Most guitarists will start by learning single string lines on their guitar. Adding double stops to your arsenal early on, will help you learn how to play with more of the guitar’s neck as you progress in the early stages. It also opens up some nice harmony tricks you can hear too.
Essentially, a double stop is two notes played at the same time. More than a single note melody, but not quite a full chord yet. They can be played on strings next to each other, or non-adjacent, but this post will focus on playing them being played on two adjacent strings.
As you get to grips with the double stop, you’ll quickly be able to start adding them to riffs, solos and so many other parts of your playing. They make your melodies sweeter, and your riffs bigger.
The double stop has a couple of ways to be played. Firstly, you can play passages that focus on using one pair of strings, such as the high E and B strings. This can be moved up and down the neck nice and easily. Second, is to play them in a certain area on the neck but moving through different pairs of strings. Then you’d move across the neck rather than up and down.
Double stops up and down
We’ll focus this quick exercise on the C major scale. You’ll be playing each double stop in thirds, (more on intervals here!) and focusing on the top two strings, as mentioned before. Give the below a go!
Here’s the C major scale played exclusively with double stops. You’ll need to use your first finger throughout, changing between second and third fingers depending on the distance between the notes. One fret distance? Use your second finger, you get the idea. Make sure to pick just the two strings you’re fretting, so accuracy and focus is key here!
Double stops across
Okay, so we’ve played the double stop up the neck, turning around at the twelfth and thirteenth frets. Next challenge is to test your picking accuracy by skipping strings. This way of playing double stops is probably more common than the first technique. But they both have their uses! Another C major scale on your guitar, just in a different direction.
No fingerings shown here, but the principle of using your second and third fingers depending on the distance between each note still works! Just like the last one, try playing it in both directions.
Other ways to play
You’re not just limited to picking out double stops from chords or in scales. You can use them to practice mini-barre chords. Playing a double stop with one finger is a great way to introduce a transition in a solo for example. Lets take a look at the next exercise.
Still using no sharps or flats, so we’re technically working with C major still! Another quick movement up the neck. Try playing it chromatically all the way to the twelfth fret and then head back down. Kind of like a spider exercise but in double stops.
Here we’re working from the bottom strings and then moving up a string at a time. The exercise isn’t quite complete, as there’s deliberately room for your own experimentation.
And finalimon
As you get really confident with the double stop, don’t be afraid to merge it with other techniques such as vibrato, bending and legato. For some great listening examples of double stops in action, give Hendrix’s tracks “Little Wing” and “Castles Made Of Sand”.
As always, I’m on hand for help and advice whenever you need. Just get in touch here!