Need excercise tips!


kaimsasikun
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kaimsasikun
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04/05/2006 10:58 am
Uh, I've been playing for quite a while now, but my fingers are still stiff, and I can't pick up in speed. I'm really stuck in my playing, and not getting any better. Do you guys have any suggestions of excercises that I should do? and how much of it I should be doing in a day? Appreciate it.
Thanks.
# 1
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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04/05/2006 3:18 pm
A really good finger exercise is putting threads in the right section.

There's a lot of stuff exactly like this in the "Guitar Basics" section. Use the search thingy, and I'm sure you'll find all you need.
# 2
Jolly McJollyson
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Jolly McJollyson
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04/05/2006 3:33 pm
This subject comes up quite a bit, so you're not alone!

Speed exercises are work, plain and simple, and you won't make huge leaps and bounds in a matter of days. However, you will notice slight improvements in that length of time.

Obviously there are chromatics 1-2-3-4 on each string ascending the strings, then 5-4-3-2 going down and then 3-4-5-6 going up etc etc etc. As with any speed exercise, you'll want to start by playing slowly, and gradually building up speed. I tend to increase it by 8 bpm when I get the exercise entirely correct 5 times in a row. I've been using a pick for only a little over a year, I fingerpicked before, and now I'm WAY faster than I was before (the link in my signature, for instance, contains music I was playing only a few months after I started using a pick. As you can tell, it's fairly slow and the alternate picking is awkward).
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# 3
6strngs_2hmbkrs
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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04/05/2006 4:13 pm
what I do is take a scale and run up and down it as fast as you can. give the major scale a try (it can be moved to start on any fret number that you want, here it is in C)

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

or give the blue scale a try, this one is in A

e|------------------------------------5--8-
B|-------------------------------5--8------
G|-----------------------5--7--8-----------
D|-----------------5--7--------------------
A|--------5--6--7--------------------------
E|--5--8-----------------------------------

just run up and down these, or any other, scales. Try it a few times going slow and accurate first, until you have the scale memorized, then try it a little faster, but trying to remain accurate. then try it as fast as you can a few times. repeat, you don't want to sacrifice accuracy for speed, so you should try to obtain both at the same time.
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Fret spider
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04/06/2006 4:06 pm
there are three main important things about going fast.

make sure your hand is totally relaxed, dont go faster if you tense up

pick from the wrist not the elbow

minimise the movement your fingers take
# 5
Jolly McJollyson
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Jolly McJollyson
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04/06/2006 4:29 pm
Originally Posted by: Fret spiderthere are three main important things about going fast.

make sure your hand is totally relaxed, dont go faster if you tense up

pick from the wrist not the elbow

minimise the movement your fingers take

Both hands should be relaxed, by the way. If you're gripping your pick like it's gonna run away, you're really limiting your sweeping and alternate picking abilities.
I want the bomb
I want the P-funk!

My band is better than yours...
# 6
Nick Layton
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Nick Layton
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04/06/2006 4:53 pm
Are you using a metronome?
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rockonn91
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04/06/2006 7:33 pm
one thing i know for certain:


JK :cool:

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# 8
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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04/06/2006 7:51 pm
Originally Posted by: rockonn91one thing i know for certain:


No wide stanced man-hugging? Man, what gives?!
# 9
rockonn91
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rockonn91
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04/06/2006 7:57 pm
i donno, man. people these days are getting real cray-like.

now HERES something im sure you'll find completely rediculous.


JK :cool:

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# 10
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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04/06/2006 10:00 pm
Originally Posted by: rockonn91i donno, man. people these days are getting real cray-like.

now HERES something im sure you'll find completely rediculous.


Not at all. If you get caught eating a toadstool here in Canada, they ship you right off to Auschwitz.
# 11
pure
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pure
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04/06/2006 10:06 pm
Originally Posted by: earthman buckNot at all. If you get caught eating a toadstool here in Canada, they ship you right off to Auschwitz.


im glad i never moved to canada cause i'd have made so many trips to auschwitz by now
Originally Posted by: schmangeugly fat chicks
# 12
Cryptic Excretions
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Cryptic Excretions
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04/06/2006 11:20 pm
Originally Posted by: earthman buckNot at all. If you get caught eating a toadstool here in Canada, they ship you right off to Auschwitz.

Canada sounds like my kind of place. I hate mushrooms. Any and every kind. Mushrooms suck. I really can't believe people like those blasted things on pizza. What a way to ruin a perfectly good meal.
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Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
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Jolly McJollyson
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04/06/2006 11:31 pm
Originally Posted by: Cryptic ExcretionsCanada sounds like my kind of place. I hate mushrooms. Any and every kind. Mushrooms suck. I really can't believe people like those blasted things on pizza. What a way to ruin a perfectly good meal.

Mushrooms blow, but they're not as bad as broccoli.
I want the bomb
I want the P-funk!

My band is better than yours...
# 14
6strngs_2hmbkrs
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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04/06/2006 11:52 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonMushrooms blow, but they're not as bad as broccoli.

I concur....
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# 15
Cryptic Excretions
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Cryptic Excretions
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04/06/2006 11:52 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonMushrooms blow, but they're not as bad as broccoli.

Depending on the circumstances I can take broccoli quite well. Plain, no can do, but if there's something to dilute the flavor then I'm game.
The Gods Made Heavy Metal, And They Saw That It Was Good
They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would

Hulk Smash!!

Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
# 16
acapella
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acapella
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04/07/2006 3:36 pm
Originally Posted by: Cryptic ExcretionsI'm game.

*Shoots Cryptic, the most dangerous game of all. Wishes stackny were here.*
You go outside and practice screaming. We'll play music while you're gone.
# 17
earthman buck
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04/07/2006 4:17 pm
Originally Posted by: acapella rapeme*Shoots Cryptic, the most dangerous game of all. Wishes stackny were here.*

We're just two lost souls livin' in a fish bowl.....when he's not here.
Wish he was here.
# 18
Jolly McJollyson
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Jolly McJollyson
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04/07/2006 4:36 pm
Originally Posted by: earthman buckWe're just two lost souls livin' in a fish bowl.....when he's not here.
Wish he was here.

year after year?
I want the bomb
I want the P-funk!

My band is better than yours...
# 19
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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04/07/2006 7:57 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonyear after year?

Hells yeah.
# 20

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