Basic Legato Exercises
This lesson focuses on exercises to develop legato technique using two notes per string and 3 notes per string.
Pay close attention the hand positioning because it can make or break your ability to play these exercises accurately and smoothly.
These exercises can be used as great technique builders as well as warm-up exercises after you have them down.
They help to develop strength and flexibility in the fret hand and will allow you to add that nice smooth legato effect to your playing.
Be sure to get the PDF download for this lesson.
Basic Legato Exercises TAB PDF
If these free lessons help you, please donate to keep new ones coming daily. Thanks!! π
Basic Legato Exercises
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Wow, nice blog! I really like it π
Carl, another helpful lesson. Thank you. You are eliminating my excuses for not becoming a better player. As a New Years resolution I have placed a guitar next to the sofa (no amp) for redeeming TV time. Hopefully the constant dweedle-de dweedle-de dweedle-de dweedle-de won’t be too distracting to others.
LOL.. Sounds a lot like I do it. π
Real techiquine improve exercise! Rock on!
Firstly great lesson, but i seem to have a problem, when i practise legato or any technique that requires hammer ons and pull offs the skin on my fingers (mainly little finger) tends to peel slightly, is that normal? Or is there anything i can do to prevent this? Please advise π Thanks.
Hey there, yeah that is pretty normal. If you do it enough your fingertips will develop the proper calluses to handle it and you shouldn’t have much problem. Calluses to seem to peel from time to time depending on the weather or if you have taken a break for a few days they may start to breakdown a bit. I guess the idea is if you play more you peel less eventually. π
Cheers!! Carl..
Hey , you have no clue how much i appreciate your lessons , Kudos π
What do I have to do with my second finger? ( the one we do not use here and in wich we have rings on) I donΓΒ΄t know if a bad position would be dangerous
Sorry I made a mistake , I mean my middle finger xD
do i have to play with the very tip of the pinky finger? i find it hard to keep playing with the tip of it and i always find myself playing with the part under the tip =\
Depending on how your fret hand is placed over the fretboard the area of your fingertips that you use will vary. I suggest just doing what is comfortable. π
Carl..
Great web! These exercises are really useful but I have a doubt: Why does the first legato exercise start with an upstroke? Its easier for me start with a downstroke to control the rhytm… What do you think? Is it okay to play it like that?
Sure, pick it any way you feel comfortable. π
Thanks! π
My poor little finger :'(
Thank you Carl π God bless you, for your free lessons π Thank you thank you thank you so much. π
Best site on the net, amazing work out I love it.
Carl you are the best teacher out there. Thanks once again.
Warren
Carl you are really a great help than you!! π
Thanks for the lessons! π
Hi Carl–really enjoying your lessons! The information is great but I notice you’re using an electric guitar for most of these legato and chord stretch exercises. I only have acoustic and the stretches are proving to be difficult for my short stubby fingers. Any tips?
Hey Susan, unfortunately these types of techniques will alway be more difficult on steel string acoustics due to the much higher string tension.
Have you ever tried extra lights strings?
Carl…
Hey Carl,
Had a couple questions.
In the first exercise, are you flattening your index finger on the fret to touch the next lower string (touching B while on high E)? It sounds like when you pick up speed in the exercise you don’t hear the string you hammer onto ring when you pull off of it (the B doesn’t ring when you hammer and pull of the 8th fret G. I’m wondering if this is because you’re muting it two to three frets down.
In the second exercise, I’ve noticed picking up speed compared to all of the other 4 is more challenging. Predominantly this is due to moving the first finger quickly between strings. You can fret both with the first finger but you get two strings ringing out. Any suggestions on how things to do to build up speed on this one?
Hey Andrew,
In the first exercise I am just using proper left hand muting technique that involves allowing the tip of the index finger to extend far enough above the high E string so that it touches the B string. That keeps it from causing any unwanted noise by muting it.
In the second exercise, you can use the index finger in two ways. First, you can move the index finger over to the high E string when that note is played and then back to the B string. It is just essential that you use the proper muting technique that I described above. Here is a lesson on that muting technique: https://guitarlessons365.com/proper-muting-technique-while-soloing-guitar-lesson/
Another option that some players prefer is to roll their index finger. Here are a couple of lessons on that technique. π
https://guitarlessons365.com/intermediate-guitar-lesson-rolling-technique/
https://guitarlessons365.com/intermediate-guitar-lesson-guitar-rolling-technique-pt-2/
Hi sir! What is your recommended timeframe of studying/learning the whole intermediate guitar lesson?