7 Guitar Exercises to Inspire Your Practice Routine

Summary

In this instructional video, Tomoshita offers a structured practice routine for guitarists to improve their skills. The session focuses on seven key exercises, including simple and advanced chromatic scales, triads on the top three strings, vertical and horizontal triad practice, CAGED scale forms, and the Rule of 37 for blues improvisation. Viewers are encouraged to practice for 15 minutes to half an hour daily, selecting a few exercises to master. Tomoshita emphasizes the importance of proper fingering, muting techniques, and slow, deliberate practice to build a solid foundation for advanced guitar playing.

Takeaways

• 🎼 Practice daily for 15 minutes to half an hour to improve guitar skills.
• 📈 Start with a simple chromatic scale on the fourth and third strings for good thumb position.
• 🔄 Focus on maintaining proper fingering and muting technique to avoid noise.
• 🎵 Gradually decrease the volume of your playing to practice muting and control.
• 📚 Learn and practice different patterns to improve finger dexterity and accuracy.
• 🤞 Incorporate hybrid picking techniques for more complex musical expressions.
• 📘 Understand triads and practice them on the top three strings to grasp inversions.
• 🔄 Work on vertical, horizontal, and same string triad exercises for better thumb positioning.
• 🎼 Master the CAGED system for a solid understanding of the major scale across the fretboard.
• 🎶 Apply Rule 37 to practice blues scales and improve improvisation skills.
• 👍 Consistent practice of these exercises will build a strong foundation similar to professional guitarists.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Tomoshita Music?

The video focuses on teaching guitar practice techniques that one can do for 15 minutes to half an hour daily, covering seven specific items to improve guitar skills.

What are the different types of chromatic scales mentioned in the video?

The video mentions a simple chromatic scale, a more sophisticated chromatic scale with eighth notes, and a difficult two-notes chromatic scale.

Why does the instructor suggest practicing only the top three strings for a while?

Practicing only the top three strings helps avoid memorization and allows the student to understand the three notes really well, which is beneficial for learning.

What is the significance of practicing with the fingers down as instructed in the video?

Keeping all fingers down while practicing helps in maintaining proper fingering and muting technique, which is crucial for clean and noise-free play.

What is the purpose of gradually playing softer in the practice routine?

Gradually playing softer helps the student to focus on finger placement and muting to avoid noise, which is an essential skill for clean playing.

How does the instructor suggest learning the chromatic scale patterns?

The instructor suggests learning the chromatic scale patterns by copying the numbers, practicing slowly, and focusing on muting to achieve a clean sound.

What is the importance of practicing with a pick and fingers simultaneously as mentioned in the video?

Practicing with a pick and fingers simultaneously, also known as hybrid picking, helps develop advanced picking techniques which are useful for more complex musical passages.

What does the instructor mean by 'Triad' in the context of guitar practice?

A 'Triad' refers to a group of three notes that are played together, typically the root, major third, and perfect fifth, which form the basis of many chords in music.

Why is it recommended to practice Triads in different positions on the guitar?

Practicing Triads in different positions helps the student understand inversions and allows for better finger placement, which is essential for playing chords smoothly across the fretboard.

What is the 'CAGED' system mentioned in the video and why is it important?

The 'CAGED' system is a method for organizing guitar chords and scales around five basic chord shapes named after the notes C, A, G, E, and D. It helps in understanding the fretboard and allows for smoother transitions between chords.

What is 'Rule 37' and how does it apply to guitar practice?

'Rule 37' is a practice method created by the instructor, which involves learning specific patterns and scales to improve improvisation skills and overall guitar proficiency.

How does the instructor suggest integrating muting techniques into practice?

The instructor suggests using the left hand for muting while practicing scales and chords, which helps in achieving a clean sound and is particularly useful for funk styles.

Why does the instructor emphasize the importance of not rushing during practice?

Emphasizing not rushing during practice allows the student to focus on proper technique, finger placement, and muting, which are crucial for developing good playing habits.

What is the instructor's opinion on the role of tabs in learning guitar?

The instructor believes that relying on tabs can hinder a musician's ability to develop their own skills and learn music by ear, which is why practicing the techniques taught in the video is more beneficial.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 Daily Guitar Practice Routine

The instructor introduces a daily practice routine for guitar players, emphasizing the importance of consistent practice. Seven different exercises are presented, ranging from simple chromatic scales to more complex techniques like hybrid picking and triad inversions. The focus is on practicing for a short duration (15 minutes to half an hour) and choosing only a few items from the list each day for focused improvement. The first exercise involves practicing a chromatic scale on the fourth and third strings to establish a good thumb position and fingering technique.

05:02

🎸 Advanced Chromatic Scale Techniques

This paragraph delves into more sophisticated chromatic scale patterns, including an eighth note chromatic scale and a two-notes chromatic skill. The instructor demonstrates the importance of maintaining proper fingering and muting techniques to ensure clean sound production. The 'foreign' concept is introduced, which seems to refer to playing without noise. The paragraph also touches on the importance of learning patterns slowly and softly to build up technique and accuracy, with a gradual increase in speed and complexity.

10:05

📚 Exploring Triads and Inversions

The lesson continues with an exploration of triads, focusing on playing them across the top three strings to understand the structure of chords and their inversions. The instructor guides the student through the process of learning triads in different positions and tunings, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying theory. Exercises include playing triads in various inversions and practicing them both vertically and horizontally to develop a comprehensive understanding of chord shapes and movements.

15:12

🎹 CAGED Form Mastery and Scales

The instructor introduces the CAGED system, a method for understanding the fretboard through five basic chord shapes. The focus is on practicing these shapes to internalize the layout of the guitar fretboard and to improve scale playing. The paragraph also mentions the importance of practicing scales without noise and maintaining a relaxed technique. The instructor suggests that after mastering the basics, one should develop their own opinions and tastes in music, but first, it's crucial to learn the fundamentals.

20:13

🎵 Rule 37 and Improvisation Skills

The concept of 'Rule 37' is introduced, which seems to be a method or exercise for improving improvisation skills. The instructor mentions practicing a B flat blues scale and suggests that this exercise can be found in the Guitar Wisdom subscription content. The importance of practicing with a focus on muting and clean technique is reiterated, as well as the idea of learning to play without anxiety or rushing, which is crucial for improvisation and performance.

25:15

🎤 Integrating Practice with Performance

The instructor discusses the application of practice techniques to performance, emphasizing that while certain exercises may seem awkward or uncomfortable during learning, they are essential for developing skills that can be applied fluidly during performance. The paragraph also touches on the importance of singing and playing simultaneously, and the instructor shares a personal anecdote about whistling, adding a light-hearted touch to the lesson.

🌟 Wrapping Up the Practice Session

In the final paragraph, the instructor summarizes the seven practice items covered in the video, encouraging viewers to choose three to four items to practice daily. The items include a simple chromatic scale, advanced chromatic patterns, triad exercises, CAGED form practice, major scale exercises, and Rule 37. The instructor thanks the viewers for watching and encourages them to subscribe to the channel and share the content with friends, highlighting the growth of the channel and the community.

Keywords

💡Chromatic Scale

A chromatic scale is a musical scale that consists of all twelve pitches of the octave, arranged in ascending or descending order. In the context of the video, the chromatic scale is one of the fundamental techniques taught for guitar practice. The script mentions practicing a simple chromatic scale and a more sophisticated version, emphasizing the importance of proper finger placement and muting to achieve a clean sound.

💡Eighth Notes

Eighth notes, also known as quaver notes, are a type of musical note that represents one-eighth the duration of a whole note. In the video script, eighth notes are mentioned as part of a more sophisticated chromatic scale practice, suggesting that the guitarist should be comfortable playing chromatic scales at a faster pace, incorporating eighth notes into their practice.

💡Hybrid Picking

Hybrid picking is a guitar technique where a player uses a pick to strum the strings and also uses their fingers to fret notes. The script introduces hybrid picking as an advanced technique, where the guitarist is encouraged to practice using both a pick and fingers simultaneously, which can add versatility and complexity to their playing.

💡Triad

A triad is a group of three notes that are played together in harmony, typically consisting of a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. The video script emphasizes practicing triads on the top three strings of the guitar, which helps in understanding chord structures and inversions. This is crucial for developing a strong foundation in music theory and guitar playing.

💡Inversions

Inversions in music refer to the rearrangement of notes in a chord so that a different note becomes the lowest-sounding pitch. The script discusses practicing triads in different inversions, which is an important skill for guitarists to master. This allows for more fluid and creative playing, as well as a deeper understanding of chord progressions.

💡CAGED System

The CAGED system is a method for memorizing guitar fretboard patterns, with each letter representing a different chord shape: C, A, G, E, and D. The video script mentions practicing the CAGED forms as a way to understand the major scale and improve fingerboard navigation. This system is a popular tool among guitarists for learning scales and chords across the entire fretboard.

💡Rule of 37

The Rule of 37 is a concept that seems to be a part of a specific teaching method or exercise mentioned in the script, possibly related to practicing scales or patterns. While the exact nature of the Rule of 37 is not fully explained in the script, it is presented as an advanced practice technique that can help guitarists develop their skills further.

💡Muting

Muting in guitar playing refers to the technique of stopping a string from vibrating to prevent unwanted noise. The script repeatedly emphasizes the importance of muting, especially when practicing scales and chords, to ensure a clean and precise sound. This technique is fundamental for achieving a professional sound quality in guitar performance.

💡Thumb Position

Thumb position is crucial for maintaining proper hand posture and fingering on the guitar. The video script discusses the importance of thumb placement for playing chords and scales, particularly when practicing inversions. Correct thumb position can lead to more efficient and comfortable playing, as well as better sound production.

💡Practice Routine

A practice routine is a structured plan for musicians to improve their skills through regular and focused practice sessions. The script outlines a daily practice routine that includes various exercises such as chromatic scales, triads, and the CAGED system. The routine is designed to build a solid foundation and enhance technical proficiency on the guitar.

💡Guitar Wisdom

Guitar Wisdom appears to be a platform or community mentioned in the script, possibly offering resources, lessons, or a community for guitarists to learn and improve. The script encourages viewers to subscribe to Guitar Wisdom for further study materials and practice exercises, suggesting it as a valuable resource for guitar players.

Highlights

Introduction to a daily 15-minute to half-hour practice routine for guitar.

Seven practice items are presented, including chromatic scales and challenging exercises.

Explanation of a simple chromatic scale on the fourth and third strings for proper thumb positioning.

Technique for muting the bottom string with the picking hand to avoid scratch noise.

Importance of slow practice for accuracy and to develop finger independence.

Suggestion to practice less if time is limited, focusing on quality over quantity.

Introduction of a more sophisticated chromatic scale involving eighth notes.

Demonstration of a two-notes chromatic skill which is described as difficult.

Advising to practice using only the top three strings to avoid memorization and understand the fretboard better.

Explanation of practicing triads on three strings to understand chord inversions.

Teaching the CAGED system for mastering the major scale in different positions.

Introduction of Rule 37, a method for improvisation and understanding the fretboard.

Emphasis on practicing with a metronome and gradually reducing volume for better control.

The necessity of muting strings with the picking hand for a clean sound.

Importance of understanding and practicing triads in different positions for better chord voicings.

Explanation of the three ways to practice triads: vertically, horizontally, and the same.

Advice on practicing the CAGED form to understand the major scale without memorization.

Discussion on the importance of having an opinion on techniques after mastering the basics.

Demonstration of practicing the B flat blues using the Rule 37 method.

Encouragement to practice daily with a focus on the seven items introduced for skill development.

Advice on using an Epiphone guitar for practice and the benefits of the instrument.

Closing remarks with an invitation to subscribe and share the channel for more guitar lessons.

Transcripts

thank you so much for watching tomoshita

music today I'm gonna show you how to

practice every day 15 minutes to maybe

half an hour even you can pick less

items so you can do even 10 minutes so

we have seven items here one is a simple

chromatic scale second one is a little

bit sophisticated chromatic scale eighth

notes and third one much more difficult

two notes chromatic skill is hard you

know I'll show you everything and then

fourth one what's the fourth one yes try

it only top three strings because this

way uh avoiding memorization so you

understand three notes really well then

you do

um all Direction vertical horizontal and

same one and then cage the form a little

bit caged major scale I show you four

four forms really great and then

um rule 37 so a lot material but um you

can do it and then good part is you only

pick two three items every day but but I

show you seven okay here you go

so I can get a little closer okay

you got all right so first one what you

do is a chromatic scale only fourth and

third string why because this way you

have

good thumb position you know left hand

because if you move

really hard to do so I would when I

teach first time

I teach only fourth and third string I

do the same way even now so chromatic

scale

from say like you know from third third

fret

so the first finger second finger

third finger fourth finger

easy right but most people do like this

okay that's about a habit okay this is

about heavy

all I know it's ringing so first right

hand

pump muting bottom string six and a

fifth okay and you play first first

finger a little bit sticking out than

other fingers because your first finger

touching fifth string right above the

string that you're picking and then like

this

keep all your fingers down

that's why you have to play slow

[Music]

no scratch noise

so this is tempo

simple

[Music]

so it takes a little time

[Music]

like that okay

[Music]

don't rush

and be flexible if you're busy you only

do fifth position to maybe

maybe ninth grade maybe like that okay

so simple right so from here

going down so you keep your all your

fingers down first and then I pick

around the sound hole here

[Music]

sustain this node and change your finger

so very beginning

Tempo is not important at all about the

fingerings

see sustain longer

see I'm not really counting a temple

just sustain

relax

sustain last note and go to the next one

you got the idea

after you learn the material you can go

a little faster

maybe like that

but here's the key

that's too easy so what what you do is

this

play normal

[Music]

then gradually

softer

softer than any sound in the room

just relax

[Music]

okay good job that's number one so

number two

here

copy that

don't worry about sight reading just

look at

numbers

one two one two three two three two wait

a minute one two one two three two one

one two one two

all right three two

one two I think three four three two one

two three four right okay going down

four three four three two three four

three two one two three four three two

it's written all right you got that okay

so now you learn the patterns and then

you go

ethos

so first right don't don't move learn

this button

good so you learn that and look slowly

foreign

means no noise

if you hear noise you are I mean you

have to slow down

and you go softer

see you're learning

we are learning

and no noise softer and softer

like that okay

soft and softer

much softer

so basically softer than my voice okay

that's the important part all right then

keep your fingers

um you know stay close to the fretboard

okay so once again your right hand Palm

right here touching fifth and sixth

string lightly and then your first

finger tip touching fifth string so the

muting double muting and then inside of

your fourth finger and First Finger

muting higher strings that's why that's

why

foreign

[Music]

thing I do it's clean because this

chromatic scale

in other words most people play licks

play songs and they don't have

techniques so that what happened more

songs they can play but struggle with a

technique

that's why I teach techniques okay great

so you go there you know then going down

maybe the slower

no sliding

okay you got that

that's it that's number two

[Music]

foreign

this is really amazing I think because

I'm making video and I can practice what

the deal

so now you see the bottom crazy

chromatic I teach at the Berkeley and

auxiliary your guitar playing my

students know this right so now again

copy that

capture that you just use your cell

phone capture

here you go so now next one a little

tricky because now hybrid picking you

use pick and you use you know first I'm

sorry not the first finger second finger

so you go like that

so this is what you really have to do

slowly maybe like a fifth string

yeah

so this is really extra if you want to

do it you can do it but you know

beginner probably you shouldn't do it

because first and second ones really

important

I gave you idea that you know so so when

you go up it's really interesting

like that and a minor third you know

so top notes go three four one two but

bottom notes go one two three four

that's why I call a crazy chromatic

so this one you have to really the

slowly then when you go down

[Music]

two one four three

but then top bottom notes four three two

one

so don't don't try that for us but just

you know idea

practice that all right so number four

Triad only top three strings so now try

as you have to go to Triad lesson here

only three strings so you first you have

to really understand

um try at a stand root major third fifth

[Music]

major third or fifth and root so you

have to study slowly okay and then

sudomi

and here too

this is great you really understand

tuning so first right you do once again

this body you want to go back to learn

Triads okay so now you go sudomi domiso

misodo sodomi but then you change to f

misodo sodomi domiso misodo

like that okay

[Music]

and the E flat

then you can go down

f

[Music]

B plus

you know electric guitar

so you can do even like you know 3-0

oh

like that

[Music]

like that okay so that's number four

number five is a Triad

vertical horizontal and same so you

again you have to watch this this this

video that you know I made that

um three ways so first you have to go

sodomi misodo

you have to play once you know they're

really important your thumb position

each one going down

so you have to really work on that

don't be so

see thumb you shouldn't go like this and

yeah just a little so this is more like

I use this for my students to learn

thumb position you see oh sorry and

[Music]

okay

you know really important and then this

part actually I supposed to do a

show you a paper but then I forgot

so it looks like this you can copy that

capture that all right

all right you got that

all right so now

um You Go

[Music]

keep going you don't stop sorry though

foreign

no noise

so you have to learn that you know okay

I'm just doing kind of quick so this is

not learning this is just after learning

when practicing

so basically I spend more time from

fifth string sixth string because this

is really great deal not to make any

noise you know and tough to play

so

and then continue you go Root Root Root

Root fast in budget so this way you know

the inversion you know it's great great

because when you play licks you

understand way out to play now just in

case right you go f

okay you have to do tests you know

we have this test on guitar wisdom

[Music]

so you have to do root Root Root Root

first inversion first inversion first

inversion first inversion second

inversion second dimension second

inversion second tip everything you have

to make a funny sound so that you don't

get the anxiety attack

all right so next one cage the form then

we did this lesson two occasion right so

now this is a guitar fingering from

Modern method guitar Berkeley method

guitar okay and there's a five form but

fifth one that's not important so I just

pick four okay did you capture that good

job yeah

so now so so what's happening is I I

draw that to the D like that so like C

form

[Music]

and he has you know D form continue you

know yeah so that's again you wanna

watch my

cages of foam my opinion about my cages

anyway so here

so this is not about memorization just

understand the major scale basically

[Music]

in position you see

no noise

the next one at a form

foreign

stretch

this one too is straight

see now

when you're performing you don't play

like that but when you learn

sometimes you want to learn very

specific ways so that you'll learn

something not just feel comfortable feel

comfortable not enough to me you know

what I mean you want to learn this

instrument better than anybody so why

you follow

feel comfortable you know

then when you learn Basics really

important do drop your opinion because

once you have opinion always you wonder

why I have to do this that's not good

idea just learn after you learn drop it

if you don't like it you know see what I

mean you have to taste it almost like a

you don't like a cucumber I don't like a

cucumber

[Music]

if I order salad if cucumber comes with

it I have to return you know

foreign

[Music]

form then you change the key so if you

change a key if you go okay I'm gonna be

if

so something you can do like this okay I

stay fourth position a

[Music]

d

e b

e

so you have to practice like you almost

confuse then you don't confuse because

that's how you improvise well oh last

one

rule 37 freshly freshly yeah fresh like

a vegetable you know or salad or fruit I

I made this one yesterday because

original one it's look a little

not gray so Capture One Two Three

captcha

okay so you learn uh B flat blues so

this is the beaver root flask seven

major third so that's why if you go this

one major seven this is minus a third so

you only need three of them and of

course guitar wisdom subscribers study

rule 37 just a 30 root 37 study

three four uh standards then you all

said you get really good skill from that

okay

B plus seven all right great great

now E flat seven root made a third for a

seven major seven

minus seven you learn that right okay so

B flat blues you practice

[Music]

strike down strum down up and mute with

left hand so so now second third fourth

finger is correct the reason is this way

you can use your first finger for muting

go for funk that's what I teach

so let's do the B flat

[Music]

now practice E flat foreign

I use a little bit my thumb to mute

so if you come to Berkeley Berkeley I

teach this to everybody whether you like

or not

I hope this video is not too long

maybe 20 minutes 25 minutes like that

always singing something even B flat

blues again so many Route 37 uh swing

[Music]

uh you know I messed up a little bit so

you see like you know what what you want

to do

subscriber here at the guitar I'm sorry

uh Thomas is the music you use search

here then you look up Ruth 37 blues or

standards it comes up and guitar wisdom

subscribers practice

you know chromatic scale uh major scale

form trials rule 37 so this way what's

going to happen is

you have a basic skills like what I have

what Joe may I have what Eric krasner

has what Zach gives us everybody has

these skills that's why they can learn

their own they listen anything they can

learn no tab we don't need a tabs

why you need a tab because they do not

do this

that's why

practice

[Music]

why why like that you know this basic

idea

this guitar is really great for practice

I use Epiphone you know art stop too I

practice chromatic scale through third

or seven I practice a lot with orange

[Music]

thank you

[Music]

what happened

[Music]

what's happened my whistle

because my wife cannot whistle but

I I lost my chops of a whistle

[Music]

all right thank you so much thank you so

much I hope you stay to very end so you

know this is it seven things okay one

chromatic scale really simple one

chromatic 2 1 2 1 2 the patterns crazy

chromatic number three you know two

notes and then you do top three notes

triers really well so you really

understand the inversions okay then you

do three way vertical horizontal and

same one now you know all the Triads

then cage the form and only four major

scale that you need to know okay you do

that really well and of course there's

more to do than if you ask me I can give

you more but this is good and then last

one root 37 swing you understand that

again you can go more and more so seven

things you do every single day but again

you pick three four items that's about

fine too thank you so much for watching

Thomas the music and if you like this

Channel Please Subscribe and share with

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000 something like that amazing thank

you so much and guitar wisdom too going

up nicely nicely thank you so much for

your support alright see you soon

take care