Transcribing: Jamming the Key

So, as I promised, this series is going to help you when you want to tab stuff out. One of the easiest ways to start is to simply “jam” over the song as a backing track. Sounds kinda simple for something that’s supposed to be so difficult, right?

First, read the pages on the major and minor pentatonics (if you don’t already know them). Those are the scales I want you to use.

Why those scales? Well, they’re both the same shape on the neck (but starting in different positions). If you play the minor pentatonic first shape, then move it down three frets and play that, you’ll now be playing the major pentatonic with the same root note.

Finding the Key

How do you know when a lead guitarist is at the door? …because he can’t find the key and doesn’t know when to come in… Sorry, I know, not the best joke in the world- and hopefully this doesn’t describe you! The first step to finding out what key the song is in is to just jam the first shape of the minor pentatonic scale over the song (as if it were a backing track). Unless you’ve chosen a really difficult song, there’s probably one that will fit (if not you’ll just have to skip this bit, sorry- more than likely there is one though).

When you’ve found the position on the neck that it fits, you have two options: is this a minor key, or a major key? …but even if you can’t work that out yet, you at least have a head start on which scales (and therefore, which notes) are likely to be used in the song.

If you haven’t been able to find a pentatonic scale that matches, then you wont have this head start…but all is not lost! Over the next few articles, I’ll be going through the main stages of transcribing (that can be done in any order, depending on what you work out first…) and then how to put it all together so that you have a full tab of the song.

Until then, please put any questions below.
Rob.

May 26, 2011 at 2:00 pm | Developing Your Ears, How to | No comments