--|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|24|
G-|1-|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|16|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
D-|1-|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|9-|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|21|22|--|--|
A-|1-|2-|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|--|--|11|--|13|14|15|--|--|18|--|20|--|--|23|--|
E-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|7-|8-|--|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|19|20|--|--|23|--|

Blues scale in G:
e-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|9-|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|21|22|--|--|
B-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|--|--|11|--|13|14|15|--|--|18|--|20|--|--|23|--|
G-|--|--|3-|--|5-|6-|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|18|19|--|--|22|--|24|
D-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|11|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|23|24|
A-|--|--|3-|4-|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|16|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
E-|--|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|9-|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|21|22|--|--|

Just another Idea to throw at cha.. I really enjoy just running these over some backings and adding in a note here and there at times.. I also have gotten into the habit of following/watching my tuner.. It displays every note I touch so after awhile your mind starts knowing each location just from suggestion (if that makes sense) .. plus it helps on bends to see if you hit the next note properly.. might sound strange..but works for me..kinda sorta.. lol

[Tim]

Justaguy,

WOW, hold on there man. Your time and effort are deeply appreciated but I do not know where to begin with the patterns. I know if I understand one, I understand them all. But where do I start on the scales.

On the “A” scale, I do see the blues pattern at the 5th thru 8th fret:

|-5-|--|--|-8-|
|-5-|--|--|-8-|
|-5-|--|-7-|--|
|-5-|--|-7-|--|
|-5-|--|-7-|--|
|-5-|--|--|-8-|

And if I study the fret board a little harder, the other “boxes” are in there also.

But what do I do with the rest of the fret board? Do I play up the board? Or across the board?

Show me the way and I will try to follow your lead.

And thanks for the help.

[Justaguyin_nc]

Ok, Let's say for A... unless its marked above..I would avoid the other notes all together for now... This is where music starts.. we all have different feelings for the sound we hear... Find a Backing track you like in the key of A.. preferably slow.. you will hear the song deep..then high at points.. just use all those marks in the A scale to make sound the way YOU want it to sound.. Start with the Root does help and usually is used but it's music anything goes.. if that means up the board down the board or across the board... you will find a pattern you enjoy with this backing.. just transfer it up and down the keyboard.. See, every player on this Forum with the same backing will end up making a different solo useing the same Blues Scale... thats the music.. and hopefully...the magic...

[Tim]

OK, I will search for a slow backing track in the key of "A". I am guessing it is "Am", right?

[Justaguyin_nc]

It can be.. Am penatonic is just a variation of this A scale.. heck..A major can be blues.. they all are just slight variations actually.. Major scales are usually used in Rock but not always.. alot of blues scales and varitations are used.. alot of blues are in sevenths also.. As long as it says Slow Blues in A or A something this Blues A scale should sound right.. for now...Im getting off track huh..

Here is a good link for Blues lessons...

http://www.torvund.net/guitar/BluesGuitar/index.asp

[Guitar-Chris]

http://www.torvund.net/guitar/BluesGuitar/index.asp

Hey thanks for the nice link, that is some good basic stuff.

Christian