Sam Bell's Guitar Gym Volume 3
Course Content Overview
Sam Bell will guide you through a carefully structured series of exercises and musical lines, each one targeting a specific technical challenge while building towards a more complete, fluent approach to lead guitar. You will master three-note-per-string pentatonic shapes in two keys, develop your string-skipping technique for wider, more angular phrasing, and explore rhythmic pattern variations that add dimensionality and originality to your soloing. Every lesson is designed to be immediately applicable, giving you material you can take straight into your own improvisation and performance.
Course contents:
E Minor 3-Note-Per-String Pentatonics
The course opens with a deep dive into the three-note-per-string approach to the E Minor pentatonic scale — a modern, expanded way of thinking about one of the most fundamental scales in rock and metal guitar. Rather than relying on the standard five-box layout, Sam introduces shapes that flow horizontally across the neck, enabling faster runs, greater note density, and a more fluid connection between positions. Mastering this approach transforms the way you see and navigate the fretboard, opening up new possibilities for improvisation and soloing.
A Minor 3-Note-Per-String Pentatonics
Building directly on the previous section, Sam shifts the same three-note-per-string framework into A Minor, reinforcing the concept in a new tonal context. This is not simply a repetition of the same material in a different key — it is a deliberate exercise in transpositional thinking, training your fingers and your mind to apply the same ideas across the neck with equal fluency. The result is a deeper, more versatile understanding of the fretboard that will serve you in any key and any musical situation.
E Minor String Skipping Lines
String skipping is one of the most powerful tools for creating wide, angular, and harmonically interesting melodic lines — and in this section, Sam shows you exactly how to use it in a musical context. By leaping across non-adjacent strings, you can create intervals and shapes that are impossible with conventional linear playing, adding a distinctive, modern quality to your solos. These exercises develop both picking accuracy and creative thinking, encouraging you to break away from predictable scale runs and explore a more expressive, dynamic approach to lead guitar.
3-1-3 and 2-1-2 Patterns
In the final technical section of the course, Sam introduces two powerful rhythmic and spatial devices: the 3-1-3 pattern, in which you play three notes on one string, one on the next, and three on the following; and the 2-1-2 variant, which applies the same logic with a different note grouping. These patterns are demanding and highly effective, challenging your picking coordination, your sense of rhythmic subdivision, and your ability to maintain clean, even tone at speed. More importantly, Sam shows you how to integrate these patterns into real musical lines — so they become part of your soloing vocabulary, not just isolated exercises.
Technical skills you will develop:
Throughout Sam Bell's Guitar Gym Volume 3, you will build a comprehensive and musically applicable set of advanced lead guitar skills. Your three-note-per-string pentatonic technique will become fluid and confident across multiple keys. Your alternate picking will sharpen, with greater speed, accuracy, and consistency. Your legato playing — hammer-ons, pull-offs, and connected phrases — will become more expressive and controlled. You will develop a genuine string-skipping capability that adds originality and range to your soloing. You will master rhythmic pattern variations that bring dimensionality and creativity to your scale work. And you will develop the habit of practising with purpose and structure — the kind of daily routine that produces real, lasting improvement.
This Course is Ideal for Players Who...
Sam Bell's Guitar Gym Volume 3 is the ideal online guitar course for intermediate to advanced electric guitarists who are serious about developing their technique and expanding their improvisational vocabulary. It is designed for players who are comfortable with the basics of lead guitar but feel ready to push into more demanding, more creative territory.
This course is ideal for guitarists who want to move beyond standard pentatonic box shapes and develop a more fluid, horizontal approach to the fretboard; who are looking to improve their alternate picking speed and consistency; who want to add string skipping and rhythmic pattern variations to their soloing toolkit; who admire the technical brilliance and musical depth of Sam Bell; and who are committed to a structured, daily practice routine that produces measurable results. Whether you play rock, metal, fusion, or progressive music, this course will give you the vocabulary, the technique, and the confidence to take your lead playing to a genuinely new level.
What will I achieve from completing this course?
What sets Sam Bell's Guitar Gym Volume 3 apart from a standard collection of guitar exercises is the way it consistently connects technical development with musical expression. Sam Bell is not simply a technician — he is a deeply musical player, and that quality runs through every lesson in this course. The exercises are never presented as ends in themselves; they are always shown in the context of real musical lines, real solos, and real improvisational situations.
The course works because it is structured like a genuine workout — progressive, purposeful, and cumulative. Each section builds on the last, so that by the time you reach the full performance and play-along section at the end of the course, you have the tools to apply everything you have learned in a live musical context. The backing track gives you the experience of soloing in a real band setting, turning practice into performance and technique into music. For those ready to take their lead guitar playing to the next level, the gym is open.
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Sam Bell’s Guitar Gym Volume 3
Sam Bell’s Guitar Gym Volume 3 is the next step in developing serious guitar technique and fretboard fluency. Designed for intermediate to advanced guitarists, this course delivers an intense yet rewarding workout that refines precision, speed, and creativity. Each lesson is crafted by Sam Bell, one of the UK’s most respected and versatile guitarists, blending his trademark technical mastery with musical flair. Whether you’re working on fluid scale runs, complex picking mechanics, or fretboard visualisation, this volume will help you push your playing to new heights.
About Sam Bell
Sam Bell is a world-class guitarist known for his impeccable technique and expressive phrasing. A leading educator and performer, Sam’s playing bridges the worlds of rock, fusion, and progressive metal. His work with bands like Mask of Judas and his solo material demonstrate his ability to combine technical complexity with deep musical emotion. Influenced by legends such as Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and Guthrie Govan, Sam brings the same energy and precision to his teaching. His lessons are clear, challenging, and incredibly rewarding, helping players unlock their full potential.
E Minor 3 Note Per String Pentatonics
The course begins with an exploration of E Minor 3 Note Per String Pentatonics, a modern and expanded approach to traditional pentatonic shapes. This concept adds extra notes per string, allowing fluid, high-speed runs that cross the fretboard seamlessly. Learning this technique enhances your alternate picking control and your ability to visualise scale patterns horizontally across the neck. For players looking to move beyond basic box shapes, this is an essential step toward complete fretboard freedom.
A Minor 3 Note Per String Pentatonics
Building on the previous section, A Minor 3 Note Per String Pentatonics reinforces these ideas while challenging your string-crossing accuracy. By practicing these shapes in a different key, you strengthen your transpositional understanding and improve your legato flow. The exercises demand consistency, articulation, and awareness of hand synchronisation, making them perfect for developing clean, controlled phrasing even at high speeds.
E Minor String Skipping Lines
In this section, Sam introduces E Minor String Skipping Lines, a powerful way to create wider melodic intervals and dynamic phrasing. String skipping forces your picking hand to leap across non-adjacent strings, helping develop accuracy, rhythmic precision, and dexterity. This technique encourages creativity in improvisation and brings a fresh, modern sound to your solos. Players who master string skipping gain the ability to break away from predictable linear runs, crafting more expressive and musical lines.
3-1-3 Patterns
3-1-3 Patterns are an advanced exercise designed to challenge your picking and timing coordination. The concept involves playing three notes on one string, one note on the next, and three on the following — a demanding yet highly effective workout. These patterns not only improve alternate picking and legato transitions but also sharpen your sense of rhythmic subdivision. Learning to navigate these shifting patterns boosts your improvisational vocabulary and helps integrate complex sequences into musical phrases.
2-1-2 Patterns
Following a similar logic, 2-1-2 Patterns focus on precision and control. By changing the number of notes per string, you learn to adapt your hand movements quickly while maintaining even tone and timing. These shapes are particularly beneficial for mastering pull-offs and hammer-ons, enhancing fluidity between fretted notes. This lesson trains your ears and fingers to respond intuitively, allowing you to build speed without sacrificing musicality.
Combining All Elements Into Lines
Once the foundational exercises are in place, Sam guides you through Combining All Elements Into Lines — the heart of the course. Here, you’ll learn to weave pentatonics, string skipping, and complex rhythmic groupings into expressive, melodic lines. This section emphasises how to use technical skills musically, integrating slides, vibrato, and string bending to give your playing emotion and dynamics. The goal is to turn practice into performance, connecting technique with creativity.
Cool Down Exercise
Every great workout ends with a Cool Down Exercise, and Sam’s approach ensures you finish the session with relaxation and control. This part focuses on maintaining accuracy at slower tempos, reinforcing good technique and posture. It’s an opportunity to review patterns at a manageable speed, keeping your fingers supple while improving endurance. The cool down also acts as a mindfulness practice for guitarists — helping to prevent tension and improve long-term consistency.
Full Performance & Play-Along
Finally, Full Performance & Play-Along brings everything together. Sam demonstrates the techniques in a complete musical context, allowing you to see how each concept translates into expressive, real-world guitar playing. The play-along section gives you the chance to perform alongside Sam, applying all the learned material to a professional backing track. This immersive experience is the perfect way to solidify new skills while enjoying the thrill of making music.
Guitar Techniques Featured in Guitar Gym Volume 3
Sam Bell’s Guitar Gym Volume 3 is more than just a set of exercises — it’s a structured, inspiring journey designed to transform your technical skills into expressive musicianship. Whether you’re aiming to increase speed, precision, or creativity, this course delivers everything you need to take your playing to the next level.
About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Sam Bell
Sam Bell has been playing guitar from the age of 4, since then he has played many styles from Funky Blues to screaming Metal/Fusion on 8 string guitar. A member of UK tech metal band ‘Mask of Judas’, he is also currently writing his own solo instrumental album. He also...