8,720
edits
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m
d---------- u----------
E------------0-----0------------
B----------0---------0----------
G--------0-------------0--------
D------0-----------------0------
A----0---------------------0----
E--0-------------------------0--
x11x12
====Index and Middle====
====Index and Ring====
====Index and Pinky====
====Middle and Ring====
Middle and Pinky
E--------------------------------------------------------------2--4--2--4--
B--------------------------------------------------2--4--2--4--------------
G--------------------------------------2--4--2--4--------------------------
D--------------------------2--4--2--4--------------------------------------
A--------------2--4--2--4--------------------------------------------------
E--2--4--2--4--------------------------------------------------------------
m p m p ...
E--4--2--4--2--------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------4--2--4--2--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------4--2--4--2--------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------4--2--4--2--------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------4--2--4--2--------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------4--2--4--2--
p m p m ...
→Fretting Technique
{{Top-Level Crumbs|2}}
{{Exercise Crumbs|1}}
{{Technical Exercises Crumbs|1}}
This page has exercises to help establish [[Basic Technique|basic technique as outlined in this lesson]].
== Picking Exercises ==
=== Holding the Pick ===
This exercise is very simple, designed solely to help ensure you are holding the pick correctly. Your grip should point the tip of the pick directly at the face/front of the guitar. Your Rather than make normal 1 note picking motion should strokes or strumming all the strings, you want to simply move your entire arm slowly, "pushpushing" the pick through each string. ''You should be able to continue the motion through each string without having to reset your grip. '' You should be able to perform both downstrokes and upstrokes equally easy using the same grip - you should not have to rotate your wrist or otherwise prepare for a downstroke vs. an upstroke. d---------- u---------- E------------0-----0------------ B----------0---------0---------- G--------0-------------0-------- D------0-----------------0------ A----0---------------------0---- E--0-------------------------0--
If you cannot "push" through the string, you are likely having one of the following issues:
* Your pick is thick and inflexible. This is generally ok if you adjust according to the above four points. If not, try using a thinner pick.
* Your pick has notches in its edges, which are preventing the strings from sliding down the edges. Time for a new pick or sand down the edges.
=== Picking Single Notes ===
This is a very simple exercise - just pick the open string. Use only downstrokes to start, and practice on every string. Once the feel of picking becomes comfortable and your rhythm gets more consistent, move on to upstrokes, up-picking the string for every note. Start slow and work on comfort and consistency.
|:--0--0--0--0--:|
These exercises should help focus on fretting technique. Start slow and focus on each note, making sure there is no buzzing or sharp pitch or dull tone due to [[Basic_Technique#Left-Hand_Fretting|poor fretting technique]]. Each possible pair of fingers is emphasized, although we are not yet venturing into stretches. First position is used to use the widest distance between the frets, which may be considered the most difficult due to the larger distance between frets. This makes it good to focus on fretting technique, requiring not only the proper strength and use of the fingertips, but accuracy to hold the string just "behind" the fret.
E--------------------------------------------------------------1--2--1--2--
B--------------------------------------------------1--2--1--2--------------
m i m i ...
E--------------------------------------------------------------1--3--1--3--
B--------------------------------------------------1--3--1--3--------------
r i r i ...
E--------------------------------------------------------------1--4--1--4--
B--------------------------------------------------1--4--1--4--------------
p i p i ...
E--------------------------------------------------------------2--3--2--3--
B--------------------------------------------------2--3--2--3--------------
r m r m ...
====Middle and Pinky==== E--------------------------------------------------------------2--4--2--4-- B--------------------------------------------------2--4--2--4-------------- G--------------------------------------2--4--2--4-------------------------- D--------------------------2--4--2--4-------------------------------------- A--------------2--4--2--4-------------------------------------------------- E--2--4--2--4-------------------------------------------------------------- m p m p ... E--4--2--4--2-------------------------------------------------------------- B--------------4--2--4--2-------------------------------------------------- G--------------------------4--2--4--2-------------------------------------- D--------------------------------------4--2--4--2-------------------------- A--------------------------------------------------4--2--4--2-------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------4--2--4--2-- p m p m ... ====Ring and Pinky====
E--------------------------------------------------------------3--4--3--4--
B--------------------------------------------------3--4--3--4--------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------4--3--4--3--
p r p r ...
=== Economy Fretting ===
== Muting ==
Time to work on muting (silencing) the guitar. (This is different from the technique of palm muting.)
This exercise focuses on both right and left hand muting by breaking them down individually. We just strum and mute.
left right both
E--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
B--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
G--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
D--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
A--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
E--0----(x)----0----(x)----0----(x)--
When muting with the left-hand, avoid the following:
* Applying too much pressure to the strings, pressing them into the frets (even if only momentarily), causing noise and possibly ringing strings
* Slapping your fingers against the strings too quickly, causing a slight percussive sound
* Using only one or two fingers, [[Tuning and Harmonics#Harmonics|triggering a natural harmonic]] to ring out (especially when muting over the lowest order harmonics' pivot points (12th, 7th, and 5th/24th frets))
* Muting only a few instead of all of the strings
When muting with the right-hand, avoid the following:
* Accidentally picking (or even tapping the pick against) a string
* Slapping your palm against the strings, creating a percussive sound
* Rubbing your palm against the strings once they are muted, which will cause noise
* Applying too much pressure to the strings - depending on your setup, this may cause noise in the following ways:
** the bridge to do a whammy dive, which may cause bridge/body coupling noise or bear claw springs to ring
** the strings to touch the pickups
** the strings to touch the highest fret
* Muting too close to the bridge which will simply dull the notes instead of muting them
* Muting only a few instead of all of the strings
[[Category:Guitar]]
[[Category:Exercises]]
[[Category:Technique]]