Post on 06-Feb-2018
transcript
INSIDER SECRETS
INSIDER SECRETS
50Arpeggiated picking
patterns for developing accuracy
and flexibility for the improvising guitarist
by ROBERT MINCHIN
©2002 Robert MinchinThis publication is protected by United States Copyright. Any attempt to copy in whole or part
will be vigorously prosecuted.
INSIDER SECRETS
The ideas that follow are
professional level techniques
and concepts gleaned from
over 35 years of performing
jazz and classical guitar and
studying from the masters.
The techniques in this volume of INSIDER SECRETS are devoted to developing
picking accuracy for the improvising guitarist.
Most guitarists have a great deal of difficulty in skipping strings and changing
direction during a high speed solo. The exercises in this book are designed to help you
develop the ability to skip strings, change direction and increase accuracy in your
playing.
For years, classical guitarists have used arpeggio studies to develop fluency and
virtuoso technique to cover any type of musical situation that might arise. In classical
guitar, arpeggios are considered very serious study. So they become a critical part of
the practice session. Classical guitarists also take difficult sections of the music and
make those sections into exercises.
For jazz guitarists picking practice has generally been limited to scales. This is a
necessary part of study. However, just practicing scales is very limited. That is why
arpeggio picking exercise are so important. It adds another dimension to your arsenal
of techniques.
This book applies the principles found in classical studies and applies it to plectrum
technique. It employs arpeggios in the development of these issues.
3
INSIDER SECRETS
P RO C E D U R E
Method 1. The exercises are written in tablature so that anyone can use them.
They are indicated on open strings. Method 1, would be to simply practice using only
the picking hand, striking the open strings of the guitar. This is a great way to practice
if you find your fingering hand is overly tired from too much practice. In addition, it
also allows you to focus 100% of your attention on your picking hand.
Method 2. This method uses a chord form that would move up fret by fret as you
complete a specific arpeggio pattern. I generally use a diminished chord because it
doesn’t tire the fingering hand as much. But you are free to choose any chord form. To
begin, play a diminished chord as shown:
Finger as shown keeping the 1st
and 6th strings open for the entire
exercise. Try to keep the 6th and 1st
strings ringing cleanly and clearly
throughout the exercises. This will
help you to improve your fingering
hand technique by forcing you to
keep your fingers arched and
accurately pressed on the frets.
4
INSIDER SECRETS
O O
First fret
43
2
1
Play any pattern of your choice while you finger this diminished chord. When you
have completed the pattern, move the chord up one fret and play the arpeggiated
pattern again. Continue in this manner up to the 12th fret, then start moving back
down the neck towards the 1st fret as you play the pattern. Do this for each pattern.
This will give you a tremendous right hand workout.
5
INSIDER SECRETS
When you get to the end ofthe pattern, move the chordform up one fret and repeatthe pattern.
6
INSIDER SECRETS
Some words on practice
Practice these exercise very slowly. They are much more difficult than the usual
picking exercises guitarists normally do. Focus your attention on eliminating
unnecessary movement from your picking hand. Also, remain relaxed and hold the
pick lightly, don’t squeeze the life out of it. The only way to do this is to practice
S-L-O-W-L-Y and concentrate. You are also training your picking hand to learn new
muscular motor movements, which is another reason to practice slowly. Eventually,
increase your speed using a metronome so that you can develop your sense of time
and learn to feel the beat.
PRACTICES LOWLY
Above all, don’t get discouraged. These are techniques that take time to develop. We
are not striving for speed at first. We are striving for accuracy. But the rewards are
great. You will find yourself easily skipping strings and your improvised lines will
become easier to play.
My suggestion would be to incorporate these patterns as a warm up for your
practice session. 15 minutes a day over a period of time will greatly add to your
playing abilities.
After you have practiced these patterns for awhile, you can invent your own patterns
to address specific problem areas in your technique. Most of all have fun and create!
7
INSIDER SECRETS
USE A STRICT DOWN-UP PICKINGSTROKE
FOR EACH EXERCISE.
After you have mastered the down-up
movement, start utilizing an UP-DOWN stroke.
Then practice using all down strokes, then all
up strokes, as well as triplets. Be creative and
develop your own rhythmic patterns.
8
INSIDER SECRETS
3 STRING PATTERNS
Practice using each group of three string sets. String set 1: 1st, 2nd, 3rd strings
String set 2: 2nd, 3rd, 4th strings
String set 3: 3rd, 4th, 5th strings
String set 4: 4th, 5th, 6th strings
String Set 1
String Set 2
String Set 3
String Set 4
10
INSIDER SECRETS
4 STRING PATTERNS
Practice using each group of four string sets. String set 1: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th strings
String set 2: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th strings
String set 3: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th strings
13
INSIDER SECRETS
5 STRING PATTERNS
Practice using each group of five string sets. String set 1: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th strings
String set 2: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th strings
If you have trouble maintaining a steady picking hand playing these exercises,
there are two ways that I use to keep a firm technique. 1) Rest your picking hand wrist
on the strings and pivot your stroke from the wrist. And 2), simply place fingers on
the pickguard to steady the hand as you pick. I find the first method far superior.
Eventually, you will develop enough skill to make your picking hand independent of
support. Although everyone supports the picking hand in some manner.
Also,there are at least 3) types of picking strokes:
1) The first would be to pivot from the wrist as you support your self with the
bottom of the wrist resting on the strings. I generally just rest the pinky finger side of
the bottom of my wrist on the strings, with all the fingers gently curled in (not
extended).
2) The second method uses a circling technique. This is much like holding a pen and
writing with it. It originates from the movement of the first joint of the thumb and
forefinger. This is much smaller physical movement than pivoting from the wrist.
And finally 3), would be a combination of the first two methods. You must
experiment and develop a technique that suits your own physical makeup. Everyones
hands are different and require special attention in order to develop the right picking
stroke for each person.
22
INSIDER SECRETS
23
INSIDER SECRETS
Musical Examples
The musical examples on the next few pages represent a very small sampling of
what can be done by applying these exercises to the creation of actual musical lines.
Wide intervals, arpeggios, skips of all kinds can be accomplished with the technique
you will develop from this type of practice.
The following examples are not claiming to be great musical ideas. Only ideas that
demonstrate some of the ways you can apply the techniques in this book.
When constructing your solos using wide intervals, string skips, and direction
change, try to always be guided by your ear. Afterall, music is an “ear” art.
Just because one has developed extraordinary skill, does not mean they should not
be guided by good taste.
It does not matter what style of music you play, the skills derived from this book will
help anyone become a better technician.
27
INSIDER SECRETS
As mentioned before, these are based on classical guitar
arpeggio studies. If you listen to classical guitar, and I
highly recommend that you do, you will hear these
types of arpeggios. And, in fact, if you play fingerstyle
jazz guitar, these exercises will open up new avenues of
playing mechanisms for you to incorporate into your
chord melody arrangements.
Be creative and most of all, have fun!
28
INSIDER SECRETS
Final W ords
I have been playing for over 35 years and still find
these exercises quite challenging. I use them as a
warm-up or while watching TV. And after 15 or 20
minutes my picking hand is generally tired, just like
after a good workout. So my advice is not to kill
yourself with these exercises. Take it nice and easy.
You will find that after some time your picking
technique will have improved tremendously. But, yes,
it does take time. If you practice on a schedule and
keep it up, you will be amazed at how fast your
technique can improve.