Guitar Tricks Online Guitar Lessons

Adding The Alternating Bass

 
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Remember that you can use any of these patterns you learn along the way, so we're only building on it to have more options, not because you really need anything more than you learned in the first lesson. So with that in mind, we'll continue on and take our classic TPP one step further, by adding our alternating bass.

So here's the pattern that we pieced together in the previous lesson. Play the first part up until the hammer-on. After that we'll play our 5 on the A-string. Then we have our alternating IV-chord. Your 2nd finger is in the 2nd fret of the A-string and your 3rd finger is barring across the D, G and B string.

This is very awkward, but it actually helps when you do it more quickly.

Now let's practice the pattern so far, extra slowly with the metronome. Remember that the tempo I've picked may be too fast or to slow for you, so in that case you can just do the exercise on your own.

Instructor Anders Mouridsen
Tutorial:
Next Level Travis Picking
Styles:
Difficulty:
print notation download lesson open guitar tuner
Adding The Alternating Bass song notation

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Questions & Answers

5 months ago
My 3rd/ring finger doesn't bend at the knuckle far enough to barre the DGB strings, and when I do A-shape barre chords, I'm usually using my pinky instead somehow successfully. It seems that if I shift my fingers here off-by-one such that the hammer-on is done with my middle finger, I'm more able to play this lesson (still working at it though). Basically prepping like an E-shaped barre chord without the barre with the index. Is this an acceptable alternate way to play this, or do you foresee problems down the road practicing in this way? Also is this limitation of bending the ring finger (happens in both hands, btw), a common problem and if so, are there recommended remedies beyond frequently bending to try to coerce compliance?
Mike Olekshy 5 months ago

Hey there, thanks so much for your questions! There's no problem using the middle finger for the barre in this case instead of the ring finger. The ring finger is indeed a challenging finger to get the barre down, but keep working on it --- it will come!! Once you get it, it will be worth all the practice, since it does make things easier down the road. Hope this helps!!

1 year ago
The tab looks correct going from g to g sharp. The sheet music looks incorrect.
Mike Olekshy 1 year ago

Hello - thanks for your question! The sheet music is indeed correct! On the top staff, from lowest line to highest line goes E G B D F. The G note is shown on the correct line of the staff. Hope this helps!