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Welcome to 2008 everybody!

I hope you all had a safe and happy new year!

For all you Hog Fans out there, it was a sad day yesterday.

So, to help ease your pain, here is a neat practice idea I picked up from Mick Goodrick's - The Advancing Guitarist.

There are 12 keys:

C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G

There are 12 months in the year:

I'm not listing those for you!

Learn a key each month in 2008 using the exercise below and you'll know every key by the end of the year!

For me, I'm starting with C major.

Write out the 7 modes in the key:

C Ionian
D Dorian
E Phrygian
F Lydian
G Mixolydian
A Aeolian
B Locrian




Using blue line, an excel spreadsheet, some napkins from Juanita's, whatever you can write on, create a table like this:

1 C Ionian
2 C Ionian
3 C Ionian
4 C Ionian
5 C Ionian
6 C Ionian

And repeat for each mode (i.e. 1 D Dorian, 2 D Dorian, etc). Once you've completed this for each mode, you will have 72 total combinations (6 strings X 7 modes = 42).

- The numbers are the strings on the guitar Low E-6, A-5, D-4, G-3, B-2, High E-1
- The  letters are the roots of the mode being played
- The mode name is the, well, the mode name!

Once you've typed/written out these combinations, cut them up, put them in a container (see pic above for mine).

Now, each day, pick a few slips out and spend 5 minutes on each one. For example, in the picture above, I picked out F Lydian on the E string (the 1 represents the high E) and G Mixolydian on the G string (the 3 represents the G string).

Start by saying the names of the notes as you play them up and down the string. Play each note with the first finger, then the second, third and finally pinky. Then create 2-3-4 finger combinations for playing the notes. Remember though, be focused as you only have 5 minutes with each mode/string combo.

This exercise will only take 5-15 minutes a day (if you stick to 5 minutes each and pick 1-3 each day).

The important point is this ... If you do this each month in 2008, you will own the neck this year! You will be comfortable playing in any key and you will be able to move from position to position with ease.

Now, go practice, have fun and make music!





guitar guitar lessons mick goodrick the advancing guitarist practice practice ideas