From Examples 19 - 27 we are looking at the pentatonic scale(1 b3 4 5 b7) and honing our picking skill around one of the most common scales in music.
In Example 19 we have the basic scale descending/ascending.Use a light palm muting when playing these scales to get a tighter sound.And a good practise method for all of these and other scale exercises is to try picking each note twice or three times or four times to a metronome.It just puts more emphasis on the picking hand than the fret hand and can also help the player become accustomed to the feel of double notes or triplets etc.
Example 20 is a favourite scale pattern of mine.You simply play down 3 strings from the Low E String and then down 3 strings from the A string and so on.I call these 3 STRING Patterns.As always try and practise these with a metronome for best and most effective results.
EXAMPLE 19
EXAMPLE 20
Example 21 is simply a string skipping pattern/sequence.We will be looking at string skipping in greater detail later in the course.the name speaks for itself.Play the notes on the Low E String and then skip the A String.Then play the A String notes and skip the D String notes etc etc.This type of sequence has a great effect when played at fast speeds.And remember when you learn different patterns/sequences for a scale you should apply it to all other scales that you know.And also listen to the different sound effect and mood that each different pattern/sequence creates.With this string skipping pattern/sequence we come across inside the string picking which we will touch upon later on this alternate picking section of the course.
EXAMPLE 21
In Examples 22/23 we are ascending/descending the scale in odd group numbers of 5. This has an interesting and unique sound as most players ascend/descend in patterns of 4 or 6 mostly.Players like Shawn Lane and Marty Friedman make use of odd number sequences a lot in their playing.
EXAMPLE 22
EXAMPLE 23
In Examples 24/25 we are ascending/descending the Am Pentatonic scale in groups of 3,yup,another odd number pattern/sequence.
EXAMPLE 24
EXAMPLE 25
In Examples 26/27 we come across a little trait of one of my old favourite players Zakk Wylde.I just call these licks 'Doubling' licks for obvious reasons.You can make up many more of these ideas yourself and if you listen to Zakk you will notice he certainly spent a LOT of time using these licks in his playing.PLaying these at MACH 3 gives an awesome sound.For now we are fininshed with the pentatonic scale.But make sure you have all of the latter exercises memorized and can play them comfortably.We will be touching on the pentatonic later in the course when we get into 3 note per string pentatonics.
EXAMPLE 26
EXAMPLE 27
EXAMPLES 28-38 are all based on the A Major Scale(Ionian).
It is necessary for you to practise all of these patterns/sequences with all of the mode shapes-Ionian/Dorian/Phrygian/Lydian/Mixolydian/Aeolian/Locrian,
and of course you should practise these patterns/sequences with any and every scale you know.
It is necessary for you to practise all of these patterns/sequences with all of the mode shapes-Ionian/Dorian/Phrygian/Lydian/Mixolydian/Aeolian/Locrian,
and of course you should practise these patterns/sequences with any and every scale you know.
EXAMPLE 28 is simply the A Major(Ionian) scale ascending/descending.You should accent the first note on each string or play the scale in groups of 6 notes accenting the first of every six notes.
EXAMPLE 28
EXAMPLES 29/30 are what i call 2 string patterns/sequences similar to the 3 string ideas we practised on the pentatonic scale.You simply play down 2 strings from the low E string,then down two from the A string etc etc
EXAMPLE 29
EXAMPLE 30
EXAMPLE 31 is what i call a 2 string down/up/down pattern/sequence.You play down the first six notes starting from the low e string and then return to your start point and
then return to the last note of the 6 notes.You then repeat the same cycle on the a/d strings etc etc.Try and do the same thing but with a 3 string down/up/down pattern/sequence.
then return to the last note of the 6 notes.You then repeat the same cycle on the a/d strings etc etc.Try and do the same thing but with a 3 string down/up/down pattern/sequence.
EXAMPLE 31
In EXAMPLE 32 we are ascending/descending through the scale in 4 note groupings.We play 4 notes from the 1st note of the scale and then play down 4 notes from the 2nd note of the scale and so on.
EXAMPLE 32
In EXAMPLES 33/34 we are ascending/descending in INTERVALS of 3rds.We will get into INTERVALS later in the course so at this stage its best just to learn the pattern/sequence without worrying about INTERVALS yet.When i started to learn sequences a lot of the time i hadnt a clue what i was doing.I just memorized the pattern/sequence in my head.We will touch on theory later.Its not relevant yet.
EXAMPLE 33
EXAMPLE 34
EXAMPLES 35/36 are using the STRING SKIPPING pattern/sequence idea.Example 36 is almost similar to the 2 down/up/down idea.
EXAMPLE 35
EXAMPLE 36
In EXAMPLE 37 we are ascending the A Major(Ionian) scale and descending the B Dorian scale.I would strongly advise that you practise this idea connecting all the different modes together and in as many different ways as you can think possible.Check out the scale page to learn the mode shapes.There is also a tab section on this site where
you can download the modes in powertab and with the recommended fingerings.
you can download the modes in powertab and with the recommended fingerings.
EXAMPLE 37
In EXAMPLE 38 we are finishing with the major scale.Its the very same as EXAMPLE 37 but using STRING SKIPPING.
EXAMPLE 38
