Here’s a quick lesson on how to play “The Star Spangled Banner” for electric guitar. I’ve taught this version to many beginner guitar students, and they’ve had a blast playing it this way.
This version is played on the 1st string alone which simplifies things quite a bit. The melody has a wide range, but it can be played freely with a variety of fingerings and even with only one finger!
If you’ve been playing for a while, you can try adding your own nuances to the melody by adding things like…
Legato Techiniques (hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and tapping)
Tremelo Picking
String Bending
Vibrato
Whammy Bar Techniques
Distortion and/or other effects
I deliberately kept the melody simple to allow for my students to express themselves as their technique and musicality develops. Give me a shout out if you post it on social media; I’d love to hear how you play it. Happy shredding and woodshedding!
Db major is not a friendly key on the guitar. The main reason is that not one of the open strings is diatonic, meaning none of the open string notes belong to the scale Db Major. There are also no diatonic open position chords, so accidentally playing an open string can be an unforgiving mistake. To get an idea of this, try playing the example below.
Ouch. You could hurt people with those open strings!
It is easier to play in the key of D or C and get a sound that is similar and more playable. Notice that playing full chords in Db major involves using more barre chords.
Some of the best solutions to playing in Db Major for Rock, Metal, and even pop players are as follows…
1. Tune Down
Tune down your strings a 1/2 step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb), then play in the key of D (a much friendlier guitar key!). It will sound as Db. Some popular examples of this would be the Guns ‘n Roses classic, “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” or the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.”
2. Use a pitch shifting pedal, such as the Digitech Whammy
This is the same concept as tuning down, but you can achieve this sound by simply setting your pedal up to sound as a 1/2 step down. Just be sure to play with an amplifier at a volume louder than the acoustical sound of your electric strings or your ear will hear a m2 harmonic interval with every single note!
3. Use a capo
Instead of going down in pitch, you can go up with a capo. Throw a capo on the 1st fret, then simply play in the key of C. There are other options as well, but for a song that is mostly in Db, this is a great option for making the song easier to play, and typically will sound better too.
All of the above options are simply tools or ideas to help a song sound better. They are sometimes thought of as work-arounds or even cheating, but remember that the goal is to make music, not to follow some unwritten code of ethics about how a song should or shouldn’t be played. Nobody cares if you do any of these if the song sounds good!
So Why Practice Db Major at all?
Ok, so why should we bother practicing Db major in standard tuning at all? The reason is because the key of Db actually pops up in standard tuning from time to time, and will be a problem if you don’t take a look at it. Let’s look at a few instances Db might show up.
1. Modulation
Typically it occurs when a song modulates. You’re cruising along in the key of C, no problem, then towards the end the song modulates up a half step to Db. Try the example below to see what I mean.
Modulating up a half step like this sometimes happens at the end of a song.
2. Piano Music
Db Major is not a terribly difficult key to play on piano, so it does come up when playing with piano players or learning a piano piece on guitar. One cool trick my Dad, a pianist with nearly 80 years experience, taught me was to think of Db not as having 5 flats, but rather that Db major has 2 naturals (F and C) similar to how D major has two sharps (F# and C#).
D Major: D E F# G A B C#
Db Major: Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C
3. Jazz and Blues
A good example of Db major would be in the jazz standard, Blue Bossa. The song is mostly played in Cm, but one section is in Db major. To play fluidly on a song like this, both of these keys need to feel very comfortable to play in and out of. You don’t want to be improvising fluently in C minor but then dread that modulation to Db Major when it comes.
4. Murphy’s Law
The danger of relying on some of the creative solutions such as relying on a pedal or a capo is that sometimes these things can fail. Consider what would happen at a gig if your pitch shifting pedal stopped working or if you simply forgot your capo. One shouldn’t expect the band to change keys simply because of equipment failure, forgetfulness, or lack of preparation.
The reality is that while Db major is an uncommon key on the guitar, it does appear from time to time, so it’s not the worst idea to take a look at this key and be able to play it competently in standard tuning.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Guitarists or any musicians at an intermediate level or higher, especially blues and jazz players. Anyone who feels comfortable with the most common keys and seeks to improve their musicianship and their playing. Professional and/or gigging musicians.
WHO THIS IS NOT FOR… YET
Beginners. If playing an Em7 is still too hard, then there are a lot of other things to practice first. Start with more common keys like C, G, D, A, and E first. Practicing Db Major is not essential for beginners yet but may become important as the beginner’s skills and guitar goals change.
C# Major
It should be noted that C# Major is enharmonically the same as Db major, but is even less common.
Db Major: Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C
C# Major: C# D# E# F# G# A# B#
The notes and chords sound the same as Db major, but have chord names that most musicians don’t want to see, such as E#m or B#m7b5. C# Major is typically only seen in classical music. Practicing C# Major is really only for professional musicians and those who already have a command of basic keys and seek to be thoroughly prepared for literally any key.
Where do you stand? Do you practice in every key, even uncommon keys such as Db? Let me know in the comments below or by getting in touch with me on social media. Keep shredding and woodshedding!
A good solid music stand is a valuable companion in learning the guitar. It’s an often overlooked piece of equipment, but utilizing one makes the serious study and learning of guitar much more manageable.
The highly dubious beginner’s music stand.
The beginner gray, fold up stand only exists because it is cheap. That’s it. This is for people new to learning music or kids who may not commit to learning music and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a stand, so this flimsy excuse for a stand exists. This one is fine to start with, but the build is often cheap, and it usually can only hold a sheet or two at a time. If you practice with a method book, this stand will fall over on you. This is fine if you are just getting your feet wet with a musical instrument, but should be upgraded as soon as possible.
“Without some sort of music stand, you are almost guaranteed to be hunched over a table or a chair while practicing, which means you’ll likely be uncomfortable and have bad posture – both things that will hinder not only your practice, but potentially your health.”
The best course of action is to save your pennies and buy a Manhasset stand. It is said there are two things that will will survive in a nuclear holocaust, cockroaches and Twinkies. I believe we must add Manhasset stands to that list. They are sturdy, reliable, and built to withstand a bomb blast or whatever you throw at it.
The indestructible Manhasset stand!
I use the Manhasset stands for gigs all the time. Their solid construction ensures that even if the strongest winds blow or Hades himself shows up from the underworld that the music I’m playing from will be in good shape. (BONUS TIP! Clothesline hooks come in handy for outdoor gigs where the wind is blowing as well).
Clothesline hooks can save an outdoor gig on a windy day, and yes, it was actually windy when I took this photo!
I recently picked up a Desca Presto travel stand. This stand is seriously cool. It is designed to be as durable and sturdy as a Manhasset stand, but it’s able to fold down into a small manageable size for ease of carry. I don’t typically need this stand for GB gigs since stands are often times provided, but the Desca Presto has come in handy for one-off gigs, out of town wedding gigs, and teaching remotely.
The portable Desca Presto stand.
I teach many of my students out of Chanhassen High School, and the teachers are gracious enough to let me borrow a music stand when I come to teach. However, the stands are on the other side of the building from where I teach, and it is a huge school, meaning it takes a lot of extra time to go get a stand and bring it back. Time is often something I don’t have a lot of by the time I get to work, so the compact Desca Presto has been a perfect solution for teaching away from my home studio.
The Desca Presto stand folds up into this small, easy to carry box.
So why do we need a music stand? This simple tool is where your practice hub will be. You can keep your practice material, pencil, spare picks, or whatever you need to learn and play the music that you want to. Without some sort of music stand, you are almost guaranteed to be hunched over a table or a chair while practicing, which means you’ll likely be uncomfortable and have bad posture – both things that will hinder not only your practice, but potentially your health.
It is fine and highly recommended that you learn things by ear, so you won’t need a music stand for that. However, at some point in your musical journey, you might want to crack open a guitar book or you’ll be handed a piece of music to play, so why not have that music stand ready so you can practice efficiently and comfortably? It’s not an exciting equipment purchase like a guitar or an amp, but it is an investment that will transform your practice and playing dramatically for the better.
What music stand do you use? Do you have an alternate solution or idea for a music stand or do you forgo them altogether?
If you don’t have a high quality music stand, you can buy a Manhasset stand here.
If you have any thoughts, feelings, snide remarks, Shakespearean insults, questions, comments or suggestions for topics then please let me know. Leave a comment below or send me an e-mail.
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Semeron circa 2012. JR is on the left, and that’s me on the right. We’re playing guitarmonies, of course!
Today we’re going to explore playing a minor pentatonic melody in different positions to better learn the fretboard.
What you’ll learn
How to play a Minor Pentatonic scale and melody in several positions
How to find a single note on every string
How to play a Minor Pentatonic scale and melody on one string
The importance of space and breath in a melody
This melody comes from my band Semeron’s unreleased song, “A Day in July.” JR Westberg, the other guitarist in the band, has a knack for coming up with simple, catchy melodies. This often comes first to which I will come up with harmony for it, as I did on this song.
It’s one thing to practice a scale all over the neck, but quite another to play a melody all over the neck.
One day while I was rehearsing “A Day in July,” I decided to learn and jam on JR’s part for fun. It was so much fun, that I naturally started playing it all over the neck and noticed how great of an exercise it would be for my students. It’s one thing to practice a scale all over the neck, but quite another to play a melody all over the neck. While scales can sometimes be a bit tedious, playing melodies tends to be more interesting and enjoyable.
This melody uses the B Minor Pentatonic Scale. One reason this melody works is space and breath. Notice that in measure 8 of the melody, he plays a long note which leaves space. It’s important to remember that we don’t always have to fill every moment with a ton of notes and to leave room for our band members. “Let some things go by” as Thelonious Monk would say.
The way the melody is phrased is very musical as well. The first measure is essentially just the B Minor Pentatonic scale ascending, but the use of slides and variety of rhythm makes this melody work. Try playing both measures in Exercise 1 and you should find that the 2nd measure sounds much more musical. It’s a great demonstration on how to turn a scale into music!
Exercise 2 is the B minor pentatonic scale in the position that the original melody is played.
Exercise 3 is “The Day in July Exercise.” I changed the original melody at the end to keep it within the B minor pentatonic scale for the purposes of this lesson.
JR can play the “A Day in July” melody all over the neck, and now you can learn how too!
Exercise 4 is the note B on every string. This will help you identify the root note of the exercise as well as provide the starting point for the melody as you move it around the fretboard.
Exercises 5-9 show a few suggested ways of playing the B minor pentatonic scale from different strings and positions. Once you’re familiar with the original melody, try playing it in these new positions.
Ex. 9 demonstrates the scale on a single string on the high E string. The position shifts might be a bit tricky at first, but playing this way often yields great results in fretboard knowledge and can lead to more variety in phrasing. Once you get this down on the high E string, you can try playing it on other single strings as well.
I hoped you enjoyed checking out this melody and playing it all over the neck. Keep practicing, keep it fun, and see you next time!
Thelonious Monk at Minton’s Playhouse, New York, 1947
This list of tips for playing a gig was written by none other than legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. This handwritten note is a fascinating look into some of Monk’s thoughts on playing jazz, as well as practical advice for playing gigs.
A handwritten list of advice from jazz legend Thelonious Monk
There are a lot of great gems here, but a few of my favorites include;
Just because you’re not the drummer, doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep time.
Stay in shape! Sometimes a musician waits for a gig, and when it comes, he’s out of shape and can’t make it.
What should we wear tonight? Sharp as possible!
So, work on keeping time (practice with a metronome!), practice consistently even when you don’t have a gig coming up, and dress sharp! Amazingly simple, but powerful advice.
For a small taste of Monk’s distinctive style, listen to his tune “Straight, No Chaser.”
Now try playing the *head for “Straight, No Chaser,” notated below. Start slowly, and pay attention to the rhythms and timing. Also notice how he makes use of space. Monk’s advice from the above sheet comes to mind.
“Don’t play everything (or every time); Let some things go by. Some music just imagined. What you don’t play can be more important that what you do.”
Have fun, keep practicing, and remember to “lift the bandstand!”
