34 exercises with diatonic chords

[NormanKliman]

Hi everyone,

I’ve updated the guitar exercises on my website. I’ve deleted some of the older stuff to add 34 new exercises that apply different right-hand techniques and patterns to a single diatonic chord progression.

I’ve been playing these new exercises for about a month, and they seem to be making my hands stronger.

I developed the material from my most recent warm-up exercise, but it all goes back to a very basic idea in thirds that Ramón Montoya and others played a lot. Extending that idea up and down the neck, I worked out 13 chords, from E minor in first position to C major where the neck joins the body. Thirteen is an odd number that works well for forming a loop with 12 chords up and 12 down.

The six techniques applied to this progression are (1) arpeggios, (2) horquilla, (3) thumb and index, (4) thumb and index + single-note lines, (5) single-note lines and (6) tremolo. I’ve worked out ascending and descending patterns in triplets, sixteenths and other time values, trying to cover all the possible variations that are useful.

The result is a lot of new material, some of which will probably be too easy or too hard, and some that should be juuuust right for you.

Here’s the link to these exercises on the updated exercises page:
http://canteytoque.es/pmiexc.htm#diatonic

[NormanKliman]

No replies so far, but here's a little update: This morning I changed the order of some of the patterns on the web page. Last night, it occurred to me that it’s harder (for me, at least) to start with index than with ring finger, especially in some of the final patterns, and what I want is to show the easier exercises before the harder ones. So, I had to edit the images of the summaries of some of the techniques, but the patterns themselves remain unchanged.

Diatonic chords are such a basic concept that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone has already published something similar to my study. The patterns associated with thumb and index and with thumb/index + single notes are more closely related to flamenco guitar and may be more interesting if you don’t care for the others.

[NormanKliman]

I’m posting about this study again because, after adding new material, it now features 43 exercises based on 28 striking-hand patterns. I’ve also added new texts and edited the existing texts to make them clearer, and I’ve numbered the patterns in the summaries and in the scores to make them easier to find.

http://canteytoque.es/pmiexc.htm#diatonic

[mrghostwalker]

I'm one of those people who need to see it, in order for it to make sense to me.
I need a video demonstrating how to.

[Jamolay]

Thanks! I’ll see if I can do some of these!

[NormanKliman]

Originally Posted by mrghostwalker

I'm one of those people who need to see it, in order for it to make sense to me.
I need a video demonstrating how to.

I don't make many videos because I'm not a performer. I play just about every evening, but recording audio or video makes me nervous and I almost always make mistakes.

You don't need video or even scores to benefit from this study. Have a look at the chords at the beginning and apply any striking-hand technique you like. The first pattern of arpeggios in triplets is very simple and basic. You'll probably find the chords beyond first position to be hard to fret, but that's the whole point of the study. They're simple major and minor chords that are very useful in any style of music.

I've been playing these exercises for nearly two months and the chords are becoming easier to play and my hands are stronger and more flexible.

If you give it a shot, have a look at the scores and you'll see that notation isn't as hard as you think.

[canuck7]

Thanks for these exercises!!! I've been looking for this, especially the flamenco exercises which straighten your fingers. With the tabs below, it's easy to follow along. This will definitely be an added regimen to my practice routine!!

[NormanKliman]

Hi Jeff. Thanks for your post. I usually sit on these things for a while to see how they develop before adding them to my website. But after a few weeks, I started to notice the benefits and figured it'd be a good one to share.

...especially the flamenco exercises which straighten your fingers.

What do you mean, the fingers on your right or left hand? I'm assuming you're right-handed. And are you referring to these diatonic chord exercises or the picado exercises on the same page?

[canuck7]

Originally Posted by NormanKliman

Hi Jeff. Thanks for your post. I usually sit on these things for a while to see how they develop before adding them to my website. But after a few weeks, I started to notice the benefits and figured it'd be a good one to share.



What do you mean, the fingers on your right or left hand? I'm assuming you're right-handed. And are you referring to these diatonic chord exercises or the picado exercises on the same page?

Yes, the right hand! And yes, the picado exercises. And I am right-handed. Some of the chord shapes are challenging for the left hand for sure in the warm-up...
I'm going to work my way through everything, though!!!

[NormanKliman]

Originally Posted by canuck7

Some of the chord shapes are challenging for the left hand for sure in the warm-up...

Yeah, that one is meant to be hard on both hands, especially the left.

Just in case this is all new to you, I’ll mention that fingers are usually bent when playing picado. There are three knuckles in each finger: the one closest to the fingernail, the one in the middle and the one closest to the palm of the hand. It’s the middle knuckle that’s usually bent. Here’s a video with a clear view of the right hand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Xk9A4Gns0

However, some great old-school guitarists have played picado with relatively straight index and middle fingers. Manuel Parrilla and his brother Juan are good examples. Photo of Manuel:
https://www.revistalaflamenca.com/en...illa-de-jerez/

[canuck7]

Originally Posted by NormanKliman

Yeah, that one is meant to be hard on both hands, especially the left.

Just in case this is all new to you, I’ll mention that fingers are usually bent when playing picado. There are three knuckles in each finger: the one closest to the fingernail, the one in the middle and the one closest to the palm of the hand. It’s the middle knuckle that’s usually bent. Here’s a video with a clear view of the right hand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Xk9A4Gns0

However, some great old-school guitarists have played picado with relatively straight index and middle fingers. Manuel Parrilla and his brother Juan are good examples. Photo of Manuel:
https://www.revistalaflamenca.com/en...illa-de-jerez/

Thanks [emoji120] for the advice…can’t wait to get started next week after a little trip…
I get mesmerized watching the fingers of Jesse Cook on the videos with closeup of the right hand…

https://youtube.com/shorts/6r6S5-och...nKZcOLIa0SVfKn

And lately, the two guys who are…
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