As an intermediate guitarist, you’ve likely learned a fair number of chords, basic scales, and perhaps even played some simple songs. However, there’s still a vast world of guitar techniques and musical concepts waiting to be explored. Many intermediate players make the mistake of constantly chasing after new and complex things without fully mastering what they already know. The key is to strike a balance between learning new material and improving your existing skills. This not only strengthens your foundation but also makes it easier to absorb more advanced concepts in the future. Intermediate guitar playing is about refining your technique, expanding your musical vocabulary, and developing your own style. It’s a time to experiment, challenge yourself, and push the boundaries of what you can do on the instrument. Whether you’re interested in rock, blues, jazz, or any other genre, the following practices will help you become a more versatile and proficient guitarist.
Mastering Scales
Scales are the building blocks of music, and a solid understanding of them is essential for any guitarist. At the intermediate level, you should focus on perfecting your scale technique and exploring different scale types.
Advanced Scale Patterns
3-Note-per-String Patterns: Move beyond the basic scale shapes and start practicing 3-note-per-string patterns. For example, in the A minor natural scale, use this pattern to improve your finger dexterity and speed. Pay attention to the picking directions and make sure each note rings clearly.
Chromatic Scale Variations: Practice the chromatic scale in different positions and with various fingerings. This helps improve your finger independence and control across the entire fretboard. You can also try playing the chromatic scale with alternate picking, economy picking, or sweep picking (if you’re ready for more advanced techniques).
Scale Application in Solos and Improvisation
Create Scale Sequences: Rearrange the notes of a scale to create interesting sequences. For instance, play the notes in the order of 1 2 3, 2 3 4, 3 4 5, etc. These sequences can inspire new ideas for guitar solos and improvisations. Experiment with different scale sequences and see how they sound over different chord progressions.
Solo over Backing Tracks: Use backing tracks in various keys and genres to practice improvising with scales. Start with simple chord progressions and gradually work your way up to more complex ones. Try to create melodies and phrases that flow smoothly and fit the mood of the music. Pay attention to the rhythm and dynamics of your solos to make them more engaging.
Enhancing Chord Skills
Chords are another fundamental aspect of guitar playing. Intermediate players should aim to expand their chord vocabulary and improve their chord-changing technique.
Intermediate Chord Shapes
Bar Chords: Master bar chords, as they are extremely versatile and allow you to play chords in any key. Practice common bar chord shapes like the F major and B minor bar chords. Start slowly, focusing on getting a clean sound from each string. As you gain more strength and dexterity, you can increase the speed of your chord changes.
Seventh Chords and Beyond: Learn different types of seventh chords, such as major seventh, dominant seventh, and minor seventh chords. These chords add more depth and complexity to your playing. Also, explore other advanced chord types like suspended chords, add9 chords, and diminished chords. Understand how these chords are constructed and how they function in different musical contexts.
Chord Progressions
Play in Different Keys: Practice playing the same chord progression in multiple keys. For example, start with a simple G-D-Em-C progression and then try it in A-E-F#m-D, C-G-Am-F, and other keys. This helps you become more familiar with different keys and improves your muscle memory for playing chords in different positions on the fretboard.
Create Your Own Progressions: Experiment with creating your own chord progressions. Start with a basic structure and then add or substitute chords to create unique sounds. Pay attention to the relationships between the chords and how they lead to each other. You can also use music theory concepts like chord functions and harmonic progressions to guide your creativity.
Improving Articulation
Articulation refers to how you play each note on the guitar, including the attack, sustain, and release. Good articulation can make your playing sound more precise and musical.
Picking Techniques
Controlled Picking: Work on controlling the strength and angle of your pick when hitting the strings. Instead of just hitting the strings hard, focus on producing a clear and consistent sound. Practice playing scales and chords with different levels of picking strength to develop your dynamic control.
Upstroke and Downstroke Balance: Many guitarists tend to rely more on downstrokes, but it’s important to develop a balanced technique that includes both upstrokes and downstrokes. Practice playing exercises where you alternate between upstrokes and downstrokes evenly. You can also try playing passages using only upstrokes or only downstrokes to improve your proficiency with each.
Hammer-ons and Pull-offs
Smooth Transitions: Practice hammer-ons (hitting a higher note by hammering your finger onto the fret) and pull-offs (moving from a higher note to a lower note by pulling your finger off the fret) to add variety and fluidity to your playing. Start with simple examples, like playing a scale using hammer-ons as you go down and pull-offs as you go up, picking only the first note of each string. Then, try applying these techniques to more complex melodies and chord progressions.
Combining with Picking: Combine hammer-ons and pull-offs with picking to create more interesting textures. For example, pick a few notes, then use a hammer-on or pull-off to transition to another note. Experiment with different combinations to find what sounds best for you.
Mastering Rhythm and Timing
Rhythm and timing are crucial for playing in sync with other musicians and creating a solid foundation for your music.
Using a Metronome
Steady Practice: Always practice with a metronome to develop a strong sense of timing. Start by setting the metronome to a slow and comfortable tempo and gradually increase the speed as you get more comfortable. Play scales, chords, and songs with the metronome, making sure each note falls exactly on the beat.
Syncopation Exercises: Use the metronome to practice syncopated rhythms, which involve accenting off – beat notes. This adds a sense of complexity and interest to your playing. Start with simple syncopated patterns and gradually work your way up to more difficult ones.
Rhythm Patterns
Learn Intermediate Strumming Patterns: Move beyond basic strumming patterns and learn more intermediate ones. For example, patterns that involve double-time strumming or syncopated accents. Practice these patterns with different chords and at different tempos to improve your rhythm skills.
Create Your Own Rhythm Patterns: Experiment with creating your own rhythm patterns. You can draw inspiration from different musical genres and styles. Try combining different strumming techniques, accents, and note durations to create unique rhythms that suit your playing style.
Developing Improvisation Skills
Improvisation is a great way to express your creativity and develop your musical ear.
Scales and Chords for Improvisation
Understand Scale-Chord Relationships: Learn which scales work well with different chord progressions. For example, the major scale is commonly used over major chords, while the minor pentatonic scale is often used over minor chords. Understand how to substitute scales and modes to create different moods and sounds in your improvisations.
Improvise with Arpeggios: Use arpeggios (broken chords) in your improvisations. Play the notes of a chord in sequence to create melodic lines that complement the chord progression. Combine arpeggios with scales to add more variety and complexity to your solos.
Listening and Imitation
Study Other Guitarists: Listen to recordings of great guitarists and study their improvisation techniques. Pay attention to their phrasing, note choices, and how they interact with the rhythm section. Try to imitate their playing style and incorporate elements of it into your own improvisations.
Jam with Other Musicians: Jam with other musicians as often as possible. This provides a real-time opportunity to improvise and interact with others musically. It also helps you develop your ability to listen and respond to what the other musicians are playing.
Conclusion
As an intermediate guitarist, there’s a wealth of material to practice and explore. By focusing on scales, chords, articulation, rhythm, and improvisation, you can significantly improve your skills and become a more well-rounded musician. Remember to practice regularly, be patient with yourself, and have fun. With consistent effort, you’ll be able to take your guitar playing to new heights and unlock your full musical potential.
