Technique, Reading & Theory

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• Introduction
• Finger combination exercise
• String crossing exercise
• Pull-offs & hammer-ons
• Subdivision studies
• Upstroke exercise
• Spider exercises
• The rhythmic heirarchy exercise
• Scales
• Intro to standard notation
• Notes on the staff
• Open strings
• First string
• Second string
• Third string
• Fourth string
• Fifth string
• Sixth string
• Tab and standard notation together
• Music theory
• Guitar geography
• The chromatic scale
• Building major scales
• Circle of 4ths/5ths & key signatures
• Intervals
• Intro to ear training
• Building triads
• Functional harmony, Roman numerals, Nashville numbers & common chord progressions

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• Next Course: 3. Blues, CAGED, and Pentatonics

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• Previous Course: 1. Free Guitar Basics Course

Spider exercises

Spider exercises are named for the appearance of the fingers crawling across the fretboard. Most of these exercises sound a bit dissonant and spooky but are great tools for building technique. Many beginners have trouble keeping their left-hand fingers in a ready position. These exercises help get your fingers accustomed to the feel of a good hand position.

Spider exercise one

One-finger-per-fret with the first finger at the fifth fret. Once you play a note, leave the finger down on the string until it is needed again—even when changing strings. Like always, start off slowly and intentionally.

Spider exercise two

One-finger-per-fret at the fifth fret. See and feel the fingers walking across the strings. Keep each finger down after a note is played.

Descending

Ascending

Back: Upstroke exercise Next: Rhythmic hierarchy exercise