Paul Gilbert is a rare example of a musician who has pushed the envelope of his instrument while also achieving commercial success.
Before all this though, Paul was a student and a tutor at LA's G.I.T. (Guitar Institute of Technology, later Musicians Institute) who stunned and informed '80s students with his speed and precision. He was the Yoda of rock for countless Jedi Padawans.
We asked him to look back at his trademark G.I.T. era licks, taking them from technique-building exercises to effective musical phrases. So grab your guitar and amp for this fun deep dive into the heady days of '80s shred licks to boost your chops and musicality!
Example 1a: A Dorian lick (0:21 in the video)
This example features the A Dorian mode (A B C D E F# G) and is played using legato (fretting hand hammer-ons and pull-offs) and outside picking (up-pick the first string, downpick the second string – the pick to string contact is outside the strings).
The sequence stays the same on the second string while the note on the first (high E) string moves up and down the scale. For the highest note (C on the 8th fret, first string), you will fret with the fourth finger and then roll it across so it frets the G note (8th fret, second string).
The first string notes are played with an upstroke, while the lone picked note on the second string is played with a downstroke. Paul suggests digging in hard to the picked notes to draw out pinched harmonics. This lick also works great with every note picked using strict up-down alternate picking.
Example 1b: A Dorian Lick, version 2 (6:35 in the video)
The same phrasing and picking articulation from exercise 1a can be extended to other note groupings from the A Dorian mode. Moving the sequence up a minor third introduces larger stretches that Paul frets with the first, third and fourth fingers again.
Experiment with the second finger in place of the third finger if this is uncomfortable, but be sure to pay attention to the wrist and elbow positioning.
As Paul points out in the video, the whole arm and hand play an important role in accessing speed and dexterity, a commonly overlooked part of good guitar technique.
Example 1c: Chromatic lick (7:50 in the video)
To demonstrate that this concept can work with any scale or set of notes, we have a chromatic version of the original exercise. Consider expanding this by starting on the third or fourth strings and introduce string skips.
Example 2a: E minor pentatonic lick (8:33 in the video)
This begins with an ascending E minor pentatonic (E G A B D) sequence favored by Jimmy Page and Ace Frehley who were big influences on Paul. It moves into classic Gilbert territory by adding the second degree of the minor scale, and a repeating pull-off motif on the top two strings.
The wrist roll from the first exercise is again employed. The liberal use of pull-offs makes the picking less of a concern, but players who want to replicate Paul’s approach (he often uses outside picking to cross strings) will want to play close attention to the pick strokes indicated below the tab.
Example 2b: E minor blues lick (14:45 in the video)
Here's a great minor blues companion to exercise 2a that features rolls, bends, hammer-ons and pull-offs. Mr. Big recordings and Paul's more recent solo albums feature plenty of ideas like this, and players such as Nuno Bettencourt, Zakk Wylde and John Sykes use similar concepts.
Take your time and work in small sections before piecing it all together – a common approach to shred guitar creativity.
Example 2c: E minor blues lick, version 2 (15:00 in the video)
This variation of Paul's previous minor blues lick breaks up the phrasing with strategic rest strokes and staccato picking. All three exercises here demonstrate the power of rearranging familiar pentatonic box shape with select notes from the minor, Dorian and blues scales. Lots of fresh options and lots of fun!
Example 3a: The Hip A7 scale: A Mixolydian+b3+b5 (16:48 in the video)
Paul’s creative approach to playing over dominant chords often features a hybrid Mixolydian, Dorian and Blues scale he simply calls 'The Hip A7 Scale'. It's A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G) plus b3 (C note) and b5 (Eb note).
The example below simply lays the notes out on the fretboard - learn this first then you'll appreciate the next example on a deeper theoretical level. This fully rounded approach to tuition was a key element of G.I.T – expand student's theory and technique for wider musical expression.
Example 3: The Hip A7 lick (15:31 in the video)
Paul's Hip A7 lick is a perfect example of venturing beyond rigid scale shapes and embracing the bluesy foundations of rock guitar, where conviction and style reign supreme.
Building on the ingredients from exercise 3a, this sequence sounds sophisticated by contrasting chord tones from A7 (the notes are A C# E G) with extensions and alterations like the minor third (#9 - C), flattened fifth (#11 - Eb) and sixth (13th - F#).
Adding these notes to a dominant 7th chord's notes (or even the minor or major pentatonics) is a great way to morph rock and blues licks into jazz and fusion lines.
Paul Gilbert discusses his fretting hand technique
How did your fretting hand’s third and fourth fingers get strong and independent of each other?
My first two years on guitar were all self-taught. For some reason, I only used my middle finger. When I finally started taking lessons, my teacher suggested an exercise to get my other fingers moving. The exercise was one-finger-per-fret, across all six strings, starting on the 1st fret. I had big hands as an 11-year-old, so I could handle playing F, F#, G, G# with all four fingers on the sixth string. That became a habit.
So when I learned an A minor scale with A, B, C on the first string, I used my first finger, third finger, and pinky (fourth finger). It worked right away, so I never considered an alternative. I must admit that few of my '70s guitar heroes use this fingering, and I certainly wouldn't have them change anything. In most cases, I don't think there is a particular advantage. It's more a personal quirk. But once in a while that fingering will offer something unique, plus I'm just used to it.
How did you develop strength and stamina for big stretches?
I used to play [Van Halen's] Spanish Fly over and over again when I was a teenager. That was my daily warm-up. I also practiced trills between all my fingers. A trill between the third finger and fourth finger takes some doing! And I would even practice these on a bass, to build more stamina. I was 18 years old. Now if I need stamina, I just use 7s!
How did you develop your fourth finger vibrato?
I do pinky vibrato all the time, with help from the other fingers! And it's actually the wrist (a much larger and powerful body part) that's driving the whole thing. I wouldn't dare send the energy of my wrist into my pinky by itself. I'd get an injury, fast! So the pinky is just getting the note, and the other fingers are providing more skin and stability.
What is good rock vibrato?
Let's take a look at bad vibrato first, as we can learn from it. The most common bad vibrato is when the vibrato starts fast... then freezes. To fix it, just flip the order around. Start with no vibrato. Then gradually speed it up. Then you need to have a stylish transition out of it. That can be a slide, a pitch scratch, an intentional stop, or a muted sweep into the next chord. Use anything to get out of the vibrato before it freezes!
In terms of technique, frozen notes typically come from the wrist being in a classical position under the neck. Look up some photos of the vibrato masters of the '70s. Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Ace Frehley, and Leslie West all have their thumbs hanging over the top of the neck. This is an indication of where the wrist is. The wrist drives the vibrato. The wrist is powerful! Frozen notes disappear!
Nobody told me any of that when I was a kid. I just wanted to look and sound like Jimmy Page. And the low-slung guitar helped, as it banished classical hand position. For rock vibrato, the low-slung guitar gets the wrist in just the right place. I wear my guitar up a bit higher these days, but my vibrato technique was honed with a long guitar strap and '70s heroes in my ears.
What is a common fretting hand problem you could help everyone solve?
So much of my style is dependent on a "wrist up" rock wrist position. Besides the power and control of wrist-driven vibrato, it also makes it easier to do finger rolls from string to string on the same fret. It makes noise-control easier, as it gets you in position to mute adjacent strings to the one you're playing. And I believe the rock wrist position gives extra strength and speed to hammer-ons and pull-offs as well.
The only time I make an exception is on barre chords, or big stretches on the lower strings. For those, I just tilt the neck up a bit to get my wrist in temporary classical position until the phrase is done, and then I'm back to rock wrist. For all of this, the most important part of your hand is... your ears!
Paul Gilbert's new album, WROC, is out now.
More Paul Gilbert!
Racer X - Street Lethal
While Mr Big launched Paul to bona fide rock god status, the title track of the debut Racer X album established him as a shred superhero. Blistering three-notes-per-string sequences, intense vibrato and surgical diad riffing make Street Lethal stand out!
Paul Gilbert - Go Not Thither
Paul channels the pentatonic swagger of Mahogany Rush, Pat Travers and Montrose with this uptempo groove from his latest album WROC. The solo seamlessly blends Mixolydian, Dorian and blues scale phrases with a syrupy tone and vibrato which highlights the influence of Robin Trower.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
