by Bill McRea
Chromatic Scale
The chromatic scale may not sound like a lot of fun. It is simply a learning skill. So use this to learn and don't expect to sound like Jimmy Page. But this is one exercise that improves your playing dramatically, so put up with a little time playing the chromatic scale everyday, and before long you'll be giving lessons to Jimmy Page.
Follow the bouncing ball:
E---||-----------------------|-----------------------|----------------
B---||-----------------------|-----------------------|----------------
G---||*----------------------|-----------------------|----------------
D---||*----------------------|-----------------------|-----5-----6----
A---||-----------------------|--5-----6-----7-----8--|----------------
E---||---5-----6-----7----8--|-----------------------|----------------
E---------------|-------------------------|--------------------------
B---------------|-------------------------|----5-----6-----7-----8---
G---------------|----5-----6-----7-----8--|--------------------------
D------7-----8--|-------------------------|--------------------------
A---------------|-------------------------|--------------------------
E---------------|-------------------------|--------------------------
E---|--5-----6-----7--------8---| Then reverse it 8 7 6 5
B---|---------------------------|
G---|--------------------------*|
D---|--------------------------*|
A---|---------------------------|
E---|---------------------------|
Rinse and repeat. Playing it up and then reverse it and play it back down the scale (i.e. 8,7,6,5). Repeat, repeat, repeat. Nothing teaches fingering like this simple exercise. Use all four fingers one finger per fret. Master this technique. Relax yours hand as much as possible. Press down with the tips of your fingers. Use Alternate picking.
If you do this for 5 minutes every time you pick up the guitar, you'll be amazed how quickly you'll fingering will improve. Speed and accuracy come naturally. I highly recommend you practice using a drum machine or metronome to help maintain a steady rhythm. Look at these exercises as part of the end product and not a musical statement.
Bill McRea is the publisher of Guitar Warehouse the best place to Buy Guitar and learn Guitar Playing Techniques. Both sites offer free lesson and product sales.
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