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View Full Version : Just some thoughts and variatons on practicing


ReinierK
12-01-2004, 09:04 AM
Hiya,

I do a lot of the "chromatic" excercises lately, because I need to improve my lefthand/righthand coordination. Now I've come up with my own way of doing that which helps me a lot, so I thought: let's share it.

when I'm doing chromatic stuff, I'll go from the first to the 12th fret and back.
What I do here is the folowing:
1. doing the excercise up to the 12th fret, but I'm looking ONLY at my right hand. How I pick, why I do it, eliminate the inefficiencies, make sure I move from the wrist and keep a steady pace.
2. When I'm decending from the 12th back to the 1st fret, I do this:
2.1 I'll watch my fretting hand's index finger ONLY, making sure I fret correctly with it, I'll do this for two 'runs' (so, till the 10th fret).
2.2 I'll watch my fretting hand's middle finger ONLY, making sure I fret correctly with it, I'll do this for two 'runs' too.

etc. etc. Until I had my pinky, then for the rest of the runs I focus on all the fingers.

I play this rather slow, because it gives my time to evaluate if I'm pleased with what I'm doing.

It helps me a lot and keeps my right hand and left hand both focussed, but also play on "feeling", since you only watch either one.

Hope it's clear and I hope some people will find it usefull!

Cheers,
Reinier.

Los Boleros
12-01-2004, 05:33 PM
This cromatic excercise helps with chords:

Use your index finger to bar across the frettboard then play cromatically with the rest of your fingers. Keep that bar. Do it on each string. I know that this is not a full cromatic scale. Merely four cromatic notes then down to the next string. You will feel the burn when you get to the High E string..