8,720
edits
Changes
m
→Open Position
Knowing all the notes in the C major scale in open position isn't necessarily going to happen in a single lesson, and you shouldn't dwell on this information trying to take it all in yet. The focus here should be on visualizing the scale and playing it using the references above.
== Position-Shifting Technique ==
Remember that ideal fretting technique places our finger right behind the fret, so that the string sounds cleanly. When you shift positions, you should focus on cleanly fretting the first note after the position shift. Also, the shift should not be obviously noticeable. You shouldn't kill the note right before the shift early to make time for the shift - you just need to shift faster. Fast, accurate, subtle shifting in-time with the beat is your goal.
fig. 10
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i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
fig. 11
-17-16-16-15-15-14-14-13-13-12-12-11-11-10-10-9-9-8-8-7-7-6-6-5-5-4-4-3-3-2-2-1
m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Figure 10 is an ascending 1-fret position shift exercise. The first line is the tab, the second line is the left-hand fingering, and the 3rd line indicates position. You shift up 1 fret every two notes. You play the same note every position shift. It should sound almost exactly the same as if you weren't shifting positions but also using your ring and pinky fingers. Figure 11 is the same exercise descending. Same rules apply. Practice on all strings with a metronome to keep time.
After practicing and getting comfortable, try using your middle and ring fingers instead of index and middle - this is good pratice not only for shifting on those fingers, but strengthening middle-ring transitions. Also, try it with ring and pinky - a bit more difficult, but this is why we're practicing it!
fig. 12
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i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 13 11 9 7 5 3 1
Figure 12 is a similar exercise as above; however, now you are shifting 2 frets at a time, both ascending and descending. This is a straight chromatic scale and may sound like circus music. Concentrate on the same aspects as above: clean fretting on shifts and making the shift sound as subtle as possible. Again, repeat on all strings in time with a metronome. Then try it with middle and ring fingers, then ring and pinky.
fig. 13
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i m r p i m r p i m r p i m r p r m i p r m i p r m i p r m i
1 5 9 13 9 5 1
Same notes as Figure 12, but this one has shifts 4 frets long. This one will really challenge you at first to make the shifts "invisible". At first they are clearly audible, even with a slow tempo. You either will cut the note before the shift short, hear your fingers sliding on the string during the shift, or have a bad fret on the first note after the shift. Just keep practicing!
==Homework==