String Skipping Etude Guitar Lesson

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, Matt teaches Heitor Villa Lobos' "Etude No. 1." This piece was originally written for classical guitar. For the purposes of this lesson, Matt has arranged the piece for pick style guitar. No adjustments have been made to the original Villa Lobos score. The piece is simply played with a pick instead of the right hand fingers.

Lesson Objectives

-Practice string skipping technique within a repeating right hand arpeggio pattern.
-Develop right hand technique by performing difficult chord changes.
-Learn important music theory concepts pertaining to how chords are built and how they function.

Listening / Performance Examples

Before you begin to practice the piece, watch Matt's performance several times. In addition, check out a classical guitar performance by the legendary Andres Segovia here.

Note: Keep in mind that it is much easier to play this piece rapidly with the right hand fingers. Trying to duplicate Segovia's speed and accuracy when playing with a pick is simply not possible.

Picking Pattern

A repeating right hand pattern occurs throughout almost the entire piece. Matt demonstrates the pattern slowly at 04:05 in Scene 1. Refer to the "Supplemental Content" if you need extra help learning and memorizing the pattern.

Practice Tips

1. Use strict alternate picking beginning with a downstroke whenever the arpeggio pattern is used.

2. Isolate the right hand and play the pattern with open strings. This will allow you to devote all of your attention on the right hand.

3. Practice the pattern with a metronome set to the lowest tempo you can stand. This will help develop the muscle memory that is necessary to playing the piece at a quick tempo.

Review of String Skipping Technique

Do not rest any part of the right hand on the body or the bridge of the guitar! Instead, rest the top of the forearm on the upper hip of the guitar's body. This allows for maximum range of movement with the right hand wrist. The wrist is also free to move at a greater speed when this technique is applied.

If you are new to this technique, it will seem very awkward and unstable. You may notice decreased accuracy with your string skipping at first. Keep with this technique! In the long run, it will make string skipping much easier.

Chord Theory

As you continue to advance as a musician, a thorough knowledge of how ALL CHORDS are spelled must be developed! The process of determining the individual notes in a chord may seem confusing at first, but it is a relatively simple task. To spell any chord, follow these basic steps:

1. Start with the major scale corresponding to the letter name of the chord. For example, if you want to figure out the notes in C7, start by writing out the C Major scale. Even if you are spelling a minor chord, you must start with the Major scale of the chord name.

2. Determine the "triad type" of the chord. A triad is a chord containing three notes. It is also the base structure of any chord that contains more than three notes. There are four types of triads: Major, Minor, Augmented, and Diminished. Each of these triads is spelled using a different formula. Here are the formulas for these triads:

Major triad: scale degrees 1,3,5.

Minor triad: scale degrees 1,b3,5.

Augmented triad: scale degrees 1,3,#5

Diminished triad: scale degrees 1,b3,b5

Suspended Triads

sus2 - 1, 2 (9), 5
sus4 - 1, 4, 5

3. If the chord contains more than three notes, consult the formulas below.

add9 (major) - 1, 3, 5, 9

MA7: 1,3,5,7
MA6: 1,3,5,6
MA9: 1,3,5,7,9
MA6/9: 1,3,5,6,9
MA13: 1,3,5,7,13
MI7: 1,b3,5,b7
MI6: 1,b3,5,6
MI9: 1,b3,5,b7,9
MI11: 1,b3,5,b7,11
Dominant 7: 1,3,5,b7
Dominant 9: 1,3,5,b7,9
Dominant 13: 1,3,5,b7,13

MI7(b5): 1,b3,b5,b7

Note: MI7(b5) chords can also be written as half diminished seventh chords. For example, F#MI7(b5) and F# half dim. 7 are two different ways of writing out the same chord.

o7: 1,b3,b5,bb7

Altered Extensions

Many major and dominant chords feature altered extensions. Extensions are the upper octaves of each note in a scale. For example, the "ninth" is the same as the second, just one octave higher. By the same principle, the "eleventh" is the same note as the fourth. Altered extensions are always written in parenthesis when writing out a chord name. The most common altered extensions are written below.

#5 (same as b13), b9, #9, #11

Types of Diminished Chords

There are two different types of diminished seventh chords - half diminished and fully diminished. The fully diminished chord produces a slightly darker and uglier sound due to the inclusion of a double flatted seventh.

In the harmonic minor tonality, a half diminished seventh chord is used as the ii chord. The ii V i is a very common progression in this tonality. On the other hand, the fully diminished seventh chord is used as the vii chord in harmonic minor.

Etude No. 1 - Chord Progression

A measure by measure of the chord progression is provided below.

Measure 1: Em
2: F# half diminished seventh / E
3: Em
4. B7/F#
5: Em/G
6. E/G#
7. Am
8. Bb13(#11)

Note: In the lesson video, Matt calls this chord Bbmaj7(#11add6). The sixth scale degree is the same as the 13. Consequently, this chord can also be called Bbmaj13(#11). This is the most acceptable name for this chord, since it is shorter and simpler.

9. Em/B
10. Esus2/B
11. B7
12. E7(b9)

Notice how a G#o7 chord is sandwiched in between the open E strings of this voicing. A fully diminished seventh chord is found in the upper structure of every dominant seventh (b9) chord.

13. A7(b9)/E
14. F#o7/E
15. E7(b9)
16. A7(b9)/E
17. F#o7/E
18. E7(b9)
19. A7(b9)/E
20. F#o7/E
21. E7(b9)
22. Bbo7/E
23-24. Em
25. F#7
26. Gmaj13(#11)
27. F#o7
28. B7
29. Em
30. F#7(b5 add11)/E
31-32. Em
33. Am7
34. E6

Picardi Third

Notice how the piece ends on a type of E major chord. A "Picardi" third occurs when a song in a minor key ends with a major chord. What effect does the Picardi third have on the overall feel of the piece?

Left Hand Tips

1. When switching between two very difficult chords, put the left hand fingers down in the order that they are needed. This will help you perform the changes smoothly and in time. For example, in measure 2, put the fretting fingers down in this order: 4, 3, 2, 1

2. Make a note of any fingers that remain planted within a chord change or a finger that remains on the same string.

3. Many of the chords in the piece require wide left hand stretches. To master these chords in the most efficient amount of time, practice the Kirk Hammett exercises demonstrated in lesson 28 on a daily basis. For additional reach development exercises, check out lesson 5 from Dennis Hodges' Phase 2 Metal Series.

Licks

A. Theory

Measures 23-24 break away from the right hand pattern that is played throughout the rest of the piece. An Em arpeggio is embellished by approaching each chord tone with the note that is a half step (one fret) below. The embellishing notes are referred to as "lower chromatic neighbor tones."

B. Left Hand Fingering

When playing this lick, use the left hand fingering that Matt demonstrates in the lesson video. This fingering will allow you to play the lick with maximum accuracy and speed.

A Few Thoughts on Playing Slurs

Pay VERY close attention to the rhythm in which a hammer-on is to be played. Many inexperienced guitarists cut the first note (the plucked note) way too short. Consequently, the hammer-on note is held for too long. For starters, practice all hammer-ons in an even eighth note rhythm. Set the metronome so that it clicks on each eighth note to ensure rhythmic accuracy.

You may find it helpful to play the lick without slurs so you can hear how the rhythm should sound. Then, imitate this rhythm when the slurs are added back in.

Ending

The ending section consists of natural harmonics played at the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. Practice this section at a very slow tempo. A higher level of left hand accuracy is required when playing natural harmonics. The left hand finger must be positioned directly over top of the fretwire to produce a loud and clear harmonic. Use the left hand fingering that Matt demonstrates in the lesson video. This will help immensely in the accuracy department.

Note: Check out the Phase 2 Tips and Tracks series for additional instruction on how to play harmonics.

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