JFRocks.com Online Guitar Lesson of the week

Written by:	Jeff Fiorentino
Produced by:	Jeff Fiorentino, Kelly Ross
Video Edited by:	Kelly Ross
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Copyright © 2006 JFRocks All rights reserved

Lesson Features

The song track

The Jam along track

The Video Guitar Lesson

Lesson MP3 song track

N/A

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For this lesson I'm going to focus on helping you develop an idea you may have, or have had. I'll do this by sharing with you some of the things I do when I get a basic idea, and also I'll share with you some of the things that a lot of other people do.

Emails have poured in over the years from people who have a cool riff, or chord pattern, but they just don't know where to take it. As always there's a process that you should try to do. Granted, everyone is different, but the process I use is pretty logical and really works for most people with only minor alterations needed based on your own specific needs.

I try to do different lessons here on JFRocks, and I think this one will help a great deal of people.

Please read all of my notes above the TAB in the lesson section, and please download the video lesson if possible. This lesson won't do you much good without the video. This lesson isn't about the song track. It's about how the song track was created, and went from its root, E, A, B chord pattern, into the 17 track behemoth that you have as an mp3 lesson example track. I've given you both, an example of charts and notes that I might do for a track I'm working on, and also under the chart notes, a full transcription of the example track, so that you can see how it all comes together into a full track.

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The tabs below are a chart (sort of), NOT A TRANSCRIPTION. The transcription begins at the bottom of this page under the chart notes section. The tabs are laid out this way in an effort to help me give you a visual of the process that I'm explaining on the video.

The song is the by-product of the process. You hear me say that sort of thing a lot. I say it a lot about Van Halen's style and music a lot because Ed has a very strong, distinct style. It's the truth though. Granted, the whole by-product thing is a bit deep for some, but if you can look at your finished product (song) as the result of a process that you go through, rather than as a daunting task, then you will get yourself to a point where you'll be able to churn out decent songs all day long.

Think of it in mathematical terms. In mathematics, usually there is a process you go through to get an answer. Sometimes it's a long process, and other times it's a quick one, but the answer begins with a problem. To simplify, 2 + 2 = 4 If I didn't already know that, I would have to count it out, or if I were a complete novice I would put two sticks on the ground and then put two sticks next those, and count how many sticks there were. That would be the process I used to figure out the answer of 4.

Too many times people come up with a cool riff, and draw a blank as far as what to do with it. This is usually because they don't have a process. My aim here is to help you out and give you some, what I feel, are valuable tips for bringing an idea to fruition.

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The first thing you need is vision. You don't need talent, you don't need to know someone, You just need to have a vision of where your song is going. Below is the basic chart system that I worked with to take a simple, E, A, B chord pattern and transform it into the piece you hear on the example mp3. Everything is laid out as scratch notes and in almost a flow chart sort of form.

I will explain these notes on the video lesson, they're actually quite easy to understand, and in some cases (as least for me anyway) better than a transcription.

The video and explanation is very important to this process. I'll do a few demos for you, we'll have a few laughs, and we'll pick on some people, you know, the usual JFRocks crap, it'll be fun, download it. LOL

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E__0_____________________________________________
B__0_____2____4_________________________________
G__1_____2____4_________________________________
D__2_____2____4_____apply random strumming________
A__2_____0____2_________________________________
E__0____________________________________________

E________________________________________________
B__5_____2_____4_________________________________
G__4_____2_____4_________________________________
D__2_____2_____4_________________________________
A__2_____4_____2_________________________________
E__0_____________________________________________

E__0_____________________________________________
B__0____0_____2____2____4________________________
G__1____1_____2____2____4________________________
D__2____1_____2____2____4________________________
A__2____2_____0____4____2________________________
E__0____0________________________________________

Altered revised pattern. Finished final pattern adds in the F# on the E for chorus sounding chord.

E__2____2___________________________________________________________
B__5____4____2___2____4_____________________________________________
G__4____4____2___2____4_____________________________________________
D__2____2____2___2____4______Apply random alternate picked strum pattern__
A__2____2____0___4____2_____________________________________________
E__0____0___________________________________________________________

E__4______________4___________2_________________
B__5______2_______5_____2_____3_____2___________
G__6______2_______6_____2_____2_____2___________
D__6______2_______6_____2_____0_____2___________
A__4______0_______4_____0___________0___________
E_______________________________________________

Altered chords a little, broken chords used and riffing pattern applied. Use E6 as chord substitution for C#m. Tested sound first for vibe.

E____________________________________________________________
B_________5_____5_____4~_______________5_____5_____4~_______
G_________4_____4_____4~_______________4_____4_____4~_______
D____________________________________________________________
A__4__4______4_____4_______4_4_4__4_4_____4_____4______4_4_4_
E____________________________________________________________

E___________________________________________________
B__2___________________________________ _3____2_____
G__2___________________________________ _2____2_____
D__2___<apply random strumming_>transition_ 4____2_____
A__0____________________________________ 0____0_____
E___________________________________________________

E___________________________________________________________
B__3_3_3_3__________________________________________________
G__2_2_2_2__2_______________________________________________
D__0_0_0_0__2_______________________________________________
A___________0__________0__________>>transition into chorus riff___
E________________3^1/2_____3^1/2_____________________________

Solo rough draft, chord pattern over the solo was changed slightly for the final recorded version..

E___________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________
G_____________________________________9-11__11~_____
D____________________________9-11_11________________
A_0_2_0__4~___4_4__9-11_11_______________________0_0_
E___________________________________________________

E___________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________
G________________________________9-11__11~__________
D_______________________9-11_11______________________
A___2--4~_4_4__9-11_11_______________________________
E_____________________________________________________

E_____________________________________________
B_____________________________________________
G__11_0__9_________6_________6____6~_________
D___________7~__7____7~___7___7_______7______
A____________________________________________
E__________________________________________0x_

E________________________________9_10__10^1_~~__________
B_________________________10_12_______ _9^_______________
G___________________6_9________________________________
D______________7_9_____________________________________
A_______4_7____________________________________________
E__5_7__________________________________________________

** Change C#5 below to F#5 and change the A to an E for the rest of the solo, gets boring keeping the C# to A thing going..**

E__________________________________________________
B_________9_10_9_10_9______________________________
G__11_11_______________11---2__2----11_______________
D__________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________

E_________________________________________________________________________________
B_________9_10__10^1_>>10___9_10_9_______ 10^1_(15)-10^1>>release slowly_(13)_10^1>>release slowly___
G__11_11___________________________9~_9__9^1______________________________________
D_________________________________________________________________________________
A_________________________________________________________________________________
E_________________________________________________________________________________

E_____________________________________________
B_______9-10-9_____9___________________________
G___9~_________11___11__9-11-9____9___________
D_____________________________11____11________
A_____________________________________________
E_____________________________________________

E________________________________________
B_________9_10_9_10_9_____________________
G__11_11_______________11---2__2----11______
D_________________________________________
A_________________________________________
E__________________________________________

E________________________________________________________________________
B_________9_10__10^1_>>10___9-10-9 _______10^1_(15)-10^1_(13)-10^1>>release_______
G__11_11________ 9^1_>>_9___________9~_9__9^1_____________________________
D________________________________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________________ E_________________________________________________________________________

E___________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________
G__9-11-9_____9______________________________________
D_________11___11__9-11-9_____9_____________________
A_________________________11____11__9-11-9----7~___>>into post solo chunking riff_
E____________________________________________________

Fillers are the extras, they come later in the process. I can only speak for myself, but I rarely do a song in order. I think this is where a lot of people go wrong. They try to do it in order. For instance they think they have an intro, so then they spend days trying to find a verse that'll come after it, or a kick in riff etc. When in reality, maybe had they focused on the bridge that might go with it, the verse and or kick in riff may have come from that. The best tip I can give you is don't worry about what you don't know. What I mean is if you can't think of a verse, stop trying, move on, try to come up with some other song part.

The fillers below are the intro / post solo riff, and the acoustic Spanish style solo over the bridge, and the other filler riffs done on electric throughout the song. These are after thoughts, however as I say on the video lesson, they were all part of the vision I had for the song to begin with. Remember, just because you don't know how all the parts apply to the fret board yet, doesn't mean that you don't already have ideas for how they should go, and or sound in your head.

Without some basic vision before you begin, you're just taking shots in the dark, and man life's too short for that crap. If you can't come up with it in 10 minutes forget it, and move on to something else. Unless you're close, then stick with it.

Ideally, you should be hearing the finished song in your head, and kind of learning it by ear from that. If you have an intro riff idea and don't know where to take it on the fret board. Simply, play it in your head and see where it goes. You know what you like in a rock song, let it play in your head and see where it goes then learn it like a cover song. This is pretty much what I do, I won't even say in a nut shell because it's totally 100% how I create a song track. It's how a lot of players create song tracks.

This important concept is part of why having a decent ear is a good idea, and helpful if you want to create music. Which in turn is why I'm surprised that my "Ear Training 101" section isn't more popular than it is. I shake my head in dis-belief sometimes that more don't take advantage of those great lessons. Without a good, or at least OK kinda good ear, you're going to a rough go of it trying to create anything, or for that matter even improvise in a jam situation. Granted, nobody likes homework, but heck even if you get the examples in Ear Training 101 wrong, and do a half assed job at it, you're still trying, and it will only help you. It's like working out. Working out a little, is better than not working out at all.

On the video I talk a lot out the drum beat. The drum beat will guide you when you're putting together a song. I always start with a drum beat, and build the song around that. This is because I can program the drum beat (or tell a drummer in some cases) that I want a down beat here and an off beat there etc. etc. etc. Sometimes hearing the beat and where it goes, can really help you figure out a cool guitar part for it.

For instance, in our example track here, we have an off beat under the bridge section. This is why I changed the chords to a jazzier E6 kind of thing from the strumming of C#m. I didn't want to hide that beat, but rather groove and weave around it. The end result is far more interesting than the coffee house version of just strumming C#m to A. I would not have had the ability to experiment with this had I not had the "vision" of what the drums were going to do on this track in advance. The drum beat in a lot of cases "IS" the song.

If you don't have a drum machine, or a drummer, then have the drums going in your head. You all know what drums sound like. You can also learn some cool beats and fills, by simply listening to the drums on Van Halen tunes, and Aerosmith and GNR and AC/DC tunes, instead of the guitar and vocals that you probably listen to.

Having a drum beat going in your head, or externally, with changes and off beats etc.. will help you to develop you idea for a song, FAR MORE than a click track or metronome will...

E_______________________________________________
B_______________________________________________
G_______________________________________________
D_________________________7---9_7_6_7__--9__7_6___
A__7__6__7__7--9~_7_6_7___ 0____0_0_0___0__0_0__basic pattern here apply random feel_
E__0__0__0__0_____0_0_0_________________________

*For post solo, apply marching military feel with chunking electric guitar sound*

Too thin with one guitar, guitar 2 to thicken is 1 octave higher. Intro only!!

E_____________2_____________7_____________7___________________
B__5__4___5_______5_4_5_______ 10__9__ 10______10__ 9__________
G_____________________________________________________use fingers
D__2__2___2___2___2_2_2_____7__7__ 7___7__7____7___7___________
A_____________________________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________________

E__2__________________________________________7_9_10___
B____5_4_2_____________________________7_9_10__________
G___________4_2_________________7_9_10_________________
D________________4_2_____7_9_10________________________
A______________________________________________________
E______________________________________________________

E__2//////_2_2__________2/////_2_2_2______________
B______________5_4_5~_______________5_4_5_5~____
G_______________________________________________
D_______________________________________________
A_______________________________________________
E_______________________________________________

E________________________7_9_10_10_10_10_10-9_10_10-9_10_9~__9_7_9--12_9~_
B_________________7_9_10_________________________________________________
G__________7_9_10________________________________________________________
D_2--7_9_10_______________________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________________

E______2________2________2______2__________________________
B____x___5____x___5____x___5______5_4_5_4~_2~_____________
G__x________x________x_____________________________________
D______________________________________________4---6__4~___
A__________________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________________

Chunking riff, based on the main chord pattern, with sort of a Vh feel. Use as kick in and or overlay for filling

E_____________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______6~--sl dwn--_______________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______7~--sl dwn--_______________
A_______________________________________________0-2-0_4__2~___
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________

E___________________________________________________________________
B_______________________________ 2___4_______________________________
G__________9_____8~___9_________2___4_______________________________
D__________9_____9~___9_________2___4__>>let ring out, Jamie's cryin' style_
A______________________________ _4___6_______________________________
E__0__0_0_____0______________________________________________________

E____________________________7_9_10_11_12___________
B_____________________7_9_10________________________
G_______________6_8_9______________________________
D_________6_7_9____________________________________
A_7_6_7_9__________________________________________
E__________________________________________________

E_____________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________ 9______10_________________________
G__________________________________11^1~__12^1~______________________
D_________________________6~_7~__________________Vary for ending of song_
A__2---7_6_7_6_7_6__7~_9~_____________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________________________

E_______________________________________________
B_______________________________________________
G_______________________________________________
D__14xxx>muted hits as riff kicks in post solo___________
A_______________________________________________
E_______________________________________________

E____________________________________________________________________
B__17__16__14____19__________________________________________________
G____________________________________________________________________
D__12__11__11____16____use these to follow the chorus riff out to song ending___
A____________________________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________________________

Song transcription section, so that you can compare the notes to the finished product, and see how it all translated to the fret board as an arrangement.

Primary Guitar	Primary Amp		Effect #1	Effect #2	Effect #3

Fender Stratocaster	Crate GFX 212		None	None	None
Click here for Strat Details			N/A	N/A	N/A
	Settings		Settings	Settings	Settings
	Channel: Shape: Low EQ: High EQ: Reverb:	Gain #1 N/A 3.5 6.5 5.5	Level: OCT 1: OCT 2: Mode:	Speed:	Level: OCT 1: OCT 2: Mode:
	Effect order from Guitar to Amp
	No effects were used!!

*Remember Effect suggestions are my suggestions for the home player. Usually suggestions are geared for a low budget. I purposely use effects and equipment that I know everyone can afford, and get their hands on in an effort to prove that you can get a great sound without mortgaging your house.

E_______________________________________________
B_______________________________________________
G_______________________________________________
D_________________________7---9_7_6_7___--9__7_6__
A__7__6__7__7--9~_7_6_7___ 0____0_0_0_0__0__0_0__
E__0__0__0__0_____0_0_0_________________________

E__________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________________
D_________________________7---9__7__6__7__7---11__7__7--9_ 0__
A__7__6__7_7--9_ 7_6_7_6___0_____0__0__0__0______0__0____0__
E__0__0__0_0____0_0_0_0____________________________________

E_____________2_____________7_____________7________
B__5__4___5_______5_4_5_4______ 10__9__ 10______10__
G__________________________________________________
D__2__2___2___2___2_2_2_2___7___7__ 7___7__7____7___
A__________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________

E__2____________2_____________________________________
B__5____________4_____________2_________2_______4__4__
G__4____________4_____________2_________2_______4__4__
D__2__/_/_/_/___ 2__/_/__/_/___ 2__/_/_/__2__/_/__ 4__4__
A__2____________2_____________0_________4_______2__2__
E__0____________0_____________________________________

E__2__________________________________________________
B__5____________4_____________2_________2_______4__4__
G__4____________4_____________2_________2_______4__4__
D__2__/_/_/_/___ 2__/_/__/_/___ 2__/_/_/__2__/_/__ 4__4__
A__2____________2_____________0_________4_______2__2__
E__0____________0_____________________________________

E_______________________________________________
B__2________4________2_______4__________________
G__2________4________2_______4__________________
D__2__/_/___4__/_/___ 2__/_/__4__/_/_____________
A__0________2________0_______2_______0_2_0______
E_______________________________________________

E_____________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______6~--sl dwn--_______________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______7~--sl dwn--_______________
A_____________________________________________________________
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________

E_____________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________ 9______10_________________________
G__________________________________11^1~__12^1~______________________
D_________________________6~_7~______________________________________
A__2---7_6_7_6_7_6__7~_9~_____________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________________________

E________________________________________________________
B__2_________________2-3__ 3_________2____________________
G__2_________________2____2__/_/_/__ 2____________________
D__2__/__/__/_/__/___ 2-4__ 4________ 2__2_________________
A__0_________________0_________________ 0_0_0_0__0_2_0___
E________________________________________________________

E____________________________________________________________
B____________________________3__3__3__3______________________
G__2__2_2______2__2_2________2__2__2__2___2__________________
D__2__2_2______2__2_2________0__0__0__0___2__________________
A__0__0_0__0x__0__0_0___0x___0__0__0__0___0________0_________
E_____________________________________________3^1/2____3^1/2___

Back into the main chorus riff, same as kick in with slight change up at the end

E_____________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______6~--sl dwn--_______________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______7~--sl dwn--_______________
A_____________________________________________________________
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________

E_____________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________ 9______10_________________________
G__________________________________11^1~__12^1~______________________
D_________________________6~_7~____________________into solo__________
A__0-2-0_7-6-7-6_6--7~_9~_____________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________________________

Be loose with this and be sure to apply a slight scream to any double stop bends to give a real screaming note effect.

Same as the intro with a slight feel variation. Apply a marching feel. Bass hits quarter notes, then eight notes to create a certain feel.

E_______________________________________________
B_______________________________________________
G_______________________________________________
D_______________________________________________
A__6--7~__6__7__7--9~__ 7__6__7__________________
E__0______0__0__0______0__0__0__________________

E_________________________
B_________________________
G_________________________
D__ 7---9_7_6_7___--9__7_6__
A__ 0____0_0_0_0_ _0__0_0__
E_________________________

There are several things going on with this outro. Typically, you'll bring you tracks to a big end.

The main rhythms are the same, however there are new guitar parts that have come into play and those are tabbed below for you.

E_____________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______2~--sl dwn--_______________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______2~--sl dwn--_______________
A_______________________________________________0-2-0_4__2~___
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________

E___________________________________________________________________
B_______________________________ 2___4_______________________________
G__________9_____8~___9_________2___4_______________________________
D__________9_____9~___9_________2___4__>>let ring out, Jamie's cryin' style_
A______________________________ _0___6_______________________________
E__0__0_0_____0______________________________________________________

E_____________________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______6~--sl dwn--_______________________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______7~--sl dwn--_______________________
A________________________________________________0-2~_---7~__6-7-6~___
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________________

E___________________________________________________________________
B_______________________________ 2___4_______________________________
G__________9_____8~___9_________2___4_______________________________
D__________9_____9~___9_________2___4__>>let ring out, Jamie's cryin' style_
A______________________________ _0___6_______________________________
E__0__0_0_____0______________________________________________________

E_____________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________
G__________9_____8~___9________9______6~--sl dwn--_______________
D__________9_____9~___9________9______7~--sl dwn--_______________
A_____________________________________________________________
E__0__0_0_____0___________0_0______0__________________________

E___________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________________
G_________________________________9--8--9_---11~~__9---sl dwn--___
D_________________________6~_7~_____________________________
A__0-2-0_2-4__6-7-6__7~_9~_________7--6--7_----9~~__7---sl dwn--___
E____________________________________________________________

E_________________________________________12______
B__________________________ 9______10_____ 15^1~__
G__________________________11^1~__12^1~__________
D______________6_7_7--9~__________________________
A__2----7_6_7_9____________________________________
E_________________________________________________

Guitar 4: A new guitar comes in and plays this octave part over the main electric riff that's tabbed above.

E_______________________________________________
B_______________________________________________
G_______________________________________________
D__14xxxxxxxxxx mute and chunk____________________
A_______________________________________________
E_______________________________________________

E_______________________________________________
B__17__16__17___16__14~__ 12~___________________
G_______________________________________________
D__14__13__14___13__11~___9~____________________
A_______________________________________________
E_______________________________________________

E_______________________________________________
B__17__16__17___16__17~___19~____17____________
G_______________________________________________
D__14__13__14___13__14~___17~____14_____________
A_______________________________________________
E_______________________________________________