Double Stops on Guitar: How to Play and Use Two-Note Harmony

There’s a moment in a guitar solo where playing a single note feels too thin. The melody is right, but something is missing - width, depth, the feeling that there’s more going on than one voice. Double stops are the answer.

A double stop is simply playing two notes simultaneously. Not a full chord - just two notes, usually on adjacent strings, harmonized in a specific interval. Used in blues, country, rock, and R&B, double stops are one of the most versatile tools in lead and rhythm guitar playing.

What Is a Double Stop?

The term “double stop” comes from fiddle playing - stopping two strings at the same time (pressing them down) to create two simultaneous notes. On guitar, it means fretting and picking two strings together.

The sound is thicker than a single note but more transparent and melodic than a full chord. Double stops are used:

In solos for harmonic interest
As fills between vocal phrases
As riffs (countless rock and country riffs are built on double stops)
In rhythm guitar to add density to specific beat accents

The Three Most Common Double Stop Intervals

1. Thirds

Thirds are double stops where the two notes are two scale steps apart. They’re the most melodic and song-like interval for double stops.

In the key of G major, thirds on the B and E strings:

e|---3--5--7--8--10--12---|
B|---3--5--5--7---8--10---|

Each pair of notes is a 3rd apart within the G major scale. The top note and bottom note move in parallel - same direction, same distance in scale steps.

Practical example - 3rd lick in G:

e|---8---7---5---3---|
B|---8---7---5---3---|

Wait - those would be unisons. Let me give a proper thirds lick:

G major thirds ascending:

e|---3--5--7--8--|
B|---5--7--8--10-|

Strum both strings together as you ascend up the scale. This two-note melody has immediate harmonic richness that a single-note melody lacks.

2. Sixths

Sixths skip over more of the scale - the two notes are six scale steps apart. The interval is wider and sounds more open and country-influenced. String skipping is usually involved.

Sixths typically land on the E and G strings (skipping the B string):

A major sixths (on G and E strings):

e|---5--7--9--10--12--|
G|---6--7--9--11--11--|

The string skip gives sixths a different acoustic quality than thirds. They’re simultaneously more spacious and more harmonically interesting.

Sixths are associated with:

Chuck Berry (practically invented rock and roll sixths riffing)
Country twang fills
R&B rhythm hooks

3. Tenths

Tenths are the same as thirds but an octave wider (a third + an octave = a tenth). The notes are far apart on the guitar, creating a grand, orchestral quality.

Tenths often appear in bass-plus-treble configurations - a low note on the wound strings and a high note on the unwound strings, leaving a gap in between. They’re not as commonly used as thirds and sixths, but they’re extremely satisfying when placed well.

How to Fret Double Stops

There are several fretting approaches:

Same fret on adjacent strings: Use one finger to lay across two strings (partial barre). Quick and simple.

Different frets on adjacent strings: Use two separate fingers - index on one string, middle (or ring) on the other. More control over each note individually.

Barred across three strings but only picking two: Barre three strings and selectively pick just two. Allows quick movement and note variety.

The most important thing: make sure both notes ring cleanly. Double stops often reveal muting problems because you’re picking two strings where even slightly touching an adjacent string ruins the clarity.

Double Stop Licks in Different Styles

Blues Double Stop Lick

This is the kind of fill you hear in slow blues - two notes bending together:

e|---8b10--8b10---8---|
B|---8b10--8b10---8---|

Two strings bent in unison, then released. The unison bend (both strings at the same pitch) is a classic blues move. You can also bend one string while the other stays put, creating a widening or narrowing interval.

Country Double Stop Lick

Country uses “pedal steel style” double stops - one note moves while the other stays:

e|---5---5---5---5---|
B|---5---6---7---8---|

The high E stays on the 5th fret while the B string climbs up. This creates the pedal steel guitar effect on a regular guitar. Try this in the key of A with a Telecaster and it’s immediately country.

Rock Riff Using Sixths

e|---7--7--5--3--|
G|---7--7--5--3--|

Same position on both strings creates a riff built on 4ths (or octave + 4th). Technically a quartal double stop. Sounds heavy and powerful in rock.

Chuck Berry’s classic approach uses 6ths between the low E and D string areas in open position - the signature “Johnny B. Goode” intro pattern is essentially a series of double stops.

R&B Double Stop Fill

Short, punchy double stop fills between vocal phrases are an R&B and soul staple:

e|--8--10b11---8--|
B|--8--10b11---8--|

Hit, bend, release. This two-string lick fills a gap in two beats and sounds professional.

Bending Double Stops

Bending double stops is where things get expressive. You can:

Bend both strings in unison - both notes rise together. This is like a pedal steel “swoop” effect.

Bend one note, hold the other - creates a changing interval. If you bend the bottom note up while holding the top note still, the interval narrows. If you bend the top note up, the interval widens. The emotional quality shifts with the interval size.

Pre-bend and release on one string - the non-bending string provides a reference note that the bent note moves relative to.

Start with unison bends (same note on both strings, bent together) and work from there.

Playing Double Stops in Scale Position

Once you know a pentatonic or major scale position, you can systematically harmonize every note in the scale by finding the note a 3rd (or 6th) above it.

In A minor pentatonic (position 1):

e|---5--8--|
B|---5--8--|

Adding a 3rd to the first note (5th fret B string): Find the note two steps up in the scale. In A minor pentatonic, that’s the 8th fret. But it’s on the same string - so you need to go to the E string for the higher note.

The practical approach: for each note you want to harmonize, find the note that’s a 3rd up in the same scale on the adjacent higher string. Map these pairs out in your current position. Write them down if necessary. This is how guitarists build “harmonized scale” runs that sound like two guitarists playing in thirds.

Common Mistakes

1. Not picking both strings evenly. If one note is louder than the other, the double stop loses its harmonic impact. Practice with a pick and focus on hitting both strings with identical force.

2. Letting adjacent strings buzz. With your fretting hand on two strings, it’s easy to accidentally dampen or touch a third string. Right-hand palm muting can help isolate which strings you’re hitting.

3. Only using fifths and octaves. Some players call anything-two-strings-at-once a “double stop.” Real melodic double stops usually involve 3rds, 4ths, 6ths, or 10ths - intervals that create genuine harmonic color. Fifths and octaves have their own role but are less melodically interesting as double stops.

4. Not incorporating bending. Double stops without bending sound static. Even a subtle half-step bend on one string adds life and expressiveness.

Try This in Guitar Wiz

Use Guitar Wiz’s Chord Library to look up the chord tones of each chord in a progression you’re working on. When building double stop ideas, knowing the chord tones tells you which pairs of notes will sound consonant (chord tones) versus more tense (non-chord tones). For example, over an A chord, double stops that include A, C#, or E will sound stable and resolved. Double stops that include D or G will create tension that wants to resolve. This theory knowledge transforms random double stop noodling into intentional melodic choices.

Download Guitar Wiz on the App Store - Explore the Chord Library

Conclusion

Double stops are one of the most immediately rewarding techniques to develop. Unlike bends or vibrato, which require significant time to sound musical, even basic double stops in 3rds and 6ths sound great quickly. Learn the thirds and sixths across two adjacent strings in your favorite key. Add some bending. Start dropping them into your solos and fills. Within a few sessions, you’ll have a new vocabulary that adds real depth to everything you play.

FAQ

What is a double stop on guitar?

A double stop is playing two notes simultaneously on two different strings. Unlike a chord (three or more notes), a double stop is just two notes, usually harmonized in a specific interval like a 3rd, 6th, or 4th.

Are double stops hard to learn?

Basic double stops (same fret, adjacent strings) are easy to learn. The challenge is developing ear training to choose which intervals sound good over specific chords, and the technique for bending double stops cleanly.

What interval is best for double stops?

Major and minor 3rds are the most melodic and are widely used. 6ths are common in country and R&B. Octaves and 4ths are common in rock riffs. The “best” interval depends on the style and the specific sound you want.