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Intervallic Guitar Licks
Intervallic Guitar Licks To Give You A Picking Workout
Intervallic guitar licks are difficult to play as interval jumps, especially large intervals, require great coordination between your right and left hands. Intervals are the basic building blocks of melody and how you combine small and large musical intervals has a big impact on the sound you are trying to produce.
The diminished scale as covered in last week's Diminished Scale Guitar Licks – Sequences 4, 5 and 6 post, and the earlier Diminished Scale Sequences post, contains all possible musical intervals. Even if you do not actually use the diminished scale in your everyday playing, the diminished scale is great to practise and gets your hands and ears used to all musical intervals.
What Are Intervals In Music Theory?
Intervals are the building blocks of everything you play in music - scales, melodies, chords, etc. An interval is the distance between two musical pitches and intervals are named using numbers taken from the major scale.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the second note of the major scale is called a major second.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the third note of the major scale is called a major third.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the fourth note of the major scale is called a perfect 4th.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the fifth note of the major scale is called a perfect 5th.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the sixth note of the major scale is called a major sixth.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the seventh note of the major scale is called a major seventh.
- The distance between the root note of the major scale and the eighth note of the major scale is called a perfect octave.
Flattening a major interval creates a minor interval. So for example, by flattening a major 6th interval, you create a minor 6th interval.
Flattening a perfect interval creates a diminished interval. So for example, by flattening a perfect 5th interval, you create a diminished 5th interval.
Sharpening a perfect interval creates an augmented interval. So for example, by sharpening a perfect 4th interval, you create an augmented 4th interval.
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Diminished Scale Intervals Guitar Lick
Last week's post was all about diminished scale sequences. This lick is a more complex sequence that features many intervals that are contained within the diminished scale.
You certainly need your alternate picking technique in check to attempt these types of idea. The larger intervals will probably require some work in order for the notes to ring clearly. Master this sequence and your picking technique will almost certainly improve!
Octave Displacement A7 Guitar Lick
Octave displacement is a process of playing lines and moving notes or jumping to different octaves within the melodic idea.
The ideas can sound pretty crazy and can be very difficult to play, although I love experimenting with octave displacement to give me fresh ideas for my improvisation repertoire.
There are some large interval jumps within this lick, so it will definitely give your picking hand a good workout.
10th Interval Minor ii v i Guitar Lick
This intervallic guitar lick idea was inspired by the classical guitar piece Lágrima by Francisco Tárrega. The first four notes have been taken from the piece and the same idea has been applied to the following chord.
The 10th intervals are simply 3rd intervals played up one octave. Many pop songs use 10th intervals as the basis for the main riff.
Classical music is a huge source of inspirational ideas, no matter what style of music a guitarist plays.
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Want to learn how to hear intervals? My free ear training course will allow you to easily recognise the sound of all intervals.
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