In this lesson, we’ll explore Double Stops, focusing on 3rds and 6ths intervals. Double stops involve playing two notes simultaneously with the 3rds and 6ths intervals creating a great Country Guitar vibe!
Double Stops - 3rds
Starting with G Chord: Begin with a double stop in major 3rds. For example our first shape - 8th fret on the B string (G note) on top and the 7th fret on the high E string (B note) bottom.
Building a series/scale: Learn to play a series of double stops across the fretboard, forming a G major scale or practice in whichever chord you're playing over.
Double Stop Shapes - Major 3rds appear 1 fret apart across the pair of notes and Minor 3rds appear 2 frets apart.
Techniques to add country flair!
• Hybrid Picking: Use Hybrid Picking to play double stops—pick the lower note with your pick and pluck the higher note with your finger for that distinctly Country sound!
• Navigating the Neck: Observe how these double stop shapes relate to chord shapes across the neck, helping you find 'jumping off' points.
• Passing Notes: Add passing Double Stop notes to enhance your lead lines, similar to adding notes to the Major scale to make a Major Blues Scale in previous lessons.
Moving to 6ths
6ths are closely related to 3rds and also have that sweet country sound. These intervals involve a string skip that we can identify with ease visually on the fretboard. For example our first shape - 4th fret on the G string (B note) on top and 3rd fret on the high E string (G note) bottom.
• Inversions: Notice how these 6ths are inversions of the 3rds we started with, G and B notes switch to being further apart and on top or bottom.
• Hybrid Picking with 6ths: Use Hybrid Picking to isolate the two strings needed for 6ths, skipping the string in between. This technique adds a bright, snappy tone perfect for country guitar.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a solid grasp of using double stops in 3rds and 6ths, applying hybrid picking, and enhancing your lead lines with passing notes, all bolstering that classic Country sound!
