Tips for getting chops back... and better

[beggar_guitar]

It's been about 3 years since I've taken my playing or my gear seriously.

I'm looking for some tips on getting my hands back in shape. Other that some strumming I do with the band at church once to twice a week I don't play. I got lazy. Plus marriage has taken the rest of my free time.

Still I've decided to get back in the habit. I'm re-learning the modes. Doing a lot of stretches and warms ups. I just don't have the speed or dexterity I once had. And I never had that much...

What are some of your favorite exercises and techniques?

 

[DankStar]

Re: Tips for getting chops back... and better

I've got a book that's filled with stuff like this. There's a lot of variants like this you can do:

E|-----------------------------------------------------------------2--3--4--
B|-----------------------------------------------------2--3--4--------------
G|-----------------------------------------2--3--4--------------------------
D|-----------------------------2--3--4--------------------------------------
A|-----------------2--3--4--------------------------------------------------
E|--1--2--3--4--1-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------

or

E|--------------------------------------------------------------1--2--4--3--
B|--------------------------------------------------1--2--4--3--------------
G|--------------------------------------1--2--4--3--------------------------
D|--------------------------1--2--4--3--------------------------------------
A|--------------1--2--4--3--------------------------------------------------
E|--1--2--4--3--------------------------------------------------------------

or

E|--------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--
B|--------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--------------
G|--------------------------------------1--2--3--4--------------------------
D|--------------------------1--2--3--4--------------------------------------
A|--------------1--2--3--4--------------------------------------------------
E|--1--2--3--4--------------------------------------------------------------

for each one, you use all 4 fingers, and go up and down the strings.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Tips for getting chops back... and better

E|--------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--
B|--------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--------------
G|--------------------------------------1--2--3--4--------------------------
D|--------------------------1--2--3--4--------------------------------------
A|--------------1--2--3--4--------------------------------------------------
E|--1--2--3--4--------------------------------------------------------------

Then go to a different fret and do it all over again, then a higher fret and do it all over again. Alternate picking up^downv each time. AND go from high notes in reverse to low notes.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Tips for getting chops back... and better

Alternate picking technique has already been covered here . . . I like the following exercise for strengthening your fret hand legato:

E|-8p5h7h8p7p5-----------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------8p5h7h8p7p5--------------------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5-----------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5-------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5----
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do it with a sextuplet feel and only pick the first note to start with. Make sure that you're using the index, ring, and pinky for this exercise. Once you get going pretty quickly with that stop picking. Just hammer-on from nowhere for the first note. Any time that you miss or fudge a note slow down and start working through the pattern at reduced speed.

Work on these other patterns as well, and get good switching between them and the original pattern.

E|-8p5h6h8p6p5-----------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------9p5h7h9p7p5--------------------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually you want to be able to jump between strings while doing this as well, so try doing that:

E|-8p5h7h8p7p5-----------------------------------------------------------------
B|-------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5-----------------------------------
G|--------------------------------------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5----
D|-----------------------------------------------8p5h7h8p7p5-------------------
A|----------------8p5h7h8p7p5--------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


My legato chops are much better after a couple months of warming up with these exercises.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Tips for getting chops back... and better

that string jumping one looks pretty wild - gotta try that