Practicing in all keys

[Manolo Garcia]

Hi Richie, I have a question about practicing in all keys. When I read, “Practice this in all keys”, because the shapes are transposable, you only need to move the shape up and down the fretboard to change the key of a phrase. A different thing would be to practice the same phrase using different shapes (patterns) to get to learn the fretboard. I can see the value of this. But in regards of practicing, what’s the value of playing the same phrase, using the same shape, up and down the fretboard? The notes are different, but the intervallic distance between the notes in a given phrase is the same regardless of the key, isn’t it so?
Regards

[Richie]

Manolo,
Yes, what you are saying is correct. Practicing a phrase by move it up and down the fretboard using the same fingering is not that useful. Please give me an example(s) of an exercise where I mention this, to know what context it’s in, and that way I can give you a more precise answer as to what I meant.

[Manolo Garcia]

Thanks, Richie.

I wasn’t thinking of your materials when I asked this question, but it’s something I’ve read often in other literature.

Expanding on my question, the thing to do then is to say “practice this in different patterns”. For instance, if I am playing a phrase in E major using pattern 1, then practice the same phrase using other patterns, wherever they happen to fall on in the guitar for E major.

To change the key for the phrase, you only need to move the pattern up or down the fretboard to the new key.

Is this right?

Regards

[Richie]

Yes, when saying “practice in all keys” for guitar, I think the proper instruction should be “practice in all fingerings”. Horn instruments and keyboards have a different fingering for every key, so it is taken for granted. Guitarists usually learn a few fingerings and just move them up and down the neck. They don’t achieve their true potential by doing this, and of course it becomes very limiting when having to play over complex changes, especially at fast tempos.

So the key is to practice through the vertical cycle of heptatonic patterns. This will take you through the cycle of 5ths in all 12 keys, using all the different fingerings. Of course, before you can do this, you need to learn the 7 patterns and scale/arpeggios that serves as the basis for whatever you are practicing.

[Manolo Garcia]

Thanks again, Richie. Now it’s all clear!

Regards

[mdhakr]

Richie, doing mixed enclosures and have the 5 ch 6 b7 which shows a chromatic from above. Can you explain if we are to watch the chromatic from above due to ambiguity….
thanks, Jack

[Richie]

Always be careful with the chromatics from above. Yes, they should be practiced to be used at higher tempos where they resolve quickly or at slower tempos when played in 16th notes. Otherwise you will get the “ambiguity” effect which can be a tad dissonant to the ear.

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