Skip to main content Skip to navigation Skip to search
  • Lessons
  • Articles
Tutorial - Playing Outside
Unlimited lessons, backing tracks, and more.

Watch anywhere for as low as $10/month. Cancel anytime.

Playing Out - Using Shapes

Tom Quayle 164 lessons

Similar Lessons

Using shapes refers to the idea that we can use material other than scales to play out. In order for an outside phrase to work, the listener simply needs something to latch on to. In this way we can use 'shapes' on the guitar which we can then sequence up or down the neck to create tension and then resolve them back into our original key to create release.

Our shapes could be almost anything - an interval, a triad, a chord or a scale fragment. So long as you can visualise it and sequence it up or down the fretboard, you're in business.

In the example video I use a minor triad, major triad, major 2nd intervals and a couple of 7th arpeggios as a few examples.

Again this works best in bar 4 and if your phrasing is strong.

Send this to a friend