Shred Guitar "Finger Frenzy" Speed Exercise

So you want to SHRED! The best way to get you prepared to play fast passages and rip up the guitar neck is to design an exercise routine and practice it consistently.

It seems like everyone is looking for a magic pill or potion that will make you a great lead guitar player instantly, but it really comes down to hard work and consistent practice.

The following exercise is going to help you build the speed of your picking but also help you to coordinate both hands together. Make sure to pick each finger up before playing the next note.

The coordination patterns in the exercise look real simple but as you increase your speed I want you to pay super close attention to the clarity of each note, if both hands are off sync even just a millisecond you will start to lose clarity. Make sure to pick each note hard, I’ve seen many players that pick soft and it does hide imperfections but this just gives a sense of insecurity to your playing and overall sound. Picking hard lets everyone listening that you are confident about everything you are playing. DON’T BE A WHIMPY PICKER!

The best way to practice this is with a metronome and work to increase your speed gradually. I use this to warm up before extended practices, shows or at the start of a recording session to get my picking sharp. Increased finger strength, muscle memory and improvement with the speed and sound of my riffs was the result of me sticking with this routine. I hope it works for you too!