Practice
Note recognition
- call out a note (e.g. F natural) and know how + where to play it
- play a note at a particular position (10th fret of E string) and recognize which note it is
- Pick a natural note, then play it on each string (down and up) on frets 1 through 12. Do this 3 times, and move to another note. Then do this for frets 12 through 20. Once you have done all the natural notes twice, go to ex #2.
- Use a metronome at 40 BPM. Play one note per beat, and repeat ex #1.
- Repeat ex #2, but do it for the accidentals.
- Choose any two notes. Play UP in one note (across each of the six strings) and DOWN on the other note (without stopping). Use the metronome @ 40 BPM. When it feels easy, go to ex #5.
- Write seven 7 notes in random order. With the metronome @ 40 BPM, play the first note going up, and the next note going down, etc. etc. for all 7 notes. (without stopping). When it feels easy, go to Ex #6
- Repeat the exercises 2 through 5 at BPM speeds 50 / 60 / 70 / and 80. When you can do Exercise #5 at 80 BPM you are finished.
sing notes before you hit them
- try and improvise over a couple of chords, and before you hit each note of the improvisation, hum the note. this is important to learning what each string+fret on the guitar will sound like.
Interval recognition
-
see a fretting interval between 2 fingers and recognize what interval it is.
-
minor 2nd
-
major 2nd
- 52xxxx
-
minor 3rd
- 53xxxx
- 5xx5xx / x5xx6x
- x0xx1x
-
major 3rd
- 5xx6xx / x5xx7x
- 3xxx0x
-
perfect 4th
- 55xxxx
- 5xx7xx
-
tritone
- 56xxxx
- 5xx8xx
- 5xxx4x
-
perfect 5th
- 57xxxx
- 5xxx5x
-
minor 6th
-
major 6th
-
minor 7th
-
major 7th
- 5x6xxx
-
octave
- 5xx2xx / x5xx3x / xx5xx3
Scales
- know how to play all notes along the fretboard occurring in a particular scale
- CAGED system
Chord shapes
major/minor variations:
- 6th chords
- 7min chords
- 7maj chords
- 9th chords
3 string chords (GBE)
Improve fretting technique
Gain better control over pinky
-
exercise 1
-
exercise 2
-
exercise 3
Be more deliberate about which fingers I am using to hit which notes in a sequemce
Improve finger picking
Cowboy guy
- finger pick an open chord using all 5 fingers
- anchory with pinky, and on way down, use thumb on lowest and second string, then on way back down, use index finger on third and second string.
- anchor with pinky, 3 fingers climb up, then climb down
- anchor with pinky, then go down in sets of 3, thumb thumb index, then once at the top top, reverse with index index thumb
- alternating thumbs
- https://youtu.be/JWSSS7tJ2wQ?t=990
- over Em shape, play strings E-D-A-G with PIPM
Paul Davids
Chord transitions
identify some transitions that are hard to make and make a habit of forming them in the most efficient way.
- in other words, change the way you form chords to optimize how quickly they can be formed