Let me show you a solo technique that sounds more advanced than it really is. It’s all about using the high E string as your drone while you play melody on the B string underneath it.
Here’s why this works so good, boys and girls. The B string is the 5th of E. A 5th is the sweetest interval you can find. Play E and B together and they just belong there. That drone is going to sit underneath everything you play without clashing.
Play the E Diatonic Minor Scale on the B String
Your notes on the B string up to the 12th fret are: B, C, D, E, F#, G, A, B. That’s your E diatonic minor scale. You can strike the E drone and B string together, or pick them separately. Your call. Just pick whichever sounds better to your ear.
Down-up picking motion is important here. Stay consistent with that motion. Don’t switch to all downstrokes just because it feels easier. The up-picking keeps things smooth and connected.
Add hammer-ons and pull-offs. Play your B string drone, then hammer on or pull off with notes on the B string itself. That’s smooth. Descending sounds especially great. Your melody falls down while that drone stays steady above.
Make your notes sound even. Don’t let them get chopped up. They should feel like they’re flowing. That’s the difference between something that sounds technical and something that sounds musical. Even tone, smooth phrasing, let the notes breathe.
This is one technique that opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Once you’ve got it down, you’ll see it everywhere. Check our guitar riffs pillar page for more. And if you want to see how this connects to other drone techniques, check out our drone notes part 1 post.
