Exercise sticky

[Pacman]

A member has suggested a thread posting your favorite technique excercises. So here it is with the first post from Deacon Blues:

This exercise helped me. I used to "dig" too much with my fingers and started every pluck high up on in the air above the string instead from right on the string or just above it. This exercise eliminated that problem and made my fingers a lot faster and the endurance got much better, too. (Right hand endurance has always been a weakness for me, mainly due to my lefthandedness. I play right-handedly). The key words are economy of motion. Well, here it is:


Start for instance on the G string. Rest your index finger on it and the middle finger on the string below (D). Then pluck the G string with your index and simultaneously move your middle finger to the G string to mute it. The result should be a staccato note as short as possible. Well, now your index is resting on your D string and your middle on the G string. Then pluck the G string again with your middle finger and move up the index to mute it as quickly as possible, i.e. exactly the same thing as you already did, only with switched fingers. Now you're back where you started.

That's the core of this exercise. Repeat the exercise (two plucks) for preferably 1, 2 or 4 times before moving to the next string. Start moving downwards (in this case to the D string) and repeat the exercise for the same number of times. When going down, you don't necessarily need to mute the higher string with your plucking hand for the last pluck, but instead with your fretting hand. At slow tempos, you can mute it with your plucking hand but when you raise the tempo or go from say 8ths to 16ths, it is very difficult and unnecessary as your fretting hand can do it better.

When you're down playing at your lowest string (E or B or whatever), start moving up towards your highest string again. It's much more difficult than moving down so do it slowly in the beginning.

Well, that's bassically it. Play it with a metronome with quarter notes, 8ths, 16ths and 32nds and start on a slow tempo like 50-60 bpm. Quarter notes at these slow tempos really improve your timing. Then gradually speed up. Do this for 10 minutes every day instead and you will improve your plucking speed. Period. If you think it's boring, do it as you watch tv, read new posts at TB or something else...

Good luck!

​

 

[Deacon_Blues]

Thanks Pacman. I hope this thread will be useful for anyone that needs to improve their technique.

Concerning the left (or fretting) hand technique, I've suggested the spider exercise a number of times. It's good for practicing the one finger per fret technique and the overall left hand coordination, as you use all fingers in the exercise.

The spider:

G: -----7-----8-----5-----6--  (Repeat x times)
D: --5-----6-----7-----8----- 
A: -------------------------- 
E: -------------------------- 
     I  R  M  P  R  I  P  M


-----7-----8-----5-----6--
--------------------------
--5-----6-----7-----8-----
--------------------------

-----7-----8-----5-----6-- 
-------------------------- 
-------------------------- 
--5-----6-----7-----8-----

Focus on learning the first line properly (on the D and G strings, only one tabbed out fully) before trying the other two incorporating string skipping, as they're harder and require a longer stretch.

Here's a variation of the spider that I've come up with as a complement. In this, all intervals you play are different:

Altered spider:

G: ------8-----7-----5-----6--- (repeat)
D: ---5-----6-----8-----7------
A: ----------------------------
E: ----------------------------
      I  P  M  R  P  I  R  M

You get the rest of that I think...


Then I have a good warm-up exercise too:

-1-------------4-5-------------2-3-------------6-7-------------4-5-------
---2---------3-----4---------3-----4---------5-----6---------5-----6-----
-----3-----2---------3-----4---------5-----4---------5-----6---------7---
-------4-1-------------2-5-------------6-3-------------4-7-------------8-ect....
 
 I M R P I M R P P R M I P R M I I M R P etc.
(Left hand fingering: I=Index, M=Middle, R=Ring, P=Pinky)

Feel free to post more exercises in this thread. I wouldn't mind learning some new ones either.



Warning: Be careful and listen to your body when practicing the spider exercise. Don't stretch too much if you feel you can't do it, as it may be hazardous. Develop the flexibility slowly. You don't learn to do a split in one day either, right?

 

[Gyoon]

This exercise is called "4-3-2-1". Just a handy little warmup for your picking hand:

Keep strict alternation, wether you're using your two fingers on your right nand or using a pick. Start with a downstroke on the low E and pick it 4 times. Then switch to the A string, then D, then G. Go from G back to E.

That would be:

E: dudu A: dudu D: dudu G: dudu
G: dudu D: dudu A: dudu E: dudu

Then do three picks for each string:

E: dud A: udu D: dud G: udu
G: dud D: udu A: dud E: udu

Notice for this one that you are constantly attacking the next string with the opposite direction as the previous string?

Then do two, then do just one. Do the whole thing over again starting on the up stroke.

Glenn

 

[magnusdeus123]

This is the most helpfull exercise I've seen as far as developing stretch , agility and dexterity .

Playing Melodic Metal

 

[ThatGermanDude]

what i sometimes do as a warm up is:

play the pattern (fretting hand) 1-2-3-4 / 1-2-4-3 / 1-3-2-4 / 1-3-4-2/ 1-4-2-3 / 1-4-3-2 on every string

 

[Deacon_Blues]

This right hand exercise for dynamic playing was posted by onewebfoot in another thread. It's an article by Alain Caron:

http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=15&storycode=4022

 

[fredo]

There is a minor 3rd exercise I like to do in warm-ups:

G----------------------------------5---8--
D--------------------------4---7----------
A------------------3---6------------------
E----------2---5--------------------------
B--1---4----------------------------------

G--8---5-----------------------------------
D-----------7---4--------------------------
A-------------------6---3------------------
E---------------------------5---2----------
B-----------------------------------4---1--

Work on these up and down using your index finger and pinky... OUCH!

 

[shanmag]

wow this advice is excellent and i'll defentely use many of these exercises in my practice routine!

thanks everybody

 

[PSPookie]

Here is one that is part of my routine. I learned about it here on TB a while back. I feel like it has really helped my left hand strength and finger independence.

Hazard technique:
http://www.cyberfretbass.com/misc-wisdom/weinkum/steve-bailey-hazard-exercise/index.php

 

[grommit]

Heres one i play around with to practice fretting notes properly and quickly.

G|1---
D|-3--
A|--1-
E|---3

Just rake the strings down from the g, and increase speed as you repeat it.
Do not just hold down those frets, you have to move, like; index, ring, index, ring.
Just like sweep picking on guitar.

Mess around with different combinations,
I-M
I-R
I-P
M-R
M-P
R-P

 

[Deacon_Blues]

Anyway, a good exercise for 1/16th note finger Funk-
For now, MUTE the strings with your fretting hand(would not hurt to have your fretting hand fingers at 1-per-fret for this).
Use the "E"-string & alternate your plucking fingers(Index & Middle)...KNOW where the Downbeat is for each beat-
l1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&al

So, that's-
Index-Middle-Index-Middle
Index-Middle-Index-Middle
Index-Middle-Index-Middle
Index-Middle-Index-Middle

The reverse it...Middle-Index-Middle-Index, etc.

You can think about accenting certain 'plucks'-
l1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&al

Eventually, start adding actual pitches/notes & RESTS...while keeping some muted plucks.
l1e&- -e&- 3-&a -e-al
lEEG- -AA- B-BD -D-El

You will need some coordination going between both hands, yer brain & ears.
Good luck.

I found this post in the General Instruction forum. It would be great if everyone could post the exercises you write down here too, so they're easy to find and link to whenever needed.

 

[mikeypbass]

Play Ornithology by Bird once through, that'll get all you fingers workin, position changes, and swingin it up, i always play this once a day at least

 

[Henry D]

This is what I've done to initially to develop exact timing is to work with syncopated parts.

Put them into a MIDI notation programm such as Sibelius or Guitarpro. The part is irrelivent, to start with, use something slightly Syncopated, for instance: Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock. Slow down the part to about 30 or 40 BPM. Don't use a metronome, but loop the part. And try and play along exactly. Don't speed up until you can consistantly get it exactly on.

Then once you've got this up to a reasonable speed COMPLETELY EXACTLY on time. Then work with a harder part. Serious syncopation, 62nd note divisions, not busy sounding, a lot of space is needed to make this work. But very exact time.

It's suprising how much faster you get from this, as you can play fast things spot on.

 

[enigma007]

Thanks for posting this, I had found something similiar to this but not quite as straightforward as what you've posted.

Thanks,
Enigma Valdez

Thanks Pacman. I hope this thread will be useful for anyone that needs to improve their technique.

Concerning the left (or fretting) hand technique, I've suggested the spider exercise a number of times. It's good for practicing the one finger per fret technique and the overall left hand coordination, as you use all fingers in the exercise.

The spider:

G: -----7-----8-----5-----6--  (Repeat x times)
D: --5-----6-----7-----8----- 
A: -------------------------- 
E: -------------------------- 
     I  R  M  P  R  I  P  M


-----7-----8-----5-----6--
--------------------------
--5-----6-----7-----8-----
--------------------------

-----7-----8-----5-----6-- 
-------------------------- 
-------------------------- 
--5-----6-----7-----8-----

Focus on learning the first line properly (on the D and G strings, only one tabbed out fully) before trying the other two incorporating string skipping, as they're harder and require a longer stretch.

Here's a variation of the spider that I've come up with as a complement. In this, all intervals you play are different:

Altered spider:

G: ------8-----7-----5-----6--- (repeat)
D: ---5-----6-----8-----7------
A: ----------------------------
E: ----------------------------
      I  P  M  R  P  I  R  M

You get the rest of that I think...


Then I have a good warm-up exercise too:

-1-------------4-5-------------2-3-------------6-7-------------4-5-------
---2---------3-----4---------3-----4---------5-----6---------5-----6-----
-----3-----2---------3-----4---------5-----4---------5-----6---------7---
-------4-1-------------2-5-------------6-3-------------4-7-------------8-ect....
 
 I M R P I M R P P R M I P R M I I M R P etc.
(Left hand fingering: I=Index, M=Middle, R=Ring, P=Pinky)

Feel free to post more exercises in this thread. I wouldn't mind learning some new ones either.

 

[69nites]

well my contribution to this thread will be that I don't continue with an exercise after it becomes easy. After they are no longer difficult they have lost their value to me.

I like to take different fingering patterns that I'm having difficulty with and play around with them playing the descending, ascending, invert them, ect. It really opens your fingers up to some awkward playing and opens your mind up to some different sounds as opposed to doing the same old exercise you've been doing since week one of playing.

It's always nice to revisit what you haven't done in a long time tho to verify you still can.

 

[ateyercheese]

One of my favs is
E1234 A1234 D1234 G1234
G1234 D1234 A1234 E1234,
E2341 A2341 D2341 G2341, etc,
then on to 3412 up and down the strings followed by 4123, 1432, 2143, 3214, 4321, 1423, 2314, 4132, 3241. Starting slow, speeding up and add some expression!

Can be in any position.

 

[Beast]

From my Technical Death Metal thread.



"Alright, just finished going through a bunch of exercises, and this is pretty much what I did.

Major scale+all modes through two octaves and to a metronome. Double up each note if your working for speed. Don't double if your just working for finger gymnastics. Go through in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths, and octaves.

Here are the other scales that I do with those exercises: Whole-tone Diminished, Harmonic Minor, Hungarian Minor, Pentatonics, Blues scales

Do chromatic runs up and down fretboard, starting at different points, be sure to do a few past the 12th fret as well, learn to use your top note too.

Do triads/arpeggios to metronome. Majors, Minors, Sus's, Dims, Augs, all of them that you can create, be sure to establish a relationship between the intervals of each arpeggio, and your ear, so you'll notice these patterns in music.

Put a metronome to 16th notes, use all four fingers on your picking hand, and try to match every note, if four fingers really does not work for you, three will most likely work.

Slapping: Practice 16th note patterns thumbing, just like what you would be doing with your 4 (3) fingers. Do the same with plucking, and then do it alternating, slap pluck slap pluck. Do some of the scale exercises with thumbing/plucking.

Tapping: Do the scale exercises below the 12th fret with your left hand just hammering on. Then do them above the 12th fret with your right hand. Pick up some piano sheet music and play it.

Some very nice songs to check out in case you need a good workout as well.

Sacrifice Unto Sebek- Nile
Frantic Disembowelment- Cannibal Corpse
Reduced to Slavery- Dying Fetus
Eagle Nature- Cynic
Only Ash Remains- Necrophagist
Execration Text- Nile
Master of Puppets- Metallica
Aces High- Iron Maiden

Enjoy!"

 

[Chebass88]

The Dennis Sandole Guitar method works incredibly well for exercises (yes, on bass). A lot of it is the varied fingerings on each string (1423, 1324, etc.), which when played up and down the neck, can be quite daunting. I am not sure whether it is still in print - my copy is from the 70s.

It REALLY helps when it comes to sight reading, stamina, and learning the fingerboard (for me it did!)

 

[knuf]

A triller exercise for your left hand (or right hand for leftys ;-) )
strength (very good for 6-or-more-String players!):

Start on your highest string (g or c) and do trillers in these different combinations for about 1 minute (each combination!):

1. Index, middle
2. index, ring
3. index, pinky
4. middle, ring
5. middle, pinky
6. ring, pinky

a little "add-on" to this exercise is doing these trillers with 3 fingers:
ie you use index, middle and pinky, it'd be this order:
8p5 6p5 6p5 8p5 and so on.. (as a tab)

Hope you know what i mean
I like this exercise, you'll notice, if you do this one every day, that you hand's strength gets better and better!

knuf

 

[Bassin']

A triller exercise for your left hand (or right hand for leftys ;-) )
strength (very good for 6-or-more-String players!):

Start on your highest string (g or c) and do trillers in these different combinations for about 1 minute (each combination!):

1. Index, middle
2. index, ring
3. index, pinky
4. middle, ring
5. middle, pinky
6. ring, pinky

a little "add-on" to this exercise is doing these trillers with 3 fingers:
ie you use index, middle and pinky, it'd be this order:
8p5 6p5 6p5 8p5 and so on.. (as a tab)

Hope you know what i mean
I like this exercise, you'll notice, if you do this one every day, that you hand's strength gets better and better!

knuf

Another option for the above exercise is to play the two notes on the D string (or the second to highest string for any extended range players). While you play the notes, make sure the two fingers that are not active are anchored to the G string. You'll want to actually pluck each note, rather than doing an official "trill", and you also want to make sure to lift each finger that's active, even the one playing the lowest note, when that finger isn't holding down the note.

So as an example using combination #1 from above:

The index and middle finger are involved in playing the notes on the D string, frets 7 and 8, while the ring and pinkie fingers are anchored to the G string, frets 9 and 10. You pluck the first note while your index finger is on fret 7 of the D string; you then bring your middle finger down and pluck the note on the 8th fret while simultaneously you lift your index finger as your middle finger comes down. You then bring your index finger back down while simultaneously bringing the middle finger back up and pluck the note again fretted with the index finger on the seventh fret. Remember that while your doing all this, your ring and pinkie finger are still anchored to the 9th and 10th frets of the G string... and they don't come up until the exercise is done.

Use the same examples as above but make sure to lift whatever finger isn't fretting on the D string and anchor whatever fingers aren't involve to the corresponding frets on the G string.

One note of caution: This exercise really isolates the muscle groups in your hand so you don't need to do each combination for very long. I use it as a quick way to warm up my left hand; maybe 2-3 minutes total for all combinations. You could go a bit longer if you're trying to build up stamina but be careful not to over do it.