Clarifying a Newsletter Lesson: What Are “Rounds”
Another Logical Lead Guitar student writes asking me to clarify something I’ve said in a newsletter:
—– Original Message —–
From: <standish9@…
To: <adam@logicalleadguitar.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 12:16 PM
Subject: Re: Logical Lead Guitar 13: Here’s The 2nd Most Important Scale
> ok adam
>
> sometimes people use words in ways other have no idea what they mean,
> i write to you for just a clarification, when you say;
>
> As you become more comfortable with these patterns (have
> you remembered to keep putting in rounds of all these
> patterns? You have to!), you’ll be able to start fooling
> around with simple riffs and solos between the two
> patterns.
>
> can you please tell me what in the world your on about with the word
> “ROUNDS” ? ?
Stan,
Thanks for writing, and thanks for studying with me!
When I talk about “Rounds” I’m talking about the process of practicing one pattern at every fret on the guitar, or at least every fret at which you can comfortably play (obviously different on an acoustic guitar than an electric guitar).
So, for example, if you practice the Main pentatonic scale pattern at the first fret, then move up a fret and play it again, then up another fret, and so on.
When you’ve played the pattern at every fret you can comfortably play it at, that is one “Round.” in my book.
In my early days I practiced every single finger exercise, every single Pentatonic scale pattern, every Diatonic scale pattern, and every arpeggio, starting at the first fret and working my way all the way up the neck to play them at every fret I could comfortably play them at.
I played hundreds or more rounds of every pattern over the years.
This is one of the most important steps to make you completely automatic at flying all over the fretboard when soloing, or when copying someone else’s solo.
It takes time, but you’ll be playing guitar the rest of your life, right?
Adam
Adam St. James
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