Guitar exercises
Guitar-Trainer offers guitar exercises sorted by type (warm-up, scale, arpeggio, lick), musical style and difficulty level, to help you progress steadily and in a structured way.
How to use it: filter the exercises below with the Type and Style tiles (click to enable a filter, click the cross to remove it), sort them by popularity, date or difficulty, then click an exercise to open it and use it with the built-in metronome.
Spider series #1 - finger independence and stretching
Spider exercises help develop finger independence, left/right hand synchronization, and are also an excellent way to warm up or start a practice session.These two exercises mainly target finger independence. They may seem difficult at first, but with a bit of practice you should get used to the small movements and gain more flexibility in your left hand.Work with a metronome and only speed up once you feel comfortable and are no longer making mistakes.Warning: for the first exercise, make sure to keep the fingers whose notes aren't being played resting on the strings!
G minor arpeggio (1/7)
Learning arpeggios enriches your musical vocabulary, improves your improvisation, and makes your accompaniment (or self-accompaniment) less mechanical and more open. Jimi Hendrix, for example, used arpeggios extensively in his playing, as do jazz guitarists.The goal is to know the following 7 arpeggios by heart:Minor (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V)Major (Root I - Major third III - Fifth V)Major 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Major seventh VIIM)Minor 7 (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Dominant 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Half-diminished or 7m5b (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Minor seventh VIIb)Diminished seventh (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Sixth VI)Start slowly and, as always, focus on clean playing. The target tempo is 90bpm, but start slowly to get used to the small movements.
A minor pentatonic - groups of 4 and 5 notes
These exercises are based on the first shape of the A minor pentatonic scale. They will help you learn the pentatonic scale in a less symmetrical way and break your usual playing habits a bit.The minor pentatonic scale is made up of the following intervals:Root - Minor third - Fourth - Fifth - Minor seventhSo for the A minor pentatonic scale:A - C - D - E - GStart working slowly and always focus on clean playing.
Minor pentatonic - Eric Johnson
A little lick from the great Eric Johnson to work on, to learn a different way of playing the pentatonic scale.
G major arpeggio (2/7)
Learning arpeggios enriches your musical vocabulary, improves your improvisation, and makes your accompaniment (or self-accompaniment) less mechanical and more open. Jimi Hendrix, for example, used arpeggios extensively in his playing, as do jazz guitarists.The goal is to know the following 7 arpeggios by heart:Minor (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V)Major (Root I - Major third III - Fifth V)Major 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Major seventh VIIM)Minor 7 (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Dominant 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Half-diminished or 7m5b (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Minor seventh VIIb)Diminished seventh (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Sixth VI)Start slowly and, as always, focus on clean playing. The target tempo is 90bpm, but start slowly to get used to the small movements.
Spider #5 - right-hand string skipping (major triads)
This spider exercise will get you working on string skipping and major triads at the same time. It helps develop precision and fluid movement with the right hand.Practice with a metronome without chasing speed - the goal is mainly to internalize the small movements and gain precision.
Spider series #2 - finger independence / pinky stretch
Spider exercises help develop finger independence, left/right hand synchronization, and are also an excellent way to warm up or start a practice session.These two exercises mainly focus on finger independence. They may seem difficult at first, but with a bit of practice you should get used to the small movements and gain more flexibility in your left hand.Work with a metronome and only speed up once you feel comfortable and are no longer making mistakes.
Jazz lick in C major + augmented fifth
Jazz lick in C major + augmented fifthHere's a lick in C major that will let you work on slides, sweep picking, and string skipping.You can also try playing it over a Cmaj7 or G11/13 chord.
G major 7 arpeggio (3/7)
Learning arpeggios enriches your musical vocabulary, improves your improvisation, and makes your accompaniment (or self-accompaniment) less mechanical and more open. Jimi Hendrix, for example, used arpeggios extensively in his playing, as do jazz guitarists.The goal is to know the following 7 arpeggios by heart:Minor (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V)Major (Root I - Major third III - Fifth V)Major 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Major seventh VIIM)Minor 7 (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Dominant 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Half-diminished or 7m5b (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Minor seventh VIIb)Diminished seventh (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Sixth VI)Start slowly and, as always, focus on clean playing. The target tempo is 90bpm, but start slowly to get used to the small movements.
Spider series #3 - finger independence and string skipping
Spider exercises help develop finger independence, left/right hand synchronization, and are also an excellent way to warm up or start a practice session.The first exercise focuses on finger independence. Make sure to move only the finger whose note is being picked, keeping the other fingers in place on the frets. The second exercise will help you work on string skipping to gain precision with the right hand.You should quickly get used to the small movements and gain more flexibility in your left hand. Keep in mind that the benefits of this type of exercise will show up in many other techniques (chord changes, rhythm, sweep picking, arpeggio playing...).Work with a metronome and only speed up once you feel comfortable and are no longer making mistakes.
Arpeggio progression in A minor (Eugene's Trick Bag)
Here's an exercise based on the intro of Eugene's Trick Bag, which is itself largely inspired by Paganini's Caprice No. 5.This exercise is very useful for learning the following 3 arpeggios:A/D minor (root, minor third, perfect fifth)E/A dominant seventh or E7 (root, major third, minor seventh)G# dim (root, minor third, diminished fifth) Warning - Don't necessarily try to play it at the same speed as the original; approach this exercise as a way to learn the arpeggios listed above.
G minor 7 arpeggio (4/7)
Learning arpeggios enriches your musical vocabulary, improves your improvisation, and makes your accompaniment (or self-accompaniment) less mechanical and more open. Jimi Hendrix, for example, used arpeggios extensively in his playing, as do jazz guitarists. The goal is to know the following 7 arpeggios by heart: Minor (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V)Major (Root I - Major third III - Fifth V)Major 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Major seventh VIIM)Minor 7 (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Dominant 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Half-diminished or 7m5b (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Minor seventh VIIb)Diminished seventh (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Sixth VI) Start slowly and, as always, focus on clean playing. The target tempo is 90bpm, but start slowly to get used to the small movements.
Spider series #4 - finger independence (left hand)
Here's a series of 3 spider exercises that will build finger independence and help you feel more comfortable with fast chord changes.Only move the fingers whose notes are changing.The third exercise is difficult because it requires a big stretch between the middle and ring fingers. Only tackle it once you feel comfortable, and don't hesitate to leave it aside at first.
Left-hand warm-up / right-hand picados
Repeat this pattern, moving down one fret each time.Keep strict alternate picking, or index/middle finger alternation on the right hand.Don't rush it.
G major pentatonic - Eric Clapton
Here are 2 licks based on the G major pentatonic scale, taken from an excellent article published on guitar-world.These 2 licks are great for exploring different positions of the pentatonic scale and opening up your solos a bit. Feel free to check out the article Eric Clapton's Bluesbreakers and Cream Fretwork, especially if you want ideas for mixing minor and major pentatonic scales.
G minor pentatonic + major 6th
Instructions: The "Modal" Pentatonic By replacing the minor seventh with a major sixth in a pentatonic scale, we get a modal pentatonic with a Dorian sound. This approach is very useful for improvising off the beaten path. This "modal" minor scale is used by jazz/fusion guitarists, including Robben Ford, Larry Carlton and John Scofield. As you can see below, the minor pentatonic scale shares all its notes with the Dorian mode in the same key: Structure comparison (Example in G) Minor PENTATONIC (G): I (G) - bIII (Bb) - IV (C) - V (D) - bVII (F) DORIAN mode (G): I (G) - II (A) - bIII (Bb) - IV (C) - V (D) - VI (E) - bVII (F) So all you need to do is replace the minor seventh (F) with the major sixth (E) of the Dorian mode to get our "modal" pentatonic scale. Minor PENTATONIC 6 (G): I (G) - bIII (Bb) - IV (C) - V (D) - VI (E) Practice and application Here are the five shapes you'll need to learn so you can then use them in your improvisations and solos. Note: the demo video - which is in the key of A, unlike the diagrams above which are in G - will let you hear the sound of this scale in a blues context. It's taken from the "Blues Guitar Universe" website, which I invite you to visit!
Study - alternate-picked arpeggios
Playing arpeggios with alternate picking is generally a difficult and unglamorous technique, but one that will definitely move your playing forward.By practicing this exercise regularly you'll develop dexterity, ear training, left/right hand synchronization, and build vocabulary to enrich your improvisations. You'll also pick up fingerings that come in handy when studying pieces by famous guitarists, since there's a good chance part of their creativity comes from exercises just like this one!Make sure to clearly separate each note by lifting the finger so as not to let two notes ring at the same time. Thanks to Hagbard for the comment! Your browser does not support the audio element.
G dominant 7th arpeggio (5/7)
Learning arpeggios enriches your musical vocabulary, improves your improvisation, and makes your accompaniment (or self-accompaniment) less mechanical and more open. Jimi Hendrix, for example, used arpeggios extensively in his playing, as do jazz guitarists.The goal is to know the following 7 arpeggios by heart:Minor (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V)Major (Root I - Major third III - Fifth V)Major 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Major seventh VIIM)Minor 7 (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Dominant 7th (Root I - Third III - Fifth V - Minor seventh 7b)Half-diminished or 7m5b (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Minor seventh VIIb)Diminished seventh (Root I - Minor third IIIb - Diminished fifth Vb - Sixth VI)Start slowly and, as always, focus on clean playing. The target tempo is 90bpm, but start slowly to get used to the small movements.
Rock lick - G minor pentatonic (speed)
Here's a short rock lick based on the G minor pentatonic scale, to build speed that you can later add to your solos.
G major diagrams and exercises
Practicing scales remains an essential exercise if you want to progress.Here are some benefits you'll get from it:- strength and dexterity in the left hand- precision and consistency in the right hand- alternate picking- ear training and building your musical vocabularyThe first exercise is a real classic: learning the 7 positions of the major scale. These 7 positions are the same in every key, and you just need to shift them to change key (shift each position below by 2 frets and you'll be playing in the key of A major). Also good news: these 7 positions also correspond to the positions of the different modes of the major scale (including the widely-used natural minor scale, or Aeolian mode).So this will be very useful work!You'll need to practice these 7 positions with alternate picking (down-up-down-down-up-down...), paying attention to clean playing and to the pick being held parallel to the strings on the attack. Play slowly at first and make sure you play each position cleanly before increasing the tempo. Also, if you make a mistake, go back and start again.Then exercises 2-3-4-5 will help you pick up different fingerings and break your habits.
Legato playing on a minor pentatonic
This exercise is taken from a study by Leo Brouwer ("20 easy studies", study 20). It's built on the E minor pentatonic scale, in first position. Make sure to keep an even tone on every note, whether picked, hammered-on or pulled-off, and keep the sixteenth notes nice and steady. The study is played fast (around 135 to the quarter note) but start slowly and only increase the tempo once you feel relaxed. The movements need to become automatic.Each pattern should be looped.
Riff - Crossroads - Eric Clapton
Crossroads is one of those songs you wouldn't expect to be technically demanding, because it sounds simple and is played to perfection by its creators. Yet the string skips, the rhythm and Eric Clapton's minor blues run deserve some attention. Learning this bundle of technique makes for an excellent exercise to progress on - and it sounds so good too.The start of the main riff begins with a series of hammer-ons/pull-offs, some well-placed bends and a couple of fun string skips (exercise 1).Then comes a run down the A minor blues scale (exercise 2) in which Eric Clapton adds a major third (C# - 6th fret of the G string) for a typical major/minor blues blend.
Rhythmic variations on scales
This exercise offers a slightly different way to practice your scales by adding a few rhythmic variations. The base pattern shown here can be adapted to any scale; it's presented here with a major scale fingering in position 1.Ideally, before tackling the rhythmic variations, the scale should already be learned and automatic. Take the time to work through the base pattern so you no longer need to read the notes to play what follows.
Right-hand warm-up: alternate picking and string skipping
This right-hand warm-up combines alternate picking with string skipping over barred major chord shapes. It's inspired by an exercise from John Petrucci's "Rock Discipline" method. The left hand moves along the neck following the circle of fifths from A to Bb. The different steps of the exercise involve doubling the pick strokes on each note.Start slowly to clearly articulate each movement. You can gradually increase the tempo to work on the precision of your pick strokes.After playing through all the exercises, one possible variation is to reverse the pick strokes, starting with an upstroke.
Speed and endurance study (1)
This study is taken from William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar, published by Berklee Press. This study is played in position 2 (index finger on the second fret) and aims to develop dexterity and endurance.Work slowly. Aim for perfect coordination between the left and right hand before increasing the tempo. Also focus on keeping your fingers as close to the fretboard as possible. Fingers that aren't fretting a note should still stay close to the strings.The study is fairly long (especially with the repeats), so it also builds left-hand endurance. Take some time to rest after your ten minutes of practice.
Speed and endurance study (2)
This study is taken from William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar, published by Berklee Press. This study is played in position 2 (index finger on the second fret) and aims to develop dexterity and endurance.Work slowly. Aim for perfect coordination between the left and right hand before increasing the tempo. Also focus on keeping your fingers as close to the fretboard as possible. Fingers that aren't fretting a note should still stay close to the strings.The study is fairly long (especially with the repeats), so it also builds left-hand endurance. Take some time to rest after your ten minutes of practice.
Joy Spring (Clifford Brown)
Although there's a version of this standard played by Joe Pass, the licks transcribed here are taken from Clifford Brown's solo on the Clifford Brown & Max Roach album (1954).Don't hesitate to borrow ideas from other instrumentalists rather than sticking only to guitarists. In this passage, Clifford plays small, simple licks that move very little but follow the chart very closely.
Minor pentatonic and blues scale exercises
This series of exercises will help you break away from your usual pentatonic-scale playing habits by adding notes from the blues scale as well as chromatic passing tones.A quick theory reminder before we get into the exercises.The minor pentatonic scale, here in the key of G, is made up of the following 5 intervals:Root - GMinor third - Bb Fourth - CFifth - DMinor seventh - FThe blues scale contains the same intervals plus a diminished fifth:Root - GMinor third - Bb Fourth - CDiminished fifth - C#Fifth - DMinor seventh - FStart by learning the scales in exercise 1 by heart if you don't already know the pentatonic scale or the blues scale.Work through each exercise slowly at first and practice with the metronome.You can also practice along with the great backing track below.
Zakk Wylde - Minor pentatonic
Here's a series of exercises on the pentatonic scale to pick up a rather primal but very effective way of playing, inspired by the guitarist who inspired them, the great Zakk Wylde.This time the goal is to play as fast as possible while staying clean, making sure each note is clearly distinguishable - otherwise these licks will lose much of their charm.These licks are a great way to work on speed, string skipping, alternate picking and consistency, while adding new material to your guitarist's toolbox to bring out in your solos.These licks are all in the key of E minor pentatonic, but feel free to move them to other parts of the neck to build dexterity across the whole fretboard.The exercises are to be played in sixteenth notes (4 notes per beat) except exercise 2, which is in sextuplets (6 notes per beat).As usual, start slowly, only speed up once you're making no mistakes and the movements are fluid, and increase the tempo in small steps (2bpm each time).Here's a short video to give you an idea of the result once the licks are mastered:
Hardwired solo - Metallica
A Metallica song to work on for fun, but also to pick up some typical thrash/metal licks featured in this solo from Hardwired... to Self-Destruct.As with every solo, work with the metronome at a slow tempo at first to learn the fingerings and find the rhythm, then go for speed (180 to the quarter note!). Also use the video to hear how the different passages should sound.
Joe Bonamassa - Minor pentatonic 3 shapes/licks
This exercise, inspired by Joe Bonamassa's playing, will let you work on the E minor pentatonic scale.The same idea is used in all 3 exercises: the first goes from the high E string to the D string, the second requires going up to the low E string, and the third replays the same notes horizontally along the neck. This third shape will help you partly internalize 4 of the minor pentatonic scale shapes.At first, don't try to go fast - aim instead for the smoothest, most even playing possible.
Arpeggios of the harmonized C major scale
Here are two exercises that will let you work on the 7 seventh-chord arpeggios formed from the harmonized C major scale.Quick theory reminder: a scale is harmonized by building a chord on each of its notes, taking the first, third, fifth and seventh degrees.Starting from the notes of the C major scale, we get the following chords:Cmaj7: C (root) - D - E (major third) - F - G (fifth) - A - B (major seventh)Dmin7: D (root) - E - F (minor third) - G - A (fifth) - B - C (minor seventh)Emin7: E (root) - F - G (minor third)- A - B (fifth) - C - D (minor seventh)Fmaj7: F (root) - G - A (major third) - B - C (fifth)- D - E (major seventh)G7: G (root)- A - B (major third)- C - D (fifth)- E - F (minor seventh)Amin7: A (root)- B - C (minor third) - D - E(fifth) - F - G (minor seventh)Bmin7b5: B (root)- C - D (minor third) - E - F (diminished fifth) - G - A (minor seventh)Learning these arpeggios will be very useful for building dexterity, learning fingerings widely used in jazz but also in rock, blues... and for improving your musical vocabulary. Start, as always, very slowly with the metronome and learn each position separately if needed.
A minor pentatonic hammer-on/pull-off
Here's an exercise that will help you work on finger independence as well as hammer-ons and pull-offs.It's also a chance to practice the first shape of the A minor pentatonic scale, for those who haven't tackled it yet.Once mastered, played cleanly and at a good tempo, this little lick will have its place in your solos.As usual, the metronome is mandatory.
Minor pentatonic scale - Pull-off - Joe Bonamassa
Here's an exercise on the minor pentatonic scale in the key of D, inspired by Joe Bonamassa.It fits perfectly as an accompaniment to the great Freddie King's "Going Down" (Joe Bonamassa version).As usual, practicing with the metronome is mandatory, and you should also make sure to perform the pull-offs so that each note clearly separates from the others.
G major/minor/minor 7/major 7 arpeggios
These exercises will improve your fretboard knowledge, help you work on moving up and down the neck, and teach you where the intervals sit (major/minor third, fifth, major/minor seventh).These arpeggios will also be great tools for your improvisations, and of course they'll improve your dexterity (left/right hand synchronization, stretching...), not to mention that they'll make it easier to learn songs by the many guitarists who use them (Mark Knopfler...).This is a long-term project that may seem difficult, especially if you're not used to practicing arpeggios, but it's well worth it. Feel free to add this exercise to your favorites and come back to it regularly. For more information, I recommend checking out the excellent David Gauthier YouTube channel - many thanks and congratulations to him.
Major scale on the first three strings
I came up with this simple exercise on the G major scale to get more comfortable on the first three strings of the guitar. It involves going up and down the scale on each of the seven degrees, moving gradually up the neck.Feel free to bring your own variations to the exercise, whether by inventing other ways to move from one mode to the next, or by using broken-scale patterns, etc. The goal is to make the exercise your own. I've given an example variation after the base exercise.
Funk rhythm - Get Up - James Brown
Here's an exercise to work on rhythm and get into funk with a really fun tune.Watch the video to understand how to play it if you're not comfortable reading rhythm.Practice each exercise separately, then chain 4 bars of each.The target tempo to play it like the original is 103bpm.
Seventh chord progression - chords/dexterity
Here's a study based on a very interesting seventh-chord progression. Practicing it regularly will help you learn these chords, but also improve finger independence, work on rhythm, build strength in the left hand, etc.The target tempo is 80bpm to the quarter note.
String skipping and pivot notes
Here's an exercise based on a very interesting sequence of pivot notes, great for working on string skipping and gaining precision in the right hand.Practice with alternate picking, find the most logical fingering, then speed up.The target tempo is 100bpm, but you can try to go beyond that.It will also be useful to pay attention to the key of each bar/arpeggio as you play.The metronome is mandatory for this exercise, and since it's in sixteenth notes you'll need 4 notes per beat.
Spider #6 - Chromatic scale, independence, alternate picking
Here are 2 spider exercises to warm up while working on finger independence, left/right hand synchronization, consistency, alternate picking and left-hand shifting.These two exercises are based on the chromatic scale on one or two strings.The target tempo is as fast as possible while staying clean. Make sure to start slowly to properly internalize the small movements. Also pay attention to keeping the pick parallel to the strings on the attack.
Dorian lick
Here's a lick based on the Dorian mode in the key of B. This is a good exercise for soaking up the sound of the Dorian mode and breaking your playing habits.No particular difficulty except for the third part (bars 5 and 6), where you'll need to find the most logical fingering.
Dorian lick and sweep picking
Here's a Dorian lick taken from the site http://www.craigbassett.co.nzThe video shows how to play the different parts.This is a great exercise for soaking up the sound of the Dorian mode and practicing sweep picking, finger dexterity and left/right hand synchronization.
E minor pentatonic licks / speed
Here are 4 essential licks to know if you want to add a bit of vocabulary to your solos.These exercises will also help you work on left/right hand synchronization, speed, and hammer-ons and pull-offs.It's absolutely essential to stay clean (each note must clearly separate from the next) and steady (metronome!), otherwise these 4 exercises won't sound right.
Riff - Joe Bonamassa - Just Got Paid
Here's a really interesting riff to work on to improve your rhythm and practice string skipping.It's the main riff from the Joe Bonamassa version of Just Got Paid. The target speed is 96 bpm, but start at 60 bpm to get the movements under your fingers.
Rhythm exercise #1
This exercise will help you work on rhythm, consistency, and to a lesser extent finger dexterity.The first part is a series of chromatic notes played as quarter notes, then eighth notes, triplets and sixteenth notes.As a reminder:A quarter note is worth 1 beatAn eighth note is worth 1/2 beat - 2 notes per beatA triplet is worth 1/3 of a beat - 3 notes per beatA sixteenth note is worth 1/4 of a beat - 4 notes per beatThe second part will help you get comfortable switching between rhythms, with a sequence of eighth notes and triplets.Use the video to understand the exercise and get familiar with the beats. It can help to play along with the video if you don't have much rhythmic training.Start slowly and use the metronome.
Wes Hauch - Scales and Arpeggios
Here are a few licks from The Faceless guitarist Wes Hauch that will get you working on arpeggios and the harmonic minor scale.
Major scale played over 3 octaves (alternate picking and shifting)
Here's an exercise that will help you learn the fingerings of the major scale, alternate picking, and shifting the left hand along the neck.How the exercise is builtThe first six notes of the F major scale are respectively F, G, A, Bb, C and D. We'll play these notes in this order over three octaves, then the next six notes of the major scale, starting from the second note (G, A, Bb, C, D and E), and so on all the way along the neck.How to practice itPracticing with the metronome is more than recommended, and alternate picking is mandatory.
WARM UP
GREAT PRACTICE FOR LEFT-HAND GYMNASTICS, AS WELL AS FINGER STRETCHING. WORK UP THE SPEED GRADUALLY, WITH OR WITHOUT ALTERNATE PICKING.....
4 positions of the G major scale played diagonally
Here's an exercise that will let you play 4 positions of the major scale diagonally along the neck. Learning the major scale this way is great for gaining fluidity and playing scales while breaking the habits picked up with the classic box shapes.The pattern is the same for all 4 exercises: 3 notes on one string, then 4 notes with a slide onto the last one when going down, and conversely a slide from the first to the second note when going up. Practicing with the metronome is strongly recommended.Aim for a tempo of 60bpm to the quarter note (4 notes per beat) at first, then increase once you really feel comfortable with all 4 exercises.
Triads of the harmonized C and G major scales
Here's an exercise that will let you learn triads and connect them to the major and minor chord shapes on the fifth and sixth strings, while also learning the fretboard by visualizing where the roots, major thirds and fifths sit relative to each other.In practice, you'll play these sequences of triads taken from the harmonization of the C and G major scales.The chords from harmonizing the C major scale are: C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - BdimThe chords from harmonizing the G major scale are: G - Am - Bm - C - D - Em - F#dimKeep in mind that the lowest note is always the root, the second note is the third, and the third note is the fifth.If you'd like more information about scale harmonization, I recommend checking out this page from the excellent guitare-improvisation.com website:https://www.guitare-improvisation.com/analyser_harmonisation-de-do-majeur.php
Blues lick - Start of the La Grange solo (ZZ Top)
Here's the start of the La Grange solo by ZZ Top. Treat it as a few-second lick to work on to pick up some less mechanical fingerings - it starts at 1:10.Work with the metronome, and don't hesitate to check out the full solo, which is a genuine blues/rock classic.
[1] IMPROVISATION: ii V I progression (arpeggios)
Here's an exercise designed to work on arpeggios and improvisation over a major ii V I progression. The ii V I progression is very common in jazz (Blue Bossa, Tune Up, Autumn Leaves, Perdido...). Here, in the key of Bb, it's made up of the chords Cm7, F7 and BbMaj7.The first goal is to learn the arpeggios, then play and learn the four solos to practice playing over the chord changes.I'll add more exercises of this kind over time - arpeggios and matching note sequences plus a backing track. Feel free to leave comments if you spot any typos or have ideas for improvement. The matching backing track is available here:http://guitar-trainer.fr/audio/Backing track progression ii V I Bb majeur.mp3PS: the chord diagrams were made using this site:https://www.guitarscientist.com/generator/ Your browser does not support the audio element.
Minor pentatonic scale played horizontally
Here's an exercise that will help open up your playing when using the pentatonic scale. The idea is to play as much as possible along the length of the neck, moving a bit away from the comfort zone of the fingerings you first learned.I recommend using the slides and hammer-ons as shown in the tabs.As a reminder, the minor pentatonic scale is built with the following intervals:I (root) - III m (minor third) - IV (fourth) - V (fifth) - VII m (minor seventh)Of course, play as cleanly as possible, and don't hesitate to lower the tempo if needed :)
5 essential blues turnarounds
Here are a few examples of turnarounds that will help spice up your blues with a more musical, professional touch.As a reminder, turnarounds are sequences played over the last bars of a blues chart (typically 12 bars) to close it out and allow it to repeat.Turnarounds are often built starting from the minor seventh down to the fifth, usually passing through chromatic notes, but there's no fixed rule.My advice is to practice and learn them, then try to place them while improvising over a backing track like this one, to get a feel for when to play them:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbnRaRpZi4
Blues in E and turnaround
Here's a simple standard blues ending with a turnaround, which beginners will definitely benefit from practicing to start internalizing blues rhythm and turnaround placement.
Blues solo (1)
Here's a really fun blues lick to learn that will let you add new licks to your bluesman's toolbox. Once again, practicing with the metronome is recommended and will be especially useful for working on rhythmic reading, particularly when playing slowly, i.e. at 60bpm as in the second part of the video.https://guitar-trainer.fr/tablatures/Solo-blues-pentatonique-1.pdf
Blues solo (2)
Here's the second blues lick in the series to learn, to add new licks to your bluesman's toolbox. Once again, practicing with the metronome is recommended and will be especially useful for working on rhythmic reading, particularly when playing slowly, i.e. at 65 bpm as in the second part of the video.The tab is downloadable as a PDF here:https://guitar-trainer.fr/tablatures/Solo-blues-pentatonique-2.pdf
Blues solo (3)
A really interesting 12-bar blues to work on and learn.Once again, practicing with the metronome is recommended and will be especially useful for working on rhythmic reading, particularly when playing slowly, i.e. at 60bpm as in the second part of the video.https://guitar-trainer.fr/tablatures/Solo-blues-pentatonique-3.pdf
Blues scale + minor 9th and major 7th intervals
Here are 6 licks that will introduce you to the G minor pentatonic scale, to which we add notes that give it a different color. We start with the minor pentatonic scale, built with the following intervals:I - minor III - IV - V - minor VIIThen we first add the famous blue note, i.e. the diminished fifth:I - minor III - IV - diminished V - V - minor VIIIt's then interesting to add the major 7:I - minor III - IV - diminished V - V - minor VII - major VIIWe can then also add the minor ninth:I - minor II (or minor IX) - minor III - IV - diminished V - V - minor VII - major VIIHere's the diagram of this blues pentatonic scale with major seventh and minor ninth. Use it to spot the position of the different intervals relative to each other. For example, the minor IX (G#) sits one fret above the root (G), just like the VII (F#), which sits one fret below the G.
Rhythmic work on ii V I
Here are 4 licks for practicing jazz guitar comping. Useful for rhythmic work and learning seventh chords.