Fave exercises

I do the same as Clarky's OP. I've been doing that for about 10 years... but a few years ago I learned something that I don't do enough and actually proved to be a lot more useful. I started learning every key in one position instead of one key in every position. So, I start with my first finger on the 2nd fret, play C Major without leaving that position, then move clockwise around the circle of 5ths (so, in 4ths)... C Major, F Major, Bb Major, etc... all in "2nd position". Then move it up to 4th position and do it all again. This has made me think about the difference in keys and thus a little more nimble when playing within the chord rather than just the key. Now I'm thinking "flat the B" to go from C to F instead of trying to find anchor points on the fret board to hopefully recognize the key pattern. By now I should be able to play any key anywhere on the fretboard and change in a second... but I don't practice it often enough. I think I'm going to go back to that method.
 
that sounds like fun.... I'll have to give that one a go some time....

a good one if you're into modes and using them for colouration within the same key [melodic substitution] is to lay down a very basic groove..
just a root note with the bass pumping away on 1/8 notes..
loop it in the DAW and then take a trip through various scales and modes..

major to mixo to dorian to natual minor to phryg to lydian to harmonic minor etc etc..
what ever you choose... just plot a course through a pile of modes
it's not so much a formal exercise as a "go find and noodle around"

then.... make the bass play 4 bars of I and then another 4 bars of IV [let's say E and A]
and then plot different tonal paths through both of them
Em - A Dor - E Mix - A Lyd - E Dor - A Mix - E LydDom - A HarmMin etc

educational.... creative... challenging....
great for your ears.. and can be a lot of fun...

I reckon I've made a few days vanish playing with this...
 
Sidivan said:
I do the same as Clarky's OP. I've been doing that for about 10 years... but a few years ago I learned something that I don't do enough and actually proved to be a lot more useful. I started learning every key in one position instead of one key in every position. So, I start with my first finger on the 2nd fret, play C Major without leaving that position, then move clockwise around the circle of 5ths (so, in 4ths)... C Major, F Major, Bb Major, etc... all in "2nd position". Then move it up to 4th position and do it all again. This has made me think about the difference in keys and thus a little more nimble when playing within the chord rather than just the key. Now I'm thinking "flat the B" to go from C to F instead of trying to find anchor points on the fret board to hopefully recognize the key pattern. By now I should be able to play any key anywhere on the fretboard and change in a second... but I don't practice it often enough. I think I'm going to go back to that method.
Click to expand...
I've been doing that for many years and I teach all of my students the same. It's very handy and makes you think a little bit while you go.

But I start on the 8th fret and end up going al the way down to the open strings. I use the 7 scale patterns, 3 notes per string.
 
Another good but hard to describe is the spider. Two sets of fingers of the left hand walk across the fret board alternately. When one say, say the 1st and 3rd fingers, pick up, and move from the 1string over to the 3rd, the 2nd stays in place. Then they alternate walking to the 6 string and back, then they reverse fingers. Hard to describe but it completely strengthens the left hand.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom