Guitar Lesson Eight - Technique
Left Hand:
In Lesson 7, I started you on a left-hand exercise designed to help you develop finger control and independence. Now I'm going to show you two advanced variations of that exercise that are sure to get your wrist muscles burning.
*Word of Caution* - While working any exercise, be careful not to push your hands and wrists past the point of starting to feel the muscles heat up. It is very easy to cause yourself undue damage if you don't listen to your body's warning that it has had enough. A good way to approach exercises like this is to work one hand until you feel it begin to get tired and then work the other hand for a while. By alternating which hand is working, you will maximize your practice time and avoid serious injuries.
Both of these variations begin by placing all four fingers on the fingerboard like so:
The first variation starts by lifting only your index finger and hammering it onto the 3rd fret of the G-string with enough force to make that note sound. Then pull off to the open G-string. Repeat this hammer and pull 8 times in succession. Place the index finger back on the B-string, and do the same thing with each finger in turn. Remember that the three fingers that are not being used need to stay resting on the B-string.
Once you have the coordination happening with your fingers, the trick is to switch to the next finger at the same time that the finger you were just using moves back over to the B-string. When you get to the pinky, reverse the order and work each finger in turn until you get back to the index finger.
The second variation is a little more complicated to explain, but I'll give it my best shot.
Begin with all four fingers resting on the B-string. Next, simultaneously move the index finger over to the high E-string and the middle finger over to the G-string. Then, reverse directions and move the index finger to the G-string while the middle finger moves to the high E-string. So, both fingers move in opposite directions while the other two fingers remain stationery.
The idea is to work every finger combination simultaneously back and forth between the G-string and the high E-string. (1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3, 2-4, 3-4)
Once you get pretty good at that, you can expand the exercise by working the fingers back and forth between the high E-string and the D, A and low E-strings.
Use your imagination.
This lesson is divided into five parts:
| Comments or questions about this lesson? Visit Jam Session.  |
If you think this site is way cool, click here to tell your friends. |
Home |
Contact |
Lesson Menu |
Theory |
Practice Room |
Jam Session
Guitar Anatomy |
Diagram Explanation
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001 F.W. Lineberry and D.L. Keur, all rights reserved
