Expand your playing by limiting your options.
Intermediate
Intermediate
- Learn how to "trick" yourself into creativity.
- Understand how to focus on a single rhythmic motif through a progression.
- Develop a better sense of articulation, time, and phrasing.
Improvisation is one of the great joys in music that celebrates spontaneity and self-expression. It gives us a chance to explore our instrument and what we naturally hear and feel in an open format. Limitations help challenge us to improvise inside specific parameters and, as a result, can break us out of our typical musical vocabulary.
It is all too easy to devolve into incessant noodling when presented with a blank harmonic canvas. While this may be a blast to participate in, it doesn't necessarily mean it's fun for an audience to listen to, or that our ideas are linking together thoughtfully. Adding limitations can pave the way to inspiration.
These could include limiting yourself to a set of notes or a shape, creating phrases out of the same rhythmic idea, or physically restricting your access on the fretboard. If a personal goal is developing more focus with improvisation or getting more music out of fewer elements, this approach is highly recommended and can be a lot of fun.
The following examples will apply to a blues progression in the key of Ab, but can be used in any situation regardless of simplicity or complexity.
In Ex. 1 the limitation is only playing on the 4th and 2nd strings. This approach immediately shatters access to most of the pentatonic lines that many of us play, and makes us look for horizontal connections on the fretboard for ideas that we might generally play in a vertical box. Using sixths is one of the easier things to make music out of here, so there are a few of those for sure. Having less access to the fretboard will immediately create different ideas, and this limitation certainly facilitates that.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 1
The "Django" Limitation
This one is a Django limitation (Ex. 2), imagining that a caravan fire partially mangled our fretting hand, only leaving us with the use of the first two fingers. With such a physical limit, the ideas are naturally a little simpler, more horizontal than vertical, and provide an absorbing challenge. Even playing phrases that we naturally hear can call for a different layout on the fretboard when playing with two fingers instead of four. I tend to notice myself using more slides with this approach.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 2
Ex. 3 uses the same general rhythm of four consecutive eighth-notes for every idea through the chorus. We can place the four notes anywhere in the bar, but the rhythmic idea's consistency brings more attention to the note choices and allows us to hear them in a unique context. This one is helpful in any style and gives the listener something to grab onto almost immediately. Feel free to try doing this with longer rhythmic phrases as well.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 3
Bending is the focus of Ex. 4, and while the intention was to make every note a bend, there are a few cheater notes in there. This approach can help bring out different articulations, get us thinking about pitches above and below a particular scale shape, and be physically challenging since we usually have to support bends with more than one finger. Remember that these can include regular half- or whole-step bends, pre-bends, or double-stop bends.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 4
Ex. 5 uses double-stops (mostly thirds) exclusively in this chorus. This limitation helps us see a little more harmony in the scale than we might notice with single-note lines. Also, the physicality of playing two notes together for the left hand makes our ideas a little simpler, curbing the temptation of flashier playing in this context. There was quite a bit of horizontal movement here, but another angle would be to try this while staying in a single position.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 5
Ex. 6 can be tricky, but extremely rewarding once you get a hold of it. In this case, the limitation was to use one note over the entire chorus (an F on the 2nd string). Having little or no access to any other melodic options forces us to rely on rhythm, phrasing, articulation, or any other fundamental musical element. Another useful variation is using only a metronome and stick with two notes on one string for 3 to 5 minutes. If we can make one or two notes work, we can make almost anything work.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 6
Our last example (Ex. 7) is limiting us to a moving a melodic shape up the neck but keeping it inside the Mixolydian scales that follow the chord changes. If we harmonize a musical phrase through the entire scale, we can create six other lines or alternate versions of the same idea, a similar process to what we would naturally do with a chord scale. This approach results in many different melodic variations on the original phrase, but they are potentially useful together since they are all inside the harmony. Aside from the melodic thread of playing the same kinds of shapes, similar rhythmic placement also gives the listener a tangible element to grab.
Limitless Limitations Ex. 7
The above approaches are places to start if nothing else. Working with limitations helps us find new sounds and methods on the fretboard, expand our ideas a little longer than usual, and open our musical vocabulary in new and exciting ways. The beauty of limitations is that everyone will apply them differently and uniquely. Even using one that seems generic will naturally highlight our distinct musical voice and choices.
Using these is somewhat like running with weights on or swinging three baseball bats together. Once we run, swing, or solo in an actual situation, it can feel easier and freer, and we may have different ideas we can follow and build on. Sticking to a limitation for a short amount of time can create enough breadcrumbs the listener can track where they share in our excitement of creating improvised music in real time. Feel free to get creative, as any limitation we naturally conceive will likely prove valuable to our playing and improvisational development. They are always available at any moment you are playing music.
A gateway into some of the most recognizable Vai-isms.
Advanced
Intermediate
·Develop a deeper sense of subdivisions.
·Learn how to combine odd groupings.
·Perfect the “Yngwie” pattern.
I had the pleasure of taking part in a project a couple of years back breaking down Steve Vai’s playing on David Lee Roth’s Eat Em and Smile album. Safe to say my fingers were fried after three months of practicing, but there were so many creative ideas to learn from. Late ’80s and early ’90s Vai is really something to behold, as he was featured in huge bands and changed the face of instrumental guitar. I want to look at some technical aspects of what he would do in terms of linear lines and expressions. My hope is that by learning them, you can take them and make them your own. Let’s dive in!
Ex. 1 is a classic Vai-ism in D minor. It’s a descending line loosely based around a series of triads with a few extra bits put in. The first beat centers on a D minor triad (D–F–A), the second beat hovers around a B diminished triad (B–D–F), and the third beat uses an A minor triad (A–C–E) to give a V-I pull back to the root note on beat 4. I love the idea of the two-note pull-off followed by a slide to transition between the cells.
Ex. 2 is similar to Ex. 1 in terms of layout, however there are a few twists. Most notably with the two-note-per-string hammer-ons shifting down two positions. This legato “smear” of notes is a trademark Vai-ism that pops up in tons of his solos and improvisations. We finish the line with a huge position shift down to a G Minor pentatonic pull-off phrase. A notable ornament of Vai’s spectacular playing.
Vai and Joe Satriani share a lot of common ground in terms of legato playing. They are known for taking three-note-per-string phrases and cramming notes into the beat for a cool washy sound. However, Vai sometimes would really focus on the odd subdivisions that these patterns would create. A sure sign of the influence Allan Holdsworth had with his angular-sounding lines. In Ex. 3 you can see how I would approach this by combining sextuplets with septuplets.
Ex. 4 is another legato run in E minor. However, this time we’re adding a tapped note at the 12th fret on each string at the top of each legato “roll.” Don’t be alarmed by the subdivisions in the transcription, these are more of a “pointer” towards the groupings. My performance note would be to practice this slowly as eighth-notes or slow 16th-notes before speeding up. Then when things are ticking along well, just go for it!
This phrase (Ex. 5) opens with a rather unique sequence for Vai: a five-note pattern played over a 16th-note rhythm. You can hear this pattern on some of his Alcatrazz material, and within the tapping runs in solos such as “Big Trouble.” The quintuplet uses notes from A minor pentatonic (A–C–D–E–G) spread out over two positions. Each pattern starts with a tapped note before pulling off to a chord tone. Then, I skip a string and play a descending three-note group. I continue this up to the top string before descending a line based around an Fmaj9 arpeggio (F–A–C–E–G).
Vai has some ferocious picking runs and when I hear Guthrie Govan go into full-on shred mode I can most notably hear the Vai influence on him. Ex. 6 features an ascending run of sextuplets in A minor. This phrase features mostly ascending notes on each string until the last two beats where we run into an Al Di Meola/Paul Gilbert-style pattern.
Ex. 7 is a flurry of notes, however there is some sense to how they are played. Keep in mind that this is phrased with three-note-per-string patterns. If we dissect the fingerings a bit, I use the classic “Yngwie” pattern of six to kick things off and then I use three groups of seven before wrapping with three groups of five. Don’t think of these in relationship to the beat, but more for just “building” the run. Practice with even 16ths or eighth-notes at first. When it comes to playing it at full speed, pick like the wind!
These unusual, almost symmetrical, patterns turn up in all kinds of places in Vai’s playing. Ex. 8 is a fun Vai phrase that outlines a series of minor 11 arpeggios. Each pattern is identical, so it’s best to play this with sweep picking and aim for an even feel. Try saying the word “hippopotamus” when playing through quintuplets to line up the syllables with the subdivisions. When Vai plays these, he lets them blur slightly, turning them into sheets of sound. Or sometimes he uses them to simply highlight the top note by sweeping so fast that it’s almost inaudible—in a cool way!
So there we have it, eight technical linear lines inspired by the amazing Steve Vai. Learning lines from your favorite artists is good, but it really starts to count when you take away the concepts and re-shape them your own way. Vai is a well of inspiration for tons of guitarists. Long may he continue!
It doesn’t have to be all cowboy boots and yee-haws!
Intermediate
Beginner
• Learn how to comp using hybrid picking.
• Add nuance to your playing by combining pick and finger string attacks.
• Add speed and fluidity to your lead playing.
The first thing most guitarists think of when they hear the phrase “hybrid picking” is undoubtedly twangy Telecasters. While that may be the most common use of hybrid picking, it is far from the only application. Diving into hybrid picking opens a whole new world of control, timbre possibilities, ideas, speed, and more.
As beginning guitarists start to move into the intermediate level, they typically build speed by practicing alternate or economy picking. It makes complete sense–especially to someone who’s new to the journey–that if you’re holding a pick, that’s what you should strike the strings with. I grew up learning how to play taking a slightly different route. Personally, I found it easier to be faster–and cleaner–to hybrid pick phrases, lines, and solos. It clicked with me and therefore was the technique I homed in on when growing from a beginner to an intermediate player. My alternate and economy techniques still aren’t as comfortable as hybrid picking, so here are some ideas from a guy that learned things from a bit of a different perspective. If you feel like your playing has plateaued, this might help you to keep climbing.
Small note: I use the pad of my fingers when hybrid picking and not the nail.
Step 1: Focus on the Small Differences
In Ex. 1 you’ll find what I consider to be one of the main benefits of getting comfortable with hybrid picking. I pick every note of the phrase on the first pass, but hybrid pick it on the second. On the second pass, the root note (open 4th string) is the only note the pick hits. I generally like to approach hybrid picking with an “each finger is assigned a string” method, meaning in this example the middle finger picks the note on the 3rd string and the ring finger picks the note on the 2nd string. Listening to the same two phrases played differently, you’ll note that there’s a tad more feel and nuance the second time through. These are subtle but can make all the difference in the world when it comes to creating, playing, recording, or performing parts. The combination of a mountain’s worth of small differences like this are what sets the pros apart!
Step 2: How to Play Chords with Hybrid Picking
Ex. 2 is how I love to use hybrid picking when comping. In this example the pick is handling everything on the 5th string while the middle finger picks the 4th string, the ring finger picks the 3rd string, and the pinky picks the 2nd string. Not only does hybrid picking this groove allow for a ton of control, it allows the pick to rhythmically separate from the rest of the fingers, creating a faux bassline. Again, using the middle, ring, and pinky fingers give a softer touch to the upper end of the chords, creating a more nuanced feel.
Step 3: Time to Go Low
Taking the idea of the pick handling the low end of the chords and giving the notes focus while the fingers contribute to clarity and softness on the upper end of the chords, we get Ex. 3. The pick only strikes the 6th string, while the middle finger picks the 3rd string, and the ring finger picks the 2nd string. This example of hybrid picking is widely used by guys like John Mayer and allows a player to have a ridiculous amount of control over what strings are being struck when playing something clean such as this.
Step 4: Let’s Get Sweeping
Applying this concept to lead playing, Ex. 4 replaces what would typically be an upward sweep with hybrid picking. The pick strikes the A note on the 7th fret of the 4th string. Then, the middle finger picks the C# on the 6th fret of the 3rd string, the ring finger picks the E note on the 5th fret of the 2nd string, and the pick strikes the F# on the 7th fret of the 2nd string. This is followed by a downward sweep of the same notes in reverse order. To end the lick, I pick the open 4th string. That’s when hybrid picking allows me to play a rolled Dmaj7 chord. These two embellishments are highly useful when both soloing and comping, and once again are a small touch that provides some “spice.”
Step 5: Enough with the Clean Stuff
Ex. 5 is a lick I use (I should probably say abuse) consistently. My sweep picking skills are abysmal. In part because I haven’t dedicated the appropriate time to practice them, but also partly because I tend to hybrid pick as a cheat or workaround. The lick is based on a G major arpeggio beginning at the 10th fret of the 5th string. I then pick the 4th string with my middle finger and the 3rd string with my ring finger. From there, I gather for a few notes with the pick on the 3rd string and repeat the pattern again across the fretboard. However, the second hybrid-picked part of the lick begins by striking the 9th fret of the 3rd string with the pick, then using my middle finger to pick the 8th fret of the 2nd string and my ring finger to pick the 7th fret of the 1st string. To end the arpeggio, I strike the 10th fret of the 1st string with the pick. The last bit of the phrase is a garden variety blues lick ending.
Hybrid picking is an extremely valuable tool that I think every guitar player should have in their arsenal. A player can have more control, feel, and timbral options compared to only using a plectrum, and it’s an easier way to add velocity with very minimal right-hand movement or tension. Try hybrid picking different grooves, licks, arpeggiated chord shapes, and even pieces of lead lines you already know to begin exploring how the technique can work for you.