Guitar Tactics
Technique

Tips for Building Speed and Dexterity on Guitar

Key Takeaways

  • Speed is only as good as your sense of rhythm and time
  • Practice with a steady pulse, not just playing fast
  • Use sixteenth notes (4 notes per beat) over a metronome
  • Start around 80 BPM and build up 2-5 BPM at a time
  • Focus on feeling the underlying pulse while playing fast passages

Transcription

Here's a lesson on building speed and dexterity with the guitar. There's one thing I want you to take away: speed is only as good as your sense of rhythm and time.

We're not just trying to play faster. We're also trying to keep a good time feel and gradually build that up as we play at higher tempos.

Start with a steady pulse. For each pulse, put in four notes (sixteenth notes). Play a descending pattern on a major scale while feeling that initial pulse: one, two, three, four.

You're not just feeling one note or two notes. You're also feeling that pump, pump, pump.

Set your metronome around 80 BPM and slowly build up 2-5 BPM at a time. That's one way to build up your speed and dexterity on the guitar.

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