To fame, and beyond!

GuitarChorder 1.1 Creating a script.

2012-03-14T10:52:00.000+01:00

To avoid opening a terminal and execute operating system commands in order to run GuitarChorder 1.1 you can create a script file and leave it on the desktop. To create an application launcher follow these instructions depending on your operating system.

In Windows:

Open Notepad and type the following commands:

cd C: \ GuitarChorder (or where we unpacked GuitarChorder)

java-jar GuitarChorder.jar

Then go to "Save As" and give it a name with a .bat extension, for example "GuitarChorder.bat" or "GC.bat".
To run it click the mouse twice on it.

In Linux:

Write in a text editor (nano, mcedit, vim, nedit, etc..)

#! / bin / bash

cd / home / GuitaChorder (or where we unpacked GuitaChorder)

java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Save it with a name, eg "GuitarChorder.sh" or "GC.sh".
Run "chmod x GuitarChorder.sh" to make it executable.
Run ". / GuitarChorder.sh" (the ". /" Means "current directory")

Para evitar tener que abrir un terminal y ejecutar comandos de sistema operativo para abrir GuitarChorder podemos crear un archivo de comandos y dejarlo en el Escritorio para que esté más a mano. Para crear un lanzador de aplicación sigue las siguientes instrucciones según sea tu sistema operativo.

En Windows:

Abrir el bloc de notas y escribir los siguientes comandos:

cd C:\GuitarChorder (o donde hayamos descomprimido GuitarChorder)

java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Luego vamos a “Guardar Como” y le damos un nombre con la extensión .bat, por ejemplo “GuitarChorder.bat”, o bien “GC.bat”.
Para ejecutarlo solo tendrás que pulsar con el ratón dos veces.

En Linux:

Escribe en un editor de texto (nano, mcedit, vim, nedit, etc.):

#! /bin/bash
cd /home/GuitaChorder  (o donde hayamos descomprimido GuitaChorder)
java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Grábalo con un nombre cualquiera, por ejemplo “GuitarChorder.sh”, o bien “GC.sh”.
Ejecuta "chmod +x GuitarChorder.sh", con el nombre que lo hayas grabado para hacerlo ejecutable.
Ejecuta "./GuitarChorder.sh" (el "./" significa "del directorio actual")

Guitar Chorder 1.1 (III)

2012-03-12T18:04:00.000+01:00

GuitarChorder Version 1.1 includes many additional features that make this application very appropriated for composing chord progressions and to help in learning guitar.

Directly in the fretboard, you can see most of chords, or if you are improvising or composing, the notes more appropriate for these chords. Additionally, you can see other modes for you to experience other sounds.

You can create chord sequences, modifying their octaves and change tempo and rhythm.

You can add MIDI files, such as drum samples or synthesized sounds that will run in sync with the chord progression.

The program allows you to configure other sound banks of your choice easily.

For more information see the Spanish manual included in the "doc" folder.

To install it, download and unzip the file GuitarChorder.zip in a folder of your choice. To run the application, just step on that folder and execute:

cd <folder>

java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Note: You should run it in the same directory it was unzipped. Otherwise you will not find your previous data.

This program has the aim to be the ultimate composing application for guitarists, totally free. It is just three months old and as you know there is no program free of errors.

I urge everyone to have patience and understanding. I'll improve it with all the ideas you give me and correct its errors.

If you send me an eMail you'll receive the updates as they exit the oven. I hope you enjoy and find it useful.

Enrique Atienzar
e_atienzar@yahoo.es

It can be downloaded at:

GuitarChorder 1.1

La versión GuitarChorder 1.1 incluye muchas características adicionales que hacen de esta aplicación muy apropiada para componer progresiones de acordes y para ayudar en el aprendizaje de la guitarra.

Directamente en el mástil de la guitarra, podrá ver la mayoría de acordes, o bien, si usted está improvisando o componiendo, las notas que son más apropiadas para dichos acordes. Adicionalmente, podrá ver otros modos para que usted experimente otras sonoridades.

Podrá crear secuencias de acordes, modificando sus octavas y podrá modificar el tempo y el ritmo para la ejecución de las progresiones.

Podrá añadir secuencias MIDI, tales como samples de batería o sonidos sintetizados que se ejecutarán sincronizados con la progresión de acordes.

El programa permite configurar otros bancos de sonidos de su elección de una manera sencilla.

Para más información consulte el manual en español incluido en el directorio “doc” del fichero descargado.

Descargue el fichero GuitarChorder.zip y descomprímalo en una carpeta de su elección. Para ejecutar la aplicación basta con cambiarse a dicha carpeta y ejecutar con:

cd <directorio>

java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Nota: Es conveniente ejecutarlo en el mismo directorio donde se encuentra el programa porque se crearán automáticamente varios directorios. Si lo ejecuta desde otros directorios no encontrará sus datos anteriores.

Este programa tiene como afán ser el programa de composición definitivo para guitarristas, totalmente gratuito. Solo tiene tres meses de vida y como todos saben ningún programa está libre de errores.

Ruego a todos tengan paciencia y comprensión. Lo iré completando con todas las ideas que me deis y con los errores corregidos que vayan surgiendo.

Si me enviais un eMail recibireis las versiones según vayan saliendo del horno. Espero que lo disfruteis y que os sirva de utilidad.

Enrique Atiénzar

e_atienzar@yahoo.es

Puede ser descargado desde:

GuitarChorder 1.1

GuitarChorder 1.0 (II)

2012-02-10T07:59:00.001+01:00

As I promised a few days ago, I have improved the performance of GuitarChorder. The new features of this version are:

The octave of every note in a chord can be changed to be reversed, raised or lowered.
The chords configuration is recorded at the end of the program and read at startup. Obviously if we change the base chord, or its type, the program will recommend others and the user changes will be lost.
Now you can see other modes and scales (Lydian, Phrygian, Blues, Pentatonic, etc). This scale is the tonic scale, whether you're in a major or minor mode.
MIDI sequence of the selected chord progression will not end until you press the Stop button.

This new version can be downloaded at the GuitarChorder entrance of this blog.

Hope you like it. If you have any questions or recommendations I will be happy to develop, improve or clarify it for you.

Modes and Scales

2012-02-08T11:32:00.000+01:00

This time we speak of the modes. In this blog we have seen the major and minor modes, which arise following the pattern of the scale of C and A respectively. However, there are others that when using them the sound is a little strange or at least different from what we are acostumed.

The scale of C follows the pattern of TTSTTTS (T = tone, S = semitone). This mode is called Ionian and if we start from the different notes and apply these patterns have the following modes.

Thus if we want to play the C scale in Lydian mode, this mode must be applied beginning with C, that is C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C.

Obviously there are others, many come from Eastern music and on this blog we saw the blues scale, following the pattern of 3,2,1,1,3,2. Another example is the Lydian b7 which is very appropriate for dominant 7 chords as an alternative to Mixolidian, in this case the pattern is 2,2,2,1,2,1,2.

Soon I will include in GuitarChorder the ability to select other modes and scales. As soon as it's ready I'll let you know.

GuitarChorder 1.0

2012-01-23T20:29:00.000+01:00

I've developed an application to design chord progressions. This application has not been tested in diferent platforms, so I am opened to receive your comments and to fix bugs and errors.

This application helps guitar players to design the schema of chords for a new song.

1. Choose a root or tonic chord.

2. Try any chord from the recommended chords panel.

3. See chord or scale notes to improvise.

4. Select the chords you like
5. Export to a midi file. In addition, sequence data is written to a text file into the folder 'MySequences'

You also can:

Right click on the mouse to change the octave of every note in a chord in order to invert, raise or lowered it.
Change the instrument sound.
Change the time pattern in quarter notes for every chord.
Use a beats per minute metronome.
Check other scales or modes of the tonic.

See new version here:
GuitarChorder 1.1

Once you download the application, open a terminal, go to the folder, create two folders under this one called "data" and "mySequences" and finally type:

java -jar GuitarChorder.jar

Write me with new ideas and tools you miss. I will include them and send to you the new release.

I hope you like it!

Let's compose!

2011-07-07T20:56:00.000+02:00

After some practice and learning music theory. I have compose my very first song. The chord progression for the first part is Am-Bm-Am-G-Bm-Em, for the second part is Am-Em-Bm7 and for the third part Bm-G-Em. It sounds a little sad and as coming from the middle ages. A friend of mine has added some drums and effects.

Anyone, all around the world, is invited to arrange, rearrange, remake or compose this structure.

Why don't we make a multi-ethnic group through the Internet? This could be a first step.

Join this adventure.

EMail: e_atienzar@yahoo.es

Blues Scale

2011-07-05T08:51:00.000+02:00

The blues scale is similar to the minor pentatonic scale, but with an additional lowered fifth. The lowered fifth, also known as the "blue note", is essential in blues music. The blues scale consist in the following semitones (or frets)

3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 2. Here are all the positions to memorize (the red and blue frets are the key and the blue note respectively).

And for every key note this is the chart with its notes.

The seventh chords, specially minor seventh chords, sound perfect with blues music. And the 12 bar progression is well known. That is I - I - I - I - IV - IV - I - I - - V - IV- I - V. See Chord Progression.

I hope you enjoy.

Sorry, I have to go to practice.

Building Chords

2011-07-01T09:06:00.000+02:00

In Chord Progression I showed a chart with some recommended chords depending on the root key in both degrees, minor and major.

A very common chord is built with the combination of the following triads.

But these chords, although very useful, do not satisfy me. I have been looking on the Internet for many others alterations that can be made in every chord. You can see a whole explanation about building chords in a Spanish web page called "El rincón del guitarrista". Another interesting page is How Music Works.org
I have made a schematic chart with all this.

Finnaly I developed a program that helps to build chords progressions. See GuitarChorder 1.1.

Man at improve English!

Chord Progression

2011-06-28T13:33:00.000+02:00

When one begins to compose and doesn't know much of music theory, try to play some chords as a mad, some of them sound well, with movement and strong but others sound awful.

As I said in Major Scales and Minor Scales there are some recommended chords for every key because they share notes. Let's take a look at this charts.

There are many famous progressions, for example, see the following from the link Chord progression:

I - IV - V - V. (The basis of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba", this progression also provides the refrain of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone", The Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout", and The Beatles's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".)
I - I - IV - V. (Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop" (usually credited to Robert Spencer, Morris Levy, and Johnny Roberts), "Heartbeat" (written by Bob Montgomery and Norman Petty for Buddy Holly), The Rolling Stones' "Get Off Of My Cloud" (refrain), Paul Simon's "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes", Van Morrison's "Madame George", The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop")
I - IV - I - V. (Common in Elizabethan music (Scholes 1977), this also underpins the American college song "Goodnight Ladies", is used the exclusive progression used in Kwela,^[12] and Solomon Linda's "Mbube"/"Wimoweh"/"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" among many others.)
I - IV - V - IV. (Chip Taylor's/The Troggs' "Wild Thing", "Louie Louie", etc.)

If you want experience some others progressions see GuitarChorder 1.1. It includes a program to build your own progression and hear it in some styles.

Sorry for my English. Any correction would be welcome!

Minor Scales

2011-06-26T17:17:00.000+02:00

Minor scales sound different from major scales because they are based on a different pattern of intervals. Since comes from the scale A, B, C, D, E, F, G and A its pattern in semitones (or frets) is 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2. As we saw in Major Scales to build, for example, the E minor scale we follow that pattern, that is: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E.

Let's see this on a symbolic guitar fretboard. The red frets correspond to the root note, E. And if you avoid the green frets you are playing in E Pentatonic scale. Isn't it easy?

Another example in key B.

Finally, I want to add the minor scale for every key. The first column is the name of the scale degrees. The second column the scale chord triad.
Later on I will introduce (and learn at the same time) some concepts about chord progression. Keep practicing and have fun.

Try my new program GuitarChorder 1.1 that helps to build chord progressions and displays major and minor scales.

Still learning English!

Major Scales

2011-06-25T21:42:00.001+02:00

This time I want to put some light in all that mess about scales. In most of the pages I have visited they recommend to memorize the different positions on the fretboard. I have found easier to memorize the inner pattern of the scale.

The major scale ( or Ionian Scale) comes from the scale C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C and that means that follows the pattern 1 tone, 1 tone, ½ tone, 1 tone, 1 tone, 1 tone, ½ tone. In the guitar fretboard ½ tone is one fret and obviously one tone = two frets. If you want to play in G Major Scale you only need to step on that pattern beginning in G, that is G, A, B, C, D, M, F#, G.

Let's see this on a symbolic guitar fretboard. The red frets correspond to the root note, G. And if you avoid the green frets you are playing in G Pentatonic scale. Isn't it easy?

For any other key, let's say D, we need to move the pattern to the root.

Finally, I want to add the major scale for every key. The first column is the name of the scale degrees. The second column the scale chord triad.
Later on I will introduce (and learn at the same time) some concepts about chord progression. Keep practicing and have fun.

Try my new program GuitarChorder 1.1 that helps to build chord progressions and displays major and minor scales.

Sorry for my bad English.

Still learning!

BOSS GT-10

2011-05-10T12:19:00.000+02:00

After one month meeting with my new Rock Group I realise that my guitar processor Boss GT-10 does not sound the same. So I decided to leave the user manual in the bathroom in order to read a bit twice a day (after some week ends even more times a day). I had to choose which preamp to use and its parameters, pickup type and which patchs suit for every song. I have found that it is a very hard job to do. Could any one of you, friends, give me some advices?

El grupo

2011-04-07T10:19:00.000+02:00

Después de un casting de nervios y sudores, y tras dos semanas de deliberación en sesiones secretas por parte de la dirección del grupo se ha decidido que sea yo quien se una al grupo. Se llama Moebius y sus componentes son de Alicante. Les gusta el rock sinfónico, son mayorcitos (por eso solicité entrar), son expertos y la música que hacen suena muy bien. Creo que aprenderé mucho con ellos. Me han pasado un repertorio inicial para que con la ayuda del gran Google busque las partituras (tablaturas mejor dicho) y vaya aprendiéndomelo. Este repertorio es el siguiente:

Pink Floyd: Wish you were here (solista).
Pink Floyd: Shine on you crazy diamond (bajo).
Focus: Sylvia (rítmica).
Joe Satriani: Always with me, always with you (rítmica).
Beatles: Lucy in the sky with diamond (rítmica).
Beatles: Here, there and everywhere (rítmica).
Steve Vai: The crying machine (solista).
George Harrison: Beware of darkness (rítmica).
Camel: Echoes (rítmica).
MOEBIUS: Divertimento en si (rítmica).
MOEBIUS: Still waiting (rítmica).

El equipo

2011-04-05T09:28:00.000+02:00

Para abordar la empresa me he comprado un equipo. No creais que lo he madurado, ni tan siquiera he buscado mucho. La guitarra me parecía bonita y barata para empezar. No me pregunteis modelo. Es roja y "made in china", 280€. La pedalera, sin embargo, en un acceso de generosidad, valentía y optimismo decidí que fuera buena, 450€. Por último, el ampli. Si tenía una buena pedalera el ampli tenía que tener un buen sonido limpio y por ello me decanté por Fender, 165€.

Guitarra Gio Ibanez roja (http://www.ibanez.com/parts/2003_PARTS/el_guitar/spec/GRG270DXCA_2B_01.html)
Pedalera Boss GT-10 (http://www.bossiberia.com/ficha.asp?idproducto=301)
Fender Mustang II (http://www.fender.com/es-ES/products/mustang/models.php/?prodNo=230002)

Los objetivos

2011-04-01T11:47:00.000+02:00

He decidido cumplir uno de mis sueños de infancia. ¡¡¡Llegar a ser un gran guitarrista!!!. Sé que a estas alturas carezco de las cualidades y capacidades necesarias. Este cuaderno de bitácora va a reflejar este duro proceso. Propuesta inicial diaria:

Un lick.
Un chop.
Una lección.
Una canción.

Para el lick:
http://www.myguitarsolo.com/Licks/Licks.htm

Para el chop:
http://www.myguitarsolo.com/chops.htm

Para la lección:
http://www.rockandrollparamunones.com/clases-de-guitarra/17.php