Guitar Warm-Up Exercises

As a long time guitar teacher, I often notice that many of my students do not go through any guitar warm-up exercises before they practice their guitar. They simply just pick up the guitar and start blazing on different speed picking techniques or whatever they might be working on at the time.

Not only is this limiting your actual progress, but it can actually hurt you if you’re not warmed up before you start putting your hands and fingers through strenuous challenges immediately upon picking up the guitar.

Now, I know there are some that might say “I don’t need to warm up” that I can play just as fast from the moment I pick the guitar up until the moment I set it down. Maybe that is the case for some, but.. I highly recommend that you DO some guitar warm-up exercises before your actual practice time.

What you might not realize is that you may be holding yourself back from your full potential.

You’ve probably heard somebody say (after playing a 45 minute set) “I can’t believe the set is over I was just getting warmed up”. Well it’s true, but here’s the biggest issue, if you allow yourself just 10 or 15 minutes of warm up time, you’ll start off in your sweet spot and then rapidly start to progress.

Guitar Warm-Up Exercises Will Improve Your Band Performances, And Tighten Your Overall Guitar Skills.

Here’s what I recommend for a good solid guitar warm up. Start off slow (this is very important) and be very accurate with your alternate picking. Keep your mental focus locked in on your left and right hand being in sync with each other. Here’s what you should practice..

This is a simple chromatic pattern that will warm up all your fingers simultaneously and lock in your synchronicity.

Use your (1) index finger, (2) middle finger, (3) ring finger (4) Pinky. Use Alternate picking for every movement made. Go slow! Only go about 10% of your capable speed. The purpose is not to build speed, the purpose is to loosen up, stretch your fingers and tendons, as well as getting your mind laser focused. Play as loose as possible, try not to tense up at all. Just let the exercise happen as freely as possible with clarity, consistency, and distinction.

Here’s Your Guitar Warm-Up Exercises:

6th string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

5th string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

4th string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th

3rd string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

2nd string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

1st string – 1st fret, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

Then reverse it back down.

1st string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

2nd string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

3rd string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

4th string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

5th string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

6th string – 4th fret, 3rd, 2nd, 1st

You want to repeat this exercise for each and every fret all the way up to the 12th fret, and then work your way back down. (the next fret series would be 2nd, 3rd, 4th,5th, frets – then 3rd, 4th,5th,6th frets and so on…) I suggest doing this entire warm up 5 full times, all the way up the neck and all the way back down the neck.

If you allow yourself to do these exact guitar warm-up exercises every time before you begin practicing, you’ll notice that you’ll be like a race horse waiting to bust out of the gate. When it comes time to actually start your practice routine, you’ll be so much more accurate and your speed will seem effortless.

The key to this whole thing is going slow, allowing yourself 5 complete times up and down the neck, focusing on the left and right hand being in sync, and distinct alternate picking. This may seem boring, but if you’re doing this properly, you won’t be thinking about how boring it is because you’re not trying to play a piece of music, you’re allowing yourself to become prepared for battle, so to speak. This is the golden rule for guitar speed success.

Click Here For a FREE VIDEO…And More Information On Improving Your Guitar Speed and Accuracy.

Guitar Modes And Improvisation

When it comes to Guitar Modes and Improvisation, it helps to understand the major scales modes, and use them as a road map to travel across the fretboard. When I use the term “road map”, it’s very much like an actual road map. A road map shows you how to get from point “A” to point “B” in numerous ways. When you look at a map and decide on a route to take, you realize that are many routes you could take, but once you know where your destination point is, then it’s up to you to decide exactly how you want to get there.

When learning the concept of modes some people make it more difficult on themselves than need be. The truth is, that when you begin to understand the connection between the modes, it unlocks the entire fretboard and allows you total freedom to play wherever you please. Guitar Modes can be useful to create very calculated sound structures when you really have a firm grasp on them, as well as how to manipulate them. In this lesson I’m going to show you how to view them in their simplest form.

What Are Guitar Modes and Improvisation?

The modes are a series of notes (in this case 7 notes of the major scale) played in its primary order of the scale. By simply replacing the first note with the second note of the scale (and placing the first note at the end of the scale) you simply changed the order of the notes, but didn’t add any new notes at all.

This would be an example of playing the 2nd mode or 2nd position of the major scale. If you continued to do this same technique, starting on the next note in line and playing through all of the notes ending up on the one you started with… you’ll be playing the 3rd mode or 3rd position.

Here’s and example of the formula I just explained in the key of “G”.

1st mode position G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

2nd mode position A-B-C-D-E-F#-G-A

3rd mode position B-C-D-E-F#-G-A-B

4th mode position C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

5th mode position D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D

6th mode position E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E

7th mode position F#-G-A-B-C-D-E-F#

8th mode position (octave) G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

Notice that the 8th position is exactly the same as the first position. This is the octave, and everything starts over again from that point. If you can simply wrap your mind around this concept, you’ll unlock the entire fretboard and be able to solo in any key you choose. You see, the trick is to spend time with the first mode (major scale), and then slowly start to combine it with the 2nd mode, then slowly add the 3rd mode etc… There’s no rush to get them all down in a day or two. In fact, I recommend you spend a few weeks doing nothing but this type of playing.

Guitar Modes and Improvisation Are The Keys To Fretboard and Musical Freedom.

It’s like I mentioned with the road map earlier, you’ll start playing in areas than you choose, rather than just looking for areas to play in. Your level of musical vocabulary with increase greatly, and your creativity in writing will also improve dramatically.

Now, I want to make one thing very clear, these are the modes in it’s simplified form. You are connecting them together in either a horizontal way, or a vertical way. Both ways are recommended.

Once you understand this concept, then we can start to introduce the “interval formula” of the modes into different keys, which will explode you’re abilities beyond belief. Much like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Yngwie Malmsteen as well as many others. This is where you’ll start adding color and mood into your sound.

Would you like to learn more about guitar modes and improving your Lead Guitar Skills?
Click Here For Video Instruction On Guitar Modes and Improvisation.

Play Lead Guitar - Vertical

Understanding how to play lead guitar in key can be very confusing for people who have not had the opportunity of someone showing them the theory behind it. The truth is that it’s not as hard as might might think, but when you don’t know anything about how to play lead guitar in key, it can seem very difficult to master.

Solving The Mysteries Of How To Play Lead Guitar

Today we are going to explore some of the elements of how to play lead guitar in any key, for any song, at any time, for any style of music you desire. The very first thing you need to understand is the basic major scale. This scale is also called the “Ionian Mode”. Anytime you hear someone talk about the the “Ionian Mode”, they are simply talking about the natural major scale.

To play lead guitar with a firm understanding, you need to know that the major scale is what all other modes and scales are based off of. If you have a firm understanding of the major scale, then everything else you learn, (from this point forward) will be much clearer to you.

If you have any sort of training in the past, or any help from friends in the past, I want you to just let it all go for now and give yourself a new slate to work from mentally. Just allow yourself to start from scratch right now, as if you are a brand new guitar player with zero knowledge.

Understanding How To Play Lead Guitar Begins With The Major Scale

The major scale is made up of 7 notes, and then the octave which is the 8th note. The 8th note is exactly the same as the 1st note only one octave apart from each other. Keep in mind…when I talk about the notes as numbers, I’m talking about the number of notes in the scale, not 8th notes as in written music etc…

The formula (or intervals) for the major scale is: W-W-H-W-W-W-H (W= whole step) (H=half step)

Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step.

Play Lead Guitar - Horizontal

Anywhere you start on the neck, and follow this formula, you will be playing the major scale. The key you are playing in is simply determined by the first note that you start on. This holds true for any string or any starting point on the entire fretboard.

EXAMPLE: If you start your scale intervals on the 6th string 3rd fret, you would be in the key of “G”. Why, because the 6th string 3rd fret is the “G” note, so therefore the scale would be in the key of “G”

This would be an example of playing your major scale in a horizontal position. You should also know how to play the same major in a vertical position as well.

What’s the difference between horizontal positioning and vertical positioning…?

The simplified answer is that horizontal scaling tends to bring out more melodic phrasing within your lead guitar playing, where as vertical scaling tends to allow faster licks and phrasing to easily flow together. That’s not to say that you can’t can’t play lead guitar fast or melodic in both vertical and horizontal positions, it’s just a natural tendency to play melodic in a horizontal scale form, and fast-flowing licks within vertical scale form.

Any Advantage To Play Lead Guitar Horizontally and Vertically?

YES! The secret sauce is to recognize the difference between to the two styles and be able to play both ways in either forms of the scale positions. This takes a bit of time to master, but simply being made aware of this today, has put you miles ahead of the learning curve.

The next example is to play the same major scale in a vertical position. The formula and intervals are exactly the same, but this time you’ll only play 3 notes per string before move down to the next string.

EXAMPLE: (Key of “G”) If you start on the (6th string 3rd fret)… the first 3 notes would be 3rd fret, 5th fret, 7th fret… then jump down to the (5th string 3rd fret) the next 3 notes would be 3rd fret, 5th fret, 7th fret… then jump down to the (4th string) 4th fret, 5th fret, and finally the octave 7th fret.

If you counted all of those notes it woul be a toal of 8 notes, but only the first 7 notes make up the scale, and the 8th not is the octave. In this case the octave would be the 4th string 7th fret.

Again, the first note determines the key you are in. I suggest that you practice equal amounts of time on both horizontal and vertical positioning. This will give you a huge advantage on your lead guitar playing skills over many other guitarists. I also suggest that you practice in only one key to start with.

Since we used the key of “G”, just use this key to get as your starting point. You want to train your ear to hear the scale in the same key over and over, so it becomes very natural sounding. When you do this, it becomes much easier to practice in other keys because your ear will already be “tuned in” to the sound of the major scale.

Would like to know more about improving your Lead Guitar Playing?

Click Here To Learn How To Play Lead Guitar Like a Pro.

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When learning your Guitar Fretboard Notes there’s many ways to go about mastering this process. Many of which are far too complex and over-thought. Having been a guitar instructor for over 20 years I’ve seen a lot a ways that my students have trained themselves to understand the notes on the fretboard, and have analyzed most of them.

What I most commonly find is that they put more demand on themselves than need be. In fact, most of the time it becomes more complicated to understand the Guitar Fretboard Notes when using some of these complex methods.

Today I’m going to show you an easy to understand method of mastering your Guitar Fretboard Notes fast and easy, once and for all. There’s just two shapes you need to remember and rest will fall into place once you begin practicing this method.

The best part of this method is that you’ll learn all the octave locations across the neck at the same time, as well as the Guitar Fretboard Notes. This makes it much easier to see the entire neck for each and every key, on demand.

1st Triangle Shape For Guitar Fretboard Notes Memory.

• Figure #1.

Guitar Fretboard Notes - G Octaves

As you can see, the starting point is on the sixth string, third fret. From there you’ll diagonally cross over to the fourth string, fifth fret. Finally, all the way down to the first string, third fret.

These three “G” notes create the triangle you see in the diagram. The starting point on the sixth string will always represent the key signature that you’re in.

As you move this shape up or down the neck, the triangle stays exactly the same, and the starting note on the sixth string will always be the key your are in. This is the best way to view your octaves from the sixth string perspective. You’ll want to practice this triangle shape all the way up the neck and all the way back down the neck, calling out each key that you’re in as you practice them in sequence.

Once you get the hang of moving this shape around and calling out the keys, you’ll start seeing all the Guitar Fretboard Notes easier than ever before. You’ll wonder why you didn’t catch on to this simple method sooner.

2nd Triangle Shape For Guitar Fretboard Notes Memory.

• Figure #2.

Guitar Fretboard Notes - C Octaves

This one is slightly different, in that it starts on the fifth string, third fret. From there you’ll diagonally cross over to the third string fifth fret. Finally, down to the second string, first fret.

These three “C” notes create the triangle you see in figure 2. The starting point on the fifth string will always represent the key signature that you’re in.

As you you move this shape up and down the neck, the triangle stays exactly the same, and the starting note on the fifth string will always represent the key you’re in. Again, this is the best way to view your octaves from the fifth string perspective. You’ll want to practice this triangle shape all the way up the neck and all the way back down the neck, calling out each key as you’re practicing them in sequence.

Once you get the hang of moving this shape around and calling out the keys, you’ll start seeing all the Guitar Fretboard Notes super easy.

These Two Triangle Shapes Will Unlock All Of The Guitar Fretboard Notes.

What you’ll start noticing when you practice this method, is that you’re able to simply look at the guitar fretboard without playing anything, and actually see all of  the Guitar Fretboard Notes by just viewing the guitar fretboard. The same thing happen if you close your eyes and visualize the neck, you’ll still see all the notes. This is what you want.

If you practice these shapes daily, you’ll find that within a week the neck will have a whole new look to it. You won’t see the neck the way you did before, as just frets and dots… You’ll begin to clearly see all notes by name and will be much more comfortable playing in different keys. You’ll also notice a major improvement with improvising.

When you unlock the Guitar Fretboard Notes your creativity goes way up, and the quality of your music improves as well. It’s only natural that it would, because you’ll now have complete control over the fretboard. If you feel this has helped you, please leave a comment in the box below.

Click Here For More Information On Mastering Your Guitar Fretboard Notes.

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However, there are definitely guidelines to follow that can help you immediately.

After examining  the theories and methods of three of the industry’s top pedalboard designers, I found some interesting points to consider.

One of the things I found interesting when using stereo pedals, is that every stereo pedal that comes after the first stereo pedal, has to be “true stereo” with “discrete stereo inputs and outputs”, otherwise you’ll experience undesirable mismatched results.

If you only use one stereo pedal and you placed at the very end of the chain, you’ll be good to go without problems. If you are using more than one stereo pedal you may have a problem due to the fact that most stereo pedals quite often have only a single mono input.

Also, many pedals with two inputs are often not actually “True Stereo” because the two inputs are summed to mono before feeding the stereo processor.

Even when using true stereo pedals, you still have to watch out for phase and other imaging issues.

I find this information to be very helpful because if you’re not aware of issues like this, you could easily find yourself spending tons of time trying to correct a phase or stereo imaging issue in other areas that aren’t related to the core problem.  Then once you figure out where the problem is coming from, you’ll then wonder why…  and it won’t make sense. Bottom line is you must use “True Stereo Pedals” if you are using more that one.

As far as pedal placement is concerned… this is very interesting.

Bob Bradshaw puts the distortion devices early in the chain, then adds filters, wahs, and other modulation devices. He adds all delays at the end of the chain. This is implementing the idea of a harmonically rich distorted signal being filtered, rather than filtering a clean sound going into an echo.

Normally you wouldn’t place your delays first before going into your distortion boxes, unless you were looking for a very specific sound.

Pete Cornish, uses compression first directly out of the guitar, steering clear of any volume pedals prior, as it would defeat any compression and leave the system with maximum noise if the volume pedal was reduced to zero.

He runs higher gain pedals before lower gain pedals, and has found that the higher gain pedals control the sustain better and the lower gain pedals control the tone better when connected in that order. He then incorporates the modulation effects.

It’s useful to use a volume pedal before delays, as you can control the swell better. If you use a volume pedal at the end of the chain it makes a great master volume and mute.

Any boosting devices are used at the very end, as not to overload any part of the signal chain.

Dave Friedman agrees with the concept of compressors before overdrives, and then adding the modulation devices towards the middle, and using all delays and echos at the end of the chain.

The wah-wah  pedal is always a personal preference for its position due to the way it may react within your personal pedalboard design. Sometimes it’s placed early in the chain, and other times it’s placed after the overdrives.

In fact, Dave describes a situation where the the bass player of “Rage Against The Machine” likes to place his wah pedal at the end of the chain,  after the delay. This method allows you to filter the delays and other effects.

I hope this information has been useful to you, as I found it to be very interesting. This could be a big “Ah ha” moment for those experiencing stereo imaging and phase problems, as well as helping to spawn new pedal placement ideas for enhancing “The Big Picture” of your sound.

*** Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts. Thank You.

~ Robert Lee Molton

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There are many things that affect the tone of your guitar. Some things are more drastic than others, but the truth is that until you understand how this affects you, it’s very possible you are being robbed of great guitar sound right now and not even know it.

One of the biggest problems is that these tone stealing factors can compound and make it very tough to figure out where to start, or figure out what is actually causing the tone erosion.

It’s highly recommended to start with the absolute bare essentials when you are trouble shooting and correcting problems. This means starting with your guitar directly into the amp, and directly into the cabinet. Nothing else connected at all. Then begin your analysis and trouble shooting procedures.

This video will go over the basic elements of what may be robbing you of great guitar sound right now. These elements tend to be the root of what most people are experiencing, and often times don’t even know it.

Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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