Overkill Can Cause Injury

Don’t over do it! These exercises should be part of your regular practice routine, but you don’t want to practice them to the point where you may injure your hands. If you feel a little too much discomfort or cramping in your hands, by all means cut back a little. Like at the gym, your muscles and tendons need time to recuperate in between workouts.

Start Out Slow

You should always play each exercise at a speed that you are comfortable with. If cannot play the exercises smoothly and without mistakes, then you are going too fast and you need to slow it down a little. Start out slow and slowly build speed. We’re striving for good technique, not fast bad technique. Speed comes with time.

Don’t get frustrated! You may not see improvement overnight, but you will see improvement eventually. If you practice these exerises just 15 minutes a day for a week, at the end of the week you will have improved guaranteed. With practice you can only get better, not worse. Record yourself playing some of these exercises. After you have had a few weeks to practice them, go back and listen to the recording that you did. You’ll be blown away!

Use A Metronome

A metronome is a simple device that keeps the time by creating a regular beat. You will find using one in conjunction with the exercises in this section very beneficial To practice with a metronome simply play one, two, or three notes per beat. When you are able to play an exercise without error at one speed, then you just speed the metronome up a little.

You can get a metronome at any music store. They come in all shapes and sizes, most notable is the traditional piano metronome with it’s swinging pendulum. Prices range from about $10 all the way to $100+. There’s no need to spend more than $20 for one.

Using
a Metronome

You will find using a metronome in conjunction with Guitar Exercises very beneficial. To practice with a metronome simply play one, two, or three notes per beat. When you are able to play an exercise without error at one speed, then you just speed the metronome up a little.