Double stops 101

Greetings earthling, you’ve just landed on planet double stop!

• Simply put, double stops involve playing two notes at the same time.
• Double stops are common across blues, R&B, and gospel guitar styles.
• They create a fuller sound than a single-note melody and add warmth to basic two- or three-note phrases.

Building double stops

The double stops that you’ll explore are formed simply by playing notes on adjacent strings within the C#m pentatonic scale:

Before moving into today’s exercises, review Sam’s top tips for double stops:

• Stay light! Find that sweet spot of pressure down so it's easy for you to slide and move double stops around the fretboard.
• Keep your thumb behind your first finger to support your chord-playing hand.
• Make sure your first finger is completely straight when playing a tiny bar across the two notes. This leads to clear-sounding notes.

Let’s get it!

Exercise 1. 4ths on D/G and G/B strings

Take this first exercise nice and easy.

Sam’s top tip: Already comfortable with the D/G and G/B double stops? Add some vibrato to each one.

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Exercise 2. Extending up the G/B string

String change! Now we’ll work our way up the G/B strings.

Sam’s top tip: Can you add a slide this time? Slides add character, whether you're moving up or down.

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Exercise 3. Full box

Let’s go up another level and use the full box shape.

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Lick 1

You’ve worked hard today, time to get creative with a lick.

Sam’s top tip: Once you’ve got the lick down, mix in some slides and vibrato to take it to the next level.

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Lick 2

This charming lick is sure to win over that special person.

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Jam

Let’s see you reach for the stars on this new jam!

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There’s clearly no (double) stopping you, excellent playing today. We’ll see you over in Day 5 for a deep dive into neo-soul music theory.