Guitar Finger Exercises: Three Essential Fret-Hand Exercises

by Adam St. James

This guitar finger exercise lesson is an excerpt from my four-hour DVD guitar course, "Logical Lead Guitar." For more information, including sample videos, go to LogicalLeadGuitar.com.

While you're there, join the mailing list and you'll receive an entire pdf book filled with guitar finger exercises, a second book titled "Which Notes To Bend," access to a members-only lesson blog, links to hidden guitar lesson videos, and more.

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Guitar Finger Exericses 1 Through 3:

The following guitar finger exercises are what I believe to be the most time-efficient way to improve your fret-hand abilities – better than playing scales, or even lead guitar, at least to some degree. When I go out and play a show, and leave the club disappointed with my playing, you can bet I hit these guitar finger exercises hard within the next few days. They've always worked wonders for my lead playing.

Also, they're so easy to remember and to play (after you've put in a little time with them), that you can do them even while you're actually concentrating on something else, like watching a movie, reading a magazine, or talking on the phone. Hey, multi-tasking is even possible with guitar practice!!!

Exercise 1

You'll use your first and second fingers for this guitar finger exercise. Also, use alternate picking if possible. If you don't know what alternate picking is, read and study the "Bonus Section: More Pick-Hand Exercises," of Logical Lead Guitar and/or watch the video segments of this course.

Play the 1st fret on the sixth string with your first finger, then the 2nd fret with your second finger. Then play the same thing on the fifth string, followed by the fourth string, etc., until you've crawled your first and second fingers all the way across the strings, and back again. When coming back from the first to the sixth string, continue to play the first fret with your first finger, followed by the second fret with your second finger.

When you've played from the sixth string to the first and back again, slide your first finger up one fret and do it again, this time playing the 2nd and 3rd frets with your first and second fingers. Continue this process, using nothing but your first and second fingers, as far up the neck as possible.

Exercise 2

Now we'll do the same with your second and third fingers. Play the 2nd fret on the sixth string with your second finger, then the 3rd fret with your third finger. Do the same on each string, to the first string, then back again to the sixth string. Then move up one fret and continue up the neck as far as possible.

Exercise 3

And of course we'll continue the trend by using the third and fourth fingers on our fret hands. Play the 3rd fret on the sixth string with your third finger, then the 4th fret with your fourth finger. Crawl across all six strings this way, then back to down to the sixth string again. Then continue up the whole neck as far as possible. Your third and fourth fingers will probably seem the least coordinated, so obviously they'll need the most exercise. Work on them twice as much as you do with the other fingers and you're playing will grow by leaps and bounds.

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