https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:59:55 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-334435 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:04:57 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion thelmani https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-334435 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301967 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:29:21 +0000 I suppose I could spend 3 hours a day on the exercises, but then I'd never have any time to learn songs. :(

Given that I play with a less formal fingerstyle technique than classical, would the Segovia exercises be as useful? I tend to keep my right hand at about a 45 degree angle to the strings so that I get a mellower sound on my steel strings.]]> Guitar Players Discussion Number6 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301967 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301963 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:04:05 +0000
Just realized that you seem to be looking for single-string exercises. The classic approach to these are Segovia's Diatonic Major and Minor Scales, easily available from Amazon.com for under $5. Follow his instructions for right-hand technique carefully: repeat each exercise both rest-stroke and free-stroke, as follows: i-m, m-i, m-a, a-m, i-a, a-i, i-m-a-m. Again, don't rush the speed increases. I recall that the maestro recommends spending three hours a day doing these exercises, but I suspect that few of us have that luxury.]]> Guitar Players Discussion skunk https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301963 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301822 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:15:11 +0000
If you use a method with exercises I guess your practice will be good.

I also follow a method for speeding up, really they are some advices in a book (the well know Blues you can use). It is not for fingerpicking but perhaps it could help you to compare both. It basically recommends to do several scales minor and major pentatonic, over all the neck, using several strings (just two strings, all the six, alternating, etc.), more or less all the exercises already proposed in the book.

The advice on the bpm is to start with a value where you are comfortable and don't miss notes (you want to practice the correct technique, no the mistakes), playing 2 notes per each metronome 'tic'. The bpm is increased when you are very comfortable and able to go the next step (in my metronome usually is +6 bmp). When you are able to play enough quickly, he recommends to reduce the bmp and play 4 notes per each 'tic'.]]> Guitar Players Discussion Nuno https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301822 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301811 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:53:10 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Number6 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-301811 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-32749 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:17:49 +0000
I've been working on playing fingerstyle for about a year and a half now, and I'm really getting into it. Over the past couple months I've been doing actual right-hand exercises to try to get my speed/accuracy up. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information on this on the internet, so I was hoping that some of you could give me some suggestions. At the moment, my practice routine consists of doing 10 exercises from Mauro Giuliani's 120 Right Hand Exercises for Guitar at 60BPM followed by a pseudo-chromatic exercise at 80BPM where I use different combinations of fingers on the same strings to play sixteenth notes. I start by playing all four fingers (three fingers and a thumb, to be specific) on one string, moving to the next string every four notes, then doing the same with three fingers, two fingers, then I just use one of my fingers at a time. I vary the patterns so all of my fingers get about the same workout. I'm taking a little break from increases right now, but starting Monday I'll be increasing those BPM rates by 1 per day again. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks]]> Guitar Players Discussion Number6 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/speed-building-fingerstyle-exercises/#post-32749