May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow
Photo by John Hope
A lot of you who are working on “developing technique and increasing speed” have probably put some blood sweat and tears in my 21 Cool 3 Notes-Per-String Exercises.
If you haven’t and you got the nerve be sure to check it out.
But today I present to you 10 smoking 2 notes-per-string licks”.
A technique that feels different from the 3 notes per string and will definitely improve your technique in many ways if you work hard at it. Also the licks are perfect to incorporate into your improvisations.
While there are a lot of great guitar players known for their 3 notes-per-string, don’t underestimate what people like Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson and John McLaughlin can do with 2 notes per string. They rock!
So let’s get your hands back in the dirt and work on these smoking licks.
Note: Don’t forget to use the alternate picking technique (up,down,up,down,up,down…)
Make yourself proud!
EXERCISE #1 (A minor pentatonic) e--------------------------------------------------------5-8-| B-----------------------------------------5-8-------5-8------| G--------------------------5-7-------5-7-------5-7-----------| D-----------5-7-------5-7-------5-7--------------------------| A------5-7-------5-7-----------------------------------------| E-5-8--------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #2 (played over a Gmaj7 chord) e------------------------------------7-10--------------------| B-----------------------------7-8----------------------------| G----------------------4-7-----------------------------------| D---------------4-5------------------------------------------| A--------2-5-------------------------------------------------| E-2-3--------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #3 (A minor pentatonic) e----------------------8-10----------------------------------| B-----------------8-10------8-10-----------------------------| G-------------5-7----------------7-9-------------------------| D---------5-7------------------------10-12-------------------| A-----3-5----------------------------------10-12-------10-12-| E-3-5--------------------------------------------10-12-------|EXERCISE #4 (whole tone lick played over G7#5) e-------------------------------------9-11-------------------| B------------------------------8-10--------------------------| G-----------------------6-8----------------------------------| D----------------5-7-----------------------------------------| A---------4-6------------------------------------------------| E-3--5-------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #5 (played over a Dmin9 chord) e------------------------12-13-------------------------------| B-----------------10-11---------10-11------------------------| G-----------9-10-----------------------9-10------------------| D------7-8-----------------------------------7-8-------------| A-7-8----------------------------------------------7-8-------| E------------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #6 (E minor pentatonic) e--5-3-----7-5-----10-7------12-10-------15-12-------15-12---| B------5-3-----8-5------10-8-------12-10-------15-12---------| G------------------------------------------------------------| D------------------------------------------------------------| A------------------------------------------------------------| E------------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #7 (key of Em) e---------------------------------2-3------------------------| B---------------------3-5-----3-5-----3-5--------------------| G---------4-5-----4-5-----4-5--------------4-5---------------| D-----5-7-----5-7-------------------------------5-7----------| A-7-9-----------------------------------------------5-7------| E------------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #8 (key of G major or E minor) e------------------------------------------------------------| B------------------------------------------------------------| G------------------------------------------------------------| D---------2-5---------5-7-----------7-9--------------9-12----| A-----2-5---------5-7----------7-10------------10-12---------| E-3-5---------5-7---------7-10-----------10-12---------------|e-------------10-12/15---------------------------------------| B-------10-12------------------------------------------------| G--9-12------------------------------------------------------| D------------------------------------------------------------| A------------------------------------------------------------| E------------------------------------------------------------|EXERCISE #9 (B minor pentatonic) e------------------------------------7-10--------------------| B--------------------------7-10------------------------------| G-----------------7-9-----------7-9--------------------------| D--------7-9----------7-9------------------------------------| A------------7-9---------------------------------------------| E--7-10------------------------------------------------------|e------------------------------------------------------------| B------7-10--------------------------------------------------| G-7-9------------7-9-----------------------------------------| D-----------7-9-----------7-9--------------------------------| A--------------------7-9-------------------------------------| E-----------------------------7-10---------------------------|EXERCISE #10 (played over a Gmaj7 chord) e-------------------------------------------10--14-----------| B-----------------------------------8--12--------------------| G---------------------------7--11----------------------------| D-------------------5--9-------------------------------------| A-----------5--9---------------------------------------------| E---3--7-----------------------------------------------------|Leave a comment anytime you want. I appreciate it.
A video on this would be great.
The web layout of exercises #8,9 and 10 is messed up. Fix it up please
Francesco
Hi Francesco,
If you zoom out on your webpage the exercises will be fixed.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Hi Chris,
I don’t do movies at this point of time, but I’ll be sure doing them in the near future.
I’m working on it.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Exercise number 1 is sped up A LOT and used in Paul Gilbert’s (or Racer X’s)- Technical Difficulties in the solo section! \m/ take a listen!!
Don’t you just love that song!
Thanks for bringing it back to my memory.
Technical difficulties – Paul Gilbert
Klaus
I only wished to say thank you. Thank you for the time and patience required to set this stuff up initially, I for one appreciate it. Thank you. Angus
i am vietnamese,thanks this PAGE.
Klaus,
I’ve been playing quite a long time but stuck in a rut, not really learning anything new, just doing the same stuff over and over again. You’ve opened up a whole new vocabulary for me. I want to express my gratitude. You’re providing a terrific service here, and I’ll spread the word.
This is some great stuff. Easy to follow and has increased my motivation to play more.
Thanks,
JIm
Tab is wack
Hi Khgffb,
Zoom out on your webpage and the tabs are okay!
Best regards,
Klaus
Hi Khgffb,
Try to zoom in or out on the page. Maybe that helps.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
these arn’t licks, they are exercixes….
Very helpful and useful exercises, I found lots of inspiration by just doing these exercises. Thank you very much for putting this up there. Keep up the good work, much appreciated!
What should me the meteronome timing 4/4 or what?