Vertical Playing
Know what you're doing? - Reset and start the timer, click here for a metronome, and do your 10 minutes of vertical scale practice.
Otherwise, read on. |
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Method, Purpose and Benefits
This set of exercises teaches you all five positions of the minor pentatonic.
The first level of exercise is the basic way to learn the patterns and builds speed, fluency and dexterity. Rather than just play it slower or faster with no underlying pulse, it's played to five different rhythms, as are all the levels. This ensures that as well as being able to play the scales, you can actually use them in a musical way.
The second level is the steepest part of the learning curve, and involves learning to play 'legato'. Pay close attention and be patient at this level. Legato playing will allow you play very smooth and flashy sounding lines when you have the hang of it, but it's tricky to coordinate at first.
The third and fourth levels introduce the idea of basic 'sequences', which are more musical note-orders than simply 'up and down'.
The first level of exercise is the basic way to learn the patterns and builds speed, fluency and dexterity. Rather than just play it slower or faster with no underlying pulse, it's played to five different rhythms, as are all the levels. This ensures that as well as being able to play the scales, you can actually use them in a musical way.
The second level is the steepest part of the learning curve, and involves learning to play 'legato'. Pay close attention and be patient at this level. Legato playing will allow you play very smooth and flashy sounding lines when you have the hang of it, but it's tricky to coordinate at first.
The third and fourth levels introduce the idea of basic 'sequences', which are more musical note-orders than simply 'up and down'.
Each of the exercises is done to 5 different rhythms. These are quarter notes, eighth notes, swung-eighth notes, triplets and sixteenths. Watch the videos below, to see exactly how they are played.
Level 1At this stage you practice all 5 positions with all 5 rhythms, using alternate picking. This means that all notes are plucked, and that you pluck down then up continuously. Ascend and descend.
Level 2At this stage you practice all 5 positions with all 5 rhythms like before, but now you play legato. This means that on the way up, you pluck the first note on a given string, then hammer on the next note with the left hand. On the way down, you pluck the first note on a given string, then pull off to make the next note sound.
Level 3At this stage you play short sequences of 3 notes in order. You start from the first note of the scale, playing three consecutive notes. Then you move to the second note of the scale and play three consecutive notes. Watch the demo to get an idea.
Level 4This is the same as Level 3 except you play sequences of 4 notes.
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Video Demo
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Click the bottom bar of the video to see the entire the playlist with all 4 levels
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These video demos show you the first pattern only at each level.
You need to continue to practice all 5 patterns to complete the level. To gain speed, focus on good form. The slower subdivisions are as important as the faster ones. |
Optimize pressure with the left hand.
Minimise movement with the right. Relax the picking hand on each downstroke and allow the weight of the hand to carry the plectrum across the string. |
If you are having trouble with the triplet feel..Don't just move on to the next level! Mastering triplets is essential to playing blues, as more than 50% of the time you will be playing in swing feel.
Use the exercise on the diagram opposite to help teach your body the coordination for the triplet feel. Triplets are harder to coordinate because the accent will alternate between downstrokes and upstrokes. The reason most people find it hard is simply that their body hasn't got used to doing this yet. Slow things down, and work through the exercise opposite and you will find the triplet feel will come very easily. The foot tap is essential for this exercise, don't underestimate the power of this little foot-tap - it's the secret to developing a rock-solid sense of rhythm that will give your playing a real sense of groove. |
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