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[Kagus]

Well, being an aspiring guitarist who has no idea what he's doing, I have naturally doodled out a couple minor twitches while pretending I know how to play a scale.  Some of them even sound like they're from something.  I realized I should probably write this stuff down somewhere, and I came up with the brilliantly egotistical idea of posting it here for everyone to fawn over.

Then I remembered that that would only last for a few days before dropping down into unfindableness.  So I reconsidered and decided to make a communal homebrewed tab thread for all those six-string hopefuls to post their stuff.  Welcome to the TABernacle Altar (if you came here because you read it as "The Barnacle Altar", that is acceptable.  But post your sea creatures somewhere else).


To start off, here's something I've been messing with for a little while.  It sounds kinda neat (especially if you've got a bit of distortion), but I can't figure out how to carry it through.  It just sort of...  Stops.

Code: [Select]

e|---------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------5---5h7---------------------------------------
A|---7-----7---------8---7-5---7-8-7-5---------------3-2-0-
E|-5-----5-----------------------------8---7-5-3---0-------

e|---------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------5h7-5-----------------------
A|-0h2-3---3p2-------7-8-7-5---------8-7-5-7-8-------------
E|-------------3---5---------------------------8-7-5-------

And that's it.  Muck around with the timing a little bit (it's sort of intro-ish, so the rhythm isn't particularly rigid) until it sounds interesting.

Like most of my doodles, it essentially just goes back and forth.  Having no clue what a mode even is, I tend to create original pieces that are somewhat limited in their, well, originality.


Tips, tabs, and tops (covers?) are welcome.  Cheers.

[Fenrir]

I think topics without replies are sad. I don't play the guitar, and I've only just begun to play the ocarina, so I'm afraid I can't contribute.

[Kagus]

Two hours and fifteen minutes makes a sad topic?  Still though, thanks for the reply. 

I can post the notes, if not the octave.  I'm not particularly good at transcribing this stuff.

[inaluct]

I have no discovered music talent, so I can't really help out in this topic. I'm totally down for Barnacle Altar, though.

[Tahin]

Sounds pretty cool. Unfortunately I'd have to run out in the snow to the "music room" if I wanted to try it with some distortion, but it sounds good on my acoustic.

As far as the ending, try just going to an E major chord. It sounds cool. I suggest a "pick-strum" pattern on that. Finger the first position E major chord, hit the low E string, then an eighth-note or so later, hit the rest of the chord and let it ring for the rest of the measure.

Like this:

Code: [Select]

e|-----------------------------------------------------0---
B|-----------------------------------------------------0---
G|-----------------------------------------------------1---
D|-----------------------------5h7-5-------------------2---
A|-0h2-3---3p2-------7-8-7-5---------8-7-5-7-8---------2---
E|-------------3---5---------------------------8-7-5-0-0---

As that is kind of an intro riff, might I suggest coming up with a chord progression to go along with it? Then you just need lyrics and you'd have a song.

[Kagus]

...

E major?  Sounds okay, but it seems just a little bit off to me.   I gave it a go with A minor instead (change the tab a bit so instead of hitting 8-7-5 on the E string, go 3-2-0 on the A string.  Makes the change easier) and that seems promising.  Gonna tool around with it for a bit and see what pops up.

As for lyrics, I think I'd rather just ask one of the singing gals at school to fill in the blanks.  More experience, and more fun.

[Tahin]

It's supposed to sound off. It's called dissonance. The A minor sounds good, too, though. I guess I should submit something, but I don't really write riffs much.

All right, here's one I've been working on:

Code: [Select]

e--------------------|
B---5---5-7--76--65--|
G--5-5-5-5-5---5---5-\_________Repeat
D-7---7-----7---7----/
A--------------------|
E--------------------|
The chord is simply 7th fret on the D string, and 5th fret on the B and G strings. I play it by barring the B and G strings with my index finger and placing my ring finger on the D string. This leaves my pinkie and middle fingers to modify the B string.
It sounds cool to slide this up and down a bit to create a chord progression.

About the tabbing, I have it so it fits into itself nicely. If you want to end it, go back to the first note.

[Kagus]

E just sounds to bright and happy for what I was going for.  I was looking for something a bit softer, with just a touch of gloom to make things interesting.  I've just got a thing for minor keys, I guess...

[Kagus]

Okay, made up a couple riffs the other day.  Haven't quite figured out what to do with them, but they're fun.

Code: [Select]

e|---------------------------------
B|---------------------------------
G|---------------------------------
D|-----------2-0---0-0h2p0---------
A|---------------------------------
E|-0-2-3-4-5---------------5-4-3-0-

And something a little darker:

Code: [Select]

e|-----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------
G|---------------------------------
D|---------------------------------
A|-------2-------3-------2-0-------
E|-0-2-3---3-2-3---3-2-3-----3-2-0-

I really should be playing more on the higher strings...  Seems everything I've made starts on the low E.  Yay versatility.

EDIT:  Scratch that hammer-pick in the first riff, just realized I prefer it without.  Just play it 0-2-0 instead of 0h2p0.

[Kagus]

Sorry to bump this, but I need to write this thing down before I forget it...

Again.

Code: [Select]

e|--------------------------------------------------
B|--------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------------------------------------
D|-4h5p4-----------4/5\4-----4h5p4-----------4------
A|-------5-3---3-5-------5---------5-3---3-5---5----
E|-----------3-------------------------3------------

As usual, it needs some unusual timing in order to get it to sound right.  But hey, at least it starts on a different string.

And here's something I've been mucking around with for a while:

Code: [Select]

e|---------------------
B|---------------------
G|---------------------
D|-----5---5-----------
A|-567---7---765-------
E|---------------7-5-7-

Do that a couple times, then

Code: [Select]

e|-------------------------------------------------------
B|-------------------------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------
D|-----5-------5-------5---------5-------5-------5-------
A|-567---7-5-7---7-5-7---765--67---7-5-7---7-5-7---765---
E|-----------------------------------------------------7-

The finish is a bit hazy, since I really haven't cemented anything more than that very first part.  But this sorta works:

Code: [Select]

e|------------------------
B|------------------------
G|------------------------
D|----------5-------------
A|-----56-7---765---------
E|-5-7------------7-5-3-0-
Again, funky timing, and one I can't accurately describe.  Mostly just for my benefit, in case I happen to forget some of this stuff.

[penguinofhonor]

My immaturity demands that someone write something involving the G string.

[Kagus]

Something as bad as the time I broke a G-string while fingering a minor?

[Kagus]

Alright, I seem to have discovered a scale.  That was unexpected.

For ease of writing it down, I'm just going to write the numbers.  A standard major scale goes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.  Actually means something if you know the major scale, means absolutely nothing if you don't.  I could write it in tab format and just mark the positions, but I'm a lazy bastard.  So there.

Anyways, this thing goes:

1, 1#, 3, 4, 5, 5#, 6#.

Sounds kinda Egyptian, almost.  I have no idea if this is an actual scale or not, just thought it sounded kinda neat.  It doesn't seem to clash with itself (at least not that I've found), so it seems close enough to a scale to work.

[codezero]

That scale sounds cool, sounds a lot like the magic carpet music if you've ever played it. But I think it's more traditional/proper to write it
1 2b 3 4 5 6b 7b

Out of curiosity I looked it up in my scale book and it's listed last as the Phrygian dominant mode, still the most exotic scale in the book.

[Kagus]

My guitar teacher always used sharps instead of flats...  Kinda took that with me.  Not that big a deal though, as I haven't thought about it enough to really make a stand one way or the other.

Anyways, little thing you can do with that scale:

Code: [Select]

e|---4---5---4---5---4---5---7---8---7---5---4-
B|-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---6---6---6---5-5-

Just stick your middle finger on the fifth fret on the B string and your index on the fourth e string fret, and use your ring finger for alternating.  When it comes time for the 7-8-7 thing just slide the fingers up a fret.

The end isn't really solidified, as I normally just start doodling around on the scale after this.  Doesn't sound Egyptian anymore, but it is fun.

The tab might be a bit off, but you get the idea...