Playing Guitar By Ear is 80% Music Theory

Playing guitar by ear requires 80% music theory and 3 things to help you navigate this.
For more guitar help and free resources check out www.yourguitarsage.com.
Thanks for watching this video. Did you enjoy it or learn something new? If so, smash the 'thumbs up' and share this video with your guitar buddies.
Hit me with your comments and feedback below. Do you agree or disagree with this video? Love to hear your thoughts.
See you in the next video.
Keep up the practice.
e
:)
========================================
Check out YGS store for more details of each course or lessons go here: yourguitarsage.mykajabi.com/s...
Have you started 365 Guitar Plan?
7 Weekly Practice Focuses for All Guitar Players - Your Daily Guitar Exercise System no matter what level of guitar you are currently at go to: www.365GuitarPlan.com to learn more about 365 and get started today my friend.
Watch the First 30 Lessons for Free that are inside the Unstoppable Guitar System Go Here:
www.yourguitarsage.com/30
Join the Unstoppable Guitar System and to see all the details including the $1 trial for full access 30 days, go here: www.yourguitarsage.com
or go here to go straight to the $1 sign up: www.yourguitarsage.com/1
All New Live Webcasts - Sign Up List is Here Only: www.yourguitarsage.com/LIVE
To see the GEAR I use during my videos go here:
www.yourguitarsage.com/GEAR
====================================
If you haven't followed me on Facebook yet then what are you seriously waiting for? I'm doing Live Streams over there so that alone is an enough reason to come hang out with me :) Go here: / yourguitarsage
Be sure you are following me on Twitter: Follow Here: / yourguitarsage
GO here to follow me on Instagram: / yourguitarsage (Watch my stories for behind-the-scenes content each day)

[@yourguitarsage]

Did you agree or disagree with this video? Love to hear your feedback. Thanks for watching this video! Subscribe for more free guitar lessons and be sure to turn on notifications so you don't miss new videos. More videos to come first of next week. e :)

[@MrJosedaluz]

I don't play but i like your videos.

[@GaryBook]

I learned theory and it was critical to my playing. I play guitar but learned piano because it made the application of theory much easier. Knowing piano also made learning scales much easier. Playing bass also made it easier to learn scales. Playing 1 3 5 or 1 root to 5. I also play bass and I can play by ear as long as I know the key. The Nashville numbering system was also critical. So I agree, knowing music theory makes all the difference. If the song starts on a minor, than relate it to the major key; A minor is C major. E minor is G major.

[@SinnGread]

um … I would not say 80% but I would say understanding improves your ability to function. I mean the old saying is Prior prep prevents piss poor performance. but also you can not discard natural ability... and just go listen to Folks music from places that do not read or write. so yeah …. I have to say its more like 50/50 if we are just talking mechanics.

[@ufomadman]

@@SinnGread Natural ability ... sure it exists .. but practice trumps ability every time all day long

[@32shumble]

Agonisingly rambling.

[@joebeamish]

Lesson starts at 3:50

[@juradiordiyev]

Thank you!

[@destroso]

This should be the first thing you’re taught

[@thomaswalz3515]

You seem to be describing to theory people how ear people do music... which as a ear player, is way too complicated for me. I'll try to explain my learning process. I picked up a guitar, was shown a few chords of a pop song... that first giant step. My friend showed me more songs, more chords... I associated sounds with the patterns my fingers were playing. Eventually, these chords had names... After I moved away from my friend, I was on my own. I sat with recordings and duplicated the chords and notes the best I could... and to do this, I actually began learning to fingerpick. It worked. I had developed a system of learning songs. I listened played, repeated and repeated, eventually "getting it." I impressed other players at parties. I was shown some tablature by Woodie Mann... It was easy to figure out. When I came across standard tab, it didn't make sense. So, I went back to my old method, and eventually was working out extremely complex finger style pieces, Stephen Grossman, Van Ronk, a the old school acoustic Blues and Piedmont players, Blind Blake, Willie McTell, Broonzy, Rev. Davis... and didn't know a single scale or what any theory meant... It wasn't until I began playing with others that I learned what 1, 4, 5, etc meant... and 45 years later... still don't know what a flat 5 is... When I get together with theory based players, they explain their math to me, and I tell them to "just play, I'll get it." They play, I get it... and they are confused at how I do it without knowing the theory... and I can't explain it, but there it is. This video is total jibberish to me... but there are plenty of folks out there that it will make perfect sense to. Slowly, by default, I am learning theory... I think it was Barney Kessel who when asked if he studied theory, he said, "Just enough so it doesn't affect my playing." Meanwhile, I just pick up the guitar and play... while lost in the muse, almost unconscious of what my hands are doing, I'll play stuff that came from the ether... like a stray cat or dog that showed up on your doorstep, and won your heart.

[@festerboyle4840]

Thanks for explaining how you learned to play guitar without consciously knowing the theory behind it. I learned the open chords and how to play barre chords based on E and A. Then an older player advised me to learn by playing by ear - they told me to listen to old songs by The Ventures. These are easy songs to pick out the lead and the rhythm. I think more complicated songs might deter many players because we are used to being spoon fed and not putting in a lot of effort for seemingly small returns. However, if you can find some easy songs to get started on then you have set the foundation for learning by ear. Hats off to the Thomas Walz who seems to have gone further than most of us!

[@thomaswalz3515]

Well... I think I was blessed somehow... I have been told I've a "gift" of sorts. The best I can describe it is that the language of music came naturally to me, but so did welding. Another gift was the gift of time/money, in a day when I lived off of $66 a week. It paid my rent, utilities, food, I clubbed, dated, had an insured car, and even put money in the bank. During this period I practiced 6 to 12 hours a day for 2 years. I didn't do it out of discipline. I did it because I was having a ball, taking on the challenge of trying to figure out players like Blind Blake, Rev. Davis, Johnson. I listened too.... which I've discovered is also a form of practice, and half of training to play by ear. This was a most remarkable time of my life, and I was lucky the economically, the times were much kinder (1977/78). The amount of time you spend practicing/listening with intent, without distraction, with the instrument in your hand, is extremely important.

[@henryraymond8676]

10-4. The theory people somehow want you to understand the theory rather than play. I'd rather play to be motivated than try to figure out all the math, 1,3,5,7 diminished, etc. It's not that at some point it might be interesting to learn the theory behind what I'm doing but for now it's like listening to a lecture on reproduction rather than finding a hot woman.

[@thomaswalz3515]

: I understand... we speak the same language. A former band leader insisted we don't need to rehearse since the material is simple 1-4-5 variations. I tried to explain that I prefer to memorize the songs through intensive home and group rehearsal... he'd ridiculed me, telling me it's not necessary since he has chord/lyric charts and all we need to do is read them. I tried to explain to him that as an ear player, the rehearsals are necessary. Reading charts is multi-tasking. I do not have the acquired skill to be good at on such short notice, as was the situation. After the gigs, he again would lambast me for missed chords and screwed up lyrics.... I honor this guy for his musical skills and innate talent, but he is theory based, reads sheet music, writes music in every genre imaginable (including classical and jazz). It really is too bad... in spite of his skills and talent, he's not a great player or singer, and his reason for having me is that I am a good player and singer... so he was using me as an extension of himself, as if I somehow would become him by applying his methods. As an ear player, I am intuitive... able to do things with phrasing that cannot be put on paper, it comes from the gut, heart... not the head. To me, music is all about tone and timing... music is the sound of emotion, expression... My way is to memorize the piece, rehearse it until it becomes intuitive, and perform it with all I have... from sensitive love ballads to angry rock. People who play with chord/lyrics in front of them are reciting, not playing. I remember seeing Itzhak Perlman perform a very long violin solo with his eyes closed... it moved me to tears... he gets it. He learned and rehearsed that piece obsessively, so well, that he could play it with soul dripping emotion. What blows me away is that music played emotively makes some people very uncomfortable... too bad. Ok... speaking of which, it's time to hit the studio.

[@Lonewolf23-26]

exactly as it is for me as well, he lost me halfway through this video but your explanation sounds very very similar to mine as well as your experience with theory players I've had the same as well. I guess we are lucky either way enjoyed reading your comment more than the video itself lol

[@leroyosbourne3808]

I am a professional musician and guitar teacher with many years of experience This is great instruction for those who do not have a naturally "good ear". I was pleasantly surprised to to see your approach to teaching the basics is similar to mine, but better. Good job!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@otak3133]

Absolutely amazing how kind you are to put all the info you have on here for free.

[@doinitoutdoors184]

He makes money from it, just not from you

[@Frankybroadcast]

I was self taught. I figured out all my scales and "modes" by trial and error. One day I printed up a bunch of scales off the computer, to broaden my horizons. As I was working through runs, it dawned on me, "Hey. I've used this here. I've used that there". I basically knew all the scales and modes already, I just didn't understand what or why I was doing what I was doing. I just knew it sounded right to me.

[@ThePoorMusician]

This is the problem I have with these types of videos. I started learning Guitar a couple years ago on KZbin and this is the problem I had. EVERYONE was saying they're going to teach music theory, master the fretboard "in 7 days", etc, etc but never delivered in there video. They would go over CAGED system, fretboard patterns, and everything else but nothing worked. You had a 17 minute video and spent 10 minutes of it telling stories and explaining. In my opinion, taking 7 minutes to explain something that takes you 1 or 2 sentences to say is kind of time consuming. I have learned more about guitar and music theory on my own than I did on KZbin. Right now we are in 2020 with people losing there jobs, the world is chaos, etc. Even though i'm no expert I think I can explain learning guitar to a beginner better than most teachers on KZbin. With people out of work and interested in taking up guitar a guitar instructor cost too much money and you'll learn at a much slower rate. Learning on KZbin is just going to confuse you because nothing is structured and you end up hoping around (because of "click bait" titles) and just getting confused. My intention is not to talk bad about your video here, just how frustrating this is for someone seriously wanting to learn because I been through it and I'm sure others have too. My channel has been idle for sometime now but now I have the spare time to spend to making beginner guitar videos.

[@gabematthews4993]

I havent been playing guitar for very long and I learned how to play the overworld theme from super mario world on guitar completely by ear. All I did was mess about playing some notes and I eventually found the notes in the song and put the pieces together

[@cei2513]

Tabs exist

[@gabematthews4993]

@@cei2513 I know

[@icarus7073]

When I was a boy in school age 9 or 10 there was a recorder group and they were learning the notes off sheet music... I listened to the song went home practiced what I heard and went back next day asking if I could join the group... I said I already know the song the group is learning.. the teacher said that was ridiculous didnt give me a chance to show her and said I can't join because I cant read music ... honestly

[@byronlowder]

It doesn't hurt for anybody to refresh on this stuff occasionally, thanks Erich.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@MrAussiejuice]

Wow, fantastic tips for this 20 years of playing beginner. Thanks love your work

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@davidkastin4240]

I'm playing about 20 years also and still consider myself a beginner. Lol. Good news is there are 5 levels of guitarist and I would say by now we are level 2-3 ? I enjoy the heck outta it at any level. I also can verify that buying an expensive guitar doesn't make you play better 😆 but will get you some respect

[@darkswaninthetardis_5179]

I learned about these things in college (I'm a music student) - I absolutely LOVE music theory class - but I never knew how to apply it to playing guitar. I didn't even really care to think about applying it to guitar. When going through all the thousands of different lessons on KZbin, it is way too overwhelming to even get started, so I usually don't and just settle for the basic strumming of easy chords. This causes me to feel inadequate (and bored) at my gigs and I start to cut songs off my set list faster than I can learn new ones. It helps to know where to start. Thank you for this information. I look forward to actually starting my guitar learning journey so I can play like James Taylor and Jack Johnson!! :)

[@boreytheboat6256]

TheDooo is godly at playing by ear

[@pabloalfaro2595]

absolute animal when it comes to shredding man

[@manyabhogra1563]

I came here because of him only 💀💀

[@theshamemachine1828]

And to top that comment, he doesn't use theory.

[@TheWartechgaming]

@@theshamemachine1828 yes he does

[@sportidiots6587]

@@theshamemachine1828 I’m a video he says I learn songs by ear which is using some theory

[@craigroseburgh9348]

Man thanks, I have learned so Much from this video!

[@renegadealj]

Super clear and straight forward video. Erich hits all the points and explains them in a concise manner leaving a path forward in learning theory of music and the basics. Do the 30 free video course as I am and listen to as many of his new videos along the way. It all culminates in an "AHA" moment at some point that makes me thirst for more. We all struggle at some point. Just slow down and re-visit what is causing you to agonize. Maybe a bit more time at some technique or just more practice will get you over the hump. It is truly a blast learning from Erich. So glad I stumbled upon him here on the utube plethora of instructors. You "ROCK" Erich.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you so much my friend 🙌

[@sasosahinov4481]

The best video on you tube for how to play by ear. Great job. Thank you

[@DVBreen]

Thank you YGS.... I found this easy to grasp and informative.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you Daniel

[@saurabhkaushal2373]

Great video as always Eric!!Thanks much

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@johnnybx3254]

Great overall view of what it takes to succeed!👍

[@JRLEY]

Right on, theory is great stuff! Working on applying it, UGS is a huge help. Thanks man!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you J.R. 🙏

[@richardmilner8469]

You, sir, are very smart and smart enough to explain the principles in an accessible way.

[@yourguitarsage]

🙌

[@AFIA2000]

Thank you for the information☺ It's realy helpful!

[@biggSHNDO]

You presented well, and thank you.

[@LuisRiveraOtero1]

Loved it dude! Very cool video and attitude, this is what you tube and the net are about, great work man!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you Luis🙌

[@jimbuck2996]

Excellent! These ideas work for 95% of us.

[@vovkin1001]

Thank you for giving your time. I just started learning guitar. I like your method.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you my friend 🙌

[@isaacang3336]

totally agree. great video as always!

[@opendoorproperty]

Erich: as always, great material, great explanation. I've been looking for info like this, that makes sense. I'm glad it's something that can be learned and you don't have to be the Golden Child who plays guitar like Hendrix the very first time you pick it up. I'm willing to put in the work to get better, so thanks for tools. I look forward to checking out your other videos. Keep'em comin'.

[@filipinasinger]

Hi Erich! A new subscriber here. Thanks for your generosity, I'm now excited to do more than playing chords on my guitar. You are an amazing teacher. The way you teach is very clear and fascinating to me. I can't wait to learn how to make David (my guitar) accurately express my musical thoughts to the world! (I'm being funny and serious there. lol.) Anyway, I've already signed up for your free lessons, let's see how fast I can go through them so I can catch up with your most recent ones. Again, appreciate you being here on KZbin. More power to you !

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you so much Ryn. I appreciate that! Let me know what you think of the first 30 lessons 🙌

[@WilliamHopperMusician]

Not ditzing you in any way. Like others that know music theory, you approach music from a theory perspective. You approach playing by ear from a theory perspective. There is another way. You intellectualize music. You don't need to. You need knowledge of your instrument but you don't need knowledge of music theory. You can learn a scale without knowing about intervals, without knowing the names of the notes or the tonal center. Many, many people can sing, but if you starting talking music theory, you may as well be from another planet. Singing does not require music theory. We learn how to vocalize tones with our vocal cords. We can sing a note by matching the tone. No theory required at all. Playing by ear requires knowledge of the notes on your instrument. Not what the notes are but where they are. One can sing without music theory knowledge simply by tone matching with their voice. On any instrument there are the necessary notes to play melodies. We can through experimentation find the tone we sing. We don't talk from birth, we learn speech by listening and matching the sounds by using our vocal chords. We learn how to form vowels and the skills necessary to produce tones - phonetics etc. But we are not academically taught this. Put a piano in front of someone and they can pick out melodies without theory in the same way they learned to talk or to sing. Find a note enough times on a piano and you begin to know where it is. So it is with playing by ear. You know where the notes are. You don't need to know where the tonal center is to match a note you hear with one on the fretboard. When I was 7 I could play many songs on the guitar and on lap steel. I could not tell you the names of the notes I was playing though, because I learned by imitation. Over the years, I came to learn the note names. Recently I began studying theory. Now I still do what I do, but I can now tell someone what notes I played. I still play what I hear, but now I know how to communicate it. I'm not against music theory. Without it the Masters of old could not have their music recorded. There weren't audio recording devices in the time of the Masters. Recording was done by writing the note down so others could recreate. There is value in music theory. No question on that. But I think it is difficult for one that learned music by applying theory to really understand what it is to play by ear. To truly play by ear. I suspect to most playing by ear means playing without sheet music. Playing by ear is simply playing by matching tones on ones instrument. Same way we sing Amazing Grace without having any music theory training. It is never wrong to understand what we do. But it is wrong to say we can't do it if we don't understand what we're doing.

[@bullet4965]

Exactly , just "feeling" out the process or playing by ear to learn is not from a theory perspective but that's ok. You can learn and enjoy music your own way and that's what makes music awesome!!!

[@tedmarshall7513]

Amen you are correct I'm a singer and I can agree

[@kedarrana2747]

You are right but playing with ears using trial and error and not knowing notes could make it worse for a normal player. You know that what you saying that playing all over the neck without use of theory make it very difficult and it requires a lot of experience. But playing using theory requires a bit of knowleand little experience. There are so many chords to choose by hit and trial but if you know the root note by ear then by using the theory you can find 5-7 chords to choose from instead of finding from 100s of them.

[@smokingsection3358]

I agree. I have no idea what he's talking about in the video. Been playing for 25 years by ear and once somebody starts talking in technical terms, they lose my attention.

[@johnulcer]

I look at theory as building blocks, and you can definitely have a nice foundation without them, but it depends what you're trying to build. I was an advanced classical pianist as a kid. By age 10, I was playing Chopin and my music teacher ranked me above all her students except for one in his 20s who had been playing his entire life. I surpassed him by age 12, much to her delight. She wanted to push me toward going to school for music, but at age 13 or so, I began to think piano "wasn't cool" and I wanted to learn guitar, but never stuck with it. Thing is, I NEVER learned theory behind piano. I could read notes on the sheet music, but when it came to understanding beats per measure, keys/roots, etc, I had no clue. I couldn't even tell you what C major really meant (and still can't), but I could play the keys like nobody's business. I'm now 31 and about a year ago I picked up a guitar for the first time in a decade. I wish I had stuck with it but abandoned both piano and guitar in my teens. Never got very far with guitar the first time around. Anyway, I almost instinctively began to know what notes were and were not right while playing along with tabs, even though I didn't understand the theory. I won't lie, I'm still not advanced at guitar by any means, but by playing along with tabs on Songsterr over the last year, I've found recently that I can play almost any song and immediately locate the key without really knowing that the key is. I just immediately know which notes sound right and how to jump up and down the neck. HOWEVER... I wish I'd learned theory, too, because when it comes to integrating chords and knowing the logic and structure behind them all, that's where I'm lacking. I'll never be as savvy around a guitar neck as someone like John Mayer (not even comparing my talent to his, I mean just in terms of his knowledge of theory) because he knows the ins and outs of every scale and how it connects to whatever he's playing, which chords he can play not just in one form but at all different areas of the neck. When I listen to his tutorials explaining different scales my eyes glaze over and I feel frustrated because I just don't get any of it and wish I did. So I think yes, you can get a "feel" for music quite certainly by just playing along to songs. Tabs certainly help as you'll begin to recognize different patterns and what sounds right. But without the theory you'll always reach a certain limit. Then again some guitarists have a signature sound without theory - for example Slash may not have the knowledge of John Mayer, but you hear a Slash lick and you know it's him almost immediately. There are countless guitar theory virtuosos on KZbin who can play anything but don't really have a style all their own and just (in my opinion) rely too much on theory and intellectualizing the music. So although theory is important for a well rounded knowledge of music, I think at the end of the day the best thing you can do is just play.

[@TheCastingOnCouch]

I am that person that has spent hours trying to replicate what I hear without solid music theory. Thanks for the advice. Such a beautiful cabled sweater by the way!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@hannaobrc1947]

Totaly understand ur video and point.Years ago when i only know open chords , some Barr chords and play along campfire..then i stop no more fun no progress ( Life come)for 15 years..But know i am into how to "solo" into 6 month learning/ practice major scales ,minor etc..When i learn all scales are just derivates from Diatonic scales was big aha moment..then seeing visualize , paterens , repeating all ovet fretboatd..for me when improvize with knowing major, minor, core tones open totaly new world of quitar.just learning licks dont help u much.. but when u "create licks" put into any key all over the ftetboard ..wooow this is power/knowledge couse u know basicly the scale ur Roots 3rd etc..great content..

[@TheFreeman4955]

Outstanding! My strategic plan is to play guitar. You just gave me a tactical roadmap to get there!

[@yourguitarsage]

👍. Love the name! DeckApe😜 www.yourguitarsage.com/30 if you need help.

[@sssnida8231]

Your attitude is amazing 😻

[@pwrouzaud]

I came to this channel as an attempt to unravel (what for me is a) the mystery of playing by ear. I picked up the ukulele late in life and sometimes I know automatically the next cord. However, typically, I have to follow the music displayed in front of me. NOW, I am not disagreeing (in what follows) with this outstanding teacher, but here is some of the mystery: I learned another instrument at age 6 and became proficient with it, before age 7. I was able to play any song 'by ear after hearing it and familiarizing myself with it after hearing it a few times. Oddly, I found I wasn't unique, most others were also capable of playing this 'instrument,' and were able to do the same! All without any music theory! What instrument? Simply, whistling. Thanks for this video, excellent stuff!

[@davidstrappazon8392]

Very useful ans great explanations.

[@aman7555]

Thank you soo much, subscribed!

[@aman7555]

If you could, I would like to recommend a video tutorial on how to decrypt song vocals as guitar melodies. I understand it's in the major scale but like you mentioned it's a map of the world.. Eg Shape - e note of - f note you - e note on the scale. Vocal to absolute guitar melodies, makin my guitar sing the song coz honestly i am a bad singer

[@Frankybroadcast]

I learned all my scales by trial and error. Self taught. I could eventually fly through them, and would use different 'modes' because they just fit. When I finally went to learn theory, I realized that I already taught myself theory by accident. I downloaded scales and modes and noticed, "Hey! I use that here, and use this there". I learned the whole major scale pattern up and down the neck on my own, and learned that modes were pretty much more or less where you placed the root, and whether the chords in the song were minor or majors. The notes in the scale had to fit with the chords. I had a big "AHA" moment when I went to learn it though. I knew what I was doing the whole time, but had trouble explaining it when I would try to teach someone who asked for lessons, for example. Now I have a better understanding I think.

[@ksmithreps1]

Good stuff as always! Thanks for all that you do to make the world a more peaceful place!

[@theark890]

I agree with this video, and I like how quick and easy you make it. That’s how I learned, but before KZbin and internet tabs and such. When I was young my Dad taught me 4 basic chords - C, G, D, A. Never had a true teacher or lessons, but for about 3-4 years practiced these chords for fun, playing old folk and country music, while figuring out minors and barchords from an old chord fingering chart. From there I could listen to old Clapton vinyl and slowly figure out chords and notes, and slowly got better at hearing the key they were in (but couldn’t play on demand, aka “play in Cm”). I played in 3 to 4 bands throughout middle school and high school, and from there I figured out tempo, timing, and my strumming got way better. Didn’t learn any “theory” until college because I had a good friend that went to music school, so he taught me theory using a piano, and then guitar when we jammed after. He showed me pentatonic and diatonic scales, and from there I could almost play anything by ear with a little time to noodle around the neck and figure out the changes. Thanks for your video, good to refresh the basics, even if you summed up multiple years of my guitar learning into a 20 min video. Haha.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you my friend 🙌

[@music-kl9pp]

Thanks.

[@leondadoun5421]

I'd like to know more about how to use this concept in building leads and more on how to know where on the fret board those leads should be built off of?

[@meaderyrecords3978]

Your point is well taken - I know quite a bit about celestial navigation. You need a sextant and an EXTREMELY accurate wristwatch or you will only have a vague idea of where you are and can be off by hundreds of miles. There's a saying that if you rely only on "dead reckoning" (just relying on where you think you are and where you think you're headed) that you will indeed end up dead. Similar for guitar, but fortunately not life threatening!!!

[@TR-zf6io]

What model strat is that? It’s beautiful. Looks lightly reliced.

[@sixmonthssleep3057]

Excellent video

[@yourguitarsage]

🙌

[@antonysajij]

Hey Erich .. I totally know and get everything said above in the video I've been playing the guitar for about 3 years now and I am trying so hard to figure out chords by ear though I know the tonal centre I wana know how exactly do you navigate the next chord is it always a pattern.. would you show us a example of how you choose to hit the right chord in those 6 chords ( the most used apart from the dimished ) Like some times when am in a key and I really don't know which chord to choose like when do I hit a minor and when major how exactly do I go to the next place or town as you've explained above .. Please help me with this ..

[@rockyyoung6246]

very helpful

[@hypersonicmonkeybrains3418]

im a big ear player, but also consider any theory i can learn and retain as very valuable. I remember the first time i picked up guitar, it felt very natural for me and i had great relative pitch so i could find the notes to match the music i was hearing on the radio with relative ease, and improvising felt natural to me... However after years of hard practice and learning quite a bit of theory im way beyond where i would have been if i'd have neglected practice and study. Theory gives you options and lays down a safe map of what you can and cant do, rather than relying on instinct only.

[@yourguitarsage]

👍🙌

[@benitadsilva852]

Very informative

[@JohnJones-mu6gu]

I always thought about different tones in terms of like the distance in between them. Seems to help me. Like how far off this tone sounds from what that tone sounds like

[@creativestudio4873]

Very interesting. I screw around a little with a guitar. I found that when learning songs , when you learn several songs by the same artists, you can pick up what some of the parts are when you listen to other things that artist has done or others that may do the similer style. Different tunings and tones do make it tricky when you start out but, after awhile you might be scewing around and hit a couple of notes or cords then your like.... hey thats such and such....

[@Arkoudeides.]

Thanks for the lesson.I have a question.If the 4rt note of my melody scale is a minor (ex. a.minor) which chord i use a minor or a major?.

[@permculture]

As a teacher, an important thing that I have learned is that not everyone learns the same. Maybe this video is not how you learn but it sure works for me. thanks

[@yongchaozhao8971]

God bless you.

[@jamesmryncza2957]

This video is profound and haven't heard it put in this way before. I have no training, can't read music, don't even know the names of the chords really. You call it center point, I see the beginning moving out and back inwards, up and back down without structure just going by the sound. Never took lessons so nobody could tell me I'm doing something wrong. It works only for me. I really enjoyed this video😁

[@yourguitarsage]

🙏 here is the basic theory you need my friend: www.yourguitarsage.com/30

[@poseidon3032]

I learned and replicated by ear. Never exact, but fairly close. Music theory and other technical jargons are just ways to to put a language to it IMO. Like you said they are tools. I did find it helpful. Great music is also made when we aren't too trapped in the technicals. If I could play everything that I hear in my head, I would be very well off. I liken it to tapping into ia radio frequency that no one else can pick up. Many call that inspiration, but when it's on it feels as if it's more than that. Shame it doesn't happen more often. Shame I don't have all the skills to replicate my inspirations.

[@Babs42]

What about using your voice/ear to help you phrase though?

[@jeevatsingh254]

Yoo mr.erich looking good today... love that winter outfit you wearing... rock on

[@yourguitarsage]

🙌

[@Leeallicat]

Greeting from England Erich hoping you can help. I have playing over 10 years and am a fairly proficient rhythm player and can play minor and major pentatonic scales, but after years of trying im still unable to escape the box and develop any proficiency in lead playing can you advise the best way forward or which of your videos I should be watching? Cheers Lee

[@ufomadman]

Take a look on youtube for YourGuitarSage Breaking Out of the Blues Box: How To Embellish the Blues Scale take a look see if this helps also join Erich on his live broadcasts every month I am sure you will love his teaching style

[@nicholaswoolfenden5254]

An ear is a great advantage. I don't agree with you. I know guys who don't even know names of chords but are in great shape. Every time.

[@akifguler2404]

Game changer information

[@yourguitarsage]

🙏

[@joshuajaimes121]

What's the next video, I should watch pertaining to this subject in music?

[@Jmsulliv43]

Thanks for the video. I see what you mean, but I think the initial analogy is flawed (pilot and instruments). The “theory” of music would have to be apples to apples, so in this case it’d be the “instruction for flying”. We wouldn’t take the flying instruments out of the plane, just like we wouldn’t take the guitar away from the musician. A learning pilot without great knowledge to fly but a good feel in a working plane could maybe figure out how to fly without much instruction and eventually become the best from the learning approach and natural feel and still have no clue what the technical terms mean, just like how a musician with a good ear can hear and play with feel and no required theory.

[@phumeoli]

"The Analyst" :)

[@dball5243]

Bravo! You sir, are most definitely my guitar Sage!

[@a.G]

Just shared this video on my social network because I know you speak the truth. I have played with many musicians, and I can almost jam with them instantaneously. Why? Because I know music theory, number theory and intervals. That's why.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you my friend 🙌

[@ArsonComplex]

Hey what type of strat is that?

[@byronofcalgary6985]

learners should try A minor because of no sharps or flats - just A - B/C - D -E/F - G - A - learn simple stuff on only the A string - then move to 2 strings A + D - then 3 - put dots on every A note/fret - then dot only the B/C & E/F jumps - VOILA - 3 landmarks for the A minor scale - that A minor pattern you learn in various spots is going to LOOK like EVERY Minor scale... just shifted around - - now the extra bonus - the A minor scale uses no sharps or flats just like the C Major scale - same dots for A - B/C and E/F - just start at C... C - D - E/F - G - A - B/C - that MAJOR scale pattern in all those loc'ns will LOOK like every MAJOR scale - just shifted around - now the extra extra bonus - want to learn Modes ? - play D - E/F - G - A - B/C - D or even F - G - A - B/C - D - E/F - yes Major and minor are just 2 of 7 modes - learn the 7 patterns using no sharps or flats by starting at a diff note A to A ... B to B . C to C . D to D etc - again the dots for A - B/C and E/F remain - - the whole idea is simply to learn all the scale shapes with no sharps or flats - that is huge ! - you learn the neck which will never change no matter what scale you play - you learn the scale patterns which will never change no matter where you start - imagine learning theory on a piano where you ignore all the black keys until you get the basics down - since Internet Ink is free... here's a super obvious demo of how easy this can be - start on Open A string - play A - B/C then Open D play D - E/F

[@YuriLifeLove]

The problem is sometimes the guitar part not loud enough and the mix make the melody ambiguous, i know the scale, i try to do the melody from what i hear, it's work but when i listen to the song again i still feel something is not right

[@ktoppert99]

It actually naturally came to me playing by ear but the only thing I don’t know is song I only know what it sounds good can you give me any advice how to get better at song is it just keep playing or should I do something different

[@LonskiBig]

....Agreed...

[@williamcastleberry7338]

Well I hate to disagree, but some people do hear different than others, a lot depends on how good their hearing is. I have played music for 40 years by ear. I have played music with some people that could hear a song one time and play it. My ex-wife could hear a song one time and sit down and play it on the piano. And to this day there are times that I still can't hear the changes in some songs. So I say for sure, some people do hear music different than others. I have also played music with people that didn't know one chord from another, and they could hear a song one time and play it, and they sure didn't know music theory.

[@TR-zf6io]

William Castleberry i have to mostly agree with you. But I think those you speak of are the rare exception, not the rule. As I’m sure you know, with some knowledge AND training (it also helps if you train your ear at a young age), most people can learn what he’s teaching and apply it. I also think there are some people that no amount of training or knowledge can help. But they too are the exception, not the rule. For most people, it’s an achievable goal and skill that can be learned

[@attilafitzpatrick6881]

Right....k...and how long have these people been playing and what did the know. Music is not different then learning a new language. Some folks Hear better, not differently.

[@rockermanpre747]

Clearly this video is about promising to teach the viewer the basic music theory to make it easier to learn songs by ear. But the video dosent deliver what it promises so its a teaser to buy my course etc,etc,etc. Why dont you just man up and say hey i have a course on this subject and heres how to get it. Dont waste my time by pretending that your going to help me to improve my ear playing skills for free! By the way any of the great guitar players you might care to mention definitely have a much better natually developed ear as the basis for their ability to solo and improvise on guitar, Blackmore, Slash, Buddy Guy, Malmsteen ,Vai, Satrianni, etc started out with a remarkably above average musical ear. Listen to the melodies of these great players and where they choose to take their solos and their note choice selection past the basic guide tones will prove this in a very concrete fashion.

[@ufomadman]

Hi Rockerman .... if you want to improve or just get started playing guitar, seriously Erichs first 30 lessons are free for the taking I went tru his free thirty then joined his course but Honestly the first 30 are completely free and Erich is sincere when he says he wants to help you learn to play... and hes quite a great and inspirational teacher ... It Wont cost you a cent to sign up for the free 30 not a penny he spends tons of time each month answering any questions you might have..... Good luck Happy Holidays hope to see ya Rockin your Guitar.. Dave

[@MusicalMorphosis]

@Rockerman pre You lucky, at least your comment didn't get deleted.

[@lowenbad]

I think some people are born with the natural ability to simply hear and sound out musical intervals without the exposure to theory. I’ve almost been handicapped by this ability. Learning theory was a huge challenge for me because my intuition felt like it was an unnecessary step because I was already doing it without naming it. Analysis of music is extremely counter intuitive to me. I’m not dismissing it. It took me years to understand this about myself and other musicians like me. We tend to be the songwriters and not the session players.

[@louistech112]

Best way to describe this is relative pitch vs perfect pitch. Ppl who are born with perfect pitch can hear a song play it after hearing it once but they still have to know how to play their instrument and know chords. These people can play with out knowing theory. However they can’t solo unless they learn theory. Relative pitch is when you can hear something a find the relative note for that song then you figure out the professions and melodies by playing a scale over it ect.

[@yourguitarsage]

You've got the general idea 👍

[@Francispyr]

I need help Everytime I’m try to guess the chord is always wrong and is so frustrating and hard and I go back to the apps where it show the chord for song 😅

[@enigmatv4599]

How can i know the scale of a song??? Plzzzz

[@michaeljung7146]

dang, at the later part of video , you just gave me the map of town where to go , not a map of world.

[@nickpeterson6647]

That sweater and a guitar are the only instruments you would need to navigate the greatest of ships!

[@yourguitarsage]

🔥😂

[@maryannedegoede6237]

I wonder if Pythagoras and his one string started all this great stuff. I had a dream that the 1, 3 and 5 chord are naturally on certain places on that one string. I did enjoy your breakdown of music theory. I took these classes in college and have tons of books but basically what you want to do is just play. Thanks for cutting to the chase and not making it rocket science or brain surgery. I would suggest just finding your song on one string.

[@TheKeesBoerMinistryChannel]

So, tonal center is the same as key? Right?

[@paulwesterveld5900]

Ja, meestal wel. Dwz ‘tonal center’ is de grondtoon (C, D, ... ) en ‘key’ is de toonschaal (mineur, majeur, dorisch, etc.) Dus het is dan bijv. D-majeur of C-dorisch.... De grondtoon is de laagste noot van de schaal. Schalen hebben verschillende toon-‘afstanden’.

[@TheKeesBoerMinistryChannel]

Dat had ik niet verwacht.... een Nederlands antwoord.

[@peytonschrock5328]

Great video, if i hnderstood it im super confused hahahahah

[@DanneoYT]

You are putting yourself at a disadvantage by not learn theory. Helps communication as well

[@reilol544]

where do i start theory

[@bradcarmichael3012]

Are Tonal Center and Key the same thing?

[@kgmessier]

Tonal center and key are related, but they are not one and the same. Take, for example they keys of C major and C minor. In both cases, the tonal center is the note C. However, the key signature of C major is different from that of C minor. (Specifically, C major has no sharps or flats, while C minor contains the notes B-flat, E-flat, and A-flat.) The concept of modes expands upon this by taking any given key signature (or scale) and altering the tonal center in several ways to get different feelings from the same key signature.

[@chriscurtis8344]

Brad Carmichael good question. Now you imagine getting that answer from an untrained person . Does it seem like KM knows what he’s talking about? There’s a reason. No piano or guitar in around and the guy gave you the answer . That, my friend is the communication of competence and compassion . The quack is one thing the doctor is another .

[@Ryan78336]

Watching this in my car, and now I simply must get back home to my beloved guitar and buy this out in my own instrument.

[@yourguitarsage]

💪👍

[@uhcudll7867]

Honestly I know no music theory AT ALL and I could hear chords and show you which ones they are because I’ve played them so much everyday I’m not an expert guitarist only been playing for maybe a year I just have a good ear and that passion for music

[@remb9614]

I find much like humming a tune, I can navigate the fretboard and make the sounds I want because I have spent sooo much time with the guitar. Playing by ear for me started with memorizing the sounds my guitar makes. Now I’m older and I’m trying to go back and learn the theory behind what I’ve been playing (which would have made playing easier to begin with). It’s like a parrot just imitating words but doesn’t understand language. So yeah, I can play almost anything I want...but I have no idea why it works, I’m just imitating sounds.

[@fasuto8656]

ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMENT SECTION SAY THE SAME EXACT THING AS THEY WERE GENIUSES. "because I have spent soooo much time with the guitar". LITERALLY ANYBODY CAN MIMICK A FUCKING SONG PLAYING THE NOTES ON A GUITAR. YOU'RE NOT FUCKING SPECIAL THE PROBLEM COMES WITH THOSE THAT ACTUALLY WANT TO MIMICK IT THE CORRECT FUCKING WAY AND HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA IF THEY'RE CORRECT OR WRONG. THAT'S MY PROBLEM

[@childofgod89ad29]

💫

[@chriscurtis8344]

The best deal is to be able to enjoy both methods . Not and/or. Both . Intuition and intellect and training. Some people just can’t afford or don’t want lessons . I know a guy who can read but is a limited improviser and can not compose. There’s a lane for him, and believe me, he stays in that lane . You play like the type of person you are.

[@yourguitarsage]

And then you learn something new and it changes your playing and the lane you can go in.

[@ziblot1235]

I learned the theory later. I just "hear" it. If I can hum it...I can play it.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

This is not how I play by ear. I listen to a song and I solo a melody on top of it that I invent as I go along or draw from licks and phrases. It is the product of listening to music and learning it note by note - by ear. Same to get the chords. I use my ears. Over the years I have learned a bit of theory. It put's some names on things. That's all. It does not factor into my playing. I NEVER analyse when I play. I listen. As long as you can hear and recognize a 7 note it doesn't matter what it's name is.

[@georgemonsanto4018]

A guy who knows what he's saying. Thanks

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@a.dibenedetti7309]

So you mean to tell me that Rick Tyler went to School to learn music Theory?

[@hanskung3278]

How did you arrive at 80%

[@yourguitarsage]

It’s a secret math formula 😛

[@blcouch]

I’m a boat captain. The statement about not being able to do the job without tools isn’t true. Obviously I need a boat to drive. Beyond that I can do alot without “tools”.

[@markmeadows7093]

I have played for years, hours a day. I have speed, dope as licks, and plenty of variation. I can't connect the notes up the neck. Everything sounds the same, no matter what combination I play. It's very frustrating, as I have plateaued. The minors, majors, 5ths, are confusing to me. So is chord progression, it's just not clicking. Maybe I should go back to square one, and just study the chords and all the notes. I'm going mainly by ear, and trying to learn at the same time. Watching videos hasn't been too much help either. Maybe throw in the towel?

[@yourguitarsage]

Don’t throw in the towel! Nothing wrong with “going back to the basics” to fill in some holes in your playing. Can start with reviewing the Free 30 Course I offer. Will possibly fill in some of those holes for you. yourguitarsage.com/30

[@chriscurtis8344]

Mark Meadows what you have is a sense of rhythm and FEEL! Guitar Sage is giving us a lesson that will keep people from chasing their tail.

[@anuvette]

Listen to different genres of music that you would normally not listen to

[@billiebone7513]

I think that folks that do not have a good ear for music are never able to play successfully by ear. I play by ear only and I know at the very start what the sounds are that I want to hear. If you can hum a song accurately you can easily learn to play it by ear.

[@robertw1871]

That’s pretty much it, it’s difficult to get a handle on it before it gets easy.... practice practice practice.... no way around that.... spend as many hours a day you can with your instrument....spend a month counting whole whole half whole whole whole half’s out while naming the notes, it’s horribly boring and frustrating at first but it’ll pay off... (B)reaking and (E)ntering B&E have no sharps 😉

[@bigdaddymojo2005]

Just had to click on this to check it out...I don't know the names of any chords, any notes, ...I just play.......what I hear. I played lead, in a band for years...sometimes the band had to show me what they were playing....but that's how I play....everybody's different I guess...I can't think about ANY kind of theory, and play...WISH I COULD tho......

[@Sean-rawlins]

13:30