rock players please help me

Scoop your mids that is use less of them than bass or treble, open chords wiil probably work but why not try mini barres for a few chords like a power chord type thing.

Don't overdistort. Use just enough distortion to get a crunch. Yes, open chords are used a lot in rock. But so are power chords. Take a look at the Lessons page and go over the lessons on "Before You Accuse Me", "Kansas City" and "Roll Over Beethoven". That'll get you started on some roots rock. And if you know your scales, you're ready to start playing some lead. Don't let it intimidate you.

Hilch

You do not need distortion to play Rock. In the early 60's there was no such thing as distortion pedals. Guitarists at that time simply cranked their amps very loud to where the amp would overdrive. This is a very mild distortion compared to today's distortion.

Remember I Can See For Miles by The Who? Really, Pete Townshend's guitar was pretty clean. But he cranked it to max to get a slightly overdriven amp distortion.

Playing Rock has more to do with rhythm styles and popular progressions. For instance, here is a popular way to strum:
G F

e-----3-------3-------1-------1---
b-----0-------0-------1-------1---
g-----0-------0-------2-------2---
d-----0-------0---3---3---3-3-3---
a-----2-------2-------------------
e-3---3---3-3-3-------------------
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


This is a very simple Rock style strum where you pluck the bass note, strum, then pluck the bass twice and strum the whole chord again. This is a common Rock strum.

The count for this would sound like One, Two, Three and Four, One, Two, Three and Four. You only strum the chord on Two and Four.

And this is also an example of a very common chord progression in Rock music. G to F is going from your Root or I chord to your flatted 7th chord.

G A B C D E F# G= G Major scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The 7th tone of the G Major scale is F#, so the flatted 7th would be a simple F Major chord.

This is the very beginning chords in My Generation by The Who. But the strum there is:
G F

e---3---3---1---1---
b---0---0---1---1---
g---0---0---2---2---
d---0---0-3-3-3-3---
a---2---2-----------
e-3-3-3-3-----------
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


This is a straight eighth note rhythm, but the style of strum is very similar. You strike a single bass Root note and then the whole chord.

Both of these strums have a very driving, forceful feel. This is Rock. Playing the bass Root note is very common in Rock as well.

Besides the flatted 7th chord, the flatted 3rd chord is also very popular. A common Rock progression is I IIIb VIIb. So in the key of E that would be E, G, and D. Try these chords with the strum style I showed and it should sound pretty heavy. The chorus of Sunshine of Your Love is A, C, G which is the Root, flatted 3rd, flatted 7th chord progression.

Another popular Rock progression is the Root, flatted 7th, and 4th chords. Taking Care of Business by BTO is an example. The progression is C, Bb, and F over and over. In G this would be G, F, and C in order (I am trying to give examples you can play without barres).

This is not all there is to Rock, but these are some basics that will get you started. Rock loves long sustained chords. Hit a chord and hold it forever. That is Rock (think of the intro to Can't Get Enough of Your Love by Bad Company). So Rock is a STYLE of playing.

Wes, That is an awesome explanation. It's funny you brought up that strumming pattern...I was doing almost that exact pattern today except I was only using a single bass not then full strum...not quite folk or bluegrass.

On a side note and all kidding aside wes, you really should consider writing a How To Guitar book. I know it's probably not your thing but you are very good at explaining things to beginners. You use "real" language that beginners can understand. Plus you are a "real" musician meaning you play out regularly (not saying others here don't do that). I really think you should consider this.

Thanks Mike

You know, I came to GN a couple of years ago and saw that the majority of folks here were beginners. And I remember the many years it took me to learn guitar. I never had lessons, so I pretty much learned everything the hard way, although I learned a lot from good books. But mostly I learned from copying records and experimentation, and once in awhile I learned by pure luck.

But anyway, I know that guitar is difficult to learn. So I thought I could be of help. And also, I remember what it is like not to know the language and jargon of music. So I purposely try to write in very simple straightforward terms that beginners can understand.

I often worry that people will think I am about myself or come across as a know-it-all. Believe me, I know very little. Fellows like NoteBoat know music. I just know the basics. And I am not some super-great player either. But I sincerely am trying to help beginners because I remember how hard it was.

It's still hard. :D

Thanks Mike.

Wes

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Wes you are the MAN ... every question I ask you reply in language that I understand , with out AT ALL SOUNDING LIKE A KNOW IT ALL ...

Anyone who believes that rubbish obviously has never learned to play the guitar or learned back when Noah was building the ARk and they know it all ....

I honestly appreciate your time Mr Inman for helping me able to play this thing one day , I have been around this site for over a year now and it's advise like this ( and the friendly people ) is why I keep coming back .

Side note just for you Wes started to pick lately and doesn't that sound nice ....

Thanks again

Hilch :?:

maybe there should be Wes's corner or ask Wes :idea:

Don't worry about playing lead guitar, most guitar playing is rhythm work anyways. If you just don't feel like playing leads then don't worry about it, there are tons of songs that don't have leads and you don't have to write songs with leads. If you do want to write leads but don't know how, then that's a bit different, the best way to go about that would be to start with something incredibly simple (there are solos out there that consist of only one note) and then move from there.

Hilch

You do not need distortion to play Rock. In the early 60's there was no such thing as distortion pedals. Guitarists at that time simply cranked their amps very loud to where the amp would overdrive. This is a very mild distortion compared to today's distortion.

Remember I Can See For Miles by The Who? Really, Pete Townshend's guitar was pretty clean. But he cranked it to max to get a slightly overdriven amp distortion.

Playing Rock has more to do with rhythm styles and popular progressions. For instance, here is a popular way to strum:
G F

e-----3-------3-------1-------1---
b-----0-------0-------1-------1---
g-----0-------0-------2-------2---
d-----0-------0---3---3---3-3-3---
a-----2-------2-------------------
e-3---3---3-3-3-------------------
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


This is a very simple Rock style strum where you pluck the bass note, strum, then pluck the bass twice and strum the whole chord again. This is a common Rock strum.

The count for this would sound like One, Two, Three and Four, One, Two, Three and Four. You only strum the chord on Two and Four.

And this is also an example of a very common chord progression in Rock music. G to F is going from your Root or I chord to your flatted 7th chord.

G A B C D E F# G= G Major scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The 7th tone of the G Major scale is F#, so the flatted 7th would be a simple F Major chord.

This is the very beginning chords in My Generation by The Who. But the strum there is:
G F

e---3---3---1---1---
b---0---0---1---1---
g---0---0---2---2---
d---0---0-3-3-3-3---
a---2---2-----------
e-3-3-3-3-----------
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


This is a straight eighth note rhythm, but the style of strum is very similar. You strike a single bass Root note and then the whole chord.

Both of these strums have a very driving, forceful feel. This is Rock. Playing the bass Root note is very common in Rock as well.

Besides the flatted 7th chord, the flatted 3rd chord is also very popular. A common Rock progression is I IIIb VIIb. So in the key of E that would be E, G, and D. Try these chords with the strum style I showed and it should sound pretty heavy. The chorus of Sunshine of Your Love is A, C, G which is the Root, flatted 3rd, flatted 7th chord progression.

Another popular Rock progression is the Root, flatted 7th, and 4th chords. Taking Care of Business by BTO is an example. The progression is C, Bb, and F over and over. In G this would be G, F, and C in order (I am trying to give examples you can play without barres).

This is not all there is to Rock, but these are some basics that will get you started. Rock loves long sustained chords. Hit a chord and hold it forever. That is Rock (think of the intro to Can't Get Enough of Your Love by Bad Company). So Rock is a STYLE of playing.
Hi Wes: never seen such an excellent explanation!!! Just a question: is it my ears or most rock patterns involves a bit of anticipation? I mean to play the classic 1,2,3&;4& pattern but changing the chord on the & of pattern 4? Well maybe this is not in 60's rock but more in 70's (like the Stones) or in 80's hard rock....

Matteo

Hi Hilch

I wish to add some additional notes to Wes's excellent explanations. If you play songs involving power chords (almost all hard rock or 80's rock ones), you shoud also master the following pattern

dd/dd/dd/dd

sometimes played with a single downstroke on beat 1

The resulting sound is a drivin "ta-ta,ta-ta,ta-ta,ta-ta" sound (sorry for the terrible example!)

You could listen to some examples of these patterns in songs like "About a girl" by Nirvana (verse only) or "2,000 Man" (Kiss's rendition, don't know Rolling Stones original one:-)!), or even "Every breath you take" by Police (well the original one is arpeggiated but the pattern is the same)

Matteo

sorry Hilch another addition

check this: http://www.fenderplayersclub.com/pdfs/lessons/basic_rock.pdf

It explains better my poor examples

Matteo

Hilch

If you go to the Easy Songs, I have just posted a tab for Bang a Gong, by T Rex. I am sure you remember this old one. It is super easy to play, and I have written it out so you can play it with open position chords. Another reason I posted this song was to give an example of the use of the flatted 3rd chord in Rock music. The song is in E, but uses the flatted 3rd chord G. Give it a try, sounds good on electric or acoustic.

Wes

For lead guitar, you usaly play solos,right? well to make solos you uasaly use scales. well you've heard of Jimmey Page,. Steve Vai, Dimebag Darrel(i might have spelled these names wrong). they all used a scale called the Pentatonic scale. it is mainly the base of most...almost all necessary scales. now there are many ways to play this scale. but heres the most used one. just keep this practicing it and add some flare.

---------------------------------------------------12-----15
------------------------------------------12----15----------
--------------------------------12-----14-------------------
----------------------12-----14-----------------------------
-----------12-----14----------------------------------------
12-----15---------------------------------------------------

notes for Scale E,G,A,B,D

I think you need to clarify you question. Give me an example of what you want to sound like and I can recommend guitars/amps/effects. Keep in my though that the reason jimmy page sounds like jimmy page is the way he plays. Open chords can work for rock along with bar chords. It really depends what type of sound you are going for. Hope that helps.