Most people have lessons on soloing over chord changes. How about a lesson on soloing/writing melodies over metal guitar riffs? Maybe even ones that dont stick to a specific key
Bonus tip.... always keep in mind that the 4th and 6th string are perfect octaves. You can flip your 3 string cord shapes and have an easy peasy inversion.
There's a reason other players like Ola Englund mentions Uncle Ben so often. He's found a way to communicate theory to us everyday day git-fiddlers and makes us more betterlier. Thank Unc! #Skankbanger 🤘#MissingTheGrungePedal
I was constantly going back and forth with myself between "Ok I like to write in Drop C" and "screw drop tuning I'm going back to standard!" but after I discovered these chord shapes I realized how much more expression I could get out of drop tunings.
Personally I can never go back to standard tuning The bass string in E just doesn't sit right for me as a bass string Also stepping the lowest string down to D increases the dynamic range available on the instrument
Ben, thank you so much for this video. It blew my mind! I've been playing bass for 20 years (only self-taught, for fun, no theory at all) and only recently fulfilled my midlife-crisis wish to get an electric guitar. Obviously, without any theoretical backround, it's a bit of a steep hike, so I tried to get by with my previous bass experience, a handful of more complicated chords and power cords. As I'm playing in Drop A, this video totally expanded my vocabulary and I can finally start to play the riffs that I have in my head so much more easily. Playing these minor, major and sus power chords is a total game changer for me. Finally feeling motivated to actually learn more theory and chords. Thanks again!
Hahahahaha bass player dropping electric guitar bass string to A does not surprise me at all Also I am considering switching to bass guitar because the bass strings are all I really use on electric anyway
Love the "cheese pizza" analogy. That's a great way to picture the major scale!! Love what you do and the humor that you throw in. Thanks for the time and effort you put into it. It's appreciated.
Ian D’sa from Billy Talent uses these sort of stacked powerchords in a really cool way. Simon Neil from biffy Clyro does some similar stuff as well. Great vid!
My favorite tuning is CGCFAD (if I just say "Drop C", some people will think I mean C Standard for some reason) and if you have a problem with that, take it up with Kurt Ballou!
@@cloneboy42 I responded earlier and my comment got deleted, I'm guessing because it had a URL in it. I found an interview that claims he uses CF#CF#CF# and calls it "open Slayer", neither of which checks out at all lol
Good way to show how to break out of dead Drop "D" sounding. And those are called inversions, but Uncle Ben has that in another video, rock on Unc Eller!
Brother, I have been a drop D player from the very beginning… The first piece of music I ever learned on the guitar was, “Everlong.” And from there, I’ve been playing the different variance’s of drop D throughout my entire musical career. But I’ve never had anyone explain the drop D chord vocabulary in this manner. 👌 And I just wanted to say thank you!! Thank you very much, Ben!! This really helped me to visualize the theory behind the noises those “well-known” shapes make. I hope you are well, and still shredding my friend!!! 💪❤️🔥
The drop tunnings were the greatest thing I learned during my two guitar lessons in the mid 90s, that and how to read guitar tabs. That was all I needed.
I love drop D tuning, I do a riff alternate picking lifting up the added note on the up stroke, so I can demolish in the back seat of a VW beetle if you know what I mean.
Loved this video. Also if anyone is interested in extended shaped chords Page Hamilton gets into those extended Drop D chord voicings. Love his interviews on Rig Rundown. He talks a little bit about theory and shows a couple examples of those shapes on the fretboard. Thanks for the great video Youngcle Ben.
If you are stuck with a floating trem, you could try a tool call the Skyscraper. You can set intonation without loosening the string all the way. I use it all the time if I switch from Drop-D to E on my Charvel So-Cal. If you have the less expressive hardtail or ashtray bridge, then all you need is a tuner and MAYBE a thicker string.
I've been diddle fiddling around with the gat for years but really can't be fluffed learning theory. Your videos really inspire me to put in more better effort and I'm a even more betterer player because of it.Thanks Ben, ya bloody bastard.
Learn the notes in any scale and just put your fingers on them till you find all the different chords. It’s lots of fun. For some reason I always gravitate towards 7sus4 chords.
Also worth reminding that we aren't limited to playing these chords on the first three strings. If you don't have quite enough hand to play, say, 3-3-7 cleanly, feel free to mute the D string and play it as 3-3-x-2. Heck, mute the A string too! The 3-x-x-2 and 3-x-x-1 shapes have a really focused, almost open chord sound and are hella easy to slide around the neck.
Why mute the d string? Just play it as 3-3-3-2 if you want a moveable shape without the stretch. That way it includes an octave and you don't have to mute strings.
Although personally I definitely fall into the "not enough hand" category, so trying to fret 3-3-3-2 would probably result in the 2 being accidentally muted by whichever finger is barring the 3s. 😅 So I use the 3 (pinkie) 3 (ring) X (x) 2 (index) shape out of necessity more than creativity.
@@ericolson326 I'll never have monstrous Vai or Holdsworth hands, but learning to play Bark at the Moon correctly with help from Ben turned my left hand into play-doh and really improved my stretching/dexterity. Try it if you haven't. It helps.
I like how you made a foo fighters song for the intro lol, I like how RUclips recommends me these videos like a year too late, like I already learned how to good at drop tuning and 7 string, I wish I saw these like like last year
You know what's really great? 1) These chords all work in Drop C. 2) The real step-dad stuff is playing in any tuning without a 7th string. Get an extended range guitar already, grandpa!
I know very little about theory, and this is the first video I've seen that was both interesting and helped it all make more sense. I loved the everlong reference. That was super helpful
That Tele is stinkin' gorgeous, especially that neck. Aside from that you're like a non-coastal Chuck Schuldiner with all the animal love, I dig it... GOBLESS.
Turkey for the WIN! 🐾🐾🐾🐾 Don't blame the drop in your D. Uncle Ben just says you suck at it! Now lets play it all back at Step Dad speed so I can keep up! LOL
Great Lesson, love the style of teaching. but major/minor so much easier in standard tuning! Less stretch! And the natural minor is the aeolian mode of the major scale! I know you already know that! But some people get scared out of their minds when they hear that they have to learn a whole new scale, when the natural minor just starts off at the 6th of the major scale, and follows the same pattern
Thank you for the awesome lesson Ben! - I was actually considering going drop D for one of my things lately, mainly to rectify that mean stretch to the 9th. Also I think I've heard Plini talking about a similar concept - just taking your basic mom's basement chord progression, and embellishing it with spicier intervals.
Funny that you mention Everlong. That was the first thing that came to mind because I heard you play that first chord. And Im also amused that you go back and forth between pizza and ice cream. Thanks Uncle Ben!
@@AfekaZoo solos on I Dementia and Faces on the self titled, and most of the solos on the next two albums! Diggs Road and Bring Me Home are probably my favorites I’ve done. Love those guys.
I liked your video, and I got my favourite number of 108!!! Also thanks for the lesson, was thinking of trying out a Drop D, but yeah, thought then if there's more than just power chords? It's as if the universe has heard my question, and you brought me the answer :-)
Awesome! I felt so silly messing around in Drop D and having a brain delay in visualizing scale shapes on the low D string with the other strings being tuned standard. Then I was like "DUH, its the same pattern as the other D string" which you and I hopefully already know lol.
Oh damn, I was thinking "hey, I could get into the RUclips guitar lesson game by sharing what I've learned about chord shapes and arpeggios in dropped tuning" but then you already did it 😞
Dang and you covered... one type of inversion. The minor in 1st inversion is also useful. And the major triad in 1st inversion a step below the target chord makes for super triumphant sounding progressions, especially in minor keys
Thanks for watching and expanding your drop d tuning chord vocabulary!!! What do you wanna learn next?
Most people have lessons on soloing over chord changes. How about a lesson on soloing/writing melodies over metal guitar riffs? Maybe even ones that dont stick to a specific key
This is why you suck at guitar: you're not rhythmically interesting
Major and minor scales in drop tunings?
I ask this because I’m trying to get my coguitarist to get a little theory knowledge and see if that helps us both write more interesting stuff
Back seat of a Volkswagen…..dude thats from Mallrats! Lol
When I was 12 I tuned my guitar to drop D for the first time.
That summer my parents sent me to Bible Camp.
Drop D sus2 is such a Hum thing and now I know why I love it so much
Yeah, I'm a total sucker for the DropD sus2.
Listen to it, it's a bit more of a whine. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Failure too
Billy Talent made me expand my Drop D playing skills. They have an unique way of playing around uncommon riffs and chords for their genre.
I agree, Ian D’sa has such creative riffs. Try Honesty is a great one with interesting drop chords
THIS. Fallen leaves is always my go to drop D song along with a bunch or rage against the machine.
Bonus tip.... always keep in mind that the 4th and 6th string are perfect octaves. You can flip your 3 string cord shapes and have an easy peasy inversion.
Nice concept man.
He sure is
Man, Mark Tremonti is seriously one of the best at this!!! His alternate tuning voicings are amazing. Plus I hear he’s an Uncle Ben fan 😉
Mark rules!!!
There's a reason other players like Ola Englund mentions Uncle Ben so often. He's found a way to communicate theory to us everyday day git-fiddlers and makes us more betterlier. Thank Unc! #Skankbanger 🤘#MissingTheGrungePedal
Thank you buddy
This was awesome. I feel like less of a step-dad and more of a real dad with a troubled relationship with his kids.
Sus2, Dim and the inversions (1st and 2nd) are the spice of life for drop tuning.
This may have been the best theory lesson I've ever had. I really needed this info, condensed into this one video!
Thanks dude!!
I was constantly going back and forth with myself between "Ok I like to write in Drop C" and "screw drop tuning I'm going back to standard!" but after I discovered these chord shapes I realized how much more expression I could get out of drop tunings.
Personally I can never go back to standard tuning
The bass string in E just doesn't sit right for me as a bass string
Also stepping the lowest string down to D increases the dynamic range available on the instrument
Ben, thank you so much for this video. It blew my mind!
I've been playing bass for 20 years (only self-taught, for fun, no theory at all) and only recently fulfilled my midlife-crisis wish to get an electric guitar. Obviously, without any theoretical backround, it's a bit of a steep hike, so I tried to get by with my previous bass experience, a handful of more complicated chords and power cords. As I'm playing in Drop A, this video totally expanded my vocabulary and I can finally start to play the riffs that I have in my head so much more easily. Playing these minor, major and sus power chords is a total game changer for me.
Finally feeling motivated to actually learn more theory and chords.
Thanks again!
Hahahahaha bass player dropping electric guitar bass string to A does not surprise me at all
Also I am considering switching to bass guitar because the bass strings are all I really use on electric anyway
I live for phat sounding low effort techniques. Thanks Youngcle Ben!
Love the "cheese pizza" analogy. That's a great way to picture the major scale!! Love what you do and the humor that you throw in. Thanks for the time and effort you put into it. It's appreciated.
**sees the video title**
Me: Hello, I've waited here for you
Just started learning some Trivium songs. They definitely use some of these techniques and take full advantage of the possibilities of drop tunings
I seriously can't with Turkey
What a cute little pooch, he melts me
This entire video was an insane help but that Diminished chord substitution was actually mind blowing, that's legit bloody brilliant!
Ian D’sa from Billy Talent uses these sort of stacked powerchords in a really cool way. Simon Neil from biffy Clyro does some similar stuff as well. Great vid!
More better... Well, that's all we waited for, man! Thx 👍
My favorite tuning is CGCFAD (if I just say "Drop C", some people will think I mean C Standard for some reason) and if you have a problem with that, take it up with Kurt Ballou!
Little known fact, he actually plays in CGCFG#C.
@@cloneboy42 I responded earlier and my comment got deleted, I'm guessing because it had a URL in it. I found an interview that claims he uses CF#CF#CF# and calls it "open Slayer", neither of which checks out at all lol
Thumbs up for the Mallrats reference!
Good way to show how to break out of dead Drop "D" sounding. And those are called inversions, but Uncle Ben has that in another video, rock on Unc Eller!
Brother, I have been a drop D player from the very beginning… The first piece of music I ever learned on the guitar was, “Everlong.” And from there, I’ve been playing the different variance’s of drop D throughout my entire musical career. But I’ve never had anyone explain the drop D chord vocabulary in this manner. 👌 And I just wanted to say thank you!! Thank you very much, Ben!! This really helped me to visualize the theory behind the noises those “well-known” shapes make. I hope you are well, and still shredding my friend!!! 💪❤️🔥
Thank you for explaining in terms we can all understand! This is why you are the greatest Uncle Ben!
This is great stuff. Maybe part 2 with 7th and 9th chords? The chords of modern prog? (Plini, Sithu Aye, Intervals, etc).
My man dropping some serious D knowledge on us. 👍
The drop tunnings were the greatest thing I learned during my two guitar lessons in the mid 90s, that and how to read guitar tabs. That was all I needed.
Great lesson, one thing I like to do with Drop D is play songs that aren't in Drop D and then adjust all the E string notes on the fly two steps up...
I love how that diminished chord sounds. And that’s what’s fundamentally wrong with me as a human.
I love drop D tuning, I do a riff alternate picking lifting up the added note on the up stroke, so I can demolish in the back seat of a VW beetle if you know what I mean.
I was looking for a video just like this. Actually experiencing the same issue only with Drop C which also works.
Awesome!
Helmet is the first band I've thought of. They seem pretty based in that tuning but Paige Hamilton always finds some good fresh stuff to do with it.
Literally the first Awesome Drop D specific lesson I've seen in such detail.
So MORE BETTER!!!!
Awesome lesson Ben. 👏
Loved this video. Also if anyone is interested in extended shaped chords Page Hamilton gets into those extended Drop D chord voicings. Love his interviews on Rig Rundown. He talks a little bit about theory and shows a couple examples of those shapes on the fretboard. Thanks for the great video Youngcle Ben.
THE DIMINISHED SWAP IS MY GO-TO! Wow, I never even realized WHY it sounded so good all these years... daaaaaaaaaaamn, I feel like a massive idiot.
God damnit that Silverchair remark got me so good lmfao
I took some of these ideas here and tried them out in the saddest of all keys, but then metalized, and gotta say, it sounds killer.
Substituting the 7th chordal interval dim with the 1st inversion, where the III is the bass of the diminished, is an epiphany! Thank you!
Thank you so much, this is the video that got me to understand triads and triad chord shapes, with the bonus of being in drop D. You're awesome!
I'm sick and tired of not having enough guitars for all the different tunings. I NEED MORE GUITARS!! .. pain in the rear to re-tune all the time.
If you are stuck with a floating trem, you could try a tool call the Skyscraper. You can set intonation without loosening the string all the way. I use it all the time if I switch from Drop-D to E on my Charvel So-Cal.
If you have the less expressive hardtail or ashtray bridge, then all you need is a tuner and MAYBE a thicker string.
Brilliant. “ As uncomfortable as the back seat of a VW”🤘🏻
This video is incredibly helpful! I would always avoid using the 6th string when making chords in drop tunings, but now I don't have to!
I've been diddle fiddling around with the gat for years but really can't be fluffed learning theory. Your videos really inspire me to put in more better effort and I'm a even more betterer player because of it.Thanks Ben, ya bloody bastard.
Glad to help!
Learn the notes in any scale and just put your fingers on them till you find all the different chords. It’s lots of fun. For some reason I always gravitate towards 7sus4 chords.
Those minor and sus2 (or as I call them, 5-9) chords are THE reason to play drop tuning, great stuff :)
Yay! Some more valuable guitar, and life lessons, from my favorite Uncle, Ben and his faithful, but tired sidekick, Turkey (who's adorable BTW)!
I think I’ll be a patron supporter tomorrow. It is pay day.
Thanks Daniel! Looooots of exclusive goodies over there and a LOT of cool people.
always like Ben's vids in advance. Thanks mate!
expand d(ong)?
DOCTORS DONT WANT U TO KNOW THIS WEIRD TRICK
add9... inches!
You can try adding a 9th just for a second in your chords.
Also worth reminding that we aren't limited to playing these chords on the first three strings. If you don't have quite enough hand to play, say, 3-3-7 cleanly, feel free to mute the D string and play it as 3-3-x-2. Heck, mute the A string too! The 3-x-x-2 and 3-x-x-1 shapes have a really focused, almost open chord sound and are hella easy to slide around the neck.
Why mute the d string? Just play it as 3-3-3-2 if you want a moveable shape without the stretch. That way it includes an octave and you don't have to mute strings.
@@happiness1772 True, but I was just trying to point out that the same triad can be more than one shape.
Although personally I definitely fall into the "not enough hand" category, so trying to fret 3-3-3-2 would probably result in the 2 being accidentally muted by whichever finger is barring the 3s. 😅 So I use the 3 (pinkie) 3 (ring) X (x) 2 (index) shape out of necessity more than creativity.
@@ericolson326 I'll never have monstrous Vai or Holdsworth hands, but learning to play Bark at the Moon correctly with help from Ben turned my left hand into play-doh and really improved my stretching/dexterity. Try it if you haven't. It helps.
These types of in depth, useful videos are why you're my favorite RUclips uncle...
You are once more confirmed as best guitar teacher on YT.
Yellowcard has some really cool chords in drop especially in Southern Air and self titled album.
Helmut, Corrosion of Conformity, Alice n Chains, and Down put the “D” in drop D!
Lamb of God has some great Drop D riffs too.
i've been using these shapes. but i had no idea what they were. thanks
I like how you made a foo fighters song for the intro lol, I like how RUclips recommends me these videos like a year too late, like I already learned how to good at drop tuning and 7 string, I wish I saw these like like last year
Drop D is stepdad stuff. My uncle and me only play in Drop C and lower. He also likes to drop my pants in front of my girlfriend.
That’s ok, all these shapes work in drop C too! Now let’s get that man a belt!
@@BenEller Or even better, some suspenders for some superior Granddad energy
Never trust a guitar player that wears both a belt And suspenders: If he can't trust his own pants?...
You know what's really great?
1) These chords all work in Drop C.
2) The real step-dad stuff is playing in any tuning without a 7th string. Get an extended range guitar already, grandpa!
😮
17:43 Hey that sounds like "Where is my mind" by The Pixies! COOL!!
Thanks so much, Uncle. I'm terrible coping with math. You make learning fun! 👍
Very helpful. Gonna try this in Open C.
I finally quit playing my drop tunings like a step dad!!!
THANKS UNCLE BEN!!!
I know very little about theory, and this is the first video I've seen that was both interesting and helped it all make more sense. I loved the everlong reference. That was super helpful
This lesson is absolute gold!
Thank you!
G: x
D: 2
A: 3
D: 3
Is my favourite Drop D thing-a-ma-bob
1 5 7, kind of a major 7 vibe!
That Tele is stinkin' gorgeous, especially that neck. Aside from that you're like a non-coastal Chuck Schuldiner with all the animal love, I dig it... GOBLESS.
Turkey for the WIN! 🐾🐾🐾🐾
Don't blame the drop in your D. Uncle Ben just says you suck at it!
Now lets play it all back at Step Dad speed so I can keep up! LOL
I learned some new chords from this. Thanks.
Another great video Uncle Ben, this was so educational and inspiration. Thank you Ben for this video. 🎸
This just changed my understanding of music theory man, it makes a lot more sense now, it clicked
Great Lesson, love the style of teaching. but major/minor so much easier in standard tuning! Less stretch! And the natural minor is the aeolian mode of the major scale! I know you already know that! But some people get scared out of their minds when they hear that they have to learn a whole new scale, when the natural minor just starts off at the 6th of the major scale, and follows the same pattern
Love how you mentioned silverchair
Such a great band. Miss them a lot
classic Mallrats reference (the soundtrack of which featured Silverchair)
Excellent lesson Ben. Nailed it.
Thank you for the awesome lesson Ben! - I was actually considering going drop D for one of my things lately, mainly to rectify that mean stretch to the 9th. Also I think I've heard Plini talking about a similar concept - just taking your basic mom's basement chord progression, and embellishing it with spicier intervals.
Funny that you mention Everlong. That was the first thing that came to mind because I heard you play that first chord. And Im also amused that you go back and forth between pizza and ice cream. Thanks Uncle Ben!
How have I got this far without seeing that dim7 replacement thing before!? Nice!
Brilliant explanation. So many ideas can be gleamed from this for songwriting.
Dude you’re a great teacher
Random question. Will you be doing any more studio work with Whitechapel? You might as well be an official member at this point.
I did a little bit of bass work on the upcoming album, actually!
wait what? first time Im hearing about this. what songs/albums did you play on Ben?
@@AfekaZoo solos on I Dementia and Faces on the self titled, and most of the solos on the next two albums! Diggs Road and Bring Me Home are probably my favorites I’ve done. Love those guys.
@@BenEller Bring Me Home is probably one of my favorite songs ever! that's so weird to me, I would have never guessed you played with a deathcore band
@@AfekaZoo Did you ever tour with them? wondering if I ever saw you live and didn't even know.
Great video thanks.
Nice mallrats quote too
Haha glad you noticed!
I liked your video, and I got my favourite number of 108!!! Also thanks for the lesson, was thinking of trying out a Drop D, but yeah, thought then if there's more than just power chords? It's as if the universe has heard my question, and you brought me the answer :-)
Thanks for the lesson! But just as important, I think Turkey is just about the most dang adorable pup ever!
Awesome! I felt so silly messing around in Drop D and having a brain delay in visualizing scale shapes on the low D string with the other strings being tuned standard. Then I was like "DUH, its the same pattern as the other D string" which you and I hopefully already know lol.
I've been waiting for this episode for so Everlong
Thanks! Great cookbook!
Great Mallrats reference!!! And another great video Ben!!
Needed this one!
Thanks, Nen.
Thanks Uncle Ben! You've inspired me to give drop D tuning a try.
Great explanations! Loved it.
Then tune the High E down to D get those super pretty bluesy chords sounds best on acoustic 12 string
With this video, you finally became my Uncle Ben, and you converted my rice. Thanks Ben.
At 8:25 I thought I was watching Master Shred for a moment lmao
Oh damn, I was thinking "hey, I could get into the RUclips guitar lesson game by sharing what I've learned about chord shapes and arpeggios in dropped tuning" but then you already did it 😞
Dude, do it anyway!!! People care about personality as much as they do content, you’re probably more cooler than me! Do it!
Dang and you covered... one type of inversion. The minor in 1st inversion is also useful.
And the major triad in 1st inversion a step below the target chord makes for super triumphant sounding progressions, especially in minor keys
@@BenEller hahahaha nope, you are way more coolerly than I lol
Suspended chords do sound awesome!! I use A-D-A-D-G-B-E tuning omg the possibilities are amazing!!
there's a, band called loathe who uses a similar tuning to yours, they use E-A-E-A-D-F#-B, it has the double octave idea
Loving that Graveyard Goods shirt! I have like 15 shirts from him
Dude! This is my first, and won’t be the last!!!
@@BenEller awesome looking forward to seeing what you choose 🤘🏻
Me a couple of months ago: man this channel can't get any better!
Ben: hold my Turkey
He’s just the best!
That was an awesome video, it gave me a new angle to look at it. Ty!!