Video lesson
The core of this lesson
In this lesson, I’ll show you how to walk up from E to A, from A to B7, and from B7 back down to A and E. In my video portion of the lesson, here’s the quick demo I play at the beginning where I preview this simple technique.
E –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––0–––––0–––––0––––––––
B –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
G –––––1–––––1–––––1–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
D –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
A –––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––0––0––0––0––0––0––0––1––
E ––0––0––0––0––0––0––2––4––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E A
E –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––0–––––0––––0–––––––––
B –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––0–––––0––––3–––––––––
G –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––1–––––1––––1–––––––––
D –––––1–––––1–––––1–––––––––––2–––––2––––2–––––––––
A ––2––2––2––2––2––2–––––––––––2–––––2––––2–––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––4––2––0––0––0––0––––0–––––––––
B7 E E7
For a very simple deconstruction of what’s going on here, refer to this tab. Note the bass notes between the chords! That’s what I want to focus on – these transitional bass notes.
E ––0–––––––––––0–––––––––––2––––––––0–––––––––––0––
B ––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––0––––––––2–––––––––––0––
G ––1–––––––––––2–––––––––––2––––––––2–––––––––––1––
D ––2–––––––––––2–––––––––––1––––––––2–––––––––––2––
A ––2–––––––––––0––0––1––2––2––2––1––0––0––––––––2––
E ––0––0––2––4–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––4––2––0––
E A B7 A E
Chords I’m using
By the way, if you need to worry about learning the chords I’m using here, refer to these tabs:
E ––––0–––––––0––––––2–––––
B ––––0–––––––2––––––0–––––
G ––––1–––––––2––––––2–––––
D ––––2–––––––2––––––1–––––
A ––––2–––––––0––––––2–––––
E ––––0––––––––––––––––––––
E A B7
How to learn and practice this
If your’e just getting started with this run, first worry about E and A (don’t bring in B7 yet). Repeat this sequence, going from E to A and back down to E. Repeat.
E –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––0–––––0–––––0––––––––
B –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
G –––––1–––––1–––––1–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
D –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
A –––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––0––0––0––0––0––0––––––––
E ––0––0––0––0––0––0––2––4––––––––––––––––––––4––2––
E A
Then, worry about going from A to B7 and back to A. Repeat.
E –––––0–––––0–––––0–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
B –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––0–––––0–––––0––––––––
G –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––2–––––2–––––2––––––––
D –––––2–––––2–––––2–––––––––––1–––––1–––––1––––––––
A ––0––0––0––0––0––0––0––1––2––2––2––2––2––2––2––1––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A B7
When you’ve mastered these two transitions, you can do the full E to A to B7 back down to A and E.
Having trouble with the middle and ring fingers?
When playing the bass notes, I strongly recommend using your middle and ring fingers (in addition to your index finger). While you technically can pull this off using only your index finger, it’s a bad habit that I suggest avoiding. You need to train your weaker fingers (middle, ring, pinky) – and though it can be frustrating at first it pays off later.
Here’s a simple exericse I suggest:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ...repeat
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––2––3––4––3––2––3––4––3––––
2nd fret = index finger
3rd fret = middle finger
4th fret = ring finger
Repeat that.
Songs that use this sort of transition
Walk the Line
“Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash is a powerhouse example of this technique used a ton. Here’s the first few measures. See my full lesson on this song if you want to learn it in full.
E –––––––––––0–––0––––––––––––2–––2––––––––––––0––––
B –––––––––––2–––2––––––––––––3–––3––––––––––––2––––
G –––––––––––2–––2––––––––––––2–––2––––––––––––2––––
D –––––––––––2–––2–––––––––0––0–––––0–0––––––––2––––
A ––––––––0––0–––––0–0–2–4––––––0–––––––4–2–0––0––––
E ––0–2–4––––––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A D A
My video lesson for this is here:
Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
“Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” by Willie Nelson has a similar run with these notes:
E –––0––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––
B –––0––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––
G –––1––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––
D –––2––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––
A –––2–––––––––––––––––––0––––0––––
E –––0–––0–––1–––2–––4–––––––––––––
Here’s a great breakdown of the precise style Willie uses when playing this sort of run:
Thanks for watching!
Let me know if you have questions or comments. Any other tips or techniques you’d like me to cover? Let me know!