CHROMATOLOGY Technical approch Chromatogoly (The technical approch) Hello fellow guitarists, My name is Daniel Arlington. Im from India, the land of excotic scales. This is my first guest column and i'l begin with the most basic chromatic scale exercises. Ofcourse i WILL give you a taste of India's excotic scales, but thats for later. ;). Lets begin :- First of, all wat is a chromatic scale? Its is a twelve note scale.. the daddy of scales..!!! It is an atonal scale, but not quite completely atonal. It can be given a particular feel and sound, when played sensibly over chords. PS: USE A METRONAME FOR ACCURACY, COORDINATION AND CONSISTENCY...!!!!! The basic chromatic scale |--------------------------------| |--------------------------------| |--------------------------------| |---------------------0-1-2~~----| |-----------0-1-2-3-4------------| |-0-1-2-3-4----------------------| The first note of the above exercise begins on the E note. So if that scale was played over an E chord it wud not sound atonal completely, but wud hav a particular feel to it. Now for the main lessons. This part of the lesson in only gonna be technical to build your chops. Its not only for speed, but also for left hand dexterity and left and right hand coordination. SECTION A. Ex.1. Now for some finger warm ups. This is the most basic exercise that everyone knows. Repeat it it shifting one fret higher to the last fret of your guitar. Do each shape 10 times and repeat whole exercise twice. |-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4---| |---------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------| |-------------------------1-2-3-4-------------------| |-----------------1-2-3-4---------------------------| |---------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------| |-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------| Ex.2. Is the extension to exercise 1. Its more fun though. Follow the same principle as exercise 1. |-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4--5-4-3-2------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------1-2-3-4------------------5-4-3-2----------------------------------| |-------------------------1-2-3-4----------------------------------5-4-3-2--------------------------| |-----------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2------------------| |---------1-2-3-4------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2----------| |-1-2-3-4----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2--| Ex. 3. Now time for some mental warmup. Now for some cool triplets with the above exercises. Now think of the first exercise in groups of three rather than four. The plus sign indicates the first of beat of the new bar. + + + + + + + + |-----------------------------------------------1--2-3-4----| |--------------------------------------1-2--3-4-------------| |-----------------------------1-2-3--4----------------------| |-------------------1--2-3-4--------------------------------| |----------1-2--3-4-----------------------------------------| |-1-2-3--4--------------------------------------------------| Ex. 4. Same expriment with the second exercise. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4--5-4-3-2------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------1-2-3-4------------------5-4-3-2----------------------------------| |-------------------------1-2-3-4----------------------------------5-4-3-2--------------------------| |-----------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2------------------| |---------1-2-3-4------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2----------| |-1-2-3-4----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2--| SECTION B. Now we are all set to go..!!! From here on, no stupid warm-up exercises...hehe. Lets go.....!! Ex. 1. This is a very cool exercise when played at moderate speed and high speed. |-4-3-2-1---------------1-2-3-4-3-2-1-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------5-4-3-2-3-4-5---------------5-4-3-2--5-4-3-2---------------2-3-4-5-4-3-2----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2-3-4-5---------------5-4-3-2--5-4-3-2-----------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6-5-4-3-4-5-6---| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------6-5-4-3--6-5-4-3---------------3-4-5-6-5-4-3--------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------7-6-5-4-5-6-7---------------7-6-5-4--7-6-5-4---------------4-5-6-7-6-5-4-----| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------8-7-6-5-6-7-8-------------------| |-----------------------------------| |-----------------------------------| |-----------------------------------| |-----------------------------------| |-----------------------------------| |-8-7-6-5--8-7-6-5--4--3--2--1~~~~~~| Ex. 2. This exercise includes string skipping. |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4--------| |----------------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4----------------| |-------------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------------| |-----------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------| |---------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Ex. 3. Reverse of exercise of 2. |-1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------| |-------------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4------------------1-2-3-4----------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4--------| Ex. 4. Im sure you all wil enjoy this one. |--------------------------1-2-3-4--8-7-6-5---------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------1-2-3-4-------------------8-7-6-5----------------------------------------9-10-11-12----| |----------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------8-7-6-5---------------------9-10-11-12---------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-2-3-4----------------------------------------------------8-7-6-5--9-10-11-12--------------------------| |-9-10-11-12--16-15-14-13------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------16-15-14-13--------------------------------------------------17-18-19-20-----| |-------------------------------------16-15-14-13--------------------------17-18-19-20-----------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------16-15-14-13--17-18-19-20-----------------------------| |-17-18-19-20--24-23-22-21--------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------24-23-22-21--------------------------------| |--------------------------------------24-23-22-21--------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------24-23-22-21--------| Ex. 5. Play using triplet feel. This one is real fun and good for accuracy and clearity. use the fingerings as marked. 1 2 3 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 |---------------------------------3-----------3-4-5--3-4-5-6-5-4-3-4-5-6-7-8--6-7-8-9-8-7-6-7-8-9-10-11--| |--------5-----------5-6-7--5-6-7---7-6-5-6-7------------------------------------------------------------| |--6-7-8---8-7-6-7-8-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 etc.... |--9-10-11-12-11-10-9-10-11-12-13-14--12-13-14-15-14-13-12-13-14-15-16-17--15-16-17-18-17-16-15-16-17--| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-18-19-20---18-19-20-21-20-19-18-19-20-21-22-23---21-22-23-24-23-22-21-22-23-24-23-22~~--(x 4 )-------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Ex. 6. Check this one out..!!! |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21--| |--------------------------------------------------------10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17--------------------------| |-----------------------------------7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14--------------------------------------------------| |-----------------4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-----------------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24~~~~~----| |---------------------------------| |---------------------------------| |---------------------------------| |---------------------------------| |---------------------------------| Ex .7. Now reverse. Then combine exercise 6 and 7 and play together.... |-23-22-21-20-19-18-17-16--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13--------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------16-15-14-13-12-11-10-9---------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-9-8-7----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| |-6-5-4-3-----------------------------| |---------7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0````---------| OKAY....!! SO now here's the challenge....!!!!!! Count four beats in ur mind, LISTEN to the phrasing and constantly play this run....hehe.... USE METRONAME....!!! Do it nonstop all all strings withtout stopping...!!!!! hehehe.. ;) + + + + + + + + + + |-15-14-13-12-0-14-13-12-11-0-13-12-11-10-0-12-11-10-9-0-11-10-9-8-0-10-9-8-7-0-9-8-7-6-0-8-7-6-5-0-| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + + + + + + |-7-6-5-4-0-6-5-4-3-0-5-4-3-2-0-4-3-2-1-0-3-2-1-0----| |----------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------| Well thats it for this lesson. Next v'l look at chromatic scales from a musical approch with some great ideas and fun filled examples....!!!! Best wish to all u crazy guitar dudes out there....!!!!! Enjoy...!! mail id: daniel_rockware@yahoo.com Please visit MY WEBSITE Thankx to JOEL WANASEK........!!! Some more stuff to keep you busy.... ;) ex. a. |-12-11-10-9-------10-9---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------13-12------13-12-11-10-------11-10---------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------13-12-------13-12-11-10-------11-10---------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------14-13-------14-13-12-11-------12-11---| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------15-14---------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9-10-11-12--| |--------------------------------------------------------------------------9-10-11-12-------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------10-11-12-13------------------------| |-15-14-13-12-------13-12--------------------------11-12-13-14------------------------------------| |-------------16-15-------16-15-14-13--12-13-14-15------------------------------------------------| |-8-9-10-11-12-11-10-9-13-12-11-10-12-11-10-9----| |------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------| (x infinity) |------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------| ex. b. |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------2---------------2-3-4-5--| |------------------------------------------3---------------3-4-5-6--3-4-5-6---6-5-4-3-4-5-6----------| |---------4---------------4-5-6-7--4-5-6-7---7-6-5-4-5-6-7-------------------------------------------| |-5-6-7-8---8-7-6-5-6-7-8----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------1---------------1-2-3-4--5-4-3-2---2-3-4-5-4-3-2----------| |---------2---------------2-3-4-5--2-3-4-5---5-4-3-2-3-4-5------------------6---------------6-5-4-3--| |-2-3-4-5---5-4-3-2-3-4-5----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-6-5-4-3---3-4-5-6-5-4-3----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------6---------------6-5-4-3--6-5-4-3---3-4-5-6-5-4-3-------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------7---------------7-6-5-4--7-6-5-4---4-5-6-7-6-5-4----------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------8---------------8-7-6-5--| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| |-8-7-6-5---5-6-7-8-7-6-5------------------| |---------9---------------9-8-7-6--5~~~~~--| BYE...............!!!!!!!