Intermediate
Intermediate
- Learn the difference between diatonic and non-diatonic notes.
- Use dissonance to spice up your solos.
- Understand how scales, chords, and non-diatonic notes work together.
Why is it that when soloing some notes that seemingly shouldn’t work, do? And no, it’s not jazz we’re talking about. So get ready to play some dissonant music that sounds wonderful.
Which Are the Wrong Notes?
For the purposes of this lesson, when we’re referring to “wrong” notes, what we honestly mean are “non-diatonic” notes–notes that are not in the home key of the chord progression. For instance, in the key of C major we have the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B and the chords C-Dm-Em-F-G-Am-Bº. Thus, any notes not found in this collection are non-diatonic. As a result, this entire lesson will only use chords from the home key of C major, making the non-diatonic notes easier to identify. Respectively, I’ve also labeled the “wrong” notes as flats, even though sometimes they technically function as sharps.
Spice up Your II-Vs
When it comes to playing “wrong” notes, one of the best places to start is the old I-IV-V progression. While the tradition of the blues obviously fits into this category, I’m going to bypass that genre as there are plenty of other lessons focused on that idiom. Instead, I’m going to jump ahead to the blues’ babies–the first wave of rock and roll from the 1950s; its second wave, the British Invasion; the third wave of American garage rock; and ending with some rock/fusion.
Though I am skipping traditional blues, the chord progression in Ex. 1 is in fact a 12-bar, but without the traditional blues riff. In fact, this feel is more akin to Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-a-Lula,” and the note choices are based on Cliff Gallup’s original solo.
To our 21st-century ears, most of this solo sounds normal, however, in the 1950s, many of these choices were radical to those raised on pop music. That’s because this solo is full of non-diatonic notes, specifically the b7, b5, b3, and b2, all of which can be seen in the notation by looking for the flat symbols. For example, measure one starts on a Bb, aka b7, measure two has a Gb, aka b5, etc. So keep your eyes and ears open for these non-diatonic notes.
One important piece of theory information here: When labeling notes as b7, b5, etc. it’s important to understand that these notes have two relationships, one to the overall key and one to each individual chord it’s being played over. For instance, a Bb is a b7 in the key of C and over a C chord, yet over the F chord the Bb is a 4. Additionally, over the G chord, the Bbis a b3. This can seem confusing at first but just think of it as a familial relationship: A daughter to a mother can also be a sister to a brother. It’s that straightforward: same person, two different relationships.
Ex. 2 is based on another I-IV-V 1950s rock and roll classic, Buddy Holly’s “It’s So Easy.” It would be understandable to presume that this example is merely using the blues scale, but this isn’t true. What this solo, and the entire lesson, emphasizes is that it’s the combination of both diatonic and non-diatonic notes that makes this lead so dynamic. Thus, this solo contains all 12 notes found in Western music! Even better, this solo also contains three so-called “quarter-step” bends (measures five and seven), which are not normally acknowledged in the traditional Western chromatic scale. A solo with 15 different notes… Amazing!
Moving on to a British Invasion era sample, Ex.3 contains non-diatonic notes in both the lead and accompaniment. At this point, it’s worth mentioning that many of the “wrong” notes are what we call chromatic passing tones, meaning we don’t spend a lot of time on these but pass through them on the way to diatonic notes. This can be seen and heard when the accompaniment moves from F to Gb to G, and throughout the solo. This lead also benefits from a “rhythmic motif,” meaning that the rhythm of the lead is consistent throughout the first three measures, which brings cohesion to the solo, and feels satisfying when measure four, surprisingly, varies the rhythm. This example is loosely based on “The Game of Love” by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.
Ex. 4 is our final I-IV-V example, which was inspired by the McCoy’s garage rock-era cover of “Hang On Sloopy,” featuring a young Rick Derringer on guitar. This lead is almost entirely composed of double-stops, combining both diatonic and non-diatonic notes.
Mixolydian Hybrid
Returning to the British Invasion, countless songs from that era employ chord progressions that emphasize the Mixolydian mode, which is to say that they revolve around, and resolve to the V chord, instead of resolving to the I. The Them’s “Gloria” is a prime example. Hence Ex. 5, a Mixolydian hybrid–the progression is pure Mixolydian, the solo is not. While the original “Gloria” solo avoids non-diatonic notes, it does possess a rhythmic motif, which is a triplet figure comparable to the one in our example. As mentioned earlier, a rhythmic motif is a shrewd way to bring cohesion to a solo, even more so when using “wrong” notes. Ex. 5 abuses this privilege by running through a series of triplet groupings. Of particular interest are measures seven and eight, which contain a Db, which is extremely dissonant against the F and C chords yet still works wonderfully.
The Who also had their fair share of Mixolydian progressions (“I Can’t Explain” being perhaps the most famous) and Ex. 6 was inspired by their “Run Run Run,” featuring a solo by a studio musician named Jimmy Page. Unlike Page’s solo, which is largely pentatonic, this lead accentuates the differences between the various diatonic and non-diatonic notes.
Our final example, Ex. 7, is another Mixolydian hybrid inspired by both Jeff Beck’s “Freeway Jam” and Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years.” Once again we enjoy plenty of chromatic passing tones, and also noteworthy is the Gb, in measure four that wants to resolve to G but instead goes to B; and final descending triplets, which, as wrong as many of them are, find structure in their symmetry.
While there are myriad worlds of “wrong” note genres–20th Century classical music, free jazz, art punk, etc.–those are contexts in which wrong become “right” by way of stylistic intent. This lesson has attempted to demonstrate wrong notes in more pedestrian situations, circumstances in which an otherwise “normal” solo may be enhanced by spice, tension, and the unexpected. I hope you’ll attempt some of these ideas the next time you find yourself in a classic rock, country, or even folk jam…because wrong notes are alright!
Intermediate
Beginner
- Develop a better sense of articulation.
- Learn how to combine sweep picking, alternate picking, legato, and economy picking.
- Create phrases that better align with the emotional expression of the music you’re playing.
I remember seeing John Petrucci’s Rock Discipline DVD when I was a teenager and his advice on practicing really stuck with me. Now, I don’t remember any of the specific exercises from that video, but his method for splitting up your allotted practice time was really interesting. According to John, he would divide his time up equally between areas like alternate picking, sweep picking, legato, and tapping. It’s a straightforward idea, and it obviously worked for him, but I want to propose a different approach. I’d like to try to change the way you might think about technique and your technique practice.
I have found that metal players set out to learn every technique on the instrument for its own sake. This leads to a path that equates these techniques to simply motor skills. But how about this: Think of them as unique and transformative sounds and phrasing tools. Speed is a phrasing tool, but nobody cares how you pick that fast passage if the emotion and feel are there.
Instead of practicing exercises for different techniques, choose a piece of music and try to play it in different ways. You could use alternate picking for the entire thing or take a more legato approach. Are there one-note-per-string elements in it that could be swept? Want to improve a certain technique because you like the sound of it? Then don’t do exercises that just apply that technique to ideas you already know. I’ve found you progress a lot faster, and your playing will sound more musical, if you approach technique this way.
Music is not meritocracy; it isn’t about who’s the fastest or cleanest. It’s about expression, and different techniques will allow you to express yourself in different ways on the instrument. Many great players have said in interviews they chose their “signature technique” because it came easy to them or because their musical journey forced them to play a certain way. Per Nilsson has said he favors legato because it came much easier to him than alternate picking. Andy Wood has impeccable alternate picking because he started out on mandolin playing fiddle tunes. Andy James has said in interviews that he barely ever sweeps because it feels unnatural to him and he’s not very good at it (although I have seen him do some pretty impressive sweeps). Let’s dive into a few examples and see how you can apply various techniques to each one to create different sounds, accents, and feels.
The first idea (Ex. 1) starts out with a fairly straightforward descending scalar lick taking ideas from early Whitesnake and Deep Purple solos. The whole idea has a C Dorian (C–D–Eb–F–G–A–Bb) sound. After the descending scalar idea, we go into an intervallic phrase that slides up the scale and playing the respective diatonic sixth of each note we ascend in the scale before ending the lick on a Cm7 (C–Eb–G–Bb) arpeggio idea.
The first example was played with mostly alternate picking. Personally, I prefer an alternate-picking approach for scalar ideas like this. It’s just easier to stay in the pocket for me. Ex. 2 is the same idea played with more hammer-ons and pull-offs, or legato. Pick once per string and let the left hand do the rest of the work. For the intervallic sixths I used hybrid picking.
Ex. 3 mixes different techniques to accent certain notes and create a more dynamic sound. This is probably how I’d play this idea most of the time unless I’m going for particularly aggressive picked sound.
The second idea has more of a fusion sound and starts out with a F#m7 arpeggio (F#–A–C#–E) idea with a few notes added in for color and to accommodate the pattern. After I ascend the arpeggio I go into a descending chromatic line before ending on a pentatonic idea sliding up the neck and ending on the b3 (A) of F#. I’d typically use this lick over an F# minor vamp. Ex. 4 Is how I’d play it using legato technique. It’s a mix of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and economy picking for the arpeggio and pretty straight forward legato for the chromatic and pentatonic ideas.
In Ex. 5 I economy pick the entire arpeggio idea and add a little hammer-on before descending the chromatic phrase. This way I can start the rest of the lick on a downstroke.
Strictly alternate picking this idea is quite a challenge but I’ve given it my best shot in Ex. 6. It’s rhythmically more in the pocket but it’s not as fluent for me as other techniques. It’s great practice for your right hand if you like the sound and want focus on alternate picking.
The last idea is based on Andy Timmons’ incredible song “Groove or Die” but in a different mode and key. It’s a descending sequenced D major arpeggio (D–F#–A) which goes into an ascending three-note-per-string D major scale (D–E–F#–G–A–B–C#) that can be looped. In Ex. 7 I strictly alternate pick the entire idea, which sounds rhythmically tight but limits my speed significantly.
You can hear how this sounds with sweep picking and legato in Ex. 8.
Ex. 9 is how I personally find it the most comfortable to play. A mix of alternate picking, slides, and pull-offs. You could also economy pick the ascending part but I find it easier to stay in the pocket with alternate picking for scalar ideas.
Feel free to mix and match different techniques to find what’s most comfortable and pay close attention to how it sounds. This will help you develop a healthier attitude towards technique and how to practice in order to improve it. Techniques are just tools to express phrases in different ways and shouldn’t be practiced solely for the sake of being able to do them. The music always comes first!
Just take your musical vitamins!
Intermediate
Beginner
•Create a goal-oriented warm-up routine.
• Learn to outline all 12 major scales in a single position.
• Develop an understanding of tremolo picking, quintuplets, and the chromatic scale.
Warm-ups aren’t just about limbering up your fingers. Warming up helps with focus and confidence. It’s difficult to go into a performance cold. Whether it’s a Broadway show, a Carnegie Hall performance, a bar gig, or any formal or informal setting, you need a warm-up routine. Like a runner who needs to stretch before a competition, a musician needs to get their mind and body ready before a performance. Though there is a flood of method books on the market along with YouTube tricks and tips, there is no standard canon of technical exercises available for electric guitar. As a professional guitarist over the years, I’ve seen the need for an effective, comprehensive, yet quick warm-up routine.
The Warm-Up Routine
The following are ten specific exercises, appropriate for both hands with a focus on picking, and when played at tempo should take about five minutes. You’ll be ready to play just about anything and still have your energy to devote to the gig. The idea is to be able to practice technique that surpasses the demand of what you’ll be playing. These are easy to memorize and highly portable, without having to carry books or download an app.
Directions: Use alternate picking for all exercises except for the sweep picking one. Be mindful of the picking as it is important to develop monster technique. Play all notes evenly and cleanly at a slow tempo before gradually speeding it up.
Ex. 1 is probably the exercise I despise the most. It was shown to me by a guitar phenom/colleague in graduate school. He played it fast with no errors, clinks, or hesitations. It sounded angular and I hadn’t heard anything like it before, so it piqued my interest. What makes it difficult is the alternate picking on each string, with only one note per string.
Start with one finger per fret from the 6th to the 3rd strings. Then bring the fingering down to the next four strings starting on the 5th string. Continue to move the shape until you run out of strings. The left-hand pattern will be 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3, 1-2, 1. At this point, move down a fret and invert the shape starting on the 1st string. Keep this up until you reach the 1st fret. It’s challenging to play cleanly, but it sounds cool and is a necessary technique.
Ex. 2 encapsulates the difficulties of guitar playing in a single measure. This one focuses on string crossing and pick direction. Be aware of the extra note added to the pattern. It turns the picking direction around, providing an opportunity to begin a phrase with an upstroke. I find that my picking gets tripped up when the pattern changes, making this a good example to overcome this technical challenge.
The most basic and traditional form of the major scale is shown in Ex. 3. What makes this challenging is a combination of two- and three-notes-per-string shapes while alternate picking. You end up straying from a predictable flow of notes per string. Play this one four times to train your picking hand to accurately get this skill down.
So, you say you know the major scale? This may be one of the more difficult ones. The premise in Ex. 4 is that wherever you are on the neck you have access to all notes and scales without shifting to a more comfortable fingering. When you’re playing over a chord change or an idea, you want to be able to play the next note within reach. The moment you have to shift to play a line, often your thinking stops and creativity is averted.
This may even be more of a mental exercise than physical. It requires keeping track of several items at the same time: moving through all keys in the cycle of fourths, the direction of the scale, and finding the correct note in position, all at a racing pace (eventually).
Play the major scales in one position without shifting positions. The object is to play within a four to five fret span without using open strings. There are four directions for this exercise: up, down, alternating up/down, and alternating down/up.
This is more of a quasi-classical guitar passage where the right-hand fingers do the work (Ex. 5). Specifically, it’s a pedal-point exercise where one note stays the same while other notes are moving. It really works up alternate picking technique with the triplet part.
Ex. 6 is one I would play before a performance. When I started performing on Broadway, I realized the involvement and demand of the right hand. Fast picking is determined by tremolo technique, so I wrote a tremolo part on a G minor arpeggio leading up to a Bach excerpt (1st violin Sonata BWV 1001 Presto).
Ex. 7 is all about pentatonic quintuplets. Notice that for each starting note of the five-note group, the pick direction will be the opposite from the previous one. It sounds amazing when played fast, a la Eric Johnson.
Perhaps the chromatic scale is already everyone’s go-to warm-up. However, Ex. 8 utilizes open strings combined with fretted notes in the first position, which is a challenge. This may be on par with something out of Mel Bay Book 1, but try playing it fast and clean.
To play modern ideas on guitar, you have to know sweep picking. Since sweeping uses different musculature, it will feel odd or different at first. Start off slowly with triplets, then take the same note pattern and play 16th-notes followed by quintuplets. Ex. 9 aids in both picking and rhythmic control.
Ex. 10 breaks out of narrow, scale-step intervals and branches off into wider intervals, like 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, and 7ths. The techniques involve string skipping and a plethora of different shapes. Practicing intervals is an excellent ear training exercise and should be done daily—like taking vitamins.
I hope this warm-up routine brings you a newly heightened technique and much success in your musical performances. Until next time, happy shredding and enjoy the journey!