Guitar solos – Pt.15 – Cool 9 note legato pattern!

Hi there,

In this next blog + video in helping you become great at lead improvisation we’re going to look at a variation of the fantastic groups of 3 exercise that we looked at in Pt.3. This exercise is great when used with the major/ natural minor scales.

Let’s take the 1st shape of the G major scale as our example (descending where you are most likely to use it)

So the 9 note pattern is in 3 parts (watch the video for clarification as well!):

– First 3 notes are created by picking the first note and pulling off to the next 2 notes:

– The 2nd set of 3 notes are created by picking the 2nd note in the sequence and pulling off to the next note. Then picking the next note on the next string,

 
– 3rd set of 3 notes are created by picking the 3rd note in the sequence and then hammering on with your left hand the 5th and 6th notes. Left hand tapping symbol is a slightly more acute angle than a normal hammer on / pull off symbol.

 So in total you are picking 4 times.

The key is to get used to the 3 parts, practice the first one, then practice 1st with the 2nd and then the 1st, 2nd and 3rd together to get your 9 note pattern.

Then it is a question of then playing all 3 sequences together. Then you’ll start the pattern again on the next string and so on. The finished phrase with the whole of the shape will look like this (click on the picture for a larger version 🙂 ):

So there you go. It sounds great when played at a reasonable speed. Practice this in all 7 shapes in different keys and start putting it in your solo’s!

Hope you’ve enjoyed the blog + video.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

James Schofield

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