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How To Change Keys
Changing Keys
Changing keys is one of the most valuable tools for a
guitarist.For a basic and easy understanding of how to
change keys, lets look at the Pentatonic Minor scale,
and a few basic easy guitar licks. Shown below is A
pentatonic minor scale.
e :-----------------|-----5-8---------|-----------------|
B :-----------------|-5-8-------------|-----------------|
G :------------5-7--|-----------------|-----------------|
D :--------5-7------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :----5-7----------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-5-8-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A C D E G A C D E G A C
Many times it's the tonic note(the first note played in
a scale) which determines the key you are playing in.For
example, the first note of this scale is A note. Shown
below is a lick in the key of A.
Lick# 1 The Key Of A
f v
e :-5---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B :---8-5-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
G :-------7---5-----|-----------------|-----------------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
To play this lick in a different key, you can either move
up the neck, or down. For example , if you move up 2 frets
you will be playing in the key of B as shown below.
B Pentatonic Minor Scale Lick#1 in the key
of B
f v
e :-----------------|-----------7-10--|-7---------------|
B :-----------------|------7-10-------|---10-7----------|
G :--------------7-9|-7-10------------|--------9-7------|
D :----------7-9----|-----------------|-----------------|
A :------7-9--------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-7-10------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Changing Keys * Part 2
This lesson moves up in different keys in a very helpful
way, to help you learn and memorize each key.The keys are
in order A,B,C,D,E,F,G back to A Octave.
Key Of A Key Of B Key Of C
f s f s f s
e :-----5-----------|-----7-----------|------8----------|
B :---5---8-10------|---7---10-12-----|---8-----11-13---|
G :-7---------------|-9---------------|-10--------------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Key Of D Key Of E Key OF F
f s f s f s
e :------10---------|-------12--------|-------13--------|
B :---10----13-15---|----12----15-17--|----13----16-18--|
G :-12--------------|-14--------------|-15--------------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Key Of G Key Of A Octave
f s f s
e :-------15--------|--------17-------|-----------------|
B :----15----18-20--|-----17----20-22-|-----------------|
G :-17--------------|--19-------------|-----------------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Changing Keys * Part 3
Aside from understanding how you can play licks in various
or different keys, it's also important that you know how
to play rhythm in different keys. Many times bands will
play a song in a different key to adjust the pitch to the
vocalist voice. For example: You can hear by playing the
basic Power Chords to the song "Wild Thing" that if when
playing this song in the key of G, isn't in your vocal range,
possibly you may need to move it up 2 frets to the key of
A which will allow you to sing it in a higher pitch.
Or if you have a lower vocal range, you may want to try
moving it down 2 frets to the key of F. Shown below is the
outline for each key.
Key Of G Key Of A Key Of F
e :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D :-----5-5-7-7-5-5-|-----7-7-9-9-7-7-|-----3-3-5-5-3-3-|
A :-5-5-3-3-5-5-3-3-|-7-7-5-5-7-7-5-5-|-3-3-1-1-3-3-1-1-|
E :-3-3-------------|-5-5-------------|-1-1-------------|
G G C C D D C C A A D D E E D D F F A#A#C C A#A#
Note: The key is determined by the first chord played.
Changing Keys Part 4 * Licks In Octaves
It's important to also understand that when changing keys
you can also play licks in octaves. Many times you may see
a player who plays something down low on the neck, then moves
way up high on the neck for a blistering follow up. This may
look like magic to many players, when in all actuality, all
they are doing is playing in octaves. For example, see below.
The first lick is in "Low G" and the same lick is repeated
in octave "high G". The same notes are repeated in a higher
pitch.You can hear a good example of how licks are played in
octaves by listening to "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC.
#1 Low G #2 High G
f f f f
e :-------3---------|-------15--------|-----------------|
B :-----3----6------|----15----18-----|-----------------|
G :---5-------------|-17--------------|-----------------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
r i i r r i i r
Besides being aware of this simple, however very important
tool, as a fundamental exercise when improvising, it's good
to change licks, when going from low octave, to high octave
as shown below.
Low G High G
f f f s p b
e :-----3-----------|----15-----------|-----------------|
B :---3---6---------|-18----18-15-----|-----------------|
G :-5---------------|-----------------|-18-17-15---17-15|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
r i i r r i i r r r i r i
p v h p p p s v
e :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D :-15-17-15--------|-15-17-15--------|-------17--------|
A :-----------------|----------17-16--|-15-14-----------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
r i r r i r r m i i r
Note: fingerings above * i=index m=middle r=ring p=pinky
Licks In Octaves * Part 2
To further explore and understand licks in octaves, play
these licks in the key of G blues. These licks are from G
blues scale.
G Blues (Low G)
f p s p p v
e :-----3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
B :---3---6-3---3---|-----------------|-----------------|
G :-5---------6-----|-6-5-3---5--3----|-----------------|
D :-----------------|-------5---------|-5-3-5-----------|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Octave (High G)
f p s p p v
e :-------15--------|-----------------|-----------------|
B :----15----18-15--|----15-----------|-----------------|
G :-17--------------|-18----18-17-15--|----17-15--------|
D :-----------------|-----------------|-17------17-15-17|
A :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E :-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
I hope this lesson gives you some additional insight
on how to change keys.
I'll be sending more new free lessons in the future
that I hope you'll also find helpful.
Enjoy!
Scott Morris - You Can Play Guitar
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