Hello,
I was just curious to see what type of warmup exercises everybody does to get their fingers moving before a long practice session. It's always interesting to see what's out there. Thanks.
I find myself warming up with the Pentatonic scales and things like this (to help with my speed):
-----------------12-17-12---------------------------------------------------
--------------13----------13------------------------------15----------------
-----------14----------------14---------------------13-16----16-13----------
--------14----------------------14------------12-15----------------15-12----
--12-15----------------------------15---11-14----------------------------14-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------12-15-12-------------
--------------------15------------------------------14----------14----------
--------------13-16----16-13---------------------14----------------14-------
--------12-15----------------15-12------------14----------------------14----
--11-14----------------------------14---12-16----------------------------16-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------13-17-13------------------------------------12----------------
--------------15----------15------------------------------13----13-------------
-----------14----------------14------------------------14----------14----------
--------15----------------------15------------------14----------------14-------
--12-17----------------------------17------12-14-15----------------------15-12-
----------------------------------------12-------------------------------------
--------------------14---------------------------12----12-16-12-16-20-19-16----
-----------------16----16---------------------12----12-------------------------
-----------14-16----------16-14------------13----------------------------------
-----13-16----------------------16-13---14-------------------------------------
--14---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--17-12-----------------
--------13--------------
-----------14-----------
--------------14--------
-----------------15-12--
------------------------
I found that on Harmony Central, so I can't take credit for it.
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
Basic scales, arpeggios, open and barre chords; then a simple little tune or two and something that doesn't have to be played at a strict tempo. I usually use Clair de Lune, by Debussey, although last night I rolled out a fingerstyle blues piece I wrote myself cos I didn't have much time.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Sounds good. Do you happen to have a good tab of Claire De Lune? I would definitely like to learn that one.
I have got a tab for it - out of Total Guitar in January 1999. I'll see what I can come up with
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
i usually just mess around with covers or noodling until my hands are warm.
here's an exercise i learned a while ago called the spider crawl. it's a real beast, good for coordination and strength.
i m r p
b - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -| - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - | - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - |
g - 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 -| - 4 - 5 - 2 - 3 - | - 5 - 6 - 3 - 4 - | etc.
r p i m
i=index, m=middle, r=ring, p=pinkie
go all the way up the neck like this, then back down in reverse. your hand looks like a tarantula doing it.
after you've mastered it on two adjacent strings, do it on the d and b strings, then a and b....
scales...but I also name the notes to get the brain warmed up as well :o
Guitarin' isn't a job, so don't make it one.
