I find that scale sequences are one of the best ways to add or release tension in a solo. Sometimes a solo just calls out to end on a low note. In that case, descending scale patterns are a great way to get there. Other times, you want to lead up to a searing high note. An ascending scale sequence can do the job nicely there.

Hopefully these exercises will get you interested in scale patterns. These are just a few common examples. If you search hard enough, you will find tons of other out there. Or you can come up with your own!

Triplets are one of my favorite patterns in just about any area - arpeggios, Pentatonic scales, Diatonic scales. Basically, a triplet is just 3 consecutive notes (for a scale, it is 3 consecutive notes in that scale, for an arpeggio, it is 3 consecutive notes in the arpeggio). The triplet pattern also lends itself well to be playing as triplets in time. Or, you can play two consecutive triplets in one beat as a sextuplet.

We are using the familiar G Major scale for this exercise.

In this exercise, accent the first note of each triplet on a downbeat. You really want to use a metronome if you have one for this exercise. It is a very rhythmic one.

Here is another one of my favorite scale patterns - the third interval. The third interval simply means that we play a note, then skip the next note. So with G Major scale, we play G and B, then A and C, then B and D, etc. This pattern is also very rhythmic if you group 3 consecutive thirds into a sextuplet.

Once again we are using the familiar G Major scale for this exercise.

I prefer to alternate pick this exercise. Also, even though the Tab does not indicate it, I tend to group 3 consecutive thirds and play them as sextuplets (6 notes per beat), accenting the first note of the group. Just something to consider!

For the past several months I have been obsessed with playing classical pieces on my acoustic - a quick look at the most recent lessons makes this very apparent! This weekend I decided it was time to take out the good old electric guitar and do a quick, simple, flashy exercise.

I know many players find practicing scales boring. In this guitar lesson, I will show you one of many approaches to sequence a scale - that is, play a scale using a repeatable pattern. Exercises of this sort reinforce certain mechanics of playing. In this case, we use a pattern of 6 notes and due to the manner in which they are arranged, the eercise reinforces alternate picking across adjacent strings. In addition the exercise has you covering a wide range of the fretboard (like many of my exercises!) which furthermore reinforces rapid position shifting and fretboard knowledge.

As you can see from the tab, the basis of this exercise is a pattern of 6 notes which we repeat in an ascending fashion until ending at the 22nd fret on the high E string. I played the riff using alternate picking and I recommend you do the same as it will do wonders for your alternate picking chops. Start slow and gradually build speed.

Good luck and have fun!

Brian

My guitar lessons as of late have not exactly been digestable in one sitting. So I decided to tone things down a bit and go over a simple concept which can be used as a building block for further ideas. If you are not comfortable with scales, then this guitar lesson might be a little premature. If you are even slightly versed in scales, then this is the perfect guitar lesson for you!

You have probably heard of scale sequences or scale patters. Essentially, they are just various ways to play a scale as opposed to simply playing it up and down. In this guitar lesson, we consider the G Major scale and we will sequence it using what are called third intervals. Simply stated, to form a third interval, you play a given note and then skip one note and then play the next note of the scale. Depending on where you are in the scale, you will either play a so called minor third or a major third. A minor third is a spacing of 1 and a half steps and a major third is a spacing of 2 whole steps.

The table above shows how these intervals come about in the key of G Major.

In the tab above, note that we are simply building a major or minor third interval as we make our way through the scale. And when we descend, it is the same concept but in reverse.

Once you become comfortable with this idea of intervals, you can apply it to any scale. Also, you can create similar scale patterns using other intervals, sich as fourths, fifths, etc. After a while you will probably find that the use of intervals makes its way into your own personal style and phrasing.

Good luck.

Brian Huether

In a previous lesson, we went over a scale pattern that used third intervals. So what is the next natural step? You guessed it - fourth intervals!

Once again we will use the G Major scale as the basis for the guitar lesson. To form fourth intervals, we start at a given note in the scale, skip the next 2 notes, and play the third note from our starting point. See the table below:

Notice that there is one oddball above - the tritone. The tritone is a dissonant sounding interval that plays a large role in music theory (which we won't get into...).

As you take a look at the tab, the first thing you will probably notice is that there are not a lot of notes played on the same string consecutively. This will do wonders for your pick coordination!

Later,

Brian

In a previous lesson, we went over a scale pattern that used fourth intervals which was a natural progression from another previous lesson on third intervals. Can you imagine what this guitar lesson will cover? Yes that is correct - we will look at fifth intervals!

Once again we will use the G Major scale as the basis for the guitar lesson. To form fifth intervals, we start at a given note in the scale, skip the next 3 notes, and play the fourth note from our starting point. See the table below:

Notice that there is one oddball above - the tritone, which we saw when working out the fourth intervals as well.

As you take a look at the tab, you will notice is that there are not a lot of notes played on the same string consecutively, as was the case with the fouth intervals. Furthermore, there are some cases where you are skipping over a string. This complete lack of consecutive notes on thwe same string will do absolute wonders for your pick coordination! Just give it some time and you'll see what I mean - you really have to persevere with these sorts of exercises before you start to develop that fretboard-finger memory as I like to call it.

Later,

Brian

Once again we will use the G Major scale as the basis for the guitar lesson. To form triads, we start at a given note in the scale, skop a note, play a note, skip a note and then play a note. Consider the table below:

Notice that there is one oddball above - the diminished triad. This is the triad that comes about when we start from the 7th note of the Major Scale. The seventh note corresponds to the Locrian mode (see my lesson on scales and modes) and is known for its sinister sound...

Above is the tab for this guitar lesson. Essentially, all we are doing in this exercise is starting from each note of the scale and playing the corresponding triad. You will note that the tab indicates alternate picking. A lot of players would use consecutive downstrokes/upstrokes where possible (i.e. changing strings), but I find that alternate picking lends itself to a more consistent sound and furthermore playing these sorts of patterns using alternate picking does absolute wonders for your picking chops and coordination. If you have gone through my previous lessons where I play arpeggios with alternate picking, then this lesson will feel natural to you.

Later,

Brian

Memory is a funny thing. The memories associated with things I like (music, etc) tend to be crystal clear. In fact, I remember the very instant I discovered the scale sequence from this guitar lesson. I was paging through Guitar For The Practicing Musician (I still can't believe such a great publication stopped its prints...) and there was a column dedicated to scale sequences. The sequence from this guitar lesson was one such pattern and it has always stuck out in my mind, even though I hadn't played it in years til recently.

This scale pattern is fairly straight forward. You start on the first note of the scale, play three consecutive notes, then skip a note and lastly descend 3 consecutive notes. Then you go to the second note of the scale and continue the pattern. So consider G Major. You would play G, A and B; then you would skip a note and play D, C and B. From there you would start the pattern again this time from A. Make sense?

Above is the tab for this scale sequence. As you can see it lends itself to triplets. However, feel free to accent the notes as you see fit. I prefer to accent the first descending note of each repeat of the pattern. I also prefer to play the piece entirely with alternate picking.

As an exercise, see if you can figure out the logical descending pattern for this sequence to take you back down to the low G.

Later,

Brian