Theory
The final day of Week 5. You complete the smear you built all week into a single ornament lick. Hammer-on from b3 (F) to 3 (F#) to make it bleed, then climb through the 5th and b7 — a short lick.
The lick is four notes. It starts with the b3→3 smear, passes the 5th (A), and flows up to the b7 (C). One half step dyes the whole lick with neosoul color. The smear of the first two days and the vamp insert of day three all live in this one line.
Today's goal is to complete this smear lick clearly at BPM 72. Not speed — when the half step bleeds cleanly and the lick climbs smoothly, you've finished Week 5. First, learn where the lick travels.
▶ After the 4th-string fret 3 (b3)→fret 4 (green 3rd) smear, climb to the 3rd string fret 2 (5) and fret 5 (b7).
See it
Here's this week's finished piece, the b3→3 smear lick. Strike b3, hammer-on to the 3rd, then climb through the 5th and b7 as if bleeding. The green 3rd is the heart of the lick, and two notes flow behind it to finish.
▶ BPM 72. Strike b3 (4th string fret 3 = F) and hammer-on to the 3rd (fret 4 = F#) — a half-step-bleeding smear. Then flow to the 5th and b7. This one half step is the color of neosoul.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up At BPM 60, fret the lick's four notes (b3·3·5·b7) one at a time. Check the sound first, without the hammer-on. Hear first whether the four notes link clearly.
10–20 min · Brain training (smear lick slowly) Now add the b3→3 hammer-on with one pick stroke and climb through the other two notes. If the half step gets muddy, put a touch more left-hand force in.
20–40 min · Real smear lick (BPM 72) Repeat the two bars below. Bar 1 is the smear lick; bar 2 lands on the root (D) and rests. Feel the flow of settling comfortably onto the root after the lick climbs.
▶ BPM 72. Bar 1 smear lick → bar 2 root landing and rest. After the climb, settle onto the root and take one breath.
40–50 min · Recording / self-feedback (recommended) Record the smear lick and listen back. Compare the sound of a week ago, without a single half step, with today's lick — how much it has grown to bleed.
Done when: You can complete the b3→3 smear lick (smear → 5th → b7) at BPM 72 without the sound cutting out, and settle comfortably onto the root. (Week 5 complete!)
Here are just the mistakes that show up most as you complete the smear lick.
▶ The green 3rd is the smear's landing; the 3rd-string 5th and b7 are the lick's climbing path.
- The smear is muddy. Don't lift the first finger; keep it pressed and put the hammer-on in firmly.
- The climb rushes. Don't rush the two notes after the smear; place them clearly on the beat.
- The root landing floats. Fret the final root briefly and leave a resonance to settle down comfortably.
- You raise speed first. Drop to BPM 60 and complete the lick with the half step bleeding cleanly first.