Hi everyone. This time around we’re going to look at Legato.
So, what is Legato?
Meaning to ‘Play Smoothly’, the legato technique is used to create a flowing sound and can be used to good effect to inject a little speed into your playing. Many players use the legato technique, including Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and many others.
For reference, the Technique and Scale articles that you may find useful as background to the exercises that follow are:
Minor Pentatonic
The Blues Scale
The exercises below can be played ‘straight’ with a fixed number of notes over a bar, or ‘free time’ where the timing is manipulated so as to leave a different number of notes over each bar. The Legato technique will require some strength and dexterity in your fretting hand. Start slow, and work on this in small regular sessions, making sure to keep your hands and shoulders relaxed. If you experience any pain in your hand, stop! Check out the video lesson below, which includes demos of the examples licks that follow:
You’ll find all manner of jam tracks on Youtube as well as here (eventually!) – check out the keys of the examples below and wail away!
Some Examples
In all examples only the first note on each string played is picked, all others are hammered, pulled or tapped. You can also sound the first note on each new string with a hammer-on if you prefer.
1) G major - Moving across scale positions smoothly, sliding with the pinky to shift:
2) A Dorian:
3) B Major:
4) A major:
Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Tap: t.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.
And that’s Legato for you. You can find more articles on scales and guitar technique to help you develop as a player here. If you’ve got any questions please get in touch on Facebook or Twitter.
Great opportunity for guitar faces as your fingers blister with speed!
