Removing Pick-Hand Anchors

This short exercise is designed to train you to pick without anchoring your fingertips on the pickguard, and to encourage forearm rotation when playing single notes. You’ll switch from playing a few notes to strumming a big chord, keeping things loose yet striving for accuracy.

I'd start with the metronome set at about 60 beats per minute.

You can let your fingernails drag across the pickguard as you play the single notes, but don’t anchor your fingertips on it.

To damp unwanted strings while playing singles notes, you can bring the heel of your palm in to touch the strings by the bridge, but try to keep the ball of the thumb off the guitar. Also use the edges of the fret-hand fingers to damp the strings above and below the one you are playing.

Keep it relaxed, and listen close to make sure it's clean and smooth-sounding.

Rhythmic Lead Guitar Book/CD

This was so nice I just wanted to share it.

Barrett,

I had to write you and tell you about my guitar-playing growth since I received your Rhythmic Lead Guitar book (only a week ago!). I am literally twice the lead player I was this time last week, and I was pretty good to start with. I must confess, I am not painstakingly going through the book and doing all of the exercises, but let me briefly tell about the insight this book has given me.

I am a pretty good chord-tone guy and unlike most pretenders, do reasonably well over diatonic progressions, especially major key stuff. My problem was really the opposite of most guys--my theory is rock solid and my fretboard mastery is great--but for some reason unknown to me, I was always a choppy train wreck when it came to everyday minor pentatonic wanking. Well, no more my friend.

Rhythmic Lead Guitar made me really sit down and analyze the different available beat subdivisions, and it also helped me realize the differences between a shuffle (my band plays a lot of three-chord boogies) and a straight feel, and more specifically, between straight and swung 8th notes. I have a Fender G-Dec amp and first practiced all of these subdivisions with a metronome at different tempos and then practiced soloing over a looped shuffle for hours. Like a lightbulb coming on after 15 years of frustration, I literally and figuratively found my groove like a seasoned pro. I think I had been trying to play straight eighth notes over shuffles, and my use of triplets was underutilized.

From there, I moved on to songs with a straight feel, which too have always given me fits. My main problem with these songs is that my 8th-note phrasing sucked (excuse my language) because I tried to use too many notes. Now I focus on just two or three-note chunks, and it sounds great!

Finally, let me tell you another side effect of you making me aware of my beat choices. As I mentioned, I have started using many more triplets (it's cool to use them over a song with a straight feel, too, right?), but at fast tempos, I had to find different patterns that would allow me to use hammer-ons and pull-offs. This forced me to examine all of my pentatonic boxes for different options, and within a day, I was seeing and connecting all of the shapes like never before. Unbelievable!

Sorry this email is so long, but I thought you would appreciate what is some fairly specific feedback on your book. Again, some of it is beyond my scope and my interest, but by just focusing on the beat subdivisions (and hearing examples of them) and by learning the difference between a swung eighth note and a regular one, I have started on the fast track to becoming the lead guitar player I have always wanted to be. Thank you so much. I will try to find the time to get on Amazon and write a kind review.

Travis

Why Learn a Pattern Numbering System? And Which is Best?

Hello Barrett,

I've recently bought Chord Tone Soloing and for the first time in a long time am excited to get stuck in to some proper learning, it's brilliantly written so thank you for that. I have a quick question if that's ok: At the start of section II you set out the octave shapes and the corresponding major scape shapes. Now I've stumbled across CAGED references before but never done anything with it, but what I do notice is that most other places refer to your 'shape 1' as 'shape 3' - obviously it's only a small terminology discrepancy, but I wondered what the thinking behind it was? I'm happy to stick with the nomenclature in your book and make mental note to translate when I read about CAGED shapes elsewhere but just thought I'd ask.

Anyway thanks again for what looks to be a great learning resource,

Tim

Hi Tim,

If you go through the book and identify and mark some of the diagrams with your previous numbering system, soon you'll be familiar with both ways and can decide if you'd like to adopt the new way.

The system you learned before probably started its numbering on the basis of which chord shape is easiest to play or most likely to be used by a beginner. An E-shaped barre chord is used as pattern 1 in those systems. (That makes the D shape into pattern 2, and the C shape into pattern 3, etc.)

The CAGED system and the 5 patterns derived from it that are used in my books and all Musicians Institute programs start with the C shape as pattern 1. The logic here is based on music theory instead of physical reasons. For example, the key of C is the first you should learn to read music in as it has no sharps or flats. You'll also begin with the C major scale to study how chords and intervals are built.

Here is one octave's worth of the pattern 1 major scale tabbed out in open position. Key of C major. (An octave is the eight-note distance up the scale to another note with the same letter name.)

------------------
-------------0-1--
---------0-2------
---0-2-3----------
-3----------------
------------------
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The C major "campfire chord" in open position is then also called pattern 1, and the shapes move up the neck from there. You don't have to finger and play these chords in their entirety. To get the sound of the chord in any position you only need to play the root, 3rd and 5th: one instance each of the C, E, and G notes. Try playing these examples one note at a time instead of trying to finger the entire shape right off. The eventual goal is just to know where the chord factors (Root, 3rd, 5th) are in relation to each other in each shape.

From left to right, we have the fretted string, the note name, and the scale degree, which is also the chord factor.

Pattern 1 (C shape)
0 E 3rd
1 C Root
0 G 5th
2 E 3rd
3 C Root
0 E 3rd

Pattern 2 (A shape)
3 G
5 E
5 C
5 G
3 C
3 G

Pattern 3 (G shape)
8 C
5 E
5 C
5 G
7 E
8 C

Pattern 4 (E shape)
8 C
8 G
9 E
10 C
10 G
8 C

Pattern 5 (D shape)
12 E
13 C
12 G
10 C
10 G
12 E

Thanks for buying and studying the Chord Tone Soloing book/CD pack, and thanks very much for the compliments!

Barrett

Help Me Start Practicing Again!

Hi Barrett,
I need your help!!!
You are a wonderful teacher and surely may help me...Your books are really good...
I recently changed my day job and now I have free time in the morning to practice, but I suddenly stop to practice since that change...can you suggest any strategy to get back to practice like before?
Thanx Marco

Yes! Try this:

Start in the morning by picking up the guitar and playing 2 minutes only, before breakfast, before you do anything. You can do nothing, not even go to the bathroom, until you play 2 minutes. You can do 2 minutes, no problem. Play anything. Then put it down and do anything else. Watch what happens to your brain.

How to solo over progression E-A-F-Em

I'm attempting to learn a bit of theory to help my guitar improvisations, but one thing I am struggling with is what I could play to go well with the chords of rhythm guitar that i'm playing to.

At the moment i'm playing to a track strumming a sequence of E A F Em chords.

Where to from here with the lead?

Dugggy

Knowing what key center(s) the chords create is a good start. It does not always tell you exactly what scales or notes to use because of stylistic variations.

E A F Em

There is no single key that fits all these chords. There are at least two keys.

First let's look at E and A. You can fit both into one key.

E and A can be the "I" and "IV" in the key of E major. E and A can also be the "V" and "I" in the key of A major.

Depending on the style you could start with either the E or A major scale or the E or A major pentatonic scale.

E major: E F# G# A B C# D# E major pentatonic: E F# G# B C#

A major: A B C# D E F# G# A major pentatonic: A B C# E F#

I like the second choice (A major or A major pentatonic) because the upcoming F chord does not fit as easily with an E tonal center, even though that's the first chord. E as the tonal center would require a modal approach in the next two bars, which is not the first thing you want to learn. (It'll be the second thing!)

---

Now to the chords F and Em.

These may be the "vi" and "V" chords in A minor.

So to get a really simple solid approach to playing in a non-jazzy way over the progression, try just playing:

A major or major pentatonic for the first two chords, then A minor or minor pentatonic for the second two chords.

There are many other ways to do it, but this is a good start that lets you concentrate on your phrasing rather than jumping through lots of scales in your head.

---

The source of this thinking is knowing how to find all the chords in a key center. This is done by harmonizing the scale.

You create the chords I-vii by stacking 3rds above each note.

If the scale is A major: A B C# D E F# G#

it produces these chords:

I           A C# E    (A)
ii          B D  F#   (Bm)
iii         C# E G#   (C#m)
IV          D F# A    (D)
V           E G# B    (E)
vi          F# A C#    (F#m)
vii         G# B D    (G#dim)

CAGED system review

Tim writes:

I've recently bought Chord Tone Soloing and for the first time in a long time am excited to get stuck in to some proper learning, it's brilliantly written so thank you for that. I have a quick question if that's ok: At the start of section II you set out the octave shapes and the corresponding major scape shapes. Now I've stumbled across CAGED references before but never done anything with it, but what I do notice is that most other places refer to your 'shape 1' as 'shape 3' - obviously it's only a small terminology discrepancy, but I wondered what the thinking behind it was? I'm happy to stick with the nomenclature in your book and make mental note to translate when I read about CAGED shapes elsewhere but just thought I'd ask.

Anyway thanks again for what looks to be a great learning resource,

Tim

Hi Tim,

If you go through the book and identify and mark some of the diagrams with your previous numbering system, soon you'll be familiar with both ways and can decide if you'd like to adopt the new way.

The system you learned before probably started its numbering on the basis of which chord shape is easiest to play or most likely to be used by a beginner. An E-shaped barre chord is used as pattern 1 in those systems. (That makes the D shape into pattern 2, and the C shape into pattern 3, etc.)

The CAGED system and the 5 patterns derived from it that are used in all Musicians Institute programs (including my books) start with the C shape as pattern 1. The logic here is based on music theory instead of physical reasons. For example, the key of C is the first you should learn to read music in as it has no sharps or flats. You'll also begin with the C major scale to study how chords and intervals are built.

Here is one octave's worth of the pattern 1 major scale tabbed out in open position. Key of C major. (An octave is the eight-note distance up the scale to another note with the same letter name.) In tablature, the top line is the string closest to the floor.

-----------------
------------0-1--
--------0-2------
--0-2-3----------
3----------------
-----------------
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The C major "campfire chord" in open position is then also called pattern 1, and the shapes move up the neck from there. You don't have to finger and play these chords in their entirety. To get the sound of the chord in any position you only need to play the root, 3rd and 5th: one instance each of the C, E, and G notes. Try playing these examples one note at a time instead of trying to finger the entire shape right off. The eventual goal is just to know where the chord factors (Root, 3rd, 5th) are in relation to each other in each shape.

From left to right in each, we have the fretted string (starting with the string closest to the floor), the note name, and the scale degree, which is also the chord factor.

Pattern 1 (C shape)
0 E 3rd
1 C Root
0 G 5th
2 E 3rd
3 C Root
0 E 3rd

Pattern 2 (A shape)
3 G
5 E
5 C
5 G
3 C
3 G

Pattern 3 (G shape)
8 C
5 E
5 C
5 G
7 E
8 C

Pattern 4 (E shape)
8 C
8 G
9 E
10 C
10 G
8 C

Pattern 5 (D shape)
12 E
13 C
12 G
10 C
10 G
12 E

Thanks for getting my book, and thanks very much for the compliments.

For everyone else, the book we are discussing is here:
Chord Tone Soloing.

Thanks again, and I hope you're having fun!
Barrett

Minor Pentatonic Scale over Major Chord Progression

Hi Barrett,
I just bought your book "chord-tone soloing" and I have a question with the first chapter. You are a playing A to D which is just a I IV chord progression in A major. Why is it that you are using the minor pentatonic scale and not major scale? Would both scales work? A marriage of major and minor? Your using the C note to lead in to the A major chord. Is that just considered a passing tone? I guess this all just boils down to why does the minor pentatonic scale work over an exclusive I IV V major chord progression? Any help would be great. Thanks a lot for your time!
Steve

Hi Steve,
To your questions:
"Would both scales work?"
Yes, both major heptatonic and minor pentatonic scales would work, depending on the stylistic context.

"Your using the C note to lead in to the A major chord. Is that just considered a passing tone?"
Yes, the C notes on track 3 would be melodic passing tones in harmonic common practice. (See Piston, Harmony, 5th edition, p.116.)

"I guess this all just boils down to why does the minor pentatonic scale work over an exclusive I IV V major chord progression?"

This is a stylistic sound that is best considered outside common practice harmonic theory. Most guitarists have heard plenty of rock and blues music where minor over major happens all the time, so I start the book with it. It's a type of dissonance that people are accustomed to now but might have been strange during the "common practice" era of harmonic theory in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Minor-based notes over major harmonic progressions (interpreted into a series of dominant chords) are usually attributed to Western classical harmony blending with African influences to give birth to blues, ragtime, jazz, gospel, and similar styles.

The Chord Tone Soloing book has three parts. On page 2 it says "Part One is a very simple preview to show you where the book is going." It helps everyone---including beginners who may have never heard of a key center or don't know the difference between major and minor chords---to understand what's coming. This means you're ahead of the game a little, so that's good.

The examples in Part One just show how important it can be to choose the right note when the chords change, even when playing within a single scale. They do not teach any new information for most players. I use A minor pentatonic in 5th position because even beginning guitarists are likely to know the fingering already.

Right from the beginning we get a non-chord target tone, in Chapter Two. This shows that while we need to know where chord tones are, they will not always be our targets.

Analysis of chords and progressions comes after the foundation of scales, chords, arpeggios, and diatonic harmony. Later we go back and see how blues and rock conventions let you play minor sounds over dominant 7th chords and major triads. Starting after p. 74, non-diatonic notes of this type appear throughout the rest of the book.

It sounds like you know some theory already, but please make sure to read all the introductions and all the text in the book as you go. I tried to make it short, but sometimes people skip the words and go straight to the examples. For this book that can cause problems because we're learning concepts, not licks.

Thanks very much for the excellent questions.
Barrett