Building fret speed.

TUEP · #1 07-02-2010, 01:40 AM

Been playing around with scales and such to build better fret hand speed. Any exercises you guys can recommend to help with this.

I kind of got caught in a rut doing box scales, and stuff. Really trying to expand.

mambo4 · #2 07-02-2010, 11:48 PM

Don't make speed the goal.
Slow down and practice with a metronome/drum machine.
Speed is a by-product of accuracy, which paradoxically comes from practicing slowly and being relaxed.

JimmyM · #3 07-03-2010, 01:29 AM

i agree with mambo...speed IS a by product of accuracy. if you want to play something fast, practice it painfully slow until it's mastered, then gradully bump up the tempo and don't move on until it's mastered at each tempo level. that goes for scales, arpeggios, tricky parts of songs, everything.

also, when going fast, the tendency is to rake to descending strings. but if you're doing something, for example, with a lot of 16th notes all in a row, it will take you right out of your rhythm to rake. you're better off strictly alternating fingers and never raking if you want speed.

faulknersj · #4 07-03-2010, 01:40 AM

I could not agree with Jimmy more. I just recently got serious about ALWAYS alternating my right index and middle finger; or, I should say, having complete conscious control of my picking fingers.This is crucial to developing the ability to play faster and with greater accuracy. Also, like he said, what u can play slow, you can learn to play faster. Try always alternating your index and middle finger on your favorite thing to play right now.

Fergie Fulton · #5 07-03-2010, 04:55 AM

+1 on all that has been said. Also practice listening to what you are playing, in particular the intervals of your scales. I am always amazed with players who practice scales but don't really "hear" what they are playing so fail to identify chord tones and intervals within them.
The Jeff Berlin Chord tone exercises are one of the best exercises around for what you want ( drop me PM with an e-mail address and i'll send it to you) as are Pacmans sure fire scale methods in the General instruction section.

Pacman's sure-fire scale practice method