Stews Lessons: Exercises: #3

This exercise is based on a Bach piece and is as much for your ear as it is for finger independence and general dexterity. You will play it in one key -- whichever one you like, but C major is the easiest to learn it -- and you can play it on every string, one string at a time, moving up or down. The essence of the drill is repeating a melodic device. This is the way I learned it...

You're only going to play the notes in the C major scale. All you're doing is moving from one step in the scale to the next and playing a pattern of that note, the note 2 steps above it, the note between those 2, and the high note again. Do this twice then you move to the next note in the scale and do the same thing. It's easiest to start on a high string and move through the lower strings as your hands get warmed up. Remember as you're playing that you are focusing on rhythm and attack consistency as well as left hand flexibility, speed, and endurance. Here goes.

Start on your G string. in a moderate, relaxed 8th note feel play C - E - D - E and let your hands stretch out so that you're playing the C with your first finger, your E with the little finger, and the D with either the middle or ring finger, whichever is most comfortable for you. Try it both ways, each a few times to be sure. Remember to repeat the pattern before you move on. Next you're going to play D - F - E - F, just moving up the neck a whole step. You'll find these minor third reaches are much more comfortable than the major thirds, particularly on the low strings. Always play the figure 2 times before you move on.

Keep going like this, playing evenly and keeping the notes clean and slightly staccato. The remaining patterns on the G string will be E - G - F - G, F - A - G - A, G - B - A - B, A - C - B - C, B - D - C - D, C - E - D - E, D - F - E - F, E - G - F - G. Now play the same patterns in descending order. You can move up and down every string this way, just try and avoid playing the open strings because you're really not going to get much of a stretch that way.

Simply start on the lowest scale tone that you can fret. For example, on your E string the first pattern you can play will be F - A - G - A. On your D string it will be E - G - F - G. Try to play this in a number of different keys, and try to play it on all your strings, starting with your highest.

		Home > Lessons > Exercises > #3 #3 This exercise is based on a Bach piece and is as much for your ear as it is for finger independence and general dexterity. You will play it in one key -- whichever one you like, but C major is the easiest to learn it -- and you can play it on every string, one string at a time, moving up or down. The essence of the drill is repeating a melodic device. This is the way I learned it... You're only going to play the notes in the C major scale. All you're doing is moving from one step in the scale to the next and playing a pattern of that note, the note 2 steps above it, the note between those 2, and the high note again. Do this twice then you move to the next note in the scale and do the same thing. It's easiest to start on a high string and move through the lower strings as your hands get warmed up. Remember as you're playing that you are focusing on rhythm and attack consistency as well as left hand flexibility, speed, and endurance. Here goes. Start on your G string. in a moderate, relaxed 8th note feel play C - E - D - E and let your hands stretch out so that you're playing the C with your first finger, your E with the little finger, and the D with either the middle or ring finger, whichever is most comfortable for you. Try it both ways, each a few times to be sure. Remember to repeat the pattern before you move on. Next you're going to play D - F - E - F, just moving up the neck a whole step. You'll find these minor third reaches are much more comfortable than the major thirds, particularly on the low strings. Always play the figure 2 times before you move on. Keep going like this, playing evenly and keeping the notes clean and slightly staccato. The remaining patterns on the G string will be E - G - F - G, F - A - G - A, G - B - A - B, A - C - B - C, B - D - C - D, C - E - D - E, D - F - E - F, E - G - F - G. Now play the same patterns in descending order. You can move up and down every string this way, just try and avoid playing the open strings because you're really not going to get much of a stretch that way. Simply start on the lowest scale tone that you can fret. For example, on your E string the first pattern you can play will be F - A - G - A. On your D string it will be E - G - F - G. Try to play this in a number of different keys, and try to play it on all your strings, starting with your highest.