Lessons : Legato Phrasing: Lesson One - The Basics Info
Legato phrasing is a technique of playing notes smoothly so that they seemlessly flow together. On the guitar one of the easiest ways to do this phrasing is by the use of hammer-ons and pull offs. Legato Phrasing: Lesson One - The Basics Hammer ons
A hammer on is best best explained explained like this this : Play these two notes ust picking them as normal:
!suggested fingering " # $% &ow play them again but this time only pick the first note and then force your third finger down onto the 'th fret without picking the string again. (f you had enough force and accuracy then you should ha)e completed a hammer-on. *his is written like this in tablature :
!&otice the hammer-on symbol abo)e the notes% Pull offs
A pull off off is almost almost the exact exact opposite opposite of a hammer-on. hammer-on. +irstly, position your fingers so that they are on two different frets on the
same string. !eg put your first finger on the fifth fret of the string and your third finger on the se)enth fret of the string%. *hen pick the string !therefore playing the note on the se)enth fret% and once you hear the first note then ust remo)e the top most !eg third% finger while still ha)ing the bottom most finger fretted - this should execute a pulloff. ere is a diagram to show this.
/o the note on the se)enth fret is played first and then by pulling that finger off the fretboard quickly the note on the fifth fret is sounded without ha)ing to pick it. Hammer-ons and Pull offs together
ere is an excercise to build up your strength in legato technique :
Practice this with all combinations of your fingers and repeat it all o)er the guitar neck. !Only pick the )ery first note% In Closing...
(n the next lesson we will mo)e onto combinations of multiple hammerons and hammeroffs... a)e +un...0
Lessons : Legato Phrasing: Lesson Two - Multiple hammerons and Pull-offs Info
1hat ( will be co)ering in this lesson are some ways in which to use legato techniques in your playing. (n the last lesson we looked at the basic techniques for hammer-ons and pull-offs, by using these concepts in different ways we can create interesting sounding guitar licks. Legato Phrasing: Lesson Two - Multiple hammer-ons and Pull-offs The Ma!or "Ionian# $cale pla%ed with hammer-ons and pulloffs
2onsider the following lick :
2lick here to hear an example *his shows a + maor scale that is played o)er 3 "43 octa)es using hammerons, only picking once on each string. *his is a good introduction to the hammer-on techniques in that as well as being a good scale to learn it sounds good !in the right place %.... *he next rather ob)ious way to approach this scale is to play is using pull-offs, starting on the highest note and picking only when changing to a different string.
2lick here to hear an example !At this stage still alternate your picking strokes..... all will be explained later 0% Beginning Legato $e&uences
/o we ha)e seen how to play a basic scale using hammer-ons and pull-offs, well after a while as you can imagine this starts to get a little stale. A good technique for increasing speed and dexerity while playing something that sounds a little bit more interesting is to use sequences. A sequence is ust a repeating fingering pattern that you use to work your way up a scale, an example may be to start on the first note, go up three, go back down to the start and then repeat the sequence starting on the second note, and then the third note etc... etc... Lost yet 555....good....!ust oking%..perhaps it will make more sense to show you what ( mean0 2onsider the following example :
2lick here to hear an example *his is the basic sequence, note how it is only quite short.... *his is the intial sequence, this is repeated within the same lick that is represented below, the first notes are the same then there is another repetition of the sequence which begins on the next string up.... 1hen the sequence is repeated o)er it starts to look a bit more scary - and it sounds a lot more impressi)e.....
2lick here to hear an example 1hat should be noted is how ( start with a simple pattern and then expand it while still ust using the same initial sequence that is repeated o)er !and o)er% again.... /uprised how easy this seems - well the concepts are easy but getting your fingers to play these examples probably will take a bit more work000, 6ut if you get the first sequence down then you will be a ways to getting there 0000 In Closing...
1ell whats next you ask.....well how about using your right hand as well.... ( will also include some other sequences for you as well some time...
Lessons : Introduction to the Minor Pentatonic and Blues $cales Info
(n this lesson ( would ust like to introduce two new scales that most guitarists are )ery familar with, the minor pentatonic and also the 6lues /cale. Introduction to the Minor Pentatonic and Blues $cales
'hat is a Pentatonic $cale( 1ell as the name implies, a Pentatonic scale has ust fi)e notes rather than the se)en that we are used to with the maor scale. *he spelling of the minor pentatonic is "-b$-7-8-b'. *he way that ( think about such spellings is that ( compare them to what notes a maor scale would ha)e. *he maor scale !which has se)en notes, spelt "-3-$-7-8-9-'% in A would be A 6 2 ; + <. (n comparison the Pentatonic /cale has A, 2, , ;, + - notice the 2 is a flattened third note of the maor scale !2 flattened becomes 2% and the + !/e)enth% is a flattened /e)enth note of the maor /cale !+ flattened becomes +%. *his is how we get the spelling "-b$-8-9-b'.
2lick here to hear the example. &ow lets look at the fingering for the same scale right o)er the entire six strings.
2lick here to hear the example.
ere is a sample lick to gi)e you an idea of the sound of the minor pentatonic scale:
2lick here to hear the example.
The Blues $cale *he =6lues= /cale is )ery closely related to the >inor Pentatonic /cale, and in fact has only one extra note - a diminished 8th !a flattened fifth in normal speak%. *his makes the spelling of the 6lues /cale become this: "-b$-7-b8-8-b'. *he diminished 8th is often called the blue note and causes the scale to ha)e a bit more of a rougher, less easy on the ear sound. ere is a fingering pattern for a one octa)e 6lues /cale in A. &otice that ( ha)e put a box around the new !6lue% note. *his is the only difference between the two scales.
2lick here to hear the example. &ow lets look at the fingering for the same scale right o)er the entire six strings.
2lick here to hear the example. ere is a sample lick to gi)e you an idea of the sound of the 6lues scale:
2lick here to hear the example.
)eah* +ut I dont li,e the Blues ?ou poor soul, oh well ne)er mind - the blues scale and minor pentatonic are found in many, many different styles of music. ere is a bit of a sample of a rock lick using the blues scale: 2lick here to hear the example.
In Closing.... Practice these scales along with the maor scale co)ered in earlier lessons. (n upcoming lessons ( will be pro)iding some blues and rock licks using both of these scales. *hanks to all of you who ha)e been sending me emails encouraging me to write more lessons. @eep amming and ( wil see ya around. B%
Lessons : Alternate Picking I Info
Of all the techniques on the guitar, alternate picking is probably the single technique that troubles a guitarist the most. The process of synchronising the right and left hands together is a challenge to us all. In this lesson I have compiled a few excercises that I use to improve my picking accuracy and speed. Alternate Picking I Introduction
The idea behind alternate picking is simple, alternate between using a downstroke (towards the floor and an upstroke (towards the ceiling. !n example would be quite simply this, if you were to play a lick starting on a downstroke then the next stroke would be an upstroke, then a downstroke, and so on... "ot it .... "reat #### (!s this is an Intermediate $esson I wont go into any more basics % Five Tips that MAY improve your picking
& 'ractice low. (Train your fingers the right way, if you practice sloppy then you will always be sloppy & )se a *ard 'ick. (This increases the +chop+ sound of the pick which enhances the articulation of any picking run & 'ick from your wrist not from your elbow. (Its harder to move your whole arm rather than movng -ust your hand & Try to keep your fingers and thumb that hold the pick rigid. (If you move them the string becomes a moving target# & "et a meteronome and use it#. (ight as well play those /01th notes in time % 2ell now thats over with lets try some licks. 3egin all these licks with a downstroke, practice them a lot and then try them starting with an upstroke.
Alternate Picking Ecercise I
4lick here to listen to an example. This lick is designed to improve your ability to cross over strings when picking. ! ma-or thing to watch out for is to make sure that you are constantly alternating your pick strokes, dont use two upstrokes or two downstrokes in a row (yet. Alternate Picking Ecercise II
4lick here to listen to an example. !nother string crossing excercise, a great lick to use in the right place too#. Alternate Picking Ecercise III
4lick here to listen to an example. This is an example of 5ascending sixes5 (groups of six notes played together that ascend. tart slowly and concentrate on getting this in time first before speeding up, it will take you less time in the long run# Alternate Picking Ecercise I!
4lick here to listen to an example. *ere is the next step in picking 5ascending sixes5 practice this all over the guitar neck its a great short run. Alternate Picking Ecercise !
4lick here to listen to an example. 2ell we have covered 5ascending sixes5 this is an example of a 5descending sixes5 run. 6eep alternating those picking runs. Alternate Picking Ecercise !I
4lick here to listen to an example. !llright, here is the big lick for this lesson. Its quite simple conceptually all based around an 7 ma-or (Ionian ode cale. Its the next extension of the 5descending sixes5 lick. 2ell next time we will work on some picking sequences to attempt to get away from the +straight up the scale+ syndrome %. ail, ail, ail##### 8eedback would be great, an answer to every email guaranteed####. ee you all, and happy picking....
Lessons : Introduction to $weep rpeggio Techni&ues Info
*his page is ust a taste to see what will be ahead in the future, this is designed to demonstrate an approach to playing sweep arpeggios. Introduction to $weep rpeggio Techni&ues Triad rpeggios
*riad Arpeggios are probably the most common form of sweep arpeggios that we hear in guitar music. As the name indicates they are simply three note chords. *he way we play these examples is to play each note indi)idually and mute them as we play them before playing the next note. /o it kind of is like : Play note - mute it - Play the next...etc etc.. *hey can be played with a C/weepC technique that is played with consecuti)e upstrokes or downstrokes. Lets illustrate this by examining our first example, a simple maor !, +, A% triad arpeggio.
2lick here to here a sample Lets examine the tablature - you will see that the first 8 notes are played with one downstroke. *his stroke should be a continuous downward motion !a long sweep if you will%. *he indi)idual notes should be articulated with the left hand, after
a note is played the finger with which it was played should be remo)ed enough for the note to be muted. >uting can also be applied with the right hand palm, ust mo)ing behind the pick stopping the strings that ha)e already been played below it !the low, big strings% from sounding. >uting is Cmission-criticalC in this technique. ere is a minor triad arpeggio !", b$, 8% !, +, A% in the same position.
2lick here to here a sample Demember to play these examples ALL o)er the neck of the guitar, ( hope that this has been informati)e and remember if you ha)e any questions dont hestitate to write. >ost of all....( hope you ha)e fun with these examples0.
Lessons : $weep rpeggio Techni&ues Part II Info
*oday ( am ust going to show you a couple of ideas for expanding on the rapid fire triad arpeggios that ( showed you in lesson one on sweep arpeggios. 6y further expanding these ideas and including other techniques in with the sweeps, we begin to further e)ol)e our abilities to create. $weep rpeggio Techni&ues Part II
*he examples in this lesson are going to be using an A maor triad arpeggio shape starting at the "3 fret on the A string, it looks like this :
Demember to play all the notes up until the hammeron with a single sweeping downstroke. Pretty familar huh 5 1ell a technique that ( use to add another root note abo)e the highest note is to use my right hands middle finger to CtapC the highest A note - on the se)enteenth fret on the high e string this looks like this :
Ok so using the same middle finger we can play another note abo)e without e)en ha)ing to remo)e it from the fretboard - how5 1ell by sliding the middle finger up to the 2 note on the 3"st fret - that looks like this:
Ok so now all we ha)e to do is to work our way back down from there by sliding back down to the fifteenth fret with the right hand middle finger then pull it off the fretboad and continue down the arpeggio as normal, here is what the whole thing looks like:
( ha)e recorded a sample of me going through the following in two speeds !slow and a bit quicker%:
E +irst through the A Arpeggio without any taps E *hen through the A Arpeggio with the one tap E *hen the A Arpeggio with the tap and slide
2lick here to hear the example. Demember in all these exercises to drag your pick downwards or upwards in a long continuous sweeping motion, paying particular
attention to muting any unwanted noise. a)e fun with these exercises, and ( will post another bunch soon, dont hesitate to write to the email address below if there are any points that you would like clarified or any comments that you would like to make..../eeya..
Lessons : Pla%ing $weep rpeggios Part III Info
i there, yeah ( am back again !at last5%. *his lesson is designed to introduce some different arpeggio shapes, for inclusion in your trick bag. Pla%ing $weep rpeggios Part III
*he shapes below should show you a couple of different ways of playing arpeggios than we ha)e already co)ered. *hese shapes are really great for fast position changes and can get us away from sticking to strically scalar type licks.
Minor $hape *he following is a simple minor arpeggio shape that ( use a lot, and when combined with other similar shapes can be a )ery efficient and effecti)e way of playing )ery fast arpeggio sequences.
2lick here to hear the example.
Ma!or $hape *his is the maor equi)alent of the abo)e minor shape:
2lick here to hear the example. (t is possible to create some really cool licks from these simple shapes - try following a chord sequence using these arpeggios. ere is an example of such a lick:
2lick here to hear the example. At the end of the last repetition of the lick, ( ust threw in a Aminor Arpeggio like in one of our earlier lessons !ending at the "3th fret of the A /tring%. Demember this shape5
*his next shape is slightly out of place here as it is a dmin' arpeggio rather than ust a simple triad arpeggio - howe)er ( ha)e included it as ( use it a lot with the abo)e patterns. &ote that the lowest note on the e string is at the Fth fret - it looks a bit like an G in the tablature. :o%
2lick here to hear the example.
One of the coolest things about this arpeggio is that the shape can be repeated e)ery four frets up the fretboard !creates a different in)ersion of the notes%. *his is illustrated in my final lick below. *his lick demonstrates the use of the dim' arpeggio shape that ( introduced abo)e, and it is a )ery common lick heard in many neoclassical songs. (t starts )ery simply with a series of a minor diminished 'th arpeggios in different in)ersions up the neck !notice how the shape is simply repeated e)ery four frets% and is finished of with a A minor arpeggio !a cut-down )ersion of the first shape we will co)er in another lesson%.
2lick here to hear the example.
In closing .. *hank you to the many people who ha)e been sending me emails of encouragement, ( really appreciate it !and ( do read e)ery email%. ( will continue to try to update the lessons regularily - but time is )ery short at the moment. 6est Degards to you all.
Lessons : d/anced Two hand Tapping I Info
1e all ha)e probably heard =;ruption= - ;ddie Han alenCs "F'G /olo
( often ust use tapped notes quickly as an extension to hammerons and pulloffs, in these cases ( use the right hand middle finger to execute the taps.
2lick here to hear an example. *his next example is a expansion of the idea abo)e, using the middle finger of the right hand and the third finger of the right hand to tap notes. *he tough bit about this lick is probably keeping the middle finger on while tapping the third finger down, keep at it and in time it will
realise what it is supposed to do0.
2lick here to hear an example. As you can hear these techniques add quite a few possibilites for adding some life to some old legato licks. a)e fun with these and if you create some real cool licks of your own then send them to me. *o finish this lesson ( would like to show you a lick in the style of a fa)ourite player of mine !as far astwo handed playing goes% eff 1atson. $ome 0eff 'atson "1ight 2anger# T%pe Lic,s
*his first part of the lick is reasonably straight forward and uses the right hand " and 3 fingers to play the notes on the "3 and "$ fret. itch the pick 0000 you wont need it in these licks, ust pluck the first note with your finger and then hammer away0.
2lick here to hear an example. *his lick can be expanded simply by changing the highest note in each repetition of the sequence, in this case the highest notes are played by the 3nd finger !"$ fret%, $rd finger !"8 fret% and finally the little right hand finger !"' fret%. *his creates a pretty wide tonal grouping and makes for an interesting sounding lick.
2lick here to hear an example. 1ell ( hope that this has helped to gi)e you a couple of new ideas as far as the two handed tapping technique is concerned. 2ome back for the next installment )ery soon. +eedback.....!not on the guitar%....( need it, please send me an email if you ha)e read these lessons, ( am quite willing to answer any queries that you may ha)e. Intil next time keep on playing....
Lessons : Pedal Tones Info
(n this lesson ( would like to (ntroduce you to Pedal *ones, and some of the ways that ( use them in my playing. Pedal Tones 'hat is a Pedal Tone(
6asically a Pedal *one lick in)ol)es the repetition of a single note, or series of notes throughout a lick. *he pedal note or notes are repeated with other notes which change around it. *his is a hard concept to explain, but it should be )ery easy to grasp after studying the examples below. 2onsider the following lick:
2lick here to hear an example. *he repeated note in the abo)e example is the note CgC at the "8th fret on the CeC string, so we are using the CgC note as our pedal tone. =1ow, thats a simple idea=, you say 55 1ell yes, it is but it can sound great, and we can do lots to add new sonic textures to the technique. *his technique is deri)ed from classical music, but you can hear examples of this in music from many different artists including >etallica, Hinnie >oore, and ;ric ohnson. ere is another example of using a single note as our pedal tone:
2lick here to hear an example. (n this case the pedal tone is the CbC note on the "3 fret of the b string. 1hen playing this lick hold down the CbC note constantly, but try to stop it sounding at the same time as any of your other notes. 3sing more than One note as our pedal tone.
(n the following lick, we are using a short sequence of two notes as our pedal tone lick.
2lick here to hear an example. /o ob)iously the pedal tones in this lick are the notes on the "'th and "Fth fret of the CeC string, a small sequence is played with these notes and a changing note is added at the end of each sequence.
+igger e4ample to Practice.
*he following example is intended to impro)e your chops and hopefully to tune your ears to the way that pedal tone licks sound. Ise alternate picking in all of these licks.
2lick here to hear an example. ( ha)e included a couple of pictures of me playin g this lick to help you )isualise the pattern and fingering:
Part A - thumb on the back of neck to facilitate easy position shifts
Part B - notice the stretch to the 12th fret note
1ell ( hope that this has helped to introduce you so another idea that is extremely useful in playing guitar. ( use this particular technique a lot, in many different genres of music. *hank you all for your support recently, the emailCs ha)e been fantastic, ( am glad that so many of you are finding my lessons helpful. &ext time we will probably look at picking sequences to create picking licks like this. Intil next *ime...
