Understanding Intervals Guitar Lesson
Understanding Intervals
Before one can truly understand music theory the concept of intervals must be introduced. This lesson covers that topic in great depth.
Taught by David Wallimann in Theory and Improvisation with David Wallimann seriesLength: 27:40Difficulty: 2.0 of 5
Supplemental Learning Material
Theory and Improvisation with David Wallimann
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsDavid Wallimann will cover all of the topics necessary master the art of improvisation. He will cover theory, including intervals, scales and modes as well as techniques to improve ones improvisation.
Lesson 1
Understanding Intervals
Before one can truly understand music theory the concept of intervals must be introduced. This lesson covers that topic in great depth.
Length: 27:40 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Minor Pentatonic Scale
David teaches the minor pentatonic scale. He explains its scale formula, various fretboard positions, and how it can be used.
Length: 20:03 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Major Pentatonic Scale
David Wallimann moves on to cover the the major pentatonic scale. He teaches its scale formula, all five patterns, and gives advice on how the scale can be used.
Length: 9:46 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Blues Scale
In this lesson, David covers both the minor and major blues scales. He explains the formulas and patterns for each scale. In addition, David has included a backing track for you to play along with.
Length: 9:08 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Minor Modes
David Wallimann introduces three minor modes. In this lesson he covers Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian modes.
Length: 11:37 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Major Modes
David Wallimann covers three major modes in this lesson. He covers the Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian modes.
Length: 8:53 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Locrian Mode
David Wallimann introduces the Locrian mode. He explains its formula in terms of scale degrees as well as its five fretboard patterns. A few fun arpeggio-based ideas are also demonstrated.
Length: 20:37 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
The Magic Formula
David Wallimann teaches a magic formula that will allow you to play each of the modes up and down the entire fretboard. He also teaches some exercises to help cement this knowledge.
Length: 11:49 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Classifying Modes
David Wallimann talks about how modes can be classified and thus used in a musical context. This is a valuable wrap-up lesson to the mini-series on modes.
Length: 13:24 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Creating Chord Progressions
David Wallimann explains how to write diatonic chord progressions. This lesson features excellent practical music theory.
Length: 12:07 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Easy Outside Tricks
David Wallimann teaches a valuable fusion guitar technique that he calls "Easy Outside Tricks."
Length: 8:31 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Playing Modal with Pentatonic Scales
David Wallimann demonstrates how minor pentatonic scales can be used when improvising over the minor modes.
Length: 22:03 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Playing Modal with Major Pentatonic Scales
David Wallimann shows how the major pentatonic scale can be used in modal playing.
Length: 11:13 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About David Wallimann
View Full Biography
David was born in Aix-en-Provence, South France in 1977. At the age of 15, he picked up the guitar and started developing a true love for instrumental music and composition.
In 1999 he was recognized by Ibanez for his promising musical achievements and received an artist endorsement. That early recognition in David's musical career encouraged him to consecrate more time on crafting his musical art and apply to the school of modern music Artist' in Cavaillon, France. He received a full scholarship there where he graduated with honors.
In 2001, David won first place for the Tal Farlow French national jazz contest which gave him a full paid scholarship to the CMA school of modern music in Valenciennes, France. He graduated specializing in advance guitar with honors.
Following his school years, David spent the next 5 years working with several bands recording, writing and playing shows in France and Belgium. It's during that time that Wallimann was exposed to the world of progressive rock which opened new doors to his musical creativity.
Deep inside the Mind is his first release as a solo artist in which he exposes his Christian faith. The album was well received in the specialized press and was compared several times to some of Frank Zappa's approach to music adding an element of humor to deep subjects.
In 2005 he joined the internationally renown progressive band Glass Hammer based in Chattanooga, TN. He released several studio albums and live DVDs with the band.
David is today working on his next upcoming solo release and is also spending quite a bit of time teaching guitar in his studio and online at JamPlay.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.I've been bouncing around jamplay for a while and am bummed I didn't come across this series earlier. Would have saved myself a lot of frustration and confusion. Thanks David. Nice first lesson. Looking forward to the rest.
great teacher...a natural..
David, Great explanation. What if I want to play an interval with the root on the first or second string, fifth fret? What would the shape look like? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself or missing something?
Great explanation. Thanks a lot.
Great lesson!!!
Did you guys find the animated fretboard and such useful? I have no problem doing it for future lessons in this series but it added a LOT of extra time so I wanna make sure it was helpful.
David, Great Job of explaining the intervals (Major, Minor , Diminished, Augmented) all make so much sense now!!! I am already using the patten to help me with unison/octave pattern all over the guitar. That animated fretboard really helps understanding what you are trying to get across. Thank you again to for taking time to teach.
I found the animated fretboard very useful. It definately helped to visualize the pattern while David was explaining it. Not sure it would be as helpful in all types of lessons, but for discussing intervalic theory it was spot on!
Great lesson! Liked the fretboard on the lesson.
Fretboard was an important ingredient. Animated helpful but not substantially so.
Animated fretboard Fantastic
Great Lesson David. Thank you. I really liked the animated fretboard. It was great to see the pattern like that during the lesson. I can't wait to see lesson 2. I think this is what I've been missing for 20 years! I acn play tons of songs from tab but never really know what I'm actually doing. Thanks again!
Really usefull, indeed.
Hmm.. Looks like these lessons have been here for a while, without me noticing. There´s some theory in all the other phase 2 sections, but you kind of have to look for them and try to put them together by yourself.. So I´m still struggeling with which scales to play over a given pregression... Hope this series can clear some of this stuff up for me. Looking at the first video now, which is very very basic. But that´s the way it has to be.. Babysteps :) Gonna go through the other 8 tonight, and hope more are coming:)
thanx dave. so is this similar to counting the intervals on the aeolian mode or minor
Thank you David! Intervals now make much more sense to me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
Modern music after the impressionist era sounds very discordant. Is it because the composers have been tinkering around with intervals not falling neatly within the usual straight scale? I'll aslo add to the chorus of other posters and say I've never heard this topic expressed so clearly and easily before. Great lesson.
Well Done! I tink I was able to conceptualize and comprehend everything in this lesson (now I just need to practice and learn those patterns). I look forward to reviewing this lesson and viewing your other lessons as well.
Great lesson David. I really like the way you teach.
Thanks
Finally I understand intervals..... many many thanks.... awesome lesson....
great....where does this all take us....why is it helpful to know intervals....what can you do better once you understand intervals?
I got a bit confused... What is the difference between minor interval and diminished interval? You said that there`s no minor 4th but there is diminished 4th. Actually it all comes to going down a one fret, so if there is diminished 4th why there`s no minor 4th?
Al last - someone has talked about intervals in a way that I can make some sense of! Usually my brain goes blank when confronted with theory. Thank you.
you are a terrific teacher!
Great job Dave your the man!
Now I get it and use the fretboard is very useful.
great lesson david, fretboard was very helpful
You are an excellent teacher, making things easily understood.
David,Thamk you for your suggestion to watch this ,by far the best Lesson on the Fretboard I have. I'am enjoying it. Thanks Dennis
Dude that was gr8!!! Really helped! thanks.
hooah
This was amazing David, and just what I needed to make sense of it all. Love the theory stuff - its the manna!
Dude that was gr8!! really helped!
great lesson just what i needed,hope to see more,thanks i'm starting to get it.
David, you have a gift as a great teacher. I thought I understood intervals before, but not as completely as you taught them here. I am really looking forward to more of your lessons.
ditto
Hey David. Awesome lesson, you're a great teacher. You explain everything in depth, so it all becomes really logically...
so true
am so glad you are starting phase 2 lessons,these are the lessons i/ve been wanting-awsome
love it
Nice, I learned from this.
Great lesson David, I'm looking forward to more like this.
Nice job Dave! Very well explained:)
:)
Thanks a lot for the encouraging words everyone! It goes a long way! :-)
Great job, David! Learning songs has become a bit less fun for me lately and hopefully this lesson set will expand my knowledge of the fretboard so I can start making up some of my own stuff.