Most of these exercises are in a book called "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar" by Troy Stetina. He does note that you want to avoid lifting your fingers up any more than possible. His thoughts behind this are the "distance equals time". This is very true. You will also want to keep the hand as relaxed as possible for both speed and comfort. This will also help to prevent injuries. Just my two cents here but these are all good and should be practiced daily.
Thats the first guitar book i ever bought. Lol I remember it taking forever (3-4 years) to finally get through the entire book. Definitely for at least the intermediate player. Lastly, Troy Stetina is an amazing teacher, musician and dude. Thanks for the reminiscence :)
This is fantastic. I decided to try the "three minute" technique with downstrokes at 150bpm - "no problem" I thought. But a minute twenty in my forearm was screaming! Good to know, slowing it down and building it up. Thanks Steve!
Steve, I sub'd to your channel a couple weeks ago because your style of teaching is extremely helpful and easy to understand. At age 60, I learned a few bad habits playing 70s-80s classic rock covers most of my life. I did pretty well for self-taught, but have committed myself to gaining a better understanding of music theory, scales, and technique to make me a more well-rounded player. Your channel helps tremendously. Many thanks for your time and effort posting these videos.
I have been playing guitar for over 10 years. I have played in bands and even started my own metal band. I considered myself a good guitar player because i could write riffs and chord progressions . But I didn't have any exercises or any real input from experienced guitar players. I have just always taught myself. I started playing the drums and took lessons all through hi school all the while teaching myself to play guitar and piano. But in the past five years or so, I've really been wanting to compose my own songs. This video has really helped me develop my skills. Thanks Steve. I really appreciate it!
Steve, Thank you for your awesome approach to teaching and learning! This lesson I found when I was just going around RU-vid trying to think of anything I could do to get better at playing. "The number one lesson is honesty, and ego" That statement pulled me out of delusion that I know how to play guitar! For more than twenty years I have tried to teach myself watching my friends rock and roll and I always flub. So your statement was powerful man. Just working on exactly what you said in this lesson, I have actually become a bit better in just a week dude! THANKS!!! New guitar players, listen to this guy!
You have a real gift as an instructor man, truly. I have seen many of your videos, and while I continually keep procrastinating on the "Ok, I'm going to buckle down and make a routine of these things" front, it's so clear to me how much I'll move towards where I want to be when I do. This video I just followed along with you, and it requires zero imagination to understand how beneficial it will be to progress in these exercises. You break everything down, you build it up, you put it in context. You are firm about what an end result should be, but at the same time so naturally encouraging that there is never a time where I am lost or where I don't believe that I can do the things you are teaching. I know it's a bit strange to give a "I haven't put in the work yet, but when I do..." preemptive testimonial, but I'm pretty confident I won't eat those words. Thanks man!
Doug Peck How’d you get along with them, Doug? I’ve just come across this video for the first time and your words echo my own sentiments so thought I’d take a peek into the future if possible...
THIS IS THE BEST GUiTAR LESSON I'VE EVER HAD! STEVE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. " BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR ABILITYS AND DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT YOURSELF, IT TAKES TIME" KEEP AT IT DUDE!
Hi Steve. This is an excellent advice. I have been doing this set of exercises daily for a month now, and not only has my alternate picking speed improved, but I feel much more comfortable alternate picking, as upstrokes now feel much more comfortable. I can now easily alternate pick at 90bpm (beforehand it was very sloppy, even at 80bpm), and with bursting, I can alternate pick in short bursts at 140bpm! Thank you for your clear and encouraging teaching, you are really helping me reach my goals.. Best, Rohit
hey steve, thanks for this great video. as a dedicated multi instrumentalist and songwriter I struggle to find FAST, effective routines to keep all my musical skills sharp and continually improving. the electric guitar has always had my poorest ratio of "desired skill" vs "actual skill" and I'm so glad I've found your channel. these drills are great and believe it or not after 30 minutes I can already feel the mental and physical benefits on my stratocaster... of course I'm planning to spend many dozens of hours more :)
Really appreciate the tips. You definitely teach with a different angle than a lot of the other online guitar teachers. I have been posting guitar progress videos on my channel and I would appreciate any pointers/advice you could give me. I know you're busy but that would be awesome! Thanks!
You are great Steve!!! I have seen many of your videos and helped me a lot on increasing my techniques abilty. Thank you very much for sharing your sincere knowledge to us! Best regards from Mexico City!
I've been playing pretty seriously for 6 years and I would say that I'm pretty decent (somewhere between intermediate and advanced playing), and the last year has been a bit lackluster in playing, and I've been looking to get back into serious practice and improving myself even further. I really like the exercises and they'll help me improve my technique even more. I definitely feel it in my arms on the trill exercises. Thanks!
The last time i saw this, was three months ago and i took to heart what you said. I practiced every day and in the beginning it was a chore but after i while it becomes routine(not in way that the exercises were to easy, if i thought i nailed something down i added something after the "normal exercise" to make it harder) and this was the point where i really started to improve. Thank you for this Video!
Dude my brother recommended your videos because my brother used them to learn a bit quick and so did my uncle. Subscribed before i even hit 10 minutes, legit advice will watch all videos thanks man hope to put something on youtube one day
You are great, Steve! I have a local teacher here in my town in Brazil and I consider you my virtual teacher! hehe! You way of teaching is helping me a lot. Thank you for the videos.
I just got my first guitar three days ago and this video was greatly encouraging to me. Unfortunately it was just as discouraging I`m 43 years old and it seems like I won`t be able to do anything like this until I`m like 70. But this was an awesome video, keep up the good work . Look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Getting back into guitar, I played for 3 years but had to stop after accidently being stabbed in the left hand at work, coudnt use my pinky for abut a year. Buying another guitar and diving back in the I've missed it everyday, thought i wouldnt be able to play again. But now the my hand is as good as new, or close enough, i'll be usuing these techniques to get back into it again
wow I've been learning for 4 months and this video is amazing, its the little things like the angle of the pick where u blew me away. so helpful. also, u said a lot of things i was woried about not getting better at , or hand cramps that you totally reassured me and restored my confidence in playing.
Hey, I really appreciate this video. I've been getting more into playing my guitar and have been looking for a good set of daily exercises to practice and this is exactly what I needed. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for putting this out there. I'm a drummer learning guitar and this gave me a good launch pad to improve dexterity to help me with chords. Keep up the great work.
Great job at showing us this information ...This is the fourth video I have watched and you have very much opened up my eyes & mind. THANKS to you and GuitarZoom .
Hi Steve, I found your channel just few days back and what an awesome find it was. I apologies in advance for the long comment. The reason I am writing this is to thank you and to validate what you have just explained about strumming using the feeling and emotions and not auto pattern. When I started my journey to learn playing the guitar 3 years ago (only acoustic) I bought a book to learn how to play chords and some rhythm patterns. For the whole of the first year I was practicing and following the rules to the letter and the result was when I played a song I stuck to the strumming pattern like a robot. I thought missing a stroke or not sticking to the song original strumming pattern I wasn't good enough player yet and I needed to practice more and to tell you the truth I was not getting much enjoyment from playing either. During the second self teaching year and as my chord changes got better and strumming technique improved I started to listen and I mean listen to the words of songs while playing. Until that point I was playing the song but my senses were focusing on keeping up with the tempo, change chords at the right time and sticking to the strumming pattern. Then one day it just happened, I was playing a song that I love which I played 100 times before, but that one time it I felt like I am hearing the words for the first time and as the song went along I noticed that without thinking my strumming pattern and the intensity with which I was hitting the strings is not the same as I used to play it. I am playing the song but most of my attention is on the words and my strumming hand was reacting to how the words impacted me and made me feel. I was doing the ocean waves thing :-)) but I didn't plan it or practice it before. I didn't know it existed. It just happened and it's because I felt the song (words and music) rather than hearing it and focusing on what my hands should be doing. When I realized what just happening It was a surreal moment. At that moment I realized the real joy playing the guitar brings and the beautiful things music does to your soul when it touches our inner feelings. I can't wait to start my new journey with the eclectic guitar as I am expecting it delivered in a week or so. I never held one before so it's going to be interesting and steep learning curve no doubt. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Peace from Australia Adam
Awesome, Adam! It's an amazing feeling when something like that happens. :-) By the way, if you like Steve’s RU-vid videos, go here → guitarzoom.com/join And check out the new GuitarZoom Premium Membership. Members get unlimited streaming of more than 40 of Steve’s best guitar courses, including Acoustic Guitar, Play Guitar For Life, CAGED Made Simple, Music Theory Made Easy, and many more. The courses cover a wide variety of subjects, and there are courses designed for all skill-levels. So no matter where you are in your guitar journey, you can reach the next level FAST as a GuitarZoom Member. Make sure you check it out, and no matter what, keep playing! -- Mike from GuitarZoom
Great lesson. I'm 52 and can play, but I have some things that I don't play because I always was too critical of myself, and now that I'm ill and home a lot, I can play now and practice correctly. Your lessons are great. Just subscribed and really like this lesson and others.. Thanks so much.. Would love to see a lesson on playing "Kingdom Come" what love can be. I think I have it down, but those chords are weird to me.. from what I can see on the video I can't tell how the guitarists (who along with the drummer in that video and no plays for the scorpians is from my area!") plays this.. Thanks so much again. God speed Tim
3:35 is the truth. since i started to play guitar, ive always tried to play fast but could never do it until about 2 years after of playing. i kept trying to play fast but my hand would somehow automatically stop when i miss a note or a string. after hours and hours of playing i somehow "unblocked". it happened how of nowhere when i was playing at night in my underwear. so after 2 years my technique sucked and after that night, i got better and could play MUCH faster after a week of practice. some thing just come unexpectedly but if you keep playing, you dont know when, but its garanteed that youll get better.
I expect to see immediate results, and then get frustrated and don't do it :). But I'll keep with these techniques and practice every day. Great lessons, thanks Steve.
Haha. When I got to the 1-4 finger hammeron & pulloff at 7 seconds I was "feeling it." That exercise definitely revealed one of my technical weaknesses! Great vid! Thanks so much!
Been playing 4 years, second exercise with ring finger and pinky. Damn that's surprisingly tough exercise. Thanks Steve for these videos, after every video I've learned something new.
Great basic exercises. I used to do the dexterity exercises up and down the neck while I watched TV until it just became second nature muscle memory. Really helped with my hand strength and flexibility.
Awesome lesson Steve! I discovered your channel today and I am addicted to your videos man! You are one of the best guitarist on RU-vid for sure! Rock n Roll!
I'm a beginner and these exercises are great (and hard on my arm and neck) but even without having played a guitar before, i could understand and practice. Very useful video!!!
If you dedicate a MINIMUM of 15 minutes a day on playing/practicing the guitar for 30 days (and really focus and try for just 15 minutes a day), I PROMISE you, within that 30 days you will get better, and you will find it addicting and you will want to pick it up more often. You will start playing more than 15 minutes. It will get to the point where you will miss having it in your hands when you don't have it. Trust me!
Thank you, I own 3 guitars & I have been kinda' playing for years now even made up my own little songs but cant really get them to take off with speed your video is helping me a lot I would never really practice just play with a few friends so when they see me next time they are going to say that I'm a lot faster.
honest thank you for your time and advices. much obliged. I decided to follow my dream and learn to play the quitar. I hope one day to be able to share also. it does not matter when you start. the experience matters. the feeling.
thanks so much for all your helpful videos! I've been learning for several months and you've been one of my major "go-to" guys when I want to learn something new
hey there, i just saw your vids for the first time! it's sweet, i go to prairie heights and i love watching you jam out! i'm going to be watching all your vids and practicing bc i know you know what's up on guitar. i've "played" guitar for a long time now.(meaning i've owned one but haven't taken it serious) lately i've had more of a passion for it and can't wait to learn from you. Keep it up! you're an inspiration!
Good video, and advice. Hypothetically, if a person can keep it together for 3 minutes with 100bpms, then they should increase the speed to perhaps 110bpms. Once they can keep it together at that speed, increase it to 120bpms or so ;)
Thanks so much, i know this is an old video but this has really helped me to progress my playing and gives me something to do when i pick up the guitar,thanks.
the legato exercises... i think it's good idea to - start w/o a metronome and focus on accuracy - find your bpm and actually work towards lower bpm to develop strength and accuracy - speed it up gradually - learn how to do legato with your index finger (hammer-ons from nowhere) - *do not* hurt yourself, press only hard enough to get the sound you want
