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		UG Community @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com > Instruments > Guitar Techniques
Building up speed

12-28-2012, 10:41 AM	#1
BluesWizard Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012	Building up speed Hey guys, I was wondering how I could build speed and precision in my first, middle, and third fingers (I don't use my pinky for lead work). I'm not looking to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen, I just want to be able to play better __________________ "If you want to play metal, but your brain says it wants to play blues, your brain will win."

12-28-2012, 11:18 AM	#2
satchfan9 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012	Check John Petrucci's Rock Discipline on youtube, the exercises will help A LOT.

12-28-2012, 11:41 AM

TheNameOfNoone

Buckethead's Right Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011

IMO it helps to always practice on acoustic. Preferably with very hard strings.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChemicalFire

You get my first ever lolstack

The image in my head is just too funny for words at this point

http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/a/a1/Awww_yeah.jpg

12-28-2012, 11:48 AM

steven seagull

not really a seagull

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Southport, UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

Hey guys,

I was wondering how I could build speed and precision in my first, middle, and third fingers (I don't use my pinky for lead work). I'm not looking to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen, I just want to be able to play better

what matters most is *how* you practice - practice things slowly and only speed up when you're playing something consistently and without mistakes.

Also start using your pinky, it'll never get any better otherwise!

__________________
Actually called Mark!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNfootballfan62

People with a duck for their avatar always give good advice.

...it's a seagull

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_Mc

i wanna see a clip of a recto buying some groceries.

stuffmycatswatchontv.tumblr.com

12-28-2012, 11:54 AM	#5
KG6_Steven Serving Knowledge Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Neither here nor there.	If you're not using your pinky for playing lead, you're only playing at 75% efficiency. Think about it.

12-28-2012, 11:56 AM

derek8520

Registered User

Join Date: May 2012

Location: Scotland

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG6_Steven

If you're not using your pinky for playing lead, you're only playing at 75% efficiency.

Think about it.

Came here to say this. And you're an idiot for thinking you're better off not using your pinky.

12-28-2012, 12:02 PM

mdc

UG's Mr Chord Man

Join Date: Feb 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

Hey guys,

I was wondering how I could build speed and precision in my first, middle, and third fingers (I don't use my pinky for lead work). I'm not looking to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen, I just want to be able to play better

If you want to be able to play better, then start using your pinky.

As for speed, don't play anything faster than what feels comfortable, entirely natural, 100% relaxed, and in complete control. If you have that mindset, then speed will come by itself without you noticing, because you're not thinking about it. You're just playing.

It's also advisable to record yourself throughout the year. it can be quite motivating to hear yourself play something faster than what you were able to do six months ago.

__________________
Sweet

12-28-2012, 12:08 PM	#8
BluesWizard Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012	I do use my pinky for chording and running basic scales, but trying to get it do hammering and stuff is nearly impossible __________________ "If you want to play metal, but your brain says it wants to play blues, your brain will win."

12-28-2012, 12:13 PM

vIsIbleNoIsE

The Asian-Viking Paradox

Join Date: Feb 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

I do use my pinky for chording and running basic scales, but trying to get it do hammering and stuff is nearly impossible

so you've already realized it's not impossible. get on it.

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12-28-2012, 12:14 PM

#10

TheNameOfNoone

Buckethead's Right Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

I do use my pinky for chording and running basic scales, but trying to get it do hammering and stuff is nearly impossible

Try doing pinky exercises over the whole neck (using just pinky and one other finger of choice) preferably on acoustic.
Something like this:
|-5-3---3-------------------------------------------------------------
|------5---5-3-5-3---3----------------------------------------------
|---------------------5--5-3-5-3--3---------------------------------
|----------------------------------5--5-3-5-3---3-------------------
|------------------------------------------------5--5-3-5-3---3-----
|--------------------------------------------------------------5--5-3-

EDIT: More your finger hurts, faster the progress will be.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChemicalFire

You get my first ever lolstack

The image in my head is just too funny for words at this point

http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/a/a1/Awww_yeah.jpg

Last edited by TheNameOfNoone : 12-28-2012 at 12:15 PM.

12-28-2012, 12:14 PM

#11

mdc

UG's Mr Chord Man

Join Date: Feb 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

I do use my pinky for chording and running basic scales, but trying to get it do hammering and stuff is nearly impossible

http://foreverjoe.com/main.html

Fig 3B.

__________________
Sweet

12-28-2012, 12:26 PM

#12

steven seagull

not really a seagull

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Southport, UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesWizard

I do use my pinky for chording and running basic scales, but trying to get it do hammering and stuff is nearly impossible

You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqgT...ayer_detailpage

__________________
Actually called Mark!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNfootballfan62

People with a duck for their avatar always give good advice.

...it's a seagull

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_Mc

i wanna see a clip of a recto buying some groceries.

stuffmycatswatchontv.tumblr.com

12-28-2012, 12:59 PM

#13

Andy Pollow

Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2012

Quote:

Came here to say this. And you're an idiot for thinking you're better off not using your pinky.

NO - it isnt nice to call people an idiot and you can play alot really good without the pinky. But it dosent take as long as you might think to get the pinky in shape and you will play alot more with it. Finger speed is easy - just practise alot. Its the pick thats tricky to get REAL good at.

12-28-2012, 01:36 PM

#14

leony03

SHOOT ME MOTHER****ER!

Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: Rook Island

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek8520

Came here to say this. And you're an idiot for thinking you're better off not using your pinky.

+1. I don't see the reasoning behind not using it. You will be able to stretch to further frets, play more notes etc. You might as well train yourself equally on all 4 fingers. Malmsteen uses 4 fingers.

Inb4 Malmsteen sucks.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkMetallica

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"DAVID! OFF THE FURNITURE!"

12-28-2012, 08:04 PM

#15

bangoodcharlote

Black Mamba

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: USA

Sue's notorious finger exercise!!! Yay!

Code:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1-----------
----------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1-----------------------------
-------------------------------4-3-2-1----------------------1-2-3-4-----------------
-----------4-3-2-1---------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------
---------------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------------
-1-2-3-4---------------------------------------------------------------------

Then play it descending (ish).

Code:


-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------4-3-2-1---------------------1-2-3-4---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------4-3-2-1----------------------1-2-3-4------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1----------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1-------------------

When this gets easy (lolz), don't just restrict yourself to a four-fret span. Do variations of the following.

Code:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-2-1-----------
----------------------------------------------------5-4-2-1-----------------------------
-------------------------------5-4-2-1----------------------1-2-4-5-----------------
-----------5-4-2-1---------------------1-2-4-5-----------------------------------
---------------------1-2-4-5--------------------------------------------------------
-1-2-4-5---------------------------------------------------------------------

You get the idea -- make your hand hurt an awful lot.

BTW, Yngwie Malmsteen and those other "shredders" all suck.

Edit: I have a Matry Friedman video LINKED IN MY SIG. Might there be some sarcasm in the shredders comment?

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonofthenight

Sue, you amaze, gross, educate wonder, inspire and turn me on so much

"Melodic Control" by Marty Friedman: A video on soloing
A Great Theory Lesson
A Harmonizing Lesson
The Correct Way To Play The Gallop

~Sue

Last edited by bangoodcharlote : 12-28-2012 at 11:37 PM.

12-28-2012, 10:17 PM

#16

Geldin

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2008

TS, your pinkie is really important to playing quickly and cleanly. It'll open up more options for fingerings and positions, which in turn will make your playing more efficient. As for your picking, focus on making your strokes as small and relaxed as possible in practice. Efficiency and relaxation are the secrets to speed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangoodcharlote

BTW, Yngwie Malmsteen and those other "shredders" all suck.

Not really. I don't think their music is particularly interesting, but most of those guys have good technique. You have to, in order to play quickly and cleanly.

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12-28-2012, 10:52 PM

#17

Junior#1

Is SouTaicho Yamamoto-san

Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

You have a pinky, so why not use it? It boggles the mind. Sure, the frets are smaller higher up on the neck and you have less room, but that doesn't mean that you omit your pinky. If you're going to omit a finger, the sensible thing to do would be to omit your index so you can drag it behind your other fingers and mute.

Getting back to the original question, don't chase speed. It's pointless. There's a big difference between playing fast and playing well. Once you can play well, playing fast will naturally follow.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geldin

Junior's usually at least a little terse, but he knows his stuff. I've always read his posts in a grouchy grandfather voice, a grouchy grandfather with a huge stiffy for alternate picking.
Besides that, he's right this time. As usual.

01-01-2013, 01:50 PM	#18
Lutz Richter Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012	It depends on what you wanna do. Of course I use my pinky and generally I recommend that to others, because it gives you more possibilities. But: If your goal is to become faster with the things you already do, I'd either recommend you to get your licks with the first 3 fingers fluent. Look at Michael Schenker for example: a lot of great pentatonic stuff without pinky. ...back to the original question: there are many ways to practice for speed. Most important is to have a defined goal about how fast you want to be. Then really concentrate and discover the things that are not perfect yet... eliminating all little flaws constantly will make you faster and faster

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