Gain Control

This is my first post and my first lesson that I have posted on Ultimate Guitar. So please pardon me if there is any spelling errors (I have seen lessons where the spelling and grammar was so bad, it spoiled the content of the “message”) plagiarism (not that I’m copying other people’s work. I just think it may be possible that other people said the same things before.), or technical problems.

The topic and aim of my lesson will be on gaining control with your left-hand or fingering-hand. Most of these exercises were not thought out by guitar virtuoso’s, although they might use similar workouts, but rather by me playing around and searching for what works and what does not work, for me. I hope that these exercises will help you guys gain more control with your fingering hand, as it has helped me.

Okay, let us start off. This is the most basic of all fingering and control exercises there are.

Exercise 1.

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-----------------------------------------

Remember to play it ascending and descending. When this 5,6,7,8 run starts getting boring, try playing it in a different form. For example: 5,8,7,6 or 8,6,5,7 or 6,5,8,7. Work out every possible combination for the 5,6,7,8 run.


Remember to use each individual finger for each fret, and to use alternating picking. This is very basic. I would say this exercise will benefit the player who is starting out, rather than the shredder. But I still use it to warm up.

The next one is a bit harder for the beginner, but I doubt that any guy who has been playing for years will struggle with this.

Exercise 2.

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

Again, remember to do this exercise ascending and descing.

The next one is based on the same concept than the previous exercise, but it may be a bit harder for some guys:

Exercise 3.

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

After you play it a couple of times, it really gets easy.


The next one I saw on a John Petrucci video on youtube, so some of these exercises were actually thought out by guitar virtuosos. And if you guys are big fans of him you might also have seen this video. But I think I might have changed the exercise a bit…

Exercise 4.

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

These are not to be used as chords for your songs, but rather as a means to gain control of your fingers, while using as little as possible movement.

The next one was inspired by the master himself, Joe Satriani. I saw a video of him on youtube, where he demonstrates fret-hand control exercises. These exercises were really hard, but one day we will all be able to master them. Joe is the man…

Exercise 5.

e-------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------
G--4--1--5--2--6--3--7--4-------------------
D--3--2--4--3--5--4--6--5-------------------
A--2--3--3--4--4--5--5--6-------------------
E--1--4--2--5--3--6--4--7-------------------

And then just continue with that idea as far down as you want to.


The next and final exercise of my first lesson will probably be very easy for a lot of guys. It uses hammer-on and pull-offs. I guess you may even say it uses legato. I like playing it to warm up and it does help increase speed, which is what most people strive for.

Exercise 6.

e--------------------------------5-7-8-7-5----------------------------------
B--------------------------5-6-8-----------8-6-5----------------------------
G--------------------4-5-7-----------------------7-5-4----------------------
D--------------5-7-9-----------------------------------9-7-5----------------
A--------5-7-8-----------------------------------------------8-7-5----------
E--5-7-8-----------------------------------------------------------8-7-5----

It is important to use hammers and pull-offs in this exercise.

I used the A-minor/C-major scale for this example.

from :Ultimate Guitar