This masterclass will explore the inner (or middle voice) pedal point designated to open strings.

Most often pedal points are employed either in the lowest or highest voice of a chord or chord progression. The use of open pedals will not only give the guitarist an “extra finger” but can often create clusters and other interesting effects when used inside of a chord. These exercises can be used as intros/interludes and endings but also as compositional textures for original music. Once the concepts are studied it will be easy to create your own inner open string pedals.

The examples range in styles and consonance/dissonance.

Contrary motion never gets old!

The PDF examples included with the class lean heavily on contrary motion concepts. Paired with contrary motion are diminished and whole tone exercises and also some parallel motion examples.

A blues etude is included as well as George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” served up with a variety of open string inner pedals. Triad pairs paired with inner pedals are included as well as altered scale (melodic minor) over altered dominants and odd meter examples.

This lesson will offer a great creative charge in working with inner open string pedal points. The next class on this subject (Pedal Points part 3) will continue along this road only with fretted notes, allowing us to explore different keys, fingerings and textures.

Dig into inner pedals and learn a useful concept that will inspire creativity and offer some new and exciting textures.

16 pages of PDF examples with TAB and standard notion

Running time: 67 minutes