4 Furious 4 Notes-Per-String Exercises!

Last Updated on March 29, 2021 by Klaus Crow

I couldn’t resist the temptation to write one final post on notes-per-string licks.

I just love ‘m! They’re great for warm-ups and to work on your alternate picking.

Previously I wrote a post on 2-notes-per string called “10 Smoking 2 Notes-Per-String Licks to Rock On!” and a 3-notes-per strings article (my most popular post) “21 Cool 3 Notes-Per-String Exercises”, but today we’re gonna take it one step further and dive into some 4 notes-per-string exercises for the adventurers among us.

You can play all 4 notes on each string with all your four fingers, that would be a nice finger stretch exercise which is good for building strength and reach. Or you can play it a more easier way which feels and sounds really nice too. You can see below the tabs with which fingers to play each note.

i = indexfinger, m = middlefinger, r = ringfinger, p = pink

Building speed:
– First play the exercise slow a couple of times.
– Memorize the exercise.
– Gradually increase your tempo. (play the exercise a couple of times)
– Now play the exercise slow and accurately. (a couple of times)
– Increase your tempo a little more. (play the exercise a couple of times)
– Rest for a minute or 2. (strum some chords in the meantime)
– Play the exercise slowly. (a couple of times)
– Increase your tempo and relax your muscles. (play the exercise a couple of times)
– Increase your tempo some more.
– Repeat the whole thing over and over.

Rock on and be cool!

EXERCISE #1 (G major scale)
e:---------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------|
G:--------------------------------9-11-12-14---|
D:---------------------7-9-10-12---------------|
A:-----------5-7-9-10--------------------------|
E:--3-5-7-8------------------------------------|

e:---------------14-15-17-19-------------------||
B:--12-13-15-17--------------------------------||
G:---------------------------------------------||
D:---------------------------------------------||
A:---------------------------------------------||
E:---------------------------------------------||

EXERCISE #2 (G minor scale)
e:---------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------|
G:-------------------------------8-10-12-14----|
D:--------------------7-8-10-12----------------|
A:----------5-6-8-10---------------------------|
E:-3-5-6-8-------------------------------------|

e:---------------13-15-17-18-------------------||
B:--11-13-15-16--------------------------------||
G:---------------------------------------------||
D:---------------------------------------------||
A:---------------------------------------------||
E:---------------------------------------------||

EXERCISE #3 (G Melodic minor scale)
e:---------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------|
G:-------------------------------9-11-12-14----|
D:--------------------7-8-10-12----------------|
A:----------5-7-9-10---------------------------|
E:-3-5-6-8-------------------------------------|

e:---------------14-15-17-18-------------------||
B:--11-13-15-17--------------------------------||
G:---------------------------------------------||
D:---------------------------------------------||
A:---------------------------------------------||
E:---------------------------------------------||

EXERCISE #4 (G Minor Blues scale)
e:---------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------|
G:---------------------------------12-15-17-18-|
D:---------------------10-11-12-15-------------|
A:----------5-8-10-13--------------------------|
E:-3-6-8-9-------------------------------------|

e:--10-13-15-18--------------------------------||
B:---------------------------------------------||
G:---------------------------------------------||
D:---------------------------------------------||
A:---------------------------------------------||
E:---------------------------------------------||