This month... Introducing Legato.
Meaning to 'Play Smoothly', the legato technique is used to create a flowing sound and can be used to good effect to inject a little speed in to your playing. Many players use legato technique, including Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and many others.
For reference, the 'Scale of the Month' articles that you may find useful as background to the exercises that follow are below:
Aeolian: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24663
Major: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24420
Dorian: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23994
The exercises below can be played 'straight' with a fixed number of notes over a bar, or 'free time' where the timing is manipulated so as to leave a different number of notes over each bar. The Legato technique will require some strength and dexterity in your fretting hand. Start slow, and work on this in small regular sessions, making sure to keep your hands and shoulders relaxed – if you experience any pain in your hand stop! Full Access subscribers can use the jam tracks to experiment in different styles and time signatures.
Some Examples (Tab symbol key below)
In all examples only the first note on each string played is picked, all others are hammered, pulled or tapped. You can also sound the first note on each new string with a hammer-on if you prefer.
1) G major – Moving across scale positions smoothly, sliding with the pinky to shift:
E|-5-2-3-5-3-2-7-3-5-7-5-3-8-5-7-8-7-5-10-7-8-10-7-8-10-8-7-12--
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------
2) A Dorian:
E|-8-5-7-8-7-5------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------8-5-7-8-7-5----------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------7-4-5-7-5-4--------------------------------------------
D|-------------------------------------------7-4-5-7-5-4------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------7-3-5-7-5-3----------------
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------7-3-5-7-5-3-
3) B Major:
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------7-9-11---------
G|-----------------------------------------8-9-11--------8-9-11------------------
D|----------------8-9-11---------8-9-11---------8-9-11--------------------------
A|---------7-9-11--------7-9-11--------------------------------------------------
E|-7-9-11------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) A major:
E|---------5-7-9--t10-9-7-5-t10-9-7-5-t12-9-7-5-------------------------------------
B|--5-7-9--------------------------------------------9-7-5---------------------------
G|-----------------------------------------------------------9-6-7-9-t14(b16)-14----
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------—-------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Tap: t.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.
Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in Legato at www.guitartricks.com – including:
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=393
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10415
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10114
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=300
Check out my music, video, lessons & backing tracks here![br]https://www.renhimself.com
