Here are some ways to play a G major scale from the open
(3rd fret) position:
Single String Horizontal
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5______________________________________________________
6__________________3__3B__5B__8__10__10B_______________
7_______________3______________________________________
8____________3_________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Scale tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Single String Vertical Variation #1
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4_________________________________3L__3________________
5_________________________3___3A_______________________
6_________________3__3B________________________________
7_______________3______________________________________
8____________3_________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Scale tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Single String Vertical Variation #2
1______________________________________________________
2_________________________________3____________________
3______________________________________________________
4____________________________________3_________________
5_________________________3___3A_______________________
6_________________3__3B________________________________
7_______________3______________________________________
8____________3_________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Scale tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Harmonized 3rds
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5___________________3__3A__5A__8__10__10A______________
6____________3__3B__3__3B__5B__8__10__10B______________
7_______________3______________________________________
8____________3_________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Scale tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Harmonized 3rds Inverted (since strings 3 and 6 are the
same notes an octave apart, we can use the 3rd string
instead of the 6th)
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3_______________1__3__3B__5B___8__10__10B______________
4____________3_________________________________________
5_______________1__3__3A__5A___8__10__10A______________
6____________3_________________________________________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Scale tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Open Chords in G
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3____________3____8____10____15____20___22_____________
4____________3____8____10____15____20___22_____________
5____________3____8____10____15____20___22_____________
6____________3____8____10____15____20___22_____________
7______________________________________________________
8____________3____8____10____15____20___22_____________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
Chord number 1 4 5 1 4 5
(G) (C) (D) (G) (C) (D)
Notice how the harmonized scale positions are related to
the chords that are used in the key of G.
Licks using harmonized scales
P = pick
P Slide = pick and then slide bar without picking again
Remember you can substitute string 3 for string 6 on all
of these licks!
G Lick #1
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5___10A__10~~~~3____3A___3_____________________________
6___10B__10~~~~3____3B___3_____________________________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
P Slide P
G Lick #2
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5___15A__15_______10____10A____________________________
6___15B__15_______10____10B____________________________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
P P
G Lick #3
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5____3A___3______5A~~~~3_______________________________
6____3B___3______5B~~~~3_______________________________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
P P Slide
G Lick #4
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5____3A__3~~1~~3A__3____10A__10~~8~~10__10A____________
6____3B__3~~1~~3B__3____10B__10~~8~~10__10B____________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
P Slide P Slide
This intro in the key of G demonstrates the use of the
G harmonized scale on strings 5 and 6. The lick begins
with three pickup notes, then starts on
5 chord (D) and then resolves to 1 (G).
Listen To The Lick in Mp3!
P = Pick.
P Slide = Pick and then slide bar without picking again.
D G
1______________________________________________________
2______________________________________________________
3______________________________________________________
4______________________________________________________
5___10A__10__8__5A_____5A~~~~15A__15~~~~10__10A________
6___10B__10__8__5B_____5B~~~~15B__15~~~~10__10B________
7______________________________________________________
8______________________________________________________
9______________________________________________________
10_____________________________________________________
P P Slide P Slide P
These licks are good steel guitar cliches which can become the basis of intros, solos or fills. A good exercise is to learn each lick and then practice it in many different keys. Lick # 1 is in the key of G. Listen to the mp3. 1. __________________3_____ 2. ________________________ 3. ______3________3________ 4. ____________3________3__ 5. _________3______________ 6. ________________________ 7. ________________________ 8. ________________________ 9. ________________________ 10. ________________________ Lick # 2 is also in G. Listen to the mp3. 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ___3__________________________ 5. ______3A-3____3_______________ 6. ___________3B____3B-3_________ 7. ______________________3_______ 8. ________________________3_____ 9. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________ Lick # 3 is in G as well. This is a good exercise to work on to get used to using the first string. Listen to the mp3. 1. _________3_____3_____ 2. _____________________ 3. ___3________3________ 4. ______3___________3__ 5. _____________________ 6. _____________________ 7. _____________________ 8. _____________________ 9. _____________________ 10. _____________________ This lick is a very familiar steel guitar lick in the key of D. Listen to the mp3. 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________ 5. _______________5_____5-5A_____ 6. _________5-5B_____5B__________ 7. ______5_______________________ 8. ___5__________________________ 9. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________ Lick # 5 is another good finger exercise in D. Try to build as much speed as you can. Listen to the mp3. 1. _________5___________5________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ___5-5B________5B-5___________ 4. ____________5___________5_____ 5. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________ Lick # 6 is another steel guitar classic. This time we'll move to the key of E. Remember to practice these licks in as many keys as you can. Listen to the mp3. 1. ____________7____________________ 2. _________________________________ 3. ___7-7B__________________________ 4. _________7________7______________ 5. _______________7A____7A-7________ 6. ___________________________7B____ 7. _________________________________ 8. _________________________________ 9. _________________________________ 10. _________________________________ Lick # 7 is a variation of lick 6. This one sounds a bit like something Buddy Emmons might play. Listen to the mp3. 1. ____________7_________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. _________7_____7______________ 5. ___7-7A___________7A-7________ 6. ________________________7B____ 7. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________ Lick # 8 is a little more advanced as we have to move the bar to three different positions. The key is A. Listen to the mp3. 1. ___________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________ 4. ___17__________12__________5_______________________ 5. ______17A-17______12A-12______5A-5_________________ 6. ____________________________________5B-5___________ 7. __________________________________________5________ 8. _____________________________________________5_____ 9. ___________________________________________________ 10. ___________________________________________________ Lick # 9 is in the key of C. Once again we're practicing bar movement and using our pedals. Listen to the mp3. 1. _________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________ 4. ___8_________________8_____3_____________________________ 5. ______8A-8_____8-8A___________3A-3_____3_________________ 6. ____________8_______________________3B____3B-3_____3B____ 7. ________________________________________________3________ 8. _________________________________________________________ 9. _________________________________________________________ 10. _________________________________________________________ Lick # 10 uses a little more pedal movement than the previous licks. A good lick to build up some speed on. Key of G. Listen to the mp3. 1. _______________15___________________10___________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ___15~15B~15____________10~10B~10_____________________10B___10B__________________ 4. __________________15___________________10________________________________________ 5. _____________________________________________10-10A_______________10A-10_________ 6. ___________________________________________________________________________10B___ 7. _________________________________________________________________________________ 8. _________________________________________________________________________________ 9. _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. _________________________________________________________________________________
Basic Honky Tonk 101
Here are a few very easy licks to get you started playing the honky tonk sound. Honky Tonk #1. In the key of F, the first string is raised 1/2 step indicated in the tab by the "R". Listen to the mp3. 1. ___8R-8_________________ 2. ________________________ 3. ________________________ 4. _________8______________ 5. ____________8A-8________ 6. __________________8B____ 7. ________________________ 8. ________________________ 9. ________________________ 10. ________________________ repeat Honky Tonk #2. This lick is based on an F9 chord on the 6th fret, with both "A" and "B" pedals down and E's lowered. Listen to the mp3. 1. ___6______________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________ 4. ______6L__________ 5. _________6A-6_____ 6. _______________6B_ 7. __________________ 8. __________________ 9. __________________ 10. __________________ repeat Honky Tonk #3. Key of G. Learning to use pedals "B" and "C" in combination. Slur up to the 16th fret from the 15th fret to begin each lick. The sloppier the better! Listen to the mp3. 1. ________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________ 3. ___~16B~15B-15__________________________________ 4. ___~16C~15C-15____~16C~15C-15___________________ 5. __________________~16C~15C-15____~16C~15C-15~~__ 6. _________________________________~16B~15B-15~~__ 7. ________________________________________________ 8. ________________________________________________ 9. ________________________________________________ 10. ________________________________________________ Honky Tonk #4. Classic honky tonk lick in G. I'm sure you've all heard this one many times...think Hank Jr. Listen to the mp3. 1. ____________13__________________ 2. ________________________________ 3. ___13B-13______13______10~10B___ 4. ___13L~~~______13L_____10~~~____ 5. ___13A-13______13______10~10A___ 6. ________________________________ 7. ________________________________ 8. ________________________________ 9. ________________________________ 10. ________________________________ Honky Tonk Lick #5. Key of G. Context is everything with this lick. The lick involves playing a G minor run over a G chord. Listen to the guitar playing of James Burton on Merle Haggard's "Swinging Doors" for an example. Listen to the mp3. 1. _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________________________________ 4. _______________________________________________________________13________________ 5. ____________13~13A~~_____________13~13A~~_____________13~13A~_____13A~13_________ 6. _________13B__________________13B__________________13B_____________________13B___ 7. ______13___________________13___________________13_______________________________ 8. ___13___________________13___________________13__________________________________ 9. _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. _________________________________________________________________________________More Honky Tonk licks to follow along with some other goodies...stay tuned!
Download these midi files to practice with. Good luck and good pickin'!
Shuffle in G
Intro in G
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