String Hopping Challenge

The purpose of this challenge is for you to get practice plucking strings that aren’t next to each other. You’ll play only open strings and won’t use your fretting hand at all. There are 12 patterns to play. Once you learn how the patterns work, you’ll be able to play it without looking at this sheet.

It may take a few times to find your wrist/hand/pick angels. Once you do, keep those consistent. As you move across the strings, remember these goals:

  • Keep your wrist slightly bent out
  • Don’t change the wrist bend as you move across strings
  • Don’t change the angle of the hand as you move across strings
  • Don’t change the angle of the pick as you move across strings
  • Use your shoulder and elbow to lift and lower your hand from string to string so that the wrist bend and angle stays consistent

Here are the patterns. Play the strings as indicated.

Pattern 1 – String 6 Ascending

  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 5 and say aloud “5”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 4 and say aloud “4”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 3 and say aloud “3”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 2 and say aloud “2”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 1 and say aloud “1”.
  • At this point, you started with string 6 and have ascended through all the strings. Now it’s time to descend.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 2 and say aloud “2”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 3 and say aloud “3”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 4 and say aloud “4”.
  • Pluck string 6, say aloud “6”, and then pluck string 5 and say aloud “5”.
  • Pluck string 6 and say aloud “6” so that you end on the string you started on

Notice you are playing strings in pairs, always starting and ending with your ‘starter string’. This pattern can also be written out like this:

  • 6-5
  • 6-4
  • 6-3
  • 6-2
  • 6-1
  • 6-2
  • 6-3
  • 6-4
  • 6-5
  • 6

Pattern 2 – String 5 Ascending

  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 6 and say aloud “6”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 4 and say aloud “4”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 3 and say aloud “3”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 2 and say aloud “2”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 1 and say aloud “1”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 2 and say aloud “2”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 3 and say aloud “3”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 4 and say aloud “4”.
  • Pluck string 5, say “5”, and then pluck string 6 and say aloud “6”.
  • Pluck string 5 and say “5” so that you end on your starter string

This pattern can also be written out like this:

  • 5-6
  • 5-4
  • 5-3
  • 5-2
  • 5-1
  • 5-2
  • 5-3
  • 5-4
  • 5-6
  • 5

Pattern 3 – String 4 Ascending

  • 4-6
  • 4-5
  • 4-3
  • 4-2
  • 4-1
  • 4-2
  • 4-3
  • 4-5
  • 4-6
  • 4

Pattern 4 – String 3 Ascending

  • 3-6
  • 3-5
  • 3-4
  • 3-2
  • 3-1
  • 3-2
  • 3-4
  • 3-5
  • 3-6
  • 3

Pattern 5 – String 2 Ascending

  • 2-6
  • 2-5
  • 2-4
  • 2-3
  • 2-1
  • 2-3
  • 2-4
  • 2-5
  • 2-6
  • 2

Pattern 6 – String 1 Ascending

  • 1-6
  • 1-5
  • 1-4
  • 1-3
  • 1-2
  • 1-3
  • 1-4
  • 1-5
  • 1-6
  • 1

Pattern 7 – String 6 Descending

  • 6-1
  • 6-2
  • 6-3
  • 6-4
  • 6-5
  • 6-4
  • 6-3
  • 6-2
  • 6-1
  • 6

Pattern 8 – String 5 Descending

  • 5-1
  • 5-2
  • 5-3
  • 5-4
  • 5-6
  • 5-4
  • 5-3
  • 5-2
  • 5-1
  • 5

Pattern 9 – String 4 Descending

  • 4-1
  • 4-2
  • 4-3
  • 4-5
  • 4-6
  • 4-5
  • 4-3
  • 4-2
  • 4-1
  • 4

Pattern 10 – String 3 Descending

  • 3-1
  • 3-2
  • 3-4
  • 3-5
  • 3-6
  • 3-5
  • 3-4
  • 3-2
  • 3-1
  • 3

Pattern 11 – String 2 Descending

  • 2-1
  • 2-3
  • 2-4
  • 2-5
  • 2-6
  • 2-5
  • 2-4
  • 2-3
  • 2-1
  • 2

Pattern 12 – String 1 Descending

  • 1-2
  • 1-3
  • 1-4
  • 1-5
  • 1-6
  • 1-5
  • 1-4
  • 1-3
  • 1-2
  • 1