F A Q

Guitar World Review

Bass Frontiers Review

Players' Quotes

Order

Contact

Links Page

Home

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: "What styles can I play with this?"
A: The scales you will be able to play are used in everything: Rock, Alternative, Classical, R&B, Bluegrass, Country, etc!

Q: "How is The Nashville Pattern! different from other instruction books?
A: The Nashville Pattern! is primarily a scale book, rather than a lesson-by-lesson method book. Learn this one lesson to be able to play any scale anywhere on the instrument neck, then expand your theory knowledge through the appendices. Paul Lyman Studios will introduce other original titles (method books and theory books) in the near future.

Q: "How does a violin, viola, or cello use a fret pattern?"
A: Fretless players must be able to approximate half-steps in order to use a fret pattern. A half-step scale is also called a "chromatic" scale, and is an important component to all fretless playing.

Q: "Do I have to be able to read notes (on a clef or staff) or tablature?"
A: No. While letting you play in any key, the Pattern does not require you to read music.

Q: "How come I have not heard of this before?"
A: This visual method of learning scales is unique—you will see more of our ads in major guitar magazines. You can also ask your local music store to carry our books by mentioning www.nashvillepattern.com.

Q: "Will I find this information in other books?"
A: Not a chance! International copyrights and trademark rights have helped ensure that you will only find this information in Paul Lyman Studios publications.

Q: "How easily will I be able to use this to understand conventional theory? Will it help me learn actual scale notes and chord names?"
A: One entire section of the book is devoted to showing the theory number system imposed over the visual pattern. An appendix shows you how to name the scale notes by letter, and then create their full chord names for any key you wish to understand.

Q: "How advanced do I need to be to understand the pattern?
A: Even absolute beginners have said that they were playing scales within a few minutes of reading the instructions. Advanced players may still need to read the instructions, but there are only four easy steps before you are playing any scale you choose with your choice of starting finger.

Q: "What the heck is a mode? I know what major and minor are...!"
A: Major and minor are themselves modes. "Mode" basically means "scale"; there are seven modes total, including major and minor. FIVE other weird types of scales! Essentially, most modes simply sound like a major or minor scale with one scale note changed, moved up or down a half-step (sharped, or flatted). They may sound a little ethnic the first time you hear them. Modes are responsible for everything from heavy metal to movie soundtracks; even the National Anthem becomes "Lydian" in which an otherwise normal major scale (Oh say can you see, by the dawn's ear-LY light), has note 4 raised a half-step on the "LY" part of "early", making the whole key "lydian" for a second, instead of "major". Used correctly, you don't notice modes other than thinking there is something neat about a song!