5 Quick Fire Guitar Skills (Part 2)

Here we are again with five quick-to-learn, ultra accessible skills that represent the biggest "bang for your buck" in terms of levelling up your guitar playing with minimal time and effort.

Add any of these skills to your next playing/jam session for a short learning curve to practical, lifelong wins!

1. Minor Pentatonic in Major Keys

Most of us learn to associate major pentatonic with major keys and minor pentatonic with (yep...) minor keys.

One exception to this is the blues. For example, if we have a standard "1 4 5" blues progression of E7 / A7 / B7, E minor pentatonic would cover us for all three chords, giving us that unmistakable bluesy edge to the melody.

But even in regular (or diatonic) major keys, we can interchange between major and minor pentatonic to create an instant spark of flare, variation and intrigue.

Take this simple chord progression example in the key of C major...

C major pentatonic would have us covered for all four chords in that example. But we can "borrow" from the blues concept of playing C minor pentatonic over the 5 chord (G in this case).

By switching from C major pentatonic (over C, Am and Dm) to C minor pentatonic (over G), we can inject a less predictable, outside tension over that 5 chord...

The challenge here is in making that switch seamlessly, from major to minor (and vice versa) patterns on that tonic C position, known as a parallel switch. Here's how we might practice this switch (this works great as a 10 minute warmup!).

Below are C major and minor pentatonic mapped out in parallel. I've highlighted the boxes we'll be using for the switch, but you can work this in any area of the neck (close proximity for both patterns is ideal)...

Set a metronome to a comfortable tempo (say, 60 BPM) and play a measure (four beats) of C major pentatonic followed by a measure of C minor pentatonic, ensuring you're moving between the patterns without any break in timing...

This process of switching between scale patterns, with accurate timing, unlocks and trains the part of the brain associated with a specific type of spatial awareness, as we're observing and navigating our way through different orientations of the fretboard.

Challenge yourself with this switch further by increasing the metronome by 5-10 BPM increments. You'll be surprised at how quickly your confidence develops with moving between the different patterns.

Test your switch skills using the backing track below (same one used in the earlier demo)...

Tip: The tonic minor pentatonic switch also works effectively over the 4 chord (e.g. F in the key of C major). Again, we're borrowing from the blues in creating this parallel contrast.

2. Economical Triad Embellishments

Triads are the most fundamental shapes we'll learn. While they exist in various forms (open position, barre), there are also more economical ways of playing them that allow us to embellish them up the neck with added tones.

The idea is simple, start with an "economy shape" (major or minor) and use the surrounding frets to add in different colours. Some examples...

Tip: Try moving between the two variations to create some movement in your chord playing. For example, we could hammer-on/pull-off the added note(s) to add some flourish.

3. Arpeggiating Chord Shapes

Arpeggios are a melodic device we can use for outlining a chord quality. It gives us that "vertical" sound in our lead playing, contrasted with the more "horizontal" or linear movement between notes (e.g. from a scale).

While it's certainly possible (and encouraged) to learn arpeggio patterns across the entire neck, we can also use familiar chord shapes to lead into and out of our phrases. Since it's advised to first "shape out" the chord progression you're going to accompany with lead, we already have the markers in place for these vertical movements.

For example, take this Cmaj7 chord shape...

All we're going to do is separate out these tones as if it were a lead pattern...

This works slightly differently to regular arpeggio patterns because the chord shape will typically involve a different ordering of tones (e.g. R 5 7 3 instead of R 3 5 7). So that vertical effect is enhanced as we climb or descend the chord structure.

Another example, involving a Dm11 shape...

Again, we're breaking up the chord shape-wise rather than sequentially as in traditional arpeggio form.

Try blending these shape-wise movements into a compatible scale (even just pentatonic will do!) and you'll find your more linear movements are given an instant burst of multi-directional dynamics that anchor the melody to the chord.

4. Chromatic Approach Using Bends

Once you get physically comfortable with bending a string to a target pitch, they can be used in so many ways to breathe life into even the simplest of soloing phrases.

One easy win is to involve chromatic approach. All we do is bend up from one fret below the target, whether that target is a scale tone or chord tone.

What this does is touch on an outside tone, perhaps a tone that's not a natural part of the implied chord or key. But that little touch, quickly resolved to a more restful target, is what gives it such an intriguing sound and your solos an instant upgrade in terms of feeling and flare.

To demonstrate this, let's take a simple pentatonic phrase without any kind of ornamentation...

Now let's add in some chromatic approaches to that same sequence involving bends...

Completely changes the overall feel of the lick. We're no longer just plodding through a scale - we're feeling our way through it and giving it a little extra flavour with those outside approaches.

Build up your phrases in layers like this - start with the basic picked phrase and then sprinkle in those ornamental techniques!

Tip: Learn other ways in which we can apply this easy win of chromatic approach through my Patreon right here.

5. Syncopation

Syncopation, in terms of melodic or rhythmic playing, is basically sequencing notes slightly off the beat.

Take a standard 4/4 beat, with each note "locked in" to the timing...

Now we're going to shift those notes forward in the measure slightly...

What we've created here is a kind of rhythmic strolling, swaying effect that carries the momentum of the beat in a different way. It's the fundamental element of what we call groove.

Even if the drums are playing straight and locked in, we as guitarists can dance around them and carry that beat more dynamically with the timing of our pick strokes.

Typically, we'll want to combine these syncopated movements with straight movements to create some variation in dynamics. An example...