This simple left-hand exercise will develop a strong foundation for your left-hand technique. It is also an excellent warm-up exercise that you can use even through advanced levels.
This exercise is called the “Spider Walk,” because you imitate the movements of a spider as he walks on the strands of his web, one leg at a time. When you get really good at it, your fingers will be as nimble as a spider’s legs, moving confidently, independently–completely under your control.
Just a little jargon to go over before we begin. Flamenco guitarists have developed a shorthand notation for the fingers of each hand. On the left hand, they call the index finger simply “1,” the middle finger “2,” the ring finger “3,” and the pinky finger “4.” Classical guitarists also use this musical shorthand for the left-hand fingers.
Now, to get started, place your left hand fingers on the first string (the thinnest and bottom-most string) of your guitar, each placed next to a fret, just above it, spread apart by a fret apiece. Bend your wrist slightly, allowing your fingers to curve naturally. Next, move each finger, starting with 1, to the next string (you will be moving toward the thicker strings as you progress), only one finger at a time so that your fingers will develop independence. Keep your knuckles parallel to the fingerboard, and your fingertips as close as possible to being perpendicular, although it is natural for 1 and 4 to be less perpendicular. Place your thumb in a natural position behind the fingerboard, as it serves as a guide and support for your whole hand. It should not, however, be used as the only balancing force for your fingers. Using gravity and leverage for balance can really reduce the tension in your left hand, giving you a more effective technique.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/bln9vo0hDdw[/youtube]In the first couple of weeks of your practice, just focus on the placement and independence of each finger. After you are comfortable with this stage, try to make the landings firmer, snapping them on the frets, producing the sounds that you heard in the clip. Make this exercise an important part of your practice routine every day, even just for a few minutes. It will really pay off later when you get to the upper levels, in which finger strength and independence is crucial for success.
For a real challenge, work on this exercise in reverse, beginning on the sixth string, starting with the index finger, then moving each finger in turn backwards to the fifth string, then, when all fingers are on the fifth string, moving on to the fourth, until all of your fingers are on the first string. As in the above exercise, keep each finger in place until it is its turn to move. Move only one finger at a time, because only in this way can you develop true finger independence.
In our next lesson, we lay the groundwork for a solid right-hand technique.
