MUSIC AND INTELLIGENCE

Have you ever wondered if music has any effect on intelligence? Some baby boomers may remember their parents telling them that Rock and Roll would lead to permanent brain damage. But, kidding aside, is it possible that music may have a positive impact on cognitive thinking?

Recently I learned about an experiment several scientists conducted in 1994 using three groups of preschoolers...

• The first group received private piano and keyboard lessons
• The second group received private computer lessons
• And the third group received no training at all

After four months, the children who received piano and keyboard lessons scored 34% higher on abstract reasoning tests than the other pupils!

Amazing.

These studies show that music training does improve cognitive thinking. Somehow music helps the brain develop "synaptic connections" that are related to abstract thought.

Music has also been shown to benefit kids with learning disabilities. Not too long ago I saw a special on PBS about a young man with autism who was learning to play a musical instrument. After a short time his speech improved and he began interacting with people in a more positive manner.

Different types of music can produce different kinds of affects on the listener. Slow, soothing music, for instance, can lower a person's heart rate and help them relax. Music with an upbeat tempo can provide an energy boost which can stimulate and motivate people to action. A friend of mine likes to listen to music while cleaning her house because it seems to make the time go by faster.

All this just goes to show that music is good for you!

• It improves your intelligence
• Relieves stress
• Increases energy
• Enhances mood
• Develops coordination skills
• Stimulates intuitive thinking

The list could go on I'm sure. But the important thing is to let music become part of your life experience. Listen to it. Enjoy it. Benefit from it. Dance a little. Why not be really adventurous and try some free guitar lessons? Afterall, it could be fun!

Beginner Guitarist? Click Here To Get Started

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

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UNDERSTANDING THE BLUES SCALE

Do you love the Blues, or have a desire to play lead guitar? If so, you will want to learn all you can about guitar scales...

Free! Three Video Guitar Lessons, plus a 40-page E-book:
How To Solo With Pentatonic Scales

The 5 tone Blues Scale, also known as the Pentatonic Minor Scale, is commonly used by guitarists to solo over chords. It can be created from any Diatonic Major Scale.

Let me show you how easy it is to create a Pentatonic A Minor Scale from a Diatonic A Major Scale...

The tones of the A Major Scale are:

A B C# D E F# G# A

Each degree (letter) of the A Major Scale is numbered like this:

1 = A
2 = B
3 = C#
4 = D
5 = E
6 = F#
7 = G#
8 = A

The Major Scale pattern of whole steps and half-steps is:

Whole, Whole, 1/2, Whole, Whole, Whole, 1/2

A w B w C#1/2 D w E w F#w G# 1/2 A

To create a Minor Pentatonic Scale from a Major Scale, we simply need to remove the 2nd and 6th degree. Now we have 5 degrees...

A C# D E G# A

(The A is counted as one degree)

Next we need to lower the 3rd and 7th degrees by a 1/2 step to get our minor sound...

A C D E G A

The degrees of our newly created Pentatonic A Minor Scale are identified like this...

1 b3 4 5 b7 1

The beauty of a Pentatonic Minor Scale is it's versatility. Whereas the notes of the A Major Scale might conflict with some of the chords that are used to play in the key of A, the notes of the A Minor Pentatonic Scale will not.

In fact, you can use this same pentatonic scale to play over any of the chords in the key of A Minor and C Major too.

Scales are the backbone to understanding chords and being able to improvise over them with your own licks and riffs. If you're serious about playing guitar, you should try to learn as much as you can about them. You can get started right now with these free Blues guitar lessons....

FREE! Three Video Guitar Lessons & 40-page E-book:
How To Solo With Pentatonic Scales

Till Next Time...

Keep practicing!

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GUITAR SCALES - Are They Important?

Have you ever wondered if guitar scales are worth learning? Perhaps you think they are just a waste of your precious time. After all, you just want to learn your favorite songs and be able to jam with your friends, right? What benefit could there be in learning some musty old scale that's been around for hundreds of years?

These are good questions. I'd like to see if I can answer them for you...

Many people get excited about learning the guitar after hearing or seeing a famous musician who appears to play so effortlessly. Perhaps they were dazzled by the lightning fast licks of Van Halen, or the amazing fingerstyle techniques of Michael Hedges.

Whoever their initial source of inspiration was isn't the real issue. They just know that a spark was ignited and they now have a burning desire to learn how to play the guitar!

So they buy a guitar and are pumped-up with new ambition. But it isn't long before reality sets in and the new aspiring student discovers that playing the guitar is much harder than they expected. In fact, they come to realize that it requires dedication, time, education and lots of practice!

They've reached the same crossroads as many others who have gone before. Now it's decision time. Either they give it up, or persevere and move on...

If you've "been there, done that" and are ready to continue, then I am pretty confident that you are willing to do whatever it takes to become a better guitar player.

And that's when guitar scales will come in handy!

Scales provide an excellent "educational" tool for increasing your understanding of music fundamentals and concepts. This includes:

- understanding the guitar fretboard
- understanding chords
- understanding harmony
- understanding melody
- understanding rhythm

Guitar scales are also very "practical" tools for helping you develop and improve your overall playing skills. This includes:

- developing finger dexterity
- developing speed
- developing your ear
- developing techniques
- developing solo leads & licks

These are just some of the ways that guitar scales will benefit your playing. I didn't even mention how they can expand your horizons by introducing you to different styles and sounds. They can also be used to inspire new and creative songwriting ideas.

So, if you haven't been using scales to improve your guitar playing, then I suggest you start today. In my opinion, it's best to begin by learning all the major scales. Once you have a good, solid understanding of how they work, all the other associated guitar scales will make a lot more sense.

Here's a link to my free online guitar lesson:

Learn All The Major Scales

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Free Guitar Tips