Let's Major on A Minor (Guitar Lesson)

This lesson builds on two previous lessons, using an extended A minor scale to add a melody to a track we strummed to a few lessons back, “Sonora”. Our scale uses the position shift introduced in the last lesson, and the melody itself demonstrates how minor scales can create a moody, evocative sound.

Watch where the scale is played through at 00:46. Building on the position shift concept, you should notice that this scale uses a different type of shift, the “glide shift”. A glide shift is when you slide a finger along the string to land in a new position. In this case, we slide the ring finger from the 3rd fret D on the second string up to the 5th fret E. This moves the hand into third position and allows us to reach all the way up to fret 6. By doing this, we’re duplicating the high E and F from the open position, but higher up the neck: on frets 5 and 6 of the B string.

The trick to the glide shift is to release the pressure while still maintaining contact with the string. The idea is not to drag the finger but to lightly glide from one location to another. With some practice this shouldn’t be difficult, and it’s helpful to your overall technique in that it reminds you not to grip too hard!

“Sonora” moves along at a pretty good pace, but if you’re been keeping up with practicing your scales (you DO review, don’t you?) your fingers should be working smoothly enough to reach everything in tempo. The phrasing should help: the tune is basically a series of short scale segments separated by sustained notes. If keeping up is a challenge, practice one phrase or segment at a time until you can play it comfortably.

Notice the use of the glide shift at 4:16 to move up to the high A, as well as the free finger shift a few notes later to return to the open position. The glide shift returns in the lead-in to the B section at 4:31. We remain in 3rd position for the rest of the B section until we glide back to set up the return of section A.

Taking a look at the music, notice the use of ties to extend the long notes between phrases. The opening note lasts for two and a half beats: a half note (2 counts) tied to the first eighth note of a pair (half a count). So the second note we strike is on the “and” of count 3, the second of the paired eighth notes. This is demonstrated with the count at the beginning of the second video. You’ll also hear that this rhythm is repeated, creating a distinctive rhythmic figure that helps define the melody. The first line ends with another tie, a three-count dotted half note connected to a single eighth. This leaves us with a stray eighth note at the end of the measure, on the “and” of 4…but this note is actually the first note of the second line. We call this a “pickup”, when a line begins with a note or notes that belong to the previous measure. When you listen, it’s very clear how that last note of the first line sets up the phrase to follow.

As always, your ears are still the most important part of this process. But don’t avoid either form of written notation, notes or tab. They’re both useful and each has its place. Perhaps most importantly, making a connection between eyes, hands, and ears is a big part of connecting the dots and developing your overall musicianship.

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