Intelligent fingers
Fingers exercises are very useful. First, they're good to be hot and second they're good to
create new techniques in your vocabulary. More you know, better it is. Here's an exercise I
called "Diminished chord relay". We play 7 diminished chords going up and down rapidly on the
neck. It hurts fingers...
First, remember the voicings of Ex.1. Play #1 once, be sure to do it well, without wrong
noises nor open strings; then with the same hand, mute the strings. While strings are muted,
finger chord #2. Once you got it, play it like you played #1, always using the same
diagram : play-mute-change. Once you control this, repeat exercise a half-step higher and
remember : start slow and develop coordination first. Quality before speed every time.
In order to vary, try the diagram shown in Ex.2. Play in arpeggio each chord with muted
strings. A plectrum diagram that works well is to attack once toward up and three times toward
down.
Diminished chord relay is an excellent exercise to develop "intelligent fingers", as long as
it stays a challenge to your technique. When it gets easy, complicate it. If it is annoying,
make it interesting. And don't forget to listen to the chords sound. Used creatively,
diminished chords can do what any other chord can't. Try and search for what I mean.
Ex. 1
Ex. 2