Welcome! This month we’re going to continue looking at specific rhythmic groupings, but from a slightly different angle. We’re going to combine the idea of distinct three-, four- and five-note phrases with a consideration of what they require to be played smooth as descending patterns on the neck.
Let’s start by recapping a little about string-crossing. A number of times across the life of this column, we’ve talked about string-crossing as one of the most critical aspects of consistent playing, groove and phrasing. To summarise, when the line is ascending – going from the lower-pitched to higher-pitched strings – the first two fingers of our picking hand continue to alternate as we traverse the neck. Play the C Major scale in Exercise 1, starting at the eighth fret on the E string to see what that feels like.