Rusty Cooley - New Exercices

This file contains more exercises for the version 5.1 update. No more will be added to the main exercises file to avoid it getting over-crowded, so from now-on most of the new exercises will be in a new file like this.

Practicing/Speed…………………………………2 Finger Tapping …………………………………3-4 Finger Exercises .......................................5 Alternate Picking ………………………………6-7 “Technical Difficulties” …………………………8

Practicing With Speed

Practice all of these exercises with a metronome starting slow (as always) then speed up as you find them increasingly easy to play (muscle memory taking over). When trying to improve speed, practice with a metronome at a speed where you can keep up pretty well, but making occasional mistakes --- but NOT MANY! If you make a lot of mistakes, slow down. The ‘occasional mistakes’ speed is the speed where you learn to play faster, as those mistakes will soon disappear with enough practice. Then you can crank the speed up some more and repeat! This is, however, not recommended for general practice, as a consistent quest for speed will no doubt result in an inability to play clean. Keep it for when specifically trying to improve speed. Playing things slowly gives you time to focus on what your fingers should be doing, so that when you play at high speeds you don’t go off the rails too much. So playing slowly allows you to correct mistakes and make sure you are playing 100% properly – only ever playing at high speeds will mean you never get to iron out those imperfections (and everyone has them!)

First up, let’s work on developing your finger tapping skills by practicing some different note sequences. Tap with your picking hand’s middle finger wherever you see a BLUE note. Ex1. Will help your fingers learn the pattern of notes ready for the following few exercises. Most of the exercises on finger tapping previously covered, only dealt with repetitions of 3 notes at a time (such as 7-3-0 7-3-0 7-3-0 etc…) so this exercise will get your fingers up to speed for sequences of 8-note repitions (such as 7-3-0-7-3-0-7-3 7-3-0-7-3-07-3 7-3-0-7-3-0-7-3 etc…) Ex1 |-12-4-0-12-4-0-12-4-11-4-0-11-4-0-11-4-9-4-0-9-4-0-9-4-7-4-0-7-4-0-7-4---| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Exercise 2 is split into parts A and B to break it down, as it is quite long. Ex 2 A is similar to the first exercise except the notes are in more familiar groupings of 4 rather than 8, so is much easier to keep timing. Ex2 A |-12-7-4-0-12-7-4-0-12-7-4-0-12-7-4-0-11-7-4-0-11-7-4-0-11-7-4-0-11-7-4-0---| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-9-7-4-0-9-7-4-0-9-7-4-0-9-7-4-0-7-4-2-0-7-4-2-0-7-4-2-0-7-4-2-0----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------------|

Ex 2 B is the next section, which involves moving your fingers in 2 directions. Ex2 B |-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-11-9-5-9-11-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-11-9-5-9----| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-17-9-5-9-17-9-5-9-17-9-5-9-17-9-17-9----| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Exercise 3 A is a return to the 8-note sequence. This time the notes ascend rather than descend. Practice it over and over so your fingers’ muscle memory picks it up. It is an important exercise, because you will need to develop the right co-ordination so that you can pull off from the ‘7’ at the end of each repetition with your fretting hand, as well as pulling off from the ‘12’ each time with your tapping finger. This is hard to co-ordinate to begin with but won’t take you long to pick it up. Ex3 A |-0-7-12-0-7-12-0-7-0-7-12-0-7-12-0-7----| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------|

Exercise 3 B develops the previous lick to make it a little more interesting. At the end you will need to slide your tapping finger up to the ‘16’ and back down again. Ex3 B |-0-7-12-0-7-12-0-7-0-7-12-0-7-12-0-7-0-7-14-0-7-14-0-7-0-7-14-0-7-14-16-14----| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Here is the last tapping exercise, again split into 2 parts. Part A is not too tricky, but pay attention to the pattern as it switches in between each repetition, combining the 4-note and 8-note patterns. Ex4 A |-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-12-9-5-12-9----------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------12-9-5-9-12-9-5-9-12-9-5-12-9-5-12-9---| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-10-7-3-7-10-7-3-7-10-7-3-10-7-3-10-7-----------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------10-7-3-7-10-7-3-7-10-7-3-10-7-3-10-7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Part B is pretty tricky - the patterns change to ascending repetitions across 2 strings and then back to the 4-note sequence but across 2 strings, followed by some arpeggios (alternate pick) with some tapping chucked in! Ex4 B |--------------------------------------13-8----------------------------------------| |-6-10-13-6-10-13-6-10-13-6-10-13-6-10---------------13----------------13----------| |-------------------------------------------12-9-5-9----9-5-9-12-9-5-9----9-5-9----| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------7-11-7------------8-12-15-12-8-------7-11-7-14-11-19----| |-----7--------7--------8------------------7--------------------| |---8------------8----9------------------8----------------------| |-9----------------10------------------9------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------------|

Practice these to develop your fretting hand – although they will also help your alternate picking and co-ordination. These exercises also make great warm-up exercises, especially if you haven’t played guitar for a couple of days, as they will quickly loosen up your fingers and jog your muscle memory back into action. Don’t forget the 4 golden rules! Play each of these following exercises in all forms ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ to make sure your fingers don’t get used to a certain formation. You don’t want to ONLY be able to ascend up strings and descend down strings, else you won’t be able to ascend down strings or descend up! (‘Ascending’ and ‘Descending’ refer to the direction your fretting-hand fingers are moving, so when ascending the first note of each triplet is played with your index finger, whereas when you are descending the index finger is the last one to be used!)

Ex1 – ‘A’ – Ascending UP, Ascending DOWN |-------------------------------1-3-4-2-3-5----------------------------------------------| |-------------------------1-2-4-------------2-4-5----------------------------------------| |-------------------1-3-4-------------------------2-3-5----------------------------------| |-------------1-2-4-------------------------------------2-4-5----------------------------| |-------1-3-4-------------------------------------------------2-3-5-------------3-5-6----| |-1-2-4-------------------------------------------------------------2-4-5-3-4-6----------|

… etc

Ex1 – ‘B’ – Ascending UP, Descending DOWN |-------------------------------1-3-4-5-3-2----------------------------------------------| |-------------------------1-2-4-------------5-4-2----------------------------------------| |-------------------1-3-4-------------------------5-3-2----------------------------------| |-------------1-2-4-------------------------------------5-4-2----------------------------| |-------1-3-4-------------------------------------------------5-3-2-------------3-5-6----| |-1-2-4-------------------------------------------------------------5-4-2-3-4-6----------|

… etc

Ex1 – ‘C’ – Descending UP, Descending DOWN |-------------------------------4-3-1-5-3-2----------------------------------------------| |-------------------------4-2-1-------------5-4-2----------------------------------------| |-------------------4-3-1-------------------------5-3-2----------------------------------| |-------------4-2-1-------------------------------------5-4-2----------------------------| |-------4-3-1-------------------------------------------------5-3-2-------------6-5-3----| |-4-2-1-------------------------------------------------------------5-4-2-6-4-3----------|

… etc

Ex1 – ‘D’ – Descending UP, Ascending DOWN |-------------------------------4-3-1-2-3-5----------------------------------------------| |-------------------------4-2-1-------------2-4-5----------------------------------------| |-------------------4-3-1-------------------------2-3-5----------------------------------| |-------------4-2-1-------------------------------------2-4-5----------------------------| |-------4-3-1-------------------------------------------------2-3-5-------------6-5-3----| |-4-2-1-------------------------------------------------------------2-4-5-6-4-3----------|

… etc

If the above Exercises can be seen as “1-2-4 1-3-4 1-2-4 1-3-4” (As the middle and fourth fingers alternate on each triplet) then change the notes to suit the following sequences: Ex2. 1-2-4 1-2-3 1-2-4 1-2-3 (Adapt to A/B/C/D) Ex3. 2-3-4 1-3-4 2-3-4 1-3-4 (Adapt to A/B/C/D) Ex4. 1-3-4 1-3-5 1-3-4 1-3-5 (Adapt to A/B/C/D)

These exercises will develop your alternate picking very effectively! They are also great warm-up exercises. They are relatively simple to play, your finger movements are mostly small, so you can focus more on picking properly. Ex1.

|------------------------------------| |------------------------------------| |-12-10-8---------12-10-8------------| |---------12-10-8---------12-10-8----| |------------------------------------| |------------------------------------| Ex2. |----------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------| |--------7-8-10--------7-8-10---------8-10-12---------8-10-12----| |-7-8-10--------7-8-10--------8-10-12---------8-10-12------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------| Ex3. |----------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------| |--------7-8-10-7-8-10----------------8-10-12-8-10-12------------| |-7-8-10---------------7-8-10-8-10-12-----------------8-10-12----| |----------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------| Ex4. |------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| |-------8-7-5--------10-8-7---------12-10-8-10-8-7-----------| |-5-7-8-------7-8-10--------8-10-12----------------10-8-7----| |------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| Ex5. |------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| |-------7-8-10-------7-8-10--------8-10-12--------8-10-12----| |-5-7-8--------5-7-8--------7-8-10---------7-8-10------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| Ex6.

|--------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------| |-------10-8-7-8-7-5--------------7-8-10-5-7-8-----------| |-8-7-5--------------10-8-7-5-7-8--------------7-8-10----| |--------------------------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------------------------|

Ex7.

|-----------------------3-----4----------------------------| |-----------------3---2-----3-------4----------------------| |-----------3---2---1-----2-------3-------4----------------| |-----3---2---1-----------------2-------3-------4-----5----| |---2---1-----------------------------2-------3-----4------| |-1-----------------------------------------2-----3--------| Ex8.

|-----------------------3-4--------------------------| |-----------------3---2-----3---4--------------------| |-----------3---2---1---------2---3---4--------------| |-----3---2---1---------------------2---3---4--------| |---2---1---------------------------------2---3------| |-1---------------------------------------------2----| After playing these at a good speed, switch your metronome down to about 25% of your top speed, and practice them again for accuracy and cleanness.

Racer X “Technical Difficulties” Intro Riff For those of you who are not familiar with this song, check it out, it’s by Racer X with the very talented Paul Gilbert demonstrating some awesome licks. I want to show you the intro riff, because it is a very good alternate picking exercise due to the pattern of the string changes. The notes are played in groupings of 4 (it looks like 3 but it’s not! Listen to the song to see what I mean), except the red notes which highlight a very short-and-sharp sextuplet burst. Here is the tab: |----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |o---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |o-5-----4-----5-----4-----4-5-----|--5-----4-----5-----4~~~--------------------| |----3-3---3-3---3-3---3-3-----3-3-|----3-3---3-3---3-3--------------7-9-10-----| |----------------------------------|--------------------------7-8-10------------| |-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|--------------------| |-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|--------------------| |-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-repeat 1st 2 meas.-| |-10-----9-----10-----9-----7-9-----|-10-----9-----10-----9~--------------|--------------------| |----7-7---7-7----7-7---7-7-----7-7-|----7-7---7-7----7-7----------3-5-7--|--------------------| |-----------------------------------|------------------------3-5-7--------|--------------------| |-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-12-------11--|-10-----9-----10-----9-----7-9-----|-10-----9-----10-----9~----------10-12-14--|----10-10-----|----7-7---7-7----7-7---7-7-----7-7-|----7-7---7-7----7-7----10-12-14-----------|--------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| -------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| -------12-------11-------11-12-------|-12-------11-------12-------11~--------------------------| -10-10----10-10----10-10-------10-10-|----10-10----10-10----10-10--------------14-15-17--------| -------------------------------------|--------------------------------14-15-17-----------------| -------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------14^12^10-----------| |-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |-17-------16-------17-------16-------16-17-------|-17-----16-----17-----16~---------14^12^11--| |----14-14----14-14----14-14----14-14-------14-14-|---14-14--14-14--14-14----------------------| |-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |--------------------------17^14^11---------------|----------------------------------15-17-19--| |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------15-17-19-----------| |-12-----11-----12-----11~----------17^14^11------|-17-----16-----17-----16~-------------------| |----9-9----9-9----9-9----------------------------|---13-13--13-13--13-13----------------------| |-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|

And if you are feeling particularly ambitious, you can cap it all off with the ending lick, played with ridiculously fast sextuplets! |-20-19-17----------------------------------------------------------------| |----------20-19-17-20-19-17----------------------------------------------| |----------------------------19-17-16-19-17-16----------------------------| |----------------------------------------------19-17-16-19-17-16----------| |----------------------------------------------------------------19-17-15-| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------A.H.--------o| |-----------------------------------------14~~-\-----o| |-19-17-15----------------------14-15-17--------------| |----------19-17-15----14-15-17-------------------x\--|

That’s it for this update! The next update will be a ‘full’ update of the entire 100+ page text, as long as I receive at least 1% of the feedback forms – If I don’t, this will be the last free update.