EXAMPLE 5TH INTERVALS

CD TRACK 85

[Bars 0-3] When 5ths are stacked, the step-like arrangement on the fretboard make them quite easy to finger, as opposed to 4ths which are very vertical (often occupying the same fret but on different strings). Here, we have shapes with three notes on adjacent strings (also featured in bars 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 19, 20, 33-36, 39-41), and two notes on adjacent strings (also in bars 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13-18, 20-22, 25-32, 36, 38, 44-46) within the same line. Finally, throughout the solo, aim to be aware of what pickup is being used. It’s an habitual consideration for me when playing anything. This opening passage uses the neck pickup for a warm and fluid sound, and would not sound the same if played using the bridge pickup.

[Bar 4] This bar alternates between ascending and descending two-note motifs; this time, using the bridge pickup with palm muting and pinched harmonics for a contrast in tone. The fretting-hand tap at the end of this bar buys time for the picking hand to change pickups for the following section.

[Bar 5-6] It’s back to the neck pickup here to play a symmetrical pattern on each string-pair. In bar 5, the consecutive four-note motifs become rhythmically displaced when played to a triplet count. Also, the additional note after each three-note motif in bar 6 creates an equally effective ‘4 against 3’ feel. As you’ll see later on in this solo, it is also possible to play a passage like this by tapping the first two notes in each four-note group using two fingers of the picking hand, and then tapping the third and fourth notes using fingers of the fretting hand. When deciding, it’s often a question of tone. If picking everything, I usually use neck pickup for a full, fat tone; whereas, when I’m tapping, I’ll often use the bridge pickup for a more ‘clattery’ effect. Finally, because we’re playing every note in bar 5 with the fretting hand, the pull-offs make life easier on the picking hand.

[Bar 7-8] Right on cue, here is a similar passage of consecutive two-note 5th interval shapes that, this time, combines fretting and picking-hand tapping; although, here, I did use the neck pickup (it was smoother and I didn’t have a chance to change pickups).