Etudes Simples VI is the sort of piece that might very well give you some new ideas of use for your own songwriting endeavors. If not, it will certainly reinforce your right hand technique.
This guitar study by the contemporary Cuban composer Leo Brouwer features a repeating right hand pick pattern which is played over a series of chords. The chords are essentially variations of A chords. This cycling of chords and the use of open strings makes for a surreal and ominous effect. Though meant to be a classical guitar study, we can certainly adapt it for acoustic or electric guitar. It's not like we haven't done that before!
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These first 12 measures are played as straight 16th notes in 3/4 time. Measures 13-22 feature the same picking pattern and so after mastering these opening measures you'll be in good shape to continue with the study.
Above is the tab for the first 12 measures. Notice how each chord pattern is played twice. There are a couple approaches you can take with the right hand. You can use consecutive downstrokes where appropriate or you can use alternate picking. I prefer the alternate picking approach because it allows you to achieve a more even rhythm and it also is a great way to reinforce alternate picking across multiple strings, which is a always a challenging technique worth mastering!
These next 10 measures are played as straight 16th notes in 3/4 time as was the case with the first 12 measures. However, in these measures the low note switches to the low E string which demands greatuer corodination skills with the picking hand.
Above is the tab for these 10 measures. Notice how each chord pattern is played twice. There are a couple approaches you can take with the right hand. You can use consecutive downstrokes where appropriate or you can use alternate picking. I prefer the alternate picking approach because it allows you to achieve a more even rhythm and it also is a great way to reinforce alternate picking across multiple strings, which is always a challenging technique worth mastering!
Note: The audio clip contains the first 22 measures. The audio for this guitar lesson starts about 32 seconds into the clip.
Lessons
