4th Hopping Wires 1, 2, flat 6, 2, and in 4s

Note:  I learned how to play a guitar strung for a righty as a left hand person.  Thus, some of these exercises are extremely difficult, while doing other things on my guitar come much more naturally.  This is what landed me in a good jazz band while I was still in High School.  However, to be a real player, I had to become completely ambidextrous.  That is, as a lefty, I had to make my right hand to be the dominant hand.  However, these exercises are every bit as relative to any player, ambidextrous, righty or lefty.  I do believe one of the greatest aspects of guitar as a musical instrument is that it enables a player to challenge himself or herself, especially their weaker hand.  Some of these exercises may come easy for you, but I can almost guarantee that they all won’t.

Note4:  When making the lesson name, the numbering system used reflects each note of the system with respect to the major scale, where “1,” is the root note of the Ionian Major scale, and all Ionian notes are considered to be major, instead of flat or sharp.

Note4:  These notes can be played on strings 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4,  and 5 and 6, where 1 is the fattest string and 6 is the thinnest string.  Notice that the 4^th and 5^th string are not included, and that is due to the effect of standard tuning, such that the nature of the intervals would change.

Note4: The pick can be gripped in several different ways.  Personally, these days I usually grip it between my thumb and index finger.  However, for more power, consider practicing  by holding the pick also with the middle, and/or the ring finger.  This is especially important with acoustic guitars where the power with which one strikes the guitar is usually very important.

Note5:  These exercises are meant to do with great amounts of repetition.  Each time you play them, count the 4 notes, and stress the first of the 4 every time.  Repetition is the key to success.  I have probably done each of these exercises millions of times.

The Lesson Itself

4:1  The root is always played with the index finger in this exercise.  The 2^nd is always played with the ring finger in this exercise.  The flat 6^th is always played with the pinky finger.  The 4^th note is a 2^nd played with the ring finger again.

4:2  While one can move them all around the neck, there is very little difference in the style used, except when using different strings, as where typically the string the exercise starts is practically null and void, so long as all the strings eventually get used.  However, that which is null and void here, is very important in other exercises where one might consider modal or pentatonic playing, such as when a band plays in a particular key.

4:3  When one picks the notes, in this exercise alternating picking is used, which is described by up and down movements as opposed to a style that would use all down strokes.  The reason for this is that this style of picking is often used for the purpose of developing speed, as well as fluidity when switching from string to string.  And, besides, I suggest doing all down strokes plenty in other exercises.

4:4  So, to start, tune your guitar to standard tuning, and pick a place on the fret board.

4:5  Whether you are positioned at the 12^th fret, the 7^th fret, the 5^th fret, or the 1^st fret, or any other fret for that matter, on the string that are used in doubles for this exercise, the pattern remains the same.  The index finger will play the lowest note with respect to tonality. 

4:6  In this pattern denoted by the lesson’s name ring finger plays a whole step up from the index finger, which is 2 frets.  For example, if you are positioned at the 5^th fret, you would play the 5^th fret with your index on the 5^th string, and then the 2^nd note with your ring finger at the 7^th fret, or if you are positioned at the 12^th fret, the 2^nd note becomes the 14^th fret in the pattern.

4:7  Next, comes the all important string skip.  Consider that the root is still at the 5^th fret.  At the 7^th fret, skip from the 8^th fret, and play it with your pinky finger on a string that is skinnier than the string that root is on.  For example, if you started on the 3^rd fattest string, the 3^rd string, after playing the root note, then one whole step up.  Then, on the 4^th fattest string play the flat 6^th which is the 3^rd note of the sequence with your pinky finger at the 8^th fret. 

4:8  Forget the 4^th and 5^th strings though for this lesson series because their tonality doesn’t follow the same interval pattern because in standard tuning these strings are tuned to different intervals than the other strings.

4:9  Lastly, skip back to the 2^nd interval, which is the 4^th note of the pattern, which is the 2^nd note that was already played on a lower pitched string used for this exercise.  Use alternating picking throughout the exercise.

4:10  Repeat this as many times as possible.  Eventually, if you repeat these exercises enough you should be able to gain some speed.