Guitar Dictionary Category
Scales, Melody & Improvisation
What Is a Double Stop on Guitar?
A double stop is two notes played at the same time on two guitar strings. The notes may form part of a chord, harmonize a melody, strengthen a riff or create a compact rhythm-guitar accent. The term is inherited from bowed-string playing, where the player stops and sounds two strings together.
On guitar, double stops are common in blues, country, rock, funk, soul, bluegrass and roots music. They can be picked together, strummed across two strings, plucked with the fingers or played with hybrid picking.
Intervals Used in Double Stops
Double stops are described by the interval between their notes. Thirds and sixths often produce clear harmonized melodies. Fourths and fifths can sound open and forceful. Octaves reinforce a melody without adding major or minor colour. Two-note fragments from dominant seventh and blues chords create the gritty shapes heard in many rhythm parts.
A double stop is not automatically a complete chord. Most traditional chords require at least three different pitch classes to establish a full triad. The surrounding bass, harmony and musical context tell the listener how the two notes function.
How to Fret Double Stops Cleanly
Fret both notes close behind their fret wires and play them separately before sounding them together. One note often disappears because a finger touches the neighbouring string or because the two fingers apply unequal pressure.
When the notes lie on the same fret, one finger may form a small partial barre. Roll the fingertip enough to contact both strings without muting either one. When one string must stop while the other continues, release pressure without lifting so far that open strings ring accidentally.
Double-Stop Bends and Vibrato
Blues and country players often bend one note against a stationary note or bend both strings together. The moving pitch must reach its intended interval while the fixed note remains stable. Begin without vibrato and verify the target. Then add controlled movement after the bend arrives.
Double stops also reveal tuning problems quickly. Distorted or overdriven sounds magnify beating between close pitches. Use a tuner, but also listen to how the pair settles.
Harmonized Scale Exercise
Play a major scale in thirds on the top two strings. First play each string alone, then the pair. Use strict rhythm and allow both notes to begin and end together.
G major harmonized thirds e|--3--5--7--8--10--12--14--15--| B|--3--5--7--8--10--12--13--15--| G|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------| A|-------------------------------| E|-------------------------------|
Next, repeat the line with short palm-muted downstrokes, then let every pair ring. The pitches stay the same, but the articulation changes the musical character.
Using Double Stops in Improvisation
Start with a familiar single-note riff. On its repeat, replace one important note with a nearby double stop rather than rewriting the entire idea. This creates variation while preserving the motif. In a 12-bar blues, target pairs that belong to the current I, IV or V chord.
Why Double Stops Matter
Two notes can carry more harmonic information than a single-note line without occupying the space of a full chord. Double stops help one guitarist move between melody, harmony and rhythm, making them especially useful in small groups, solo arrangements and call-and-response riffs.
Kalymi Tip
In the Kalymi Music Roots Blues lesson, I recommend adding a double stop as one controlled variation when a riff returns. Keep the original rhythm and contour recognizable. The goal is to develop the motif, not replace it with a completely unrelated lick.
Cory Wong demonstrates another useful approach: harmonize a scale in thirds, move the shapes through different string pairs, and then change the articulation. The same notes can be played ringing, with short downstrokes or with palm muting to create very different rhythmic effects.
Choose one major pentatonic or major scale position and find three double stops inside it. Use each pair in a two-bar phrase, then resolve to a clear chord tone. This builds a usable vocabulary more effectively than memorizing a long list of disconnected shapes.
Related Terms
Learn More
- Roots Blues Cigar Box Guitar Lesson
- Mandolin Blues Book Companion
- Guitar Scales Chart
- Cigar Box Guitar Tabs
- Cigar Box Guitar Learning Path
- Guitar Learning Path
Reviewed by
Brent C. Robitaille,
music educator and founder of
Kalymi Music.