Guitar aerobics

2. BY TROYNELSONAEROBICSA 52-WEEK, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, l m p r o v i n g ,n d M a i n t a i n i nG u i t a rT e c h n i q u e g aM BEGINNERTOADVANCED CDs lncludeLick Demos& Drum Metronome! 3. EIYTROYNELSONAEROBICS Contents ........... CD TrackListing4lntroduction. . . T h eT e c h n i q u e.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . . . . ' l - 3 6 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . .1 1 0 . - .. W e e k s1 - 5 2 :E x e r c i s e sISBN-1 978-1-4234-1435-3 3: ISBN-10:1-4234-1435-7Tlllet-.LEoNARD' L 1 - C . O F I P O F T A T I O N ln Australia Conlact: Hal Leonad Australla Pty. Ltd. 4 Lentara Court Victoria, 3192Australia Cheltenham, Email:[email protected],com.au CORPORATION Copyright 2007by HALLEONARD @ Reserved Secured All Rights International Copyright in may No parlot thispublication be reproduced anylorm permission thePublisher of without priorwritten the or by anymeans Visit Hal Leonard Online at w*u.hallaoned.codr 4. CD TRACK CD1 o GUITARLISTING TRACKSAll guitars DougBoduch by DescriptionCDI . Track PageDescriptionCDl . Track PageW e e k1 :E x e r c i s e 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1- sW e e k 8 :E x e r c i s1 9 0 - 1 9.6 . . . . . . 2 8 2 es .OUW e e k2 : E x e r c i 8 e1 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 s- sIWeek29: Exercises 197-203. . . . . . . . 29ozWeek 3: Exercises 15-21 . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 0Week Exercises 30: 2O4-21O. . . . . . . 30 .o4Week 4: Exercises 22-28 . . .Week31: Exercises 211-217. . . . . . . . 31ooW e e k5 : E x e r c i s e s 2 9 - 3 5 . . . . . . .5 . . . 1 4 .Week32: Exercises 218-224. . .oatWeek 6: Exercises 36-42 . . . . . - . . . . . 6toWeek33: Exercises 225-231 . . .70Week 7: Exercises 43-49 . . . . . . . . . . .718Week34: Exercises 232-238. . . . . . .. 3472W e e k8 : E x e r c i s e s S 0--.5 . ... . . . . 8 ' .620Week35: Exercises 239-245. . . . . . . .3574W e e k9 : E x e r c i s e s 5 T - 6 3 . . . . . . .I. . . . 22Week36: Exercises 246-252. . . . . . . . 36TOWeek10:Exercises 64-70 . . . . . . . . . . 1024Week37: Exercises 253-259. . . . . . . .3778W e e k 1 :E x e r c i s 7 1 - 7 7. . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1 es26Week38: Exercises 260-266.. . . . . . .3880W e e 1 2 :E x e r c i s e s 8 4 . . . . . . . . . 1 2 k 78- .28Week Exercises 39: 267-273..... . . . 3982W e e 1 3 :E x e r c i s e s 9 1 . . . . . . . . . 1 3 k 85- .30W e e k 0 :E x e r c i s2 7 4 - 2 8 0 . . . . . . . 4 0 4 es84W e e k 4 :E x e r c i s9 2 - 9 8 . . . . . . . . . 1 4 1 esozWeek Exercises 41: 281-287 . .... . . 41 .86Week Exercises 15: 99-105.. . . . . . . . 1534Week42: Exercises 288-254.. . . . . . .4288W e e 1 6 : x e r c i s1e0s6 -1 2 . . . . . . . . 1 6 k E 1.toW e e k 3 :E x e r c i s2 9 5 - 3 0 1. . . . . . . 4 3 4 es .90W e e 1 7 :E x e r c i s e s - 1 9 . . . . . . . . 1 7 k 113 1eaWeek44: Exercises 302-308. . . . . . . . 4492W e e k 8 :E x e r c i s 1 2 0 - 1 2 6.. . . . . . . 1 8 1 es40Week45: Exercises 309-315. . .94Week19: Exercises 127-133.. . . . . . . 1942Week46: Exercises 316-322. . .96Wdek Exercises 20: 134-140. .. . . . . 20 .44Week47: Exercises 323-329. . . . . . . . 4798W e e k 1 :E x e r c i s1 4 1 - 1 4.7 . . . . . . 2 1 2 es .46Week48: Exercises 330-336. . . . . . . . 48100Week22: Exercises 148-154 . . . . . . .22 .48Week49: Exercises 337-343... .. . . .49102W e e k 3 :E x e r c i s1 5 5 - 1 6.1 . . . . . . 2 3 2 es .50Week50: Exercises 344-350. . . . . . . . 50104Week24: Exercises 162-168. . . .. . . . 2452Week51: Exercises 351-357. . . . . . . . 51106W e e k 5 :E x e r c i s1 6 9 - 1 7.5 . . . . . . 2 5 2 es .54W e e k 5 2E x e r c i s3 5 8 - 3 6 5. . . . . . . 5 2 : es .108Week Exercrses 26: 176-182.. . . . . . . 2656T u n i nN o t e s . gW e e k 7 :E x e r c i s1 8 3 - 1 8.9 . . . . . . 2 7 2 es . 2o58/l12.....53 5. CD.Z. RHYTHMTRACKSAll drumsby ScottSchroedl DescriptionCD2 . Track(even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock,Blues .......1 per inute m 4 0b e a t sDescriptionCD2 o Track144 Rhythm: bpm . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Blues Shuffle 1: b B l u eS h u f fRe y t h m6 0 p m. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 s l h(even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues . . . .' . . . ' ' 2 4 8b p m . (even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues .....'....3 58bpm. (even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues .... 72bpm...4(even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues ..'. .....5 84bpm. (even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues ....'.....6 96bpm. (even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues .....'..-7 108bpm. (even eighthnotes): Rhythm Rock/Blues ..".....8 120bpm.R : J a z ' S w i n g h y t h m5 6 b p m . 6 R J a z '5 * 1 n n h y t h m :9 b p m . 80 JazzSwingRhythm: bpm ...""25 .."'26 .'.'279 R S J a z z w i n g h y t h m :2 b p m ......28Jazz SwingRhythm:104 bpm. . . . .291 R J a ' zS w i n g h y t h m :1 6 b p m.....30bp R S Jazz wing hythm:132 m......31Jaz' SwingRhythm:144 bpm...32(cut Rhythm time):56 bpm . . . . . . . . . 33 Country (c 6 C o u n t rR h y t h m u t i m e ) : 0 b p m . . . . . . . . . 3 4 y (cuttime): bpm . . . . . . . . . 35 76 Rhythm Countrylr1 1(cut Rhythm time):92 bpm . . . . . . . . . 36 Country (c : C o u n t rR h y t h m u t i m e )1 0 8b p m . . . . . . . . 3 7 y 1 R m C o u n t r yh y t h ( c utti m e ) :2 6b p m. . . . . . . . 3 813(cuttime): bpm . . . . .. .. 39 144 Rhythm Country (c : C o u n t rR h y t h m u t i m e )1 6 8b p m . . . . . . . . 4 0 y40 FunkRhythm: bpm 48 FunkRhythm: bpm. . . . . . . 4 1............4248 Rhythm: bpm. Shuffle Blues.. ' ' '1756 FunkRhythm: bpm43bp B l u eS h u f f R h y t h m : 6 0 m . s le.....1866 FunkRhythm: bpm4476 Rhythm: bpm. Blues Shuffle' . . . 1976 FunkRhythm: bpmAF92 Rhythm: bpm . Shuffle Blues. . . . .2O108 Rhythm: bpm Blues Shuffle... ' '21100 FunkRhythm: bpm . . .126 Rhythm: bpm Shuffle Blues. - . . .221 R F u n k h y t h m :1 2b p m . . ....48 3 6. INTRODUCTION henmy goodfriends Hal Leonard at first approached aboutwritingthis book,they me already a i.itle, had Aerobics, Guitar and a topic,guitar technique, mind.Other in thanthosetwo details, however, theykindlygaveme carteblanche create to the rest.Onethingwas certain: did not wantto introduce I another run-of-the-mill technique bookto the guitarpublications marketplace, that was filledcoverto one coverwith blandchromatic exercises ransensethat lessly and downthe fretboard. up Instead, wantedto I devise guitar-technique that at oncehelped a book the reader guitar develop, improve, maintain and his/her chopsvia musical examples couldbe applied that to real-world musical from rock and bluesto settings, jazz andcountryAnd mostimportantly,wantedto I createa bookthat was funl Toooftenoractice sessionsbecomemonotonous to the lackof unindue spiredmaterials fromwhichto learn. WithGulfar Aerobics, that'sno longer case. theAdditionally, exercise each includes briefdescripa tion-rcrigin, scale(s), rhythms, etc.-as wellas a pedormance And trueto the book's"workout" tip. theme,allof the exercises comewith a practice routine that is divided eightsets,eachof which into contains specific per a tempo(e.9., 12 beats minute) 1 at whichto playthe exercise. repetitions ('reps") Ten played set,withthe temposincreasing variper are at ous increments fromone set to the next,depending on the exercise's musical style.Forexample, here's howto perform Rock/Blues the workout:Guitar Aerobics the ultimate is workoutprogram for guitarists, promoting guitarfacility, pick-and increasrng fret-hand speedand accuracy, improving and dexterity whileat the sametime increasing vocabulary. lick The program guitar 52-week coversone indispensable pickingon Monday, techniqueeachday--afternate stringskippingon Tuesday, stringbendingon Wednesday, arpeggios Thursday, on swrep pickingon Friday, legatoon Saturday,andrhythmon Sunday-dl of whichareoresented withinthe contextof eitheran guitarlickor an exercise is considerapplicable that ablymoremusical thanthe chromatic exercises found in othertechnique books.Moreover, because each example intoone of six musical fits styles-rock, jazz,metal,countryor funk-once you'vegot blues, the lickdowncold,you can test driveit at yournext jam session, whatever styleof musicyou play.Eachexercise labeled is witha genreand'track listing, whichtogether denotethe workoutyou should follow.Aerobicsis systematically Guitdr arranged that so eachweekthe musical examples increase difficulty. in yourself beginner, canjump right you lf you consider a playing intoWeek.1and feelperfectly comfortable the you'll materjal. Consequently, havean entirecalendar yearof material-365exercises-topractice! At approximately Week18,the material moreappropriis atefor players an intermediate of level. And Week36 marksthe entrypointfor thoseplayers who possess (i.e., you fit in the considerable chops advanced). lf lastcategorythat'sstill120 exercises get through! to Guitar Aerobics offerssomething everyone. for 4Every musical example GuitarAerobics in atD in iSOS can be heardon CD1of the two accompanying audio CDs,with all of the 52 weeksseparated onto individyou ualtracks.Therefore, can quickly cue up a specific llckto hearhowit should (low sound. Tuning notes to high,E-A-D-G-B-E)arealsoincluded the final on trackof CD1 CD2contains . rhythm tracks(drums only)performed a variety temposdictated at of by genre,including theirrespective straight rock/blues, jazz bluesshuffle, swing,funk,countryand metal.So yourmetronome-nowyou'vegot a real throwaway drummer keeptime! to just lf you devote a few minutes eachdayto pracof ticing examples thisbook,I guarantee you'll the in that noticeimmediate improvements yourguitartechin nique.By the time365 dayshavepassed, yourchops will be secondto none.Personally, I noticedconsiderableimprovementmy technique in during writing the of this book-and I didn'tfollowthe workoutprogram! Allthat it takesis a littletime,dedication, determiand nation. Goodluck! 7. THE TECHNIQUES previously, techniques-alterseven A s I mentioned string bending, skipping, string flnate picking, picking, rhythm-are and legato, sweep arpeggios, for Aerobics, technique eachday one in covered Guitar guitartechthereare many of the week.Although in that arenot presented this book,I believe niques for are techniques the mostessential guitheseseven will thesetechniques reducelimitatarists. Mastering to tionsand equipyou with the toolsnecessary on the achieve goalsyou haveset for yourself the instrument. of Here,now,is a briefoverview the techniques'presentedin this book: is AlternatePicking:No technique moreprevalentpicking. funA benefit-thanalternate and of greater to applied any guitar it technique, can be damental that contextand is thetechnique separates musical On thesepages, fromthe boys/girls. the men/women of alternation downa the technique, continuous your pick hand,is applied with and upstrokes strokes from rockand bluesto jazzand country to everything with associated String Skipping:Mostcommonly quiteuseful is rockand metal,stringskipping also otherformsof music.The predominant whenplaying in examples thisbookis focusof the string-skipping the skips and thatof single- double-string within conrock,and metal. text of blues, 1azz, whichmostlyconString Bending:Theseexamples, quartersistof blues,countryand rock licks,feature wellas bends,as and step,half-step, whole-step unison, bendssuchas oblique, moresophisticated pre-bends. and compound, in an Arpeggios:Although "arpeggio" and of itselfis of the not a technique, coordination right-and leftqualipedormone certainly usedto handmovements is of fies.Thedefinition an arpeggio "a chordwhose rather thansimulplayedin rapidsuccession notesare that illustrate in herein and taneously," the examples possible on the neck, practically combination every to fromsimpleopenpositionthord combinations Whichbringsus concepts. sweep-picking advanced to ournexttechnique...pickof Sweep Picking:The polaropposite alternate picking onecontinuous involves using ing,sweep to downor upstroke playtwo or moreadjacent-string in mostof the examples Guitar notes. Although you willfinda few Aerobics applyto rockand metal, to of interesting examples howto applythistechnique jazz andbluesas well. pullinvolves legato technique Legato:On the guitar, finger tapplng, anycombior slides, offs,hammer-ons, of legatois anycollection two Basically, nationhereof. on or more.notes the samestringthat isn'tarticulated of A of with a succession pickattacks. widevariety pages. on suchlicksis included the following "rhythm" a single lsn't Muchlikean arpeggio, Rhythm: of used but technique, rathera collection techniques to functions theyrelate a speciflc as various to perform in A style. few of the topicscovered Guifar rhythmic patterns, open-chord include basrcstrum Aerobics and walking basslines, boogiebatterns, arpeggios, muchmore. 8. WEEK 1oo CDI IBACK I . Tracks:9-1 6 Music Description: Performed exclusively siliteenth in noteson the lirststring, lickmakesits way up the neckby this (E-F|-CFA-B-C-D|). utilizing everynoteof the E harmonic minors.cale yourpicking pattern Tip: Reverse afterplaying through licka few times,beginning an upstroke. the withCD2. Tracks: 1+Technique: String Skipping cenre: Rock/Blues Music Description: Thisexercise basedin the rootposltion the A minorpentatonic is of scale(A-C-D-E-G) skips and a stringbetween eachnotepair. positioned the fifth,si{h, seventh, Tip: Throughout figure, the keepyourindex,middle, ring,and pinkyfingers at and elghtfrets,respectively. ) = ao-tzo AmorATCD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Thisdescending is alsobasedin A minorpentatonic features lick and whole-step bendson the second and thirdstrings. performing bend.Forexample, Tip: Reinforce not eachbendwithJingers directly the whenexecuting thhd-string the yourringfinger yourmiddle bendin measure reinforce 1, and indexJingers. ) = 4o-r2o AmorAT 9. CD2 . Tracks:1 G, the that exercise features notesof open-position D, and C chords arpeggio Thisis a simple lvlusic Description: played individually. practhis whenperforming exercise, (sweep) yourpick handis moreefficient with downstroke Tip: Although single a picking as well. it tice alternate ) = 4o-r2o G2DCnGVnVnVnvCD2 . Tracks:9-16 in exclusively triadsin the keyof G played workout features diatonic Thistwo-barsweep-picking Music Description: on tripletrhythms the top threestrings. release some-or (youwantihemto soundseparately), together Tip: To keepthe notesof eachchordfromringing pressure onceeachnotehassounded. fretting note(s) the fromthe finger all-of theCD2 . Tracks:1-8 to the lick Thisstraightforward useshammer-ons connect notepairson eachstringas it ascends Music Description: pentatonic scale. the A minor to shift simultaneously yourindexfinger the flrstnoteof the on Tip: As you hammer to the secondnoteof eachstring, .higher, neighboring string. ) = 40-120CDz o Tracks:1-8 (#4) hereas fullchords,.in exercise areplayed arpeggio usedin Thursday's The Music Description: chordfragments quarter-note rhythms. fromG to D. Also,usedownon Tip: Keepyourringfingerplanted the thirdfretof the secondstringas youchange strumsthroughout. ) = 4f,-rm 10. GUITARoWEEK 2CtlloIRACK 2 CD2o Tracks:9-16 Music Description: Thislickis nearly identical the one played Monday to (#1). last Theonlyvariation in the rhythm: is Lastweek'slickwas straight sixteenth notes, whereas lickfeatures gallbping, this a eighth-and-two-sixteenth-notes rhythm. pickingpattern Tip: Usea strictdown-down-up throughout. ) = 4l0.ll2CD2 o Tracks:1- Technique: StringSkipping Exercise:#9 Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: (#2), Similar lastTuesday's to exercise this phrase borrows notesfromA minorpentatonic its and you'reworklng skipsa stringbetween eachnotepair. yourway downthe scale. Thistime,however, Tip: Bestresults achieved usingstrictalternate picking, are by beginning a downstroke. with ) = 40.l2O AmorATExercise: #10 cD2 r Tracks:1-8 Technique: stringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Releases havebeenaddedto the bendsperformed lastweek's (#3). in lick Tip: Payattention thisligure's to rhythm, beingcareful to rusheachbendand release. not ) = 40-r2o 11. Technique: Arpeggios Genre:Rock CD2 o Tracks:.1-8 Exercise: #11 workout(#4/. version lastThursday's of arpeggio Music Description: Thisexercise the descending is picking (sweep) work bestwhenperforming exercise, likelastweek,alternate this but, is will Tip: A single upstroke as encouraged well. J = 40-120cpi c k or: V----let i"snn V n V -----------rVn lnVnV-----------------rVnVnV-- -- - - - - - - -- -- -- - rVthrouehoulTechnique: SweepPicking Genre:Metal #12 CD2. Tracks:9-16 Exercise: (#5); however, timethe sweeps this The rhythms notesareidentical lastFriday's and to exercise Music Description: areall upstrokes. the fingers yourfret handwhenplaying top noteof the Flochordin of Tip: Experiment boththe ringand middle with 2. feelsmostcomfortable. measure Usewhichever ) = 4t-rr2p;crV ---"-----tv -,--l3 v -------.1V---IVIV----- -rV-------rTechnique: Legato Genre:Rock/Blues #13 CD2. Tracks:1-8 Exercise: pulFoffs (#6). version lastSaturday's exercise Thisblues-rock is the descending, lick of Music Description: plucking motion whenexecutTip: To get the secondnoteof eachpairto soundas loudas the first,usea downward ingthe pull-off. ) = 4O-120 AmorATTechnique: Rhythm Genre:Rock #14 CD2. Tracks:1-8 Exercise: (#7), fealures sameG-[:ff the chordchanges lastSunday's as example only Music Description: Thisexercise rhythm straight is eighthnotes. herethe yourhandoff of the fretboard making smooth transition between chords, lifting try on Tip: lf you'rehaving trouble a ringing; instead, focuson getting Don'tworryaboutthe openstrings the "and"of beats2 and 4 of eachmeasure. yourfret handto the nextchord. ) = 4o-r2o GDCG 12. WEEK3o. C01TRACK 3 CD2 . Tracks:S-16 Music Description: continuation Exercises and #8 fromthe previous Mondays, exercise's modifiA of #.1 two this only cationis its rhythm, which,here,is groupings two stdeenth of notesand an eighth noteon eachbeat. pickingpattern eachbeatis ideal thisexample. Tip: A down-up-down on for ) = 40-112CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Rock/Blues play-two{REtes-skip-one-string (allwithinthe pattern Thislickis a variation the ascending, Music Description: of framework A minorpentatonic) Exercise onlyherethe notesareplayed reverse of from #2, in order. is for thanthe pervious string-skipping two Tip: Thisexercise a bit moredifficult the frethandto perform figures, so takeextrarepsat slower tempos,if necessary before moving on. ) = 4/J-120 AmorATTechnique: CD2 . Tracks:1-8 StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Thisbendlng exercise identical the onefromWeek'l (#3), is to exceptthatthe whole-step bends pre-bends releases noteis bentup onewholestepbefore picked, (the with havebeenreplaced whole-step and it's pitch). to andthenreleased it'soriginal properintonalion (hitting targetnotes) the pre-bends Tip: Practice achieving the on before attempting playthe to lick. entire. ) = 4o-r2o 13. Technique: Arpeggios Genre:Rock Exercise: #18 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 workoutPortions Exercises and #1t havebeencombined formthis newarpeggio of #4 to Music Description: in and fashion. notesof open-position D, and C chordsplayed bothascending descending G, various Even though string. Tip: Whenplaying G chord,plantthe ringlingerof yourfrethandon the thirdfretof the Jirst the it'll to the note(G)is not played, add stability the chordvoicing. ) = 4o-rm GDCGCD2 o Tracks:S-16 as chordtone(the3rd for majorchords; Music Description: Thisis the sameexercise #5 fromWeek1, onlyan e)dra b3rd minorand diminished chords) beenaddedto the top string. has for with note Tip: Usethe pinkyof yourfret handand an upstroke yourpickhandto attackthe last(highest) of eachfournotegrouping.Technique: Legato Genre:Rock/Blues #20 CD2. Tracks:1- Exercise: exercises Weeks1 and 2, the A minorpentatonic from scaleserves the frameas Music Description: Likethe legato pull the workfor this lick.Thistime,however, offswillbe usedwhileascending scale. remember pulldownon the stringto achieve to adequate volume the targetnote. for Tip: Whenexecuting pull-offs, the ) = 4o-r?n AmorATCD2 . Tracks:1-8 motion," G-H,-D chordprogression bit more"forward a In of Music Description: the interest givinglastSunday's noleshavebeentackedon to the "and"of beats2 and 4 of eachmeasure. two sixteenth patterns. followthe downstrums beats2 and4 withquickdown-upstrum of the rhythms, Tip: Toexecute sixteenth-note ) = 40.120 GDCG 14. A/EEK 4o[Dtr TBACK 4 Exercise: #22 CD2 . Tracks:9-16 Technique; Alternate Picking Genre:Metal Music Description: Thisversion the E harmonic of minorexercises the pastthreeweekscontains of eighth-note tripletrhythms, whichsubdivide eachbeal intothreeequalparts. Tip: Go slowly first,and noticethat,because the triplets, picking at of the direction alternates between downstrokes and uDstrokes eachdownbeat. onExercise: #23 CD2 o Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: withinthe A minorpentatonic Staying scaleas in the previous string-skipping exercises, this phrase worksits way downthe scale, skipping stringbetween a every othernotepair. yourindexflnger the nelt stringas soonas yourpinkyor ringfingerhitsthe second Tip: Beginshifting to noteon eachstring. . = 4/J-120 AmorATCD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues 'Music Thisexercise Description: introduces things: whole-step two a bendon the firststringperformed your with pinkyor ringfingerand a half-step bendon the thirdstringperformed yourindexfinger. with Tip: Thathalf-step bendis trickier thanit seems; easyto fallflat or pushit sharp.Playthe targetnote,Cl, at the it's sixthfretof the thirdstringto checkyourintonation. ) = 40-120 15. CD2 . Tracks: .l-8 progression hasbeenusedthe previous Thisfigure features sameG-[:ff Music Description: the that three weeks;however, time barrechordsareutilized voicethe arpeggios. this to Tip: Baryourindexfingeracross six strings whenplaying all eacharpeggio/chord.Exercise: #26 CD2 o Tracks:9-16 Technique: SweepPicking Genre:Metal is Music Description: Thisexercise the descending version lastFriday's of sweep-picking workout(#19). grouping by picking firstnotewitha downstroke the last Tip: The mostefiicient to playeachfour-note way is the and threenoteswith an upwards sweep. ) = qo-tz GF$.CD2 o Tracks:I- Music Description: Hammer-onsare used to connect the note pairsof each string while descendingthe A minor pentatonicscale in root position. Tip: Be carefulnot to rush the hammer-ons;even eighth notes should be playedthrough beat 2 of measure2. ) = 4o-r2o AmorATExercise: #28 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: Rhythm Genre:Rock Music Description: familiar The G-D{-G chordprogression the foundation thisexercise. onlydifference is for The this is between example lastSunday's and exercise the addition two sixteenth of noteson beats1 and 3 of each measure. Tip: Counteachbeatas "one-ee-and-uh, two-ee-and-uh" and strumyourpickhandaccordingly; etc., however, refrain frommaking contactwiththe strings the "uh"of beats1 and 3 and the "ee"of beats2 and 4 of eachmeasure. on ) = 4o-r2o GDCG 16. WEEKSo. C0l TBACK 5 Technique:AlternatePicking Genre:Rock/Blues CD2 . Tracks:1- runsstraight the A minorpentatonic Thisalternate-picking exercise up scale, back-tracking only Music Description: 2). oncebeat 3 of measure picking example youractionand start witha downstroke, reverse Tip: Onceyou'recomfortable alternate the starting withan uDstroke. ) = 40.rm AmorATCD2 o Tracks:1-8 Technique: String Skipping Genre:Rock/Blues The ubiquitous minorpentatonic A scaleprovides framework thisnextstring-skipBing the for Music Description: "sawtooth" line. exercise, descending a your withan upstroke the firstmeasure reversing in Tip: Youmightfind it easier perform figureby starting to this and picking in starting witha downstroke. direction the secondmeasure, ) = 4n-l20 AmorA?Technique: CD2 o Tracks:1-8 StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Half-step moves strings1-3 areintroduced thisnextUgure. on in Music Description: bend-and-release lick be not causing noteto go sharp. the Tip: LikelastWednesday's (#24, careful to over-bend, ) = 4$l2O 17. Exercise: #32 Technique: Arpeggios CD2. Tracks:1-8 Genre:Rock Music Description: Don'tletthe tab stafffoolyou-these arethe samebarrechords fromlastThursday's exercise (#25), from onlythistimethey'rearpeggiated highto low. , Tip: Likelastweek,barall sixstrings withyourindexfinger, forming entire the chordshape. ) = 40-120 G.;"!. nDVnCGV_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - r or: Y lel iW thlotghoulCD2. Tracks:9-16 for Music Description: Except the hammer-on, figureis identical Exercise fromWeek3. Thehammer-on this to #.19 you allows to playallfour noteswithone pickmotion. grouping thenhammer Tip: Usea downward sweepto articulate flrstthreenotesof the four-note the and ontotheCD2 . Tracks:1-8 Music Description: Featuring slidesand hammer-ons, lickclimbsup the odendedformof the A bluesscale this (A-C-D-E -E-G). Tip: Paycloseattention the rhythm, it to because features mixture quarter a of notes,eighth notes, and triplets. ) = 4n-l20 AmorATCD2 . Tracks:1-8 Music Description: thisexample, G-D-G chordprogression previous In the from rhythm exercises arranged is in straight sixteenth notesthroughout. Tip: Remember count:"one-ee-and-uh, to two-ee-and-uh, four-ee-and-uh... three-ee-and-uh, " ) = 4o-r2o GD. r . I" - I' I t I I I I l 1CI 1 I t I IGI t I t I 1 I t t t l1I t l1 18. GUITARoWEEK 66 trllr TBACK CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique:AlternatePicking Genre:Rock/Blues Thisexercise features A minorpentatonic the in Music Description: scaleananged a sequence "ascending of threes" (A-C-D,C-D-E, D-E-G,etc.). the reverses itself everybeatso payspecial Tip: Because the tripletrhythm, picking of direction on attention the to picking promptbetween notation tab staves. the and ) = co-tzo AmorATCD2 o Tracks:1+ Technique: StringSkipping Genrc:Rock/Blues jumps(Ato A, C to C, D to D, etc.)withinthe A minorpentatonic the basisof this Music Description: Octave form exercise. (index/ring index/pinky) utilized Tip: Twofret handoctaveshapes and are throughout become so familiar both with right away. ) = 40-120 AmorAT#38 Technique: StringBending Exercise: GD2. Tracks:1- Genre:Rock/Blues pre-bends (strings and 3, firstmeasure), halfMusic Description: Thisbending workout features half-step two 2 a (string and a half-step 1), stepbendand release bend(string secondmeasure). 3, pattern. promptbetvveen notation tab staves onlya suggested Tip: The picking the and is Because picking this the in you worksbestfor you. lickis triclsy, shouldexperiment findwhatpattern to ) = 40-120 19. Technique: Arpeggios Genre:Rock #39 CD2. Tracks:1 Exercise: (#32), D, and C baffchordsareusedonceagain. Here, exercise G, a Music Description: LikelastThursday's voicings. is the 6-5-2-3 stringpattern usedto arpeggiate six-string picking thisfigure, is for whereby single a downstroke usedto playthe bottomtwo notesand Tip: Tryusingeconomy playthe top two notes. is a singleupstroke usedto ) = 40-120 GDCGo r :n - - - - - l L1 rihe throughoulCD2 . Tracks:9-16 for witha last lick in allowed four notesto be played Music Description: Unlike Friday's (#33), whicha hammer-on and sweep,in addition a pull-off. to Still,it's sweep, exercise this demands downpick an upwards a single downwards eachnoteindividually. muchmoreefficient thanpicking yourindexlingerbarred the as with across top threestrings you moveup the neckto play Tip: Experiment keeping eachshape.CD2 . Tracks:1-8 legato (#34), phrase lick this usesthe extended bluesscale, A onlythistime UkelastSaturday's Music Description: in descending fashion. whenperforming pull-off. volume levels allof the notes,pulldownon the stringslightly for a Tip: Toachieve consistent ) = 40-120 AmolATCD2 . Tracks:'l-8 pull-offs, additional including hammer-ons, and notes,havebeenaddedto the Embellishments, Music Description: thal's featuredin the rhythmexercises the last several of weeks. chord progression sameG-[:ff keep the the and arpeggiations, the preceding chordfretted(minus fingers Tip: Whenperforming hammer-on pulFoff occurs. until usedfor the embellishments) the nextchordchange ) = 4n-t2o GDDSUS4DCGCG 20. WEEK 7oCil oTIACK 7 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique:AlternatePicking Genre:Rock/Blues "ascending Music Description: Thisexercise takeslastMonday's (#36) stepfurther, threes" sequence a arranging the A minorpentatonic fours"(A-C-D-E,C-D-E-C, D-E-G-A,etc.). scalejnto"ascending Tip: Unlike week's last tripletrhythm, exercise writtenin straight this is sixteenth notesso the picking direction conis downstrokes upstrokes eachdownbeat. sistently or on Onceyou'recomfortable starting figure the witha downstroke, try starting with an upstroke. ) = 40-120 AmorATCDz. Tracks:17-24 Music Description: whole-step The bendon the thirdstring, followed a stringskipto the rootnote(A)on the first by string,is a pentatonic movethat was madepopular bluesstring-scorcher by Stevie Vaughan. Ray (measure fifthposition (measure followthe suggested Tip: Tofacilitate cleanshiftfromeighthposition a 1)to 2), fingeringsthat arelocated belowthe tab staff.CD2 . fracks. 17-24 Music Description: Quarter-step bends,alsocalled"smears," introduced thisexercise. are in Played strings1-3, on the pitchesare iocatedhalfilay betweenthe original frettednote and a half-stepbend. pitch;instead, for a pitchthat Tip: Whenperforming quarter-step a bend,you'rereally targeting specific not a aim sounds slightly of tune. outJ=c.reo r.r:=jil 21. Technique: Arpeggios Genre:Rock #.16 CD2. Tracks:1-8 Exercise: workout, heretheirrootsarelocated the fifth but on Barre Music Description: chordsarethe basisof this arpeggio progression utilized Gj:)-ft is onceagain. thanthe sixth.Theomnipresent stringrather you'reableto maintain samevoicing (index the finger string5; ring-finger on Tip: Because of the chordsaremajor, all 2-4) throughout. barreon stringsCD2. Tracks:9-16 per (twotriplets beat), sweep-picking this exercise, the previous like Featuring sextuplet rhythms Music Description: diatonic triadsin the keyof G. six,utilizes pattern (downwards sweepfollowed two by focusing the strictpicking on Tip: Playthe firsttriad(G)repeatedly, moving to the wholeexercise. on upstokes), beforeVn - - - 1 VV n- - - r VV n - - - r V V n - - - rVVn---rV Vn---rV VTechnique: Legato Genre:.Rock/Blues #48 CD2. Tracks:1- Exercise: A of bluesscale, elitended minorpentatonic.l is the foundation the scale Similar ihe extended to Music Description: hammer-on/pulFoff maneuvers strings and 6, and index-finger on of include this legato lick.Highlights this exercise slideson strings and 5. 3 of exclusively the indexand ringfingers yourfret hand. with Tip: Notice that the entirelickis played ) = 4f,-r2nTechnique: Rhythm Genre:Rock Exercise: f49 CD2. Tracks:1-8 with basicopen-position D, features ascending arpeggios arevoiced that G, Thisrhythm fjgure Music Description: and C chords. (i.e., for downstrum sweep) eachchordshape. Tip: Forefficiencyb sake,usea singleId ing [email protected] pick: ----------------n| 22. WEEKAoo C01IRACK 8 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique:AlternatePicking Genre:Rock-/Blues Music Description: A minorpentatonic The scaleencompasses alternate-picking this exercise, whichdescends the scale,notefor note,before reversing course string5. on Tip: Begin exercise an upstroke end witha downstroke. the with and Onceyou'recomfortable thispattern, with start witha.downstroke end withan upstroke. and ) = 4o-r2o AmorATCDz . Tacksi 17-24 jaggedA minorpentatonic features Music Descriplion: This line multiple stringskipsthroughout, ascending both and descending. Tip: Baryourindexfingeracrossstrings1-3 at the jifthfretto minimize fret-hand movement. -aJ-J = 4r-160 (.1.l= J )) A7CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: of the bendsyou'velearned to this point(pre-bends, All quarter-step, up hallstep,andwholestep)arearranged a two-barblues-rock into example. Tip: Watchout for the pre-bend beat3 of the firstmeasure. bend(andrelease) a full beat,whereas on This lasts the restof the bendsin the example a halfbeatin length. are ) = 40-120 23. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Music Descriplion:LastThursday's arpeggiated D, and C barrechords, G, withthe rooton string5, areusedagain in thisworkout, onlyin descending fashion. Tip: Usethe tip of yourfret hand's indexfinger mutestring6, so it doesn'tringsympathetically. to ) = 40-120 GDCGpick:n V V n o r :v - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - l ld ir8throuShoulCD2. Tracks:9-16 Music Description: Newmajor, minor, and diminished voicings introduced this sweep-picking iriad are in exercise, whichis ananged triplets in alongthe guitar's threestrings, the keyof D major. top in Tip: Forthe minortriads,learnbothfingerings; alternate the voicings comein handyin subsequent will exercises.CD2 . Tracks:1- pull-offs, index-flnger Music Description: Featuring hammer-ons, and slides withinthe framework the extended of A minorpentatonic scale,this lickis the descending version lastweek'slegato (#48). of exercise Tip: Combine exercise lastweek's this with figure an intense for ascending/descending workout legato that covers a largechunkof fretboardrealestate. ) = 4n-DO AmorA?CD2 . Tracks:1-B Music Description: this rhythm In exercise, arpeggios the fromExercise arerestated; 49 however, sequence the the of notes has been reanangedinto a 6-2-3-4 stringpattern. Tip: In an effortto get to the nextchordin rhythm, don'tbe afraid liftyoufingers the fretboard the lasteighth to off on noteof eachvoicing. Although openstringmaysoundrather an thana chordtone(insomecases, openstring I an will a chordtone), few people notice difference. fact,it'sa trickpracticed virtually will guitarist the planet. the ln by every onlet ring thrcuShoul pick n V --------------l 24. GUITARoA/EEK 9o [111IIACK I Exercise: #57 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: Alternate Picking Genrc:Rock/Blues The Music Descriplion: A minorpentatonic scalearranged a sequence "descending in of threes" formsthe basisof thisnextexercise. fretting noteson the eighth withyourpinlry, yourringfingerinstead. the fret Tip: lf you'rehaving difficulty use ) = 4o-r2o AmorATExercise: #58 CD2. Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Rock/Blues Thisfigureis similar Exercise of Week1, onlythistimetwo strings skipped to 2 Music Description: are between note pairsof the A minorpentatonic scale. play the Tip: Afteryou'veplayed firstnoteof eachnotepair, simultaneously the second noteof the pairwhileyou moveyourindexfingerintoplacefor the firstnoteof the nextstring. ) = 40-l2O AmorATCD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues playing Music Description: Thislickintroduces new bending tlvo techniques: frettednotesduringa sustained bend (measure and an oblique 1) bend(measure Likemanyof the previous 2). bending exercises, lickjs performed thls in the rootposition the A minorpentatonic of scale. reinforcingwithyourmiddle it Tip: Perform seventh-fret the bendswithyourringfinger, and indexfingers. ) = 40.t2O A'71 25. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 in rootsarearpeggiated a H-2-3 stringsequence. G, Music Description: D, and C barrechordswithfifth-string picking pattern. picking pattern, a down-down-up-up economy try alternate this Tip: Onceyou'recomfortable ) = 4o-r2o CnDVnCGVv -SweepPicking Genre:Metal Technique: CD2 . Tracks:9-16 (#54). sweep-picking exercise version lastweek's of Thisfigureis the descending Music Description: it's of Onceyou havethemunderyourfingers, onlya matter usedin this example. Tip: Thereareonlythreevoicings putting to exercise. them in the propersequence playthe entireV - - - - - . i V - - - - - - - r V- - - - - - - r v - - - - - - - rCD2 . Tracks:1-8 hammer-ons and this focuses open-position on the scale, exercise Featuring E minorpentatonic Music Description: pulFoffs. this lickovereither Emor E7 chord. an Play with of You notated belowthe tab staffareonlya suggestion. mayalsoexperiment a combination Tip: Thefingerings yourmiddle for and indexfingers the noteson frets3 and 2, respectively. ) = 40-120Technique: Rhythm Genre:Rock CD2. Tracks:1- Exercise: #6ll voicedas rhythm, minor, major, major, A C G and E minorarpeggios, ln eighth-note Music Description: a consistent pattern that repeats eachnewchordchange. on in chords, played an ascending/descending are open-position Em as open-position in voicethe E minorarpeggio a standard Tip: Although noteis not played thisexample, the finger voices andyourmiddle yourfret hand's the middle fnger voices noteat fret2 of the fifthstring, chord,wheieby the noteat fret2 of the fourthstring.kt nn2thrououln oick: --------1V --------rn ------ i V--------ln----I v --------t 26. WEEKlOoiDlr IfiACK l0 picking Exercise: #g cD2. Tracks:1-8 Technique: Alternate Genre:Rock/Blues pentatonic Music Description: Here, A minor the scaleis arranged "descending in fours,"landing the sixth-string on root note (A)on beat 4 of the secondmeasure. yourfret-hand Tip: "Roll" indexor ringfingers playsubsequent to noteson the samefretof adjacent strings. ) = q-rn AmorATExercise: #65 cD2. Tracks:I-8 Technique: stringskipping Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Thisexercise the descending is version lastTuesday's minorpenlatonic of A string-skipping workout (#58). playing practice stringskipat a time(every beats). Tip: Before through entire the figure, one two Thencombine of all beats,playing wholeexercise the indicated the at tempos. ) = 4oam AmorATExercise: #66 CD2. Tracks:.l- Technique: StringBending Genr6:Rock/Blues Music Description: this lick,yet another In new bending technique introduced: whole-step is the unison bend.The term"unison bend"comesfromthe factthat the bentnoteis the samepitchas, or in unison with,thefretted note. Tip: Performing unison the bendin measure withyourpinkywillgiveyoutwo fingers 1 (ringand middle) whichto with reinforce it. ) = 4O-120 27. CD2 o Tracks:1-8 in Am, Open-position C, G, and Emchordsarearpeggiated an ascending/descending, Music Description: "Fade Black," to that'sfoundin Metallica's This sequence. is the sameprogression one-chord-per-measure for try iingering shownin parentheses the G chord. of Tip: Forthe purpose efficiency, the alternate= pick n V n V n V n o r :n - - - - - - - - - l V - - - - - -2 (3) V -ln V n V n V n V n ---------1 V ------ln V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n V n ---------.1 --------l VIet ing thtoughorlSweepPicking Genre:Metal Technique: CD2 . Tracks:9-16 #68 Exercise: (#61), additional of eachtriad(Afor exercise an sth of ln a Music Description: thisexample, continuation lastweek's etc.)hasbeenaddedto the top stdng. D major, for E minor, for F* minor, B C* for sweepfor the firstthreenotes,usean upstroke the lastnoteof each a downwards Tip: Afteremploying single grouping. four-noteRay moveof JimiHendrix Stevie Vaughan. and legato slides that occuron string3-a favorite triplet-based the withyour, finger, ring belowthe tab staff.By starting phrase fingerings arenotated that Tip: Follow suggested the that appear beats3 and 4. on you'llfreeyourmiddle to the and indexfingers perform slides ) = 4Gr20 Emor E7Technique: Rhythm Genre:Rock CD2 o Tracks:1-8 Exercise: #70 (#63) havebeenretained fromlastSunday G and TheA minor, major, major, E minorarpeggios C Music Description: been and the are different, a newtechnique--+Emmer-ons-has addedto although rhythms slightly for thisexample, the mix. you. for prompt, is staves, intimidate A down-sweep stillemployed whichis notedbetween Tip: Don'tletthe picking The however, breakup the continuous is and an up-sweep usedfor theirdescent. hammer-ons, the arpeggios' ascent motionof someof the sweeos.bt nng hrcughoal pick n ---------In---rV--.t n - - - - - - - - - - r V- - - - - r 28. WEEK 11o. 1l CDI TflACK CD2 . Tacks2 17-24Music Descrjption: Thistriplet-based alternate-picking workoutincorporates bendsto forman applicable minor A pentatonic blueslick. Tip: Follow picking the directions notated between tab and notation the staves facilitate bends, to the whichmustbe performed quickly maintain stricttripletrhythms. to the ) = 4O-120 AmorA?#72 CD2. Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringSkipping Exercise: Genre:Rock/Blues A Music Descdption: Thisexercise similar the ascending minorpentatonic is to string-skipping wokout from Exercise 58, onlythe orderof the notepairson eachstringarereversed. promptindicates downstroke Tip: Although picking the a shouldbeginthe exercise, experiment usingan upstroke with patterns manytimesal the temposindicated. to startthe figure.Practice both picking ) = 4o-r2o AmorAT 29. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Music Description: Thisarpeggio figureborrows Am{-G-Em progression Exercise however, sixththe from 67; here string-rooted barrechordsareutilized rather thanopenchords. Tip: To change fromthe Am bane-chord voicing the C major to voicing, simply add yourmiddle finger string3; to remove to change it fromG to Em.pick n V n V n V n V o r :n - - - - - - - - l V - - - - - - - - l b nqthroughouln V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n V - - l n - - - - - - j v - - - - - - - - l n - - - - - - l/- - - - - - - r n--------l v--Exercise: #75 CD2 . Tracks:9-16 Technique: SweepPicking Genre:Metal Music Description: sweep-picked The triadsfromlastweek(#68) arranged are herein descending fashion. grouping Tip: Afterplaying firstnoteof eachfour-note (onebeat) the witha downstroke, a single use upwards sweep to articulate remaining the threenotes. ) = 4O-112 D-1+CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Music Description: Basedin the E bluesscale, open-position this legato features line alternating three-note twoand notepull-offs it descends strings. as the Tip: Usea combination right-and left-hand of muting prevent to unwanted stringnoise, especially previously from played openstrings. ) = 40-120CD2 o Tracks:1- Music Description: Similar lastSunday's to rhythm exercise, C, G, and Emarpeggios arranged an ascendAm, are in pattern; pull-offs addedto threeof the fourarpeggios. ing/descending however, lieuof hammer-ons, in are Tip: The mostefficient to voicethe G majorarpeggio to moveyourfrethand's finger way is ring fromfret3 of the fifth string(itslocation the C chord/arpeggio) fret3 of the sixthstring. for to Thatway,youcan useyourpinkyfinger, similar the Am and C arpeggios, perform pull-off string2. to to the onIet ,i^8 throushouI p i c k :n - - - - - - - l V 30. WEEK 12ol}l r TBAfr( 12 CD2. Tacksi 17-24 Music Description: Thislickopenswithan "ascending threes" sequence the A minorpentatonic of scale, features whole-and quarter-step bends,and resolves the rootnote(4 on the fourthstring. to Tip: Review Exercise fromWeek6 (ascending 36 threes) before tackling exercise. this ) = co-tzo AmorATExercise: #79 CD2 o Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Rock/Blues (#58,#65, and#72,thisexercise, finalof its Music Description: Ukethe licksfromthe previous threeTuesdays the kind,features two-string skipsananged withinthe conlines the A minorpentatonic of scale. Tip: Useyourpinky(instead yourringfingeo playthe notesat the eighth of strings1, 2 and 6. of to fret ) = q.t2o AmorAT 31. Music Description: Fifth-string-rooted chords, barre utilizing Am-rc-Em progression the previous the of two Thursdays, the foundation this arpeggio form for exercise. Tip: Toarticulate highest the noteof eachmajorbane-chord you arpeggio, mayfindit necessary briefly yourring to lift fingeroff of the fretboard, reapplying for the arpeggio's it descent.n V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n V n-------l v n ---------l V ---------l ln V n V n V n Vn --------r v --------rn V n V n V n V n ------r v -------lCD2. Tracks:9-16 Music Description: Notefor note,thisfigureis identical the onefromExercise exceptthat,here,a hammer-on to 68 is employed connect noteson string1 for eachtriad. to the Tip: Aftersweeppicking firstthreenotesof eachchord,hammer yourpinkyfinger articulate fourth, the on to the and final,noteof eachgrouping.Exercise: #8il CD2 o Tracks:1-8 Technique: Legato Genre:Rock/Blues (#76), phrase Music Description: Similar lastSaturday's to legato exercise this alsofeatures E bluesscale;howthe ever,herethe notesascend strings alternating the via two-note and three-note hammer-ons. portions thisfigure Tip: Trymixing and matching your of with lastweek's example, improvising own ascending/ descending open-position legato lines. ) = 40-l2OEmor E7CD2 . Tracks:1- 'Music Description: this rhythm In pattern workout, Am, C, G, and Em arpeggios arranged a distinct are in called picking," pickerwho popularized technique, "Travis whichgot its namefromthe country the Merle Travls. Tip: lf youchoose fingerpick pattern, to this notice that yourpickhand's thumbplaysthe noteson the strongbeats (thebassnotes) and yourindex,middle, and dngfingers alternate between noteson the weakbeats. the 32. A/EEK 13o13 lDloTRACK CDz . Tracks:1-8 (C-Arn) featuring arpeggios, is Thisbasictwo-bar, two-chord iigure, ascending descending and Music Description: youradjacent-string chops. to alternate-picking designed enhance to and arpeggios, to downstrum upstrum playthe ascending descending and Tip: Fightyourinclination usea single respectively.let nag th'oughoul pick: nVnTechnique: StringSkipping Genre:Rock/Blues CD2 . Tracks:1 in up blues Music Description: Someof the stringskipsthat you'velearned to thispointarefeatured thisapplicable 1 2.) lickin A. (Specifically, beginning the "and"of beat3 of measure , and the lasttwo notesof measure ' on this fret-hand fingerings advice howto perform lickmostefficiently. for on Tip: Usethe pickingpromptand suggested ) = 40-120 A7W 33. CD2 . Tracks:1+ Music Description: Thisarpeggio figure combines open-positlon the chordsand barrechordsofthe exercises from (#67,#74,and #81),in the familiar the previous threeThursdays Am-C-G-Emprogression. Tip: Whenrepeating phrase, position openposition, the don'tworryabouthaving quickly to movefromseventh to because firstnoteof the firstmeasure an openstring, the is whichallows an easytransition: forn V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n V n V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n V n --------l v --l n - - - - - - - - l v - - - - - - I n - - - - - - - - l v - - - - - - - - 1 n - - - - - - - - l v - - -- - - -ICD2 . Tracks:+16 pattern Music Description: sweep-picking (#82) beenreversed; The fromlastweek's exercise has here, pulloff on a the top stringis followed an upwards by sweepof strings and 3. 2 Tip: Unlike week's last figure, hereyou aresweeping strings two instead three-the noteson string1 arearticulated of witha downstroke a oulloff. andExercise: #90 CD2. Tracks:1- Technique: Legato Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Hammer-ons pulFoffs usedto ascend and are and descend E blues-scale TheopenB this lick. and highE strjngs playedin concert cap the phrase are to and reinforce keycenter(E). the Tip: Thequickhammer/pull foundon the "and"of beat2 of the second measure a si)iteenth-note (three is triolet notes arecrammed a halfbeat). into Spendsomeextratimegetting that rhythm downbefore attempting playthe enthe to lick. ) = 40.120 Emor E7CD2 o Tracks:1- Music Description: Thisfinger-picking (#84) few stepsfurther firstaddingan figure takeslastSunday's exercise a by pattern extrachordtoneto beat 1 of eachmeasure, modifr/ing picking passing the slightly, thenincluding and chords (G/8, D, or D/FI)on beat 4 of everymeasure the Am-C-G-Em progression. of Tip: Onceyou havethis pattern underyourfingers, addingsomeof the embellishments werepresented pretry that in viousrhythm exercises, suchas hammer-ons pulFoffs, the proceedings. and tomptpnnptpnrpapi 34. WEEK 14ol0l r IRACK 14 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 picking articu(#85), figure focuses usingalternate on to exercise this Music Description: extension lastweek's An of the fifthandfourthstrings. that between starting on lateascending arpeggios alternate yourfret-hand lifting flngers onlyto switchvoicings. for measure, Tip: Keepboth chords(Cand Am)fingered the entireler ing thtuughoul picknYnTechnique: String Skipping Genre:Rock/Blues CD2 . Tracks:1-8 skipsin measure and one.string 1, lick one-andtwo-string Thisbluesturnaround in A features Music Description: 2. skiosin measure yourindexfingerbarred the across strings1-3 willfacilitate fifth{retstringskips. 1, Tip: In measure keepingTechnique: StringBending Genre:Rock Exercise: #94 CD2. Tracks:1-8 to workout(#87), onlyhereihe bendshavebeenmoved Thisexerclse similar lastWednesday's is Music Description: E, of minorscalestartson its fifthdegree, whichcan alsobe thought as the E 2 to strings and 3, and the A natural Phrygian mode. pick with exclusively. Tip: Forbetternoteclarity, this exercise downstrokes ) = 4o-1m AmorEm 35. CD2 . Tracks:1- (#88) usedonce fromlastThursday's exercise are In workout, chordvoicings the Music Description: thisarpeggio again, onlythistimejustthe top threenotesareplayed. you use and banechords from Tip: Tovoicethesechords, canchooseoneof two options: the fullopenchords provided here,belowthe tab stafi. Exercise or usethe fingerings 88,n V n------rn V v--- ICD2 . Tracks:9-16 figure, exercises incorporated this se)duplet are into Elements fromthe previous sweep-picking six Music Description: sweeps, and pulFoffs. triadsin the keyof D, downward including you shifipositions, yourfret-hand indexfinger a guide,moving alongstring3 fromfretto fret. it use as Tip: WhileV nrVV n - - - r VV n - - - r VV n - - - r VCD2 . Tracks:1-8 E lick slides string2, bothof whichincoron Highlights this open-position blues-scale include of Music Description: porate unison and a sixteenth-note tripletpull-off the "and"of beat4 of the firstmeasure. on the openE string, the enough archso as to avoidmuting the slideat the end of the lick,yourringfingerneeds Tip: To execute unison openhighE string. ) = qo-t2oTechnique: Rhythm Genre:Blues #98 CD2 . Tracksi17--24 Exercise: in the one usedrhythmic devices bluesguitar: boogie Thisfigureintroduces of the mostcommonly Music Description: pattern. a A5 Here, two-string andA6, D5 and D6,and E5 and E6 chordsoutline basicl-lV-V (A-D-E)progression. you (withrepeats), cantransform intoa basic12-bar it bluesby following this example Tip: Although is onlya three-bar I chord(lwo measures), chord(onemeasure), chord V lV lV this pattern: chord(fourmeasures), chord(twomeasures), I (onemeasure),chord(twomeasures). I -3-( J = c - r c o, ! = J ) ) 36. WEEK15or CDl TBACK 15 CD2 . Tracks;1-8 presented picking to whenalternate noteson adjacent Music Descrjption: addition the inherent In challenges strings, figure features difflcult the lask of skipping overstrings and 4 as well. 2 this C-Am arpeggio jumps,andthenincorporate Am arpeggio pattern the and string the Tip: lsolate C arpeggio practice picking the and intothe fullexercise.let in8 thtuuShoulpick nVnFeaturing majorand minor-sixth intervals the E Mixolydian from modealongstringsI and 3 Music Description: pulFoff provides greatpractice rapidly lick for exclusively, country this skipping overa single stringmultiple tirnes. picking hybridpicking, alternate or whichis a combination a downof Tip: Youcan pickthis licktwo ways:witheither with finger. withyourpickand an upstroke yourmiddle strokeTechnique: Exercise: #101 CD2. Tracks:1-8 StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues bends introduced this lick,whichis rootedin the A minorpentatonic are in scale(with Music Description: Compound bendsaremostoftenreferred as anybendsthat exceed wholestep;inthis case,1%to a an addedFI).Compound and two-stepbends. preferably with lightstrings, .009sor .010s. Also,be sureto useyour Tip: Forthis lick,you'llwantto usea guitar fingers reinforce bend. to the indexand middle ') = 4o-r2o A7 37. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 (#95); onlydifferences Thisfigureis nearly identical lastThursday's to arpeggio exercise the are Music Description: 2-4, the notesof the G chordareslightly rearranged, the last that the voicings havebeenshifted downto strings and to chord,Em,hasbeentransposed a Ioweroctave. you'replaying openstrings the Emarpeggio, yourfret handup to fifthposition thal it'sin Tip: While the of shift so placefor the Am arpeggio, the repeat. on ) = 4n-l20 AmCCEmCD2. Tracks:9-16 minor, diminished In threenewvoicings major, of and triadsarearranged the in Music Description: this nelitfigure, keyof C, in stepwise fashion, alongstrings1-3. Tip: To sweeppickthe major triads,useyourfret hand's Jinger baracross ring to strings and 2. 3pickn--------ln- ---ln---------1n --------ln--------ln---------1n --------ln --------lTechnique: Exercise: #104 CD2 o Tracks:1- Legato Genre:Roc.ldBlues "Crossroads," nextlegato turnaround in Cream's lick this line, Music Description: Reminiscent EricClapton's of (withan addedmajor3rd,Cl), features assortment hammer-ons in an of and basedpredominantly A minorpentatonic pull-offs strings on 2-4. valueassigned the hammer-on occurson beat2 of the secondmeasure. perform to that To Tip: Thereis no rhythmic yourfingerdownontostring3 as quickly possible. it properly, simplyhammer asTechnique: Rhythm Genre:Blues Exercise: #105 CDz . Tracks:17-24 'MusicDescription: variation the rhythm (#98), boogie pattern, figure fromlastSunday this rootedin the keyof A, A of progression. addsdominant seventh chordsto the l-lV-V (A-D-E) prefer slidetheirringer Tip: Someguitarists to Jinger onefretto playthe dominant up chords(47, D7,and E7)on beat That'sperfectly but, sake,I suggest that you instead yourpinky. use 3 of eachmeasure. acceptable for efficiency's r3-(Il=J)) J=ns-reo 38. WEEK 16or CDI TBACK 16Music Description: Thisfigurereverses orderof the ascending descending andAm arpeggios the and C foundin Exercise 85. Tip: Although exercise this startswitha descending arpeggio, O beginwitha downstroke, alternating downstokes and upstrokes throughout. Onceyou'recomfortable this pattern, with reverse and beginwithan upstroke. itExercise: #1O7 CDz. Trackst17-24 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Blues Music Description: Constructed the A bluesscale(wiihan addedmajor3rd,Ct),thissixthslick,likelast from (#100), ananged Tuesday's is exercise alongstrings1 and 3 exclusively, skipping thus overstring2. played Tip: Onlytwo fret-hand shapes, witheither middle-index middle-ring a or fingercombination, used are throughout. _13_r . l = o - l 2(o J = J . l ) 4 ACD2 . Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: popular A bending technique guitaris the gradual on bendand/orrelease. Here, takesthree it beatsfor a whole-step bendon string2 to reachits apex(bar1) and2%beatsto fullyrelease whole-step a bendon string3 (bar2). gradual. proper means Tip: Gradual Execute thesebendyreleases smoothly possible, be sureto maintain as as and intonation. ) = q-no 39. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 (#102) restated Music Description: Am, C, G, and Emarpeggios The fromlastThursday are here,notefor note, voicedon stringset 3-5. exceptthistimethey're Tip: Yourindexand pinkyfingers stayon strings and 5, respectively, allfourarpeggios, 3 for whileyourmiddle and is ringflngers alternate, depending whether voicing majoror minor, string4. on the on ) = 4n-|2O CnVnn -----lv -----lGEmVCD2 . Tracks:9-16 (#103), Ukelastweek's sweep-picking exercise triadarpeggios the keyof C arearranged in Music Description: along with strings1-3; however, theydescend areaniculated up-sweeps. here and Tip: Remember, notesof the arpeggios the should ringtogether, rather not but individually. Therefore, oncea stringis pressure from its respective fret-handfinger. struck, release ) = 4o-r12 CDp i c kV , - - - - - - - l :mV --------,tEmFCAmBoCV,--------t V,-------.t V--------.r V--------.1CD2 . Tracks:1 pull-off is basedin E minorpentatonic played stricteighth-note Thisrapid-fire lick in Music Description: and triplets. picking" (i.e., downstroke string1 and an upstroke string2) Tip: To perform lickmostefficiently, "inside this use a on on That with it as .throughout. beingsaid,onceyou'recomfortable the lick,try starting withan upstroke well. ) = 4G120 EmorETExercise: #112 CD2. Tracksi, 17-24 Technique: Rhythm Genre:Blues pattern the sameas the onefromWeek14;however, patis Music Description: Notefor note,this bluesboogie the positions. willget you acclimated a widelyusedalternative the tern hasbeenmovedto fifthand seventh This to to fingering-andgiveyourpinkya stretch! open-position yourfrethand's withthe longpinlq stretch, thumbon the backof the neck(rather Tip: To assist center thanwrapped it), the on around in approximately sameplacethat yourindexfingeris positioned the fretboard. -Ja( J=4-160 ,|J=J.l') 40. A/EEK 17o.IIACK 17 CDI Exercise: #113 CD2 . Tracks:1 Technique: Alternate Picking Genre:Rock Music Description: Alternate-pickedandAm arpeggios C featuring stringskipping onceagain orderof the are the gaps day.Thistime,however, string-skipping havegrownto two andthreestrings. the Tip: Resist urgeto usea single the upstroke playthe noteson the top threestrings. to Instead, concentrate alteron natepicking entire the ligure.nYn#114 Exercise: CD2 . Tracks:9-16 Technique: String Skipping Genre:l/etal Music Description: A majorscale(A-rc{-D-E-F$-Gf) is ananged a three-notes-aer-string The in string-skipping in exercise, starting fifthposition. Tip: Notice that therearethreedistinct fingerings utilized thisexercise, eachfor stringpairs1-2, 3-4, and 5-6. in one ) = 40-ll2 ACD2 . Tracks:1-8 (bar'1)and multi-step andwhole;bar2) double-stop (half Music Description: Quarter-step bendspepper Chuck this Berry-inspired featuring lick, notesfrombothA minorandA majorpentatonic. Tip: The double-stop bendsareexecuted witha ring-finger barre.lf youfindthat too difficult, usingbothyourring try fingers bendthe notes. and binlsy to ) = 4o-t2o A7 41. CD2 . Tracks:I- Music Description: Similar the exercises the previous to of threeThursdays, the ubiquitous C, G, and Em here Am, arpeggios arranged the guitar's are on bottomthreestrings. position, eliminate Tip: TheAm arpeggio alsobe played can one octavehigher, fourteenth in to someof the longer fret-hand shifts. ) = 40-120 AmCGF.mExercise: #117 CD2. Tracks:9-16 Technique: SweepPicking Genre:Metal Music Description: sweep-picking The exercise fromWeek15 (#103) modifled is herewiththe addition an extra of chordtoneon string1 of eachtriad,making themeither majorseventh, minorseventh, dominant seventh, half or diminished. you Tip: Because additional. of eachchordis played the note withthe pinky, mayfindthe alternate fingering the for half-diminished chord(Bm7b5) moreadvantaoeous.Exercise: #118 CD2 o Tracks:1- Technique: Legato Genre:Rock (#11 Music Description: LikelastSaturday's exercise l), this legato is rootedin the E minorpentatonic lick scale; groupings, the pull-offs however, eachbeatcontains here four-note and occuron string2. Tip: To minimize fret-hand movement, yourindexfingeracross bar strings1 and 2. Also,try usinga downstroke for the noteson string3. ) = 4f,-r2o Emor E7Exercise: #119 CDz . Tracksi 17-24 Technique: Rhythm Genre:Blues Music Description: Thisboogiepattern mimics onefromWeek15 (#105) the but, likelastSunday's exercise, finthe gerings positions. havebeenmovedup the fretboard, fromopenposition the fifthand seventh to give Tip: lf the widepinkystretches you problems, fretting firstchordof eachmeasure D5,and E5)with try (A5, the you indexand middle fingers, rather thanyourindexand dngfingers. -J-I J = o . r e(o J = , J ) ) (r) A54.6A70v) D(v) 5D6D'D6E5E6WE6 42. WEEK18or Ct}I ilACK 18 picking Exercise: #120 GD2 o Tracks:1-8 Technique: Alternate Genre:Rock Music Description: onlydifference The (#113) thisone is the orderof noteson between Monday's last exercise and beats2 and 4 of eachmeasure. reanangement thesenotesnecessitates The of another stringskip,thistimebypassing string2. Tip: Notice that in orderto change fromC to Am, onlythe ringfinger yourfrethandneeds move(third of of to fret string5 to secondfretof string3).nvnCDz . Tracks:9-16 Music Descfiption: Thisfigureis the descending version lastTuesday's major of A string-skipping (#114). exercise Tip: lf an index-ring-pinky combination finger feelsuncomfortable whenplaying noteson strings and 6, subitithe 5 tute yourmiddle finger yourringfinger. for ) = 40-l2O A' Exercise: #122 CD2. Tracks:1- Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock Music Description: Thisriff-based quarter-, exercise employs half-,and whole-step bendson the bassstrings, popa guitar. ulartechnique rockand country in Tip: Whole-step bendson the low strings be difficult execute. the oneat the end of thisfigure, the sixth can to For pull string.downward jts pitchmatches openA string. until the 43. Exercise: #123 CD2. Tracks:1 Technique: Arpeggios Genre:Rock Music Description: thisfigure, few of the chordshapes In a fromprevious arpeggio exercises implemented a are into two-octave, five-string arpeggio workout through veryfamiliar the Am-Hr-Em progression. picking encouraged, exercise trulybuiltfor sweeppicking Tip: Although alternate is this (follow picking prompt is the that's notatedbetweenstaves).J33333p i c k n V n V n V n V n V n V V n V n V n V n V n n V n V n V n V n V n nVV n V n V n V n V n V n Vo r :n - - - - - - - r V n V - - - - - - - - r n -------rVn V ----- - - r n -------{V n V-------rn - - - - - - - l V n V- - - - - - - - tCD2. Tracks:9-16 Music Description: seventh The fromlastweek's (# chords Sweep-picking exercise 117)-major,minor, dominant, and halfdiminished-have beenarangedherein descending fashion, eachusinga combination a downstroke an of and uo-sweeo. Tip: Be careful whenyou get to the GZ chord;thoughthe descending is the same, top noteof the four-note triad the pattern onefret lowerthanthe top noteof the major-seventh pattern. is Dm7Em7FmajTG7Am7Exercise: #125 CD2. Tracks:1- Technique: Legato Genre:Rock Music Description: dominant (E-G|-B-D) E seventh andA dominant ninth(A-Cl-tr-Ci-B; rootis omitted the the in example) arpeggios pull-off outline two-barEZ-Agprogression this rapid-fire the in lick. legatoline(#1 18),baryourindexfinger yourremaining acrossstrings1 and 2, adjusting fin.Tip:LikelastSaturday's gersbackonefretto accommodate chordchange. theExercise: #126 CDz. Tracksi17-24 Technique: Rhythm Genre:Blues Thisbluesboogiepattern Music Description: features newtwistnot foundin the boogiepatterns previous a of Sundays: quickimplementation eachchord's a of minorand major3rd on beat2 of theirrespective measures. Tip: Whenexecuting minor3rd-to-major movement the sixthstring, sureto get enough the 3rd on be archon your frethand'spinlsy finger not mutethe fifthstring. to 44. WEEK 19o)DloTBACK 19Music Descfiption: Thiscountry is rootedin the C majorpentatonic lick scale(with addition one chromatic the of passing tone,Eb) features mixture fretted and a of and open-string notes. Tip: Useyourindex,middle, ring,and pinkyfingers playthe noteson the first,second, to third,andfourthfrets, respectively. J=6o-1s4 cCD2. Tracks:9-16 Music Description: ThisA majorstring-skipping exercise follows sameconcept Exercise the as 114,exceptthat, groupings here, three-note the descend eachstringbefore on skipping the newtargetstring. to Tip: Spendextratimeworking the position on shiftthat occurswhenmoving fromstring3 to string2. Although it's this onlya one-fret shift,it'strickywhenplaying typeof pattern. ) = 4o-rr2(#122), figure fromlastWednesday Music Description: Likethe exercise this focuses bass-string on bends. Thistime, for half-step bendsaremixedwithopenstrings a snappy country in G. lick Tip: Pushup, towardthe ceiling, whenperforming thesebends, avoidinterference the adjacent to with openstrings. J= 60-1s4 G 45. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 pattern played Am, is twiceper measure, outlining C, G, and Em A Music Description: root-3rd-Sthrdarpeggio top respectively, the guitar's two strings. on chords, workout, happens be a greatalternate-picking it to exercise, too. Tip: Not onlyis thisa greatarpeggiooickn V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n Vn V n V n V n VCD2 . Tracks:9-16 is figure features samenotesas Exercise the 117,onlyherea hammer-on Thissweep-picking Music Description: to the arpeggio connect noteson string1. usedin eachfour-note Instead, notesin a tripletrhythm. thesenotesshouldbe comTip: Takecarenot to playthe lirstthreesweep-picked rhythm. noteand played a steady in sbdeenth-note binedwiththe hammered ) = 4o-rr2CD2 . Tracks:1- VanHalen's tapping extravaganza,major(A-CI-E), ininor(Ct-EA C$ A Eddie Music Description: nod to "Eruption," (B-D{-F|-A;the rootis omitted the figure), E major(E-G}-B) in and arpeggios tappedin are seventh Gf),B dominant groupings three-note alongstring2. yourindexor middle finger. with Tip: Thetaps can be performed either) = no-rnCD2. Tracksi17-24 this boogieriffwhileplaying Chicago the blues legend BuddyGuypopularized single-note Music Description: Guitar (beat3) and sth (beat4). root(beats and 2),as wellas its bTth 1 The lineconsists eachchord's of circuitin the 1960s. 1, the G and Forexample, linefor the AZ chord,in measure contains notesA toot), A (rootoctave), (b7th), E (sth). the (i.e., in manner shortand crisp). shouldbe performed a staccato Tip: All of the notesin thisfigure 46. A/EEK 20oo 101TfiACK 20Music Description: LikelastMonday's (#127],, country alsofeatures C majorpentatonic lick this line the scale(withan Ebpassing tone):however, lickpredominantly this descends scale,resolving the root(C)in the secondmeasure. the to Tip: Practice eachmeasure separately you can playthrough until themwithno mistakes. Then,linkthe measures phrase together playthe entire and repeatedly. J = 60-184CD2 . Tracks:9-16 Music Description: Influenced lastTuesday's (#128), by exercise herethe A majorscaleis arranged three-note into groupings ascend that eachstringwhilesimultaneously descending neckvertically a string-skipping pattern. the via Tip: Because the position of shifts that occurbetween stringpairs1-2 and3-4, firstpractice exercise half this a measure a timeto isolate position at the shifts. ) = 40-112 AExercise: #136 CD2. Tracks:33-40 Technique: StringBending Genre:Country 'Music Description: Thisbass-string bending was borrowed riff fromBradPaisley's of tricks.Thefigure's bag two .l chords(B and E)areconnected with quickbendsof the fifthand sixthstrings, the endof measure . at Tip: Afterplaying B chord,moveyourindexand ringfingers the sixthandfrfthstrings, the to respectively, you're llke goingto playan FI powerchord.Thiswillput you in perfect position attackthe bends. to 47. Technique: Arpeggios Exercise: #137 CD2 . Tracks:1-8 Genre:Rock (#130); Music Description: Ndtefor note,thisarpeggio exercise identical the onefromlastThursday is to however, havebeenshifted strlngset 2-3. to herethe fingerings Tip: TheC and G arpeggios the samefingerpattern simply use so slideyourfrethanddownthe neck,fromseven(Am The the teenthto twelfthposition. minorarpeggios and Em)alsoshare samefingering.#138 Technique: SweepPicking Exercise; CD2 . Tracks:9-'16 Genre:Metal .MusicDescription: major, The minor, dominant, half-diminished and seventh chords fromWeeks1Z-19arearranged performed pull-offs up-sweeps. that descending arpeggios with hereintoa sweep-picking exercise features and in Tip: Thinkof eachfour-note arpeggio beingdivided half,withone halffeaturing pull-off the otherhalffeaas a and turinga two-noteup-sweep.Exercise: #139 CD2. Tracks:1 Technique: Legato Genre:Rock the fromlast Music Description: Thistapping exercise borrows A, C{m,BZ,and E arpeggios tripletrhythms and (#132) rearranges orderin whichthe second but the and thirdnotesof eacharpeggio played. are Saturday's example Tip: Toachieve consistent a attackwith eachnote,pushthe stringdown (orup)slightly yourtapping with fingerbefore it'sreleased.Technique: Rhythm Exercise: #1rO CD2.Tacks:17-24 Genre:Blues pattern (#133), riffincorporates quick,three-note "tag"to to boogie this a Music Description: Similar lastSunday's addingsomezestto the aural-and performance-monotony a 12-barblues. of eachmeasure, withthe onefromlastweek.lt willkeepyou linessounding Tip: Don'tbe afraid mixand matchthisboogiepattern to fresh!' -Jr(Il=J)) .l= c-reo NWW 48. A/EEKo1illl oIIACK 2l Exercise: #141 CD2 o Tracks:33-40 Technique: Alternate Picking Genre:Country Music Description: G majorpentatonic The scale(witha Bbpassing tone)informs hot country this lick,whichis simllarto the ascending open-position fromWeek19 (#127'). lick possible, notesringtogether givethe phrase touchof country Tip: Whenever let to a "twang". ) = 6o-ru (iCD2 . Tracks:9-16 Music Description: Similar the A majorpatterns the previous Tuesdays, A natural to of few the minorscaleis jumpa wholeoctave(A into arranged a three-notes-per-string string-skipping exercise. Here,however, groupings the to A, D to D, etc.)whenmoving fromonestringto the ne)d. jumps) Tip: These stringskipscovermoreof the neck(two-and three-fret thanthe A majorscalepatterns, practice so eachskip separately beforeplayingthe entireexercise. J= 4o-rr2Music Description: You'llneedlotsof finger strength-andpatience-to pullof this "pedal-steel" in C major, lick a pickers. favorite country of (a Tip: Usehybridpicking combination yourpickandfingers) playthis lick,plucking non-bent of to the noteson the finger. secondstringwithyourmiddle .l = 60-184c 49. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 pattern fromthe previous two arpeggio Anr-C-G-Em two-string In the Music Description: this exercise, familiar (#130and #137)is played a loweroctave, strings and4. on 3 in Thursdays (index, for simply adjusting by middle, pinliy) the lirstthreearpeggios and Tip: Youcan usethe samethreefingers yourfingering string3 by onefret. onSweepPicking Genre:Metal Technique: CD2 o Tracks:$-16 #14.5 Exercise: in seventh chordsin the keyof C arearranged a and lvlajor, minor, dominant, half-diminished Music Description: pattern up that movesstepwise the neckon strings1-3. sweep-picking ascending/descending rapid-fire arpeggio. fifthnoteis soundto upstrokes playthe fourthand sixthnotesof eachsix-note Tip: Useback-to-back CIhe ed by the pull-off.) ) = 4o-rr2V n - - - rVV n - - - rVVn ---r VVCD2 . Tracks:1-8 132 notesequences fromExercises and the Thisfigure combines A, C|m, 87, and E arpeggio Music Description: tapping workout. 139 intoa singular to fromthe BZ arpeggio spendextratimeworking shifting on bothhandsmustmovesimultaneously, Tip: Because the E majorarpeggio. ) = 4o-r2oGenre:Blues Technique: Rhythm # CD2. Trackst17-24 Exercise: f47 pattern "Pride features walk-up the E a of and Joy,"thisshuffle RayVaughan's A Music Description: nod to Stevie with majorpentatonic scale(E-Gf-rc{-E) that alternates E majorchordstabs. picking, playing bassnoteswitha downstroke the staccato and chord the form Tip: Usean exaggerated of alternated stabbwithan upstroke. rJ-= ,J c-reo (Il =J .l ) w 50. A/EEK 22o0loIMCI( 22 Exercise: #148 CD2. Tracks:33-40 Technique: Alternate Picking Genre:Country Music Description: Likelastweek's (#141), phrase constructed lick this is fromthe G majorpentatonic scale(witha $b passing tone).Unlike week'slick,however, linepredominantly last this descends scale,resolving the root(G) the to on the sixthstring. Tip: Watchout for the adjacent openstrings that crossthe bar line.These trickyand willneedsomeelitraattention. are ! = 60-184CD2 . Tracks:9-16 (#142) arranged Music Description: A minorstring-skipping The exercise fromlastTuesday is herein descencling fashion. picking exercise, employing pull-offs articulate notes. Tip: Onceyourcomfortable alternate this try to the ) = 40-tt2 AmMusic Description: whole-step A bendis heldfor an entire measure whilenotesfromthe G majorscalearestruck intermittently between reiterations the bentnote. of your (ring) Tip: Reinforce bending finger withyourmiddle finger, especially whenplaying noteson string1. Thiswill the you help.tokeepthe bentnotein tune.lt alsorequires to playthe 8th-fret withyourindexfinger. C J=co-rtl.48., 51. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 pattern (#144) restated, notefor note;however, fromlastThursday is In the Music Description: thisfigure, arpeggio to 4 lingerings havebeenshifted strings and 5. the fret-hand picking exercise, usinglegato-a combination hammer-ons pulF try of and this Tip: Onceyou'recomfortable alternate the offs-to articulate noteson string4. .J= 4-120 AmCGEmCD2. Tracks:9-16 Yngwie Malmsteen. lick by super-picker Thisneoclassical sweep-picking is inspired Swedish Music Description: resolving the rootof the Am chord. to are overan ETbg chordbefore brpeggios "swept" Here,diminished-seventh feature samefingerpattern the and moveup the neckin minor3rds arpeggios Tip: All threediminished-seventh (three{ret increments).Technique: Legato Genre:Rock #15i! CD2 . Tracks:1- Exercise: (#146) fromlastSaturday's exercibe Thistapping fest bonowsthe A, Clm, 87, and E arpeggios Music Description: the of but flip-flops notesequences beats1 and 2, and 3 and 4, of eachmeasure. of indexfinger mutestring-1 the to and stringnoise, the underside yourfrethand's use Tip: To prevent unwanted H. bladeof yourpickhandto mutestrings ) = &r2oCD2 . Trackst '17-24 is referred as "sliding to 6ths"because the interval of In Music Description: guitarlingo,this bluesrhythm commonly (a 6th)that existsbetween top and bottomnoteof eachthree-note In chordvoicing. fact,thisfigureis oftenplayed the withthe middlenotesof the chordsbeingomitted. indexfinger fret4 of the on dominant-ninth chords, withyourfrethand's Tip: Voice D9 and E9chordslikestandard the thesenotesarevoiced only;theyshould remain silent. respectively. course, Of fourthstringandfret6 of the fourthstring, 52. W E E K 23oi0l . TRACK 23Thisnextexercise features three-octave, a two-notes-per-stringmajorseventh G arpeggio, startMusic Description: (FI) degree oJthe chord/scale. ing on the seventh note)and shouldbe picked a Tip: Notice thatthe firstnote,F , startson the "and"of beat4 (thisis called "pickup" withan upstroke.:=so.rs t,rl=i5l#156 CD2 o Tracks:9-16 Technique: String Skipping Genre:lvletal Exercise: workoutsimilar the onefoundin Week21 (#142) utilized-here, to is Description: A minorstring-skipping An Music pattern groupings descend eachstringwhilethe overall the now on ascends fretboard. although three-note the finger is Tip: Thesamepinky-ring-index combination usedfor all sixstrings.Technique: StringBending Genre:Country Exercise: #157 CD2 . Tracks:3H0 pedal-steel that moves witha restated lick G, Music Descdption: F,and C chords(V-lV-lin the keyof C)areoutlined positionally-from to the twelfth tenthto seventh--down neck. hovering overstring3, over(oron)strings1 and 2, andyourindexand ringfingers Tip: Keepyourpinkyhovering the whileyou movedownthe neck.Thatway,they'llbe in placeto restate lickat eachstop. 53. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 pattern of the usedto outline Am-rc-Em progressions the lastsevthe In Music Description: thisfigure, arpeggio on strings and 6. 5 is in eralThursdays restated a loweroctave, respecin an can Tip: TheG and Em arpeggios alsobe played octavelowerthanwritten, thirdand openpositions, tively. yourearto guideyou. UseCD2 . [email protected] 17-24mutedstringsweeps leadintowhole-step bluesphrase, A In Music Description: thisstandard minorpentatonic (upwards) sweepat the fifthfretthat leadsintoa in 2, 1. bendsin measure Thisis followed, measure by a reverse ouarter-steo bend. in 1 during sweeps measure . the of Tip: Usethe fleshyunderside yourpickhandto mutethe strings -J-.=qo-m(f)= . j)Rock Technique: Legato Gen-re: #160 CDz. Tracks:1-8 Exercise: chordtonehasbeenaddedto the A, Ch, BZ and E arpeggios For Music Description: thistappinglick,an additional notes. the fromtriplets sixteenth to four of exercises the previous weeks,changing rhythms that wereusedin the legato grouping reverting and takingcarenot to omitthe lastnoteof eachfour-note rhythm, on Tip: Focus the sixteenth-note examples. of backto the tripletrhythms previous ) = 4n-rnRhythm Genre:Jazz Technique: GD2. Tracks:2G-32 Exercise: #161 pattern, "Charleston" rhythm, jazz-sr,,1ng this shownhereusingvoicings A of Music Description: variation the popular in settings. is in of a l-lV-V progression the keyof G major(G7-C9-D9), prevalent big-band Also,the firstchordof eachmeasbothchordattacks(beat1 andthe "and"of beat2) in eachmeasure. Tip: Accent staccato. ureshouldbe playedv 54. A/EEK 24oCIlloTRACK 24 picking Exercise: #162 CD2. Tracks:25-32 Technique: Alternate Genre:Jazz Music.Description: figureis identical Exercise fromlastweekexceptfor one note,5* (the7th),whichhas This to 155 beenfowered halfstep,to F (thebzth), makeit a G dominant a to (G-B-D-F). seventh arpeggio Tip: To accommodate lowered the seventh, yourindexand ringfingers use (rather thanyourindexand middle fingers, as in Exercise 155)to playthe noteson strings 4, and6. 2, -Jr([)= ) ) ) =ss-ru G7CD2 . Tracks:9-16 .MusicDescription: Building the A minorstring-skipping on exercises the previous of threeweeks, flgure this ascends threescaletoneson one stringbefore skipping the nexttargetstring. to picking sequence, employing Tip: Afteryou'vebecome comfortable alternate the try hammer-ons execute to the noteson eachstring. ) = 4l-rr2 AmExercise: #1Bl CD2. Tracks:1-8 Technique: StringBending Genre:Blues Music Description: Thisopen-position combines (string and half-step lick whole-step (string bendswithopen 3) 1) strings a bluesy for sound. Tip: W-hole-step bendsin openposition be difficult execute. can yourthumbaround neckwillgive to Wrapping the youa littleextraleverage. ) = 4o-12o E7 55. CD2 . Tracks:1-8 per pattern played the tvvice measure, outlining ubiquitous is arpeggio A Music Description: 5th-3rd-root-3rd AnFG-Em progression. that this overotherprogressions you know usingthe noteon string2, the root,as yourposiTip: Tryplaying pattern yourfingerings the according whether chordsaremajoror minol:. to tionalguide,andthenadjustingphrase sportsAm(maj7) and this luminary Martino, sweep-picking Pat ftomja?7-guitar Bonowed Music Description: progression. played rapidsuccession a i7-iv7(Am7-Dm7) ove( in arpeggios Dm(maj7) 2-3. middle finger barthe noteson strings to sweeps, yourfret hand's use Tip: Forthe upwardLegato GenIe:Rock Technique: CD2. Tracks:1+ #167 Exercise: (A-B-C-D-E-Fi-C) mode,or,due featuring notesfromthe A Dorian scalar sequence, A four-note Music Description: (A-Btl-D-E-Fl-G) mode,is repeated eachbeatof this on of to the omissioir a minoror major3rd,A Mixolydian two-bartappingphrase. your into for exercises, ringfingeris incorporated the festivities the firsttimeso conTip: Afierllveweeksof tapping volume across fournotes. all consistent on centrate achieving ) = 40-t?n AmorATJazz Rhythm Genre: Technique: CD2 . Tracks:25-.32 #168 Exercise: (#161), progression lastSunday this'lfourto the bar" from lllustrated usingthe l-tV-V(G7-C9-D9) Music Description: pattern another in settings. favorite ja77guitarists big-band of is comping with staccato, the chordson beats2 and 4 of eachmeasure shouldbe played Tip: All of the chordsin thisexample thanksto CountBasie whenplaying example, this (i.e.,played technique louder). Also,a popular receiving accents chordvoicing. guitarist threenotesof eachfour-note is Freddie Green, to soundonlythe lowest ) = s6-r44 56. WEEK 25or 25 C0l IIACKpattern Music Description: thirddegree, of the G dominant The B, seventh arpeggio fromlastweek(#162) been has lowered halfstepto Bb,making a G minorseventh a it arpeggio. Tip: Divide arpeggio stringpairs(G-5,4-3, 2-1),usingan index-ring/index-pinky pattern each. the into finger for -3-) = st-ru (J)= ) i'tExercise: #170 CD2. Tracks:9-16 Technique: String Skipping Genre:lvletal Music Description: this string-skipping In exercise, C majorscale(orA minor, relative the its minorscale) arranged is pattern boththe first.and in an ascendjng, three-notes-per-string on thirdstrings, completely skipping overstring2. Tip: Experiment various with waysto finger exercise. fingerings this The notated merely are suggestions. , ) = 4[-rr2 CorAmCD2 . Tracks:1- Technique: StringBending Genre:Rock/Blues Music Description: Rooted the 12th-position minorpentatonic in E scale, lickis a repeating this three-note sequence fealuring whole-step bendson string3. picking pattern perform pattern. Tip: Usea down-down-up to eachthree-note ) = co-tm E7 57. Genre:Rock Arpeggios Technique: CD2 o Tracks:1-8 Eiercise:*fZZ patterns 165 fromExercise havebeenshifted the Forthisexercise, Am, C, G, and Emarpeggio Music Description: fingerings. in 2 fromstrings1 and 2 to strings and 3, resulting different pickthe two the picking, a pull-off articulate firsttwo notesof eachpattern; to use to iif: ns ai atternative aftJmate notes. remainingGenre: Jazz Technique: SweepPicking 23-82 CDz. lriac]picking," whichwas introduced backin Exercises version "Travis of Usinga moresophisticated Music Description: A basslineto open-position and E chords. marries alternating an fingerpicking 84 and 91, this country noteswithyourjndexand (bass) with notesexclusively yourthumband the upstemmed Tip: pluckthe downstemmed middle fingers. . ) =so-tu AE 110. WEEK 52oIll 'nACK52Music Description: (last jazz Slmilar a bluesturnaround two barsof a 12-bar to blues), lmajT-Vl7-iim7-V7 1t)7nthis around incorporates scalar linesand arpeggios navigate progression, both to the making a greatalternate-picking for exercrse. phrase played fifthposition. bestresults, Tip: Thisentire is in For followthe suggested fingerings arelocated that in the notationstaff.(!7=j'i) t=se-w Abrnllc?Cm7FjExercise: #359 CD2. Tracks:+16 Technique: StringSkipping Genre:Metal Music Desciiption:To cap this book'sstring-skipping exercises, here's jaw-dropping-and a nearly impossibleplayed strings1, 4, and 6. Forproofthatthis lickcan be performed-and blazsequence E minorarpeggios of on at ingspeed,no less--rheckout PaulGilbert's /ntense Bockvideo. Tip: Practice exercise this s/ow! ) = 4n-lt2 EmExercise: ffl60 CD2. Tracks:33-40 Technique: StringBending Genre:Country lvlusicDescription: Thiscountry chordmelody piayed strings is on 3-5 exclusively feituresa handful whole-' and of stepbends. yourpick,middle Tip: Assign finger, ringer and finger strings 4, and 3, respectively. thiscombination pick to 5, Use to 111. Genre:Rock Arpeggios Technique: CD2. Tracks:1-B #361 Exercise: (#354) retained for pattern here is The Music Description: two-notes-per-string/sweep-picking fromlastThursday a B, sth however, startson the chord's degree, and utilizes one-note/ E minorarpeggio, The the G majorarpeggio. pattern eachstringpair(6-5, 4-3, and 2-1). for two-notes Thispattern will can be usedfor allthreestringpairs. fingerpattern three-note a Tip: Forthe E minorarpeggio, single the phrase. throughout notesshouldbe maintained but temptyouto playtriplets, sixteenth ) = 4o-t2oGenre:Metal Technique: SweepPicking CD2. Tracks:9-16 #362 Exercise: (#355) back;this are exercise from sweep-picking The Music Description: Am-rc-Em progression lastFriday's on down-and up-sweeps eachchordchange. between alternate the time,however, arpeggios moredifficl-,lt moving than up 2) sweep(measure is considerably an downthe neckto perform upward Tip: Shifting to fromthe G arpeggio the Emarpeggio. on 1), the neck(measure so spendextratimeworking the transitionGenre: Jazz Legato Technique: CD2. Tracks:25-32 #363 Exercise: line fabricfor thisC majorlegato that the restated twice,supplies melodic motif, A Music Description: three-note to pull-offs strings1 and2, a hammer-on string3, and a slidethat resolves the root,C, on string4. on on features index,middle and ring phrase be played with exclusively yourfrethand's can free!Theentire Tip: Thisiigureis pinlry stafffor bestresults. in Follow fingerings the notation the fingers.picking" of figure staple country a guitarpickerChetAtkinsmadethistypeof "Travis Famed Music Description: the A majorbaffechordprovide notes D music.Here,a fifth-string-rootedmajorbarrechoid and a sixth-string-rooted festivities. for the fingerpicking planted the fretboard alltimes,usingyour at on and Tip: Forthe A majorchord,keepyourindex,middle, ringfingers pinkyto playthe descending on melody string2. .l = 6GlSa DA 112. DAY365 o iDl TRACK 52 (contl CD2 o Tracks:9-16Music Description: Thisalternate/sweep-picking conceptis borrowed fromRacer string-scorcher Gilbert. X Paul pedal-tone is played string Featuring familiar the Am{-G-Em progression,quick,alternate-picked a four-note lick on 1 before descending a sweepcapseachchord. put position the up-sweeps follow. Tip: Startwitha downstroke.to yourpickin perfect for that ) = 40-112 AmCGV n V----FI.mn V nACKNOWLEDGMINTS Thisbookis dedicated my sister, to Tonia, tolerating racket for the that emanated from my bedroorn during guitarist; my parents, my developmental stagesas a to Donand SonjaNelson, theirunconditional for love and supportwhileI pursued careerin the uncertain a musicindustry; especially my wife,Amy,who and to offered constant encouragement throughout poect, and my twin daughters, this Sophie and Claire, who werebornduringthe wrilingof Guitar Aerobics. past l'd alsoliketo thankall of the musicians, and present, who haveinspired influenced throughout and me years. theABOUTTHEAUTHOR Troy Nelsonis a 2o-year veteran the six-string. of Firstpicking the instrument up duringthe heyday "hair of metal," someof hisfirstguitarheroes included George Lynch, PaulGilbed, and NunoBettencourt. Afterhigh jazzguitarfor two yearsat Milwaukee school,he studied AreaTechnical College, wherehis musical influences expanded include to Chadie Parker, JohnColtrane, Wes Montgomery and amongothers.In 1994,he began his relationship HalLeonard, whom he hasedited,proofread, transcribed with for guitarpubliand numerous cations. Oneof thoseprojects included Guitar One,a magazine company the launched 1995.Whileat the in magazine, Nelson heldthe titlesof MusicEditor, SeniorEditor, Editor-in-Chief a decadeat the and . After magazine, resigned he fromGuitar Oneto pursue otherlove,football. spentthe 2005NFLseason his He with player the NewYorkJets,duringwhichtime he wroteall of the team'sgameday stories, wellas numerous as features, fantasy footballpreviews, NFLDraftscouting and reports. Laterthat year,however, Leonard Hal launched Guikr Edgemagazine luredNelson and backto the musicbiz as its Senior Editor, titlehe holds a today.Nelson currently resides Athens, in Georgia, with hiswife,Amy,and twin daughters, Sophie and Claire. guitaror changing Whenhe'snot busyplaying he attends diapers, classes the University Georgia, at of home of the Bulldogsl 113. GUITAR NOTATIONLEGENDGuiiarmusiccan be notated threedifferent waysion a musical statf,in tablature, andin hythm slashes. D RHYTHM SLASHES written are above the slalf. strum chords lhefillhm indicated. in the lound Use chord diagrams atthelopof thefirstpage forthe ofthelranscription Notes: appropiate voicings. chord Round notehead! indicate noles. sinOle pitches THE MUSICAL shows STAFF and rhythms is divided barlines into and by measures. Pilches named thelircl are atter seven lettels ihealphabet. ol graphically TABLATURE fepresents lhe linge$oad. hori2ontal Each line 0uilal represents number a string, each and represents a lret.DE G @ @W) )niEStrings: highE 3 G 0 low E4thstring, lrel 2ndDEFINITIONS'|st & 2ndstrinos played open, togetherD open chordF O R S P E C I A L G U I T A R NOTATIONHAIF-STEP Strike note bend BEID| the and uo1/2steo.WHoLE-STEP Strike note BEilD: the and bend one uD steo.GRACE BE 0: St kethenote llolE and immediately upasindicated_ bend( SI-IGHTlCnoTolE) BE[o:St kethe note bend 1/4ste0. and uD0END nELEASE: thenote AND Strike and bend asindacated, release lo up then back the0 oinal note. thefirst noteis only struck.PBE-EElllr:8endnote indicated, the as then slrike it.PRE.BEilD RELEASE: thenole AilD Eend asindicated. it and Stdke release bend the back theodoinalnote. toUills0ilEEtlD: Strike twonotes the simultaneouslybend lower up and lhe note lo thepitch thehigher. otVlBRAlo: string vibrated rapidly The is by bnding releasing note the and the with lretin0 hand.tlrl0tV|BRATo: pilch varied a The is lo greater degree vibraiing thelretling with by nano.IAMITER-oII the Strike first (lower) note withone tinger, sound higher then the note (0nthesame string)with anolhertinoer by picking. lretting without itPULL-oFF: both Place fingers thenotes on to besounded. Strikethe note li6t and pickano, pullthe without linger to sound otl (l0we4 thesecond note.|-EGATo SLIDE: thefirstnote Strike and then thosame slide lret-hand upor lin0er down thesecond The to note. second note is notstruck.SHIFT Sl-lDE: asle0ato except Same slide, thesecond is struck. noteTBILI-: rapjdly Very ("tap") fret alternate between the TAPPIilG: Hammer the notes indicated continuously by hammerino indicated thepick-hand or wili index pulling pullotfto note onand off. middle finoerand the lretted the{rethand_ by 114. ilATURAL HABMotllC: the Strike note while tret-hand the lightttouches the stdng dircctly thefrci indicated. overPIilCH fiARilollC: lhe noteis lretted normally a hamonic produced and is by adding edqe the tip 0lthethumb orthe ol theindex linger thepick of handtothe nomaloickatiack.ilAnP HAnMoillC: note lrened The is nomdly PICK SCR^PE: edge The ofthepick is producino and harmonicproduced oently a is by resting rubbed (orup)thestring, the down pick hand's linger index dirctly the above a scmtchy sound. pick indicated (inparefiheset) tret whilethe hand's thumb pickassists pluckinq or by the appropriate string.MUFFLEo SIRII{GS:percussive is A sound produced laying frethand by the the across without strino(s) depressing, strikjng and them theoick with hand.PALiIMUTIG:Thenoteis partially muted hand lightlytouching bythepick the string(s) before b dge. the iustBIXE: Drag pick th across st nos the indicated a single with motion.ABPEGGIATE: thenotes thechord Play ol indicated quickly by rolling from them bottom top. loVDnATo n DIVEA[0 B REnnil: Ihe VIBRATo SC00P: BAR DeDressthe