The Workout, Part 3
(06 Jan 04)
More legato
One of the legato-exercises (key of Amin) I used to do a lot in all kinds of different variations (hint!) is shown here:
I'm not gonna go into too much detail, I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Of course, business as usual: try different keys, use different strings, different rhythms etc.
Here is a variation on that, this time incorporating the open string (another cool thing you can do with along-the-string-kinda playing):
What else can ya vary? Do something similar on two adjacent strings… or two non-adjacent ones. How about three? How about big stretches? Sliding between two distant positions, doing trills?
There are so many things you can vary to keep it interesting, depending on how much you wanna work on this kinda stuff. And the more you get used to variations, the easier they'll be after a while. Or rather: the easier it'll be to adjust to variations.
Of course, you can use that "variations"-approach to WHATEVER you're working on. Chords, arps, sight-reading, rhythmic exercises etc.
Lemme show you variations for one other aspect of a typical practice-session: Scales and Patterns. I hope you have read about that "pentatonic scale workout" I talked about in the 1st part of the workout-trilogy. Because if you have familiarized yourself with those exercises, you should be kinda used to sequences. Let's work on a regular 3NPS-pattern this scale, key of C Major. Here is the pattern:
OK, the first variation should look familiar by now… applying a "Move up 3, jump back 2" sequence (1-2-3-4 2-3-4-5 3-4-5-6.. these numbers represent the notes of the scale… not frets or fingers. In notes: C-D-E-F D-E-F-G E-F-G-A etc.)
OK, now, to experience that awkward feel, let's skip right to a "move up 2, jump back 1" sequence (1-2-3 2-3-4 3-4-5 or C-D-E D-E-F E-F-G etc.)
It's odd, but I found this sequence to be easier with the 2NPS pentatonic scale, while the sequence above seems to be easier with 3NPS scale. I guess I am missing something (most likely, my mind).
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