| Have you ever heard beautiful flowing lead guitar | | | | In the following example I'm using hammer-on's for |
| fill-ins and wonder how they get the notes to | | | | the B to C notes and E to F#. |
| seamlessly connect to the chords without distracting | | | | I've decide to play the D, G and B notes as open |
| the listener? | | | | strings, as you can see there isn't too many standard |
| It's often hard to determine if the guitarist is playing | | | | notes in this scale, that's why it sounds interesting! |
| harmonics or standard notes. One thing is for sure, it | | | | Harp scale example (B Phrygian ascending) |
| seems as if they have more notes or different types | | | | --------------------------------0------- |
| of notes on their guitar than on yours! | | | | -----------------------0---------------- |
| I'm going to let you in on one of the best kept | | | | ----------0-----------------7----------- |
| secrets professional guitarists have used for years. | | | | --------------7---9--------------------- |
| You can apply this concept to any style of music; it's | | | | --7---8--------------------------------- |
| particularly effective on acoustic guitar. | | | | Step 4. Apply the harp scale to your chord. |
| Harp scales and how to use them. | | | | Start with your harp scale followed by your chord |
| What is a harp scale? Essentially they are standard | | | | like this: |
| scales that utilize open strings to create a 'harp-like' | | | | [scale]... Em/// | Em/// | Em/// |[scale]... Em/// | Em/// | |
| effect. As the open strings mingle with the closed or | | | | Em/// |[scale]... Em/// | Em/// | Em/// | etc |
| fretted notes an effect is created that sometimes | | | | Notice how I played the harp scale followed by three |
| sounds like harmonics intermingling with standard | | | | bars of Em, you can play it where ever it feels right. |
| guitar sounds. | | | | Step 5. Apply the harp scale to a chord progression. |
| Since not many guitarists know how to play in this | | | | Since I'm working in the key of G major, I'll keep |
| style when you incorporate harp scales into your | | | | things simple by using chords exclusively from that |
| playing the music you create will sound much more | | | | key. |
| lively and interesting to your audience. | | | | Here is my chord progression: |
| For the purpose of this discussion I'll keep everything | | | | Em/// | Em/// | Em/// | Em/// | Cmaj7/// | Cmaj7/// | |
| in the key of G major. | | | | Cmaj7/// | Cmaj7/// | Am/// | Am/// | Am/// | Am/// |
| Step 1. Select a chord from the key of G, let's say | | | | | D/// | D/// | D/// | D/// || |
| Em. | | | | Now the same chord progression with the harp scale: |
| Step 2. Decide on which mode you want to create | | | | [scale]... | Em/// | Em/// | Em/// | [scale]... | Cmaj7/// | |
| your fill-in from, I'm going to use the B Phrygian | | | | Cmaj7/// | Cmaj7/// | [scale]... | Am/// | Am///|Am/// | |
| mode. | | | | [scale]... | D/// | D/// | D/// || |
| B Phrygian mode: B-C-D-E-F#-G-A-B | | | | The really neat thing is I'm using the same scale to |
| The Phrygian mode is the mode that starts on the | | | | introduce different chords and each time the scale |
| third degree of the major scale. | | | | will give the impression to the listener as being a |
| G major: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G | | | | different scale. |
| B Phrygian: B-C-D-E-F#-G-A-B | | | | It works because the scale (mode) I'm using is taken |
| You can use any mode from the major. | | | | from the same key as all the chords in the |
| Step 3. Play the scale (mode) on the guitar using as | | | | progression therefore they all blend nicely. |
| many open strings and hammer-on's or pull-off's as | | | | I invite you to try the harp scales next time you are |
| possible. | | | | looking for fresh, crisp sounds on the guitar. |