Can you recommend excersices away from the Guitar

[WillieG]

I only have a couple of hours a day to practice. While I'm at work I do a lot of mental work, so my hands are mostly free. What finger exercises you can recommend to improve dexterity and strength?

Thanks,
Willie G

[joeyd929]

I only have a couple of hours a day to practice. While I'm at work I do a lot of mental work, so my hands are mostly free. What finger exercises you can recommend to improve dexterity and strength?

Thanks,
Willie G

I recommend that you practice exercises that utilize all 4 fingers so you can develop equal finger dexterity. There are many different aspects of practice in regards to technique.

Just some mindless exercises can be good to get the fingers moving but the important thing is to pick some exercises and work with them slowly every day without fail.

Don't rush it, let your fingers move at the natural speed, don't force it. Speed and Dexterity go hand in hand but take time. I personally use the 24 combinations of 1234 and do a different one each day just to mix it up.

I don't know if you are familiar with this but I will lay out these exercises here (I have posted them in another thread but it is just as easy for me to post them here. So here goes.

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

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

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

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

I would also recommend playing these horizontally to help improve your ability to move up and down the neck. Many guitarists can blaze in one position but when it comes to moving around they lack the skills. But again, it takes time.

Other exercises that utilize all 4 fingers are the classic 1 2 4 / 1 3 4

Do you want to work on picking, or hammer/pull off, you can mix up the exercises like for 1 2 3 4 you can pick 1, hammer 2, pick 3 and hammer 4.

The important thing is to be consistent. Good luck

[WillieG]

Thanks, Joey... great advice.

However I was talking about exercises that I can do at work "away from the Guitar". They don't want me to take my gtr to work (I already tried) and got in trouble... hehehe

However, I can do any exercise routine. I have a Gripmaster but I was just wondering if there's something better than mindless finger-bends.

Thanks,

Willie G

[Kuckelimuck]

Visualise the notes of a certain scale/chord/arpeggio in your head.
For example go over in your head all the major scale patterns etc.
I think this helps you to memorize the notes so when you pick up the guitar some work is already done.

Gripmaster training is quite good, you can also close your hand/fretting hand) into a fist hard and then open then close and so on. I learned this from a piano player and it work good. Just make sure your hand your hands are warm and take it easy in the beginning.

Listen to music if that possible when you work.

Listen to ear training exercises.

[joeyd929]

Thanks, Joey... great advice.

However I was talking about exercises that I can do at work "away from the Guitar". They don't want me to take my gtr to work (I already tried) and got in trouble... hehehe

However, I can do any exercise routine. I have a Gripmaster but I was just wondering if there's something better than mindless finger-bends.

Thanks,

Willie G

Be carefull with grip masters because you can strain your hands. I hold a ruler in my hand and just practice doing light tapping exercises. OR.... go to www.jimibell.com He patented and sells this thing called the "Shred neck" It is very small and can fit in your car so you can practice without a guitar.

Go to www.jimibell.com and check it out, great for people that can't get access to a guitar..

[AndyPollow]

your lucky - i cant cuz i deliver phone books now but i used to do 2 simple exersizes - 1-open and close both hands alot ( make a fist and open it all the way and make a fist .......... ) and 2-move your wrist or arm if you pick with your arm like your strumming up and down the strings - those work really good even if you do them slowly but if you do it too much youll wear out the muscles and cant play at all after work.

[Poparad]

Simply typing at a computer works out your fingers in various combinations and patterns sufficiently. Assuming you have hte time, you might try focusing more on mental things, like memorizing the notes of major chords, picturing things on the fretboard, and so on.

[joeyd929]

Simply typing at a computer works out your fingers in various combinations and patterns sufficiently. Assuming you have hte time, you might try focusing more on mental things, like memorizing the notes of major chords, picturing things on the fretboard, and so on.

Good point. I learned how to type and have been able to do so since I was 12 (34 years) I type about 60-70 words per minute in a pinch, but keep steady at about 50. Absolutely true, it keeps those fingers moving.

I purchased this book called 51 Hannon exercises for guitar. It is an updated version that has suggested fingerings. It will take one exercise and list 4 different fingerings.

It does require you to be able to read music all over the guitar but it's great because it forces me NOT to look at my left hand. I tend to be critical of position and placement of hand, to a bad extent that it interferes with my concentration.

Using this book forces me to play the notes without looking..Trying to get the "feel" of the fretboard. It takes time.

[Stengah]

I have made one exercise which developes alternate picking and fingering. It is basically just warmup thing, but here it is anyway.

EX 1.

A - - - - - - - - - - - 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 - - - - - - 14 - - - - - -
E -12- 13 - 14 - 15 - - - - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - - - 14 - 13 - - - 13- 12 - 11

And you start the pattern again from D#, which is the last note. Just move the pattern a half step lower every time till you get to the end. These are all just 8th notes.

I strongly recommend two handed tapping stuff. Check out Mr.Satriani's Midnight, The Forgotten (part 2). The basic tapping doesn't increate your left hand strengt. Just play lot of Satch stuff and do lot of experiments with your own stuff. Legato lick's and so on.

Good luck,
Stengah.

PS. You should practice more then couple hours in day, i recommend.