If you want to give your solos, riffs and chords a little extra flavour, power and dynamics you should try to use more open strings when playing them.
Also, playing a chord with open strings might be easer in some cases, so it's a win win.
Chords with Open strings
Let's take a look on the chord A for example. You can play it using the A shape on the 1st position, with the E shape on the 5th, C shape on the 9th.
Having in mind the strings A and high E are part of the chord, you can play these two strings open when playing the A chord on the 5th or on the 9th fret.
So instead of using a bar to do these chords, only place your fingers on the same notes that you would have to play regardless, but leave the A string and E string open. You will only strum these strings together with the other ones.
Have a go and see if you like it or not. I myself use it all the time.
Download the free pdf for the chords A, D and E here
Scales with Open Strings
Use open strings to practise scales. For instance, you can practise the E scale with a Low E string ringing all the time.
Start just playing the scale on the high E string and before you play every note of the scale you play the bass E open (low E string). You will see it will sound much nicer.
Use this idea with other scales, A, D, G and B
Use open strings for accompaniment.
Try to play a solo using a minor pentatonic scale in E, and while you solo keep the low E string ringing open. It will give you a feeling the you are playing with someone else.
Doing this is also great because you will have a drone like constant sound going on all the time, which means you will be able to give or solo more space, you won't have to play notes on your solo all the time to fill the gaps. And giving space while soloing is really good, it makes your phases sound more musical and with more sense of rhythm.
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