You Enjoy Myself...How to play YEM

I've been listening to Phish for way too long and playing guitar for even longer.  So it was just a matter of time until I decided to sit down and actually learn what was going on in YEM.  This song is pretty demanding and I personally think it takes a certain amount of courage for them to bust this out live because of how difficult the first section can be.  I could practice this for an hour before a gig and probably still screw it up.  They usually do it as the last tune in a set and somehow still pull it off like it's nothing.  I don't plan to have a band together any time soon that can play this (or wants to...hard to find people to play with who like this kind of stuff, sadly).  I transcribed and learned this simply because I love playing guitar and I love the music of Phish.

Trey is an absolutely ridiculous guitarist. Period.  There's no way this can possibly be disputed.  A song like this just goes to further justify that.  I don't claim to play this well at this point, but I feel like there are a lot of people who would like a glimpse into what's going on here. So, I've put together an in depth TAB that can get you on your way to playing YEM yourself, along with a video walkthrough.  So that's the goal here - to get you a little more comfortable playing this tune.

So, if you are feeling ambitious, the video runs just under an hour long but does go into detail about each section of the song.  If you follow the TAB and the video, there's no reason that you won't be playing YEM in the very near future!

As always, comments are always welcome.  Thanks for checking it out!

If you are wondering about equipment, I'm simply playing an Ibanez Artstar 120 into two Ibanez TS-9s.  One is set to very low overdrive, the next to a much heavier overdrive.  From there, right into the amp which is a SMS Classic Tube Preamp -> Carvin 100w Tube Power Amp -> Avitar 212 speaker cab with Celestian Vintage 30's.  This is my main rig.  I do have other pedals that I use regularly but for this video I just ran what's listed above.

Here are my TS9's if you are wondering how I have them set up.   (Sorry, the picture is sideways, but you get the idea)...

Here is the TAB.  I used Transcribe! software to slow down a few sections.  I'm sure that there are some mistakes but overall I think this is about the most thorough version of this song that I've seen TABed.  You can change your fingerings accordingly.  There are a few sections where I have included two fingerings at the same time.  You can use either one or find another that you like better or come up with other alternatives which I cover in the video.  Overall, I'd say the notes are well over 90% accurate here.  I would recommend printing out the TAB and using it with the video.  You Enjoy Yourself...

To download a PDF of this, Click here.

Before you attempt this you should know that this video is just under an hour long.  Why?  Well, the song is already pretty long and I have chopped each section into bits for you!  I recommend downloading and printing out a copy of the TAB before you do this and use it along with the video.

So without further delay...the video:

If the video below doesn't play, try clicking here...

So, You're A Pentatonic Guy...

This was written quite some time ago and originally had video to go with the examples at the end.  Those videos have somehow disappeared but the info in this could be pretty valuable if practiced properly.  I just came across this and decided that it might still be worth sharing...Enjoy! 

  One of the first scales a guitar player learns is the Minor (or Major) Pentatonic Scale.  It's easy to learn, play, hear, etc.  It can be played over any tune and sound good.  For this reason, many players never go much beyond this point.

     Unfortunately, this can make a lot of players sound a little stale and not so creative.  I won't name names, but there are several prominent players who have made a living on this scale.  Some of these guys are absolutely amazing!!  They can leave us with our jaw on the floor and yet, they rely so heavily on this one simple scale!  There's gotta be something to it, right?

     In my time playing this scale to death, I've come across some tricks that can help you to break out of sounding like everyone else and perhaps even mask the fact that you are playing Pentatonics!  This is part of what makes some of these guys able to do what they do to wow audiences and sell millions of records.

What Is a Pentatonic Scale?

     Simply stated, a pentatonic scale is a scale made up of five notes.  There are a ton of combinations that can make up different pentatonic scales but the most common is the minor (or major) pentatonic scale.

     Most people think of this scale in either the major or minor form and learn how to play it over major or minor accordingly.  Really, it's just a matter of starting it at a different position.  For me, I usually think in terms of the minor pentatonic and will use that as the basis for this discussion.  (For the record, these same ideas apply to the Major Pentatonic scale as well, you just have to apply it that way.  You'll see what I mean...)

The Minor Pentatonic Scale

     The Minor Pentatonic scale is simply a scale made up of the following intervals:  1 b3 4 5 b7.  Some like to say that it is the minor scale without the second and sixth degrees.  The reason I don't describe it this way is that if this is the case then it is a Phrygian or Dorian scale without those degrees as well.

     To go further into this idea, the three minor modes of the major scale are Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian (Natural Minor).  The notes that define these different forms of minor scale are the second and sixth degree.  Using Aeolian, or Natural Minor as the baseline, Dorian is a minor scale with a raised (or natural) 6.  Phrygian is a minor scale with a b2.  Since the Minor Pentatonic scale omits these intervals, it can be used over, or replace any of these three minor scales.  Pretty cool, right?

Why Is This Important?

     When we learn the major scale, we also learn the seven modes of the major scale.  These being, Ionian (Major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (Natural Minor) and Locrian.  Three of these modes are Major, three are Minor.  (Locrian is diminished)

     If we know what key we are in then we can find three different Minor Pentatonic scales that will work in this key (as well as three Major Pentatonic scales).  The idea being that a Minor Pentatonic scale can replace any of the minor modes.  The Same goes for Major!

     If you happen to prefer Major Pentatonic, just look at the degrees of the scale that are omitted to make the Major Pentatonic scale.  It's the two that define the three major modes, the fourth and seventh degrees.  So you can apply this the same way as minor.

So I'm In A Minor, Now What??

     Okay, so let's say you're learning (or writing) a song in A minor.  Maybe there's a chord vamp of Am - F.  We are in A Minor (or Aeolian).  Now, what are the other Minor Modes relative to A Aeolian?  D Dorian and E Phrygian, right?  (Right).

     So what does this mean? It means that we can solo, improvise and create melodies over this progression using A, D and/or E Minor Pentatonic scales! 

     This works for modal vamps as well.  Suppose we have a vamp of Bm - E7.  We think B Dorian here.  What are the other two Minor Modes relative to B Dorian?  They are C# Phrygian and F# Aeolian.  So we now know that we can play B, C# and/or F# Minor Pentatonic scales in this case.

     This works exactly the same for Major.

So You Say You KNOW Your Pentatonic Scales...

     So you've been playing Minor Pentatonic scales for years, but do you know them in all five positions?  Can you play them all over the neck??  I can't stress enough how important this is.  If you don't know this yet, take the next week or two and just drill them into your fingers and then come back to this!  It shouldn't take long with some dedication and determination.  This alone will make you a better player even without applying the information above!

     I've TABed out all five positions of the A Minor Pentatonic scale for you.  I used this scale because it has no sharps or flats and can easily be played in all five positions across the neck.  It is up to you to learn it in ALL keys!!

     Practice this ascending and descending and in as many different patterns as possible.  AND, USE A METRONOME!!!!  (Take every chance you have to work on your timing!!)

     It is super important that you learn this in ALL keys!  Once you know this you can really start to apply it!  Take the time NOW to get this down!!  Make sure you are fluent in all five positions so that when you find yourself at any spot on the neck you can grab this scale!

 

 How To Practice These Scales

     Once you know the five positions, there are two new things that we can practice that go along with this idea.  I use a looper to record a chord vamp.  For this example I will use Am - F.  This puts us in A Minor.  What are the three Minor Pentatonic scales that we can use over A Minor?  A, D and E.  So, get a loop going and practice each of these over the chord vamp (Am - F) in all five positions the same way as above.

     After you have done that, practice each scale in the same position.  Meaning, start at the first position of A Minor Pentatonic and play that scale over the vamp ascending and descending.  Next, and without pausing go right into D Minor Pentatonic in that same position, ascending and descending.  Lastly, do the same with E Minor Pentatonic in the same position.  Now move to position two of A Minor Pentatonic and do it again.  I have TABed this out for you below as a guide.  Don't rely on this TAB though.  It's only good for this particular vamp!  When you get a new progression and the key changes, change this routine accordingly!

     Listen to the different flavor you get from each of these scales over the chords.  Try to play each scale without a break or pause between them so that you are constantly thinking about what you are doing and seamlessly going between each scale.  This is also good for hearing different notes on the one of each bar.  Some sound really nice.  Others, maybe not so much.  Once you can do this, you can play this stuff like crazy!!      

     Yes, I know, it's tedious and boring.  BUT, the rewards of being able to do this will be well worth it!

Now That We Know All That...

     Let's start to apply these ideas in a musical context.  What are some ways that we can use this information?  Well, to start, you can simply play any Pentatonic scales that are relative (or diatonic) to the key that you are in.  So, let's run a drill on this.

     Given the following tonalities, which three Minor Pentatonic scales can be played over each?  (Don't scroll down yet, try to figure them out yourself. Or, quiz yourself!)

1.  G Minor (Aeolian)
2.  E Major  (Ionian)
3.  B Dorian
4.  F Lydian

     Using what we know about the modes of the major scale, this should be no problem.  Just figure out which three Minor Modes are relative to the example.

Answers:

1.  G, C, D
2.  F#, G#, C#
3.  B, C#, F#
4.  D, E, A

     Did you get those?

     So now you can start a chord vamp and use the three different Minor Pentatonic scales that go with it and you're on your way to new ideas!!  But let's keep going!

A Quick Disclaimer

     You should not think of this as modal playing.  I am simply using these terms and ideas to get the point across.  At the end of the day you are still playing in one key.  This is just the simplest way that I know to get this information out.

On To the Fun Stuff!!

Same Riff, Different Position

     Now that we know that we can use three different Minor Pentatonic scales for each key, we can start to move around the neck a little!  I'm going to use a chord vamp of Bm - E7 for these examples.  Given this chord vamp, I'm thinking B Dorian.  What three Minor Pentatonic scales can be played over B Dorian?  B, C# and F#.  I'd recommend starting out by practicing these three scales as you did above.  Get them into your head and make sure you are comfortable at all positions on the guitar.

     For this section we are going to come up with a simple riff using one of the three scales.  Keep it simple at first.  Play the riff over the chord vamp and then move the exact same fingering to one of the other two scales, and then the next. 

     Example 1 is a very straight forward riff based on the first position of the Minor Pentatonic scale.  Each time we play the riff, it gets one bar and then on to the next position/scale. 

     In example 2 we mix up which scale we are going to so it doesn't sound as much like a pattern, meaning we are not always going from scale one to scale two.  It changes a bit.  We are also going to use a different position for the riff.  This example is from second position of the Minor Pentatonic scale.  The TAB shows the riff based on all three scales, each one in second position. 

Same Riff, SAME Position

     This time we are going to start by picking a position on the neck.  For this example I'm going to be starting on the first position of C# Minor Pentatonic.  I will play a riff in this position and then change it by switching to F# Minor Pentatonic and B Minor Pentatonic in the same position.  I'll just alter which notes change within that shape.  The TAB shows the three riffs. 

Similar Riff, Different Position

     Similar to the earlier approach of "Same Riff, Different Position", but this time we are just moving between scales using the same shapes or positions.  You can play similar riffs but maybe not exactly the same.  Pick a shape that you like and play a lick.  When you find a spot that feels comfortable, shift up or down to the same shape of one of the other two scales.  This way your playing might not sound rehearsed, practiced or like patterns.  

     In this example we are once again playing over a Bm - E7 vamp.  I have chosen to use the top section of the fourth Minor Pentatonic shape.  Notice that I ascend through some and descend through others, or both.  This is where we start to sound like we are getting a little further away from the pentatonic sound, yet it's the only thing we are using.  Another thing to note here is how I am shifting between the patterns.  I use slides to get to the next position.  What ever spot in the shape I slide from is where I start in the next position!

Now It's YOUR Turn!!

     At this point I think I've given you enough to think about, but you're not done!!  Don't just memorize these riffs!  (They're really not all that good, just made up for this discussion for demonstration...)  Take the time to work out your own riffs and techniques.  Mix all this up.  Take each approach and put them all together.  Shift positions and then sit there for a minute switching between scales before shifting again.  Add some passing tones and chord tones!  There's a ton you can do with this!  The idea is to sound musical, not like a robot!  Practice, but mix it up!  That's what it's all about!

Good Luck and Rock Hard!!

-Schnozz

Learning the Freatboard and Never-Ending Scales

 

     For my first post, I'm going to try to help the very beginners and/or the people who have learned how to play the guitar a bit but haven't quite figured out why certain sounds are what they are.  I haven't seen a lot on this subject so I'm simply going to lay out the ideas that helped me when I was starting out.  There are other methods for learning but this is how I did it, with the help of a very good instructor.  For many this will be common knowledge but if you don't know it, I think you'll find it very valuable.  You should go through this very slowly at first to make sure that you understand all of the information presented, and feel free to comment with questions!

WHY LEARN ALL THOSE NOTES??

     For some reason, many people have learned to play the guitar without certain bits of information that I find very important.  One example is knowing the notes on the fretboard.

     I can't imagine how I would be able to play had I not taken the time to learn this seemingly very basic fundamental.  Sure, guys like Eddie Van Halen were able to pick the thing up and just make it sing, but for a lot of us, we need to study the ins and outs of music to be able to get anything to come out of our guitar.  We need to learn scales, triads, chords, etc. and then somehow figure out how to apply that knowledge to our instrument.

     In my experience, trying to learn any of this without knowing the notes on the fretboard is similar to a dog chasing his tail.  He can see it, so he knows that it's there, but even if he were to catch it, he wouldn't have a clue what to do with it!!

     Think about it logically.  Suppose you've learned how to create a scale and you now know that a C Major scale consists of C D E F G A B.  Well great!  But, where are these notes on my instrument?  What does this scale sound like?

     The other side of this coin is to learn shapes, patterns or boxes that create the sound of these scales and chords.  So, now you know a fingering, but if someone was to say, "Play a Bbm7 chord" or "Just solo in F#", would you know what to do if you didn't know where to find Bb or F#??  Probably not!

     So we need to learn the notes on the fretboard.  Agreed?  Good!  But how?  Well, it's really a lot easier than it might seem at first.

HOW THE GUITAR IS SET UP

     The first thing to know is the name of each string.  Low to high they are:  E A D G B E.   So we now know six notes on the fretboard!  WOOOO!!!  Okay.  Let's look at how the guitar is laid out.  Most standard guitars have fret markers.  These are points of reference that you should become familiar with in order to know where you are on the neck.  There are markers at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th frets followed by a slightly different marker at the 12th.  (This is assuming you have a normally marked guitar.)  The reason for the different marker at the 12th fret is that this is where the Octave occurs on each string, meaning that the note found at this fret is the same as the open string, just the next highest version of it.  From here, the markers start over.  So, the 3rd and 15th fret are the same note, just an octave apart.

     So, if the 12th fret is the same as the open string, then we know that the notes at the 12th fret, low to high are E A D G B E.  We know that everything starts over right here so if we learn the first 12 frets, we can easily apply that to the upper octave of the fretboard.

     Let's find a few more notes!  One of the first things most people learn when they buy a guitar is how to tune it.  That means that we can find E A D G B E somewhere on the guitar besides the open string, right?  Well, there you go!  You just learned the notes at another part of the neck!!

WHOLE STEPS AND HALF STEPS

     Okay, now you have to start to put in a little work and a very small amount of music theory, BUT DON'T WORRY, it's really quite simple and logical.  We know that there are seven letter names for notes (A B C D E F G).  From the open string to the 12th fret is an octave, right?  That gives us 12 notes!  So there are five notes somewhere between the seven natural notes??  Yup!  Okay, relax, it's not that hard!

     The frets on a guitar are set up so that they are a half step (or semi-tone) apart.  Most natural notes are a whole step apart, meaning that from one letter name to the next would be two frets, or a whole step.  BUT THAT GIVES US 14 NOTES!!!  This is where you have to start to remember stuff!!  All of the natural notes are separated from the next by a whole step with two exceptions: B to C and E to F.  We've taken out two half steps leaving us with 12 notes!!  (The notes between the natural notes are your sharps and flats.  A sharp (#) raises a note a half step.  So, G# is up one fret from G.  A Flat (b) lowers a note a half step.  So, Bb is down a half step from B.)  For now, we are just dealing with natural notes though.

     So, now that we know where the half steps and whole steps are, we can start to apply that knowledge based on what we already know.  We know the open strings, right?  Find the next natural note on each string.  Low to high - E-F, A-B, D-E, G-A, B-C and E-F.  If you can remember that all natural notes are a whole step apart with the exception of E-F and B-C, this should be pretty easy for you.  E-F is one fret (half step).  A-B is two frets (whole step), etc.

OCTAVES

     Okay, let's stop here for a minute.  Did you notice that we found a few notes that we found earlier?  Notice that one whole step (or two frets) up from D is the note E.  We have an E on the low E and high E strings, right?  Familiarize yourself with where these notes fall relative to each other.  Internalize the idea that the octave up from the low E string is up two strings and up two frets.  It should fall very naturally under your fingers.  The same thing happens on the A and G strings.

     It does NOT happen the same way from the D to B strings or G to E strings.  The octave up for these two string pairings are up two strings again, but this time up THREE frets.  It's two little shapes, you can remember this, I promise!!

STAY WITH ME!!

     Okay, so far this might seem like a lot of information, but if you go through it slowly and deliberately you should start to get it a little.  I know, it's a little boring, but well worth learning!!

     So, we've learned the open strings, the 12th fret, the notes for tuning, the next natural note on each string and how to find octaves.  We also know where our whole steps and half steps happen.  At this point, you should be able to figure out the notes anywhere on the neck.  Work slowly.  I can't really do this part for you, but I'll try to get you headed in the right direction.
 
     I've TABed out a few octaves here.  DO NOT learn this as a set of fingerings though!!  This is meant to be an example of how to find the notes on your own using the information above.  It won't help you if you don't put a letter name to each fret with your finger on it!!

YOU'VE MADE IT THIS FAR!!

     With the above information and some patience, you'll be able to find any note, anywhere, at any time!  And that's the idea!  Using octaves you should be able to start to learn two strings at a time.  The main thing to remember is where your half steps are, between E-F and B-C.  Beyond that, it's really not too difficult but it is up to you to put in the time.

NEVER-ENDING SCALES

     If you've made it this far, I have a fun and challenging way to start to really get this stuff under your fingers a little better.  This was taught to me years ago and I think it was the best thing for me to really grasp finding notes on the fretboard!  It's called a Never-Ending Scale.

     Once you start to know the notes on the fretboard a bit, this can add an element of musicality and challenge.  The idea is this:  Pick a scale.  We'll start with C major, because we are only using natural notes, (no sharps or flats).  Find C on the low E string.  Play it.  Next, find the next note in the scale (D in this case) and play it on the next string.  Continue up and down the strings until you play the original C that you started with.  If you get through it then you have played every note from the C major scale on every string.

     Once you can do this within the first 12 frets, start to switch between the lower 12 and the upper 12 frets.  When you come across a note that falls on the open string, you can play it open, at the 12th fret, 24th fret (if your guitar has 24 frets), 12th fret harmonic or 5th fret harmonic, just to add a little more of a challenge. 

     From here, use the circle of fifths and try some new scales.  The next scale to try would be G major which has one sharp, F#.  Then move on to D major (F# and C#).  Etc.  I would recommend going through this stuff for a brief period during your practice routine and always use a metronome.  Start slowly as this is more challenging than it may appear.  Only move your speed up when you have played through perfectly!

GOOD LUCK!!!

     I hope you made it through this because I'm positive that it can help you become a better player!  There may be other more efficient ways to go about it, but this is how I learned.  I don't claim that this is the only, or even the best way to do it (I haven't personally used another method), but I know it is effective.  I look forward to hearing about your progress and will gladly answer any questions left in the comments!

Rock Hard!!
-Schnozz

How do you blog?

I'm attempting to put together a page where I can post some musical ideas and help others with playing and learning some things on the guitar.  Currently I'm looking for feedback on how to get started with some of the technical details such as posting video and images such as chord charts, TABs, etc.  Any help in this area would be appreciated as I'm not a blogger in any sense of the word!

-Schnozz