The Workout Part 2
(19 Dec 03)
Fretboard Navigation and Strategies
This is closely related to learning patterns etc. But in this segment of your workout, you could do some exercises that go beyond mere pattern-playing.
Try this:
- Switch on your metronome and set it to a really slow tempo, say, 55 bpm.
- Now, on every downbeat, play the note C... at least one C per string. Example: 6th string, 8th and 20th fret; A-String, 3rd and 15th fret; D-string 10th and 22nd frets; G-String 5th and 17th fret; B-string 1st and 13th fret; 1st string 8th and 20th fret.
Pick a random note, say, G#, and do the same thing.
You can do this with other things too... for example, a Cmaj triad, played in different areas of the neck, and in different inversions. Or arpeggiated. Or... I guess you know what I mean.
Or... play an ascending run on the first two strings only, say, in the key of D major, starting with the lowest possible notes. As always, try different scales, keys, rhythms etc. Try to figure out what you need to work on, then make up an exercise based on that.
Keeping Variety
Lemme interrupt our regular program, and let's talk about how to keep variety. Sure, you can simply challenge yourself constantly by trying the same exercise in all kinds of different keys, but there are more methods to keep it interesting and to keep you from getting distracted.
Here are a few of my favourites.
The Chinese Menu Approach
This I mentioned before, in another article and in the forums. It was first taught to me by MI-Instructor Beth Marlis. What you do is: Take a sheet of paper, and draw a table onto it. (Or simply, get yourself some flash-cards, works great for that, too)
Make three columns, and, as many rows as you can. In the first column, write down a bunch of different techniques and "approaches", such as alternate picking, legato, tapping, arpeggiated triads, arpeggiated 7th chords, sweeping on triads, octaves (or other intervals), playing on one string only etc.
In the second column, put all the different keys... C maj, Cmin, D maj, D min etc.
In the final column, put down different rhythms... triplets, eight notes, 16th note, shuffled 8th notes, quintuplets, sixtuplets, quarter notes etc.
Cut out the table, and cut out every single little cell. Put those into three different little containers (three glasses or cups, three ash trays, three hats or whatever).
Now, interrupt your workout the next day, and draw one little piece of paper from each of those containers. You might get something like:
"Arpeggiated triads" (in) "eight note triplets" (key of) "Eb Major"
or
"Playing along one string" (in) "shuffled eight notes" (key of) "G min"
Get the idea?
That way, you don't only keep some variety, but you might be challenged to work on something you have never tried before (a lot of us usually stay in some common "guitar"- keys when practicing, like i.e. Em, Cmaj etc.), such as "tapping" in "quintuplets" key of "F# major"
When last did YOU work on something like that... HUH?
If you do this on a regular base, you'll get used to adjusting to different keys and rhythms. Sure, when you are on stage, and you improvise on stage, you wanna play from the heart (or the hip) and you wanna use different techniques etc., care mainly about the music.
But by using the "Chinese menu approach", you might work on stuff you have never tried before... and if you do, you'll have improved afterwards, that's for sure.
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