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String skipping is a technique used on the guitar mainly in heavy metal for solos or complex riffs.

String skipping is a method of achieving a different guitar sound, largely during a guitar solo segment. In a more frequently used style of solo riffs, the player "walks" from one string to an adjacent one playing the melody of the riff, often playing several notes on one string, then moving to the adjacent one. In string skipping (as the name implies), a string is often skipped during the riff.

Example of "traditional" solo riff style (not string-skipping):

----------------3---|--------|2----3-2|------| 
------------3-5---3-|------3-|--------|5-----|  
-----2 4 5----------|----4---|--------|------|
--------------------|--------|--------|------|
--------------------|--------|--------|------|
--------------------|--------|--------|------|

An example of string skipping would be doing a bend on the 7th fret of the G string and then jumping to the 8th fret of the E string. Another way this technique works is when playing a thrash riff, and chugging open E's, and go to strings E, B, G, or D to play extra notes in your riff.

A specific example of string skipping can be heard in the song Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson, during the intro (measures 6 and 7). Guitarist Paul Gilbert often employs string skipping. A video example of string skipping is provided below in the external links.

String Skipping Example:

---------------|--------------7--|
------------5--|------7^8--10----|
---------2-----|-----------------|
---------------|----9------------|
------3--------|-5---------------|
---------------|-----------------|

Notice that not every note played represents a string-skip; it is usually the case that string skipping is interwoven with traditional adjacent riffing. Playing the above example, one can hear the difference; the string skipping makes the solo stand out.

• Art Of Guitar - example videos of string-skipping
• The official Paul Gilbert site
• The official Eric Johnson site