-

POINTERS
K . A most commonmlstake ls to blame the left hand when the rlght hand lc at
fault, or vice versa. Watchout for this.
L . Get the progression off the paper and Into your head as 3oon ar posrlble.
Memorizlng the chord changes allows you to focus all of your attentlon on what
you are playing rather than readlng the muslc.
M . The objectlves put forth In this book are attalnable only lf the reader follows

each step of the pnogram without deviation from the schedule (that means no
mlssed days, hourr shortened, tlmc frames dlsobeyed, key centerl mlsrd,
Introduclng hammer-onrs,pull-offls, before stated, playlng dotted elghth cixteenth notes instead of elghth noter, etc., etc.) lf you do it, you get lt. lf
you donrt; you donrt.

N.

ln the Growth Process, we all go through perlods in which we lre actlvatlng new
nerve fwrctlonr, both ln the braln and throughout other partr of the body.
Thls type of grcwth work drawr a tremendou3 amount of systentlc energles. The
overall physlcal feellng ls llke pulllng a traln uphlll, and the psychologlcril
spln-off ls the feellng that we are gettlng nowhere. Thls will perslst for some
perlod of tlme. We then tend to go Into a natural state of rest, fra plrteau.rl
During thls rest period, we tend to feel that we have the world by the tall and
great progress ls taking place. Actually the reverse ls true. The progress
was madedurlng the uphill climb, not durlng the rest period. The rest perlod
wlll contlnue for someperlod of time. Donrt worry about lt. Then the road wlll
becomevery rough agaln, and we wlll begln to becorneaware of our weaknegtg.
This wlll last untll we select the speclflc lrea to attack flrgt. We wlll then begln
the uphlll cllmb agaln and plateau again only to meet our deflclencies face to
face agaln. So, on and on lt goes, but your practlce reglmen must remaln congtant.

SelfRest
Plateau Questlonl
SelfQuestlonl

PO

NTERS

o.

Coping ttith The Mental Hazards Of Developing A High Degree of Facility ln

lt is extremely important to cerrectly place the blame when things
lmprovising.
seem to be going wrong. For example, your guitar may sound out of tume, which
is certainly possible. However, keep in mind that it may actually be in tune with
itself, but out of tune with an air conditioner, refrigerator motor, or traffic noises--'
from outside. When your music sounds bad to you, the natural reflex is to stop
playing. So before you blame yourself for a problem, make sure that you have
accounted for elements in your environment that may be superimposing a
subliminal orchestration over what you are playing. Learn to ferrot out the
real problems.

P.

There seems to be something about the guitar. at least for the serious performer,
that creates an overload of humility. A certain amount of this is okay and selfquestioning is essential to oners progress, But do not fall into the trap, as many
do, of blaming yourself when something else is wrong, as this will not cure hidden
problems.

a.

Also be aware of your bio-cycles. Every person has natural high and low points
running in approximately monthly cycles. During low periods, you may feel very
down and discouraged, but this must not interrupt the regularity of your practice routine, as far as the project lessons in this book are concerned. You must
continue to practice with controlled discipllne, no matter how you feel about
things from day to day.

R . You will find that once you reach a given level of speed, and maintain playing
at that level or faster, for approximately 2l days, on a daily basis, -- the
ability acquired during that period of time will be permanently imprinted and
assimilated by your nervous system. You could lay off for six months, come
back and practice hard for about 2-3 weeks and it will come right back. lt seems
that once this ability is programmed clearly, the rest is mostly a matter of
muscular strength and agility.

s.

Practicing an hour a day 6 days a week is great, but 12 hours is better. There
will be some days when you may feel like playing for long periods of tlme. This
is great when you feel like it, but donrt force it.

T . An'Accelerator -- form a group of other guitar players.

Exchange solos and

comping. Trade off in sequence. The group dynamics is superior to private
study for a program of this sort.

U . Another hazard to watch out for -- when tunes are played with a specific feel,
i.e. steady eighths or dotted eighths, sixteenths (shuffle) or triplets (12181,
etc., they tend to have slow, medium and fast tempos that are just right for
that particular rhythm feel and any other tempos inbetween feel awkward and
difficult to play on. This applies even to the most experienced players. You
should expect that, during the process of building up your speed, you will
encounter long periods when the tempo feels awful and, from time to time,
points where the tempo is just right. Donrt blame yourself -- just be aware
of the real problem.

18

H O WT O D O P R O J E C T L E S S O N SF O R W E E K SO N E T H R O U G H qtx
A.

Play only eighth notes, continuo'rt: and uninterrupted. No rests. No phrasing.

No hammer-onrs. No pull-offls.
No other ornamentation. ttNothingr but stead-y
eighth notes.
Use Alternate Picking only. No two strokes in the same direction,
to make up strokes sound as strong as down strokes.

c.

Do nol set your metronome to a

use the metronome only to track
lempos in the boxes provided.
from day to day. This is to be

.e. strive

desired speed and try to rise to meet it. Rather,

your progress. Keep a daity record of your
(NOTE: Your tempo may vaiy stower or faster
expected.)

D . D.o-ea9hproiect lesson for six consecutive days, with one day off. Avoid
skipp.ing
9"y , for whatever reason. The effect is hazardous to progress.
Regularity" is essential. Follow the steps faithfully as given.

E . T!re-key centers bracketed in the chord prog-ressions represent only one analysis

of the progression. other views may be apptiea as welt. ror exarildlo,

*,ilt
encounter key center brackets in which a given chord could be viewed a's a lll
orVl chord of one key, but indicated as a ll chord of another. In these situations
oners individua-l preference can- prevait. ltts just a matter of where you want the
change of tonality to occur. Also, there are ilmost unlimited scale and chord
substitution possibilities. Feel free^to use any harmonic devices at your dlsposal.
lf theyrre_rlght, they will sound right and if ihey,re wron!;, you wifl know ii
immediately.

F.

The chord voicings shown in the proiect lessons are comrnonguitar voivings which
are intended to assure a clear understanding of the progressi-on and, in aldition,
may serve as a good.study in the application of I'garden-variety'r guitar chords.
However, other voicings may be used at your own- discretion.

G . The week end tempo obiectives shown at the top of each project lesson are
scheduled to increasg by two metronome points'daily.
lt'may be good to remember
that these are only obiectives. Care shoutU be takin not to sac"i"fi".
and precision in order to meet the tempo goals. These will always come
"""u""ry
in time.
The tempo obiective plan is symmetricar, 6ut the learning curve'is not.
Play Legato.

Hold each note as tong as possible

Great attention should be given to holding steady time.

the tempo.

t9

Do not rush or drag

WEEK ONE

PROJECT LESSON I-A

Week End Tempo Obiective

= 60

PREPARATION

Step I

Clear your work area of all things not pertaining to thislesson.

Step 2

Tune your guitar.

Step 3

Warmup. Play notes slowly at all parts of the fingerboard.

Objective: To eliminateany Iflamstr between the right and left
h a n d s.

50 MINUTE PROGRAM
Step 4

2 min

Play eighth notes once through the progression to establish your

tempo of the day - the speed at which you can play through the
piece without mistakes. Mark down the day's tempo in the appropriate box below.
L O G O F D A I L Y M E T R O N O M ES E T T I N C S

Step 5

10min

Pre-record yourself playing the chord changes (sustained - no

rhythms), with the metronomenearby so that it will sound on the
tape like aplick track. Rcpeat the progression non-stop for l0
minutes.

Step 6

2 min

Break! Set the guitar down. Stand up and rewind the machine.
Focus yoffihord
prdgression. Know the key
centers and memorize the progression. r'Get it off the paper and
into your head'r.

Step 7

10 min

Step I

2 min

Step 9

l0 min

Step r 0
Step l l
Ste p 1 2

Total

2 min
10 min
2 min

50 min

Play uninterrupted eighth-notes over the progression as it is

played back, to the conclusion of the pre-recording.
Break!

Set the guitar down, stand up and stretch, etc.

Play uninterrupted
recording.
Break!

eighth-notes to the conclusion of the pre-

Rest aw6y from the guitar.

Play uninterrupted
recording.

Lie down, etc.

eighth-notes to the conclusion of the pre-

Break! Lie down. Relax all parts of the body. Close your eyes.
Breathe deeply and rhythmically, Practice visualizing yourseif
playing the project the way you wish you had.

Check off each step as it is finished

20

EXAMPLE

FOR

PROJECT

LESSON

I-B

Remembert This exampte and alT other examples for the prciect
lessons are qqdels of ttre type of solo line to be improvised. The
lmportant cdfrGiiiEiatlonis ine spontaneous Invention of your own
solo line. The point of the project lessons is to hone y6FtEch:
nique to a level that will facilitate and not hinder the tmmediate
reproduction of any and alt of your musical ideas. Use the examples as source material and for reference, but when doing the
proiect lessons, itts rrevery man for himselft,

ob

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HOW TO DO PROJECT LESSONSFOR WEEKSFIFTEEN, SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN

(2 1 D AY REVTEW )
9p t9 now, our goal has been to gradually rach a tempo of ) = lltwith ctean execution
by the end of the fourteenth week. Whether you have or have not attained this tempo,
write d.o*l the present maximummetronome
setting (the setting at which you ortlfiy
through the project lessons free of mistakes).

,a

Frnr

fiorlq

Following is a 2l day "gestationrr period aimed toward affixing your present maximum
-one
technique as a permanent reflex capability, a point at which
may go without playing

for_long p_eriodsof time, but with about two to three weeks of practic6, regain ttre
full technique.

The following here is a suggested schedute (you may change the order at will).
W E E KF I F T E E N

Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Project
Project
Project
Project
Project
Project

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

l-A
l-B
2-A
2-B
3-A
3-B

tt,EEKSIXTEEN

Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Project
Project
Project
Project
Project
Project

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

t-A
4-B
5-A
5-B
6-A
6-8

W E E KS E V E N T E E N D a y
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Project
Project
Project
Project
Project
Project

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

l-A
4-A
2-A
5-A
3-A
6-A

78

*r

WEEKSEVENTEEN PROJECTLESSONREVIEW
I

WeekEnd TempoObiective 1 = t,12

P R E P A R A TI O N
Step I

Clear your work area of all things not pertaining to this lesson.

Step 2

Tune your guitar,

Step 3

Warmup. Play notes slowly at all parts of the fingerboard.

Obiective: To eliminateany I'flams" between the right and left
h a n d s.

50 MINUTE PROGRAM
Step 4

2 min

Play combinations of eighth notes and eighth note triplets once

through the progression to establish your tempo of the dav - the
speed at which you can play through the piece without mistakes.
Mark down the dayrs tempo in the appropriate box below.
L O G O F D A I L Y M E T R O N O M ES E T T I N G S

t^eP 5

l0 min

Pre-record yourself playing the chord changes (sustained - no

rhythms), with the metronome nearby so that it will sound on the
tape like a click track. Repeat the progression non-stop for 10
minutes.

Step 5

2 min

Break! Set lhe ggitar down. Stand up and rewind the machine.
Focus your attention on the chord progression. Know the key
centers and memorize the progression. rrGet it off the paper and
into your head".

Step 7

l0 min

Play uninterrupted eighth notes and eighth note triplets over the
progression as it is played back, to the conclusion of the
pre-recording.

Step 8

2 min

Step 9

10 min

Step 1 0

2 min

Step il

l0 min

Step l2

2 min

Total

50 min

Break!

Set the guitar down, stand up and stretch, etc

Play uninterrupted eighth notes and eighth note triplets to the

conclusion of the recording.
Break!

Rest away from the guitar.

Lie down, etc.

Play uninterrupted eighth notes and eighth note triplets to the

conclusion of the pre-recording.
Break! Lie down. Relax all parts of the body. Close your eyes.
Breathe deeply and rhythmically. Practice visualizing yourself
playing the project the way you wish you had.
Check off each step as it.is finished.

WEEKSEICHTEEN,NINETEENAND TWENTY (REVTEW)

r^""=--*morr'r,

il.t

DEs

Up to this point in the pnogram, our technical resources have been limited to (a) alternate
down and up strokes and (b) duple tlme and trlple time. Now letrs expand the resources
to include (a) hammer-onrs, (b) pull-offrs and (c) glissandi or slidesBy introducing these devices into your work studles. you can expect an almost immcdiate,
dramatic acceleration of technique in general. One main reson for this ls that the
duties of the picking hand are greatly reduced. in that 2 sr urore tones can be phyed
wlth only onc picklng stroke. ln Example 15,. seven notes are sounded ulth one attack
of the plck. The picking stroke shown as ( $ ) means either a down or up stroke may
be used.
Example18

0
t

||.o.
3

H.o .

?.o.

?.o.

r3l

For those of you who have been playing for someUme, hanmer=onrs pull-offr, and
slides arc nothing new. But for those who may not be so famillar with them, the
follouing examplesbriefly describe and demonstratethe basic principles.

82

'

HAfitt'lEnisilr5":r

::
(a) Strike . not
very
straight shad move.
The Hammer-on technique itself is a
(b)
presssd
while
the
string is stil{ vibrating,
with the lst, Znd, or 3rd finger
beinq

t'strong
slam-(irsmmer) your 2, l, or 4th finger &wn on the sam string. This
hammer-like action" produces another tone {hiEher in pitch} without having to
strike the string again. Thus wG are able to sound 2 or more nots for the price
of one picking stroke. NOTE: Not only is it important to hammer-on strongly
enough to sound like a plucked string, but the rhythmic character of the PassEgc
must-be precise.
Example l9

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tt shor,lldba pointed out that it k poeuiblc ts sound any ton, group of to*rer or
chords without any initial pick stroke at all, if the hammer-on is forceful anough.
Thls ie efpccislly trtre lf-the amplifier is turned up to a hlgh vslurne eetting.

s3

F{JLL*SrF:IS

The Pult-off technlque involy*:. fi1g:ring preparatio-n. {ai Fress down the primary

g_I"",ly.}oic rinewiththerii. zfii, #.i':J:;;;"};, il; ffii;;

:31:
that tone, (bl press down a prepariatory tone (higher in pitch on the same
"iir'"#iiil.,e
strinol

with the Znd, 3rd, or tlth fingers. {c} pluck the preparatory thieher} tone and"'
y-lrj*.:n* string is vibrating,.(dl pult the finger {ptaying the higFer pitch} away
rrom the string, toward the side of the fingerboard in a pluckindaction.
This
allows the lower note (still heing hld) to sound, ln other wordi, pick the
strinq
a second time-wlth the fingerin{ hand. rtt*
buil-off shoutd be ,t*Tri^"nil;h'i;"
tone a.pp.roximatingthe loudness of the origina! {pickEc striig}.
RT:_ou:*__"_:olicl
Also'-.great
care should be taken to maintain rhythmic contlol otine puli-ofi."'
"uon't rush, or drag the time. " Keep the rhythmic
character of the phrase precise,
Exarnpte 20

eo.
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Example 21

cornbinations of Harnmer-on's and pull*off's,

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SLtDES (CL|SSANDt)
The execution of- the gliss (or glissando) simply involves stiding from one note
to
another. The slile may cover oneor more frets, either ascendi-ng or descending
and may be used for chords as well as single note playing. pick the first note jr
- -rtes and, without lifting the finger(s),
slide up or dbwn to a new note or notes.
re slide is indicated as a line connecting one note to another.
Example 22
,l

H O W T O D O P R O J E C TL E S S O N SF O R W E E K SE I G H T E E N , N I N E T E E N A N D T W E N T Y
Review the following Proiect Lessons incorporating hammer-oflts, pult-offrs and
slides.
not break away from the-pnogram or time frames. The following is
-;redule (you may change the order at will)
" "rgt.rt".L
W E E KE I G H T E E N

Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Project
Project
Project
Proiect
Project
Proiect

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

l-A
l-B
2-A
2-B
3-A
3-B

WEEK NINETEEN

Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Project
Proiect
Project
Project
Proiect
Project

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

4-A
4-B
5-A
5-B
6-A
6-8

W E E KT W E N T Y

Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

Proiect
Proiect
Proiect
Proiect
Project
Project

Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson
Lesson

l-B
tt-B
2-B
5-B
3-B
6-8

85