The Trail-Off
There is another effect called a trail off which is the reverse of the slide. A trail-off is achieved by playing a note and then sliding away to an indefinite pitch. This technique is used on many instruments and is sometimes called a fall-off or a glissando. A trail-off is indicated by a thick, wavy line above the note, as shown in this example.
This example makes use of both slides and trail-offs.
Here is a 12 Bar Blues solo which makes use of most of the things you have learned so far. Once you are confident using syncopated rhythms created by the use of rests and ties, and expressive techniques like slides and trail-offs, your playing will sound more professional and you will be ready to begin improvising your own Blues riffs.
Staccato
A dot placed above or below a note tells you to play the note staccato. Staccato means to play a note short and detached from other notes. There are two ways to play a note staccato. If you are tonguing the note, make a "dot" sound with your tongue. If you are not tonguing the note, make a "huck" sound with the back of your tongue. Both these methods cut off the flow of air and stop the note short.
Now try this Shuffle solo which features the use of staccato notes.
