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Welcome back for some more guitar knowledge. So by now you should have the basics of jamming under your belt and can actually collaborate with friends and make some original music. I’ve showed you the Pentatonic Scale, which should get you on your way to your first solo, and I’ve also showed basic chords to get you playing some rhythm guitar. It is important to remember that both soloing and rhythm skills are equally important and you should not neglect one for the other.
The Pentatonic scales are relatively easy to learn and play, but when you first begin practicing them, your hands will be weak. Strengthening your hands by playing exercises will facilitate the execution of scales and chord progressions. I am going to show you a few advanced finger exercises to get your hands into shape.
Assign one finger to each fret and try the following exercises based on the Chromatic scale:
e|-----------------------------------------5-6-7-8-|
b|---------------------------------5-6-7-8---------|
g|-------------------------5-6-7-8-----------------|
d|-----------------5-6-7-8-------------------------|
a|---------5-6-7-8---------------------------------|
E|-5-6-7-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
Example #1
e|-------------------------------------------------|
b|-----------------------------------------5-6-7-8-|
g|-------------------------5-6-7-8-----------------|
d|---------5-6-7-8-----------------5-6-7-8---------|
a|-----------------5-6-7-8-------------------------|
E|-5-6-7-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
e|---------5-6-7-8---------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------------|
g|-5-6-7-8-----------------------------------------|
d|-------------------------------------------------|
a|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U
Example #2
e|-8-7-6-5-----------------------------------------|
b|-----------------8-7-6-5-------------------------|
g|---------8-7-6-5-----------------8-7-6-5---------|
d|-------------------------8-7-6-5-----------------|
a|-----------------------------------------8-7-6-5-|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
e|-------------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------------|
g|-------------------------------------------------|
d|---------8-7-6-5---------------------------------|
a|-8-7-6-5-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------8-7-6-5-------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U
Ok, now play Example #1, and then immediately follow it with Example #2 to loop them together. I know this doesn’t sound very musical, but trust me, it will vastly improve the strength of your hands.
Example #3
e|-----------------------------------------5-7-6-8-|
b|---------------------------------5-7-6-8---------|
g|-------------------------5-7-6-8-----------------|
d|-----------------5-7-6-8-------------------------|
a|---------5-7-6-8---------------------------------|
E|-5-7-6-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
Example #4
e|-----------------------------------------6-8-5-7-|
b|---------------------------------6-8-5-7---------|
g|-------------------------6-8-5-7-----------------|
d|-----------------6-8-5-7-------------------------|
a|---------6-8-5-7---------------------------------|
E|-6-8-5-7-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
This example is similar to the one before it, but it gets you used to starting with your middle finger. Ensure that you play these exercises slowly and then work up the speed once you have your co-ordination in check. Also make sure you play these exercises both forward and backwards.
Example #5
e|-----------------------------------------6-8-5-7-|
b|---------------------------------5-7-6-8---------|
g|-------------------------6-8-5-7-----------------|
d|-----------------5-7-6-8-------------------------|
a|---------6-8-5-7---------------------------------|
E|-5-7-6-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
Ok, enough of the Chromatic Scale, lets try some stretching exercises:
Example #6
e|-------------------------------5-6-8-----------|
b|-------------------------5-6-8-----------------|
g|-------------------5-6-8-----------------------|
d|-------------5-6-8-----------------------------|
a|-------5-6-8-----------------------------------|
E|-5-6-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
*Use your index, middle and pinky fingers
Example #7
e|-------------------------------5-7-8-----------|
b|-------------------------5-7-8-----------------|
g|-------------------5-7-8-----------------------|
d|-------------5-7-8-----------------------------|
a|-------5-7-8-----------------------------------|
E|-5-7-8-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
*Use your index, ring, and pinky fingers
Example #8
e|-------------------------------5-7-9-----------|
b|-------------------------5-7-9-----------------|
g|-------------------5-7-9-----------------------|
d|-------------5-7-9-----------------------------|
a|-------5-7-9-----------------------------------|
E|-5-7-9-----------------------------------------|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
*This exercise should be played with two different fingerings to really work your hands. First fingering: index, middle, and pinky finger. Second fingering: index, ring, and pinky finger.
Now for a couple chords that require quite the stretch:
A Major Add 9:
e|--5--|
b|--5--|
g|--6--|
d|--9--|
a|--7--|
E|--5--|
A Minor Add 9
e|--5--|
b|--5--|
g|--5--|
d|--9--|
a|--7--|
E|--5--|
Alright guitarists, I’m sure your hands are hurting now. Make sure that you take a break every now and again to let your hands rest otherwise you may strain something. Keep up the practicing!
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