Blues finger twisters

[Larry F]

I've been working on blues for a while. One technique that I'm using is to create licks that in some way "sculpt" my finger responses. For example, if I take a lick and change a note here and there, sometimes I stumble a little. It doesn't take long to get over it, sometimes just a few repetitions. But I notice that I avoid those kinds of patterns, which of course limits my vocabulary. Thus, I try to come up with licks to practice that address those stumbles, and in this way, I "sculpt" my finger responses. Along the way, I've find a couple little things that function like tongue twisters. They should be easy to play, but something in their rhythm and fingerboard layout causes me to stumble. Here are two examples.

1. Take a straight 16th acsending C Eb F G. Then repeat one note, thus:
C C Eb F G, C Eb Eb F G, C Eb F F G, C Eb F G G. A variation is: C C F G, C Eb Eb G, C Eb F F. I got this idea from Freddy King. I noticed that he creates a lot of rhythmic energy out of a handful of notes. Repeating a note is one way of accomplishing this. I also came across a lovely solo by Rick Laird of the Mahavishnu Orchestra that is built on this idea. Of course, my example can be replaced by any lick in any rhythm. Just repeat one of the notes and see if you stumble. If you do stumble, then that could be something to work on to improve your playing.

2. This is a fun one. Take any lick that has a string bend in it. Replace the bend, of say a whole step up, with a slide up a whole step. Any interval and direction will work. It gives you more color options and, in my case, is also something that I stumble on.

I'm working these into my practice routine. I hope others find these interesting.

[boneyguy]

I would need a whole website to address the things that make me 'stumble'. Not including booze either.

I like the exercise you describe and have constructed many of those over the years. I think it's a great idea.

In a similar vein I've noticed that I may be able to play a lick or scale etc. quite proficiently in straight 8th's but I will stumble if I swing the 8th's.

Take any lick you know and vary the rythym of it. Add rests, tie notes together, triplets etc. and the lick you thought you know suddenly becomes new and not so easy. At least in my experience.

There's a books/cd for Jazz players called "The Woodshedding Source Book" published by Hal Leonard that is filled with exercises of just this nature. It covers all kinds of scales with rhythmic variations. Of course you can just take all the rhythmic variations found in the book and apply them to your own licks and personalize it in that way. The rythms in the book are categorized by how many notes are played in the phrase. They are grouped by 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's and 8's so there is alot of challenge and variation.

I find it very challenging and useful. It is not specific to guitar so you need to get the version that is in C. I recommend it very highly for challenging your technique and getting your playing out of a rut. Here's a link with a brief description

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...8&src=3SOSWXXA