COURSE BOOK

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 2

Overview
Join world-renowned bassist John Patitucci as he dives
into the world of technique, or more directly, the idea of
music dictating technique. In this course, we’ll cover:

— Common fingerings and finger exercises.

— Changing positions around the neck.
— Connecting triad shapes and extended triad shapes.
— Articulation and touch.
— Sound over Speed.
— String-Crossing.
— Major and Minor Scales.
— And much more!

Grab your bass and get ready to get your

fingers moving!

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 3

Lesson 01
Getting Started
Major Scale Fingerings—One Octave
We all have to start somewhere. In John’s case, it was holding his Sears-
brand short-scale bass guitar like a baseball bat and learning the classic
Chicago song “25 or 6 to 4” by moving his fret hand up and down the
fingerboard. But thanks to the intervention of his brother, his hand position
changed, he learned the classical guitar Segovia fingerings, and the bass
world was never to be the same.

By balancing your fret hand, and keeping your thumb behind the neck
(roughly behind the second finger), the following fingerings for the major
scale naturally develop. It’s one of the first fingerings you may have used;
everything is “lined up and it’s easy to play”. Let’s look at the G Major Scale:

Example 01 One Octave Major Scale Fingering No. 1

µ[G]
? # 44 2 œ œ 1 œ 3 œ 4 œ
œ 4 œ 1œ 4
2

2 4 5

⁄
2 3 5
3 5

3
?# œ 3œ 4œ 1 œ 3œ 4œ 3œ 1 œ 4œ 3œ 1œ
4œ 1 œ 2œ 1œ 4œ
2œ 4
œ 1œ œ 2 4
2 œ Œ Ó
2 4 5 4 2
2 4 5 5 4 2
2 3 5 5 3 2
3 5 5 3

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 4

LESSON 01 (continued)

But there are other places we can play the same scale. For example:

Example 02 One Octave Major Scale Fingering No. 2

µ[G]
? # 44 œ 4 œ 1 œ 2 œ 2 œ 1 œ 4 œ œ
1œ 3œ 4 œ 1
œ 3 2
1
œ 4 œ 3 œ 1 œ

4 5 5 4

⁄
3 5 7 7 5 3
3 5 7 7 5 3

Note that in the above fingering, you can instead use your second finger rather
than the third finger, adding a shift as you move from the third to the fifth fret.

Major Scale Fingerings—Two Octaves

We can also play more than one octave on the fretboard. When playing two
octaves, at some point you’ll need to shift your fret-hand position as you move
up the fretboard. Here’s one approach:

Example 03 Two Octave Major Scale Fingering No. 1

µ[G] œ
œ 2 œ 4 œ 1 œ 3
œ 4
? # 44 œ 1 œ 2
œ 4œ 1
4œ 1 œ 2
œ 2 œ 4 Œ
2œ

SHIFT SHIFT
4 5 7 9 11 12
4 5 7

⁄
2 3 5 7
3 5

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 5

LESSON 01 (continued)

While that fretboard position and fingering is a great way to play a scale,
what can be more important when soloing or improvising is the sound that
you’re producing. The same note can be played in different locations on the
fretboard, each with its own tonality. Here’s the same scale, incorporating
just one shift in position:

Example 04 Two Octave Major Scale Fingering No. 2

µ[G] œ
œ 2 œ 4 œ 1 œ 3
œ 4
? # 44 œ 1 œ 2
œ 4œ 1
3œ 4 œ 1
œ 3 œ 4 Œ
1œ

SHIFT
9 11 12
9 10 12

⁄
3 5 7 9 10 12
3 5 7

Example 04 Two Octave Major Scale Fingering No. 3

µ[G] œ
œ 2 œ 4 œ 1 œ 3
œ 4
? # 44 œ 1 œ 2
œ 4œ 1
œ 3 œ 4 œ 1
œ 3 œ 4 Œ
1

SHIFT
9 11 12
9 10 12

⁄
9 10 12
3 5 7 8 10 12

“When I do anything fingering-

wise, it’s always based on
sound, not expediency, not to
make it easier, it’s sound first.”

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 6

LESSON 01 (continued)

Minor Scale Fingerings—One Octave

We can also find a simple fingering for the minor scale that’s also “lined up
and easy to play.” Here’s the G Natural Minor Scale:

Example 05 One Octave Minor Scale Fingering No. 1

µ[Gm]
? bb 44 œ 3 œ 4 œ 1 œ 3 œ 1 œ 4 œ 3 œ œ Œ
1œ 3œ 4 œ 1 1 4 œ 3 œ 1 œ

3 5 3

⁄
3 5 6 6 5 3
3 5 6 6 5 3

The Dorian Scale

The Dorian Mode (Dorian Scale) is a Natural Minor Scale with a major 6th
instead of a flattened 6th. In the G Dorian Scale, we raise the Eb (the b6th)
up one half step (one fret) to Eª. Let’s look at two fingerings:

Dorian Mode Fingerings

µ[Gm] Major 6th

? bb 44 œ 3 œ 4 nœ 1 œ 3 œ 1 œ 4 nœ 3 œ œ Œ
1œ 3œ 4 œ 1 1 4 œ 3 œ 1 œ

3 5 3

⁄
3 5 7 7 5 3
3 5 6 6 5 3

Major 6th
µ[Gm]
5
? bb œ 1 nœ 2 œ 4 œ 2 œ 1 nœ œ Œ
1œ 3œ 4œ 1
œ 3 4 1
œ 4 œ 3 œ 1 œ
SHIFT SHIFT

2 3 5 3 2
3 5 5 3
3 5 6 6 5 3

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 7

LESSON 01 (continued)

Although the notes are the same in the two Dorian examples, notice how
they sound different. This is because of the string length that creates
the notes—shorter string lengths in the first fingering (higher up on the
fretboard); longer in the second (lower on the fretboard).

Homework
Play the same note on each string to hear the difference in sound. For
“When you can use the longer
example, play an open G on the first string, then on the 5th fret of the string length, use it.”
second string, then the 10th fret of the third string, and finally the 15th fret
“Sonically, it’s foolish to play
of the fourth string. Same note, different sound!
everything closed just because
you’re not thinking about sound.”

Discovering Your Own Fingerings

You may find that the sound you’re looking for might come from playing
a note high up on the low (fourth) string, rather than further down on the
neck on a different string.

Homework Practice playing your scales on just one string.

Another way to find a good fingering, “start at the top (the highest note of
“It’s really about where you wanna
the scale) and work your way backwards”. Here’s an E Major Scale: end up. If you end up on an
inefficient [fingering], it doesn’t
help you.”

Example 06 Major Scale on One String

µ[E]
? #### 44 4 œ 3 œ œ œ œ œ 3 œ 4 œ
1 4 2 œ 1œ œ œ œ 2œ 1œ 2 œ 4 1
2 0

⁄ 12 11 9 7 5 4 2 0 2 4 5 7 9 11 12

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LESSON 01 (continued)

The Dominant Scale

Another useful scale John learned was the Dominant Scale, which is just
the Major Scale with the 7th degree lowered by a half step (one fret):

Example 07 Dominant Scale

µ[G] b7 th
? # 44 œ 1 œ 2 nœ 4 œ 2 nœ 1 œ œ Œ
2œ 4 œ 1 œ 2
œ 4 4 2
œ 1 œ 4 œ 2 œ

2 3 5 3 2

⁄
2 3 5 5 3 2
3 5 5 3

Chord Forms/Chord Tones/Arpeggios

As John’s (and his brother’s) playing progressed, he was next introduced to

chord forms, which are often referred to as chord tones, or more commonly
arpeggios. They served as an introduction to harmony. The four basic
arpeggios are the maj7, dominant 7, m7, and half diminished (m7b5):

Arpeggios

Gmaj7 G7 Gm7
? 44 #œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ Œ

4 3 3

⁄
2 5 5 2 2 5 5 2 5 5
3 3 3 3 3 6 6 3

Gm7b5 Gm7b5 Gm7

7
? œ bœ œ bœ œ
œ bœ bœ bœ œ Œ œ bœ bœ bœ œ Œ œ bœ nœ œ bœ œ Œ

3 3 0 3 0
4 4 1 4 4 1 1 1
3 6 6 3 3 3 3 3

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 9

LESSON 01 (continued)

Learning shapes that can be played anywhere on the fretboard, and

recognizing the sound of each shape, is an invaluable tool to have in your
bass “kit.” Looking at the last two bars of the previous example, we can
take that minor 7th arpeggio and move it up (and down) the fretboard. The “I learned that the patterns on the
fingerboard help me memorize
shape remains the same, but avoids any open strings: sounds... Once I learned a shape,
I was ‘gone’ I ‘had it’—you could
put [that shape] anywhere.”

Example 08 Minor 7th Arpeggio Pattern

G#m7 Am7 Bbm7

? 4 #œ
4œ bœ œ œ
4 #œ 2 œ 1 #œ 2œ
2 œ 4 œ 4œ
2 œ 1œ 1œ
2œ
4œ bœ bœ œ œ
sim.

1 4 1 2 5 2 3 6 3

⁄
2 2 3 3 4 4
4 4 5 5 6 6

Bm7 Cm7 C#m7

4
#œ nœ œ œ bœ œ nœ œ
?
nœ nœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ #œ nœ #œ œ œ

4 7 4 5 8 5 6 9 6
5 5 6 6 7 7
7 7 8 8 9 9

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 10

LESSON 01 (continued)

Jazz: The ii–V–I

Connecting shapes is another must-know skill for bass players. There’s no
better place to start than with the unquestioned “king” of jazz progressions,
the ii–V–I.* Using arpeggios, let’s look at a ii–V–I in the key of D Major:

Example 09 ii–V–I in D Major

“Basic” V chord
Em7 A7 Dmaj7
œ œ œ œ
? ## 44 œ œ œ œ œ ˙
œ
4 7 6
5 7 5

⁄
7 7 4 5
5

Once you have the basic shapes of the ii–V–I under your fingers, a common
variation to the progression is to alter the V chord (the A7 in this case). One
common way is to add a flattened 9th:

Example 10 Altering the V Chord

b9
Em7 A7b9 Dmaj7

˙™
œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ
? ## 44 œ œ

4 7 6

⁄
5 8 7 5 4
7 5

*For more information regarding the number system for referring to chords, please see
“FUNCTIONAL THEORY FOR BASSISTS, Vol. 1” in the SBL Course Library.

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 11

LESSON 01 (continued)

Finally, try “hopping around” as you play the ii–V–I arpeggios to give your
bass line variety. Notice that the patterns apply in any key:

Example 11 Playing a ii–V–I Around the Fretboard

D Major
Em7 A7 Dmaj7
œ œ œ œ
? ## 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
4 7 6
5 5 4 7

⁄
7 4 7 5
5

G Major (Version 1)
Am7 D7 Gmaj7
4
?# œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ w

2 5 4
3 5 3
5 5 3

G Major (Version 2)
Am7 D7 Gmaj7
7 œ
?# œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
œ
5
2 5 4 7 4
3 5 2 5
5 3

G Major (Version 3)
Am7 œ D7 Gmaj7
10 œ œ œ œ œ
?# œ œ œ œ œ
œ

9 12 11
10 10 9 12
12 9 12 10
10

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 12

LESSON 01 (continued)

Example 11 (continued)

Bb Major
Cm7 F7 Bbmaj7
13
œ œ œ
?b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b œ œ

8
5 8 7 10 7
6 8 5 8
8 6

Closing Thoughts
— Learn the forms in one octave in a 3-to-4-fret area on the fretboard.
— Practice until your hands know those shapes, so you’ll never need to
actively “think” about them again.

“My idea with learning the neck and learning technique

at all was to get freedom so that I could get around on
the instrument and play through sounds, and make the
changes and not sound like I was just playing ‘stuff.’”

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 13

Lesson 02
Articulation & Touch
Applying Technique
The difference between making music and just playing your bass is a result
of articulation and touch. When playing notes, arpeggios, etc., there are a
number of things to consider, including the note length, slides, hammer-ons “Music dictates technique.
and pull-offs, shakes, and many more. Take this simple one-string bass line: Not the other way around.”

Example 01

ÍÍÍͯ¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯
µ[Em]

œù ù œ œ œ œù ù
? # 44 œ œ ‰ j ‰ j œœ œ œ œœœœœ Œ
œ œ ¿ œ œ œ œœœœ œ
ÍÍÍͯ¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯
ûû ûû
⁄ 0 3 7 12 X 0 3 7 0
X
0 3 7 12 12 12 10 7 3 0 3 7 0

It’s important that you’re comfortable shifting up and down the fretboard. And
let musical considerations drive your articulation, don’t just add articulation for
articulation’s sake—try to make your bass lines “sing.”

Let’s next look at a few exercises for you to work on specific articulations.

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 14

LESSON 02 (continued)

The following exercises incorporates hammer-ons and pull-offs. With the

exception of the first note of the first and third measures, it’s all your left hand;
there’s no right hand involved:

LESSON 02 Example 02 Hammer-ons and Pull-offs I

q � 62
µ[Em]
?# 4
ù ù ù ù œ ùœ œ ùœ œ œ œ œ œ ùœ œ ùœ œ
4 œœœ œœœœ œ œœœœ œ Œ Œ

û3 û3 û3 û3 û3 û3 û3 û3 û3 û3
⁄ 0 0 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 0 0 0

It’s also important that you exercise your ring and pinky fingers, which are
traditionally weak when it comes to hammer-ons and pull-offs:

LESSON 02 Example 03 Hammer-ons and Pull-offs II

q � 62
µ[Gm]
? bb 44
1 œ 3œ 4œ 3œ 1œ 4œ 3œ 4œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

⁄ 3 5 6 5 3 6 5 6 3 5 6 5 3 6 5 6 3 5 6 5 3 6 5 6

[Cm] [Gm]
4
? bb œ3 œ4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 2 bœ4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
ùù ùù ù ù
1 1
1 œ2
bœ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ Ó

3 5 6 5 3 6 5 6 3 4 6 4 3 6 4 6
3 4 6
û4 3 6
û4 û6 3 4 6
û4

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 15

LESSON 02 (continued)

Common Mistake!
Don’t believe that time is all in the right hand. No! The left hand has to play
time, too. Otherwise, there’s no time feel. Your hands must work in unison, or
you’ll miss the subtleties.

“There’s a reason why in music, when we hear

somebody play a melody [on bass] and it sounds like
they’re singing, it’s because they’re employing note
length [and] articulation.”

Major Triads
Although we’ve looked at arpeggios already, the basis of arpeggios are
triads—groups of three notes that are the smallest harmonic groupings of
notes. They’re produced by “stacking” intervals of thirds—the Root, 3rd, and
5th. For example, in the C Major Scale, our notes would be C, E, and G.

Let’s next look at some fingerings and articulations using major triads:

Example 04 Major Triads (with Open Strings)

q � 62
E A D G C F Bb Eb

? 44 #œ nœ œ œ œ bœ œ
œ œ#œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ
œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ

1 5 2 3
2 0 0 5 2 2 3 0 3 1

⁄
2 2 4 0 0 2 5 0 3 1 1
0 0 2 3 3 3 3

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 16

LESSON 02 (continued)

Here’s the same exercise using closed positions*:

Example 05 Major Triads (Closed) I

q � 62
E A D G C F Bb Eb

? 44 #œ #œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ
œœ œ œœ
œ œ
#œ œ œ œ
œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ

1 5 2 3
5 2 2 3 0 3 1

⁄
2 2 4 7 5 5 2 5 3 3 1 1
0 0 5 2 5 3 5 3 3

Example 05 Major Triads (Closed) II

q � 62
E A D G C F
œ œ
? 4 œ #œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
4 œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ
1 5 2
5 2 2 3

⁄
2 2 4 7 5 5 2 5 3
0 0 5 2 5 3 3 5

Consider practicing this

string-crossing on its own!
Example 06 String Crossing

q � 62
C F
?21œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ 1 œ œ
4 œ 44 œ 1
œ œ œ 1
œ 1 œ œ 2 Œ
2 œ œ œ œ 4œ
3
3 3 3
5 5 5 5 5 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3

⁄
3
3 3 3 3 5

*Although played on a 5-string bass, the fifth string is ignored, so the low E note is played on an open string.

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LESSON 02 (continued)

Fingerings are not always simple. It’s up to you to work out what’s the

Tip best way on the fretboard to accommodate all the notes you’re trying to
play. If you find the only way to play the notes is “awkward,” isolate those
notes and practice them on their own to develop your muscle memory.

Let’s look at an extended Am11 arpeggio in the piece of music, and come up
with a fingering. Start by working slowly to come up with a fingering that works
Am11
for you. Here’s one option:
Extended
Arpeggio*
Example 07 Extended Am11 Arpeggio E A D G

Am11 5fr
4 œ 1 œ 4 œ
? 44 œ 3 œ 1 œ 1 œ 3 œ œ Œ
œ 4 4 œ
1 1

7
5 9 9 5

⁄
7 7
5 8 8 5

Consider breaking the pattern up rhythmically, too. For example: = Root

Example 07 (Rhythmic Variation)

Am11
? 44 œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ™
œ œ™ œ Ó

⁄
5 9 9 5
7 7
5 8 8 5

Experiment by placing accents (emphasis) on different notes as you play; first

emphasize the sixteenth notes, then the dotted eighth notes—it “tricks” your
hands into getting comfortable with the fingering.

*All fretboard diagrams reflect a standard 4-string bass guitar.

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LESSON 02 (continued)

Two-Octave Fingerings for Major & Minor Triads

Major Triad
Major Triad
Shape
John teaches his students a pattern that covers a major triad over two octaves, E A D G
and utilizes just the first and fourth fingers for the fingering. It’s a moveable
shape that can be played almost anywhere on the fretboard. Here it is in the 5fr
key of A Major:

Example 08 Two Octaves Major Triad Shape

A
4 œ
œ 4 œ 1 œ
? ### 44 1
1 œ Œ
1
œ 4 œ

9 14
7 11

⁄
7
5 9

= Root
And as before, break up the rhythm to help get the shape under your fingers:

Example 08 (Rhythmic Variation)

™ œ œ™
? ### 44 œ™ œ œ ™ œ œ™
A
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ

9 14 14 9 9 14 14

⁄
7 11 11 7 7 11 11
7 7 7 7
5 9 9 5 5 9

continued

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COURSE BOOK: BASS TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS OF JOHN PATITUCCI 19

LESSON 02 (continued)

Minor Triad
The Minor Triad pattern is similar to the major pattern, but contains a b3. Minor Triad
Let’s look at rhythmic variations using the minor pattern: Shape
E A D G
Two-Octave Minor Triad Shape

™ œ *2 œ ™ œ 1 œ™
5fr
Am
œ 4 œ™
? 44
œ *2 œ™ œ 1 œ™ œ 1œ Ó
1

9 9 14

⁄
7 7 10 10
7 7
5 8 8

*Finger 4 can alternatively be used.

Example 09 (Rhythmic Variation I)

Am
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
? 43
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

9 14 14 9
7 10 10 10 10 7

⁄
7 7 7 7
5 8 8 5
= Root

Example 09 (Rhythmic Variation II)

Am
3 œ œ œ œ 3
œ
? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ 3 œ œ œ Œ Ó
3 3
3 3 œ œ
3
9 14 9 9
7 7 10 7 10 10 10 7 10 7

⁄
7 7 0 7 7
5 8 8 8
0 5

Closing Thoughts
— For all exercises, start at a slow tempo to get the shape under your fingers, and
gradually work up to a tempo that’s comfortable. Regardless of that tempo, it’s
critical that you establish a pulse as you practice, and work to play at that pulse.
Avoid the “convenient rubato” when practicing!

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Lesson 03
Warming Up
Establish a Routine
Even the best professional athletes don’t start a game without a solid
warm up, and neither should you. And as your playing progresses, so too
will your warm-up routine. But, any good warm-up routine should consist
of:

}
— String crossing exercises.
— Scales. “Arpeggios are the best thing.”
Major, Minor and Dominant 7 ths
— Arpeggios.

Be sure to mix things up by using different patterns!

String Crossing Exercises

It’s important that you get your picking hand and fretting hand in sync.
String-crossing exercises are a great way to make that happen. Use “Your picking technique
whatever plucking technique is most comfortable to you—alternating should be sonically motivated
choices. What sound does it
fingers, single-finger*, etc. Your goal should be an even sound, full and
sound like?”
unhindered.

Let’s take a look at a simple E Minor Triad:

Example 01 E Minor Triad Shape No. 1

Em
? # 44 œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ 1 œ œ œ
œ 2 œ œ œ
0

⁄
2 7 7 2 2 7 7 2
0 3 3 0 0 3 3 0

*Listen to the playing of James Jamerson for what can be accomplished using just one finger.

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LESSON 03 (continued)

Let’s look at additional fingerings for the same triad. Notice the different
sound that each produces:

Example 01 E Minor Triad Shape No. 2

Em
? # 44 œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 œ 4 œ œ œ
0 œ œ œ œ

⁄
7 7 7 7
0 3 7 7 3 0 0 3 7 7 3 0

Example 02

Em
? # 44  j œ œ œ œ 3œ œ œ
j w
1œ 4
1 œ 4œ œ œ œ
0 œ œ

⁄
5 7 7 7 5 7
0 3 7 7 3 0 3 7

œ œ œ œ
5
?# j œ œ œ 1œ œ j w
œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ

5 7 7 7 5 5 7
0 3 7 7 3 0 3 7

Let your fingering choices be motivated by the sound.

Tip Note that sometimes you’ll want to play higher up on
the fretboard and use the lower strings as opposed to
“Try to connect your technical
‘things’ with music.”

lower on the fretboard and play the higher strings.

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LESSON 03 (continued)

Here are simple exercises* that alternate between Em and Am triads. Use these
as a basis, but in your playing, mix up the fingerings, fretboard placement, and the
rhythm and plucking techniques. The goal is fluidity as you play, and fret-hand/
plucking-hand coordination:

Example 03

q � 62
Em Am Em Am
? # 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 2
2 2 2 2

⁄
2 3 0 2 3 0
0 3 0 3

Em Am Em Am
4
?# œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
2
7 2 2
7 3 0 7 2 3 0
0 3 7 0 3

Em Am Em Am
8
?# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
2 3 0 2 2 3 3 0 0
0 3 0 0 3 3

*This exercise is an expansion of the first measure of the larger exercise presented in
Example 05 on page 23 of this lesson.

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LESSON 03 (continued)

Continuing as before, we can modify our fingerings in a number of ways:

Example 04

q � 62
Em Am Em Am
?# 4 4 œ 1 œ 1 œ 3 œ 3 œ 4 œ
4 œ 1œ 4œ
œ œ œ 4œ 4 œ 1 œ
2 œ
0

2
2 7

⁄
7 3 0 7 7
0 3 7 0 3 7 8 5

Em Am Em Am
5
œ 4œ ˙
?# œ œ œ 4œ 4 3œ
4 œ 1œ 3œ Ó
œ œ œ œ œ 3œ
7 7
7 7 7 7
0 3 7 8 5 0 3 7 8 5

Next, let’s look at the exercise in its entirety, and keep our fingerings on the low
end of the fretboard, utilizing open strings:

Example 05

q � 62
Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm
? 44 œ œ œ bœ œ bœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
2 3
2 2 3 0 5 5 1 3 6

⁄
2 3 0 0 5 3 3
0 3 1 3 3 4

Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm

7
? bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ b œ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ ∫œ nœ nœ #œ
bœ bœ bœ bœ ∫œ nœ
3 4
3 3 4 1 6 6 4 7 0 4
4 1 6 7 4 4 2
2 4 7 4 5

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LESSON 03 (continued)

General Performance Notes:

— Play with feel throughout; don’t play “mechanically.”

— Each note should be even, but have some weight.

— Use open strings to shift position, if desired.

As an example, let’s look a little deeper at Bars 11 and 12* of Example 05, and look
at ways we can accommodate playing the notes of the triads. In Bars 1 and 2, we
use the open string to shift position, and remain somewhat lower on the fretboard.
Bars 3 and 4 stays in one position over the fretboard, and allows for the final B
note to be played on the low string:

Example 05 Fingering and String Variations

Gbm Bm
? 44 ∫œ 1
bœ 4 ∫œ 1 nœ #œ
0
1 bœ 0 nœ 4
1 nœ
4
4 7 0 4

⁄
0 4 2

Gbm Bm
3
? 1
bœ 4 ∫œ 1 nœ 1 #œ
2 ∫œ
1 bœ 2 nœ 4 nœ
4
4 7 4
4 5
5 7

While these exercises may seem simple and easy, in actuality you’re training
yourself to make choices sonically, and also to find different fingerings. And this
example only uses minor triads!

*John inadvertently refers to these measures as Measure 6.

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LESSON 03 (continued)

Here’s are the same notes, played in time and as eighth notes. Again, strive for
fluidity and evenness in the notes:

Example 06
q � 62
Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm

? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
2 3
2 2 3 0 5 5 3 6

⁄
2 3 0 0 5 3 6 3
0 3 1 3 3 4

Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm

4
? bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ œ bœ ∫œ bœ bœ ∫œ nœ nœ #œ nœ
bœ bœ œ
3 2 4
3 3 4 6 6 4 0 4
4 6 6 7 4 0 4 2
6 2 4 7 4

Perhaps add in some dynamics:

Example 07
q � 62
Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm

? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ
mp mf mp f
2 3
2 2 3 0 5 5 3 6

⁄
2 3 0 0 5 3 6 3
0 3 1 3 3 4

Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm

4
? bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ b œ b œ
bœ bœ œ
b œ ∫ œ
bœ bœ ∫œ nœ nœ #œ
nœ
bœ bœ œ
mf mp mf mp mf
3 1 1 2 4
3 3 4 1 1 2 4 0 4
4 1 2 4 0 4 2
2 4 4

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LESSON 03 (continued)

Closing Thought
— When playing scales, triads, etc. — make music with it!

“Scale notes are just like colors on a painter’s

palette. You can put ‘em in different orders and
different shades; you can do different things with
them... You should never get stuck playing scales
the same way all the time. ”

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