3 Ways To Create Music Using Octave Shapes On Guitar
by Simon Candy
In this video, you learn 3 ways to use octave shapes on guitar to create awesome sounding music.
Octave shapes are great for both rhythm and lead playing and can really enhance the sound you get out of your instrument.
In this lesson, you learn how to use octave shapes in the following ways:
1. Progression
You learn how to create a secondary part that goes hand in hand with a chord progression using octave shapes.
2. Open String Drone
You also learn how to incorporate open strings with octave shapes for a very beautiful sound that is complete as a single guitar part on its own.
3. Soloing
And finally, you learn how octave shapes can enhance your soloing on guitar. Wes Montgomery was an absolute master at this. You learn how to solo using octave shapes and the pentatonic scale for a cool sound!
Watch the video below to learn more:
Octave Shapes
Below are 3 ways you can use the octave shape to create music on guitar.
Watch the video above for a detailed breakdown of each approach.
Octave Shapes: Progression
Octave shapes are great for creating a secondary part to go with a chord progression. This can be very subtle but very effective.
• Example 1a
The first example uses octave shapes extended from the root note of each chord in the progression:
• Example 1b
The second example extends the octave shapes from the 3rd of each chord:
• Example 1c
This example extends the octave shapes from the 5th of each chord:
• Example 1d
The final example has you using a variety of approaches using the octave shape. Notice how there is more movement between the octaves over each chord of the progression:
Octave Shapes: Open String Drone
Another approach is to add open strings to the octave shapes for a very cool sound. This sounds great without the need for another guitar part:
Octave Shapes: Soloing
Octaves are also great in a soloing context. Wes Montgomery was the master of this.
The following example uses octaves over a blues in A:
