Chords for Fretting Hand Speed
Tempo:
63.15 bpm
Chords used:
Ab
C
Am
Em
A
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[C] [Gb] Alright, let's have a look at building some fretting hand speed.
So [Em] the normal approach is to start slow and [A] gradually speed up.
[C] [A] [Am]
The problem is, most people hit a wall at a certain point.
It's like their hand doesn't know how to move quicker.
[C]
The thing is, your hand does know how to move quicker from things in everyday life like
drumming your fingers on a table.
[G] It just hasn't experienced that on the guitar.
So what we're going to do [Am] is learn how to experience that on the guitar.
We're going to do it in two steps.
The first thing is to feel what the fast movement is like.
And the second thing is going to be to gain [B] control.
[C] Okay, so if we start off [Ab] with feeling that fast movement, the idea is that it feels like
a smoother and lighter, more flowing and connected movement.
Now if you do individual, let's say here I'm playing on frets 5, 6, 7 and 8.
If you do individual movements with each [A] finger.
[Eb] First finger here, [A] [C] second finger there.
[F] If you're doing individual movements, it's never going to feel that connected.
If instead you picture like this smooth wave of fingers.
Like you're just drumming your fingers on a table there.
I'm not worrying about making any sound.
You don't need to do hammer-ons or [Ab] anything like that.
I'm just placing my fingers in the right spot.
I'm really trying to feel this nice, light, smooth, connected movement.
[Bb] [Am] Like that.
Now at first, it might be a bit uncoordinated.
[Ab] You might be putting all your [E] fingers down together or in the wrong order or backwards
or whatever it is.
But that's okay.
You just want to [G] feel what this smooth, light movement [Em] is like.
Where everything is flowing.
This wave of [Ab] fingers.
Okay, so now what we're going to do is try to gain control with that movement.
So if you just play slowly and carefully, but still trying to maintain that feeling
of the movement of one finger inevitably leading onto the movement of the next finger.
So they still feel connected even though they're slow and controlled.
So to practice, what we're going to do is alternate between that fast movement.
It might be a bit out of control, but at least it still feels light.
You're still getting the right movement.
And the slow movement.
We're still trying to maintain that feeling of smoothness and connectedness between fingers.
Fast.
A bit out of control, but that's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to maintain that flow.
Fast.
Out of control.
That's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to keep [Em] that same fast movement.
Now what that does is it [Ab] builds your hand's confidence that it knows what it feels like
to move quickly.
So that when you [Em] take this slower movement that's actually connected and you really press
down on the accelerator and start speeding up, you'll find that all of a sudden you can
move much faster than you were able to before because your hand knows what to expect and
knows what this fast movement feels like.
And it's not a series of disconnected steps.
It's a flowing movement between fingers.
So how can you practice this?
[E] Well, you can take this simple 1-2-3-4 exercise and [Ab] keep practicing that to get the idea of it.
You can also just take any melodic idea, any part of a song or a lick or whatever it is,
and the way you want to practice it is alternating between fast and slow.
Where fast is that light connected movement and slow is under control but still trying
to feel that flow between fingers.
[Am] You don't even need to use your right hand at all in any of this.
So let's say I'm doing a lick that goes, let's say I'll do fret 8, then 5, and I'll move on
to the B string.
[G] 8, [Am] 7, 5.
Let's say that's my lick there.
[Gb] 8, 5, [E] 8, 7, [G] 5.
Now what I'm going to do, [E] I'll mute the strings with my right hand over [Ab] here and I'm just
going to try getting used to a bit of a flow between fingers there.
It feels really nice and light.
This first part here with 8, 5, it feels like I'm just flicking really lightly and smoothly
from finger to finger.
8, 5, and then I need to come back again with my pinky so I'm trying to keep this flow with
my pinky and then nice and easy from here waving through.
Now if it feels out of control and looks a bit like that, that's okay.
If you're not doing the correct frets or whatever, it doesn't even matter.
All you're [N] doing is just feeling what it's like to have that extra gear to be able to move quicker.
Then, I might practice 8, 5, 8, 7, 5 and do it in a way that I'm trying to feel the connection
[Ab] and movement between each finger.
It's not [C] individual steps [Ab] that I then try to get quick.
It's much more smooth and flowing [C] from finger to finger.
So [Em] the normal approach is to start slow and [A] gradually speed up.
[C] [A] [Am]
The problem is, most people hit a wall at a certain point.
It's like their hand doesn't know how to move quicker.
[C]
The thing is, your hand does know how to move quicker from things in everyday life like
drumming your fingers on a table.
[G] It just hasn't experienced that on the guitar.
So what we're going to do [Am] is learn how to experience that on the guitar.
We're going to do it in two steps.
The first thing is to feel what the fast movement is like.
And the second thing is going to be to gain [B] control.
[C] Okay, so if we start off [Ab] with feeling that fast movement, the idea is that it feels like
a smoother and lighter, more flowing and connected movement.
Now if you do individual, let's say here I'm playing on frets 5, 6, 7 and 8.
If you do individual movements with each [A] finger.
[Eb] First finger here, [A] [C] second finger there.
[F] If you're doing individual movements, it's never going to feel that connected.
If instead you picture like this smooth wave of fingers.
Like you're just drumming your fingers on a table there.
I'm not worrying about making any sound.
You don't need to do hammer-ons or [Ab] anything like that.
I'm just placing my fingers in the right spot.
I'm really trying to feel this nice, light, smooth, connected movement.
[Bb] [Am] Like that.
Now at first, it might be a bit uncoordinated.
[Ab] You might be putting all your [E] fingers down together or in the wrong order or backwards
or whatever it is.
But that's okay.
You just want to [G] feel what this smooth, light movement [Em] is like.
Where everything is flowing.
This wave of [Ab] fingers.
Okay, so now what we're going to do is try to gain control with that movement.
So if you just play slowly and carefully, but still trying to maintain that feeling
of the movement of one finger inevitably leading onto the movement of the next finger.
So they still feel connected even though they're slow and controlled.
So to practice, what we're going to do is alternate between that fast movement.
It might be a bit out of control, but at least it still feels light.
You're still getting the right movement.
And the slow movement.
We're still trying to maintain that feeling of smoothness and connectedness between fingers.
Fast.
A bit out of control, but that's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to maintain that flow.
Fast.
Out of control.
That's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to keep [Em] that same fast movement.
Now what that does is it [Ab] builds your hand's confidence that it knows what it feels like
to move quickly.
So that when you [Em] take this slower movement that's actually connected and you really press
down on the accelerator and start speeding up, you'll find that all of a sudden you can
move much faster than you were able to before because your hand knows what to expect and
knows what this fast movement feels like.
And it's not a series of disconnected steps.
It's a flowing movement between fingers.
So how can you practice this?
[E] Well, you can take this simple 1-2-3-4 exercise and [Ab] keep practicing that to get the idea of it.
You can also just take any melodic idea, any part of a song or a lick or whatever it is,
and the way you want to practice it is alternating between fast and slow.
Where fast is that light connected movement and slow is under control but still trying
to feel that flow between fingers.
[Am] You don't even need to use your right hand at all in any of this.
So let's say I'm doing a lick that goes, let's say I'll do fret 8, then 5, and I'll move on
to the B string.
[G] 8, [Am] 7, 5.
Let's say that's my lick there.
[Gb] 8, 5, [E] 8, 7, [G] 5.
Now what I'm going to do, [E] I'll mute the strings with my right hand over [Ab] here and I'm just
going to try getting used to a bit of a flow between fingers there.
It feels really nice and light.
This first part here with 8, 5, it feels like I'm just flicking really lightly and smoothly
from finger to finger.
8, 5, and then I need to come back again with my pinky so I'm trying to keep this flow with
my pinky and then nice and easy from here waving through.
Now if it feels out of control and looks a bit like that, that's okay.
If you're not doing the correct frets or whatever, it doesn't even matter.
All you're [N] doing is just feeling what it's like to have that extra gear to be able to move quicker.
Then, I might practice 8, 5, 8, 7, 5 and do it in a way that I'm trying to feel the connection
[Ab] and movement between each finger.
It's not [C] individual steps [Ab] that I then try to get quick.
It's much more smooth and flowing [C] from finger to finger.
Key:
Ab
C
Am
Em
A
Ab
C
Am
[C] _ _ [Gb] _ Alright, let's have a look at building some fretting hand speed.
So [Em] the normal approach is to start slow and [A] gradually speed up.
[C] _ [A] _ [Am] _ _
The problem is, most people hit a wall at a certain point.
It's like their hand doesn't know how to move quicker.
[C] _
_ The thing is, your hand does know how to move quicker from things in everyday life like
drumming your fingers on a table.
[G] It just hasn't experienced that on the guitar.
So what we're going to do [Am] is learn how to experience that on the guitar.
We're going to do it in two steps.
The first thing is to feel what the fast movement is like.
And the second thing is going to be to gain [B] control. _
[C] _ Okay, so if we start off [Ab] with feeling that fast movement, the idea is that it feels like
a smoother and lighter, more flowing and connected movement.
Now if you do individual, let's say here I'm playing on frets 5, 6, 7 and 8.
If you do individual movements with each [A] finger.
[Eb] First finger here, [A] _ _ [C] second finger there.
[F] If you're doing individual movements, it's never going to feel that connected.
If instead you picture like this smooth wave of fingers.
Like you're just drumming your fingers on a table there.
I'm not worrying about making any sound.
You don't need to do hammer-ons or [Ab] anything like that.
I'm just placing my fingers in the right spot.
I'm really trying to feel this nice, light, smooth, connected movement.
[Bb] _ _ [Am] Like that.
Now at first, it might be a bit uncoordinated.
[Ab] You might be putting all your [E] fingers down together or in the wrong order or backwards
or whatever it is.
But that's okay.
You just want to [G] feel what this _ smooth, light movement [Em] is like.
Where everything is flowing.
This wave of [Ab] fingers.
Okay, so now what we're going to do is try to gain control with that movement.
So if you just play slowly and carefully, but still trying to maintain that feeling
of the movement of one finger inevitably leading onto the movement of the next finger.
So they still feel connected even though they're slow and controlled.
So to practice, what we're going to do is alternate between that fast movement.
It might be a bit out of control, but at least it still feels light.
You're still getting the right movement.
And the slow movement.
_ We're still trying to maintain that feeling of smoothness and connectedness between fingers.
_ Fast.
A bit out of control, but that's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to maintain that flow.
Fast.
Out of control.
That's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to keep [Em] that same fast movement.
Now what that does is it [Ab] builds your hand's confidence that it knows what it feels like
to move quickly.
So that when you [Em] take this slower movement that's actually connected and you really press
down on the accelerator and start speeding up, you'll find that all of a sudden you can
move much faster than you were able to before because your hand knows what to expect and
knows what this fast movement feels like.
And it's not a series of disconnected steps.
It's a flowing movement between fingers.
So how can you practice this?
[E] Well, you can take this simple 1-2-3-4 exercise and [Ab] keep practicing that to get the idea of it.
You can also just take any melodic idea, any part of a song or a lick or whatever it is,
and the way you want to practice it is alternating between fast and slow.
Where fast is that light connected movement and slow is under control but still trying
to feel that flow between fingers.
[Am] You don't even need to use your right hand at all in any of this.
So let's say I'm doing a lick that goes, let's say I'll do fret 8, then 5, and I'll move on
to the B string.
[G] 8, [Am] 7, 5.
Let's say that's my lick there.
[Gb] 8, 5, [E] 8, 7, [G] 5.
Now what I'm going to do, [E] I'll mute the strings with my right hand over [Ab] here and I'm just
going to try getting used to a bit of a flow between fingers there.
It feels really nice and light.
This first part here with 8, 5, it feels like I'm just flicking really lightly and smoothly
from finger to finger.
8, 5, and then I need to come back again with my pinky so I'm trying to keep this flow with
my pinky and then nice and easy from here waving through.
_ _ Now if it feels out of control and looks a bit like that, that's okay.
If you're not doing the correct frets or whatever, it doesn't even matter.
All you're [N] doing is just feeling what it's like to have that extra gear to be able to move quicker.
Then, I might practice 8, 5, 8, 7, 5 and do it in a way that I'm trying to feel the connection
[Ab] and movement between each finger.
It's not [C] individual steps [Ab] that I then try to get quick.
It's much more smooth and flowing [C] from finger to finger.
So [Em] the normal approach is to start slow and [A] gradually speed up.
[C] _ [A] _ [Am] _ _
The problem is, most people hit a wall at a certain point.
It's like their hand doesn't know how to move quicker.
[C] _
_ The thing is, your hand does know how to move quicker from things in everyday life like
drumming your fingers on a table.
[G] It just hasn't experienced that on the guitar.
So what we're going to do [Am] is learn how to experience that on the guitar.
We're going to do it in two steps.
The first thing is to feel what the fast movement is like.
And the second thing is going to be to gain [B] control. _
[C] _ Okay, so if we start off [Ab] with feeling that fast movement, the idea is that it feels like
a smoother and lighter, more flowing and connected movement.
Now if you do individual, let's say here I'm playing on frets 5, 6, 7 and 8.
If you do individual movements with each [A] finger.
[Eb] First finger here, [A] _ _ [C] second finger there.
[F] If you're doing individual movements, it's never going to feel that connected.
If instead you picture like this smooth wave of fingers.
Like you're just drumming your fingers on a table there.
I'm not worrying about making any sound.
You don't need to do hammer-ons or [Ab] anything like that.
I'm just placing my fingers in the right spot.
I'm really trying to feel this nice, light, smooth, connected movement.
[Bb] _ _ [Am] Like that.
Now at first, it might be a bit uncoordinated.
[Ab] You might be putting all your [E] fingers down together or in the wrong order or backwards
or whatever it is.
But that's okay.
You just want to [G] feel what this _ smooth, light movement [Em] is like.
Where everything is flowing.
This wave of [Ab] fingers.
Okay, so now what we're going to do is try to gain control with that movement.
So if you just play slowly and carefully, but still trying to maintain that feeling
of the movement of one finger inevitably leading onto the movement of the next finger.
So they still feel connected even though they're slow and controlled.
So to practice, what we're going to do is alternate between that fast movement.
It might be a bit out of control, but at least it still feels light.
You're still getting the right movement.
And the slow movement.
_ We're still trying to maintain that feeling of smoothness and connectedness between fingers.
_ Fast.
A bit out of control, but that's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to maintain that flow.
Fast.
Out of control.
That's okay.
Slow.
We're still trying to keep [Em] that same fast movement.
Now what that does is it [Ab] builds your hand's confidence that it knows what it feels like
to move quickly.
So that when you [Em] take this slower movement that's actually connected and you really press
down on the accelerator and start speeding up, you'll find that all of a sudden you can
move much faster than you were able to before because your hand knows what to expect and
knows what this fast movement feels like.
And it's not a series of disconnected steps.
It's a flowing movement between fingers.
So how can you practice this?
[E] Well, you can take this simple 1-2-3-4 exercise and [Ab] keep practicing that to get the idea of it.
You can also just take any melodic idea, any part of a song or a lick or whatever it is,
and the way you want to practice it is alternating between fast and slow.
Where fast is that light connected movement and slow is under control but still trying
to feel that flow between fingers.
[Am] You don't even need to use your right hand at all in any of this.
So let's say I'm doing a lick that goes, let's say I'll do fret 8, then 5, and I'll move on
to the B string.
[G] 8, [Am] 7, 5.
Let's say that's my lick there.
[Gb] 8, 5, [E] 8, 7, [G] 5.
Now what I'm going to do, [E] I'll mute the strings with my right hand over [Ab] here and I'm just
going to try getting used to a bit of a flow between fingers there.
It feels really nice and light.
This first part here with 8, 5, it feels like I'm just flicking really lightly and smoothly
from finger to finger.
8, 5, and then I need to come back again with my pinky so I'm trying to keep this flow with
my pinky and then nice and easy from here waving through.
_ _ Now if it feels out of control and looks a bit like that, that's okay.
If you're not doing the correct frets or whatever, it doesn't even matter.
All you're [N] doing is just feeling what it's like to have that extra gear to be able to move quicker.
Then, I might practice 8, 5, 8, 7, 5 and do it in a way that I'm trying to feel the connection
[Ab] and movement between each finger.
It's not [C] individual steps [Ab] that I then try to get quick.
It's much more smooth and flowing [C] from finger to finger.