Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
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I can't find the video right now but I do a few exercises once or twice a day. You'll need a metronome (app) - there are plenty of free ones. I do (first two aren't related, but they are still good):
1. Practice downstrokes - Using a metronome find a speed where doing 8th or 16th notes down strokes on the low E string (palm muted) is just below as fast as you can go. I saw 8 th or 16th notes because if you use quarter notes you'll eventually have to use a way too fast speed on the metronome. Set the metronome to that speed and continually chug along these notes for 3 minutes. If your forearm starts to burn (it will), drop the speed by 10BPM and continue.
2. Practice alternate picking - Same thing as above, but with alternate picking. You'll want to feel this one. 3 minutes.
3. Practice fretting hand speed - Put your index finger on the 3rd string 5th fret. Now hammer-on and off on the 6th fret as fast as you can and make sure the noise is audible (not light touch). After 15 seconds do the same thing but with 5th fret and 7th fret. After 15s do 5th fret and 8th fret - all the while, making sure you use Index and Middle, then Index and Ring, and then Index and Pinky. After 15s doing that, move your middle finger down on the 6th fret and start hammering on-off with the 7th fret. Another 15s and do 6th and 8th. Finally, put down your ring finger and do 7th fret and 8th fret. You'll feel the burn and want to quit - but make sure you do the complete exercise - this will build speed in your fretting hand.
4. Practice both hands - Set a metronome to a speed again where you can do this exercise cleanly but it is still difficult for you - clean is the key. On the sixth string in 8th or 16th notes pluck 6th string 1st fret, then 2nd fret, then 3rd, then 4th. Now move onto 5th string. Go all the way up to the 1st string. After doing the 1st string, put your pinky onto the 5th fret and go down 5-4-3-2, then 2nd string, etc. Continue this until you complete the 12th-15th fret version, and then drop down a fret and go in reverse up the board. I try to do this for 3 minutes too.
Alternatively on the 4th exercise you can do a pattern like fret 1, then 3, then 2, then 4. It's difficult.
The video explains it way better than me.
1. Practice downstrokes - Using a metronome find a speed where doing 8th or 16th notes down strokes on the low E string (palm muted) is just below as fast as you can go. I saw 8 th or 16th notes because if you use quarter notes you'll eventually have to use a way too fast speed on the metronome. Set the metronome to that speed and continually chug along these notes for 3 minutes. If your forearm starts to burn (it will), drop the speed by 10BPM and continue.
2. Practice alternate picking - Same thing as above, but with alternate picking. You'll want to feel this one. 3 minutes.
3. Practice fretting hand speed - Put your index finger on the 3rd string 5th fret. Now hammer-on and off on the 6th fret as fast as you can and make sure the noise is audible (not light touch). After 15 seconds do the same thing but with 5th fret and 7th fret. After 15s do 5th fret and 8th fret - all the while, making sure you use Index and Middle, then Index and Ring, and then Index and Pinky. After 15s doing that, move your middle finger down on the 6th fret and start hammering on-off with the 7th fret. Another 15s and do 6th and 8th. Finally, put down your ring finger and do 7th fret and 8th fret. You'll feel the burn and want to quit - but make sure you do the complete exercise - this will build speed in your fretting hand.
4. Practice both hands - Set a metronome to a speed again where you can do this exercise cleanly but it is still difficult for you - clean is the key. On the sixth string in 8th or 16th notes pluck 6th string 1st fret, then 2nd fret, then 3rd, then 4th. Now move onto 5th string. Go all the way up to the 1st string. After doing the 1st string, put your pinky onto the 5th fret and go down 5-4-3-2, then 2nd string, etc. Continue this until you complete the 12th-15th fret version, and then drop down a fret and go in reverse up the board. I try to do this for 3 minutes too.
Alternatively on the 4th exercise you can do a pattern like fret 1, then 3, then 2, then 4. It's difficult.
The video explains it way better than me.
