Picking Exercises 3 and 4

This next exercise uses a slightly different rhythm, the number 3 above three 8th notes (or quavers) denotes what is known as a triplet. This involves playing three notes in the space of time where you would normally play only 2- I.E. in this example you play three notes per metronome click.

The term used here “Sim.” is telling you to continue in a similar fashion (I.E. fingering and Alternate Picking used in this example). The numbers above the TAB are the fingers you should be using. As with most picking exercises, I prefer the “one finger per fret approach, which i find to be the fastest and most efficient way to finger notes on the guitar.

Exercise 4 contains exactly the same notes as exercise 3, and in the same order, however, the rhythm is slightly different. This rhythm is much harder for this pattern of notes. When played, this could sound very odd, because the pattern is 6 notes long, but you’re dividing it between bars that are 8 notes long!

Another way to vary this is to play it up and down the neck on different frets. The higher up the neck you go, the closer the frets are together and the easier (or harder!) it might become. Further variations on this exercise include varying the rhythm to, for example, four notes per click. The easiest rhythms will involve numbers divisible by both 2 and 3 (the factors of 6- 2×3=6!)- this is because it is a 6 note pattern.

More on this exercise here.
Rob.

September 17, 2010 at 7:47 pm | Exercises, Guitar Technique and Exercises | No comments