LESSON ELEVEN: Putting at least some of what you've learned together in musical examples. :-)

For this exercise you will need to learn a few rules.

(Use the chart below as a guide to beginning proper fingering.)

1. Start on the LOWEST bass note (in this example "G").

2. Use LOGICAL fingering for ascending and descending advances.

3. Use the "DOT to DOT" Theory (Lessons 1 and 2) to "locate" the name of starting notes.

4. Use the reference guide for SCALES (Lesson 6) to learn the note names as you learn these modes. (It may take longer to learn at first, but you'll OWN a lifetime of KNOWING what you're playing if you do.)

5. Don't always play "triplets" (i.e., counting 3 notes followed by 3 notes.. or, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, etc.,). Try COUNTING in groups of 4, accenting the ONE of each 4 notes played (i.e., 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc., across ALL strings). It may feel AWKWARD at first having to count even numbers on odd strings, but it's WELL worth the effort. Occasionally triplets will be desired, but even then use them SPARINGLY !! Eventually, counts of 2 or 5 or more should be experimented with as well.

6. And lastly, whenever crossing "G & B" string combinations, it will USUALLY require an advance UP one (#) frets (though sometimes more depending on the MODE) when ascending, and an advance DOWN one fret (b) (sometimes more) when descending (this is due to the nature of the TUNING of the guitar).

Let's try the following IONIAN scale. This "mode" has an easy way to "group" the fingerings as you can see... with only 3 (similar) patterns being incorporated while grouping 2 strings at a time.

Starting with the 6th string, play the 1st 3 notes, then move to the 5th string repeating the same pattern. This is the first grouping.

Continue working each "set" of strings till you reach the last group. This is the 3 pattern/groups mentioned above. It's easier to play than to explain, so whip out your axe and follow the changes, making sure to (at least TRY) naming each note as described above.

S	1
T	2
R	3
I	4
N	5
G	6
#'s

Below is a COMPLETE Mode chart (still in the key of "G"). The neat thing about this particular "system" of learning is that the "positions" are MOVABLE. If you've followed the lessons faithfuly up to this point, it shouldn't be to hard to "transpose" into any key.

(If your guitar neck does NOT go up this far, as in the case of MOST acoustic guitars, you must find the correct fret combination in a LOWER position, then work up from there. Just remember which NOTE you should be playing and move accordingly. EXAMPLE: The 14th fret F# would be found at the 2nd fret, the 12th fret E would also have to include some OPEN notes, etc., JUST FOLLOW THE INTERVAL'S RULES !)

* ALSO *

Just remember the following rule when transposing into other KEYS.. find the ROOT note, then:

Whole step, Whole step, half step, Whole step, Whole step, Whole step, half step.

This just means MOVE YOUR INDEX FINGER up 2 frets.. or 1 fret at a time (depending on the MODE in question ), starting with whatever ROOT note (key) YOU want to begin with.

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The HAND

Finger Names and Numbers

(In case you DON'T know)

The Left hand...		T
		1
		2
		3
		4

"T" stands for Thumb.. the rest should be obvious.

The Right hand..		p
		i
		m
		a
		s

Although Mel Bay's Guitar Class Method book (©Mel Bay Publications) provides the following definition for Right hand: P = Pulgar, I = Indicio, M = Medio, A = Anular, S = (no name provided), I have an easier way to remember this (I believe :).

If you are LEFT handed, just reverse these patterns to correspond with the proper fingering, the rest of this information will remain the same.

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AND LASTLY... (for the free lessons anyway)

PENTATONICS

This exercise will explain an EASY way to play PENTATONIC Scales.

There are only 5 basic rules to learn:

Remember this pattern and you'll be playing them with ease in no time !!.

1. Count while ascending by starting on ONE string saying the numbers: "1 - 2 - 3", then switch to the NEXT string saying "4 - 5". (Reverse this pattern when descending, i.e., 5 - 4, switch strings, then 3 - 2 - 1).

2. Use only your 1st and 3rd fingers. (This way you reduce the amount of "finger memory" required to learn these PENTATONIC Scales.)

3. Always SLIDE with your 3rd finger regardless of the direction (i.e., ascending or descending).

4. ALL INTERVALS are 2 frets apart. The exception to this rule is the EXTENSIONS (as shown in the diagrams below).

5. DO NOT COUNT EXTENSIONS as part of the "COUNTING" rule. Just PLAY THEM, DON'T SAY THEM. If you must say anything, just say the NAME of the note you are playing.

I grouped the RED notes together as a visual aid to make this concept easier to grasp.

All information and diagrams © 1998 Mike Strickland

This scale will work on most COUNTRY and RHYTHM & BLUES lead runs. (The white line between the "3" represents the "SLIDE".) This is the "Extension". <-------

This scale will work on most BLUES and ROCK & ROLL leads runs.

This IS a movable scale !!

THAT'S ALL !

NOTE: I hope you've enjoyed these lessons and that they've helped you in some way. If you have learned even something, please tell your friends to visit.

Regardless of whether you continue with THEORY studies or not, always make time to practice at least ONCE a day for a few minutes. And... remember, practice DOES NOT make perfect, only PERFECT PRACTICE makes perfect.