Luc Taylor Music School

How to Use This Lesson

This lesson is all about exploration. You don't need to play fast, and you don't need to play perfectly. The goal is to discover sounds you like in Open G tuning and start to recognize that even very small ideas can turn into real riffs and song fragments.

We'll do three main things:

• Review the Open G tuning and where it lives on the neck.
• Explore a small "zone" of the fretboard that sounds good on almost any note.
• Try a tiny three-note idea, some double stops, and an optional example riff you can borrow.

Step 1 – Tune to Open G

For this lesson we use Open G tuning. From the lowest string to the highest, the strings are tuned: D – G – D – G – B – D.

If you haven't tuned to Open G yet, pause the video and watch the bonus lesson "Open G Tuning" first, or use this diagram as a quick reminder:

Step 2 – Explore Frets 2–5 on Any String

Once you are in tune, we'll keep things very simple. For this whole lesson, you can stay between frets 2 and 5, on any string. In Open G, this area is very forgiving – almost anything you play in this zone will sound musical, especially if you let some strings ring.

Think of this as your "exploration zone":

Start by choosing one note in this area. Play it a few times, then move to a different note and listen to how the sound changes. There is no right or wrong choice here – the goal is to listen and notice what you like.

Step 3 – A Tiny Three-Note Idea

To give you a gentle starting point, the video shows a very simple three-note idea you can copy. It uses just a couple of notes on the lower strings so you can focus on the sound and on staying relaxed.

Remember, this is just one example. You can play the three notes in a row, or rearrange them in any order you like. You don't have to play it exactly the way it is in the video – it's simply there as a launch pad for your own ideas.

Step 4 – Use the Diagram View for Clarity

When you're watching the example in the video, it can be hard to see every note clearly on the guitar neck. For a clearer look, check the diagram view – it shows each note one at a time, using the same fretboard image and colors as the LLGS chord diagrams.

You can pause the video on any step of the diagram sequence to give yourself time to place your fingers and hear the sound.

Step 5 – Try Double Stops (Two Strings Together)

Once single notes feel comfortable, try playing two strings at the same time. These two-note shapes are often called double stops, and they are a big part of the blues and rock sound.

You can:

• Play two open strings together.
• Play two notes on the same fret (for example, fretting the 4th and 3rd strings at the same time).
• Move the same shape up or down the neck and listen to how the flavour changes.

Again, there is no single "correct" pattern here. The goal is to hear how playing two strings together feels different from playing single notes.

Step 6 – Create Your Own Pattern

Now combine the ideas you've tried:

• Single notes in the exploration zone (frets 2–5).
• Occasional double stops.
• Letting some strings ring longer than others to create a little groove or feel.

If you find a tiny idea you like, repeat it. When you repeat an idea, it starts to sound like a riff or a piece of a song. Even very simple ideas count – you don't need a long, complicated line for it to be musical.

Bonus – Example Riff to Try

At the end of the video, you'll see and hear a slightly longer example riff that uses the same Open G exploration zone. It is still very simple to play, but it has a more "finished" sound and uses a small pause to add character.

Watch it slowly, then follow along with the step-by-step diagram version. Let the notes ring and notice how leaving a little space – for example, letting one string ring a bit longer – can break up the riff and add groove.

You don't have to learn this riff perfectly. Treat it as inspiration, and feel free to change the order or the rhythm until it feels like your own.

Practice Ideas

Here are some simple ways to practice this lesson:

• Review the Open G tuning diagram until the string names feel familiar.
• Spend a few minutes just picking single notes between frets 2 and 5 on different strings.
• Copy the tiny three-note idea from the video, then change one note and see how it feels.
• Experiment with double stops – two strings at the same time – in the exploration zone.
• Try to repeat a small idea three or four times in a row so it starts to feel like a riff.
• When you're ready, try the bonus example riff slowly, using the diagram view to see each note clearly.
• Keep sessions short – 5 to 10 minutes of relaxed exploration is enough.

Next Steps

When you feel comfortable exploring simple ideas in Open G and can repeat one or two of your own riffs, you're ready to move on. In the next lesson we'll start looking at power chords and rock rhythm, so all the work you've done with strumming and simple riffs will begin to come together.

← Back to Lesson 5 – Strumming Patterns & Basic Rhythm | Lesson 7 – Power Chords & Rock Rhythm (coming soon) | Back to Lesson Library