Syncopations & exploring the neck

String Crossing and Warm-Up Exercises

Introduction to the Lesson

Hey, on this lesson, we're going to do some string crossing. So let's make that part of our warm-up. What I'm going to do is take the root, third, and fifth of a G, and I'm going to take this third and put it up an octave. So that is a major tenth.

What is a Tenth?

• Definition: Basically, we've taken a major third to 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. It's 10 steps up, it's a major third up an octave.

We're going to see this interval along with some other things in the band tunes we're going to work on. For right now, let's work on a couple of different warm-ups.

First Warm-Up Exercise

1. Fingers Position:

   • First Finger on the G
   • Third Finger on the D
   • Second Finger on the B

2. Next Group of Fingers:

   • Starting with the second finger
   • This one's going to be a little stretchy. If you're down here in the third through the fifth fret, you might have to pivot to get this next note. This would be 2, 4, 3, 4.

16th Note Foot Taps

Let's look at 16th note foot taps. What we're going to do is take the three rhythmic rudiments that we worked on with eighth notes and translate them to 16th notes. It'll be the same basic patterns.

Review of Basic Patterns:

• Basic Patterns:
  • 18, 2, 16 (or a quarter and two eighths)
  • Rhythm: down, down, up, down, down, up, down, down, up.

Now, if I double the tempo right now (this is at 60, quadrant equals 60), I'm going to double it. This is eighth notes at 60.

• Foot Tap:
  • 1 and 2 and 3 and 4.

This will feel like the gallop. It's going to be twice as fast. Notice what happens with the foot tap:

• Rhythm:
  • Down, down, up, down, down, up, down, down, up, down, down, up.

Eight Eight System

That's called an eight-eight system. What I'm doing is counting eight counts to the measure, and the note that gets one beat is the eighth note.

• Count Example:
  • Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, and four.

And here's that gallop again:

• 1 and a, 2 and a, 3 and a, 4 and a.

Quarter Notes Transition

Now what we're going to do is go back to quarter notes (quarter notes equals 60), but I'm still going to continue to tap my foot twice as fast.

• Foot Tap:
  • 1 and 2 and 3 and 4.

Now let's find this E (second fret on the D string). You know this one? You played it before.

• Gallop Rhythm:
  • Down, down, up, down, down, up, down, down, up, down, down, up.

Now let's look at the last one:

• 16th, 8th, 16th. That's the My Girl syncopation.

Let's perform this exercise at twice the speed.

Dotted Quarter Eighth Notes

Now we're going to look at two or three more things, and these are essentially dotted quarter eighth notes.

Mixed Rhythms in Cut Time

• Cut Time Definition: Cut time is when you take a fast 4/4 and feel it as 2, 1, 3, 1, 3.
• Note Feelings:
  • A cut time eighth note will feel like a 16th.
  • A quarter note in cut time will feel like an eighth.
  • A half note will feel like a quarter.

First Set of Mixed Rhythms

• Example: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and down, up, down, up, up, down, up, down, up, up.

Now, a lot of times when people see 16ths and they're reading 16th note rhythms, they get intimidated.

Remember, 4/16 will have the exact same ratio as 4/8 notes or 4/4 notes.

Next Mixed Pattern

This is just basically dotted quarter eighth, and then as we go to the 4/4.

• Dotted 8, 16: This will feel exactly the same.

Exercise Moving Further Up the Neck

This little exercise is one that I call the upper deck. So far, we've covered the notes in the first position and bridged to the fifth position.

Adding Additional Notes

If I start up here, I'm going to call sharps going up, flats going down.

Remember, half steps in between B and C and E and F.

Note Exercise

• Notes Sequence:
  • 9th fret: A, C sharp, D, D sharp, E, F sharp, G, G sharp, A, B, C, C sharp, D, E, F, F sharp, G, G sharp.

Now, why don't you play that with me? I'll count you in:

Count: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Let's play together through this sequence.

Transition to Playing the Tune "The One Spot"

Now let's move on to the first tune, The One Spot.

Here's the key riff (D, A, F, F sharp).

• Counting (8, 8):
  • Down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up.

Key Riff Evaluation

Let's loop this first riff a couple of times.

Count-In: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Play along:

• Down, up, down up, down, up, up, down, up, up.

Octave Riff Explanation

Now what happens with this tune is that the key riff gets moved around a lot.

• Octave Riff:
  • We have a C here, and if we go two strings over and two frets up, we'll have another C, it's an octave up.

Working Through the Tune

Let's take this whole tune down to the 12th bar:

• Count: 1, 2, 3. E and A, 4. E and A.

Okay, now if you look, that's a whole lot of notes, but it's really not that hard because we're going straight across the strings.

Last Grouping of Notes

• Notes: Two G's, two E's, two C sharps, two A's make up an A seventh chord (A, C sharp, E, G).

Let's play through this a couple of times.

Practice Time

After you get the feel for these patterns, you don't have to keep tapping your foot at an 8, 8.

Final Notes: Work with the loop files until you get really comfortable. Then, let's go over and jam with the band!

Cool Down Exercises

Alright, now we've really given our hands a workout. Here's a nice exercise you can use as a cool down or warm up if you haven't had a chance to warm up:

• Isometric Pressure:
  • Take your thumb and apply pressure to each of the fingers: index, middle, ring, pinky.

Final Reminder: Remember to pay attention and practice hard before you attempt to play with the band. See you in the next session!