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#117 - 5 Best Beginner Picking Exercises! How To Start Shredding

🕑 Added 2020-09-29 13:01:03 +0000 UTC

Comments

Bernd Brodträger

Hey there, the VIP group is open for VIP and Platinum members! Hope this helps, Team Bernth

Jesse J Covey

Is the VIP group open to all paid members?

Spyros Tsimboulis

I think it is better to practice with a clean sound so you can actually hear exactly every note you play.[also dont use fretwrap, delay or reverb.

Bernd Brodträger

Hey yuya, Bernth usually recommends a slightly crunchy tone so that you can hear potential unwanted noise (so that you can make sure your string muting works) - he's still active in the VIP Facebook group, you can ask him anything yourself over there if you have more questions :)

yuya

Is it better to practice with a distorted sound?

NETANEL

🫤

NETANEL

T welcome video is not helping.

NETANEL

I really don't know what to do.. where to start?

NETANEL

Sorry.. but it's the right place to improve the guitar skills...

NETANEL

But

Tofer 2.0

I'm completely new and I'm very confused

Bernd Brodträger

Hey Morten, in case you need feedback on your technique (via videos, questions, pictures, anything you want), feel free to join the VIP or Platinum tier anytime! Bernth set up a secret Facebook group where he gives feedback to VIP/Platinum members every day :) You can post your progress videos for helpful input and there are over 900 students in the group already. Hope this helps!

Morten Nissov

Have a question. My pick seems to get stuck at the 16th notes in exercise 2. Don't feel in control.

Pedram Roosta

I have a question as a beginner: the title of each exercise video ends with a BPM, for example, 90BPM, do I need to start with 90 and end it there, or should I increase the tempo to a certain point?

Scott Ring

Oh man this is awesome!!! Learning this new pick holding technique and applying this lol boy do I have a ways to go lol

Vasyl Pedak

What pedal are you using for such a beautiful sound?

LukerJames999

Holy smokes. Really focusing on keeping a closed fist. I can already see its correcting bad habits. Left hand thumb really needs to be trained.

Lee Gunter

I noticed on EX5 that after speeding up just a little, I ended up starting with an upstroke instead of a down stroke because it felt natural. I understand this isn't how the exercise is written, but is it wrong to practice that type of picking? Thanks for all you're help Bernth!

Zhim

I noticed two things about my playing as I went through these - 1. Resting my hand on the bridge gave me much more control, but the weight of my hand moving pushes the tremolo springs and causes notes to go out of tune. 2. On the chromatic run EX 4 I noticed my left hand fingers, particularly when descending, move further from the fretboard than is necessary. Can anyone point me to if there is a lesson on the proper distance between the fingers and fretboard for fingers NOT fretting? I hadn't noticed I do this before but can see it limiting my speed. Thanks!

Deej

Great, thanks - I will check them out..

Bernd Brodträger

Hey Deej, here's a collection of fretting hand exercises: https://www.patreon.com/posts/128-top-10-best-43563180 And I recently made an entire course about hand sync: https://www.patreon.com/posts/191-best-5-min-56222239

Deej

Great video to get back to the basics which I am sure will improve my technique and speed. It’s always my fretting hand that lets me down when the Tempo increases. Are there any good beginner/intermediate fretting hand and sync exercises?

Bernd Brodträger

Welcome Brent, great to have you here! Hope you have an awesome weekend :)

Brent Neibert

Just signed up after watching your videos for a few weeks on YT. Newer player to the electric guitar world, and your new picking style has me very interested. Keep up the good work and thank you

Bernd Brodträger

Thanks for sharing this Dan! Did you check out this quite recent video? https://www.patreon.com/posts/202-10-life-59095578 I finally realized that the zoom on my camera is great (after 3 years) and got some good close-up shots of the picking hand - this video also features some additional tips that will help I think :)

Dan Shipway

These are absolutely great! The issue I have is that I cant seem to find a hand position/ anchor point that allows me to have control whilst being able to relaxed. Do you have any tips on this?

Bernd Brodträger

Thanks for asking! I made this one as a follow-up video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123-4-best-time-42946523 If you feel comfortable with the exercises in this intermediate one, you can definitely start working on this level! :)

Skye MacInnes

Great lesson, thank you! What's a good goal in terms of BPM to get these exercises "mastered" as such and move on to the more advanced version?

Andrew Johnson

Awesome lesson! Going to put this into my daily routine!

Bernd Brodträger

Welcome, great to have you here! :)

Baz Van Riet

I just signed up today after following on YT for a month. Hopefully this old dog can learn some new tricks but I really like Bernth's attitude and approach to this process. Cheers!

Bernd Brodträger

Welcome, Tamás, and thanks so much for sharing that! :) Happy to hear you will give it a shot, we all have different approaches but this one definitely worked best for me so far!

Tamás Piri-Cser

Hi Bernth! I am new here. I am an intermediate-like guitarist looking for ways to improve. Just watched this beginner video to be sure about everything and even here I got new things to try out: the fist forming with the right hand. I never did that, I always use my little finger to sort of anchor myself to the bridge pickup and I used picking with my thumb and index finger to move the pick, but I definitely will try to learn this, maybe this will improve my speed better, but at first I don't feel that much control, but with this exercise I will slowly use to it. Thanks! I use DAVA jazz grips picks, these are the same size as Dunlop Jazz III but even better grip with the rubber, at least for me.

Rafa Val

Thanks bernth i'm starting to create my routine to practice every morning

Swefty _

Don't Float your thumb. Your thumb will be resting on the back of the neck. Over time your hand will get used to the pressure and it will feel easier. I hope this helps

Swefty _

Nice, I have been playing guitar since I was 15. I stopped for about 5 years and now I am getting back in to it. I am 28 now and I found your videos. I would say that I am in between intermediate/advanced. You videos actually are helping me improve in my overall technic. Thank you so much.. I love you for this

Mark Seymour

Use the side of the palm of your picking hand to mute the string, close to the bridge.

Simon Shreds

thanks!

Przemek Hendel

It should be pointing up and that's the correct technique somewhere between index and middle finger, I figured it out from the left hand technique videos from bernth especially the one with spider excercise (which I recommend)

Simon Shreds

i just asked the same question. did you get an answer for this Przemek?

Simon Shreds

Hey Bernth or anyone who can help, with Exercise 4 im not sure what my left thumb is meant to be doing on the back of the neck. ie. if I have it placed then it is hard to slide it down, but if i have the thumb floating it makes my fingers weak and a bit unco-ordinated when fretting. What would you suggest?

Shany Golan

how do I get the same sound as he when he hits the E string? I want the same "closed palm" sound, but i don't understand how to do it without actually pressing the F# lightly to get that sound.

Arcanist Bear

Hey Bernth, do you have exercises (or approaches) for chords that absurdly stretch your fingers?

Przemek Hendel

how should I hold my thumb for excercise 4? or guitar in general? should it be sideways, straight and laying flat on the neck? Or should it point upwards?

Cameron Ullmann

I feel like I have all these down pretty good, would the next step to continue to increase the bpm while maintaining good technique ?

Arnaud Desbordes

Thanks for your answer, I will try those ones! I think they are slightly different (harder than Nylon-only ones)!

Bernd Brodträger

Thanks a lot for asking that Arnaud! This is the exact pick I'm using, hope that helps: https://www.thomann.de/gb/dunlop_nylon_max_grip_jazz_iii_carbon.htm

Arnaud Desbordes

Hi Bernth! Thanks for all the great videos you are posting! I just have a question about your picks : the one you use are the DUNLOP Jazz III 471P3C right ? I got some 471P3N, not sure if they are the same, I think they are Nylon and not Carbon (?), not sure... does it make a lot of difference ?

John H

Excellent foundation, and something even seasoned players should revisit from time to time!

Steven

Nice... so simple and so powerfull! So many years i had spend time on "playing" without a concept, without a success experience... now i found what i always looking for! ;P Thx!!!! *fette grüße nach niederösterreich*

Mary Blasko

Hi Bernth. I only began to play guitar at the beginning of this year, and as such, appreciate this lesson immensely. To this point I have not utilized a metronome in my daily practice. It was quite illuminating to hear how atrocious my timing was when I finally took your advice and did. Thank you for offering this foundational exercise.

murad jaymz

Awesome bernth we we need more beginner exercise

Daniel

Good to know, thank you! I'm always trying to find a more comfortable posture during practice. I may try removing the right arm rest anyway :) take care, Bernth!

Bernd Brodträger

Great question, I did not :) Maybe I was sitting a bit awkwardly so you couldn't see the arm rest - I keep them very low so it works out fine most of the time (but sometimes they don't look good on video, hence the different angle)

Steve Shaw

Another great lesson Bernth, Thanks.

Nam Hee Kim

Putting my wrist against the bottom of the guitar is really helpful! I feel a lot more stable and relaxed when I'm picking. Glad I watched this video.