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Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 3 2011, 12:58 PM

Io Gmc, as the title of the topic says -"i need some guidance".

Last night i decided that i wanted to improve my left hand strength/control "HUGELY", I realized already that i am not gonna being able to do this, over the night, or in 1 week, i am ready to accept/wait the "time".

things i want to improve/able to do.

-Control my vibrato, beeing able to smooth, relaxed, vibratos and also wide, dramatic vibratos etcetc.
-everything related with Legato, imo my hammer/pull on/offs are quite weak, that's one of the things i should fix first.
-Being able to do "micro-bars" with all my figers"
-working on classic position, my fingers tend to be angle, so when i start to do really fast licks sometimes they tend to run over each other
-bending.
-getting rid off thumb tension, and anything related with tension.
etcetc.
. has i said, basically i wanna tame my left hand.


What do you guys suggest as "starting points" and exercises, and also what bad habits should i avoid?

Posted by: dark dude Oct 3 2011, 01:05 PM

I'd start on Ben's land of legato series, or take some legato exercises from Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar (not sure if you got it in the end). I'd also pick a song that has some legato in it - the solo to Aces High perhaps? If you like 'Maiden, I believe it has a few trills.

Always warm up for 10 min at least, I'd practice legato in 20 second bursts, with 20 seconds rest, perhaps over 4-5 min. The idea is to not over-do it, which is easy and tempting when trying to improve your strength and speed with legato. The moment it starts to hurt, stop and rest - shake it off.

The main and most important point is to not go crazy with it, a little a day, slowly increasing after a few days.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Oct 3 2011, 01:22 PM

Duuuuuuuuuuuuude ! Need I really say it ?

Vibrato & Legato ?

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 3 2011, 01:29 PM

Ty man! to be honest warming was one thing that i use to neglect, but after the "pain in my arm" i start to do it always along with John Petrucci massages! xD, and yes, i found out that i could do stuff easier.





Sorry Ben, i just notice that if you multiplicate anything by Vibrato & Legato you get Ben Higgins ;D

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Oct 3 2011, 04:42 PM

You rank your plan exactly as it should! And what is most important is the patience of course!

Posted by: Azzaboi Oct 3 2011, 05:33 PM

Vibrato & Legato = GMC's Ben Higgins Lessons
Speed / Shred = GMC's Todd Simpson Lessons
Mastering Control = Book - Troy Stetina: Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar

1) Slow down and train your fingers to move how you would like them to first! Fingers will move as your have trained them, the faster you go the more bad habits are thrown in. Try avoid playing sloppy, but build speed slowly, working up to a bit over breaking point then reduce it to finish on cleanly played.

2) Don't play tensed or strain, concentrating so hard or anxiety build up pressure causes more mistakes and slowdowns. You should be relaxed at all times, else stop and shake it out before continuing.

3) Focus on one area at a time, the purpose of the exercise, one hand at a time. However, ensure both hands will then sync up with each other!

4) Don't spend ages on one lesson, consider it a gym for fingers. To develop, work out, then rest that muscle group, work out another area, then rest. By practicing other related exercises your still developing the original and when coming back to it, it should become easier the next times round.

5) Todd suggests removing the fretboard thumb for some practice to release tension. Then placing it lightly behind the neck near the middle. This position is to allow greater reach and even control, working on wider stretch. The other position at top should more rarely be used for, but can give more strength and control to bending and vibrato. Todd suggests you don't really even need it but it's okay to use as long as your thumb doesn't apply too much pressure and isn't moving positions without you being aware.

6) Practice playing on your fingertips mostly (there are times to use the side, etc) to keep clean and positioning them (even hovering) at there correct fretboard locations just behind the fretbar. Keep the fingers as close to the fretboard as possible, eliminating fingers flipping up too far, etc. Practice lifting the previous finger when the next is down, spidering flow and work on unglueing the fingers from each other. Your've trying to reduce the amount of movement/distance and increasing accuracy. This will hugely boost your speed and control later on when playing faster!

ps. you already forgot 'step 2' don't concentrate so hard... learn it, then go watch tv or distract yourself slightly while practicing it, every now and then go back to it to ensure no bad habits, good luck!

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 3 2011, 05:40 PM

Thanks Azza

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 4 2011, 10:50 AM

For bending, vibrato and dynamics in general, I have stated in the video-chat i had 2 weeks ago that a very good method which shall offer good results, consists in trying to mimic vocal lines with your guitar!

Check out this thread for some exercises, backing tracks and indications

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=39243&view=findpost&p=544993

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 4 2011, 12:59 PM

i think i missed :c due to time issues and maths homework i been unable to attemp most of the video chat.

But ty Cosmin,


btw i also, want my left hand to get use to the trickest chords position(like the ones takes you do like microbars with 3ºfinger like E9 and on unorthodox position) so guys shout the chords

Posted by: dark dude Oct 4 2011, 01:21 PM

My chord knowledge is terrible, but a quick way to find some difficult chords would be to get Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene. Many, many chords are laid out, it's easy to skim the list and find the difficult ones.

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 4 2011, 01:28 PM

didn't knew that one ty Adam!

Posted by: Amir Razmara Oct 5 2011, 01:15 AM

"Last night i decided that i wanted to improve my left hand strength/control "HUGELY", I realized already that i am not gonna being able to do this, over the night, or in 1 week, i am ready to accept/wait the "time".

Ok MonkeyDAthos I you did mention you wanted to improve your left hand strength/control and I would like to make a suggestion for that part.

1- Here is a Major scale: Low E>3-5.... A>2-3-5....D>2-4-5....G>2-4-5....B>3-5....High E>2-3...OK very simple! everyone knows this scale, but how can you use it to build strength?

2- here's how: start at the 3rd fret & play this scale twice in the * following manner at a comfortable tempo, not too slow not too fast, at which you can play without any mistakes.

* Alternate picking, sixteenth notes grouping, playing the active notes twice like this, I assume you looked at the above scale so I just give fret #'s

here: Ascending 3-5-2-3----5-2-4-5----5-2-4-5----3-5-2-3--descending --3-2-5-3----5-4-2-5----5-4-2-5----3-2-5-3

3- you play twice at each fret, starting at 3rd fret, moving up to 12th fret. Once you reach 12th fret you have played this scale 20 times
then you work your way back from 12th to the 3rd fret, playing twice on each fret, once you reach the 3rd fret guess what?
you've played 40 times. the goal is to play 100 times, with out stopping, although if it is too much at first do 60 or 80.
If you do this every day for weak your going to see the strength in your left hand improving real fast & your alternate picking will also
improve because the grouping on each string for this scale is uneven so you have to be extra Persis with your pick hand.

Amir Razmara

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 5 2011, 03:15 AM

thanks Amir

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 5 2011, 05:47 AM

This is a great set of tips from AZZA! You go boi!! The thumbless stuff works great when working up speed and precision and finger strength. Vibrato is much harder thumbless but you can work up to it! Eventually your left hand will get so strong that you can play pretty much anything without a pick (legato) and without your left thumb. Here is a little vid I made a to demo the "thumbless/Pickless" technique. I originally made it as a demo for Benster after stealing some of his chops!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Oct 5 2011, 08:50 AM

Yeah this was Uber cool !

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 5 2011, 07:33 PM

Well, take it easy, don't rush it. Set your short term and long term goals right and just keep practicing. Along the way you will find best possible method and routine that fits you. Important thing is to practice every day, and the results will come. Your plan seems good for starting.

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Oct 5 2011, 07:47 PM

i really have to ty all for the "Informations", i will for sure have work for the next months : )

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 6 2011, 07:07 AM

Hey Renato! Mate, there are some exercises suggested by our friend, Mr. Govan He uses the chromatic scale and comes up with different mind twisting combinations which will eventually offer not only strength but independence between the fingers of your left hand!

For instance, instead of going: 1234 1234 1234 1234 - vertically, starting from F (i.e. FF#GG# A#BCC# ...) you can go 1234 2341 3412 4123 try and figure out as many combinations as this one, the more difficult, the better! Start very slowly so that you may use the fingers with the awkward positions!

Posted by: Nihilist1 Oct 6 2011, 08:00 AM

I can second this. I started taking lessons from Jon Donais of Shadows Fall a couple of months ago and he highly recommended this from the beginning. It works wonders.

Posted by: dark dude Oct 6 2011, 12:21 PM

I can't say I'm not incredibly jealous

Great to know that others employ this exercise, it's odd how it isn't common, but if you take a look at what you're doing, it makes sense!

Posted by: Nihilist1 Oct 7 2011, 03:50 AM

I can hook anyone up with him. He is reasonable too. A dollar a minute! I do a thirty minute lesson every other week(to correspond with my payday). I have learned most of my modes in the couple lessons I have had with him; and he also helped me solve the topic at hand! He is as good a teacher as he is a guitarist.