This exercise includes the fretting hand, and is designed to aid in coordination—the goal is to get both hands working together. The first four measures of this exercise require the use of the index finger of your fretting hand. Use the tip of your fretting-hand index finger to fret each note on the first fret and pick each one with a downstroke, keeping a steady tempo. After each one, lift your index finger off of the string and use it to fret the next note.
We like to call this technique “finger walking,” as the finger “walks” from the sixth string, up to the first, and back again. For the next four measures, use the middle finger of your fretting hand to perform a similar walk across the fingerboard. In measures 9–16, keep your fretting hand in the same position and use your ring and pinky fingers to fret notes on the third and fourth frets, respectively. As before, make sure to fret each individual note with the tip of your finger, and of course, maintain a steady tempo throughout.
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This lesson is excerpted from The Beginner’s Guide to Guitar.
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