Guitar Techniques Primer (Jordan Humber 2008) The following article is designed to introduce a number of soloing techniques commonly used by guitarists. Technique can be seen as the physical skill needed to perform the ideas you have as a guitarist, and that is the aim of this article: to introduce you to techniques that may be uncharted, and to help develop creative ideas. With this in mind, gaining maximum speed with the materials presented here shouldn't be the top priority. If you find you're playing notes faster than you can think about the notes you're playing, it might be an idea to take a step back and ensure that what's coming out of the guitar resembles music. Throughout the article numerous examples are given to demonstrate possible uses of the given technique. Each example is given in the context of a chord or key, and these should be observed to help aid transposition of the 'licks' contained within. Learning a technique from a handful of licks may demonstrate the technique sufficiently, but using the technique to create your own lines will make it stick far more effectively. Therefore, as well as attempting the exercises given here, you should aim to experiment as much as possible to generate ideas of your own. Perhaps start with transposing the examples into different keys.... A quick word on the notation symbols used: The right-hand picking directions are shown where appropriate underneath the tablature lines. The squarer of the two symbols represents a downstroke, and somewhat confusingly, the downwards pointing symbol represents an up-stroke. With all the examples, a quick look at the notation will indicate the rhythmic groupings of the notes. This should help suggest the feel of the pieces and ensure the correct rhythmic approach. There are six techniques discussed in this article, in no particular order:
Alternate picking Legato Tapping Sweep picking Hybrid picking String skipping
The article then finishes with a few ‘combination licks’, which are examples combining two or more of the ideas presented earlier on. Along with each technique, a few artists (who are fine exponents of the given technique) are listed as recommended listening, as well as a few ideas as to how to take the ideas presented further. Finally. a series of short videos have been made in conjunction with this article to demonstrate the exercises contained within. These may aid with some of the more visual techniques, or where the musical notation is unclear.
Alternate Picking The simple idea behind alternate picking is that every down-stroke is followed by an up-stroke, and vice-versa. To visualise the advantage to this, play the open low E string ten times, each time with a downstroke. You will see that between each down-stroke, your right-hand is having to lift the plectrum back up in an up-stroke motion before the next down-stroke. In other words, to play ten notes, your right-hand has made twenty movements (the ten down-strokes to play the notes, and the ten upstrokes where no note was played). Alternate picking replaces this 'all-down' picking pattern with down-up-down-up picking. To see the benefit, now play the same ten notes using strict alternate picking. You'll see that your righthand is performing half as much movement as in the previous example because for every downstroke, you are also playing a note on the up-stroke. Without any extra movement, you have doubled your picking efficiency. To further ensure maximum efficiency, examine your right-hand movement. Most players achieve the greatest efficiency by picking from the wrist and keeping right-hand finger movement to a minimum. Similarly, too much elbow movement can hamper efficiency. The sound of alternate picking is very articulate. Each note has its own pick-attack, and as such the results at high-speed can sound somewhat mechanical. That said, it's a very efficient technique and should be practised with priority as many guitar parts can be best played using alternate picking. The following example in the key of C major demonstrates a simple alternate picking lick. Be sure to take note of the picking directions indicated underneath the tablature:
Potentially the most difficult aspect of the above exercise is the change of string that happens between the last note of the first bar and the first note of the second bar. Alternate picking is undoubtedly easier when all the notes are on the same string, but as few guitar lines stay on one string, it's important to be able to cross strings efficiently. The following exercise, in the key of G major, contains more frequent string-crossing:
Was the above lick harder or easier than the first exercise? What happens if you play both examples again but start each one with an up-stroke instead of a down-stroke (and continue to use alternate picking throughout)? The following example shows the A Phrygian scale (think: F major scale) played in descending thirds. The exercise features a lot of string-crossing, with both up-strokes and down-strokes performing the crossings:
What happens when you play the example in reverse, ascending the scale in thirds? Can you adapt the exercise to the other parallel modes, A Ionian, A Dorian, etc...? The final alternate picking example is a small excerpt from Steve Vai's neo-classical piece, Eugene's Trick Bag. The original is played at around 130bpm, but if you can approach 100bpm you're doing well. The lick uses all four left-hand fingers throughout and is deceptively hard to master:
With all the exercises, aim to play them cleanly at all times. Accuracy is more important than speed, and the latter will come as a result of the former. Suggest listening: John Petrucci (Dream Theatre) Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne) Guthrie Govan (Erotic Cakes)
Legato The legato technique (taken from the Italian term for 'smooth') uses hammer-ons and pull-offs to produce a smooth, fluid style of playing. Hammer-ons are achieved by picking a first note, and then using another finger of the fretting hand to hammer down onto the string, producing the next higher note. Pull-offs are the reverse motion: picking the first note and then pulling that finger off the fretboard to produce a lower note fretted by another finger. The key to good legato technique is to get the unpicked notes the same volume as the picked notes. Hammer-ons are generally easier to achieve this balance with. For pull-offs, pulling the string off in a slight downward motion can help to produce more volume. It's a good idea to practise individual hammer-on and pull-off exercises with each pair of fingers on the left-hand to gain strength. Naturally the first and third fingers will be stronger, so working on the second and fourth fingers to gain strength across the hand is a good idea. The following example shows an ascending G major scale played with legato, and then the same scale played descending. The pattern starts on the 7th degree of the scale (F#) and omits the 6th (E), to achieve a repetitive fingering. (The final circled note in the first example indicates that the note should be tapped with a spare right-hand finger – how else could you end this lick?):
As with all legato notation, a curved line between two notes indicated either a hammer-on or a pulloff. In both cases above, only the first note on each string is picked (using the picking directions indicated). Which direction is easier to play in? Assuming you're using the one-finger-per-fret rule, which groups of fingers are the strongest and weakest in each direction? Play the lick using alternate picking throughout, and hear the difference in articulation between the two techniques? The following ascending run is taken from the outro solo of Ozzy Osbourne's song Mr. Crowley,
played by Randy Rhoads:
This example runs up the F major scale, before playing a small loop-back pattern in the final beat of the bar. Once again, only the first note of each string is picked. Be sure to feel the sixteenth-note triplet feel throughout the run. How could you extend this run to cover a full three octaves? The final legato example, in the key of E major, demonstrates the technique taken to its logical conclusion, which is to not pick any notes:
In the example above, no notes are picked with the right-hand. The notes with the square box around them indicate a note that is sounded by hammering on to the string with the left-hand (this technique is often referred to as 'hammering on from nowhere' as the first note on a new string is played without picking it). Can you play the above lick in reverse? As with all the licks in this article, muting unused strings with a combination of both hands is important to prevent erroneous string noise from occurring. Suggested listening: Joe Satriani (Solo) Guthrie Govan (Erotic Cakes) Steve Vai (Solo)
Tapping The technique of right-hand tapping (aka 'fretboard tapping') involves using one or more fingers from the right-hand to sound notes on the fretboard by hammering on the note. Having tapped the note, the right-hand finger then releases the note (usually exposing a lower note fretted conventionally by the left-hand), typically with a slight downwards flick. Whilst tapping. the plectrum is usually held between thumb and first finger, and the middle finger of the right-hand is used to tap the notes. The big advantage that tapping gives you is the ability to incorporate notes into a phrase that would be otherwise unreachable by the left-hand. When viewed this way, there's no end to the creative ideas you can come up with. The first example, in the key of A minor, demonstrates tapping on a single string. In all of the following examples, notes played by tapping with the right-hand are circled, all other notes are played as normal with the left-hand:
Bar 1 of the above example demonstrates a repeating three-note pattern. The exercise starts by tapping on the 12th fret of the high E string with a right-hand finger. This note is then released to expose the note at the 8th fret on the same string, and this is then pulled off to sound the note at the 5th fret. The pattern is repeated four times. Bar 2 of the above example varies this idea slightly, by alternating between a pull-off and a hammer-on for the notes at the 5th and 8th frets. The next two-bar example, which works over the chords E minor and B major respectively, shows a similar approach extended to produce a four-note pattern:
This time the tapped note is released to sound the open B string. This open note is then followed by two hammer-ons. In the first bar the notes imply an E minor triad, and the second bar implies a B major triad. How could use other open strings to create a G major triad, or an A minor triad using a similar tapping approach?
The final tapping example is relatively daunting to look at, but is quite simple to analyse. The righthand taps each string twice at the 12th fret. In between taps, the left-hand hammers on the shapes of the A minor and B minor pentatonic scales for each string in turn. When combined, all of the played notes make up the A Dorian scale (think: G major scale), and as such this lick will work well over an A minor chord in the key of G:
Ensure you recognise the sixteenth-note triplet feel of this lick. The right-hand doesn't move too much, so it's only the left-hand that requires some coordination. Try creating your own tapping lines that use the right-hand in close proximity to the left-hand (as in the final example above). Conversely, create lines that have more distance between the two hands. What opportunities arise when you combine playing chords with tapping notes using the righthand? Suggested listening: Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne) Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) Jennifer Batten (Solo)
Sweep Picking Sweep picking is a technique primarily used for playing arpeggios that cross adjacent strings, and therefore overcomes one of the difficulties of alternate picking: string crossing. The technique involves raking the plectrum across the strings in a single direction across the adjacent strings. Whereas alternate picking changes the direction of the plectrum after every note, sweep picking does quite the opposite: for as long as possible, the direction of the plectrum remains the same. Due to the lack of pick movement involved, arguably there is no more efficient way to play a series of notes on adjacent strings than via sweep picking. At first glance of the pick directions for a sweep picking lick, the technique may appear to be the same as strumming through the notes. An important distinction lies here: whereas a single strum leaves all the strings ringing into each other, a sweep pick lick should only have one note sounding at any time. As such, using both hands to mute effectively is an important factor in a good sweep picking technique, and you should aim to mute every note as soon as the next note is played. The left-hand fingertips are useful for this, and the right-hand palm can take care of muting lower strings that aren't being played. The example below, in the key of G, demonstrates a small sweep-picking lick across 3 strings:
As you can see, the lick outlines six three-note arpeggios (matching the chords listed above). Pay close attention to the picking directions indicated, and aim to only have one note audible at any time. Try playing the lick using strict alternate picking, and you should immediately see the advantage of sweep-picking; the number of direction changes the picking hand makes is reduced by around 65%. The following example, still outlining numerous chords in the key of G, expands the previous example to cover four strings instead of three:
Note that this time, a brief moment pull-off and change of pick direction occurs at the top of each arpeggio. Again, pay close attention to the pick directions shown, as well as the timing of the lick. Once again, try playing the above lick using alternate picking and examine the right-hand movement. For licks such as these, sweep-picking is undoubtedly the most efficient way of picking. The final sweeping example covers five strings per arpeggio and contains more notes 'on top' of each:
As you can see the two arpeggios outline the chords A minor and G major respectively. Take a moment to examine the notes used, and make the connection between the shape being played and the CAGED shapes (hint: we're using a minor 'C' shape here for the Am, and a major 'C' shape for the G). In the above example the four notes on the top E string in each arpeggio are played using alternate picking, as this helps get the right-hand back in place to descend the arpeggio. Explore how you could use the above arpeggio shapes to create a sweep-picking line over the chords C major. F major, A minor, G major. With all of the above sweep-picking licks, the aim is to get each note of the arpeggio sounding evenly. A common trap of sweep-picking is that the arpeggios are played in a rushed manner so that only the lowest and highest notes of the phrase stand out. Practise these licks slowly, and experiment with moving them into different keys. Suggested listening: Guthrie Govan (Solo) Yngwie Malmsteen (Solo) John Petrucci (Dream Theatre)
Hybrid Picking The simple idea behind hybrid picking is to combine using a plectrum with using the spare fingers of your right-hand to play notes. The technique is most commonly used by country guitarists, but there's potential to breathe new life into any genre by using the approach. The examples below follow the conventional fingering notation scheme, whereby the following characters are used in the notation to identify the fingers of the right-hand: p = thumb i = index fingertips m = middle fingertips a = ring fingertips c = little finger The little finger is rarely used, as its relative shortness makes positioning the right-hand difficult to get the most use from it. If you're using a plectrum it should be held between the thumb and index finger. This leaves the middle finger ('m') and the ring finger ('a') as the most likely candidates for use in hybrid picking licks. The example below, over the chord of G major, shows a relatively straightforward use of hybrid picking. Pay close attention to the pick directions and right-hand finger usage through the lick. If played properly it should feel relatively effortless, with little right-hand movement:
Be sure to feel the 16th note pulse of the above example, and the end results should have you sounding like a mid-western record in no time. Try playing the lick using the plectrum, and you'll see the advantage to hybrid picking: your right-hand fingers are already positioned pretty much directly over the strings they're playing, so very little movement is involved. The following descending lick, in the key of G, uses hybrid picking along with chromatic approach notes to create another familiar country-style lick:
It may help to count the 16th note triplets throughout the above lick to cement the feel of it. The final hybrid picking example, once again in the key of G (can you spot a theme here with country-sounding licks and the key of G?), uses more of a double-stop approach to create a punchy feel. Try looping the two bars to get into the groove of the lick
With all of the above examples, pay particular attention to the right-hand fingerings indicated. The potential for fresh ideas when using hybrid-picking is bordering on limitless, so experiment as much as possible with incorporating the style into your playing. Suggest listening: Brad Paisley (Solo) Brent Mason (Solo) Eric Johnson (Solo) Tommy Emmanuel (Solo) Danny Gatton (Solo)
String Skipping String skipping as a technique is probably the least-widely used of all the techniques mentioned in this article, yet of all of them it is the technique that can potentially introduce the most individual sound to a guitarist. Just as the name implies, string skipping involves skipping adjacent strings within a guitar line. If you consider a typical line that you might play, it's highly likely that notes played on one string are followed by one or more notes played on a string adjacent to the original string. The great advantage that string skipping brings with it is the larger intervals that it naturally introduces, instantly creating lines that are non-typical for a guitar player to use. The first example below simply shows the E minor pentatonic (shape 1) played in a string skipping fashion:
Play through the example and listen to the sound created by the string skips. Do these interval leaps sound like lines you would normally play? Try playing the line in reverse (starting the shape on the lower strings) for variation. The picking directions indicated aren't set in stone – you may find another way of picking the same notes that feels more natural to you. The following example shows an ascending E minor arpeggio followed by a descending A minor arpeggio, resolving to the A note:
Be sure to acknowledge the triplet feel of the lick, By looking at the tab the first instinct may be to play the lick as pairs of notes, but the aim is to swing it slightly by playing the triplets. Also be sure to examine the note choice to see why the example outlines E minor and A minor. How could adjust the lick to outline E major and A major instead of their minor equivalents? (Hint: raise any minor 3rds and minor 7ths found in the respective arpeggios). How could you extend the lick to keep climbing the fretboard to cover C major (ascending) and D minor (descending) arpeggios?
The final example shown below works over a G major chord, and primarily uses notes from the G major triad, along with a few extra notes from the G major scale:
Play the lick and hear how it outlines the strong G major tonality. Does it sound like a typical guitar lick? How could the lick be adapted to fit over G minor instead of G major? Can you play the lick again, but play beat 3 using hybrid picking and beat 4 using a downwards sweep? The possibilities of string skipping are truly endless, so try experimenting to see what lines you can create. Suggested listening: Carl Verheyen (Solo) Eric Johnson (Solo) Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme)
Combination Licks The following section demonstrates three licks that combine the techniques previously explained in this article to create some slightly more ‘unusual’ ideas. As with anything musical, blending genres/techniques/scales together in any form always has the potential to push your playing into new areas, so experimentation is the key here. The first lick below combines sweep picking with tapping. This lick starts with an upwards sweep through a G major arpeggio, and then descends by tapping a different G major arpeggio with the right hand whilst hammering on the original (now descending) arpeggio with the left. The lick ends with a tapped note on the low E string at the 10th fret that is then slid down to the G note at the 3rd fret. For best results, release each left-hand finger in turn on the descent to avoid notes ringing into each other.
The next combination lick examines what happens when you combine sweep picking with string skipping. This lick outlines arpeggios of all the 7th chords found in the harmonized C major scale, in ascending order. These chords are Cmaj7, Dmin7, Emin7, Fmaj7, G7, Amin7, Bm7b5 and finally Cmaj7 again. Each chord is outlined by two triplets; the first three notes are played with an upwards sweep, and the second three notes descend with a downwards sweep. In both directions, the sweeping motion misses out the D and B strings; all notes are played on the A, G, and top E strings.
The very concept of this combination-lick goes against the principle of seeing sweep-picking as the most efficient way to cross adjacent strings, as the string-skipping element means we’re no longer crossing adjacent strings! For comparison, you could try this lick using strict alternate picking to see which you find easier. The final combination lick takes string-skipping and pairs it with strict alternate picking. The stringskipping licks covered earlier in this article all relied on legato to play the majority of notes on the same string. This lick, features single notes on each string and makes use of alternate picking to give the example a very clinical sound. Some of the chord voicings (shown above each 4-note arpeggio) in this example are nice ideas on their own, so there’s plenty to take from it. As always, start slow and work up speed only when you can play it perfectly at slower tempos.
With this final lick be careful not to let the notes ring into each other too much – it should be viewed as a series of arpeggios rather than picking through a set of chord shapes. You may find that slightly palm-muting the bass notes accentuates the upper part of each arpeggio in turn.
General Recommended Listening The following is an ‘author’s favourites’ list of artists (and recommended albums) who have used their incredible technique (and most importantly paired it with great musicality) to produce some of the finest guitar music. These albums cover a wide range of music from rock, country, jazz, acoustic, metal and more. I’d advise checking them all out!..... Artist Brad Paisley Guthrie Govan Brent Mason Nuno Bettencourt Steve Vai Randy Rhoads Eric Johnson Carl Verheyen Jeff Beck Eddie Van Halen John Petrucci Jimmy Bruno Joe Satriani Yngwie Malmsteen Brian May Tommy Emmanuel Album Play Erotic Cakes Hot Wired Pornograffiti Passion & Warfare Blizzard of Ozz Ah Via Musicom Take One Step Blow By Blow Van Halen Images & Words Slight of Hand Surfing With The Alien Rising Force Queen Greatest Hits II Endless Road