Best Hand Exercises?

There are a lot of ways to do this. One is to make up your own, but of course you need a good starting point.

Here's one to try.

Note that these are FRET markers so this starts with an Open HIGH E String.
Then move up the frets till you get to the 12th and start over. Of course you'll have to use your pinky once you get past that first position...:)

E |-0-1-2-3-----------------------|----------------------------------|
B |---------0-1-2-3---------------|----------------------------------|
G |-----------------0-1-2-3-------|----------------------------------|
D |-------------------------------|-0-1-2-3--------------------------|
A |-------------------------------|---------0-1-2-3------------------|
E |-------------------------------|-----------------0-1-2-3----------|

Another way to challenge yourself is to keep going up to the 12th fret like the
one above, by moving one fret up each time.

If you get bored with that, try this one on for size :)

E |-----------------------3-------|-3--------------------------------|
B |-----------------3---2---------|---2---3--------------------------|
G |-----------3---2---1-----------|-----1---2---3--------------------|
D |-----3---2---1-----------------|-----------1---2---3--------------|
A |---2---1-----------------------|-----------------1---2------------|
E |-1-----------------------------|-----------------------1----------|

E |-----------------------6-------|-6--------------------------------|
B |-----------------6---5---------|---5---6--------------------------|
G |-----------6---5---4-----------|-----4---5---6--------------------|
D |-----6---5---4-----------------|-----------4---5---6--------------|
A |---5---4-----------------------|-----------------4---5------------|
E |-4-----------------------------|-----------------------4----------|

And So on. Just keep doing that untill your first finger (index finger) is at the
12th fret. Then Do It backwards!

One good exercise that I use is to start on your high E string, play the

first fret, first finger (Index)
second fret, second finger (Middle)
third fret, third finger (ring)
fourth fret, fourth finger (Pinky)

Then move to your second string 'B'. Working your way up to the low E string and then move everything up a fret and go back down to your high E String. I do this all the way to the twelve fret and then back down to the first fret, alternate picking all the while.

After you master that then switch it up a bit. Once you play your high E string move your first finger to the second fret of the second string and continue this across your fretboard at an angle, playing four notes per string and then moving up a fret on the following string. Then go back down. Start at different positions and such.

I use both of these exercise to help me warm up, move across the fretboard better, and build speed. Once I start using a metronome and got into a hypnotic state of playing it greatly increased my accuracy of finger placement, accuracy of my picking, and speed. Plus it only takes a few minutes to perform once you get good at it. A quick warm up.

Yeah, what he said. :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywld4xFHiM&feature=related
:mrgreen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywld4xFHiM&feature=related
:mrgreen:

Oh that's just evil.... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Couldn't you just play scales, complex riffs, that kind of thing? I'm sure there's some hand exercises that have other benefits, but normally I just load up a backing track and some scale shapes and have at it. You can practice hammer ons, pull offs, bends, etc at the same time.

Couldn't you just play scales, complex riffs, that kind of thing? I'm sure there's some hand exercises that have other benefits, but normally I just load up a backing track and some scale shapes and have at it. You can practice hammer ons, pull offs, bends, etc at the same time.

LOVE your avatar icon! I didn't think anyone knew about that movie but me :D