ARPEGGIOS 28: Sliding Between Positions

Shapes in one position are essential to understanding the foundations and building blocks of the parts we encounter by others, and for our own initial attempts at both the mimicry of others and our own creative improvisations, but can also confine our imagination after a time.

In other words, the shapes of chords, scales and arpeggios alike are all really handy as preparation for the many songs ahead of us (those of others and our own hopefully) but if you ever start feeling bored with your shapes, desensitised to their original magic, then you may find simple exercises like this (search for others using terms Position-Shifting and Circular Shapes) could help you find new vigour.

Try to ignore the fact that I am using the 8str because this lesson applies to all versions of the guitar. On the 6str you will be working with the shapes introduced in ARPEGGIOS 1 - 4.

Follow the fingerings and use the slide to move along the string and out of a position in both directions, from each interval in turn.

This is a diminished triad, so once you have done this then repeat by converting it into minor, major etc. (R b3 b5 > R b3 5 > R 3 5…) but also try to use it in when you are next playing through a scale that you know. Simply take a detour from any note by sliding to the next and complete the scale wherever you land.

Here are the frets of the first few in standard tuning to get you going: