11th Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 1, Position 1. Root, flat 3, 5, 4.

Introduction to the Lesson

A.     1^st 1^st Position Pentatonic Soloing Drills: Mega Lesson Syllabus for 2 String Play of Single Notes

a.      1st Killing the 1^st Position Blues Pentatonic Scales in 4s on the 1^st and 2^nd Strings.

1.      1^st 27 Lessons for Mode 1 Blues Pentatonic Drills in 4/4 Time on String 1 and 2, Position 1

·         11^th Blues Pentatonic Drill:  2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 1, Position 1.   Root, flat 3, 5, 4.

Note1:  Please note, that I call the fattest string, the 1^st string.  Thus, the second fattest string would be the 2^nd string, and the skinniest string would be the 6^th string, and so on.

Note2: If at any time you are experiencing pain during the playing of this exercise or any other exercise I give, then stop immediately!  Please!  It doesn’t help me as a teacher to gain students with tendonitis, or other guitar injuries.

Note3: 1: Refers to the section of pentatonic drills.  In this case, 1 means that the drill is for 1 and 2 strings.  For example, the second section uses 3 strings.

Note4: 1:1  The 2^nd 1 of 1:1 refers to the position of the blues pentatonic scale that is used.  As a pentatonic scale has 5 notes, there are 5 positions.  These positions are all part of a scale.  One can switch between positions and not play any wrong notes.  1:1a-1:1e in its entirety can be raised/lowered as much as 11 half steps to result in modes with root notes in different keys.  Also, note that the pattern changes between the 1^st and 2^nd strings because the intervals between open strings when using standard tuning are not always the same.

1:1a  Position 1 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 12^th fret and 15^th fret.  2^nd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  3^rd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  4^th string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  5^th string; 12^th and 15^th fret.  And the 2^nd string follows the same pattern as the 1^st string.

1:1b  Position 2 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 3^rd and 5^th fret.  2^nd string; 2^nd and 5^th fret.  3^rd string; 2^nd fret and 5^th fret. 4^th string; 2^nd and 4^th fret. 5^th string; 3^rd and 5^th fret. And the 6^th string 3^rd and 5^th fret.

1:1c  Position 3 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  2^nd string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  3^rd string; 5^th and 7^th fret. 4^th string; 4^th and 7^th fret.  5^th string; 5^th and 8^th fret.  6^th string 5^th and 7^th fret.

1:1d  Position 4 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  2^nd string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  3^rd string; 7^th and 9^th fret.  4^th string; 7^th and 9^th fret. 5^th string; 8^th and 10^th fret. And on the 6^th string 7^th and 10^th fret.

1:1e  Position 5 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  2^nd string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  3^rd string; 9^th and 12^th fret.  4^th string; 9^th and 12^th fret. 5^th string; 10^th and 12^th fret. 6^th string 10^th fret and 12^th fret.

Note5: 1:1:1  The third 1 of 1:1:1 refers to the mode of the pentatonic scale that is used.  There are 5 modes.  Though there is at least one major mode and one minor mode, to my knowledge, these modes don’t commonly go by names such as Lydian, or Ionian.

Note6: 1:1:1:7  The 4^th in the sequence: 1:1:1:7 is a 7 and refers to the specific lesson title.  That is that this lesson is a drill that uses the Root note, the 4^th note, and the 5^th note of the 7 note major scale in a pattern, rather than the 4^th and 5^th of the pentatonic scale, etcetera.  That way a 5^th is always going to be a 5^th, even it is the 4^th mode of the pentatonic scale, where a 5^th would be the 5^th note of a major scale with 7 notes.

The Lesson Itself

1:1:1:11:1 A pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale.  Usually, for the blues pentatonic scale, scalar positions have 2 notes per string.  That is there are, 2 possible notes on the 1^st string, 2 possible notes on the 2^nd string, 2 possible notes on the 3^rd string, 2 possible notes on the 4^th string, 2 possible notes on the 5^th string and 2 possible notes on the 6^th string for any given position.  The notes for these exercises will all be played on the 1^st and 2^nd strings, which are the 2 fattest strings.  If your guitar is a standard 6 string with standard 6 string tuning then sometimes the 1st string is called the low E string, and the 2nd string is called the A string.

1:1:1:11:2  I will call the first mode of the blues pentatonic scale to be a minor scale.   5 notes of this pentatonic pattern follow the formula; root, flat 3, 4, 5, and flat 7, where the next note is an octave where the scale repeats itself.  Perhaps, it would be better to call it a hexave, but since intervals are told usually with respect to a 7 note major scale, the 8^th note of the Ionian mode, which is another name for a classical major scale is an octave.  An octave is the same note as the root note, only an octave higher.  In addition, one is often able to solo interchangeably between say the Dorian mode, and a minor Pentatonic scale, where according to the Dorian mode, such that the 8^th note is called an octave, while the same note when only using a minor pentatonic scale could be thought of as a hexave, the 6^th note.  For example, in A Dorian, the octave is the note A, while in A minor pentatonic the hexave is also an A note.  The reason for this paradox is that there are a different number of notes for the scales in question.  That is for A Dorian it takes 7+1 notes to get to the octave, and for A minor pentatonic, which is a similar scale it take only 5+1 notes to get to the same interval, such that it makes sense to determine intervals as relative to the Ionian mode, of which the intervals are 1 (the root), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and the 1, which is also 8, which is also the octave.  The reason for this is that the Ionian mode is to be thought of as having no sharp intervals or flat intervals, even though these scales can be written with sharp notes or flat notes, depending on the key in classical notation.  Here, I have placed before the reader a key to some of the paradox I have written where note and interval may be considered as synonyms, or they might take on a different definition.  Noting this paradox is key for musicians, because notes can be intervals and intervals can be notes, yet if the word interval is used, it will always be with respect to the notes of the Ionian mode, commonly called the major scale, and it is such that for example the notes of the C major scale pattern can be moved up a half step, etc, and the result of moving the scale up a half step can be a Ionian mode in the key of C# major, which has sharps and/or flats on a G clef, etc, though it’s intervals with respect to the Ionian mode are neither flat nor sharp.

1:1:1:11:3   The root note will be the lowest note for this exercise.  The root note does not have to be the first note, nor the lowest note, but for this lesson it will be.  Laying out the pattern root, flat 3, 4, 5, on a fret board that has standard tuning will always follow the following pattern:  On the 1^st string, the root will be the first note, and the second note of the pentatonic scale ascends 3 half step on the same string, which is the 1^st string, and the 4^th is a whole step up from flat three, and is at the same fret as the root note, but on the 2^nd string.  Like the 4^th, the 5^th is also played on the 2^nd string.  This 4 note pattern represents a cross section of the blues pentatonic scale, where each drill will contain between 2 to 4 of this pattern of notes.

1:1:1:11:4  The time signature will be 4/4 time.  That means that it is to be counted in 4s.  Where the 1st note of the 4 note sequence is played slightly louder than or stressed compared the rest.

1:1:1:11:5  Time to play.  Make sure your guitar is in tune, and has standard tuning.  In another blog, I describe how this is to be accomplished through the usual methods.

1:1:1:11:6  With your index play the 12^th note of the 1^st string with a down stroke.  This place on the fret board is usually designated with a double dot marking.  This should be an E note.  Use your right hand to mute all the strings except for the string that is being played.  The next note to be played is a play is a flat 3^rd from the E.  It is also an G note.  It is at the 15^th fret but on the 1^st string.  It is to be carefully played with the pinky such that pain does not occur.  If you feel unable to do this don’t force your hand to play it because that is how injuries occur.  Play the 3^rd note on the 2^nd string with the ring finger, such that the transition actually causes the 1^st string to be muted.  This note is played with an down stroke and is called a 5^th.  In this case the 4^th is an B note in the key of E.  The 4^th is the 4^th note of the sequence.  It is to be played on the 2^nd string.  It is played with an upstroke at the 12^th fret with the ring finger.  Again, it is good to try to mute all the strings, except for the one that you are playing.  Thus, it is such that with this exercise, a pattern is created, with ones fingers, index, pinky, ring, index.

1:1:1:11:7  Next repeat this pattern, always using a down stroke on the 1^st sting when playing the root note.  Play the pattern four times.  Later, sometimes I will indicate that you should use down strokes for each note that is played.

1:1:1:11:8  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  This steps of moving this pattern up and down the fret board cause key changes.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 11^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 13^th  fret using the ring  finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 11^th fret using the index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:11:9 Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 10^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 13^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 12^th fret using the ring finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 10^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:11:10  Repeat the above described pattern moving up and down the fret board, changing keys every time the pattern is moved.  This pattern is well establish in exercises 1-10.

1:1:1:11:11 Repeat 1:1:1:11 6-10, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:11:12 Repeat 1:1:1:11 6-10 using all down strokes and palm mute with your picking hand the ring that you are playing.

1:1:1:11:13 Repeat 1:1:1:11 6-10 using all down strokes, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times, similar to verse 32, working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:10:14  If possible on your guitar, then you may wish to continue this pattern above the 12^th fret, possible up to a 24^th fret if your guitar has one, and then return to the 12^th fret.

**** Seven Worlds by Eric Johnson – He Deserves to Be More Popular

This album is chalk full of great music.  It is smooth, easy, and catchy song writing with tasteful production that won’t scare away women.  Seven Worlds is no disappointment.  Eric Johnson is quite similar to Steely Dan, Bryan Adams, or Dave Matthews.  However, I think because he was initially billed as a guitar virtuoso, rather than just pop music for the yuppies of the 1990s, that he never was able to achieve the following that other similar acts did.

**** A Real Live One by Iron Maiden – Woah oh oh Woah oh Woah oh owe Woah Oh Oh Woah

I hope you find yourself singing along with this chorus!

This album is a great introduction to Iron Maiden’s more recent material at the date of this album’s release.  The above comes from one of the track that is worth listening to over and over, and that anyone will find themselves singing along to.  And, don’t forget Fear of the Dark!  This album has a great version of that song, as we as Be Quick or Be Dead.  This is essentially 1980’s pop that European’s listened to, and it comes highly recommended by American lover of not just metal, but music in general.  That is, even the most snooty of musicians should be able to appreciate the music of A Real Live One.  Additionally, this album come before the time when compression was used on practically everything.  I am not a fan of compression, occasionally I like it.  At the time, some of this material was new, but by now much of this material is classic metal.  I am also of the opinion that with this album the live energy of the songs carries them a few notches higher than the studio recordings.

*** A Dead Live One by Iron Maiden – An Energetic Live Album with Rockin’ Metal Grooves!

There once was a time when I would have rated these albums as 5 stars, but I have fallen out of that stage of my life.  I have to admit though, when I was in high school, and these albums came out, most folk at my high school probably couldn’t have been paid to listen to these cds.  That was in the 90s, and when pop music had fallen to new lows in quality.  When I was a teen, Iron Maiden was a band that I could turn to that was a few notches better than what I was hearing on the local rock radio stations, which didn’t want to have anything to do with heavy metal.  Also, this is a good one to listen to in order to find the roots of metal, which did not use compression in their recording.  Many of these songs are head banging classics, and in my opinion, they sound better on this album than they did on the albums themselves.

The best tracks on this one are Hollowed By Thy Name, and Number of the Beast

For Intermediates: Catchy Heavy Metal Song Reviews. I Walk Beside You by Dream Theater

This would be the token easier song that Dream Theater usually puts on most of their albums and releases as a single.  That said, I think that at the time, this was their best token easy song to date.  If you are interesting in learning the Aeolian mode, which is the most common minor scale, Dream Theater is a great place to begin study of this scale.  They use it in almost all of their songs, usually in the key of E.  Yet, they maximize the use of the scale, such that very few bands could ever hope to player a song that is beyond the level of one of their albums token easy songs.  Token easy for Dream Theater is at the intermediate level! 

35th Guitar Snake Exercises: Adding Playing below the 5th Fret Pt. 16 Open, Ring, Pinky, Middle in 4s

Note:  If at any time you are experiencing pain during the playing of this exercise or any other exercise I give, then stop immediately!  Please!  It doesn’t help me as a teacher to gain students with tendonitis, or other guitar injuries.

Note2:  Palm muting refers to muting the actual string that you are playing, and all the other strings.

Note3:  Without palm muting refers to not muting the string your are playing, while you are playing it, but then muting it after each note, while muting all the other strings.

Note4:  Down strokes refers to playing a string only with a downward motion of the pick.  Thus, the pick starts high hits the string and bounces off, and instead of picking the note with an upstroke of the pick on the rebound, return to a position with the pick above the string before making another down stroke.  This is a style of play Metallica commonly uses.  Generally, a down stroke sounds heavier than an upward stroke, such that using all downward strokes makes for a heavier sound.

Note5:  Alternating strokes refers to picking with upward strokes and downward strokes.  The purpose of alternating strokes is usually to gain speed while picking.

35:1  The first set of exercises I gave was primarily so that one doesn’t injure their fretting hand by stretch too much.  Next, I increase the amount of “jiggas,” to give a picking hand work out.  The lesson-blogs from 30 to 39 will be on strengthening one’s left hand, such that it is better able to reach.  It is probably a good idea not to start here.

35:2  The exercises in this blog will involve the ring finger, the pinky finger and the middle finger.

35:3  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your ring finger, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, and 13^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:4  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your ring finger, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, and 12^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:5  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your ring finger, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, and 11^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

35:6  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your ring finger, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, and 10^th fret again with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:7  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your ring finger, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, and 9^th fret again with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:8  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your ring finger, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, and 8^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:9  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your ring finger, 9^th fret with your pinky finger, and 7^th fret with your middle  finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:10  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your ring finger, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, and 6^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:11  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your ring finger, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, and 5^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:12  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your ring finger, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, and 4^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:13  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your ring finger, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, and 3^rd fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:14  On string 6, at the 1st fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 3^rd fret with your ring finger, 4^th fret with your pinky finger, and 2^nd fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:15  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your ring finger, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, and 3^rd fret  with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:16  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your ring finger, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, and 4^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:17  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your ring finger, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, and 5^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:18  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your ring finger, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, and 6^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:19  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your ring finger, 9^th fret with your pinky finger, and 7^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:21  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your ring finger, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, and 8^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:21  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your ring finger, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, and 9^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:22  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your ring finger, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, and 10^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:23  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your ring finger, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, and 11^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

35:24  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your ring finger, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, and 12^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:25  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your ring finger, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, and 13^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:27  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:25 on the string 5.

35:27  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:25 on the string 4.

35:28  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:25 on the string 3.

35:29  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:25 on the string 2.

35:30  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:25 on the string 1.

35:31  Repeat exercises 35:3 – 35:30 using alternating strokes (up and down) instead of just down strokes.

35:32  Repeat exercises 35:3-35:5 except instead of repeating the each numbered verse 4x; play them 1x, repeating exercises 35:3-2:23 4x and work on the fluidity of your playing.  The first time, do it without palm muting and down strokes.  The second time, do it with palm muting and down strokes. The 3^rd time do it with alternating strokes and without palm muting.  The 4^th time do it with alternating strokes and with palm muting.

35:33  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  For example, on string 6, at the 13th fret, play the following: open, 16^th fret with your ring finger, 17^th fret with your pinky finger, and 15^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:34  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 14th fret, play the following: open, 16^th fret with your ring finger, 17^th fret with your pinky finger, and 15^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:35  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 15th fret, play the following: open, 17^th fret with your ring finger, 18^th fret with your pinky finger, and 16^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:36  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 16th fret, play the following: open, 18^th fret with your ring finger, 19^th fret with your pinky finger, and 17^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:37  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 17th fret, play the following: open, 19^th fret with your ring finger, 20^th fret with your pinky finger, and 18^th fret again with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:38  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 18th fret, play the following: open, 20^th fret with your ring finger, 21^th fret with your pinky finger, and 19^th fret  with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:39  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 19th fret, play the following: open, 21st fret with your ring finger, 22^th fret with your pinky finger, and 20^th fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:39  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 20th fret, play the following: open, 22^nd fret with your ring finger, 23^rd fret with your pinky finger, and 21^st fret with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:40  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 21^st fret, play the following: open, 23^rd fret with your ring finger, 24^th fret with your pinky finger, and 22^nd fret again with your middle finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

35:41  Then,  feel free to work your way back to the 12^th fret using the same pattern.  Possibly consider moving the pattern down the fret in whole steps.  For example, start at the pattern at the 19^th fret, then the 17^th fret, then the 15^th fret, then the 13^th, then the 11^th fret.

For Beginners: Pop Rock Singles Reviews. Hero of the Day by Metallica

My knowledge of Metallica really only goes up to the black album.  I, only heard this song on the radio, and never bought it.  Metallica had taken a different direction, and while I think this song is pretty cool, it is not good enough to spend money on.  Hero of the Day came out when I was at college, as a part of a sellout Metallica album.  I have theorized that someone gave Metallica a huge sum of money in some back room so that they would make a pop album, and that would make room for the younger bands to break through the thick crust of music that is already out there.  Thus, by putting out a sellout album, Metallica, made an album that would let other bands that were just as good get a piece of the corporate pie.  Basically, what I am saying is that when the big metal bands sold out, it made room for bands like, Dark Tranquility, In Flames, Godsmack, nu metal, Dimmu Borgir, and Iced Earth to succeed in America.

For Intermediates: Catchy Heavy Metal Song Reviews. Hollow by Pantera

There is more meaning in this song than most people will ever learn before they are dead.  I am glad to be able to claim that I have seen Pantera live.  They had a pretty good pit, but I have been more sadomasochist pits, which I have enjoyed more.  I saw them at Ozzfest, and as a senior in high school, Pantera’s pit didn’t compare to what was happening in the hardcore scene.  So, that much was kind of a disappointment.  However, as far as the greatness of this song, it is definitely in the category of what I would call awesome.  Ozzfest was probably an end to the better days of Pantera because by then they had a huge following of people that had never moshed before.  

*** Gretchen Goes to Nebraska by King’s X – Good, but There Are More Complex Prog Rock Bands.

I favor what is more complex, just as a matter of personal preference.  I think King’s X are  good band, and though you probably won’t love them, they won’t disappoint you either.

When I listen to this album I can’t help but think that King’s X is incorrectly billed.  To me, King’s X does not seem like a Prog Rock band.  The music comes up just shy of why I would deem as Progressive Rock.  When I think of Prog Rock, names that come to mind are Rush, Dream Theater, Planet X, Queensyrche, and Ring of Fire.  There is no way that this album is in the same league as what those bands and several others regular output.  That actually might be a plus for King’s X, because sometimes complex music can be exhausting to listen to.  That said, compared to what you are likely to hear on the radio, King’s X is probably more complex than what the local rock station will consistently play.

I don’t hear anything different from King’s X and many other bands that are just considered to be rock.  Take for instance maybe the Dave Matthew’s Band, Chicago, or Steely Dan.  They aren’t billed as progressive rock, even though there music is superior, in my opinion to King’s X.  For example, I estimate the complexity of this band as slightly above or at the level of the rock band AC/DC.  I’ll also add that they rock fairly hard.

This makes me suspicious that this band was billed as a progressive rock band instead of a rock n’ roll band because corporate America correctly estimated that this is a way that they could achieve more sales, all the while not offending anyone, and filling a very small niche, which might be termed a Pseudo Progressive Rock.  That is, there is a gazillion Indie bands, but there aren’t so many Prog Rock bands, and that is probably because many musicians prefer to play jazz and classical to rock, especially from the generations King’s X appeals to.

As a general rule those that like progressive rock in my experience have a much more voracious appetite for music, and would be more likely to give a band that they had never heard of a chance, even though they had never heard them before.  Unfortunately, I have yet to hear of a radio station that specialized in Progressive music, and it is such that this whole genre while at the national level, is virtually what many would call underground.  That is, while the market is saturated with Indie rock bands and has been for some time; it is not saturated with Progressive Rock bands, and though the number of Progressive Rock fans are far outnumbered by Rock fans, there is a market for bands that can sneak in under the billing of being a Progressive Rock band, and be more likely to make a living through a marginally questionable categorization.

This is a trend that I feel is quite common in music.  For example, Stratovarious is billed as Progressive Power Metal, but realistically there is hardly any difference from them and bands like Hammer Fall that don’t  claim to be progressive and play “Power Metal,” and the same is true that Stratovarious as a Progressive Rock band fails to achieve the complexity of Metallica, Slayer, or Megadeth when they are playing speed metal. 

1:1:1:10 10th Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 1, Position 1. Root, flat 3, 4, 5.

Introduction to the Lesson

A.     1^st 1^st Position Pentatonic Soloing Drills: Mega Lesson Syllabus for 2 String Play of Single Notes

a.      1st Killing the 1^st Position Blues Pentatonic Scales in 4s on the 1^st and 2^nd Strings.

1.      1^st 27 Lessons for Mode 1 Blues Pentatonic Drills in 4/4 Time on String 1 and 2, Position 1

·         10^th  Blues Pentatonic Drill:  2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 1, Position 1.   Root, flat 3, 4, 5.

Note1:  Please note, that I call the fattest string, the 1^st string.  Thus, the second fattest string would be the 2^nd string, and the skinniest string would be the 6^th string, and so on.

Note2: If at any time you are experiencing pain during the playing of this exercise or any other exercise I give, then stop immediately!  Please!  It doesn’t help me as a teacher to gain students with tendonitis, or other guitar injuries.

Note3: 1: Refers to the section of pentatonic drills.  In this case, 1 means that the drill is for 1 and 2 strings.  For example, the second section uses 3 strings.

Note4: 1:1  The 2^nd 1 of 1:1 refers to the position of the blues pentatonic scale that is used.  As a pentatonic scale has 5 notes, there are 5 positions.  These positions are all part of a scale.  One can switch between positions and not play any wrong notes.  1:1a-1:1e in its entirety can be raised/lowered as much as 11 half steps to result in modes with root notes in different keys.  Also, note that the pattern changes between the 1^st and 2^nd strings because the intervals between open strings when using standard tuning are not always the same.

1:1a  Position 1 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 12^th fret and 15^th fret.  2^nd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  3^rd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  4^th string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  5^th string; 12^th and 15^th fret.  And the 2^nd string follows the same pattern as the 1^st string.

1:1b  Position 2 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 3^rd and 5^th fret.  2^nd string; 2^nd and 5^th fret.  3^rd string; 2^nd fret and 5^th fret. 4^th string; 2^nd and 4^th fret. 5^th string; 3^rd and 5^th fret. And the 6^th string 3^rd and 5^th fret.

1:1c  Position 3 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  2^nd string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  3^rd string; 5^th and 7^th fret. 4^th string; 4^th and 7^th fret.  5^th string; 5^th and 8^th fret.  6^th string 5^th and 7^th fret.

1:1d  Position 4 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  2^nd string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  3^rd string; 7^th and 9^th fret.  4^th string; 7^th and 9^th fret. 5^th string; 8^th and 10^th fret. And on the 6^th string 7^th and 10^th fret.

1:1e  Position 5 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  2^nd string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  3^rd string; 9^th and 12^th fret.  4^th string; 9^th and 12^th fret. 5^th string; 10^th and 12^th fret. 6^th string 10^th fret and 12^th fret.

Note5: 1:1:1  The third 1 of 1:1:1 refers to the mode of the pentatonic scale that is used.  There are 5 modes.  Though there is at least one major mode and one minor mode, to my knowledge, these modes don’t commonly go by names such as Lydian, or Ionian.

Note6: 1:1:1:7  The 4^th in the sequence: 1:1:1:7 is a 7 and refers to the specific lesson title.  That is that this lesson is a drill that uses the Root note, the 4^th note, and the 5^th note of the 7 note major scale in a pattern, rather than the 4^th and 5^th of the pentatonic scale, etcetera.  That way a 5^th is always going to be a 5^th, even it is the 4^th mode of the pentatonic scale, where a 5^th would be the 5^th note of a major scale with 7 notes.

The Lesson Itself

1:1:1:10:1 A pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale.  Usually, for the blues pentatonic scale, scalar positions have 2 notes per string.  That is there are, 2 possible notes on the 1^st string, 2 possible notes on the 2^nd string, 2 possible notes on the 3^rd string, 2 possible notes on the 4^th string, 2 possible notes on the 5^th string and 2 possible notes on the 6^th string for any given position.  The notes for these exercises will all be played on the 1^st and 2^nd strings, which are the 2 fattest strings.  If your guitar is a standard 6 string with standard 6 string tuning then sometimes the 1st string is called the low E string, and the 2nd string is called the A string.

1:1:1:10:2  I will call the first mode of the blues pentatonic scale to be a minor scale.   5 notes of this pentatonic pattern follow the formula; root, flat 3, 4, 5, and flat 7, where the next note is an octave where the scale repeats itself.  Perhaps, it would be better to call it a hexave, but since intervals are told usually with respect to a 7 note major scale, the 8^th note of the Ionian mode, which is another name for a classical major scale is an octave.  An octave is the same note as the root note, only an octave higher.  In addition, one is often able to solo interchangeably between say the Dorian mode, and a minor Pentatonic scale, where according to the Dorian mode, such that the 8^th note is called an octave, while the same note when only using a minor pentatonic scale could be thought of as a hexave, the 6^th note.  For example, in A Dorian, the octave is the note A, while in A minor pentatonic the hexave is also an A note.  The reason for this paradox is that there are a different number of notes for the scales in question.  That is for A Dorian it takes 7+1 notes to get to the octave, and for A minor pentatonic, which is a similar scale it take only 5+1 notes to get to the same interval, such that it makes sense to determine intervals as relative to the Ionian mode, of which the intervals are 1 (the root), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and the 1, which is also 8, which is also the octave.  The reason for this is that the Ionian mode is to be thought of as having no sharp intervals or flat intervals, even though these scales can be written with sharp notes or flat notes, depending on the key in classical notation.  Here, I have placed before the reader a key to some of the paradox I have written where note and interval may be considered as synonyms, or they might take on a different definition.  Noting this paradox is key for musicians, because notes can be intervals and intervals can be notes, yet if the word interval is used, it will always be with respect to the notes of the Ionian mode, commonly called the major scale, and it is such that for example the notes of the C major scale pattern can be moved up a half step, etc, and the result of moving the scale up a half step can be a Ionian mode in the key of C# major, which has sharps and/or flats on a G clef, etc, though it’s intervals with respect to the Ionian mode are neither flat nor sharp.

1:1:1:10:3   The root note will be the lowest note for this exercise.  The root note does not have to be the first note, nor the lowest note, but for this lesson it will be.  Laying out the pattern root, flat 3, 4, 5, on a fret board that has standard tuning will always follow the following pattern:  On the 1^st string, the root will be the first note, and the second note of the pentatonic scale ascends 3 half step on the same string, which is the 1^st string, and the 4^th is a whole step up from flat three, and is at the same fret as the root note, but on the 2^nd string.  Like the 4^th, the 5^th is also played on the 2^nd string.  This 4 note pattern represents a cross section of the blues pentatonic scale, where each drill will contain between 2 to 4 of this pattern of notes.

1:1:1:10:4  The time signature will be 4/4 time.  That means that it is to be counted in 4s.  Where the 1st note of the 4 note sequence is played slightly louder than or stressed compared the rest.

1:1:1:10:5  Time to play.  Make sure your guitar is in tune, and has standard tuning.  In another blog, I describe how this is to be accomplished through the usual methods.

1:1:1:10:6  With your  index play the 12^th note of the 1^st string with a down stroke.  This place on the fret board is usually designated with a double dot marking.  This should be an E note.  Use your right hand to mute all the strings except for the string that is being played.  The next note to be played is a play is a flat 3^rd from the E.  It is also an G note.  It is at the 15^th fret but on the 1^st string.  It is to be carefully played with the pinky such that pain does not occur.  If you feel unable to do this don’t force your hand to play it because that is how injuries occur.  Play the 3^rd note on the 2^nd string with the ring, such that the transition actually causes the 1^st string to be muted.  This note is played with an down stroke and is called a 4^th.  In this case the 5^th is an B note in the key of E.  The 5^th is the 4^th note of the sequence.  It is to be played on the 2nd string.  It is played with an upstroke at the 14^th fret with the ring finger.  Again, it is good to try to mute all the strings, except for the one that you are playing.  Thus, it is such that with this exercise, a pattern is created, with ones fingers, index, pinky, index, ring.

1:1:1:10:7  Next repeat this pattern, always using a down stroke on the 1^st sting when playing the root note.  Play the pattern four times.  Later, sometimes I will indicate that you should use down strokes for each note that is played.

1:1:1:10:8  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  This steps of moving this pattern up and down the fret board cause key changes.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 11^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 11^th  fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 13^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:9 Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 10^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 13^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 10^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 12^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:10  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 9^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 12^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 9^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 11^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:11  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 8^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 11^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 8^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 10^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:12  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 7^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 10^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 7^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 9^th fret using the ring.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:13  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 6^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 9^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 6^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 8^th fret using the ring.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:14  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 5^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 8^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 5^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 7^th fret using the  ring.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:15  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 4^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 7^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 4^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 6^th fret using the ring.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:16  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 3^rd fret using the index finger, 1^st string 6^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 3^rd fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 5^th fret using the ring.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:17  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 2^nd fret using the index finger, 1^st string 5^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 2^nd fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 4^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:18  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 1^st fret using the index finger, 1^st string 4^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 1^st fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 3^rd fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:19  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string open, 2^nd  string 3^rd fret, 2^nd string open, and finish with the 4^th note, a 5^th at the 2^nd fret on the 2^nd string.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:20  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 1^st fret using the index finger, 1^st string 4^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 3^rd fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 3^rd fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:21  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 2^nd fret using the index finger, 1^st string 5^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 4^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 4^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:22  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 3^rd fret using the index finger, 1^st string 6^th fret using the pinky  finger, 2^nd string 5^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 5^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:23  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 4^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 7^th fret using the pinky  finger, 2^nd string 6^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 6^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:24  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 5^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 8^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 7^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 7^th fret using the  pinky  .  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:25  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 6^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 9^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 8^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 8^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:26  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 7^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 10^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 7^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 9^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:27  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 8^th  fret using the index finger, 1^st string 11^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 8^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 10^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:28  Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 9^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 12^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 9^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 11^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:29 Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 10^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 13^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 10^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 12^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:30 Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 11^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd  string 14^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 13^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:31 Next, play the same pattern a half step higher.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 12^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 15^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 15^th fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 14^th fret using the ring finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.

1:1:1:10:32 Repeat 1:1:1:10 6-31, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:10:33 Repeat 1:1:1:10 6-31 using all down strokes and palm mute with your picking hand the ring that you are playing.

1:1:1:10:34 Repeat 1:1:1:10 6-31 using all down strokes, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times, similar to verse 32, working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:10:35  If possible on your guitar, then you may wish to continue this pattern beyond the 12^th fret, possible up to a 24^th fret if your guitar has one, and then return to the 12^th fret.

34th Guitar Snake Exercises: Adding Playing below the 5th Fret Pt. 15 Open, Pinky, Middle, Index in 4s

Note:  If at any time you are experiencing pain during the playing of this exercise or any other exercise I give, then stop immediately!  Please!  It doesn’t help me as a teacher to gain students with tendonitis, or other guitar injuries.

Note2:  Palm muting refers to muting the actual string that you are playing, and all the other strings.

Note3:  Without palm muting refers to not muting the string your are playing, while you are playing it, but then muting it after each note, while muting all the other strings.

Note4:  Down strokes refers to playing a string only with a downward motion of the pick.  Thus, the pick starts high hits the string and bounces off, and instead of picking the note with an upstroke of the pick on the rebound, return to a position with the pick above the string before making another down stroke.  This is a style of play Metallica commonly uses.  Generally, a down stroke sounds heavier than an upward stroke, such that using all downward strokes makes for a heavier sound.

Note5:  Alternating strokes refers to picking with upward strokes and downward strokes.  The purpose of alternating strokes is usually to gain speed while picking.

34:1  The first set of exercises I gave was primarily so that one doesn’t injure their fretting hand by stretch too much.  Next, I increase the amount of “jiggas,” to give a picking hand work out.  The lesson-blogs from 30 to 39 will be on strengthening one’s left hand, such that it is better able to reach.  It is probably a good idea not to start here.

34:2  The exercises in this blog will involve the pinky finger, the middle finger and the index finger.

34:3  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, 13^th fret with your middle finger, and 12^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:4  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, 12^th fret with your middle finger, and 13^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:5  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, 11^th fret with your middle finger, and 12^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

34:6  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, 10^th fret with your middle finger, and 11^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:7  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, 9^th fret with your middle finger, and 10^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:8  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, 8^th fret with your middle finger, and 9^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:9  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your pinky finger, 7^th fret with your middle finger, and 8^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:10  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, 6^th fret with your middle finger, and 7^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:11  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, 5^th fret with your middle finger, and 6^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:12  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, 4^th fret with your middle finger, and 5^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:13  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, 3^rd fret with your middle finger, and 4^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:14  On string 6, at the 1st fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your pinky finger, 2^nd fret with your middle finger, and 3^rd fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:15  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, 3^rd fret with your middle finger, and 4^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:16  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, 4^th fret with your middle finger, and 5^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:17  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, 5^th fret with your middle finger, and 6^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:18  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, 6^th fret with your middle finger, and 7^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:19  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your pinky finger, 7^th fret with your middle finger, and 8^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:21  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, 8^th fret with your middle finger, and 9^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:21  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, 9^th fret with your middle finger, and 10^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:22  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, 10^th fret with your middle finger, and 11^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:23  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, 11^th fret with your middle finger, and 12^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

34:24  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, 12^th fret with your middle finger, and 13^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:25  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, 13^th fret with your middle finger, and 14^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:27  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:25 on the string 5.

34:27  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:25 on the string 4.

34:28  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:25 on the string 3.

34:29  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:25 on the string 2.

34:30  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:25 on the string 1.

34:31  Repeat exercises 34:3 – 34:30 using alternating strokes (up and down) instead of just down strokes.

34:32  Repeat exercises 34:3-34:5 except instead of repeating the each numbered verse 4x; play them 1x, repeating exercises 34:3-2:23 4x and work on the fluidity of your playing.  The first time, do it without palm muting and down strokes.  The second time, do it with palm muting and down strokes. The 3^rd time do it with alternating strokes and without palm muting.  The 4^th time do it with alternating strokes and with palm muting.

34:33  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  For example, on string 6, at the 13th fret, play the following: open, 16^th fret with your pinky, 14^th fret with your middle finger, and 15^th fret with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:34  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 14th fret, play the following: open, 17^th fret with your pinky finger, 15^th fret with your middle finger, and 16^th fret with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:35  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 15th fret, play the following: open, 18^th fret with your pinky finger, 16^th fret with your middle finger, and 17^th fret with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:36  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 16th fret, play the following: open, 19^th fret with your pinky finger, 17^th fret with your middle finger, and 18^th fret with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:37  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 17th fret, play the following: open, 20^th fret with your pinky finger, 18^th fret with your middle finger, and 19^th fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:38  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 18th fret, play the following: open, 21^st fret with your pinky finger, 19^th fret with your middle finger, and 20^th fret  with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:39  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 19th fret, play the following: open, 22^nd fret with your pinky finger, 20^th fret with your middle finger, and 21^st fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:39  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 20th fret, play the following: open, 23^rd fret with your pinky finger, 21^st fret with your middle finger, and 22^nd fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:40  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the one’s listed.  I will go up to fret 24 even though some guitars don’t have this many frets.  Unless you can grip the neck of the guitar with your fretting hand, don’t bother continuing beyond this point.  For example, on string 6, at the 21^th fret, play the following: open, 24^th fret with your pinky finger, 22^nd fret with your middle finger, and 23^rd fret again with your ring finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

34:41  Then,  feel free to work your way back to the 12^th fret using the same pattern.  Possibly consider moving the pattern down the fret in whole steps.  For example, start at the pattern at the 19^th fret, then the 17^th fret, then the 15^th fret, then the 13^th, then the 11^th fret.