Double Stops with passing notes
With
Ron SayerRon Sayer shows how to add passing notes between double stops - connecting two shapes in the same position so your lines flow.
What's in the course
12 lessons (1h 8m) · 1 free
01. Pentatonic And Blues Scale Shapes: A Review
Free lesson6:59
02. A Different Pentatonic Shape!
5:10
03. Adding Flat 5th, Major 6th To The Pentatonic Scale
3:45
04. Mixing Major & Minor Pentatonics.
4:41
05. The Hybrid Blues Scale
4:26
06. Using double stops
6:35
07. Double Stops with passing notes
You are here4:18
08. Ways To Play: 7th Chords
6:26
09. Ways To Play: 9th Chords
4:49
10. Cool chords
10:42
11. Turnaround Variations
5:25
12. BONUS RIFF: Learn how to play Pride & Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan
5:30
Lesson transcript
Using Passing Notes in Double Stops
So, following on from that little feature on double stops, I want to throw in a little segment on using passing notes. I sort of threw a couple in there anyway, just as a matter of course.
What are Passing Notes?
When I say passing notes in your double stops, I mean:
- Throwing in notes that connect two double stops that are in the same feel and position.
For example, here's a nice little passing note.
Instances of Passing Notes
Let's go through the whole thing:
- There's the first passing note.
- And then there's another.
- Finally, there's a third.
I'll play that once more.
Working with Double Stops
How I like to work with this is that the double stops in this particular instance only have two shapes:
-
Diagonal Shape: One finger on the E and the second finger on the G , they're sort of crossways.
-
Horizontal Shape: You're on the same fret.
Any time in your double stops where you have two of those patterns following each other, you can throw in a passing note.
Patterns and Opportunities
Hopefully, that helps! For instance:
- Here to here (two horizontal patterns), you can throw in a passing note.
- Continuing on, again, two patterns that are the same shape allow you to insert a passing note.
- The last couple of notes in the scale also offer the same opportunity for a passing note.
Practical Exercise
Just very quickly, let's throw in 12 bars so you can hear how the passing notes work nicely.
Remember: When you do these, don't just stop there , go down as well!
- You don't just have to move up; you can also go the other way down the neck.
- Make sure that you learn these patterns all the way down as well as all the way up. This tends to be something that people neglect from time to time.
Let's Hear It
Alright, let's run a 12-bar progression and see how this sounds with our passing notes and double stops.
Count-in: One, two, one, two, three...
Okay, cool!
Hopefully, that demonstrated the idea of passing notes in there.
Final Thoughts
Give that a go again and try to incorporate it into your soloing.
- You don't have to structure your solos based solely on double stops all the way through.
- Try to throw them in here and there to make it sound a bit spicy!
12 lessons
1h 8m of structured video lessons
Advanced video features
Slow down, loop a passage, follow along
Mobile, tablet & desktop
Practise wherever you are
100% satisfaction guarantee
30-day money-back guarantee
Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Ron Sayer is a guitarist's guitarist on the UK blues circuit and a mentor to players including Oli Brown and Sol Philcox. He has been nominated four times at the British Blues Awards - for the album 'Better Side', the single 'Don't Make Me Stay', and his co-writing on Oli Brown's 'Here I Am' - and has won Guitarist of the Year. In his courses he breaks down the phrasing, tone and feel behind electric blues lead playing.
