4th Snake Exercises: Fun With a Variation of the Pentatonic Scale

4:1 At the 5^th fret, on the 6^th string, the fattest string, ascend a whole tone. Ascending a whole tone is the equivalent to ascending two half steps. When you ascend a whole step from the 5^th fret, the fret you with end on is the 7^th fret.

4:2 When ascending from the 5^th fret chromatically, the notes using standard tuning are A, and B.

4:3 First, when doing this pattern use all down strokes when you pick the notes.

4:4 Second, when doing this pattern use up and down picking patterns.

4:5 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7, on the 6^th string.

4:6 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 5^th string.

4:7 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 4^th string.

4:8 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 3^rd string.

4:9 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 2^nd string.

4:10 In order, play fret 5, fret 7, then fret 5 on the 1^st string.

4:11 Repeat steps 4:5-4:10 doing all DOWN STROKES.

4:12 Repeat steps 4:5-4:10 doing all ALTERNATING STROKES.

4:13 Repeat steps 4:5-4:10 doing using PALM MUTING of the played string with all DOWN STROKES.

4:14 Repeat steps 4:5-4:10 doing using PALM MUTING of the played string with all ALTERNATING STROKES.

4:15 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 1^st string.

4:16 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 2^nd string.

4:17 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 3^rd string.

4:18 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 4^th string.

4:19 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 5^th string.

4:20 In order, play fret 5, then fret 7 on the 6^th string.

4:21 Repeat steps 4:15-4:20 doing all DOWN STROKES.

4:22 Repeat steps 4:15-4:20 doing all ALTERNATING STROKES.

4:23 Repeat steps 4:15-4:20 doing using PALM MUTING of the played string with all DOWN STROKES.

4:24 Repeat steps 4:15-4:20 doing using PALM MUTING of the played string with all ALTERNATING STROKES.

4:25 Repeat steps 4:5-4:24 assigning a finger to each fret. The 5^th fret will always be played by the index finger. The 7^th fret will always be played by the ring finger.

4:26 The distance between two adjacent frets is a half step. A distance of 2 frets, as in the case of fret 5 and fret 7 is a whole step.

4:27a Repeat steps 4:5-4:25 a half step up. Thus, on strings 1 through 6 the same exercise will be performed. Thus, play the 6^th fret with the index finger. Play the 8^th fret with the ring finger.

4:27b Repeat steps 4:5-25 up a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:27. These are frets 7, and 9.

4:27c Repeat steps 4:5-25 up a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:28. These are frets 8, and 10.

4:27c Repeat steps 4:5-25 up a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:29. These are frets 9, and 11.

4:27d Repeat steps 4:5-25 up a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:30. These are frets 10, and 12.

4:27e Repeat steps 4:5-25 up a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:31. These are frets 11, and 13.

4:28a Now it is time to descend. Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a whole step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:32. These are frets 12 and 10.

4:28b Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:30. These are frets 9, and 11.

4:28c Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:29. These are frets 8, and 10.

4:28d Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:28. These are frets 7, and 9.

4:28e Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:27. These are frets 6, and 8.

4:29f Repeat steps 4:5-25 down a half step from where your fretting fingers were in 4:27. These are frets 5, and 7.

4:30 Reverse the order. Instead of playing frets 5, and then 7, play this order, 7, 5.

4:31 Play frets 7, 5 on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:31a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:32b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:31c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:32 Play frets 8, 6, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:32a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:32b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:32c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:33 Play frets 9, 7, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:33a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:33b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:33c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:34 Play frets 10, 9, 8, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:34a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:34b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:34c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:35 Play frets 11, 9, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:35a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:35b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:35c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:36 Play frets 12, 10 on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:36a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:36b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:36c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:37 Play frets 13, 11 on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:37a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:37b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:37c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:38 Move the descending 1 whole step pattern down the fret board. Play frets 13, 11, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:38a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:38b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:38c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:39 Play frets 12, 10, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:39a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:39b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:39c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:40 Play frets 11, 9, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:40a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:40b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:40c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:41 Play frets 10, 8, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:41a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:41b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:41c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:42 Play frets 9, 7, on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:42a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:42b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:42c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:43 Play frets 8, 6 on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

4:43a Play without palm muting using down strokes.

4:43b Play with palm muting using alternating strokes.

4:43c Play with palm muting using down strokes.

4:44 Play frets 7, 5 on strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

4:45 The reason why I haven’t yet suggested playing above the 14^th fret or below the 5^th fret is to prevent the student from stressing their left hand too much.

4:46 The reason that 3 fingers are not used on the 4^th string (Compare 3^rd Snake Exercises) and 2 on all the rest is that in these patterns, is that the 4^th string contains an octave. Playing with respect to octaves helps make music tonal. Tonal music sounds better than atonal music.