vernplum
New member
Jayshen started another thread about chord progressions that are interesting - I have some of those, but I want to share some other ways of 'opening up' the guitar to do new, cool and interesting things you wouldn't normally.
One of these is aimed at helping break 'out of the box' on the fretboard, in other words to get out of position playing.
Pick a string, any string (let's say the B string) and only play notes on that string. You can do anything you like - hammer ons, vibrato, tapping, harmonics whatever, but you must stay on that string, and you must use the full length of the string up the entire fretboard.
Start by learning a C major scale:
B---1-3-5-6-8-10-12-13-15-17-19--- (I think
I am away from my guitar).
Use all the notes available and do not be constrained by the usual intervals that you play. Use all your fingers. Use different fingers to fret the same not. Stay on the string. Think melody. Try to play a familiar melody that you already know on only that string. Try an arpeggios on the string. Be disciplined - do not wander from that string for at least 10 minutes. You'll be surprised what this opens up. After that, do another string.
(P.S. I stole this idea from a great book I'm reading called 'The Advancing Guitarist' by Mick Goodrick, so I take no credit except as the messenger.)
One of these is aimed at helping break 'out of the box' on the fretboard, in other words to get out of position playing.
Pick a string, any string (let's say the B string) and only play notes on that string. You can do anything you like - hammer ons, vibrato, tapping, harmonics whatever, but you must stay on that string, and you must use the full length of the string up the entire fretboard.
Start by learning a C major scale:
B---1-3-5-6-8-10-12-13-15-17-19--- (I think
I am away from my guitar).Use all the notes available and do not be constrained by the usual intervals that you play. Use all your fingers. Use different fingers to fret the same not. Stay on the string. Think melody. Try to play a familiar melody that you already know on only that string. Try an arpeggios on the string. Be disciplined - do not wander from that string for at least 10 minutes. You'll be surprised what this opens up. After that, do another string.
(P.S. I stole this idea from a great book I'm reading called 'The Advancing Guitarist' by Mick Goodrick, so I take no credit except as the messenger.)
