1 string soloing

[Mr.Scary]

Does anyone practice just soloing horizontally on 1 string.(Not Vertically) Doesn't matter if it's E<A<D<G<B<or E. I am ok if I start at the root and go backwards or forward from that point but say you want to start in 3rd box region and go horizontal . First wherever I start I have to figure out what part of the fretboard I'm at and that's not going to work in a Jam situation . So I figure it's just going to come down to memorizing how far and where you are from the root. Any other suggestions?

 

[PapaRaptor]

I've done it as an exercise, but I probably wouldn't do it in a jam situation.

 

[Mr.Scary]

Papa I guess my point is to move without hesitation on one string down the fretboard to another box or 2 or more in one swoop.

 

[PapaRaptor]

Papa I guess my point is to move without hesitation on one string down the fretboard to another box or 2 or more in one swoop.

Well that certainly makes sense.

 

[ChrisGSP]

I've tried that, like @PapaRaptor , as an exercise; and a couple of times while jamming to a jam track. I always confuse myself trying to count frets or visualise boxes. The way that I have managed to make it work is to recognise the notes on the fretboard. I've got to 1) know what note I'm playing, and 2) know which notes are in the scale that I'm playing. If I'm playing a B and Minor Pentatonic in E, the other notes are E, G, A and D, and the Blue Note is Bb.
Then change keys and do the same thing on the same string; then on a different string; repeat. Hard work but it might pay off?????

 

[Grateful_Ed]

I've been thinking about that a lot lately, albeit in a different context.
Way back in the late 60s before they invented scales, I'd listen to the radio and hum or la la la until I found the right note then run up and down the high E string until I found that note, then up and down the string until I found the next note. After a while and only because the neck was too long, I'd look for the next note on the next string. I did that for hours on end. Eventually, I got a chord chart, and when that perfect note was an A, I'd try an A major chord. Viola! I could strum my favorite tunes!
In todays world of video, tab, and 2.9 million, put your first finger on the second fret of the third string, song lessons, I lose interest in about half an hour.
I want to go back to 1969.

 

[Paleo]

You know I’m gonna have suggestions, even tho I’m still on vacation and attempting to type on an iPhone.

Tying together several things you know.

1) The “step” formula for minor pentatonic is:

1-WS+HS-b3-WS-4-WS-5-WS+HS-b7-WS-1

or: m3-M2-M2-m3-M2

2) Right-facing octave patterns have 1&b3 on same string, 4&5 on the next, then b7&1 on next. Left-facing octave patterns have 1 on a string, b3&4 on the next, 5&b7 next, then 1 on the next.

3) 1 is the first note of scale, b3 is 2nd, 4 is 3rd, 5 is 4th and b7 is 5th.

Knowing which scale degrees are on each string of the right-facing and left-facing portions of each box, you should be able to move up or down from any note following the “step” formula.

What????!!

I’d be happy to demonstrate when I get back home next week.

 

[Paleo]

Of course knowing the notes of a scale and the notes on the fretboard would make things a heck of a lot easier.

 

[Mickey Duane]

You know I’m gonna have suggestions, even tho I’m still on vacation and attempting to type on an iPhone.

Tying together several things you know.

1) The “step” formula for minor pentatonic is:

1-WS+HS-b3-WS-4-WS-5-WS+HS-b7-WS-1

or: m3-M2-M2-m3-M2

2) Right-facing octave patterns have 1&b3 on same string, 4&5 on the next, then b7&1 on next. Left-facing octave patterns have 1 on a string, b3&4 on the next, 5&b7 next, then 1 on the next.

3) 1 is the first note of scale, b3 is 2nd, 4 is 3rd, 5 is 4th and b7 is 5th.

Knowing which scale degrees are on each string of the right-facing and left-facing portions of each box, you should be able to move up or down from any note following the “step” formula.

What????!!

I’d be happy to demonstrate when I get back home next week.

The Professor is at it again

Peace

 

[JestMe]

I've been toying with the 1 string idea as an exercise a bit lately... helps to learn the fretboard more... sounds like a great idea when changing boxes...
One additional thing I am trying out is playing over a simple track and just play chord tones on a singles string... moving around to the next string... changing along with the chords... trying to help make the fretboard more friendly and comfortable .

 

[Paleo]

“Rut Busters” has a 2 string exercise.

Use just the lower one.

 

[JohnHurley]

Lately I have been working in some timing work and scale work on one string and two strings. ( Probably working form Griffs rut busters would be better though ).

Using top two strings also mostly or or just high e string.

I think its really good for the brain to do it different ways than the boxes up and down the strings.

 

[david moon]

get a dulcimer course

seriously, If on one string I would think in "intervals", From the One of the scale the flat 3 is 3 frets up. The 4 is 5 frets up and the 5 is 7 frets up. The flat 7 is 2 frets down (or 10 frets up). If you want to recalibrate what box you are in at the new location that's another story.

Octave is the same note 12 frets up or down.

 

[PapaBear]

I'll do that often while practicing, I also enjoy Taking a string say the D and letting it drone in unison while I play various D scales on another string

 

[david moon]

well here's a dulcimer lesson
mostly on a single string with two drone strings, But occaisionally ventures into the lower strings. The dulcimer omits some frets so as to only allow major scales (look at the fretboard). So the fret numbers in the lesson will be kind of weird for guitarists.

 

[dwparker]

Doing scales on a single string is a common exercise to really learn the fretboard. Frank Vignola has an exercise where he has students figure out how to play a scale on over 100 places on the fretboard. The purpose of this is to truly master the fretboard and to be able to play what you hear in any applicable position. There is a lot of work required to be able to do this, and let's face it I don't think any of us are studying guitar full time. But I think learning your scales vertically as well as horizontally is absolutely something we should all do to increase our fretboard knowledge and help us get to the point where there are no more boxes, just right notes.