Found the key, now where on the guitar?

I'm just figuring out how to figure the key myself so I'm not sure if your right. I'd use the blues scale start with this box Blues in G at the third fret, later you can memorize the other patterns up and down the fretboard. like this

The G note that is written just above the highest line on the treble clef corresponds the G note that can be played on either 1st string 3rd fret, or 2nd string 7th fret. Does that help?

I think you might have to play the relative minor, So try E minor blues like this

Oh yah they're the same :oops:

Just a point of clarification, the Gminor scale is G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G. To make that a pentatonic, you'd leave out the 2 (A) and the 6 (Eb), leaving G - Bb - C - D - F - G. A# is an augmented 2nd, which doesn't appear in a pentatonic (2nd) or a minor (augmented). Bb, which is enharmonic to A#, does belong and is the flat 3rd of the minor scale.

Edit:
art&lutherie has edited his post, which makes mine überflüßig

For example, lets say I use G on the third fret sixth string, I'll get to a ponit where it wants me to play a lower F, so I try 1st fret sixth string and it sounds completely wrong.

Your song is in the key of G so you need to play a F# not a F. Second fret both E strings and fourth fret on the D string are F#.

I'm betting your sheet music was written for piano and not guitar.

Your song is in the key of G so you need to play a F# not a F. Second fret both E strings and fourth fret on the D string are F#.

Generally true, but maybe not in this case...

If I recall this tune correctly, it uses a major chord on every step of the scale. So even though G is the tonal center, a straight major scale isn't going to work through the whole thing - you'll have A or A#, C or C#, D or D#, G or G# in the chords at various times.

Most songs would use no more than three major chords; this one is harmonized differently. It'll still be in G - but you'll need to be aware of the 'chord of the moment', and NOT use the notes that conflict with that chord. That makes it a tricky tune to improvise over.

Most songs would use no more than three major chords; this one is harmonized differently. It'll still be in G - but you'll need to be aware of the 'chord of the moment', and NOT use the notes that conflict with that chord. That makes it a tricky tune to improvise over.

Can't you always use a "chord of the moment" approach to build a melody line? At a minimum, with a diatonic chord progression, zeroing in on the chord tones would keep you in key and you wouldn't need to think about scales. And of course, you can expand beyond that but still use the tones within the COTM as a base. I may be wrong; just learning about this stuff.

Your song is in the key of G so you need to play a F# not a F. Second fret both E strings and fourth fret on the D string are F#.

Generally true, but maybe not in this case...

If I recall this tune correctly, it uses a major chord on every step of the scale. So even though G is the tonal center, a straight major scale isn't going to work through the whole thing - you'll have A or A#, C or C#, D or D#, G or G# in the chords at various times.

Most songs would use no more than three major chords; this one is harmonized differently. It'll still be in G - but you'll need to be aware of the 'chord of the moment', and NOT use the notes that conflict with that chord. That makes it a tricky tune to improvise over.

I guess the first thing is, we need to know whether the note he is suppose to be playing is a F or F#. If it's a F# he's playing the wrong note. Where on the staff is the note located, where's the sharp indicator located :?:

Slej, that's true of diatonic chord progressions... but this one isn't. It's a diatonic root progression, but all the chords are major - so some of the chord tones are out of key.

Tim, the F# would be located in his key signature - making all the Fs sharped unless otherwise affected by accidentals. In this case, all the Fs would always be sharped... but the problem comes from the chords that use notes outside the key:

B major - uses D# instead of D
E major - uses G# instead of G
F# major - uses A# instead of A, and C# instead of C

So over these chords, the safest approach is to avoid using a D note at all when the chord is B, avoid G notes over E, and avoid As and Cs over F#

Tim, the F# would be located in his key signature - making all the Fs sharped unless otherwise affected by accidentals. In this case, all the Fs would always be sharped... but the problem comes from the chords that use notes outside the key:

So he is playing the wrong note, which is what I addressed in my first post.

joevan wrote:

"For example, lets say I use G on the third fret sixth string, I'll get to a ponit where it wants me to play a lower F, so I try 1st fret sixth string and it sounds completely wrong."

He should have been playing second fret 1st string for F#, or one of the other F#. Keep in mind he is trying to play the melody off the sheet music. I don't know how chords would effect that, I know just enough about sheet music to be dangerous. :wink: Seems like it should be as simple as playing the notes one at a time. You might have to move around the fret board some to get the right F# or what ever note you need to play. But if your playing an F instead of a F# it's sure going to sound wrong.

Here's something that may help you joevan all the note on the fret board:
https://www.guitarnoise.com/faq.php?id=129

Slej, that's true of diatonic chord progressions... but this one isn't. It's a diatonic root progression, but all the chords are major - so some of the chord tones are out of key.

Good point, but doesn't that make an even stronger case for always using chord tones as a base for improv or building a melody, and not worrying about scales? I mean, the scales run through the chords, so they are there, but for purposes of thinking about what you're playing, focusing on the chord tones within the COTM just seems much more intuitive to me.

By the way, Joevan, there's a nice lesson on this song here: https://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/sittin-on-the-dock-of-the-bay/