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April 20, 2024

Florian Kockott

HG7: i love 6ths. here is why. (beginner-friendly)

6th intervals let you easily harmonize a melody on the guitar. Plus, they’re easy to play.

In this lesson, I’ll show you…

… How to play 6ths across the fretboard.

… How to memorize them.

… And a lovely composition will teach you how to use them. 

Enjoy!

This lesson features…

… 1 easy-to-play composition using 6ths.

… The A major scale played in 6ths.

… Fingerpicking throughout.

… Staccato & percussive playing.

… And a trill.

You can download the tabs by clicking here (search for HG7 – Sixth Sense).

Print it. Use it. Make notes.

In this video, you can listen to the exercise, you can watch me play it, and I’ll teach you through it:

And here is everything else you need to know. Enjoy!

💪 Action Steps

  1. Memorize the 2 sixth shapes used here (xx2x2x with middle & ring finger and xx4x3x with middle & index finger).
  2. Practice bars 1-4. Mind the details in the tabs. The dots mean notes are played staccato (short, separate). The x’s mean a percussive click sound you’ll achieve by hitting the strings with your right hand. Keep it loose.
  3. Practice bars 5-10. Let all notes ring out as long as possible.
  4. Practice bar 15, the trill (quick pull-offs and hammer-ons between fret 2 and open B string).
  5. Put everything together and play through the entire piece. Enjoy!

📈 Difficulty

2/10 (This gives you a rough idea of how difficult it is to play. If you feel it’s actually easier, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)

⏰ Time Estimation

2 days (This is a rough estimation that can vary widely. If you’re faster, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)

✏️ Extra Tips

  • When doing position shifts, don’t let your left-hand thumb behind. Keep it opposite your fingers at all times.
  • Once you got comfortable with it, experiment with dynamics (soft/loud) and tempo (slow/fast).
  • Also, mess around with the sixth intervals you learned. See what music you can come up with. I bet it’s going to be great!

🎯 Encouragement

Sixth intervals are so powerful. They let you easily harmonize a melody and the result is usually not too complicated to execute. Let sixths be part of your practice routine for a while. Soon, they’ll find their way into your playing.

Talk soon,

Florian from Hi Guitar

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Who Is This Guy?

Hi, I’m Florian,

Just a passionate guitarist since 2004, with (almost) two decades of teaching experience and two degrees in music education.

I’m the go-to guy for guitar players who…

Feel trapped in a loop of tutorials, courses, and gear, yet still sound the same as they did a year ago.

… Want to fully understand and master the guitar but don’t know where to start.

Realize it’s time to stop struggling alone and start making meaningful progress.

Since 2007, I’ve empowered guitar players to turn challenges into victories, giving them the tools to play freely and creatively—and ultimately, fall back in love with their guitar.

Still loving it!

Here is how I can help (if you let me):

'The Spark' - Go From Beginner to Intermediate Guitarist in 5 Stages

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