1. Intro

In this article I am going to explain the technique that I often use in improvisations – playing legato on one or more strings and adding tapped notes same as notes played with legato technique. You can achieve some great and speedy effects this way, but you can use it in slow solos – it both sounds great, and it isn't so demanding technique.

About half-whole scale

Half-whole diminished scale is an octatonic scale, meaning, it has 8 tones, or more accurate, notes. The name explains which notes they are – if you choose A half-whole scale, you go this way:

First note is A, next one is the half step higher, which is B flat, next one is two half-steps (whole step) higher, which is C, next one is again half step away, which is D flat, and so on.

The formula is 1, b2, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7.

I'm sure it's not easy to jam when you press play on backtracks, and then you hear some weird 9/8, 15/16, or any unusual x/y rhythm. It's hard to even begin playing something meaningful over that, and this article might help you move from the 'zero spot'.

About the technique

The technique itself is really simple; 1st motion is a downstroke of first note (on string any other than first) and the 2nd motion is an upstroke of note on lower string, and sweep of the following note on same string on which your first note was. You might have difficulties with the sweep part, so isolate that particular part and practice it until the notes are clear and their tone full. I suggest you to practice these exercises along with metronome.