Improve Your Stretching

Hey, I wrote this to be help to all budding guitarists who feel the need to improve their stretching.

Firstly play the following progression usining alternate picking.

e|---------------------------------6-8-10-|
B|--------------------------6-8-10--------|
G|-------------------6-8-10---------------|
D|-------------5-7-9----------------------|
A|-------5-7-9----------------------------|
E|-5-7-9----------------------------------|

And back up...

e|-10-8-6---------------------------------|
B|--------10-8-6--------------------------|
G|---------------10-8-6-------------------|
D|----------------------9-7-5-------------|
A|----------------------------9-7-5-------|
E|----------------------------------9-7-5-|

When you can sound each of these notes perfectly move on to the next section. Oh, this may take patience and severe pains in your hands, but it is worth it.

Now Hammer-on and pull-off the notes, up and down.
e|-----------------------6h10p6------------------|
B|------------------6h10--------10p6-------------|
G|-------------6h10------------------10p6--------|
D|---------5h9----------------------------9p5----|
A|-----5h9------------------------------------etc|
E|-5h9-------------------------------------------|

Ok, once you’ve that nailed (I can’t play the 6h8h10p8p6 perfectly yet) move onto the next section, using your strecthes in a song. This is an extract from Trivium’s Rain.

e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12-----10-------------12---13---12-12----10----------------------|
D|----8-8----8-8-8-8-8-8----8----8-------10----10-10-10-10-10-10----|
Pm-   . .    . . . . . .    .    .        .     .  .  .  .  .  .

This will improve your stretching on the lower strings high on the fretboard, and it’s great fun.

When you feel confidant with these tips, try this solo from Dying in your arms also by Trivium. Guitar II (Matt Heafy) has a long stretch which you should be able to manage with practice.

Guitar I (Corey Beaulieu)
e|-12p8----12-12p8-12p8----12-12p8-12p8----12---10p7---7-10p7-10p7--| 
B|------10--------------10--------------10-----------8-------------8| 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-7-8p7-8p7---7-8p5---5-8p5-8p5---5-13-12-10---12-10-------10------| 
B|-----------8-------6-----------6-----------13-------13-12----13-12| 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------|
B|-10-13-12-10-8--|
G|----------------|  X2
D|----------------| 
A|----------------| 
D|----------------|

Guitar II (Matt Heafy)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
G|-9p5---5—9p5-9p5---5-9p5-9p5---5-7p4---4-7p4-7p4---4-5p4-5p4---4-| 
D|-----7-----------7-----------7-------5-----------5-----------5---| 
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
B|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
G|-5p2---2-5p-5p2---2-4p2-4p2---2-10-9-7----9-7------7--------------| 
D|-----3----------3-----------3----------10-----10-9---10-9-7-10-9-7| 
A|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---|
B|---| 
G|---| 
D|-5-| X2 
A|---| 
D|---|

Thanks, I hope this helps. Email me if you have any questions or would like to offer me any helpful tips you yourselves have used in your playing. I look forward to hearing from people.

Comments

[Hcs92]

Not bad dude. These are pretty good exercises to practice finger stretching both for beginner guitarists and for advanced guitarists, but maybe you should have chosen some example riff in standard tuning, not drop D. That solo is a good example though.

[izzizz]

cool. i'll try this

[NagorRoberts]

cool thamks dudes, twas my first contribution to the UG world, and yes I probably should have used standard tuning examples. I'll know for next time. Peace. :

[musicfanuk]

when you play the 5-7-9,6-8-10 stuff should you be using index, middle and pinky or index, ring and pinky?

also when you play the rock and roll chords, like

d-----
a-7-7-9-7
e-5-5-5-5

what is the correct fingers for playing these type of chords?

[NagorRoberts]

in response to musicfaunk's comment. i personally find it easier to play the 5-7-9 with my index, middle and pinky. as for the chords use index and middle for 7 and index and pinky for 9
5 5 hope that helps. :

[Blndbat8719]

but maybe you should have chosen some example riff in standard tuning, not drop D. - Hcs91

Actually, when you look at the examples, there is only one riff that actually uses the drop D and that's the riff with the palm muting

[devilmaycry1979]

hey thanks..I was trying to find another scale or two to help stretch..already improving, thanks soo much!

[Klyptoman]

Thanks for the head's up on the Rain tune. I've never heard it so I would never have known it to be dropped D. Perhaps I'll try them both out and see what I like. Big fan of low-end fourth chops myself.

[dylanbob]

XD Hey Regan!
Kick ass lesson. =D

[n00barmy]

but maybe you should have chosen some example riff in standard tuning, not drop D. - Hcs91

Actually, when you look at the examples, there is only one riff that actually uses the drop D and that's the riff with the palm muting

Exactly, and it you were to transcribe it for standard tuning that would make it a more difficult exercise for stretching because you would have to play 6 and 8 on the low E string instead of 8 and 10 respectively. Maybe something to try after you get the hang of playing it in Drop D...