*** The Guitar Trio by Paco de Lucia, Al di Meola, John McLaughlin – Has Weird Jamming that Is Boring

This album is one of those bills that you would think because of the names of the musicians on it, that it would be impossible to go wrong.  Nothing could be further from the case.  Jam number 1 on The Guitar Trio goes nowhere, and isn’t intriguing.  Check out track 1 if you want to see how boring complex guitar work can be.  Jeepers, I never knew people so gifted could play such boring music.

In fact, when I first got this one, it was way back in high school and after listening to it, I thought maybe I’d eventually love it, so then I listened to it at college, and it didn’t impress me more than a slew of random notes would.  Now, in my 30s I decided to dust it off again and give it another chance, and once again this one only registers a fizzle of excitement.

The Guitar Trio’s tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 are okay, but not super special.  Definitely worth listening to, but probably not worth purchasing, as these tracks are only enough to redeem The Guitar Trio album to its 3 star rating.

Perhaps, the reason I have been so critical of this album is that there are 3 guitars on it that pretty much all sound alike, such that there is not much diversity of sound.  The 3^rd guitarist is superfluous, and adds zero dimension to the music.

*** Shake Your Money Maker by the Black Crowes – Rocks in a Non-Cerebral Way

This is one of those albums that I totally loved when I was in high school that has ceased to impress me now that my ears aren’t quite as virgin as they used to be.  Yes, there once was a time when I would have given this one 5 stars, but now it sounds like a lazy effort from a drug n’ roll band.  If you want to know whether or not this one rocks; the answer is simple.  It does.  However, if you want to know if this music is cerebral, the answer is entirely different.  From my cerebral perspective this album leaves much to be desired.

There is a redeeming quality to this music in that though it may be simple; it is one of the better simple albums of its time.  I think that the reason I perceive this album as a mild success is probably that it has a lot to the unusual guitar tuning common to the Black Crowes sound.  Naturally, by using different tuning than what is standard, it enables the band to pull off some things that would be more difficult than they would be with standard tuning.

***** Rhythm of Time by Jordan Rudess – Video Game Style Prog that Rocks!

I have a friend that whenever he hears this album says that it sounds exactly like video game music.  He may be right, but I have to say I have logged more hours listening in enjoyment to Rhythm of Time than I have for any video game.  Unfortunately, I wish I could say that I am hugely into video games, but the fact is that I am not.  I haven’t had a video game machine since the original Nintendo.  I have played a few games here and there, so I am familiar with some of the soundtracks to the major games, and let me tell you, I would pick listening to this album any day rather than listening to video games.  My feeling is that the reason this is so is because it takes a special person to be one that is able to dig the complexities in this music, and see that this stuff is far better than any game I know of.

Guitar Exercises: Snake River 5s Rapids Syllabus

Snake Exercises: Count 5s

A.      Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Index Finger

64^th  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index in 5s

65^st  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Ring, Middle, Pinky, Index in 5s

66^th  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index in 5s

67^th  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index in 5s

68^th  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index in 5s

69^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle in Index 5s

B.      Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Middle Finger

70^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Pinky, Ring, Index in 5s

71^nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index in 5s

72^nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index in 5s

73^rd Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index in 5s

74^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index in 5s

75^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index in 5s

C.      Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting with the Ring Finger

76^nd Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Pinky, Pinky, Index in 5s

77^th  Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index in 5s

78^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index in 5s

79^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index in 5s

80^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index in 5s

81^st Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index in 5s

D.      Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting With the Pinky Finger

82^nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Pinky, Ring, Index in 5s

83^rd  Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index in 5s

84^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Index in 5s

85^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle, Index in 5s

86^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring, Index in 5s

87^rd Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Index in 5s

Snake Exercises: Count 5s

E.       Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Index Finger

88^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

89^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Ring, Middle, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

90^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

91^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Middle in 5s

92^nd Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

93^rd Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle, Index, Middle in 5s

F.       Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Middle Finger

94^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

95^nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

96^nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Middle in 5s

97^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

98^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

99^th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Middle in 5s

G.     Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting with the Ring Finger

100^th Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Pinky, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

101 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

102 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Middle in 5s

103 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Middle in 5s

104 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

105 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Middle in 5s

H.      Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting With the Pinky Finger

106 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle in 5s

107 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle in 5s

108 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Middle in 5s

109 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle, Middle in 5s

110 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring, Middle in 5s

111  Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Middle in 5s

I.        Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Index Finger

112 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

113 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Ring, Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

114 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

115 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Ring in 5s

116 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

117 Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring in 5s

J.        Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Middle Finger

118 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Pinky, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

119 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

120 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Ring in 5s

121 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

122 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

123 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Ring in 5s

K.      Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting with the Ring Finger

124 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Pinky, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

125 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

126 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Ring in 5s

127 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Ring in 5s

128 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

129 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Ring in 5s

L.       Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting With the Pinky Finger

130 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Pinky, Ring, Ring in 5s

131 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Ring, Pinky, Ring in 5s

132 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Ring in 5s

133 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle, Ring in 5s

134 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring, Ring in 5s

135   Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Ring in 5s

M.    Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Index Finger

136 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

137 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Ring, Middle, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

138 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Pinky in 5s

139 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Pinky in 5s

140 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Index, Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky in 5s

141 Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle, Index, Pinky in 5s

N.     Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Middle Finger

142 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Pinky, Ring, Index, Pinky 5s

143 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

144 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Pinky in 5s

145 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

146 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Pinky in 5s

147 Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Pinky in 5s

O.     Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting with the Ring Finger

148 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Pinky, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

149 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Index, Ring, Pinky, Index, Pinky 5s

150 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Ring, Pinky, Index, Index, Pinky in 5s

151 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Index, Pinky, Index, Pinky in 5s

152 Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring, Index, Pinky in 5s

153 Guitar Snake Exercises:  Ring, Pinky, Ring, Index, Index, Pinky in 5s

P.      Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus:  Starting With the Pinky Finger

154 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Pinky, Ring, Pinky in 5s

155 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Ring, Pinky, Pinky in 5s

156 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index, Pinky in 5s

157 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle, Pinky in 5s

158 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky in 5s

159 Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky in 5s

Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus: Lessons 40 to 63: The Snake River 4s Rapids

A. Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Index Finger

40th Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky in 4s

41st Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Middle, Pinky in 4s

42nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Middle, Pinky, Ring in 4s

43rd Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Pinky, Ring, Middle in 4s

44th Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Pinky, Middle, Ring in 4s

45th Guitar Snake Exercises: Index, Ring, Pinky, Middle in 4s


B. Guitar Snake Exercises: Starting with the Middle Finger

46th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Pinky, Ring in 4s

47th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Index, Ring, Pinky in 4s

48th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Pinky, Index in 4s

49th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Ring, Index, Pinky in 4s

50th Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Index, Ring in 4s

51st Guitar Snake Exercises: Middle, Pinky, Ring, Index in 4s


C. Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus: Starting with the Ring Finger


52nd Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Index, Pinky, Pinky in 4s

53st Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Index, Ring, Pinky in 4s

54th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Pinky, Index in 4s

55th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Ring, Index, Pinky in 4s

56th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Index, Ring in 4s

57th Guitar Snake Exercises: Ring, Pinky, Ring, Index in 4s


D. Guitar Snake Exercises Syllabus: Starting With the Pinky Finger


58th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Pinky, Ring in 4s

59th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Index, Ring, Pinky in 4s

60th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Middle, Index in 4s

61th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Ring, Index, Middle in 4s

62th Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Index, Ring in 4s

63rd Guitar Snake Exercises: Pinky, Middle, Ring, Index in 4s

38th Guitar Snake Exercises: Adding Playing below the 5th Fret Pt. 19 Open, Middle, Pinky, 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.

38:1  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.

38:2  The exercises in this blog will involve the middle finger, the pinky finger and the index finger.

38:3  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your middle finger, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, and 12^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:4  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your middle finger, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, and 11^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:5  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your middle finger, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, and 10^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

38:6  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your middle finger, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, and 9^th fret again with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:7  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your middle finger, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, and 8^th fret again with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:8  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your middle finger, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, and 7^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:9  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your middle finger, 9^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.

38:10  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your middle finger, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, and 5^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:11  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your middle finger, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, and 4^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:12  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your middle finger, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, and 3^rd fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:13  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 3^rd fret with your middle finger, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, and 2^nd fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:14  On string 6, at the 1st fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 2^nd fret with your middle finger, 4^th fret with your pinky finger, and 1^st fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:15  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 3^rd fret with your middle finger, 5^th fret with your pinky finger, and 3^rd fret  with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:16  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your middle finger, 6^th fret with your pinky finger, and 3^rd fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:17  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your middle finger, 7^th fret with your pinky finger, and 4^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:18  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your middle finger, 8^th fret with your pinky finger, and 5^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:19  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your middle finger, 9^th fret with your pinky finger, and 6^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:21  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your middle finger, 10^th fret with your pinky finger, and 7^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:21  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your middle finger, 11^th fret with your pinky finger, and 8^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:22  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your middle finger, 12^th fret with your pinky finger, and 9^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:23  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your middle finger, 13^th fret with your pinky finger, and 10^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

38:24  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your middle finger, 14^th fret with your pinky finger, and 11^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:25  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your middle finger, 15^th fret with your pinky finger, and 12^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:27  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:25 on the string 5.

38:27  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:25 on the string 4.

38:28  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:25 on the string 3.

38:29  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:25 on the string 2.

38:30  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:25 on the string 1.

38:31  Repeat exercises 38:3 – 38:30 using alternating strokes (up and down) instead of just down strokes.

38:32  Repeat exercises 38:3-38:5 except instead of repeating the each numbered verse 4x; play them 1x, repeating exercises 38:3-2:23 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.

38:33  If it feels comfortable, this pattern can be played at higher frets than the ones listed.  For example, on string 6, at the 13^th fret, play the following: open, 14^th fret with your middle finger, 16^th fret with your pinky finger, and 13^th fret with your index finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

38:34  Follow the pattern in 38:33 as far up is as still easy or playable on your guitar. 

38:34  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.

** Live at Belmont Raceway by Al di Meola – Buy the Studio Albums Then Make a Mix Instead

Having already heard these songs, both on Tour de Force, and on their studio albums, Live at Belmont Raceway can only be described as superfluous.  I guess I happen to like these other two versions of these songs rather than Live at Belmont Raceway.  My guess is that if you are looking at purchasing this cd, you will already be familiar with the songs on this album.  Live at Belmont Raceway adds nothing nor subtracts nothing from Al di Meola’s catalog.  Some folk might be interested in this cd, especially because it contains live versions of some of this artists heavier songs, and that much I can understand.  However, I feel that these specific versions do not add enough variance from the originals to really impress me.

37th Guitar Snake Exercises: Adding Playing below the 5th Fret Pt. 18 Open, Ring, Index, Pinky 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.

36:1  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.

36:2  The exercises in this blog will involve the ring finger, the index finger and the pinky finger.

36:3  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your ring finger, 12^th fret with your index finger, and 15^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:4  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your ring finger, 11^th fret with your index finger, and 14^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:5  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your ring finger, 10^th fret with your index finger, and 13^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

36:6  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your ring finger, 9^th fret with your index finger, and 12^th fret again with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:7  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your ring finger, 8^th fret with your index finger, and 11^th fret again with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:8  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your ring finger, 7^th fret with your index finger, and 10^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:9  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your ring finger, 6^th fret with your index finger, and 9^th fret with your middle  finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:10  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your ring finger, 5^th fret with your index finger, and 8^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:11  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your ring finger, 4^th fret with your index finger, and 7^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:12  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your ring finger, 3^rd fret with your index finger, and 6^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:13  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your ring finger, 2^nd fret with your index finger, and 5^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:14  On string 6, at the 1st fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 3^rd fret with your ring finger, 1^st fret with your index finger, and 4^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:15  On string 6, at the 2nd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 4^th fret with your ring finger, 2^nd fret with your index finger, and 5^th fret  with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:16  On string 6, at the 3rd fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 5^th fret with your ring finger, 3^rd fret with your index finger, and 6^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:17  On string 6, at the 4th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 6^th fret with your ring finger, 4^th fret with your index finger, and 7^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:18  On string 6, at the 5th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 7^th fret with your ring finger, 5^th fret with your index finger, and 8^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:19  On string 6, at the 6th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 8^th fret with your ring finger, 6^th fret with your index finger, and 9^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:21  On string 6, at the 7th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 9^th fret with your ring finger, 7^th fret with your index finger, and 10^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:21  On string 6, at the 8th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 10^th fret with your ring finger, 8^th fret with your index finger, and 11^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:22  On string 6, at the 9th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 11^th fret with your ring finger, 9^th fret with your index finger, and 12^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:23  On string 6, at the 10th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 12^th fret with your ring finger, 10^th fret with your index finger, and 13^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated. 

36:24  On string 6, at the 11th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 13^th fret with your ring finger, 11^th fret with your index finger, and 14^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:25  On string 6, at the 12th fret, play the following pattern using all down strokes: open, 14^th fret with your ring finger, 12^th fret with your index finger, and 15^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:27  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:25 on the string 5.

36:27  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:25 on the string 4.

36:28  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:25 on the string 3.

36:29  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:25 on the string 2.

36:30  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:25 on the string 1.

36:31  Repeat exercises 36:3 – 36:30 using alternating strokes (up and down) instead of just down strokes.

36:32  Repeat exercises 36:3-36:5 except instead of repeating the each numbered verse 4x; play them 1x, repeating exercises 36:3-2:23 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.

36:33  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, 15^th fret with your ring finger, 13^th fret with your index finger, and 16^th fret with your pinky finger.  Repeat this pattern 4x counting to 4 each time the pattern is repeated.

36:34  Follow the pattern in 36:33 as far up is as still easy or playable on your guitar. 

36:34  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.

14th Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 1, Position 1. Root, 5, root, 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

·                     14^th Blues Pentatonic Drill:  2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 1, Position 1.   Root, 5, root, 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

1:1:1:14:1 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.

1:1:1:14:2  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.

1:1:1:14:3   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.

1:1:1:14:4  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.

1:1:1:14:5  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.

1:1:1:14:6  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 5^th  from the E.  It is also an B note, and played with an upstroke.  It is at the 14^th fret but on the 2^nd string.  It is to be carefully played with the ring finger 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 1^st string with the index finger, such that the transition actually causes the 1^st string to be muted.  This note is played with an down stroke and is again called the root note.  In this case the 4^th note is an B note in the key of E minor.  The 5^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 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, ring, pinky, index.

1:1:1:14:7  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.

1:1:1:14:8  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, 2^nd string 13^th fret using the ring finger, 1^st string 11^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 index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Use alternating picking and/or use picking with all down strokes.

1:1:1:14:9 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 10^th fret using the index finger, 2^nd string 12^th fret using the ring finger, 1^st string 10^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 index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Use alternating picking and/or use picking with all down strokes.

1:1:1:14:10  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.

1:1:1:14:11 Repeat 1:1:1:14 6-10, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:14:12 Repeat 1:1:1:14 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.

1:1:1:14:13  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.

13th Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 1, Position 1. Root, flat 3, root, flat 3.

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

·         13^th Blues Pentatonic Drill:  2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 1, Position 1.   Root, flat 3, root, flat 3.   

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

1:1:1:13:1 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.

1:1:1:13:2  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.

1:1:1:13:3   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.

1:1:1:13:4  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.

1:1:1:13:5  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.

1:1:1:13:6  With your index play the 12^th fret 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 3rd  from this E.  It is also an G note, and played with an upstroke.  It is at the 15^th fret on the 1^st string.  It is to be carefully played with the pinky finger 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 1^st string with the index finger, while muting the other strings.  This note is played with an down stroke and because it is the same note as the root note, it is still called root note.  In this case the 4^th note a G note in the key of E minor.  This means the flat 3^rd 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, ring, pinky, index.

1:1:1:13:7  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.

1:1:1:13:8  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, 2^nd string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 1^st string 11^th  fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 1^st string at the 11^th fret using the index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Use alternating picking and/or use picking with all down strokes.

1:1:1:13:9 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 10^th fret using the index finger, 2^nd string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 1^st string 11^th  fret using the index finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 1^st string at the 10^th fret using the index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Use alternating picking and/or use picking with all down strokes.

1:1:1:13:10  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.

1:1:1:13:11 Repeat 1:1:1:13 6-10, except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times working on the fluidity of your playing.

1:1:1:13:12 Repeat 1:1:1:13 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.

1:1:1:13:13  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.

*****Soul Circus by Victor Wooten – Wooten’s Laid Back Hip Hop Grooves Are Genius

I am not a huge fan of R&B, and though this album is heavy on that vibe, in this case I totally love it.  If you like good music, bass, sexy, rich female vocals, hip hop without rap, and a bit of R&B, buy this album!  This album is primarily made of bass and drums, but that is the way of highlighting the bass.  Bass players and drummers, the rhythm section, have to be tight.  Likewise, though I am mostly out of touch with pop rap, I feel that whether or not that is your thing, this is a tremendous album.  There is not a weak track.

Wooten should definitely be included in the small group of musicians from the baby boomer generation that has consistently proved himself more than a pro at his instrument, but a virtuoso.  Honestly, it is unfortunate that music has quite a canopy, such that someone even as great as Victor Wooten may not have even made it in music in today’s world, which basically means that to my knowledge, it doesn’t matter if you are awesome at an instrument, and that no matter how hard you try or how skilled you are, there may not be a job available to you.  In today’s world it is all about who you know.  What I am getting at is that the outlook for folks that are musicians at all levels is bleak, but doesn’t mean that it is time to give up on music.

The main reason for this is the permanency of albums.  It is easy to record a new album, but not easy to differentiate an album from what has come before because now unlike any other time in history, if you record a disc, the quality of it will be the same 100yrs from now and so on.  This gives early released albums in certain genres an advantage.  There has also been a movement toward having fewer musicians play live music.  In the past, bands never had a problem getting a job, such as playing a wedding, but these days almost everyone wants a DJ instead of a band to play at some social event such as a wedding.

One song I particularly like on this album is about the history of awesome musicians that have played bass, and how bass used to be an instrument that was sort of hidden in the background.  Wooten plays something from each of their styles, and even talks about the demonstration of that a bass player can front a band.  It isn’t the only album ever like this, but I will say that this is one of the better instances of bass heavy music that really flows.  Being a music lover, I am familiar with his favorite/inspirational bass players.  For example, it is just great when Wooten plays a line like the famous musician, Stanley Clarke, saying, “Stanley Clarke, I tip my hat to you.”