Guitar Finger Gymnastics
Finger Gymnastics are exercises that help to develop finger strength and dexterity. Though not musical in nature, they help to sync the left and right hand, strengthen fingers, and develop finger independence by practicing patterns that are unusual or difficult. They also treat each finger equally, so the pinky finger gets equal training to the first 3 fingers. It’s easy for players to avoid the use of the pinky, but by not using the pinky, the player limits their resources by 25%.
Playing exercises like Finger Gymnastics will not make you a great player. But it will help you to gain finger independence and dexterity so that you will be able to play what you hear even when executing finger combinations that are complex.
In System 2, we will use the same finger patterns as in System 1, but with one twist. The finger patterns will again be 1234-1243-1324-1342-1423-1432. However, each time we move to the next string, instead of simply moving to the adjacent string, we will skip a string. This means that when we are on the E string, we will jump to the D string rather than the A string. Then, we’ll move to the A string and jump to the G string. From there, we’ll move to the D string and jump to the B string. And finally, we’ll move to the G string and jump to the high E string.
Descending, we will reverse the pattern: E to G, B to D, G to A, and D to low E. The finger patterns are the same and will continue to strengthen your fingers and help with gaining finger independence, but they will also help improve right-hand technique by doing the string jump.
Often, improvisors use intervallic jumps rather than just playing the next note in the scale (that’s what gives interest to your lines), so it is important for us to be able to skip strings fluidly.
Continue to focus on keeping relaxed in your right hand. Do not ‘dig’ too deeply with your pick–just the tip should contact the strings. If your pick hits the pickguard through the strings, you are picking too deeply. Relax your shoulders. Play primarily from your wrist, not the thumb or elbow.
In System 2, we will go through all 5 forms of the CAGED system for arpeggios, pentatonics, and major scales. Each week, we will work through a different key by going through the Circle of Fifths. By playing through these forms in a different key each week, you will begin to associate each form of the CAGED system with the related arpeggio, pentatonic, and major scale. So, if you know the key you are in, you should be able to see the octave, the arpeggio shape, and the connected pentatonic and major scale. Though the concepts are still simple, by the time you finish this system, you should be able to clearly visualize every form of arpeggio, pentatonic, and major scale across the entire guitar neck.
These will be your core building blocks for all other scales and arpeggios you learn as you progress as a musician. Even if you feel like you know the forms well, focus on increasing speed with accuracy. Remember, it is not just ‘knowing’ these CAGED forms that is important. You want to have your ear trained to hear them, your mind’s eye able to see the geometry on the neck, and the physical ability to play them. These exercises are a bit like weightlifting or running for an athlete. They are designed to increase speed and strength. Be sure to spend the full amount of time practicing them, knowing that you are building muscle memory, strength, articulation, and endurance. Even if you are confident in visualizing and understanding these shapes, push yourself physically to the limit of your technique while remaining clean and accurate.