err…. Santana is hard to play :>(
Question:
> Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan
Many of the licks are not necessarily as hard as they seem. Much of Santana’s older material is based on the Dorian scale. This scale corresponds with a major scale played from the second note of the scale. For example, "Evil Ways" is in Am, but the chords are Am–>D9 over and over. If you play this using the G Major scale, you can call it the A Dorian scale. You can now finger the scales in two ways: as the G Major scale, or you can think of it as the A Minor Pentatonic with B and F# added. Try fingering through these scales, add some blues bending, and you should have the beginning of playing this tune. "Oye Como Va" is the same, although it may be in G Dorian. His major-key tunes use a lot of major scale. "Samba Pa Ti" is in G Major. You’ll notice that the improvised solo is over a GMaj7–>Am7 vamp at the end. Carlos also pretty much exclusively plays melodies within the scales. Start by making up simple melodies. Some of them might turn out to be melodies you’ve heard before. Carlos also does this a lot. You’ll hear him quote tons of tunes in his solos, such as Hendrix’s "Third Stone From The Sun," The Doors’ "Light My Fire", John Coltrane’s "A Love Supreme", etc. You just need to listen to a lot of his stuff to start to "get it". Good luck, it’s a worthwhile venture.
Response:
I’m also a beginner at guitar, but have been bending bass strings for 30 years. I will be getting a guitar soon and I am inspired by Santana. Speaking of bending strings, anyone know what guage strings Carlos uses? My guess is super slinky, but I’m not sure.
Response:
Try to learn Black Magic Woman. I am what I would call an advanced beginner and I know that song so well that even others can enjoy it when I play it. It’s not difficult and it’s not fast. My next one is Oye Como Va. And Luz, Amor y Vida, I just can’t find the tab for this one. I don’t really have suggestions for you, but picking a song that is slower makes the process of learning it more fun, because as soon as you can play a few notes fluently, it starts sounding like the original. Gabe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty > well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I > have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan > Many of the licks are not necessarily as hard as they seem. Much of > Santana’s older material is based on the Dorian scale. This scale > corresponds with a major scale played from the second note of the scale. For > example, "Evil Ways" is in Am, but the chords are Am–>D9 over and over. If > you play this using the G Major scale, you can call it the A Dorian scale. > You can now finger the scales in two ways: as the G Major scale, or you can > think of it as the A Minor Pentatonic with B and F# added. Try fingering > through these scales, add some blues bending, and you should have the > beginning of playing this tune. "Oye Como Va" is the same, although it may > be in G Dorian. > His major-key tunes use a lot of major scale. "Samba Pa Ti" is in G Major. > You’ll notice that the improvised solo is over a GMaj7–>Am7 vamp at the > end. > Carlos also pretty much exclusively plays melodies within the scales. Start > by making up simple melodies. Some of them might turn out to be melodies > you’ve heard before. Carlos also does this a lot. You’ll hear him quote tons > of tunes in his solos, such as Hendrix’s "Third Stone From The Sun," The > Doors’ "Light My Fire", John Coltrane’s "A Love Supreme", etc. > You just need to listen to a lot of his stuff to start to "get it". Good > luck, it’s a worthwhile venture.
Response:
6 months?!?! I’ll say you’re pretty ambitious if nothing else. Give yourself some time to learn your instrument. However, if you’re really set on learning from recordings (Santana’s and any one else’s), invest in one of the playback machines that will slow things down so you can work out the riffs. The good ones maintain the original pitch so you can play along. Tooj – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan
Response:
Try playing "Put your lights on" – it’s not very difficult and sounds great.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan
Response:
> I’m also a beginner at guitar, but have been bending > bass strings for 30 years. I will be getting a guitar > soon and I am inspired by Santana. > Speaking of bending strings, anyone know what guage > strings Carlos uses? My guess is super slinky, but > I’m not sure.
yes, he uses nines.
Response:
Hi All- I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be appreciated. Thnx a lot -Ryan
Response:
> Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan
Heh… practice for another 10 years and get back to us 
I can play the begining of Europa, the slow part right up until he starts bending like a madman anyways. It’s such a pretty song.
Response:
The Shaman of Guitar is in a class all by himself, just like BB King, they have developed their very own sound that fans can usually identify instantly. They are masters… You enthusiasm is the same as walking into a museum and seeing a work by one of the great masters, and running home to your water colors and crayons and saying, I want to do that. Good luck, keep practicing, but keep in mind the road you wish to walk upon may be long. Remember also that these are GIFTED MASTERS at what they do, and not everybody can do what they do. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to simply do the best you can with the talents you have, and enjoy playing the things you can.
> Hi All- > I’ve been playing guitar for about six months now, and am doing pretty well. > I’ve been teachin’ myself so far as I already know how to read music. I have > an el cheapo Squier Strat, and a pod 2.0, and I just tried playing some > Santana (ex. Why don’t you and I?). Its some hardr stuffs… lol. Does > anyone have any advice for playing this type of music, Any help would be > appreciated. Thnx a lot > -Ryan
Heh… practice for another 10 years and get back to us I can play the begining of Europa, the slow part right up until he starts bending like a madman anyways. It’s such a pretty song.
Response:
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