GUITAR CALISTHENICS 

Practicing your instrument and remaining healthy throughout your life as a player requires the physical training and discipline of an
athlete. This means that you should massage your muscles during and after each practice, regularly engage in cardiovascular exercise (to
promote good circulation), and maintain a healthy diet as well as proper sleeping habits.

The physical strain we put on the muscles in our hands makes us susceptible to injuries. To play it safe, gently stretch your arms and
wrists: while standing, outstretch your arms like doing a push-up in the air, and gently pull your fingertips back toward your face; or do
slow windmills with your arms. Then, devote several minutes to warming up your pick and fret hands. And always play with correct
posture straight neck and back, minimal fret-hand wrist flexion.

Begin warming up by running your fingers through purely physical exercises, like FIGURE 1, an alternate-picked ascending/
descending 1-2-3-4 finger pattern that moves laterally, i.e. across the neck. Feel free to move this exercise down the neck, to work on
widening your fret hand’s stretch, or up the neck, to focus on areas where the frets are closer together. (For a more vigorous warm-up,
try playing this on an acoustic guitar.)

As you’re warming up, keep your fret-hand’s wrist and forearm straight and relaxed, with each finger lined up parallel to each fret,
hovering as close to the strings as possible. Your fret-hand’s thumb should be positioned behind the neck, not hooked over the side, as it
would be for bending with the palm perpendicular to the fretboard. Depress each note firmly behind the indicated frets, pressing straight
down with your fingertips. Conservation of movement is key to developing super chops, and the above steps will help rein in those
flapping fingers.
 FIGURE 1

FIGURES 2A–D drill the most common finger patterns (1-2-3, 1-2-4, 1-3-4) for three-notes-per-string scales on all six strings. Try
shifting these patterns up the neck chromatically. For a more thorough warm-up, practice FIGURE 2D using both 1-2-4 and 1-3-4 fin-
gerings. Also, note thatFIGURES 2A–D can be played using a combination of alternate and economy picking, as indicated between
notation and tab staves.
FIGURES 2A–D
 FIGURES 3A–D contain two-notes-per string fingerings (1-2, 1-3, 1-4), which are commonly used for pentatonic passages and
arpeggios. You might find it useful to drill FIGURE 3C using both 1-4 and 1-3 fingerings.

FIGURES 3A–D

Finally, FIGURE 4 illustrates a one-note per-string warm-up that should improve your arpeggios. Now that your fingers are relaxed
and limber, you’re ready to delve into more musically rewarding exercises.

FIGURE 4
 PICK BOTH WAYS

Before seriously committing to supercharging your picking, you need to determine whether you have the potential to achieve higher
speeds with your current approach. To evaluate your picking, try this test: At a slow tempo, repeat one note using alternating
downstrokes and upstrokes (e.g., 16th notes at 69 bpm). Now pick that note as fast as possible (e.g. 16th notes at 160+ bpm). When you
made the leap from slow to fast, did you modify your picking at all? For instance, did you change the arch or your wrist or grip the pick
differently? Or did you notice a new movement in some part of your hand?
If so, your picking approach is flawed. You should be able to play at any tempo without altering your technique. This is a common
problem among guitarists who pick with a “fingertip” motion, as if writing with a pencil. (When playing lines that involve switching
between strings, many players’ pick hands naturally revert to the fine movements ingrained while perfecting cursive in school.) This
approach hampers fast alternate picking. Why? Because at 160+ bpm it’s nearly impossible to wiggle a pick four times (in 16th notes)
within a single beat’s span with your fingers alone. Sadly, however, these guitarists practice their trickiest licks using this “pencil
picking,” slowing them down and believing that simply by putting in time they’ll eventually pick faster.
The truth is, you need to practice everything using the fast picking style that your body naturally favors—that is, the exact movements
you use to pick super fast on a single string. For most players, this involves picking from the wrist (in some cases, with the wrist arched
in “quick strumming” position, where the pick hand’s pinkie or heel is used for stability), with no “stiff arming” and, again, no fingertip-
based movement. Also, note that most blazing alternate pickers use heavy picks, which slice through the strings more easily than thinner
picks, promoting better hand synchronization. Keep all of this in mind as you watch your pick hand run through the examples in this
section.
One proven method for developing blazing picking technique is to practice repeating moves between two adjacent strings. FIGURES
5A–B depict two-notes-per-string pentatonic patterns using 1-3 and 1-4 fingerings, while FIGURES 6A–C illustrate common 16th-
note-triplet patterns on the same string set. FIGURE 7 puts these moves together in an ascending/ descending (A minor pentatonic, Bb
minor pentatonic, etc.) sequence used often by such players as Zakk Wylde and Eric Johnson.
FIGURES 5A–B

FIGURES 6A–C
 FIGURES 7

Now let’s drill some three-notes-per-string patterns. FIGURES 8A–B and FIGURES 9A–C depict variations of a three-note pattern
on string 4. Again, practice these figures using every finger combination (see FIGURES 2A–D); then, play them on different string
sets, and in different positions.

FIGURES 8A–B
 FIGURES 9A–C

FIGURES 10A–E add another string to the picture, to isolate the common finger patterns encountered in most scalar passages. There’s
a chance that as you pass from the 4th string (with a down stroke) to the 3rd string (with an upstroke) you’ll hear the open 3rd string
go clunk. Take it slowly, and be on the lookout for ways to refine your pick’s movements. It’s possible that, through experimenting with
different arched-wrist angles, you’ll find a hand position that makes it easier to pass the pick over adjacent strings.

FIGURES 10A–E
FIGURES 11A–E illustrate other common two-string note combinations, here within the A natural minor scale (A-B-C-D-E-F-G).

FIGURES 11A–E

The three-note pattern in FIGURE 12 will work for any scale or mode that lacks accidentals (e.g., C major, D Dorian, E Phrygian).

FIGURE 12
 In FIGURES 13–16, the notes within this finger pattern are broken up in a sequential fashion, which puts more demands on your
alternate-picking chops. A sequence involves restating the same note pattern, beginning on a different pitch within the scale. Play these
passages using strict alternate picking, starting with a downstroke. Practice these sequences within all seven three-notes-per-string
diatonic scale shapes, and watch your pick hand to ensure you don’t stray from strict alternation.

FIGURES 13–16
 Now, using FIGURE 12’s shape, let’s play around with some speed-picking moves. FIGURE 17expands on the picking pattern
of FIGURE 11D; FIGURE 18 carries the single-string line of FIGURE 9C across all six strings; FIGURE 19 combines FIGURES
10 and 11D; and FIGURE 20 alternates between FIGURES 11C and 11B.

FIGURE 17–20
Once you get a handle on these figures, try your hand at linear (moving along the strings) passages that pass through neighboring three-
notes-per-string scale positions., like FIGURES 21–24, inspired by Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, and John Petrucci.

FIGURES 21–24
 SMOOTH MOVES
In the previous examples, the pick and fret hands shared the workload. Now let’s look at legato-style playing, an approach that places
more demand on the fret hand and involves techniques like hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.
FIGURES 25A–B and FIGURE 26 use all four fret-hand fingers in different combinations, emphasizing hammer-ons and pull-offs.
When hammering on, you should press down hard enough so that each hammered note sounds as loud as the picked one. (Note: The
quicker your finger slams down, the less pressure is required.) Further, after hammering on, keep your finger fixed to the string for as
long as possible don’t lift it until you need to use it on another string. And make sure you pre-fret each note in a series of pull-offs.
FIGURES 25A–B

FIGURE 26
 In FIGURE 27 you’ll find a legato version of FIGURES 10–11. (Try some of the other picked examples using legato technique,
too.) FIGURE 28 contains a legato fret-hand slide.” Here, you’ll kick off a series of 2nd-string notes by hammering your 4th finger onto
the 10th-fret A, thereby sounding that note without picking.
FIGURES 27–28

FIGURE 29 uses this technique in a new three-notes-per-string pattern.

FIGURE 29
In FIGURES 30–32, assorted legato moves are plugged into the three-notes-per-string shape ofFIGURE 12.
FIGURE 30

FIGURES 31–32
 When you get a handle on FIGURES 30–32, try some more advanced linear legato moves like the Satriani-inspired FIGURE 33, or
the hammer-out-of-nowhere workout of FIGURE 34.

FIGURES 33–34

SKIPPING TONES

String skipping is a term used to describe any pattern featuring notes played between non-adjacent strings. At its most rudimentary, this
technique could involve simply rearranging a two-notes per-string pentatonic shape, as seen in FIGURE 35, or inserting a skip in a
standard three-notes-per-string line, as in FIGURE 36. Both of these passages are played with alternate picking, beginning with a
downstroke, and feature skips between strings 6 and 4, 5 and 3, 4 and 2, and 3 and 1.
 FIGURES 35–36

FIGURE 37, inspired by John Petrucci, expands upon this approach, using 1-2 and 1-4 fingerings within three-notes-per-string
shapes. FIGURE 38, repeats the same string-skipping lick up the neck, targeting notes from the A minor scale.
FIGURES 37–38
Of course, the wider the gap between two notes, the bigger the string skip-and the trickier the picking, as seen in the G-major arpeggios
of FIGURE 39.
FIGURE 39

Next, the Paul Gilbert-style FIGURES 40A–B illustrate another way of playing arpeggios, by using a combination of string skips,
hammer-ons, and pull-offs. For more string-skipping insanity.
FIGURES 40A–B
 SWEEPING CHANGES

Sweep picking refers to using a single pick stroke to sound, in succession, notes on two or more neighboring strings. This economical
approach, most often used for arpeggios, is favored by jazz guitarists like Joe Diorio and Jimmy Bruno, and by rock stylists like Frank
Gambale, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Marty Friedman.
Check out the C and Am arpeggios in FIGURES 41A–C and FIGURES 42A–C, respectively. Playing each bar using alternate picking
would require eight pick strokes; with economy picking, however, only four are required. To tackle the ascending portion of these
shapes, use a single, controlled down stroke to pass through strings 3-1. First, let the pick fall from the 3rd string to the 2nd, allowing the
pick to rest up against the latter. Then, push the pick through the 2nd string, continuing the motion until the pick has passed through all
three strings; reverse the process for the descending portions. To keep the the notes from bleeding together and sounding like a
strummed chord, depress each note individually as opposed to holding the full arpeggio shape throughout and release it as you finger the
next fret.

FIGURES 41A–C
 FIGURES 42A–C

FIGURE 43, which uses the same picking pattern as FIGURES 41–42, blazes through E major arpeggios on different string sets. The
descending picking pattern in FIGURE 44, meanwhile, consists of various 7th-chord arpeggios.
FIGURES 43–44
For more three-string-sweep applications, check out FIGURE 45, a Friedman favorite in which Am triads are moved along string set 3-
5, and FIGURE 46, a Malmsteen-style series of diminished-7th arpeggios.
FIGURE 45–46

Next, try some moves that cover a broader range, like the five-string sweeps in FIGURES 47–48 and the six-string beasts
of FIGURES 49A–B.
FIGURES 47–48
 FIGURES 49A–B

Scalar fragments can also be played using sweep picking, as long as they feature an odd number of notes per string. In FIGURE 50, a
G-C D-E pattern is restated across three octaves; many shredders use this approach to create wide-ranging melodic runs. Once you’re
comfortable with this one, go back and play the warm-up passages in FIGURES 2A–D using economy picking.
FIGURE 50
 Finally, FIGURES 51A–B contain Amaj7 (A C#-E-G#) and Am7 (A-C-E-G) arpeggios, respectively. (Notice the similarity here
to FIGURE 48.) To get the most out of these shapes, try switching up the tones to build new arpeggios, such asA7 (A-C#-E-G), Am7b5
(A-C-Eb G), and A˚7 (A-C-Eb-Gb). Then, go back and make similar adjustments to earlier shapes: turn C (C-E-G) into Cm (C-Eb-G), Am
(A-C E) into A major (A-C#-E), and so on. You may also locate each shape’s inversion, then move it to different string sets.

FIGURES 51A–B

Remember that having chops is not only about speed but about getting the best possible sound out of your instrument. You would do
well, for one, to practice regularly on a steel-string acoustic, since this instrument has no effects to mask imperfections. You’ll essentially
be magnifying every one of your technical flaws. And if on electric you have been slicing your pick through the strings at an overly steep
angle, you’ll notice an unpleasantly scratchy warning sound when you do so on acoustic. Also, if you can only pick fast by anchoring your
pick hand to your electric guitar’s bridge, you’ll have a terrible time trying to keep your chops intact when picking near your acoustic’s
sound hole for a warm, full bodied tone.
 Terrifying Pentatonics: How to Make Killer Riffs, Licks and Solos from Just Five Notes | TAB
In the eternal quest for more and better, shred guitarists tend to move toward exotic sounds: harmonic minor, melodic minor, Phrygian
and Locrian, to name a few. But what can you do when even advanced scales and modes begin to sound dull and tired?
Here’s a good idea: head back to the familiar territory of the minor pentatonic scale (1 b3 4 5 b7), one of the most commonly used
melodic sources in rock, blues and other styles. You’ve probably already mastered more greasy pentatonic licks than you know what to
do with, but in this lesson you’ll learn how to use those same five notes to say something new—and dangerous. After all, nothing says
“rock and roll” like a killer pentatonic lick.
FIGURE 1 shows the five boxes of the A minor pentatonic shape. Play each one ascending and descending until it’s under your fingers.
To play in keys other than A minor, simply slide the entire figure to other frets.

Now let’s try some “mechanics”—the four-note groups in FIGURES 2A–E. First repeat them as indicated. Then move each one
smoothly through the different string sets of each box. I’ve shown a snippet using the first mechanic to give you an idea of how this
works. Apply this idea across all the boxes, both ascending and descending. This process should help embed each of these mechanics
into your muscle memory, so that you’ll be able to whip them out on the fly in a variety of contexts.
FIGURES 2A–E
 The next step is to incorporate the patterns into licks. String a few together and mix them up, adding bends and pauses to make two-
measure phrases. To help with this, I’ve shown two more ways to add variety. Depicted in FIGURE 3A (the first measure in the figure)
is a variant of a hemiola (three-against-two pattern) played by Jimi Hendrix. I say “a variant” because in this case it is actually a five-
against-four pattern, but it accomplishes the same principle. With each repetition the notes fall in a different place relative to the
underlying pulse, tumbling over the beat and adding rhythmic interest. Try to create some variations of your own. 

After playing sequence-type repetition-based licks, it can be a welcome change to make a run straight up or down the scale, covering
more sonic ground—a full octave or even two, as shown inFIGURE 3B (the second measure in the figure). On the way down, to spice
things up I’ve added the b5, which is found in the blues scale (1 b3 4 b5 5 b7). I first began using this lick when I heard it on a live fusion
recording by Al Di Meola, and it’s remained my arsenal to this day.

FIGURES 3A–B

FIGURE 4 demonstrates a Zakk Wylde-inspired approach—ascending through the boxes on two strings. The primary difficulty here lies
in the alternate picking. As an easier alternative, you could stay in one box and play it with pull-offs in the style of Kiss’s Ace Frehley.
 FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5 includes passing tones that form six-note groupings. Midway up the scale is a reversed triplet sequence. Here, a three-note
descending pattern is sequenced in ascending fashion.

FIGURE 5

Now that you have these new techniques in your repertoire, use them frequently until they become second nature and you can call them
up on command as the music requires.
 The Pentatonic Trap: Three Ways to Break Out of the Box

FIRST, remind yourself that each minor pentatonic scale has five different “box” positions on the guitar. It’s common for players to lean
on one or two (usually the ones that fall  in line with the most typical barre voicings of the tonic chord, rooted on either the E or A string)
and get stuck in a rut. 

SECOND, break out of scalar routine: skip strings, arpeggiate—whatever it takes to get away from playing the notes in the order
everyone expects. 

THIRD, change up your left- and right-hand attack with bends, slides, pick rakes and so on.  

The following examples—each using a different box position of A minor pentatonic and nodding to the style of a different guitarist—will
help you in all three areas.

FIGURE 1 starts out with a pull-off lick made famous by Jimmy Page during Led Zeppelin’s late-Sixties salad days, but the slides that
close out each measure take us somewhere considerably funkier. Although the fretted notes all belong to the 2nd-position form of A
minor pentatonic, the open strings make this figure a hybrid in terms of hand placement. If you like, you can stay more within the
standard box by fretting the G and D (on the 4th and 5th strings, respectively) instead of letting them ring open, but you’ve got no such
choice with the open E unless you detune your bottom string.

FIGURE 1: Experiment with how you finger the sliding notes. Playing them with your second finger will put your right back in position
at the end of measure 1.

TONE: You’ll get the most appropriate tone out of a Telecaster or similar electric guitar loaded with single-coil pickups and plugged into
a small combo. Keep the overdrive subtle.
 FIGURE 2, inspired by Noel Gallagher’s solo on the Oasis track “Live Forever,” is in its first bar, which breaks a descending 5th-
position pentatonic line into two six-note phrases followed by a four-note closing statement. Each section of the line traces around a core
note(first A, then E, then C), the create a cascading effect. The central conceit here is that the guitar part briefly implies a 6/8 time
signature over the rhythm section’s steady 4/4. This kind of rhythmic superimposition is a great way to break out of that old minor-
pentatonic deadlock.
FIGURE 2: It’s purely a matter of personal taste which notes you pick here and which you hammer on and pull off. Try it your own way.
TONE: Use the same setup as in FIGURE 1, but crank the gain.

With FIGURE 3, we move up the neck into 7th position and enter the realm of string skipping. Intervallic leaps are the norm here, since
nearly every note is played on a string that’s not adjacent to the one on which the previous note was played. The result is an angular riff
reminiscent of Robert Fripp’s work with King Crimson in the early Eighties. Note how the first four notes of bar 2 spell out an A7sus4
arpeggio.
 FIGURE 3: There’s no way to play this properly without a finger stretch. The easiest approach is to play the 4th-string, 10th-fret C
notes with your third finger.

TONE: Any type of electric guitar will suit this one. The tone is clean, and you might want to try stomping on a chorus pedal. If you’ve
got a Roland JC-120 amp, all the better.

FIGURE 4 takes us to 9th position with a blues-rock passage out of the Peter Green playbook. Hammer-ons and pull-offs organized
around a repeated rhythmic motf (two 16th notes tied to an eighth note) generate formidable momentum, leading up to the payoff in the
last bar: a quarter-note bend and a nasty downward run punctuated with serious vibrato. For further reference, check out Fleetwood
Mac’s Then Play On.

FIGURE 4: The fingering in the final measure is a little tricky. You’ll need to move your second finger from the 2nd string to the 4th
string double quick.

TONE: This one falls squarely in the Les Paul zone, but any humbucker-equipped ax will do the trick. It requires some dirt, but should
still sound smooth. The neck pickup is recommended.
 Eric Clapton’s early tenure in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers produced many a lick like FIGURE 5. Another arpeggio, this one an A
minor shape in 12th position, precedes a dramatic pick rake and whole-step bend. The notes are simple—it’s all in how you play them.

FIGURE 5: The two notes at the beginning of measure 2 are ghost notes. Rake across them quickly with your pick as you head for the
12th-fret E.

TONE: Same as FIGURE 4, but use extra grit, enough to make you feel the sizzle between the notes while still hearing each distinctly.
 50 Rock Guitar Licks
Example 1.1: Phrasing
Let's begin with a Brian May-style lick. It's got an interesting melodic shape, a great rhythmic structure, a marvellous sense of flow and perfect grace
and composure. What more does a great rock lick need?

Example 1.2: Bends

We could have filled this entire article with bending licks from this area! We'll just give you this Hendrix-inspired chord-tone beauty and leave you to
find the other 49 for yourselves. Intonation and control are the issues here so use your ears and watch your tuning.

Example 1.3: Repetition

Before there was Paul Gilbert, there was Steve Morse. Without divulging the picking secrets of the 'Rock Guitar Magic Circle Society, examine how
the hammer-ons in bar 2 facilitate greater speed and stamina.
 Example 1.4: Intervallic/Slide
Nothing earth-shattering from a note perspective here; it's the articulation that counts. Consider your fingering options as this is a massive influence
on your effectiveness in executing the idea cleanly and efficiently.

Example 1.5: Sequential (Descending)

Where would Thin Lizzy (or indeed Jimmy Page) be without this lick? We're looking at a descending sequence of three notes, transposed to each
potential starting note from the minor pentatonic.

Example 1.6: Sequential (Ascending)

Here's the reverse ascending version. Notice that this is not an exact mirror image of the descending version, but when you attempt to connect the
two up at any point within the sequence everything should make perfect sense.
 Example 1.7: Triadic/Arpeggio
We shall ease you into our triadic based section with a simple three-against-four idea. Again, intonation (tuning between the notes) is a huge issue,
so make sure you're perfectly in tune.

Example 1.8: Double-Stop

Down in Louisiana, a boy named Johnny (okay, only my mother calls me Johnny and it was really Liverpool) came up with this double-stop lick. The
thickening effect of playing two notes at once is remarkably effective when projection is an issue.

Example 1.9: Scalar

Before there was Yngwie we had Randy! This three-notes-per-string finger-twister neatly boxes in our first area pentatonic shape, and fills in the
scale tones courtesy of the Aeolian-endorsed and metal-approved flattened 6th (F) and natural 2nd (B)!
 Example 1.10: Horizontal
Unison bends sound great. Fact! None more so than when Jimi Hendrix employed them. Here we're spelling out the harmonically sophisticated
Am11th arpeggio (A, C, E, G, D). Who said rockers couldn't mix it with the intellectuals?

Example 2.1: Phrasing

If Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy were to collaborate and create the mother of all area two licks, this is what we think they'd come up with.

Example 2.2: Bends

The essence of three guitar gods within three bars! In bar 2 we have Jimi's take on area two, in bar 3 we make the shift toward Steve Lukather, and
finally in bar 4 we see how Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour and Joe Walsh might incorporate some Albert King bending.
 Example 2.3: Repetition
Gary Moore is the inspiration behind this repetitive cyclic idea, based entirely on the minor pentatonic. Notice how in the sped-up version we're
replacing.

Example 2.4: Slides

The abundance of tone gaps on the high strings is exploited fully in this slippery example. Ensure that the three-fret slide in bar 2 gets to pitch
accurately.

Example 2.5: Sequential (Descending)

This triplet-based example is again derived from a sequence of three, although this time it alternates between descending and ascending notes.
Pull-off s and hammer-ons are used whenever possible to achieve a smooth 'legato' sound.
 Example 2.6: Sequential (Ascending)
And here is the ascending version of the same idea. You can loop this alternating sequence of ascending and descending threes at any point in the
sequence.

Example 2.7: Triadic/Arpeggio

We begin with a rhythmically displaced minor triad. Later in bar 1 the 5th of the triad is flattened for a more sinister sound. Then we exploit the
sophisticated minor-add2 arpeggio (R 2 b3 5), but the bends stop things from sounding clinical.

Example 2.8: Double-stops

Jimi Hendrix meets Steve Cropper with this double-stop idea, initially based around the perfect fourths that are found on the first three strings within
this area. As the lick progresses we get more scalar, adding the sweet sounding 2nd/9th into the mix.
 Example 2.9: Scalar/Pedal-point
When approaching the A minor scale (A B C D E F G), all of the open strings are available to us as they correspond to notes found within the scale.
This Gary Moore-inspired phrase showcases this concept perfectly.

Example 2.10: Horizontal

There are two pathways through the minor pentatonic scale that traverse the fingerboard using nothing but tone gaps and slides. This is the first of
these pathways, and is a highly effective device to cover ground in a logical and highly musical way.

Example 3.1: Phrasing

Ritchie Blackmore inspired this arpeggio/scale combination phrase, utilising the minor triad, the flattened 5th interval, and the minor pentatonic add 2
scale (A B C D E G), with elements of blues phrasing in the final bar.
 Example 3.2: Bends
We're in Jimmy Page territory here, with a Herculean bend between the minor 3rd (C) and the perfect 5th (E) of our intended A minor chord. That's
four frets! The reduced tension of the second string (and using support fi ngers) makes this perfectly feasible.

Example 3.3: Repetition

This nifty move between a bent note and rapid pull-off requires both precision and stamina, so be patient when building it up to both the necessary
speed and duration.

Example 3.4: Slides/Double-stops

The interval of a 6th is effective within all styles of music, implying a great sense of sophistication, and rock is no exception. This idea switches
between articulate intervallic skipped single-notes and harmonically dense double-stops.
 Example 3.5: Sequential (Descending)
This idea is based around a descending sequence of four. While it's a great idea to move these ideas through a complete scale in its entire range,
you may find it more effective to use just a short fragment of each pattern.

Example 3.6: Sequential (Ascending)

Once again, here's the mirror-image ascending version of the previous pattern.

Example 3.7: Triadic/Arpeggio

This Iron Maiden inspired idea superimposes the triads of A minor, G and F against a static root note. It works because all of these chords can be
found within the harmonised A minor scale, on degrees I (Am), flattened 7th (G), and flattened 6th (F).
 Example 3.8: Double-Stop
Here's a Blackmore-inspired riff . The pentatonic scale works great when played in double-stops, as this phrase demonstrates. Needless to say, you
should get to work with ideas of this nature throughout all of the remaining positions.

Example 3.9: Scalar

Here we're using the 5th degree (E) as a pivot, ascending through various degrees of A minor scale but always returning to the E 'pedal-tone' after
each new note.

Example 3.10: Horizontal

Most players have 'standard' devices that they often use when creating solos. These go some way to establishing the personal identity or signature
sound of the artist. This idea comes from Tony Iommi, and can be found all over the place in his soloing.
 Example 4.1: Phrasing
This bending idea demonstrates that the rhythm of a phrase is as important as the note selection. Rock requires conviction, so be bold and play with
authority.

Example 4.2: Bends

The trick to this finger twister is to bend the first string at the 15th fret and allow your finger to push the second string at the same time, without
sounding it. Once the bend is up to pitch, shift the weight of this finger (try the third) over to the second string, which should be already bent up a
tone. Sound this note and then return the string to its unbent pitch. Jimi Hendrix and Joe Walsh have used this idea.

Example 4.3: Repetition

We're taking the liberty of exploiting open strings with this example, so the idea is not easily transposable. Restrictions aside, it's still a useful and
musically effective pull-off lick that will put your fretting-hand stamina and accuracy to the test. Aim for as much volume as possible and remember
that the best way to make sustainable progress is to increase speed a little bit at a time.
 Example 4.4: Slides
In the second bar we're upping the ante with a minor 3rd slide. Streams of 16th notes can be exciting to listen to, but your timing precision is crucial.
Don't be afraid to start slow (and I mean SLOW) and build up speed gradually when everything is under complete control.

Example 4.5: Sequential (Descending)

This idea utilises an ascending intervallic pattern that shifts through the minor pentatonic scale from each degree in a descending direction. We're
also rhythmically displacing four-against-three, and these two factors combine to produce a jaunty, jagged and rhythmically propulsive musical
phrase. Take time to consolidate your picking though - no slides or legato to hide behind here!

Example 4.6: Sequential (Ascending)

Back to our sequences of three, this time the direction has been switched around so that each three-note group descends, but then the entire 'cell'
ascends through each scale degree. Feel free to try any numeric permutation you see fit.
 Example 4.7: Triadic/Arpeggio
I'm coming over all nostalgic as I present to you my first sweep-picked lick. It still sounds great after all these years, although I've got a dim
recollection that I used to play it at least a couple of times in every single solo, much to everyone else's disgust!

Example 4.8: Double-stop

We begin this lick with a crunchy oblique bend - one note remains stationary whilst another moves. In bars 2 and 3 we're mixing things up, with
some diatonic thirds and chord tones, ending on yet another oblique double-stop bend in a higher register.

Example 4.9: Arpeggio/Scalar

Here we're seamlessly making the transition from a minor triad arpeggio to a connecting fragment based around the associated diatonic minor scale.
See if you can come up with a selection of variations based around this idea. Once again, the rhythm and flow of each phrase is a crucial factor in
determining the eff ectiveness of each new musical idea.
 Example 4.10: Horizontal
This Slash-style lick moves predominantly along the length of a single string and it is derived from the exotic sounding Harmonic minor scale (R 2 b3
4 5 b6 7). Be careful with the rapid position shifts and slides. Build up speed gradually with the assistance of the metronome.

Example 5.1: Phrasing

The only thing that separates many classic rock phrases from their closely related blues cousins is the amount of gain and dynamic attack. This lick
is one such example and would be equally at home in either setting.

Example 5.2: Bends

Each position presents new possibilities, with the new fingering placing different notes under string-bending fingers. Here the minor 3rd bend
between E and G is easily attainable as it is found under the third finger. To achieve the same sonic result in Area 1 you would either have to use
your first finger (not the most desirable digit!) or shift back a position, which effectively puts you in area 5 anyway.
 Example 5.3: Repetition
The first bar of this example features a triplet hammer-on pattern that toggles between the use of the major 6th and the flattened 7th intervals, both
present in the harmonically appropriate Dorian mode (R 2 b3 4 5 6 b7). Paul Kossoff was particularly fond of using this kind of idea. He also had one
of the best vibratos in rock (ask Joe Bonamassa), so we'd urge you to check him out!

Example 5.4: Slides/pedal-tone

Here's a pedal-tone idea that is melodically simple yet retains interest via the use of some crafty slides. It's also got a rather interesting rhythmic
shape. Why not keep the rhythm and change the notes to come up with an idea of your own?

Example 5.5: Sequential (Descending)

We can view this pattern as a descending four-note group that has been shifted forward by a single 16th note, or alternatively as a three-note
pattern that goes 3 2 1 3, and then descends from each scale degree in turn.
 Example 5.6: Sequential (Ascending)
And here's the ascending form of the same pattern.

Example 5.7: Triadic

Randy Rhoads was responsible for this one, although Django definitely got there first, and Les Paul wasn't too far behind! We're essentially trilling
from the semitone below each chord-tone to the intended target note. Aim to stay in time. You can start with 16th-notes (four notes per click) and
aim to work your way up to 16th note triplets (six notes per click).

Example 5.8: Double-stops

We've taken a few liberties here, as strictly speaking numerous notes are out of position. This is to maintain fingering integrity, and it sounds cool.
Most of the intervals are a perfect 4th apart, with two major 3rd exceptions in the first and third bars.
 Example 5.9: Scalar
Our penultimate example comes to you courtesy of Journey's Neal Schon, and features the popular add-on to the minor pentatonic of the natural
2nd degree, creating a scale with the logical title of minor pentatonic add 2 (R 2 3 4 5 b7). In the second bar we also see a brief appearance of the
flattened 5th, giving us effectively the blues scale (R b3 4 b5 5 b7), another hugely used scale in all rock styles.

Example 5.10: Horizontal

You may remember (Area 2, Ex 2.10 to be precise) that there were two main pathways to get you through the minor pentatonic scale just by using
tone gaps and slides. Well, here's the second. You can view this as three versions of the same two string pattern in low, middle and high octaves.
Any phrase performed in one can be instantly transposed to the next. Simple, but really useful!
Building Complex Rock Riffs from Melodic Patterns that Slide Up the Fretboard
 Building Crushing Riffs from Complex Single-Note Patterns

FIGURE 1 is played in a 12/8 feel, which means there are three evenly spaced eighth-note pulses per beat—one-trip-let, two-trip-let,
three-trip-let, four-trip-let. The overall tonality alluded to is E5, with a lean toward E minor, even though the major third of E, G#,
appears in the riff.
Across bars 1 and 2, I repeatedly use wide-stretch hammer-ons as the signature elements that push the riff along. On beat one of bar 1, I
hammer on from the D string’s seventh fret to the 12th fret with my index finger and pinkie before switching to a palm-muted open low
E string pedal tone on beat two. On beat three, I move this index-pinkie hammer-on move over to the A string, and on beat one of bar 2 I
move it down once more to the low E string.
On beat three of bar 2, that five-fret stretch is shortened to four frets, and on beat four it’s shortened to a three-fret stretch. Sometimes
when playing these last two figures, I will follow the hammer-on with an additional pull-off to the open low E string before picking the
palm-muted low E pedal. Regarding the pick hand, I use downstrokes on all of the downbeats, followed by alternate (down-up) picking.
Bars 3 and 4 are articulated with steady alternate picking, beginning with a downstroke, for which I play an “undefined” chromatic
pattern, first in fifth position, and then moved up to seventh position. Use a metronome when practicing this riff and strive for clarity
and precision, gradually increasing the tempo as your technique gets sharper.

FIGURE 2 is based on a 16th-note rhythm at a slower tempo. It has more of a “grinding” feel and is articulated primarily with alternate
picking. Throughout this riff, I accentuate the 16th-note upbeats, such as the last 16th note of beat two in every bar, so the alternate-
picking pattern changes to accommodate the syncopation of the line. Just keep the steady “down-up-down-up” approach in mind
throughout the entire riff and you should have no problem executing it with power and authority.
In bars 1 and 3, I play a figure centered around low and high E notes on the sixth and fifth strings. In bar 1, I end the phrase with a slide
down from the major third, G#. In bar 3, I switch to F, the b2 (flat two, or flatted second). The scale most commonly associated with the
incorporation of both the major third and the b2 is Phrygian-dominant, which is the fifth mode of harmonic minor (made very popular
by Yngwie Malmsteen). This riff is played in the key of E, so E Phrygian-dominant is E F G# A B C D. Intervallically, the scale is spelled 1
b2 3 4 5 b6 b7.
On beats three and four of bar 2, I switch to a single-note line articulated with straight alternate picking, and in bar 4 I juxtapose the b5
(flat five, or flatted fifth), Bb, against the natural, or perfect, fifth, B, which is played initially on the sixth string, then on the fifth.
Now that you get the idea, create some of your own harmonically twisted riffs using these two different approaches as inspiration. The
possibilities are vast and endless, and this approach offers a great way to expand your musical palette as a guitarist and composer.
Applying Modes to Improvised Guitar Solo Ideas
Mixolydian Mode, Up and Down on Each String
Creating Riffs from Arpeggios, and the Intro and Verses to “Priestess”
 Exploring the Phrygian Mode’s Evil Sister Scale, Phrygian Dominant

In the key of E, the notes would be E F G A B C D. Four of the Phrygian mode’s seven scale degrees—the second, third, sixth and seventh
—are minor, or “flatted,” intervals, which is what gives Phrygian such a foreboding, “evil” sound, one that is perfectly suited to heavy
metal music.
Once you are well familiarized with the Phrygian mode, it’s fairly easy to learn its “evil sister,” the Phrygian-dominant mode. To morph
from Phrygian to Phrygian-dominant, only one note needs to change: the minor, or flatted, third (G in the key of E) is raised one half
step to a major third (G# in this case), resulting in the intervallic spelling 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7.
In the key of E, this translates to E F G# A B C D. FIGURE 1 illustrates E Phrygian-dominant played in first position, with open strings
used wherever possible. The sequence of half and whole steps that comprise Phrygian dominant is derived from the harmonic minor
scale, of which Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode. If one were to start on the fifth degree of the harmonic minor scale and think of that
note as being the new “1,” or root (also known as the tonic), the resultant scale would be Phrygian dominant.
FIGURE 2 depicts the A harmonic minor scale (A B C D E F G#), and, as shown inFIGURE 3, if we begin on the fifth note, or degree,
of that scale, E, we get the E Phrygian-dominant mode (E F G# A B C D).
Fretting the scale in this position, I begin with my middle finger on E (A string, seventh fret), switch to my ring finger for the F note one
fret higher, and use my index finger for both the G# and the A notes on the D string. This lets me fret the remaining notes on the top four
strings by staying “in position,” with each finger assigned to a different fret. The only exception is on the high E string, where I shift my
index finger from the seventh to the eighth fret and slide my ring finger from the eighth fret to the 10th.
FIGURE 4 is an improvised solo based mostly on E Phrygian dominant. In bars 1–4, I stick with melodies played in eighth and ninth
positions and rely on many quick hammer-on and pull-off combinations between repeated notes to achieve a smooth, or legato, sound. I
remain mostly in 12th position from bar 9 onward, again exploiting hammer-on/pull-off combinations as I transition from one phrase to
the next.
 How to Devise Melodic Metal Licks for Rhythm Guitar Parts

When writing riffs, one of the greatest challenges is to create parts that are not just melodically and rhythmically effective but also
memorable and powerful.
The best metal riffs—like “Crazy Train,” for example—contain all of the qualities necessary for a great riff: hard-driving power, strong
melody and, most importantly, a “star quality” that makes the riff instantly recognizable.
This is true for both fast and slow riffs, because a really great riff doesn’t have to be impressive exclusively in a technical sense. This
month, I’d like to present a couple of riffs that I believe exemplify these qualities.
FIGURE 1 is built from a series of two- note diads, played on the D and G strings, which alternate against a steady 16th-note- driven
open A-string pedal tone.
When playing this riff, I lightly palm mute the open A string by resting the edge of my pick-hand palm across the strings just beyond the
bridge saddles, but I release the palm mute when striking the two-note diads so that they will be accentuated and ring out clearly.
The distinct elements that make this riff powerful and musically effective can be boiled down to the combination of the rhythmic
syncopation and the melody that is implied by the highest note sounded in the figure. In bars 1-4, the “melody” note progresses down the
fretboard. On the second ending, I bring in a different bass note, C, followed by an open D-string pedal tone.
The trickiest part here involves the pick hand, as you will need to quickly jump across strings as precisely as possible.
Let’s ratchet up the tempo a bit for the riff in FIGURE 2, which is built from the same basic elements. In regard to the pick hand, I stick
with alternate (down-up) picking for most of the riff, once again applying palm muting on the lowest notes of the chords while lifting the
palm for the accented two- note chord shapes. The second time around, I bring the open low E in as the pedal tone, so now the pick hand
has a little more work to do.
Remember to pick as precisely and efficiently as possible in order to make this riff speak the way that it should.
Remember, a truly great riff will sound just as cool and heavy when played slowly as it will when played fast. That, to me, is the best way
to judge the merits of a riff.