Guitar Exercises...
Developing Picking Technique
In this lesson, I will show you some guitar exercises that will help you develop good picking execution and coordination between the right and the left hand.
It's a good idea, and good practice, to do guitar exercises everyday. That way, your fingers and your picking hand can slowly develop the strength, coordination and stamina for when you want to mesmerize your friends by ripping off Eddie Van Halens "Eruption", or what have you!
And don't forget about helping to prevent injuries from occurring as well.
Let's get started...
Exercises 1, 2, and 3 will help you develop good picking technique, but they also have the benefit of instilling synchronization between the left hand fingers and your pick hand.
We will be using a technique called alternate picking with this exercise, which involves picking each string with a down, up, down, up picking motion. The exercises incorporate the finger pattern that was used in another guitar exercise where we used the 1 2 3 4 pattern.
Starting on the 1st fret, 6th string, we will do the 1 2 3 4 pattern, but with a little twist added. Place your 1st finger (index finger) down on the 1st fret, 6th string, and pick the 6th string 4 times starting with a downstroke, then following with an up, down, and an upstroke to finish it off. Repeat this on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th frets before moving down to the 5th string.
Next, move down to the 5th string. Start at the 1st fret again and continue this same procedure. Once you get down to the 1st string, and have completed that string as well, you will then shift your hand position and 1st finger up to the 2nd fret, 1st string. Do it all over again, working your way back up to the 6th string.
Make sure each note is picked cleanly and without sounding any other notes. Keep going up until you reach the 12th fret and then start working your way back down the neck until you reach the 1st fret again.
Start slowly and always practice with a metronome. Set it at a slow speed starting off, then, slowly increase it as the exercise becomes easier. Try setting your metronome between 60bpm to 80bpm. We will be playing 16th notes for the first exercise. Which basically means picking the string 4 times for every beat of the metronome.
You may need RealPlayer or Windows Media Player to listen to these files.
The tabbed exercises are in PDF form so you may need Adobe Reader as well.
Just look at the tab below and listen to the audio clip so you know for sure what I mean.....
Exercise 1
Picking Exercise #1.PDF 
Click
to listen
The next guitar exercise is basically the same as the first except we are going to only pick each note 3 times instead. The exercise is played with 8th note triplets. Three notes to every beat of the metronome.
Check out the tab and audio clip below to see what I mean......
Exercise 2
Picking Exercise#2.PDF Click
to listen
Then finally we will do it one more time, but now only hitting each note 2 times, using 8th notes.
Again check out the guitar tab and audio clip below.....
Exercise 3
Picking Exercise#3.PDF Click
to listen
And there you have it. These are a few really good guitar exercises to practice if you want to develop better picking technique as well as coordination between the right picking hand and the fingers on the left hand.
More Picking Exercises
Exercise 4
This next exercise uses a linear pattern moving up to the 12 fret and back. It incorporates a slide using the 1st and 4th fingers. Make sure to pick the note that the 1st and 4th fingers slide up to. Play on each string.
It may take a little time getting use to the slide. Just remember to start slowly and pick each note cleanly. Use alternate picking throughout the exercise. It is played using 16th notes at 80bpm.
Exercise 5
This exercise is a good one for practicing your string skipping technique. Follow the same procedure moving up to the 12th fret and back. Set at 80bpm.
For another variation, try reversing exercise 5 by starting with the 3rd finger instead of the 1st finger, following the same string skipping technique.
It's also a good idea to practice playing these exercises with a triplet feel as well.
Stay tuned for the next instalment of guitar exercises for developing your picking technique.
Hope you enjoyed this lesson!
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