String skip

Skipping the strings is a way to achieve guitar sound that is different from more traditional solo and riff styles. In more traditional styles, the guitarist will often play several notes on one string, then move to the next, improvising on the fingerboard in a melodically linear manner. In string skipping (as the name implies), the string will often be skipped while playing a riff . Essentially, this method is used to introduce large intervals , commonly found in guitar melodies, thereby creating a melodic benefit.

An example of a traditional solo riff style

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 3 5 5 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 e | - | ------------- 3 --- | --------------- 2- | ---------- -3-2 --- | ----------------- | 
 B | - | --------- 3-5 --- 3- | ------------- 3 --- | ---------- ----- 5- | -5 --------------- |
 G | 4 | --- 2-4-5 --------- | ----------- 4 ----- | ---------- ----- ^^^^^ HOLD ----------- |
 D | 4 | ----------------- | ----------------- | ---------- ------- | ----------------- |
 A | - | ----------------- | ----------------- | ---------- ------- | ----------------- |
 E | - | ----------------- | ----------------- | ---------- ------- | ----------------- |

String Pass Examples

  --------------- | -------------- 7-- |
 ------------ 5-- | ------ 7 ^ 8--10 ---- |
 --------- 2 ----- | ----------------- |
 --------------- | ---- 9 ------------ |
 ------ 3 -------- | -5 --------------- |
 --------------- | ----------------- |

Note that not every note played is a string skip. This is a common case that string skipping is intertwined with the traditional neighboring riff . Playing the top example, you can hear the difference, causing the skipping of the strings to make the solos more expressive.

One example of string skipping involves tightening the G string on the seventh fret with the transition to the eighth fret (skipping string B ). Another way to achieve the desired effect is when during a game of thrash riffs with open E, the strings E , B, G, D are clamped or additional notes are played in them.

A famous example of the use of string skips is the introductory riff to the song Sweet Child on 'Mine by Guns' N' Roses . Guitarist Sean Lane used the skip string throughout all the instrumental rock plays Get You Back and Not Again , in particular on the Powers of Ten album. ^{[1] [2]}

Another specific example of skipping strings can be heard in Eric Clifs of Dover 's instrumental piece by Eric Johnson during the intro (6 and 7 bars ). ^[3] Johnson, who built his guitar style on "combining the music of many influences and his own ideas" ^[4] said that string skipping is an important part of his soloing . ^[4] Johnson refers to the use of “ wide spacing ” in his technique , and also says that by skipping “you sometimes replace certain notes with a different octave”. He says that “it becomes a little interesting” when the guitarist bumps into the usual note of the neck , which can be replaced with an open string (played, and not with a “skipped” string) ^[4] .

Guitarist Paul Gilbert (from Mr. Big , Racer X , and G3 ) often uses string skipping. ^[5] Video examples of string skipping are given in external links below.

• Guitar art - video example of the passage of strings
• The official site of Paul Gilbert
• Eric Johnson Official Website
• String Arpeggios on GOSK.com
• Paul Gilbert String Pass Lesson