Imroving Your Reach

Before you begin try this:

Stretch your fingers with your picking hand, focusing the most on stretching your index and pinky apart, if it hurts you are applying too much pressure. After a decent hand stretching warm up try these exercises.

Try this in Triplets and gradually increase in tempo.

Ex. 1: Use your Index and Middle Fingers only.

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

Than replay Ex. 1, and add this afterward, and adding the following exercises in order, and continue increasing in tempo.

Ex. 2: Use your index and ring finger, and if you need more of a challenge try your index and middle, or your middle and pinky.

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

Ex. 3: Use your index and pinky or your index and ring.

e|-------------------------------0-1-4-|
B|-------------------------0-1-4-------|
G|-------------------0-1-4-------------|
D|-------------0-1-4-------------------|
A|-------0-1-4-------------------------|
E|-0-1-4-------------------------------|

Ex. 4: Use your index and pinky.

e|-------------------------------0-1-5-|
B|-------------------------0-1-5-------|
G|-------------------0-1-5-------------|
D|-------------0-1-5-------------------|
A|-------0-1-5-------------------------|
E|-0-1-5-------------------------------|

Now this is more of a challenge, don't worry if you have trouble with this. It can be a real challenge to bar and stretch, but with practice this exercise will increase your span a ton.

Ex. 5: Bar the third fret with your index and do not remove your index finger from the fretboard.

e|-------------------------------3-7-3-|
B|-------------------------3-7-3-------|
G|-------------------3-7-3-------------|
D|-------------3-7-3-------------------|
A|-------3-7-3-------------------------|
E|-3-7-3-------------------------------|
    <-----<-----<-----<-----<-----<----|Bar the 3rd fret.

I hope this helps, I practice it frequenly and it seems to be a great warm up.

Drop me a line, best of luck!

Comments

[420ismybday]

this is pretty kewl...but you should just use scale to practice reaching...way more easier.

[420ismybday]

scales*

[Joerow]

Nice tutorial will definitely remember to practise this one.

[sk8punk49]

wow trying to bar 3rd fret and reaching to 7 first time killed. good practice

[vishaljedi]

really helped a lot.thnxx a ton!!!

[slashguitar_god]

Good Lesson

[guitar-guy01]

very nice...the last one helps with anyone havin difficulty in the bridge of john mayer's "waiting on the world to change"

[cfh0636]

i've been working on 016 with my index and ring :P

[callizerxchaos]

great lesson

[johnny!!!]

great tutorial works great

[JazzyNutter]

wow, this has really helped! thanks a lot!!