Hey Friend,
Here we are, Daylight Savings Time. Already behind the 8-Ball!
It’s 0930 hours and it feels like half the day is gone. I know my body still thinks it’s only 0830, but that visual aspect of the time on the clock just makes me feel like I’ve wasted the morning...
Thanks for your patience - Let’s get right into it.
Here are the exercise files:
The first four systems in the exercise are demonstrations on each string of the major third interval. Straightforward and easy.
For the first section of open notes, use the fingering rule “on fret, one finger.” That means, the first fret gets the index finger, second fret the middle finger, third fret your ring finger, and if the fourth fret comes up (ever), use your pinky.
For the exercise at the fifth fret, just use your index and middle fingers. When you hit the fourth and fifth strings in bar 10, just barre them with your index finger.
The first riff example comes from an old Stevie Wonder song called “ Sir Duke.” The first two notes are an example of the major third interval. Yeah, it’s played with horns, but you get the picture.
What you have here is an arpeggiated B major chord - so you can form the chord and pluck each note, or you can play it as a lick with the individual notes. Personally, I tend to throw the chord down…
The next riff exercise comes from Def Leppard’s song “ Hysteria.” I’ve always dug this intro, and it lines up perfect with our use of the major third interval in a riff.
The first two notes line up as the root and major third from the D major chord, adding a G note (the open G string) to create the suspended fourth. Since the notes are arpeggiated, that G note gives the riff that airy, ethereal sound.
I gave you two instances of the “Hysteria” riff, the first at approximately half speed and then up to full tempo.
These tabs give you examples of how we hear the major third interval in songs, and in the next email I’ll have the double stop exercises we talked about.
Y’all have a great Sunday afternoon, and enjoy!
Peace~
Dave
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