* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, August 8, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Themed Entertainment Design – Purdue Polytechnic

    Innovative Themed Entertainment Design: Creating Immersive Experiences

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    ‘Billie Jean’ – Hyde Park Herald

    The Enduring Magic Behind ‘Billie Jean’ Revealed

    Hank Hill returns to a changed world in new ‘King of the Hill’ episodes – New Haven Register

    Hank Hill Navigates a Bold New World in Thrilling New ‘King of the Hill’ Episodes

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Go-to entertainment: why gaming was made for the toilet – The Guardian

    Why Gaming Is the Ultimate Way to Pass Time in the Bathroom

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

    Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

    BlackSky Technology Inc. (BKSY) Reports Q2 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates – Yahoo Finance

    BlackSky Technology Inc. Reports Q2 Loss, Misses Revenue Targets

    Improved Technology Access: A Key to Closing the Healthcare Gap for African Americans – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    LMI Expands Technology Org, Appoints New Leaders – GovCon Wire

    LMI Expands Technology Team with Dynamic New Leadership Appointments

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School closing down – CBS News

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School Closes Permanently

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Themed Entertainment Design – Purdue Polytechnic

    Innovative Themed Entertainment Design: Creating Immersive Experiences

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    ‘Billie Jean’ – Hyde Park Herald

    The Enduring Magic Behind ‘Billie Jean’ Revealed

    Hank Hill returns to a changed world in new ‘King of the Hill’ episodes – New Haven Register

    Hank Hill Navigates a Bold New World in Thrilling New ‘King of the Hill’ Episodes

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Go-to entertainment: why gaming was made for the toilet – The Guardian

    Why Gaming Is the Ultimate Way to Pass Time in the Bathroom

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

    Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

    BlackSky Technology Inc. (BKSY) Reports Q2 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates – Yahoo Finance

    BlackSky Technology Inc. Reports Q2 Loss, Misses Revenue Targets

    Improved Technology Access: A Key to Closing the Healthcare Gap for African Americans – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    LMI Expands Technology Org, Appoints New Leaders – GovCon Wire

    LMI Expands Technology Team with Dynamic New Leadership Appointments

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School closing down – CBS News

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School Closes Permanently

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Entertainment

Acoustic Blues Basics: Using Open Strings to Boost Your Soloing

April 15, 2024
in Entertainment
Acoustic Blues Basics: Using Open Strings to Boost Your Soloing
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you’re like most guitarists, you started to solo by learning the minor pentatonic or blues scale. But after a while, running the blues scale up and down got to sounding like, well, just playing a scale. In this lesson, I’ll teach you how to add variety to your playing by using the open strings in combination with notes of the minor pentatonic and blues scales. You’ll learn a few cool licks and then put them to use in a simple blues solo that you can tap into as the inspiration for your own leads and improvisations. 

As shown in Example 1, start with the G minor pentatonic scale (G Bb C D F). Played in different areas of the neck and in different ways, these five simple notes can be very powerful. 

Example 2 illustrates a basic drone effect, where a note or chord is continuously sustained throughout a passage or piece. In this lick, the open G string is used as an every-other-note drone, alternating with different notes of the scale on the fourth string. 

In the key of G, the open third string is the root note, or home base. You can always return here if you get lost, and it will—most of the time—sound right. Play Ex. 2 with alternate picking: downstrokes on the beats and upstrokes on the ands. In this lick, that means you’ll use downstrokes on the fourth string and upstrokes on the third.

Expanding on the drone idea, Example 3 moves further down the scale to the fifth string and includes a new note, a fourth-fret Db. This line is derived from the G blues scale (G Bb C Db D F), which is similar to the G minor pentatonic, but has an even bluesier quality with that one extra note, the flatted fifth. 

You can stick with alternate picking here, but I prefer hybrid picking, using a plectrum on the fretted notes and my middle finger to pluck the open string. This works well for several reasons. It’s economical; when you pick the notes on the fifth string, you don’t have to jump over the fourth string to play the third string. You can also get a lot of speed with this technique, and using your finger (instead of a pick) provides a crisp, snappy sound.

Add Pull-Offs and Hammer-Ons

Another cool way to use the open G string with the minor pentatonic or blues scale is to play pull-offs from scale tones to the open string. Begin Example 4 by stopping the third string at the third fret with your first finger. Pick the note once, then pull your finger off the string, allowing the open G to sound. This time stay on the G string as you move up the blues scale to the C (fifth fret), D (seventh fret), F (tenth fret), and G again (12th fret), pulling off to the open G each time. Remember, for every two notes, you only pick the string once.

The cool hammer-on triplet lick in Example 5 will be a great addition to your bag of blues tricks. There are two concepts you’ll need to absorb here: the physical act of playing the hammer-on and the feel of the eighth-note triplet (three evenly spaced eighth notes per beat). 

Some guitarists at first have a hard time snapping their fingers and hitting the right string. This should be a quick and forceful maneuver; practice it until you are able to do so consistently. To play the triplet, start by picking the open D string, use your first or second finger to hammer on to the third fret, and pick the open string with an upstroke. To get the feel of the triplet, count, “One-and-a, two-and-a, three-and-a, four-and-a.” Tap your foot as you say each number; that’s the downbeat.

Another way to use the open G as a drone with triplets is shown in Example 6. Here, in addition to playing the open G string, fret two strings on either side of the open G.

Each pair of fretted notes makes up a sixth interval, first B/G, followed by A/F, G/E, and F/D. These descending sixths are commonly used in blues and country playing. Fret the first two triplets with your first and second fingers on strings 2 and 4, respectively. Play the next two with your third and second fingers on those strings. As for picking, I recommend using a downstroke on the downbeat and upstrokes on the second and third notes of each triplet: down-up-up.

Putting It All Together 

Using the techniques you’ve learned in this lesson, now try a short solo. As shown in Example 7, “Open-String Blues” is based on the standard 12-bar form in G, using the I, IV, and V chords (G5/G6, C5/C6, and D5/D7). To accompany this solo, refer to the chord frames, which depict a common shuffle pattern, best strummed in eighth notes.

The first four bars are played over a G chord. Use your third finger to play the first note—this will put you in good position to play the rest of the phrase. To slide the note, keep your third finger on the string and move your entire hand position from the third to the fifth fret; practice this move a few times so that it feels solid and natural. You can also use a hammer-on from the third to fifth fret or simply omit that third-fret F.

The bends in measure 2 are very slight (less than a half step, or one fret) and are like snaps that resolve on the open strings. For the bend-and-release move in bar 4, stop the fifth-fret C with your third finger, using your second finger behind it to help push the string upwards. Bend the note a half step, matching the pitch of the sixth-fret Db, and let it continue to sound as you release the bend back to the C without picking the string. 

The rest of the example is taken from the licks you’ve already learned, with some modifications in the phrasing to make it sound more like an improvised solo and less like an exercise. Open strings can give your solos extra push and color. Use these moves to inspire your own phrases and licks using combinations of fretted and open notes. You can also try these techniques in other keys, such as E (remember, you have two E strings for drones), A, and D. The possibilities are endless.

Add Open Strings to Blues Scale guitar lesson music notation examples 1–6Add Open Strings to Blues Scale guitar lesson music notation

Acoustic Guitar magazine cover for issue 344

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.

Originally published in the March 2006 issue of Acoustic Guitar.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : AcousticGuitar – https://acousticguitar.com/open-strings-blues-basics/

Tags: AcousticBluesentertainment
Previous Post

Scottie Scheffler wins 2024 Masters for his second green jacket

Next Post

“We started at a slow tempo, but as the session wore on, people were heading to the bathroom and sniffing stuff, and the tempo got to be almost twice as fast!” Klaus Voormann’s bassline on John Lennon’s Whatever Gets You Thru The Night is a must-listen

Icing‐related injuries in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at high latitudes – Laidre – 2024 – Ecology – ESA Journals

Frozen Peril: The Devastating Impact of Icing Injuries on Polar Bears in the High Arctic

August 8, 2025
Carnegie Science Center launching new name in September – CBS News

Carnegie Science Center Unveils Exciting New Name This September

August 8, 2025
Petersburg youth explore Coho Creek for science education – Petersburg Pilot

Petersburg Youth Dive into Science with Hands-On Exploration of Coho Creek

August 8, 2025
Is there a path to healthier aging? What the latest research shows | Bodyworks – The Oklahoman

Is there a path to healthier aging? What the latest research shows | Bodyworks – The Oklahoman

August 8, 2025
MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

August 8, 2025
Official | Evann Guessand completes €35m Aston Villa move – Yahoo Sports

Official | Evann Guessand completes €35m Aston Villa move – Yahoo Sports

August 8, 2025
Trailer: Netflix Animation Welcomes Viewers to the Whimsical World of Dr. Seuss! – Animation Magazine

Trailer Unveils the Whimsical World of Dr. Seuss in Netflix Animation!

August 8, 2025
Spending on AI data centers is so massive that it’s taken a bigger chunk of GDP growth than shopping—and it could crash the American economy – Fortune

Spending on AI data centers is so massive that it’s taken a bigger chunk of GDP growth than shopping—and it could crash the American economy – Fortune

August 8, 2025
SPC Health Programs Showcase: Featuring Nursing, Radiography, and Surgical Services Degrees – St. Petersburg College

Explore Exciting Career Paths in Nursing, Radiography, and Surgical Services at SPC Health Programs Showcase

August 8, 2025
Top Trump officials discussed Epstein at White House meeting Wednesday night – CNN

Top Trump officials discussed Epstein at White House meeting Wednesday night – CNN

August 8, 2025

Categories

Archives

August 2025
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jul    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (760)
  • Economy (783)
  • Entertainment (21,659)
  • General (16,347)
  • Health (9,822)
  • Lifestyle (793)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (784)
  • Politics (792)
  • Science (15,996)
  • Sports (21,280)
  • Technology (15,763)
  • World (765)

Recent News

Icing‐related injuries in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at high latitudes – Laidre – 2024 – Ecology – ESA Journals

Frozen Peril: The Devastating Impact of Icing Injuries on Polar Bears in the High Arctic

August 8, 2025
Carnegie Science Center launching new name in September – CBS News

Carnegie Science Center Unveils Exciting New Name This September

August 8, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version