Finger Exercise for Strength and Speed.

Here is a great exercise that will develop both your finger strength and speed. It’s also great for helping create the independence of movement between the different fingers.

This exercise was taught too me by a popular classical guitar instructor. I don’t remember the story exactly, however it goes something like this. A classical guitarist was falsely imprisoned long ago. He was unable to bring a guitar with him into the prison, and not wanting to loose his skills he needed a way to practice. He developed this simple technique using only a small plank of wood. According to the story, when the man was finally released from prison 8 years later, he bragged that this exercise allowed him to actually gain strength and skill. He actually came out a better guitarist than when he went in. Or so they say.

I have mentioned this exercise before, but in case you missed it, I highly recommend that every guitarist use this for their warm up or as part of their daily practice.

The idea is to work every finger on every fret. Remember that your fingers are numbered 1 through 4 with 1 being your pointer and 4 being your pinky.

Start on the 6th string, 1st fret, with your 1st finger. Play the note
While keeping the 1st finger pressed, press your 2nd finger down on the 2nd fret. Play the note.
Keep both fingers pressed, now 3rd finger 3rd fret. Play note.
Keep all 3 fingers pressed, now 4th finger 4th fret. Play note
Keep all 4 fingers pressed, release 4th finger. Play note

Here’s the pattern. Continue playing just like I have written. Make sure to keep your fingers pressed even though they are behind the fretted note.

1 2 3 4
4 3 2 1
1 4 3 4 2 4 3 4

repeat this on every string, moving starting with the 6 string and working your way to high E, or the first string. Then, move up one fret, and repeat.

This exercise should be repeated on every string, on every fret, up and down the neck.

You’ll be amazed at how much you will improve after just one week of incorporating this exercise into your regular practice routine.

Want to take it to the next level?
After you do a run while picking each individual note. Try a run while just picking the first note and using hammer on’s and pull off’s to play the rest without picking any more notes. This will really cause you to increase speed.

I have posted the tab for this excersie below. Good luck.

Track 1

E------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E--1----2----3----4------4----3----2----1------1----4----3----4----



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------1----2----3----4------4----3----2----1----
--2----4----3----4------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------1----2----3----4----
--1----4----3----4------2----4----3----4--------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--4----3----2----1------1----4----3----4------2----4----3----4----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--1----2----3----4------4----3----2----1------1----4----3----4----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------1----2----3----4------4----3----2----1----
--2----4----3----4------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



----------------------------------------------1----2----3----4----
--1----4----3----4------2----4----3----4--------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



--4----3----2----1------1----4----3----4------2----4----3----4----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
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--2----3----4----5------5----4----3----2------2----5----4----5----
------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------
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--3----5----4----5------------------------------------------------
------------------------2----3----4----5------5----4----4----2----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
--2----5----4----5------3----5----4----5--------------------------
----------------------------------------------2----3----4----5----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--5----4----3----2------2----5----4----5------3----5----4----5----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--2----3----4----5------5----4----3----2------2----5----4----5----
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--3----5----4----5------------------------------------------------
------------------------2----3----4----5------5----4----3----2----
------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--2----5----4----5------3----5----4----5--------------------------
----------------------------------------------2----3----4----5----



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--5----4----3----2------2----5----4----5------3----5----4----5----



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
--3----4----5----6------6----5----4----3------3----6----5----6----



------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------3----4----5----6------6----5----4----3----
--4----6----5----6------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------
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--3----6----5----6------4----6----5----6----------
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Follow the pattern and continue up the whole neck and then back again.