String Skipping Tips

Just a reminder of the main things to be thinking about when working on string skipping (i.e. when you’re using a pick and need to cross or change strings in the middle of a lick, solo or riff). At the end of the video, I take you through some exercises that you can use to [...]

January 16, 2012 at 8:51 pm | Exercises | No comments

Slippery Legato Lick

I describe this lick as “slippery” because when you’re playing it, it really feels like your fingers are just “Slipping” off the notes! Legato can be great to get that very fluid and smooth sound out of a guitar- and this lick is no exception. Oh, and one more thing, you won’t need your pick [...]

January 11, 2012 at 6:39 pm | Exercises | No comments

More ways to make Exercises Fun!

January 4, 2012 at 3:32 pm | Exercises | No comments

Are Technical Exercises a Chore?

This was originally supposed to be part of the Ways Exercises can be Fun series, but I’ve decided that this point is important enough to warrant taking over an entire post to itself! Don’t worry, there is a post coming up with the rest of the (now only 4) ways that technical exercises can be [...]

December 14, 2011 at 10:18 pm | Exercises, How to | No comments

String Skipping “Slalom”

Here’s another guitar technique exercise for you, as I haven’t posted one of these in quite a while! Sometimes when practising, it’s helpful to focus on one specific technique…and so sometimes I’ll create an exercise that focuses right in on perfecting that technique. If the exercise is really good, and I think it could help [...]

November 23, 2011 at 3:08 pm | Exercises | No comments

Exercises: Warm up Stretch

This exercise is basically a more advance version of this one but we’re going to increase the stretch. The original exercise used these four shapes in sequence (either played up and down as individual notes, or as chords- it doesn’t matter): e———— B-8–8–5–5- G-7–6–6–7- D-6–7–7–6- A-5–5–8–8- E———— The exercise tabbed is to be played in [...]

August 1, 2011 at 7:21 pm | Exercises | No comments

Finger Independence Video

Today’s video is about finger independence exercises. Here are links to the guitar tab for the exercises I talk about: Picking Exercise 3 (the main exercise in the video) Advanced Spider Exercise Finger dexterity Warm up

June 8, 2011 at 11:01 pm | Exercises, Practicing and Practice Routine | 1 comment

Guitar Techniques: Two Handed Tapping

Just a short video on Eddie Van Halen style fingertapping. This technique can sound very impressive (when really we know that it’s nowhere near as difficult as it sounds…). Any questions, please comment below. Rob.

May 29, 2011 at 12:11 pm | Exercises | No comments

Rhythm Guitar: Strumming

So you know how to strum, right? Well, do you? Do you ever find that your strumming hand gets “out of time” or certain rhythms just feel awkward to play? It might just be that your strumming technique needs working on… I have talked about the importance of the strumming hand before, and how important [...]

May 17, 2011 at 11:00 pm | Exercises, Guitar Technique and Exercises, Rhythm Guitar | No comments

Picking Exercises 3 and 4

This next exercise uses a slightly different rhythm, the number 3 above three 8th notes (or quavers) denotes what is known as a triplet. This involves playing three notes in the space of time where you would normally play only 2- I.E. in this example you play three notes per metronome click. The term used [...]

September 17, 2010 at 7:47 pm | Exercises, Guitar Technique and Exercises | No comments

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